Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Intrathecal Morphine/Fentanyl and Patient-Controlled Analgesia with Patient-Controlled Analgesia Alone for Analgesia After Liver Resection

Continuous epidural anesthesia and analgesia may be considered in liver resection, but is often avoided because of the potential development of coagulopathies and the risk of epidural hematoma. In this prospective, randomized, double-blind study we compared postoperative morphine consumption via patient-controlled analgesia after liver surgery between two groups of patients: patients receiving a preoperative dose of intrathecal morphine (0.5 mg) and fentanyl (15 &mgr;g) (treatment group) and patients receiving a sham intrathecal injection (placebo group). Forty patients scheduled for major liver resection (≥two segments) were enrolled. The primary outcome measure was patient-controlled analgesia morphine consumption. Secondary outcomes were evaluation of pain at rest and with movement, scored on a visual analog scale with assessment of sedation, nausea, pruritus, and respiratory frequency. Outcome measures were recorded at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 h postspinal anesthesia or simulation. Patients in the placebo group consumed approximately three times more morphine during each time interval than patients in the treatment group (at 48 h: 124 ± 30 vs 47 ± 21 mg, P < 0.0001). Pain evaluation on the visual analog scale was lower for the first 18 h in the treatment group. There was no difference in the incidence of side effects in both groups. Intrathecal morphine (0.5 mg) and fentanyl (15 &mgr;g) given before liver surgery significantly decreased postoperative morphine consumption compared to placebo without any increase in side effects.
Randomized phase III trial of high-dose-intensity methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) chemotherapy and recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor versus classic MVAC in advanced urothelial tract tumors: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 

PURPOSE This randomized trial evaluated antitumor activity of and survival asociated with high-dose-intensity chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (MVAC) plus granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (HD-MVAC) versus MVAC in patients with advanced transitional-cell carcinoma (TCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 263 patients with metastatic or advanced TCC who had no prior chemotherapy were randomized to HD-MVAC (2-week cycles) or MVAC (4-week cycles). RESULTS Using an intent-to-treat analysis, at a median follow-up of 38 months, on the HD-MVAC arm there were 28 complete responses (CRs) (21%) and 55 partial responses (PRs) (41%), for an overall response of 62% (95% confidence interval [CI], 54% to 70%). On the MVAC arm, there were 12 CRs (9%) and 53 PRs (41%), for an overall response of 50% (95% CI, 42% to 59%). The P value for the difference in CR rate was.009; and for the overall response, it was.06. There was no statistically significant difference in survival (P =.122) or time to progression (P =.114). Progression-free survival was significantly better with HD-MVAC (P=.037; hazard ratio.75; 95% CI.58 to.98). The median progression-free survival time was 9.1 months on the HD-MVAC arm versus 8.2 months on the MVAC arm. The 2-year progression-free survival rate was 24.7% for HD-MVAC (95% CI, 17.1% to 32.3%) versus 11.6% for MVAC (95% CI, 5.9% to 17.4%). CONCLUSION With HD-MVAC, it was possible to deliver twice the doses of cisplatin and doxorubicin in half the time, with fewer dose delays and less toxicity. Although a 50% difference in median overall survival was not detected, a benefit was observed in progression-free survival, CR rates, and overall response rates with HD-MVAC.
Characterization of Rhamnosidases from Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus

ABSTRACT Lactobacilli are known to use plant materials as a food source. Many such materials are rich in rhamnose-containing polyphenols, and thus it can be anticipated that lactobacilli will contain rhamnosidases. Therefore, genome sequences of food-grade lactobacilli were screened for putative rhamnosidases. In the genome of Lactobacillus plantarum, two putative rhamnosidase genes (ram1Lp and ram2Lp) were identified, while in Lactobacillus acidophilus, one rhamnosidase gene was found (ramALa). Gene products from all three genes were produced after introduction into Escherichia coli and were then tested for their enzymatic properties. Ram1Lp, Ram2Lp, and RamALa were able to efficiently hydrolyze rutin and other rutinosides, while RamALa was, in addition, able to cleave naringin, a neohesperidoside. Subsequently, the potential application of Lactobacillus rhamnosidases in food processing was investigated using a single matrix, tomato pulp. Recombinant Ram1Lp and RamALa enzymes were shown to remove the rhamnose from rutinosides in this material, but efficient conversion required adjustment of the tomato pulp to pH 6. The potential of Ram1Lp for fermentation of plant flavonoids was further investigated by expression in the food-grade bacterium Lactococcus lactis. This system was used for fermentation of tomato pulp, with the aim of improving the bioavailability of flavonoids in processed tomato products. While import of flavonoids into L. lactis appeared to be a limiting factor, rhamnose removal was confirmed, indicating that rhamnosidase-producing bacteria may find commercial application, depending on the technological properties of the strains and enzymes.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Metabolic Syndrome in Alcohol- and Nicotine-Dependent Men and Women

Background and Research Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality among alcohol-dependent people; however, minimal data exist on the CVD risk factor profile in this high-risk population. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and clustering of traditional and novel CVD risk factors, including components of the metabolic syndrome, in nicotine- and alcohol-dependent adults. Subjects and Methods: Participants (n = 46; 61% men; 87% white), who were a consecutive series of eligible adults (19-56 years of age; mean, 34.8 ± 1.4 years; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-classified alcoholic; abstinent for ≤7 days), were assessed on entry to a residential drug treatment facility. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured using standardized protocols and interview-administered, self-report inventories adapted from epidemiological studies. Dyslipidemia and metabolic syndrome were identified using Adult Treatment Panel III criteria; hypertension was classified by the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure criteria. Enzymatic, colorimetric, and immunochemiluminometric techniques were used to measure plasma lipids, homocysteine, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, respectively. Results and Conclusions: Dyslipidemia was identified in 74% of participants; 54% were overweight or obese (body mass index, ≥25 kg/m2); 61% were physically inactive (<1,000 kcal/wk); and 61% had some form of hypertension. In addition, 54% had increased homocysteine values; high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was elevated in 28%; and 22% of the participants met criteria for metabolic syndrome. In this study of the CVD risk profile among alcoholics, subjects were found to have an average of 3 CVD risk factors in addition to cigarette smoking. This prevalence and clustering of potentially modifiable risk factors in young, nicotine-dependent alcoholics indicate the need for aggressive risk reduction focused on prevention of CVD.
Specific DNA binding by the homeodomain Nkx2.5(C56S): Detection of impaired DNA or unfolded protein by isothermal titration calorimetry

Titrations of specific 18‐bp duplex DNA with the cardiac‐specific homeodomain Nkx2.5(C56S) have utilized an ultrasensitive isothermal titration calorimeter (ITC). As the free DNA nears depletion, we observe large apparent decreases in the binding enthalpy when the DNA is impaired or when the temperature is sufficiently high to produce some unfolding of the free protein. Either effect can be attributed to refolding of the biopolymer that occurs as a result of stabilization due to the large favorable change in free energy on the homeodomain binding to DNA (−49.4 kJ/mol at 298 K). In either case, thermodynamic parameters obtained in such ITC experiments are unreliable. By using a lower temperature (85 vs. 95°C) during the annealing of complementary DNA strands, damage of the 18‐bp duplex DNA (Tm = 72°C) is avoided, and titrations with the homeodomain are normal at temperatures from 10 to 40°C when >95% of the protein is folded. Under the latter conditions, the heat capacity plot is linear with a ΔCp value of −0.80 ± 0.03 kJ K−1 mol−1, which is more negative than that calculated from the burial of solvent accessible surface areas (−0.64 ± 0.05 kJ K−1 mol−1), consistent with water structures being at the protein–DNA interfaces. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes recognize structurally diverse, clade‐specific and cross‐reactive peptides in human immunodeficiency virus type‐1 gag through HLA‐B53

Human immunodeficiency virus type‐1 (HIV‐1) cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes have largely been defined in Caucasian populations infected with clade B virus. Identification of potentially protective CTL epitopes in non‐B clade‐infected African subjects is important for vaccine development. In a study of CTL responses in clade A‐infected Gambians, using cytotoxicity, interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) enzyme‐linked immunospot (ELISpot) and HLA‐B53‐peptide tetramer assays, we identified three HLA‐B53‐restricted epitopes in HIV‐1 gag p24. CTL specific for an epitope in a highly immunogenic region of the p24 protein showed no cross‐reactivity to other HIV‐1 clades. Two of the epitopes would not have been predicted from the peptide‐binding motif due to the absence of a proline anchor at position 2. Structural analysis of HLA‐B53 and its relative, HLA B35, enabled us to re‐define the peptide‐binding motif to include other P2 anchors. These results demonstrate the value of combined immunological and structural analyses in defining novel CTL epitopes and have implications for HIV‐1 vaccine design.
Transmission expansion issues for offshore wind farms integration in Europe

This paper presents an overview of the major issues concerning the expansion of the European transmission system for the connection and for the integration of offshore wind farms. These issues are basically related to: i) the connection solutions for offshore wind farms (infrastructures at sea), ii) the reinforcement of the onshore transmission system for accommodating the power produced by the wind farms, while guaranteeing system security, and iii) the options for facilitating transmission investments (definition of priority projects, funding support schemes, regulatory frameworks). Concerning the first issue, we compare two connection solutions with reference to a 100-MW offshore wind farm: 150 kV alternating current (AC) and high voltage direct current based on voltage sourced converters (VSC-HVDC). An economic assessment takes into account the investment, operation and maintenance costs, and the negative valorization of losses and energy not supplied. As far as the second issue is concerned, we describe the prospects for the development of offshore wind farms and, taking into account the characteristics of the existing European wind and hydro pumped-storage facilities and a possible wind-hydro combination, we discuss the need for system reinforcement. With regard to the third issue, we present the options and instruments which exist and which are under discussion in order to facilitate transmission expansion investments, such as the list of electricity projects of common interest prepared by the European Commission and the regulatory framework of tenders for licensing offshore electricity transmission in the United Kingdom (UK).
Airborne fiber exposure assessment of dry asbestos-containing gaskets and packings found in intact industrial and maritime fittings.

This study assessed airborne fiber exposures from intact asbestos-containing gaskets and packings while activities representative of historical work practices were performed. The study design eliminated analytical interferences while systematically capturing information related to activity variables. A series of gasket and packing activities was conducted according to traditional methods while sampling was performed to determine the 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA). The fittings used during this study were obtained intact from a decommissioned industrial power plant and U.S. Navy destroyers. The activities tested included flat blade scraping, hand wire brushing, power wire brushing, making gaskets with a ball-peen hammer, and stem packing removal and replacement. All activities were performed dry. Results for every area and personal sample showed the 8-hour TWAs were well below the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration permissible exposure limit of 0.1 f/cc. A database of more than 400 points was developed to analyze information from variable factors related to the tests. These factors included, for example, type of gasket, composition of the gasket, percentage of gasket adhering to a flange surface, gasket surface area, and minutes elapsed for removal. The results demonstrate a very low rate of fiber exposure from routine activities associated with asbestos-containing elastomeric gaskets and impregnated packing.
Hemostatic System Activation in Patients with Lupus Anticoagulant and Essential Thrombocythemia

Hemostatic system activation was estimated in the plasmas of 39 patients with LAC and 19 patients with ET by measuring concentrations of TAT complex and prothrombin F1+2. The concentrations of FVII, recognized previously as a risk factor for arterial thrombosis, were also measured. None of the patients had active thrombosis during this study. The mean TAT and F1+2 levels in LAC and ET plasmas were higher than the respective values in the plasmas of healthy control subjects. Compared with their respective controls, TAT levels were significantly higher in the LAC group (P < 0.05) and F1+2 was significantly higher in the ET group (P < 0.005). The mean FVIIt and FVIIz was significantly higher (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively) in LAC than control plasmas. Furthermore, the differences between FVIIt and FVIIz were significantly greater in LAC than control plasmas, indicating increased in vivo proteolysis of FVII in LAC. Although the mean concentrations of these two FVII parameters in ET plasma were not significantly different from those of normal plasmas, the FVII levels were higher in 30% of ET plasmas than the upper limit of controls. Our results are consistent with hypercoagulation in LAC and ET patients, and this may be a contributory factor for the increased rates of thrombosis associated with the two conditions.
A Sensorless Adaptive Maximum Power Point Extraction Method With Voltage Feedback Control for Small Wind Turbines in Off-Grid Applications

Due to the ever growing global energy demand and pollution levels, clean and renewable alternative energy resources, such as wind, have become indispensable for preserving the planet for future generations. With wind being an unpredictable resource, it is imperative that wind systems extract as much power from the wind as possible while it is available. The conventional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms that use predetermined mathematical relationships to represent a specific wind system's power/torque characteristics suffer the drawback of deteriorated efficiency over time whereas the perturb and observe algorithms are susceptible to logical errors when subjected to frequent atmospheric variations. In order to solve the aforementioned drawbacks as well as to reduce the cost of the sensing network required to achieve MPPT, this paper proposes a novel sensorless slope-assisted MPPT algorithm that is able to avoid logical errors attributed to wind fluctuations by detecting and identifying atmospheric changes. Atmospheric changes are detected by a state observer by monitoring the generator output power, the ac/dc rectifier output voltage, and the rate of change of the power-voltage ratio without the need for anemometers and any generator speed sensors. The detailed description of the proposed MPPT control logic will be provided in this paper. The functionality of the proposed control method is verified through the simulation results on a 3-kW system, as well as the experimental results on a proof-of-concept 200-W prototype.
Cost-effective applications of power factor correction for nonlinear loads

The objective of this paper is to propose a new approach for designing passive LC compensators by using the penalty function method as an optimization tool. The performance of the cost-effective passive LC compensator for a constant load depends on the appropriate inductor and capacitor selection. Several design methods are reviewed and a novel design methodology is proposed in this paper. By using the proposed method, the designer can quickly find appropriate parameter values to meet the desired circuit performance. Simulated results show that an appropriate combination of the inductor and capacitor selected by the proposed method can meet the desired power-quality requirement. Different cases of design examples are shown in this paper to verify the performance of the proposed design methodology.
The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory

The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (Compton) was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis on 5 April 1991, and carried to its 450-km operating orbit. This spacecraft and instruments continue to operate well. The mission provides nearly six orders of magnitude in spectral coverage, from 30 keV to 30 GeV, with a sensitivity over the entire range an order of magnitude better than that of previous observations. The 16000-kg observatory contains four instruments on a stabilized platform. Compton began normal operations on 16 May 1991 and will perform a full-sky survey during its first 18 months of operation. The mission duration is expected to be from six to ten years. A Science Support Center has been established at Goddard Space Flight Center for the purpose of supporting a vigorous Guest Investigator Program. New scientific results to date include: (1) the discovery of intense high-energy (100-MeV) gamma-ray emission from 3C 279; (2) the detection of about one gamma-ray burst per day, including the shortest duration ( approximately 10-ms) burst ever seen; (3) the observation that the smallest gamma-ray bursts are isotropic, calling into question their association with a Galactic population of neutron stars; (4) one of the first images of a gamma-ray burst; and (5) the observation of intense nuclear and positron-annihilation gamma-ray lines and neutrons from several large solar flares. <<ETX>>
Evaluation of Single and Combination Therapies with Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and Emtricitabine In Vitro and in a Robust Mouse Model Supporting High Levels of Hepatitis B Virus Replication

ABSTRACT Next-generation therapies for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection will involve combinations of established and/or experimental drugs. The current study investigated the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and/or emtricitabine [(−)-FTC] alone and in combination therapy for HBV infection utilizing the HepAD38 system (human hepatoblastoma cells transfected with HBV). Cellular pharmacology studies demonstrated increased levels of (−)-FTC triphosphate with coincubation of increasing concentrations of TDF, while (−)-FTC had no effect on intracellular tenofovir (TFV) diphosphate levels. Quantification of extracellular HBV by real-time PCR from hepatocytes demonstrated the anti-HBV activity with TDF, (−)-FTC, and their combination. Combination of (−)-FTC with TDF or TFV (ratio, 1:1) had a weighted average combination index of 0.7 for both combination sets, indicating synergistic antiviral effects. No cytotoxic effects were observed with any regimens. Using an in vivo murine model which develops robust HBV viremia in nude mice subcutaneously injected with HepAD38 cells, TDF (33 to 300 mg/kg of body weight/day) suppressed virus replication for up to 10 days posttreatment. At 300 mg/kg/day, (−)-FTC strongly suppressed virus titers to up to 14 days posttreatment. Combination therapy (33 mg/kg/day each drug) sustained suppression of virus titer/ml serum (<1 log10 unit from pretreatment levels) at 14 days posttreatment, while single-drug treatments yielded virus titers 1.5 to 2 log units above the initial virus titers. There was no difference in mean alanine aminotransferase values or mean wet tumor weights for any of the groups, suggesting a lack of drug toxicity. TDF–(−)-FTC combination therapy provides more effective HBV suppression than therapy with each drug alone.
Rat pancreatic lipase and two related proteins: enzymatic properties and mRNA expression during development.

We report the cDNA sequences of rat colipase, rat pancreatic lipase (rPL), and a rat pancreatic lipase-related protein (rPLRP). Comparison to the human PLRP cDNA suggests that the isolated clone encodes rPLRP-2. Both cDNA and a third cDNA encoding rPLRP-1 are secreted from Sf9 cells infected with recombinant baculovirus. rPL and rPLRP-2 hydrolyze triolein, 8.0 and 4.4 mumol.min-1.microgram-1, respectively. They are inhibited by bile salts, and activity is restored by (pro)colipase. PLRP-1 has barely detectable activity against triolein, even with (pro)colipase present. The pattern of mRNA expression during development in the rat reveals that all mRNA are low in the fetal rat pancreas. Both PLRP mRNA rise just before birth to a maximum 12 h after birth. They fall to low levels in the adult. In contrast, the PL mRNA is low at birth and rises rapidly during the suckling-weanling transition. In conclusion, the rat has at least three genes encoding different lipases, and these related genes have separate regulatory controls.
A wavelet-based time–frequency analysis approach for classification of motor imagery for brain–computer interface applications

Electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings during motor imagery tasks are often used as input signals for brain–computer interfaces (BCIs). The translation of these EEG signals to control signals of a device is based on a good classification of various kinds of imagination. We have developed a wavelet-based time–frequency analysis approach for classifying motor imagery tasks. Time–frequency distributions (TFDs) were constructed based on wavelet decomposition and event-related (de)synchronization patterns were extracted from symmetric electrode pairs. The weighted energy difference of the electrode pairs was then compared to classify the imaginary movement. The present method has been tested in nine human subjects and reached an averaged classification rate of 78%. The simplicity of the present technique suggests that it may provide an alternative method for EEG-based BCI applications.
Effect of Vitamin C Supplements on Physical Performance

Vitamin C is an essential component of the diet and may reduce the adverse effects of exercise-induced reactive oxygen species, including muscle damage, immune dysfunction, and fatigue. However, reactive oxygen species may mediate beneficial training adaptations that vitamin C attenuates; indeed, from a total of 12 studies, vitamin C in doses >1 g·d−1 impaired sport performance substantially in four of four studies, possibly by reducing mitochondrial biogenesis, while a further four studies demonstrated impairments that were not statistically significant. Doses of ∼0.2 g·d−1 of vitamin C consumed through five or more servings of fruit and vegetables may be sufficient to reduce oxidative stress and provide other health benefits without impairing training adaptations.