Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment de‐escalation in HPV‐positive oropharyngeal carcinoma: Ongoing trials, critical issues and perspectives

Due to the generally poor prognosis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), treatment has been intensified, these last decades, leading to an increase of serious side effects. High‐risk human papillomavirus (HR‐HPV) infection has been recently etiologically linked to a subset of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), which is on the increase. These tumors are different, at the clinical and molecular level, when compared to tumors caused by traditional risk factors. Additionally, their prognosis is much more favorable which has led the medical community to consider new treatment strategies. Indeed, it is possible that less intensive treatment regimens could achieve similar efficacy with less toxicity and improved quality of life. Several clinical trials, investigating different ways to de‐escalate treatment, are currently ongoing. In this article, we review these main approaches, discuss the rationale behind them and the issues raised by treatment de‐escalation in HPV‐positive OPSCC.
A 1.8 V 64.9 uW 54.1 dB SNDR 1st order sigma-delta modulator design using clocked comparator Based Switched Capacitor technique

Continued scaling of feature sizes have led to reduction in OpAmp gain thus making it unsuitable for using in a negative feedback system. Comparator Based Switched Capacitor (CBSC) circuits have been proposed as an alternative solution to alleviate this problem. The architecture uses continuous comparators and current sources to detect the virtual ground condition at the input rather than forcing it in the case of an OpAmp. However the architecture consumes static power due to usage of continuous comparators thus making it unsuitable for ultra low power applications. In this work, we use a clocked comparator based switched capacitor circuit technique which mitigates the power concerns by using clocked comparators instead of continuous comparators. The charge transfer phase consists of several cycles and charging-discharging operation is performed by a number of binary weighted current sources. This work reports the application of this technique in a 1st order ΣΔ ADC in a 0.18 μm gpdk technology and we achieve 54.1 dB peak SNDR over a 20 KHz bandwidth dissipating 64.9 μW of power from a 1.8 V supply.
Innate immune responses to a single session of sprint interval training.

Sprint interval training (SIT) is a potent stimulus for physiological and metabolic adaptations comparable with those induced by traditional "aerobic" endurance training. There has been a great deal of recent research on SIT, which may lead to increased use of this type of training. The purpose of the present study was to determine the acute effects of SIT on aspects of innate immunity not previously researched in this context. Nine males completed 1 SIT and 1 resting control trial in a crossover design. Blood and saliva samples were obtained at pre-, post-, and 30 min postexercise to measure blood neutrophil oxidative burst activity (OBA) in addition to saliva secretary IgA (s-IgA) and lysozyme. SIT induced a significant depression of neutrophil fMLP-stimulated OBA (-30% for the 30-min postexercise time point, p < 0.01), PMA-stimulated OBA (-14% for the postexercise time point, -21% for the 30-min postexercise time point, p < 0.01), and bacterial-stimulated degranulation (-23% for the postexercise time point, -32% for the 30-min postexercise time point, p < 0.01) but not fMLP-then-PMA-stimulated OBA, saliva lysozyme, or s-IgA concentrations or secretion rates (p > 0.05). The main novel finding of the present study is that a single session of SIT causes significant exercise-induced immunodepression of some neutrophil functions but mucosal immunity was not depressed.
Preserving Monopoly: Economic Analysis, Legal Standards and Microsoft

This paper examines a number of issues in the economics and law of leverage and monopolization through the lens of the Microsoft case. The paper explains how Microsoft's practices can be divided into two categories -- exclusivity and incompatibility. This exclusionary conduct has the effect of preserving its operating system monopoly from the threat of competition, a characterization which does not violate the single monopoly profit theory. After carrying out an economic analysis of this exclusionary conduct, the paper then uses a decision theoretic approach to evaluate alternative legal rules for governing such alleged monopolizing conduct.
Two minimal Tat translocases in Bacillus

Activity of the Tat machinery for protein transport across the inner membrane of Escherichia coli and the chloroplast thylakoidal membrane requires the presence of three membrane proteins: TatA, TatB and TatC. Here, we show that the Tat machinery of the Gram‐positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis is very different because it contains at least two minimal Tat translocases, each composed of one specific TatA and one specific TatC component. A third, TatB‐like component is apparently not required. This implies that TatA proteins of B. subtilis perform the functions of both TatA and TatB of E. coli and thylakoids. Notably, the two B. subtilis translocases named TatAdCd and TatAyCy both function as individual, substrate‐specific translocases for the twin‐arginine preproteins PhoD and YwbN, respectively. Importantly, these minimal TatAC translocases of B. subtilis are representative for the Tat machinery of the vast majority of Gram‐positive bacteria, Streptomycetes being the only known exception with TatABC translocases.
How close are the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the sample and actual covariance matrices

How many samples are sufficient to guarantee that the eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the sample covariance matrix are close to those of the actual covariance matrix? For a wide family of distributions, including distributions with finite second moment and distributions supported in a centered Euclidean ball, we prove that the inner product between eigenvectors of the sample and actual covariance matrices decreases proportionally to the respective eigenvalue distance and the number of samples. Our findings imply non-asymptotic concentration bounds for eigenvectors, eigenspaces, and eigenvalues and carry strong consequences for the nonasymptotic analysis of PCA and its applications. For instance, they provide conditions for separating components estimated from O(1) samples and show that even few samples can be sufficient to perform dimensionality reduction.
XbarSim: An educational simulation tool for memristive crossbar-based circuits

Simulation is expected to become an indispensable educational and research tool for memristive circuits and architectures. To this end, this paper presents a novel, self-contained, platform-independent, GUI-based design and simulation tool for standard/alternative memristive crossbar architectures, targeting memory and/or logic applications. It permits the exploration of the crossbar-based memristive circuit design-space and allows for logic-in-memory computations.
Magnetic resonance guidance for radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors

Image‐guided thermal ablation of liver tumors is a minimally invasive treatment option. Techniques used for thermal ablation are radiofrequency (RF) ablation, laser interstitial thermotherapy (LITT), microwave (MW) ablation, high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and cryoablation. Among these techniques RF ablation attained widespread consideration. Image guidance should ensure a precise ablation therapy leading to a complete coagulation of tumor tissue without injury to critical structures. Therefore, the modality of image guidance has an important impact on the safety and efficacy of percutaneous RF ablation. The current literature regarding percutaneous RF ablation mainly describes the use of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US) guidance. In addition, interventional MR systems offer the possibility to utilize the advantages of MR imaging such as excellent soft‐tissue contrast, multiplanar and interactive capabilities, and sensitivity to thermal effects during the entire RF ablation procedure. Monitoring of thermally induced coagulation by MR imaging is supportive to control the ablation procedure. MR imaging can be advantageously used to guide overlapping ablation if necessary as well as to define the endpoint of RF ablation after complete coverage of the target tissue is verified. Furthermore, monitoring of thermal effects is essential in order to prevent unintended thermal damage from critical structures surrounding the target region. Therefore, MR‐guided RF ablation offers the possibility for a safe and effective therapy option in the treatment of primary and secondary hepatic malignancies. The article summarizes the role of MR guidance for RF ablation of liver tumors. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2008;27:421–433. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neuroprotective effects of curdione against focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury in rats

Background Curdione is one of the most highly concentrated component of the active constituents in E-zhu, which has been reported to possess a variety of activities. However, the pharmacologic neuroprotective activity of curdione has not been evaluated. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of curdione on focal cerebral ischemia reperfusion-induced injury in rats and further exploring the underlying mechanisms. Materials and methods Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) surgery for 2 h, followed by reperfusion stage. All animals received treatment once a day for 7 days before surgery and 14 days from 4 h after the reperfusion started. The neurological deficit test and Morris water maze test were performed at 1, 4, 7 and 14 days after MCAO. The infarct size of animals was determined by the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, and pathological brain damage was estimated by hematoxylin–eosin staining. The malonaldehyde (MDA) levels and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of apoptotic proteins was measured by Western blot. Results Our results showed that curdione could significantly reduce the infarct size and neurological deficits, promote cognitive function recovery and recover neuronal morphologic damages in MCAO rats. It also blocked the increase of MDA content and elevated the activities of SOD, CAT and GSH-PX. Moreover, curdione attenuated the expression of Cyt-C, c-caspase-3 and c-caspase-9 increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and hence decreased the cellular apoptosis. Conclusion Curdione possessed potential neuroprotective effect on rats in the MCAO model. The anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic properties may be involved in the underlying mechanisms.
HO-3867, a curcumin analog, sensitizes cisplatin-resistant ovarian carcinoma, leading to therapeutic synergy through STAT3 inhibition

Cisplatin resistance is a major obstacle in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Drug combinations with synergistic or complementary functions are a promising strategy to overcome this issue. We studied the anticancer efficacy of a novel compound, HO-3867, used in combination with cisplatin against chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer. A2780R cells, a cisplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer cell line, were exposed to 1, 5, or 10 uM of HO-3867 alone or in combination with cisplatin (10 ug/ml) for 24 hours. Cell viability (MTT), proliferation (BrdU), cell-cycle analysis (FACS), and protein expression (western blot) were used for in vitro studies. STAT3 overexpression was performed using transfected STAT3 cDNA. In vivo studies used cisplatin-resistant xenograft tumors grown in nude mice and treated with 100-ppm HO-3867 and weekly injections of 4-mg/kg cisplatin. HO-3867/cisplatin combination treatment significantly inhibited cisplatin-resistant cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibition was associated with increased expression of p53 and p21, and decreased expression of cdk5 and cyclin D1. Apoptosis was induced by activation of Bax, cytochrome c release, and stimulated cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP. Overexpression of STAT3 decreased the HO-3867-induced apoptosis. The combination treatment significantly inhibited the growth of cisplatin-resistant xenograft tumors with significant downregulation of pSTAT3, and without apparent toxicity to healthy tissues. The combination treatment exhibited synergistic anticancer efficacy, which appears largely due to HO-3867-induced downregulation of pSTAT3. The results, combined with the previously-reported safety features of HO-3867, suggest the potential use of this compound as a safe and effective adjuvant for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
Rethinking The Developmental State Model: Divided Leviathan and Subnational Comparisons In India

For some time, the concept of the developmental state has been at the center of debate in comparative political economy.1 It encompasses the view that state intervention is necessary not merely to correct for market failures arising out of scarce capital, externalities, and technological improvement but also to achieve long-term capital accumulation and society-wide developmental goals. While the history of the concept of the developmental state may lie with the economist Friedrich List, its recent reincarnation was implicit in the writings of the post-World War II development economists.2 It owes its current usage to Chalmers Johnson, who, in addition to socialist and free market systems, posited a third category, the capitalist developmental state. Johnson used this conceptual innovation to offer a revisionist account of Japan's rise to power.3 The concept has survived the public choice onslaught because of its empirical robustness in explaining the East Asian countries.4 The World Bank for the first time in 1993 recognized that the state played a role in sustaining high growth, and subsequently its 1997 world development report was devoted to analyzing the role of "the state in the changing world. "5 India, regarded as a developmental failure, seems to challenge this emerging consensus by confirming the public choice position that states negatively affect growth by constraining private activity and generating rent-seeking. Amidst other relatively prosperous Asian nations, negative images depict the Indian state as at once weak, predatory, and interventionist. India has become the model of failure that helped usher in the antistate, promarket Zeitgeist of the 1980s. Krueger's analysis of the "rent-seeking state" originated in the Indian experience.6 The dirigiste developmental state in India outlined a powerful vision of state-led industrialization for the whole nation-state in 1947, embodied in autonomous bureaucratic agencies, regulations, and legislation. One high official in New Delhi is reported to have told a friend: "If you want me to move the file faster, I am not sure I can help you; but if you want me to stop a file I can do it immediately. "7 The common and dominant view was that the central state was responsible for India's slow growth rate.8 India's unenviable reputation as a negative case continues to this day. While economic reforms in 1991 ushered in a more promising scenario, their success is interpreted
Respiratory effects of sectioning the carotid sinus glossopharyngeal and abdominal vagal nerves in the awake rat.

Normoxic and hypoxic respiration has been measured in awake rats after denervation procedures designed to eliminate the regulatory input from the carotid bodies, from all chemosensory tissue supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve (n. IX), and from abdominal chemoreceptors. Studies were made 1 day after section of the carotid sinus nerve (c.s.n.), n. IX (at a level including c.s.n.), the abdominal vagus (n. Xa) and combinations of these nerves. Results were compared with those found in normal controls. C.s. n. section led to hypoventilation in both normoxia and hypoxia, reductions in respiratory frequency being consistent and substantial, and reductions in tidal volume varying with the degree of hypoxia. By comparison, section of n. IX produced significantly greater reductions of both normoxic and hypoxic ventilation. Section of n. Xa produced no significant change in normoxic ventilation but in hypoxia produced a significant small reduction in ventilation, mostly from an effect on tidal volume. Denervation of all the associated chemosensory tissue by combined section of n. IX and n. Xa demonstrated a summation of effects but left two distinct residual responses, one to mild hypoxia, and one to severe hypoxia, both associated mainly with increases of tidal volume. The experiments demonstrate that glomus tissues at different sites in the rat produce significant and distinct contributions to respiratory regulation. Denervation of all known receptors shows that significant ventilatory responses to hypoxia are still produced, either by unrevealed peripheral chemoreceptors, or by central neural mechanisms.
Clinical staging and survival in refractory celiac disease: a single center experience.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Refractory celiac disease (RCD) occurs when both symptoms and intestinal damage persist or recur despite strict adherence to a gluten-free diet. In RCD, the immunophenotype of intraepithelial lymphocytes may be normal and polyclonal (RCD I) or abnormal and monoclonal (RCD II). The aim is to describe the clinical characteristics, treatment, and long-term outcome in a large single-center cohort of patients with RCD. METHODS We compared the clinical characteristics and outcome in 57 patients with RCD: 42 with RCD I and 15 with RCD II. RESULTS Fifteen of 57 patients died during follow-up (n=8 with RCD I and n=7 with RCD II), each within the first 2 years after RCD diagnosis. The overall 5-year cumulative survival is 70%, 80%, and 45% for the entire cohort, RCD I, and RCD II, respectively. The refractory state itself and enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma (EATL) were the most common causes of death, respectively. A new staging system is proposed based on the cumulative effect of 5 prognostic factors investigated at the time of the refractory state diagnosis: for patients in stages I, II, and III, the 5-year cumulative survival rate was 96%, 71%, and 19%, respectively (P< .0001). CONCLUSIONS RCD is associated with high mortality with RCD II having an especially poor prognosis because of the development of EATL. A new staging model is proposed that may improve the precision of prognosis in patients with RCD.
The recording of odorant-induced mucosal activity patterns with a voltage-sensitive dye.

1. Fluorescence changes in the dye (WW 781) were monitored at 100 contiguous sites in a 10 x 10-pixel array on the bullfrog and salamander olfactory mucosas every 10 ms in response to odorous stimuli. The odorants were d-limonene, butanol, and amyl acetate, each presented at two concentrations with a 3:1 ratio. 2. The fluorescence signals elicited by these odorous stimuli were nearly identical in shape and time course to the electro-olfactograms (EOGs) recorded from the same animal under identical conditions. Like the EOGs, the fluorescence signals exhibited adaptation and were abolished by both Triton X-100 and ether. There was no measurable fluorescence when the tissue was not stained with the dye, and there was no change in fluorescence when, for stained tissue, nonodorized, humidified air was presented as the stimulus. 3. This technique presumably monitors the same events as the EOG, but has the advantage of simultaneously recording the odorant-induced activity from multiple sites across most of the mucosa. Thus this technique preserves subtle differences heretofore lost by other techniques both in the coarseness of their matrices and in the variability generated by trying to piece together, into one collage, results from numerous presentations given at different times. 4. In all preparations, there was a larger difference in the inherent activity patterns (derived from response magnitudes) between different odorants than between different concentrations of the same odorant. These differences were largest on the mucosa lining the floor of salamander's olfactory sac. d-limonene and butanol gave their largest responses near the internal and external nares, respectively, whereas the responses for amyl acetate were more uniform across the mucosal sheet. In contrast to the salamander, smaller differences were observed for both the roof and the floor of the bullfrog's olfactory sac. For the floor, both amyl acetate and d-limonene elicited similar patterns of response magnitude, whereas butanol differed from each of these odorants by eliciting a larger response on the anteriolateral aspect of the mucosa and a lesser response on the remainder. For the roof, different odorants produced different activity patterns, which had profiles not simply described as regions of maximal and minimal responsiveness. 5. Different inherent activity patterns based on temporal characteristics of the fluorescence responses were also observed for different odorants. Each odorant produced a different pixel-by-pixel pattern for the times at which the responses started and ended. For any given odorant, these temporal patterns paralleled the patterns given by response magnitudes. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Psychosocial Factors Associated with Male Sexual Difficulties

The role of medical conditions, childhood experiences, and psychological and relationship factors in the development and maintenance of male sexual difficulties is not well understood. Using self-report questionnaires, the current study examined how these factors are associated with male sexual difficulties overall, as well as for each of four separate problems (low sexual desire, erectile difficulties, premature ejaculation, delayed ejaculation). The participants for the study were 331 Australian men from the general population, all of whom were in cohabiting heterosexual relationships and had experienced one or more of the aforementioned sexual problems. Data were collected via an online survey between January 2010 and April 2011. The results demonstrated that medical factors as well as current psychological factors (e.g., performance anxiety) were most likely associated with each male sexual difficulty. These findings are in contrast to those obtained with women, where relationship factors are strongly related to female sexual problems. They would suggest that the targets for sex therapy may be different for men and women, with medical problems and performance anxiety being the primary targets for men.