Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional decline in older patients with cancer receiving first-line chemotherapy.

PURPOSE To determine factors associated with early functional decline during first-line chemotherapy in older patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients age ≥ 70 years receiving first-line chemotherapy for cancer were prospectively considered for inclusion across 12 centers in France. Functional decline was defined as a decrease of ≥ 0.5 points on the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale between the beginning of chemotherapy and the second cycle. Factors associated with functional decline were sought from pretreatment abbreviated comprehensive geriatric assessment, including ADL, Instrumental ADL (IADL), Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS15), and Timed Get Up and Go (GUG) test, and from comorbidities (Cumulative Illness Rating Scale-Geriatrics), MAX2 index, and baseline biologic and clinical information. RESULTS Of 364 included patients, 50 experienced functional decline (16.7%; median, 0.5 points). Abnormal preadmission performance status, IADL, GDS15, MMSE, GUG, and MNA were associated with increased likelihood of functional decline (univariate analysis). In the multivariate model adjusted for baseline ADL and MAX2 index, high baseline GDS (odds ratio [OR], 2.16; 95% CI, 1.09 to 4.30; P = .03) and low IADL scores (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.06 to 7.79; P = .04) were independently associated with increased risk of functional decline. CONCLUSION Our results outline associations between baseline depression, instrumental dependencies, and early functional decline during chemotherapy for older patients. ADL should be sequentially evaluated early during treatment. Baseline evaluation of GDS15 and IADL may be proposed to anticipate this event.
PROPHYLACTIC AND CURATIVE EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF BASSIA MALABARICA BARK AGAINST CISPLATIN INDUCED NEPHROTOXICITY

Objective: The present study was designed to investigate the prophylactic and curative effect of ethanolic extract of Bassia malabarica bark (EBBM) against cisplatin (7 mg/Kg single dose i. p) induced nephrotoxicity in male albino rats of Wistar strain. Materials and Methods: After the treatment schedule for 15 days, the extent of nephrotoxicity was quantified using serum samples and isolated kidneys. Serum samples were used to assess levels of protein, creatinine, urea, uric acid and blood urea nitrogen (BUN). The isolated kidneys were used to assess antioxidants such as lipid peroxidation (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT). Results: No mortality was observed in acute toxicity studies conducted as per organization for economic co-operation and development guidelines 423 and was found to be safe with no gross behavioral changes up to 2000 mg/Kg body weight (bwt). On administration of cisplatin there was a rise in weight of the kidney, creatinine, urea, uric acid, BUN, LPO and a decrease in bwt, urine volume, total protein, GSH and CAT indicating the role of oxidants to induce nephrotoxicity. Conclusion: Prophylactic and curative groups were found to ameliorate the cisplatin induced alterations in the kidney in a dose-dependent manner. Keywords: Antioxidants, Bassia malabarica, Cisplatin, Nephrocurative, Nephroprotective
Quality of Inward Curved MgB2 Films Prepared by HPCVD

Arising from the superconductivity at ~39 K, magnesium diboride (MgB2) films have great prospect in the field of superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities. To match the geometrical shape of the inner surface of the SRF cavities, the deposition techniques for inward curved MgB2 superconducting films are explored. By using pre-bent metallic substrates, curved MgB2 films were deposited in situ. These curved films show properties comparable with those of the films deposited on a plane surface. Even when the curvature radius (CR) of the films is as small as ~2 mm, the superconducting transition temperature TC(R = 0) of the films reaches ~36 K. The in situ-grown films were also compared with the films prepared by postdeposition bending. In the bending of CR ~ 2 mm, TC(R = 0) of the films falls off to 25 K, much lower than that of the in situ-grown films with the same CR. The scanning results of electron microscope indicate that the wrinkles and cracks appearing in the bending are the main reason for the degradation of transition temperature.
Phase-flip transition in coupled time-delayed piecewise linear electronic circuits

We study the synchronization dynamics of mutually time-delay coupled intrinsic time-delay systems. In particular, we analyze the phase synchronized states and phase-flip transitions occurring in a bi-directionally time-delay coupled electronic circuit model with threshold nonlinearity using both numerical simulations and direct experiment. By varying the coupling delay for different coupling strengths, we identify the changes in the relative phase between the oscillators from in-phase to anti-phase and vice versa. We also carry out a detailed analysis by solving the delay differential equations numerically to confirm the phase-flip transition. Finally, the numerical predictions are verified with experiments.
Modulation of 5-Aminolevulinic acid mediated photodynamic therapy induced cell death in a human lung adenocarcinoma cell line

Fil: Teijo, Maria Julieta. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Oficina de Coordinacion Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Quimica Biologica; Argentina
Whole-genome-wide association study in the Bulgarian population reveals HHAT as schizophrenia susceptibility gene

Objective Schizophrenia, the most common major psychiatric disorder (or group of disorders), entails severe decline of higher functions, principally with alterations in cognitive functioning and reality perception. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in its pathogenesis; however, its genetic background still needs to be clarified. The objective of the study was to reveal genetic markers associated with schizophrenia in the Bulgarian population. Methods We have conducted a genome-wide association study using 554 496 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 188 affected and 376 unaffected Bulgarian individuals. Subsequently, the 100 candidate SNPs that revealed the smallest P-values were further evaluated in an additional set of 99 case and 328 control samples. Results We found a significant association between schizophrenia and the intronic SNP rs7527939 in the HHAT gene (P-value of 6.49×10−9 with an odds ratio of 2.63, 95% confidence interval of 1.89–3.66). We also genotyped additional SNPs within a 58-kb linkage disequilibrium block surrounding the landmark SNP. Conclusion We suggest rs7527939 to be the strongest indicator of susceptibility to schizophrenia in the Bulgarian population within the HHAT locus.
Intravoxel Incoherent Motion MR Imaging in the Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Sinonasal Lesions: Comparison with Conventional Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging

One hundred thirty-one patients with histologically proved solid sinonasal lesions (56 benign and 75 malignant) who underwent conventional DWI and intravoxel incoherent motion were evaluated. The diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) values derived from intravoxel incoherent motion and ADC values derived from conventional DWI were measured and compared. The mean ADC and D values were significantly lower in malignant sinonasal lesions than in benign sinonasal lesions and the mean f value was higher in malignant than in benign lesions. Multiparametric models can significantly improve the cross-validated areas under the curve for the differentiation of sinonasal lesions compared with single-parametric models. The authors conclude that intravoxel incoherent motion appears to be a more effective MR imaging technique than conventional DWI in the differentiation of benign and malignant sinonasal lesions. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intravoxel incoherent motion is a promising method for the differentiation of sinonasal lesions. This study aimed to evaluate the value of intravoxel incoherent motion in the differentiation of benign and malignant sinonasal lesions and to compare the diagnostic performance of intravoxel incoherent motion with that of conventional DWI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty-one patients with histologically proved solid sinonasal lesions (56 benign and 75 malignant) who underwent conventional DWI and intravoxel incoherent motion were recruited in this study. The diffusion coefficient (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) values derived from intravoxel incoherent motion and ADC values derived from conventional DWI were measured and compared between the 2 groups using the Student t test. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, logistic regression analysis, and 10-fold cross-validation were performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of single-parametric and multiparametric models. RESULTS: The mean ADC and D values were significantly lower in malignant sinonasal lesions than in benign sinonasal lesions (both P < .001). The mean f value was higher in malignant lesions than in benign lesions (P = .003). Multiparametric models can significantly improve the cross-validated areas under the curve for the differentiation of sinonasal lesions compared with single-parametric models (all corrected P < .05 except the D value). The model of D+f provided a better diagnostic performance than the ADC value (corrected P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Intravoxel incoherent motion appears to be a more effective MR imaging technique than conventional DWI in the differentiation of benign and malignant sinonasal lesions.
Epigenetic control

Epigenetics refers to mitotically and/or meiotically heritable variations in gene expression that are not caused by changes in DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate all biological processes from conception to death, including genome reprogramming during early embryogenesis and gametogenesis, cell differentiation and maintenance of a committed lineage. Key epigenetic players are DNA methylation and histone post‐translational modifications, which interplay with each other, with regulatory proteins and with non‐coding RNAs, to remodel chromatin into domains such as euchromatin, constitutive or facultative heterochromatin and to achieve nuclear compartmentalization. Besides epigenetic mechanisms such as imprinting, chromosome X inactivation or mitotic bookmarking which establish heritable states, other rapid and transient mechanisms, such as histone H3 phosphorylation, allow cells to respond and adapt to environmental stimuli. However, these epigenetic marks can also have long‐term effects, for example in learning and memory formation or in cancer. Erroneous epigenetic marks are responsible for a whole gamut of diseases including diseases evident at birth or infancy or diseases becoming symptomatic later in life. Moreover, although epigenetic marks are deposited early in development, adaptations occurring through life can lead to diseases and cancer. With epigenetic marks being reversible, research has started to focus on epigenetic therapy which has had encouraging success. As we witness an explosion of knowledge in the field of epigenetics, we are forced to revisit our dogma. For example, recent studies challenge the idea that DNA methylation is irreversible. Further, research on Rett syndrome has revealed an unforeseen role for methyl‐CpG‐binding protein 2 (MeCP2) in neurons. J. Cell. Physiol. 219: 243–250, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Assistant-Based Speech Recognition for ATM Applications

——Situation awareness of today’s automation relies so far on sensor information, data bases and the information delivered by the operator using an appropriate user interface. Listening to the conversation of people is not addressed until today, but an asset in many working situations of teams. This paper shows that automatic speech recognition (ASR) integrating into air traffic management applications is an upcoming technology and is ready for use now. Apple’s Siri® or Google’s Voice Search® are based on hundreds of thousands of hours of training data. This paper presents an assistant based speech recognition system (ABSR), based on only 40 hours of training data. ABSR uses speech recognition embedded in a controller assistant system, which provides a dynamic minimized world model to the speech recognizer. ASR and assistant system improve each other. On the one hand, the latter significantly reduces the search space of the first one, resulting in low command recognition error rates. On the other hand, the assistant system gains benefits from ASR, if the controllers’ mental model and the model of the system deviate from each other. Then the controller cannot rely on the output of the system anymore, i.e. the assistant system is useless during these time intervals. By using ABSR the duration of these time intervals is reduced by a factor of two.
Off-grid sparse ISAR imaging by Hlog-DCD algorithm

In this paper, a novel computationally efficient algorithm is proposed to achieve high resolution for inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging in the compressive sensing (CS) framework, which is based on dichotomous coordinate descent (DCD) iterations, homotopy, and non-convex regularization. Since traditional CS based methods have to assume that unknown scatterers exactly lie on the pre-discretized grids, otherwise their inversion performance would degrade considerably. Herein we present Hlog-DCD algorithm combined with grid refinement technique to provide performance improvement of the image reconstruction for off-grid target. Experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach and related analysis.
No tRNA3 Lys Unwinding in a Complex with HIV NCp7*

The nucleocapsid protein NCp7 of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 is important for the annealing of HIV RNA and tRNA3 Lys, the tRNA acting as a primer during reverse transcription of HIV RNA. A wild type NCp7 and a Cys23 mutant having a disrupted zinc finger were analyzed with far UV circular dichroism (CD). CD data analysis revealed that NCp7 has a high content of extended structures in aqueous buffer, decreasing in Cys23 NCp7 and in NCp7 in the absence of zinc. An increase in β-turn structures is observed in NCp7 bound to tRNA3 Lys. Furthermore, CD data shows that Cys23 NCp7 binds tRNA3 Lys. The CD spectrum of tRNA3 Lys is typical of an A-form helix and retains this structure after binding of NCp7, which demonstrates that NCp7 does not induce tRNA3 Lysunwinding. CD spectra of tRNA3 Lys were measured from 5 to 80 °C to observe CD changes resulting from tRNA3 Lys melting. Molecular modeling of the complex identifies two potential tRNA anticodon binding sites in the NCp7 N-terminal region and first zinc finger. In this model, both binding sites can interact with 12 nucleotides in the anticodon domain without requiring a base specificity.
Design of a cantilever-based system for DNA detection

In this work we present the development of a system intended for DNA label free detection, based on piezoresistive microcantilever arrays and dedicated readout ASIC. Detector design and microfabrication technologies have been optimised for detection sensitivity, providing an efficient direct electrical measurement of DNA hybridisation. Readout ASIC has been implemented using a 0. 35µm CMOS technology to provide a high resolution and low noise readout of the sensors, by also providing the compensation of large offset in the detector response.
Involvement of topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase as ciprofloxacin targets in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Ciprofloxacin-resistant mutants of Streptococcus pneumoniae 7785 were generated by stepwise selection at increasing drug concentrations. Sequence analysis of PCR products from the strains was used to examine the quinolone resistance-determining regions of the GyrA and GyrB proteins of DNA gyrase and the analogous regions of the ParC and ParE subunits of DNA topoisomerase IV. First-step mutants exhibiting low-level resistance had no detectable changes in their topoisomerase quinolone resistance-determining regions, suggesting altered permeation or another novel resistance mechanism. Nine of 10 second-step mutants exhibited an alteration in ParC at Ser-79 to Tyr or Phe or at Ala-84 to Thr. Third- and fourth-step mutants displaying high-level ciprofloxacin resistance were found to have, in addition to the ParC alteration, a change in GyrA at residues equivalent to Escherichia coli GyrA resistance hot spots Ser-83 and Asp-87 or in GyrB at Asp-435 to Asn, equivalent to E. coli Asp-426, part of a highly conserved EGDSA motif in GyrB. No ParE changes were observed. Complementary analysis of two S. pneumoniae clinical isolates displaying low-level resistance to ciprofloxacin revealed a ParC change at Ser-79 to Phe or Arg-95 to Cys but no changes in GyrA, GyrB, or ParE. A highly resistant isolate, in addition to a ParC mutation, had a GyrA alteration at the residue equivalent to E. coli Asp-87. Thus, in both laboratory strains and clinical isolates, ParC mutations preceded those in GyrA, suggesting that topoisomerase IV is a primary topoisomerase target and gyrase is a secondary target for ciprofloxacin in S. pneumoniae.
Anomaly detection based on data stream monitoring and prediction with improved Gaussian process regression algorithm

Condition monitoring has gradually become the necessary part of the diagnostics and prognostics for the complex systems. Especially, with the rapid development of data acquisition and communication technology, the appearing of large scale data set and data stream brings great challenges to model and process the condition monitoring data As a result, anomaly detection of the streaming monitoring data attracts more attention in the fields of prognostics and health management (PHM). Hence, in this study, Gaussian process regression (GPR) is applied for the abnormal detection in data stream; and on this basis a real-time abnormal detection method is proposed based on the improved anomaly detection and mitigation (IADAM) strategy and GPR which realizes incremental detecting for future data samples and requires no pre-classification labels of anomalies. Anomaly detection tested on an artificial data set and actual mobile traffic data set indicates the effectiveness and reasonability of IADAM-GPR model compared with naïve and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) models.
Sodium and potassium currents in squid axons perfused with fluoride solutions

1. Axons perfused with a K‐free solution containing 300 m M‐NaF + sucrose to maintain isotonicity (referred to as 300 m M‐NaF) and placed in K‐free artificial sea‐water usually depolarized spontaneously to around 0 mV. The membrane could be hyperpolarized to −70 to −100 mV with a small inwardly directed current; in one experiment the holding current was measured and was found to be less than 20 μA/cm2.
A 0.7V resistive sensor with temperature/voltage detection function in 16nm FinFET technologies

This paper reports a combination structure of temperature and voltage sensor in a 16nm FinFET technology. The circuit transforms PTAT voltage across a resistor into an output clock with PTAT pulse-width. Fabricated in a 16nm CMOS, the temperature sensor achieves 1°C resolution over -10 ~ 90°C range and the voltage sensor achieves 4mV output error over 0.38V to 0.56V. The total chip size is 0.01mm2 and draws 70uW total power from a 0.7V supply. Depending on resolution, the measurement time can change from 10μsec to 1.6msec. This approach is not restricted by forward junction bias (~0.7V) of conventional BJTs and diodes.
Open and Laparoscopic Treatment of Nonparasitic Splenic Cysts

Background: Nonparasitic splenic cysts are rare. Therefore, there is no ‘evidence-based’ information regarding their optimal surgical management. In the last years the laparoscopic approach has gained increasing acceptance in splenic surgery. The aim of this study is to present our experience with the laparoscopic management of splenic cysts. Methods:The medical records of 7 patients with splenic cysts were reviewed retrospectively. Results: One patient had an open partial splenic resection. Five patients, 3 of them with a posttraumatic and 2 with an epidermoid splenic cyst, underwent laparoscopic unroofing of the cyst. In 4 of these cases the postoperative course was uneventful, whereas in 1 case the patient developed a cyst relapse soon postoperatively. Later on this patient successfully underwent an open partial splenic resection. The 7th patient had an explorative laparoscopy. The cyst was located intrasplenically, entirely covered with unaffected splenic parenchyma, and reached the splenic hilus. Therefore, a conversion to open partial splenectomy was performed. Conclusion: Open partial splenectomy and laparoscopic cyst wall unroofing are both effective tools in the management of splenic nonparasitic cysts. Surgeons must master both techniques as nowadays spleen-preserving techniques should be attempted in every case of splenic nonparasitic cyst.
An integrated 5 GHz low-noise amplifier with 5.5 kV HBM ESD protection in 90 nm RF CMOS

A fully integrated 5 GHz low-power electrostatic discharge (ESD)-protected low-noise amplifier (LNA) in 90 nm CMOS is presented. This 9 mW LNA, with a 1.2 volt supply voltage, features a 12 dB power gain and 3.4 dB noise figure, while maintaining an input return loss below -20 dB. The LNA is ESD protected up to 5.5 kV human body model (HBM) using an on-chip inductor and clamping diodes, implemented as "plug-and-play" components. To the authors' knowledge, this LNA achieves the highest ever-reported ESD protection level in any 90 nm RF CMOS technology.
Performance evaluation of buffer sharing routers for Network on Chip

Packet buffers in Network on Chips (NoCs) are the most expensive resource for its power and area consumption. Most of the applications that run based on NoC platforms have different traffic patterns. The packets of these traffics are generally not uniformly distributed on routers buffers, hence, many buffers will be inefficiently utilized. This paper presents buffer sharing architectures for NoC routers, which can reduce the sizes of NoC routers' buffers. We analyze two router architectures: Four-Port Buffer Sharing (4PBS) router and Two-Port Buffer Sharing (2PBS) router. Performance evaluation shows that 4PBS router outperforms 2PBS router in the delay and throughput of packet delivery while 2PBS incurs lower overhead in the controller complexity and power overhead.