Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of Girdin in Human Colorectal Cancer and Its Association with Tumor Progression

BACKGROUND: Girdin is crucial for cellular motility in cancer cell lines and for metastasis in a mouse model. Its expression has been demonstrated in a range of cancers by a few studies and was a prognostic factor in a subset of patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of Girdin expression to clinicopathologic factors in terms of the progression of colorectal cancers and patient survival. DESIGN: This study is a retrospective review of immunohistochemical and clinicopathologic data. SETTING: This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital/referral center in South Korea. PATIENTS: Tissue microarrays were made from surgical biopsies of 298 patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed between November 1996 and August 2007. Patients were included in the study if their survival time was known and if well-preserved surgical biopsy specimens were available. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes measured were Girdin expression and its association in tumor progression and patient survival. RESULTS: Positive staining for Girdin was observed in samples from 66 of 242 patients (27.3%). Expression of Girdin was significantly associated with tumor-node-metastasis stage (p = 0.036), liver metastasis (p = 0.025), and metastases involving the liver and other organs (p = 0.009). However, Girdin expression did not correlate significantly with the overall survival of patients and was not a significant negative prognostic factor for survival by univariate or multivariate analyses. LIMITATIONS: The number of investigated patients and the number of cases with positive staining for Girdin were rather small for the multivariate analysis. The inclusion time frame is long and includes other surgical and medical improvements, which influence a patient’s survival. CONCLUSION: The expression of Girdin is related to tumor metastasis but not to survival in human colorectal cancers.
Biological function derived from predicted structures in CASP11

In CASP11, the organizers sought to bring the biological inferences from predicted structures to the fore. To accomplish this, we assessed the models for their ability to perform quantifiable tasks related to biological function. First, for 10 targets that were probable homodimers, we measured the accuracy of docking the models into homodimers as a function of GDT‐TS of the monomers, which produced characteristic L‐shaped plots. At low GDT‐TS, none of the models could be docked correctly as homodimers. Above GDT‐TS of ∼60%, some models formed correct homodimers in one of the largest docked clusters, while many other models at the same values of GDT‐TS did not. Docking was more successful when many of the templates shared the same homodimer. Second, we docked a ligand from an experimental structure into each of the models of one of the targets. Docking to the models with two different programs produced poor ligand RMSDs with the experimental structure. Measures that evaluated similarity of contacts were reasonable for some of the models, although there was not a significant correlation with model accuracy. Finally, we assessed whether models would be useful in predicting the phenotypes of missense mutations in three human targets by comparing features calculated from the models with those calculated from the experimental structures. The models were successful in reproducing accessible surface areas but there was little correlation of model accuracy with calculation of FoldX evaluation of the change in free energy between the wild‐type and the mutant. Proteins 2016; 84(Suppl 1):370–391. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Realtime Application of Constrained Predictive Control for Mobile Robot Navigation

This work addresses the implementation issue of constrained Model Predictive Control (MPC) for the autonomous trajectory-tracking problem. The chosen process to control is a Wheeled Mobile Robot (WMR) described by a discrete, Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO), state-space and linear parameter varying kinematic model. The main motivation of the constrained MPC usage in this case relies on its ability in considering, in a straightforward way, control and states constraints that naturally arise in trajectory tracking practical problems. The efficiency of the presented control scheme is validated through experimental results on a two wheeled mobile robot using both STM32F429II and STM32F407ZG microcontrollers. The controller implementation is facilitated by the usage of the automatic C code generation and interesting optimization before real-time execution. Based on the experimental results obtained, the good performance and robustness of the proposed control scheme are established.
Pathways to improving combined modality therapy for stage III nonsmall-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, having caused an estimated 1.6 million deaths worldwide in 2012 [Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Dikshit R et al. Cancer incidence and mortality worldwide: sources, methods and major patterns in GLOBOCAN 2012. Int J Cancer 2015; 136: E359-E386]. MATERIALS AND METHODS Although the majority of patients are not cured with currently available therapies, there have been significant improvements in stage-specific outcomes over time [Videtic G, Vokes E, Turrisi A et al. The survival of patients treated for stage III non-small cell lung cancer in North America has increased during the past 25 years. In The 39th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, ASCO 2003, Chicago, IL. Abstract 2557. p. 291]. This review focuses on past progress and ongoing research in the treatment of locally advanced, inoperable nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). RESULTS In the past, randomized trials revealed advantages to the use of thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) and then, the addition of induction chemotherapy. This was followed by studies that determined concurrent chemoradiotherapy to be superior to sequential therapy. A recent large phase III trial found that the administration of 74 Gy of conventionally fractionated photon-based TRT provided poorer survival than did the standard 60 Gy. However, further research on other methods of applying radiotherapy (hypofractionation, adaptive TRT, proton therapy, and stereotactic TRT boosting) is proceeding and may improve outcomes. The molecular characterization of tumors has provided more effective and less toxic targeted treatments in the stage IV setting and these agents are currently under investigation for earlier stage disease. Similarly, immune-enhancing therapies have shown promise in stage IV disease and are also being tested in the locally advanced setting. CONCLUSION For locally advanced, inoperable NSCLC, standard therapy has evolved from TRT alone to combined modality therapy. We summarize the recent clinical trial experience and outline promising areas of investigation in an era of greater molecular and immunologic understanding of cancer care.
IFN-b and TGF-b differentially regulate IL-12 activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Both IFN-b and TGF-b have demonstrated their ability to antagonize several of the stimulatory activities of IFN-g on human macrophages, thereby classifying them as Th2-like. Aiming at a further characterization of their role in Th1/Th2 development, we studied their possible interaction with IL-12, the key Th1 cytokine. We found that IFN-b by itself induced modest amounts of IFN-g, but was able to synergize with IL-12 for IFN-g induction. TGF-b, on the other hand, had no effect by itself and inhibited significantly the IL-12-induced IFN-g secretion. The differential effect of IFN-b and TGF-b on IL-12 bioactivity was most pronounced upon IFN-g synthesis, since IFN-b induced only marginal amounts of IL-10 and IL-12 and TGF-b diminished constitutive IL-10 production, while neither had a significant effect on TNF-a production. Although monocytes did not produce detectable IFN-g with any of the stimuli, adherent cells were found to cooperate with non-adherent lymphocytes for maximal IFN-g production. However, IL-18, a monocyte-derived IFN-g-inducing cytokine able to synergize with IL-12, was undetectable in IFN-b or IFN-b+IL-12-stimulated cells. In conclusion, the ability of IFN-b to synergize with IL-12 for IFN-g synthesis, without significant concomitant IL-10 production, suggest a strong boost to Th1 development, which seems to be IL-18-independent. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Focal Intradural Brain Infections in Children: An Analysis of Management and Outcome

Introduction: Focal intradural infections of the brain include empyema and abscess in the supratentorial and infratentorial spaces. These are amenable to surgical management. Various other issues may complicate the course of management, e.g. hydrocephalus with infratentorial lesions or cortical venous thrombosis with supratentorial lesions. Here, we review the management and identify factors affecting outcome in these patients. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of all children (aged <18 years) treated at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India, between 1988 and 2004. Case records were analyzed to obtain clinical, radiological, bacteriological and follow-up data. Results: There were 231 children who underwent treatment for focal intradural abscess/empyema at our institute. These included 57 children with cerebral abscess, 65 with supratentorial empyema, 82 with cerebellar abscess and 27 with infratentorial empyema. All patients underwent emergency surgery (which was either burr hole and aspiration of the lesion or craniotomy/craniectomy and excision/evacuation), along with antibiotic therapy, typically 2 weeks of intravenous and 4 weeks of oral therapy. The antibiotic regimen was empiric to begin with and was altered if any sensitivity pattern of the causative organism(s) could be established by culture. Hydrocephalus was managed with external ventricular drainage initially and with ventriculoperitoneal shunt if warranted. Mortality rates were 4.8% for cerebral abscess, 9.6% for cerebellar abscess, 10.8% for supratentorial subdural empyema and 3.7% for posterior fossa subdural empyema. The choice of surgery was found to have a strong bearing on the recurrence rates and outcome in most groups, with aggressive surgery with craniotomy leading to excellent outcomes with a low incidence of residual/recurrent lesions. Conclusions: Antibiotic therapy, emergency surgery and management of associated complications are the mainstays of treatment of these lesions. We strongly advocate early, aggressive surgery with antibiotic therapy in children with focal intradural infections.
Further Experiments in the Etiology of Dengue Fever

The present figures show that the virus may be present in the blood as early as 18 hours and as late as 90 hours after the onset. It was not found in the blood 130 hours and 190 hours after the onset. The virus outside the body has been found alive, if kept reasonably cool, in several instances up to 48 hours, and in one instance after 99 hours. It is not possible from this series to draw deductions from the negative cases on this question. Several mosquito experiments in this series have not therefore added to our previous knowledge, but the one satisfactory experiment with Culex fatigans tends to support the view we hold that this species is probably not a vector of the disease. The results previously published by us support the opinion of Bancroft (5) and show clearly that, whether or not C. fatigans may also play a part in Australia, Stegomyia fasciata is capable of spreading the infection of dengu.
Artesunate/Amodiaquine Versus Artemether/Lumefantrine for the Treatment of Uncomplicated Malaria in Uganda: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND In treating malaria in Uganda, artemether-lumefantrine (AL) has been associated with a lower risk of recurrent parasitemia, compared with artesunate-amodiaquine (AS/AQ), but changing treatment practices may have altered parasite susceptibility. METHODS We enrolled 602 children aged 6-59 months with uncomplicated falciparum malaria from 3 health centers in 2013-2014 and randomly assigned them to receive treatment with AS/AQ or AL. Primary outcomes were risks of recurrent parasitemia within 28 days, with or without adjustment to distinguish recrudescence from new infection. Drug safety and tolerability and Plasmodium falciparum resistance-mediating polymorphisms were assessed. RESULTS Of enrolled patients, 594 (98.7%) completed the 28-day study. Risks of recurrent parasitemia were lower with AS/AQ at all 3 sites (overall, 28.6% vs 44.6%; P < .001). Recrudescences were uncommon, and all occurred after AL treatment (0% vs 2.5%; P = .006). Recovery of the hemoglobin level was greater with AS/AQ (1.73 vs 1.39 g/dL; P = .04). Both regimens were well tolerated; serious adverse events were uncommon (1.7% in the AS/AQ group and 1.0% in the AL group). AS/AQ selected for mutant pfcrt/pfmdr1 polymorphisms and AL for wild-type pfcrt/pfmdr1 polymorphisms associated with altered drug susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS AS/AQ treatment was followed by fewer recurrences than AL treatment, contrasting with older data. Each regimen selected for polymorphisms associated with decreased treatment response. Research should consider multiple or rotating regimens to maintain treatment efficacies.
The Effect of Trimethoprim on Serum Folate Levels in Humans: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Trimethoprim antagonize the actions of folate by inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase. This could diminish serum folate levels in humans and causes folate deficiency in some patients. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, to investigate the effect of trimethoprim on serum folate levels in healthy participants after a 7-day trial period. Thirty young, healthy males were randomly allocated to receive trimethoprim, 200 mg twice daily, and 30 were randomly allocated to placebo. Before trial initiation, participant numbers were given randomly generated treatment allocations within sealed opaque envelopes. Participants and all staff were kept blinded to treatment allocations during the trial. Serum folate was measured at baseline and at end of trial. In the 58 participants analyzed (30 in the trimethoprim group and 28 in the placebo group), 8 had folate deficiency at baseline. Within the trimethoprim group, serum folate was significantly decreased (P = 0.018) after the trial. We found a mean decrease in serum folate among trimethoprim exposed of 1.95 nmol/L, compared with a 0.21 nmol/L mean increase in the placebo group (P = 0.040). The proportion of folate-deficient participants increased significantly within the trimethoprim group (P = 0.034). No serious adverse events were observed. In conclusion, we found that a daily dose of 400 mg trimethoprim for 7 days significantly lowered serum folate levels in healthy study participants.
Thirty years and counting

The idea for this Special 30-Year Anniversary Issue of Australasian Journal on Ageing (AJA) arose from discussions with Anna Howe. Anna has contributed to the AJA as a member of the Editorial Board from its foundation in 1982– 1987 and again from 1993 to 2005, as a Guest Editor and as a continuing reviewer; she is also a Presidential Life Member of the Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG), one of the AJA partners. First ideas for the issue were discussed in May 2012 in a meeting between Anna, Tony Coles (CEO AAG) and me, and planning for the issue was started in the June 2012 AJA Management Committee meeting. The 30-year anniversary in 2012 seemed to be a timely opportunity to appreciate the legacy AJA has generated and to consider our aspirations for the future of AJA.
Planning for, implementing and assessing the impact of health promotion and behaviour change interventions: a way forward for health psychologists

Researchers in the field of health psychology have increasingly been involved in translating a body of knowledge about psychological factors associated with health-relevant behaviours, into the development and evaluation of interventions that seek to apply that knowledge. In this paper we argue that a changing economic and political climate, and the strong behavioural contribution to disease morbidity and mortality in developed nations, requires health psychologists to plan more rigorously for, and communicate more effectively, about how health promotion, social cognition and behaviour change interventions will have impact and be increasingly embedded into health services or health promotion activity. We explain academic and wider socio-economic uses of ‘impact’ in health services research. We describe the relationship between impact and dissemination, and impact as distinct from, but often used interchangeably with the terms ‘implementation’, ‘knowledge transfer’ and ‘knowledge translation’ (KT). The evidence for establishing impact is emergent. We therefore draw on a number of impact planning and KT frameworks, with reference to two self- management interventions, to describe a framework that we hope will support health psychologists in embedding impact planning and execution in research. We illustrate this further in an on-line annexe with reference to one of our own interventions, Mums-and-MS (see Supplemental Material).
Experiments on multi-channel spectrum sensing with filter bank realization for cognitive LTE-A systems

Wideband spectrum sensing is an attractive topic in cognitive radio (CR). Filter-banks are a good approach for wideband sensing with different detection algorithms. A wideband sensing scheme with filter-bank realization was proposed as in [1] for long-term evolution advanced (LTE-A) signals. The scheme is able to detect and classify LTE-A signals in multi-channels in parallel. In this work, we validate the reliability of the scheme in realistic scenarios of mobile communications. Real wideband LTE signals are processed by the scheme with an integrated test-bed for LTE base-stations in emergency situations. The experimental results agree with previous works to approve the reliability of the spectrum sensing scheme. Besides, they lead a successful integration approach of the scheme into LTE base-stations.
Analysis of pressure generation and bolus transit during pharyngeal swallowing

Current pharyngeal deglutition theory has stressed the role of the pharyngeal constrictors as producing a peristaltic wave responsible for bolus propulsion through the pharynx. This thesis presents data obtained using manofluorography which supports the significance of tongue and laryngeal motion in swallowing. The usage of the term peristalsis to describe the constrictor contraction is challenged.
How Does the Inclusion of Twins Conceived via Fertility Treatments Influence the Results of Twin Studies?

Rates of twinning have risen dramatically over the last 30 years, from 1 in 53 births in 1980 to 1 in 30 births in 2009 (Martin et al. (January 2012). Three decades of twin births in the United States, 1980–2009. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics). This increase is largely attributable to increases in the use of fertility treatments (i.e., ovulation induction and in vitro fertilization) combined with delays in parenthood. Although this increase means that more twins are available for recruitment into twin studies, it also has potential consequences for the heritability estimates obtained in these studies. This study sought to evaluate this possibility, making use of the ongoing Michigan Twins Project (N = 7,261 families with twins aged 3–17 years), an arm of the Michigan State University Twin Registry. Results revealed that, on average, twins conceived via fertility treatments had lower rates of behavior problems than those conceived naturally, although these behavioral differences could be explained largely by demographic and socio-economic differences across the two types of twin families. Twin similarity did not meaningfully differ across fertility treatment status. We thus conclude that estimates of genetic and environmental influences obtained from twin studies over the last 10–15 years are more or less unaffected by the inclusion of twins conceived via fertility treatments in their samples.
Investigation of Parametric Instabilities in Femtosecond Laser-Produced Plasmas

Ultrahigh-intensity lasers are fundamental tools in modern physics. Their fast evolution over the last 15 years [1] started with the invention of chirped pulse amplification (CPA) [2]. This technique opened a new window to the investigation of light-matter interactions. The CPA technique made it possible to generate much shorter laser pulses down to the femtosecond regime with laser peak powers reaching the 1–1000 terawatt level. Nowadays the most of the ultrahigh intensity lasers in the world are applying this method. One of these lasers is the Jena 12 TW laser [3]. These lasers can be focussed down to a few micrometers and enormous intensities up to 1021 W/cm2 can be reached. At these intensities the electric field exceeds many times the binding energy of electrons in an atom. After a plasma is formed, the electrons oscillate at relativistic velocities in these fields [4]. The interaction of ultrahigh-intensity laser pulses with plasmas became a central point of the investigations [5]. There is a great variety of applications of these plasmas from particle acceleration, generation of electromagnetic waves to inertial confinement fusion. There is a large body of work about laser-plasma based electron acceleration [6]. It was suggested originally in underdense plasmas by Tajima and Dawson [7]. One type of these accelerators, the laser wakefield accelerator, is based on the generation of electron plasma waves and the electrostatic fields of these waves accelerates the electrons [7].
Contrasting effects of cyclophosphamide on anti‐CTL‐associated protein 4 blockade therapy in two mouse tumor models

Immune checkpoint blockade is a promising anticancer therapy, but must be used in combination with other anticancer therapies to increase its therapeutic efficacy. Cyclophosphamide (CP) is a chemotherapeutic drug that shows immune‐modulating effects. In this study, we examined the effect of CP on anti‐CTL‐associated protein 4 (CTLA‐4) blockade therapy in two mouse tumor models. Drastic tumor regression was observed in the CT26 colon carcinoma model after i.p. injection of CP (100 mg/kg) followed by anti‐CTLA‐4 antibody. However, administration in the reverse order increased apoptosis in tumor‐specific CD8+ T cells. In the RENCA renal carcinoma model, the antitumor effect of combination therapy was marginal and the tumor‐bearing state reduced body weight with an increased serum level of interleukin‐6. Interestingly, although CP monotherapy increased myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the spleens of both models, subsequent anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy increased MDSCs only in RENCA‐bearing mice. Additionally, the serum levels of chemokine ligand 2 and C‐X‐C motif chemokine 10 were increased by the combination therapy only in RENCA‐bearing mice and in vivo depletion of Gr‐1+ cells augmented the antitumor effect to some degree. These results reveal a contrasting effect of CP on anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy between the two mouse tumor models. Cyclophosphamide augments the antitumor effect of anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy in CT26‐bearing hosts, whereas CP after anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy attenuates this effect through induction of apoptosis in tumor‐reactive T cells. Alternatively, CP‐induced MDSCs can be increased by anti‐CTLA‐4 therapy only in RENCA‐bearing hosts with an elevated level of interleukin‐6.