Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synchronous existence of granular cell tumor and small cell carcinoma of lung: An unusual entity

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor that uncommonly occurs in the lung and tracheobronchial tree. Small cell carcinoma of lung is a centrally located malignant neoplasm that commonly occurs in elderly smokers. Concomitant existence of both the neoplasm in lung is extremely rare with only one reported case in the literature. Few rare combinations of GCT with other primary bronchogenic carcinomas have also been reported. Clinical symptoms depend upon the site and size of the tumor. Definitive diagnosis is by histopathological and proper immunohistochemical analysis. Identification of this entity is important as treatment requires individual therapy protocols that depend on the presence of metastasis, location of the tumors, and type of bronchogenic carcinoma.
Regional and Hormone‐Dependent Effects of Apolipoprotein E Genotype on Changes in Bone Mineral in Perimenopausal Women *

We studied 479 perimenopausal Danish women aged 45–58 years to examine differences between APOE genotypes with respect to (1) baseline total body bone mineral density (BMD) and densities measured in five different regions (ultradistal forearm, proximal forearm, lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip region); (2) serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, bone isoenzyme alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, and urine hydroxyproline/creatinine excretion ratio; and (3) changes in bone mineral during 5 years of follow‐up. Baseline BMDs were identical, whereas serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and its bone isoenzyme were higher in women with APOE 2–2 and APOE 2–3 than in women with APOE 3–3 and APOE 3–4 and lower in women with APOE 4–4. Among women not receiving hormonal‐replacement therapy (HRT; n = 262), those with APOE 2–2 and APOE 2–3 had 30–40% lower rates of femoral neck and total hip bone mineral loss than women with APOE 3–3 and APOE 3–4, whereas the rates of mineral loss in other skeletal regions did not differ between these APOE genotypes. Women with APOE 4–4 appeared to have lower rates of bone mineral loss in all regions. Women treated with hormones throughout the follow‐up period (n = 113) gained bone mineral, and women with APOE 3–4 and APOE 4–4 gained relatively more mineral than other women. A comparison of untreated and treated women with APOE 2–3, APOE 3–3, and APOE 3–4 suggests a possible modification of the effect of APOE genotype by HRT. In conclusion, the common APOE polymorphism has a complex effect on bone metabolism in perimenopausal Danish women including possible modification by hormone use: (1) among women not receiving HRT, those with APOE2 have lower bone mineral losses in the femoral neck and hip region than other women, and (2) among women receiving HRT, those with APOE4 gain more bone mineral than other women.
Synergistic effect of ethaselen and selenite treatment against A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

BACKGROUND In this study, we aimed to evaluate the growth inhibitory effect of the combination of ethaselen (BBSKE) and low fixed dose of selenite against A549 human non-small cell lung cancer cells in vitro. MATERIALS AND METHODS Growth inhibitory effects against A549 cells were determined by SRB assay. Combination index (CI) values were calculated based on Chou-Talalay median-effect analyses. Dose reduction index (DRI) values were applied to calculate dose reduction of selenite. Contents of free thiols and GSH were determined by DTNB assay and intracellular ROS levels by DCFH-DA fluorescence labeling. RESULTS Compared with BBSKE or selenite single treatment, the combined application of ethaselen and a low fixed dose of selenite shortened the onset time of sodium selenite, reduced IC50 values, and increased the maximum inhibition rates, suggesting a possible molecular mechanism of the synergism. Obvious synergistic effects were observed after different times of combination treatment, especially after 24 h. Compared with selenite single treatment, dosage of selenite could be remarkably reduced in combination therapy to gain the same inhibitory effect on cell proliferation. Compared with BBSKE single treatment, the content of free thiols and GSH were significantly reduced and ROS levels greatly elevated in the combination group. For the combination treatment, cell viability increased as greater concentrations of GSH were added. CONCLUSIONS All these results indicate that the combination treatment of BBSKE and selenite showed synergism to inhibit A549 cell proliferation in vitro, and also reduced the selenite dosage to mitigate its toxicity which is very meaningful for combination chemotherapy of lung cancer. The synergism was probably caused by the accelerated exhaustion of intracellular reductive substances, such as free thiols and GSH, which ultimately leads to enhanced oxidative stress and apoptosis.
Smooth Muscle Archvillin Is an ERK Scaffolding Protein*

ERK influences a number of pathways in all cells, but how ERK activities are segregated between different pathways has not been entirely clear. Using immunoprecipitation and pulldown experiments with domain-specific recombinant fragments, we show that smooth muscle archvillin (SmAV) binds ERK and members of the ERK signaling cascade in a domain-specific, stimulus-dependent, and pathway-specific manner. MEK binds specifically to the first 445 residues of SmAV. B-Raf, an upstream regulator of MEK, constitutively interacts with residues 1–445 and 446–1250. Both ERK and 14-3-3 bind to both fragments, but in a stimulus-specific manner. Phosphorylated ERK is associated only with residues 1–445. An ERK phosphorylation site was determined by mass spectrometry to reside at Ser132. A phospho-antibody raised to this site shows that the site is phosphorylated during α-agonist-mediated ERK activation in smooth muscle tissue. Phosphorylation of SmAV by ERK decreases the association of phospho-ERK with SmAV. These results, combined with previous observations, indicate that SmAV serves as a new ERK scaffolding protein and provide a mechanism for regulation of ERK binding, activation, and release from the signaling complex.
Dynamic correlation between carbon market and Chinese stock market based on AGDCC-GARCH

Along with the worldwide concern on climate change, the greenhouse gas emission permit has emerged as a new asset with increasing liquidity and its derivatives has been traded more and more frequently on climate exchanges. This paper selects the European Union Allowance (EUA) futures traded on European Climate Exchange (ECX) to represent the emission permit market (carbon market), Shanghai Composite Index to represent Chinese stock market, and adopts the Asymmetric Generalized Dynamic Conditional Correlation (AGDCC) - GARCH model to analyze the dynamic correlation between carbon market and Chinese stock market. The empirical result shows that, the EUA futures share the characteristics of “Heavy Tail” and “Volatility Clustering” with conventional financial assets, and are correlated very weakly with the Shanghai Composite Index. Moreover, the correlation becomes even weaker when the volatility in Shanghai Composite Index increases. The results have important significance for Chinese investors to seize the opportunity brought up by carbon market to make internationally diversified investments.
NAT2 gene polymorphism and sporadic colorectal cancer. Prevalence, tumor stage and prognosis. A preliminary study in 70 patients.

AIM Theoretically, individuals with a NAT2 rapid acetylator genotype are exposed to a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. We attempted to study this relationship. MATERIAL AND METHODS We evaluated a group of 70 patients with sporadic colorectal cancer and 40 controls. We calculated the relative risk for patients homozygous for the normal allele NAT2*5C, NAT2*5A, NAT2*6B, NAT2*7B, for heterozygous patients and for patients homozygous for the mutant allele. RESULTS We found an increased risk for patients with a rapid acetylator genotype to develop colorectal cancer. Rapid acetylators, homozygous negative or heterozygous for the NAT2*5C, NAT2*5A and NAT2*6B mutations have an increased risk of colorectal cancer compared to homozygous positive patients.The analysis of the NAT2*5C genotype shows that the majority of the cases are at stage pT3 for rapid acetylators, 41 cases (74.54%), compared to slow acetylators, where the majority of cases are at stage pT4, 10 cases (66.66%) (p<0.05). The genotype with a rapid acetylator phenotype of the NAT2*5C, NAT2*5A and NAT2*7B variants was most frequently associated with Dukes stage B. The NAT2*5C, NAT2*5A and NAT2*7B gene variants with a slow acetylator pheno-type were most frequently associated with Dukes stage C. CONCLUSIONS Rapid acetylators, homozygous negative or heterozygous for the NAT2*5C, NAT2*5A and NAT2*6B mutations have a higher risk of colorectal cancer compared to positive homozygotes. Rapid acetylators have earlier stages of colorectal cancer and a better prognosis than slow acetylators, who are diagnosed in more advanced stages.
Antioxidant Capacity of Food Mixtures Is Not Correlated with Their Antiproliferative Activity Against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Combining different foods may produce additive, synergistic, or antagonistic interactions that may modify certain physiological effects (i.e., anticancer properties). For investigating these interactions and potential synergetic combinations, thirteen foods from three categories, including fruits (raspberries, blackberries, apples, grapes), vegetables (broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, purple cauliflowers, onions), and legumes (soy beans, adzuki beans, red kidney beans, black beans), were evaluated for their inhibitory activity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Grape, onion, and adzuki bean showed maximal growth inhibition of MCF-7 from the fruit, vegetable, and legume groups, respectively. When these three foods were combined in pairs, unique interactions were observed that were not seen when individual extracts were used. Combining onion and grape resulted in a synergistic antiproliferative effect (APE) against MCF-7 compared with either onion or grape treatment alone. In contrast, combining grape and adzuki bean resulted in an antagonistic interaction. Additionally, four antioxidant assays (total phenolic contents, ferric reducing antioxidant power, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity) were further used to evaluate the antioxidant capacities (AC) of individual foods and their combinations. Combining raspberry and adzuki bean extracts demonstrated synergistic AC in all four assays, but they did not show synergistic APE against the MCF-7 cells. Combining broccoli and soy produced antioxidant antagonism, but did not have an antagonistic APE against MCF-7. The synergistic or antagonistic AC of food mixtures did not correlate with the synergistic or antagonistic APE against MCF-7. Further investigation is to determine the mechanisms of these interactions and to predict and enhance the therapeutic benefits of foods and food components through strategic food combinations.
Interferometric Multi-Chromatic Analysis of COSMO-SkyMed data for height retrieval

The Multi-Chromatic Analysis can be applied to interferometric pairs of SAR images processed at range sub-bands, and consists of exploring the phase trend of each pixel as a function of the different central carrier frequencies. The phase of stable scatterers evolves linearly with the sub-band central wavelength, with a slope proportional to the absolute e.m. path difference. The technique appears optimally suited for the new generation of satellite sensors, which operate with larger bandwidths than previously available instruments, generally limited to few tens of MHz. A first experiment on satellite data was carried out by processing a spotlight interferometric pair of images acquired by TerraSAR-X on the well-known Uluru monolith in Australia. In the present work, we illustrate MCA processing on SAR data acquired over the same site by the COSMO-SkyMed constellation. The topographic profile of the monolith is successfully reconstructed. Furthermore, the results are also compared with those previously derived by processing TerraSAR-X data.
Hot Air Drying of Green Table Olives

Summary The characteristics of hot air-drying of green table olives (Domat variety) by using a tray dryer were studied. Air temperature varied from 40 to 70 °C with an air velocity of 1 m/s. Drying rate curves were determined and quality of dried green olives was evaluated by instrumental analysis (bulk density, particle density, porosity, shrinkage, moisture content, water activity, colour value, protein content, oil content, peroxide value and acidity). Consumers’ acceptance test and microbiological analysis were also applied.
Rat-bite Fever in Children: Case Report and Review

We report 2 cases of rat-bite fever (RBF), a multisystem zoonosis, in children and review the literature. RBF is caused by 1 of 2 Gram-negative organisms: Streptobacillus moniliformis or, less commonly, Spirillum minus. Both of our cases developed in school-aged girls with a history of rat exposure who presented with a multisystem illness consisting of fever, petechial and purpuric rash, arthralgia and polyarthritis. Both responded promptly to antibiotic treatment. An additional 10 cases from a MEDLINE review (1960-2000) are reviewed. RBF must be included in the differential diagnosis of febrile patients with rashes and a history of exposure to rats.
Insight into the nature of the CRP-coronary event association using Mendelian randomization.

BACKGROUND It is unclear wheather the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) and incident coronary events is free from bias and confounding. Individuals homozygous for a +1444C>T polymorphism in the CRP gene have higher circulating concentrations of CRP. Since the distribution of this polymorphism occurs at random during gamete formation, its association with coronary events should not be biased or confounded. METHODS We calculated the weighted mean difference in CRP between individuals with variants of the +1444C>T polymorphism in the CRP gene among 4,659 European men from six studies (genotype-intermediate phenotype studies). We used this difference together with data from previous observational studies to compute an expected odds ratio (OR) for non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) among individuals homozygous for the T allele. We then performed four new genetic association studies (6,201 European men) to obtain a summary OR for the association between the +1444C>T polymorphism and non-fatal MI (genotype-disease studies). RESULTS CRP was 0.68 mg/l [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.31-1.10; P = 0.0001] higher among subjects homozygous for the +1444-T allele, with no confounding by a range of covariates. The expected ORs among TT subjects for non-fatal MI corresponding to this difference in CRP was 1.20 (95% CI 1.07-1.38) using the Reykjavik Heart study data and 1.25 (1.09-1.43) for all observational studies to 2004. The estimate for the observed adjusted-OR for non-fatal MI among TT subjects was 1.01 (95% CI 0.74-1.38), lower than both expected ORs. CONCLUSIONS A common CRP gene polymorphism is associated with important differences in CRP concentrations, free from confounding. The null association of this variant with coronary events suggests possible residual confounding (or reverse causation) in the CRP-coronary event association in observational studies, though the confidence limits are still compatible with a modest causal effect. Additional studies of genotype (or haplotype) and coronary events would help clarify whether or not the link between CRP and coronary events in observational studies is causal.
Prophylactic use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor after induction chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia may increase the complete remission rate: a meta-analysis of five randomised controlled trials

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant disease resulting from acquired genetic mutations that block the differentiation of primitive hematopoietic cells and thereby cause immature myeloid precursors to accumulate. Adults undergoing AML induction chemotherapy have a much greater incidence of contracting infections that require hospitalisation as well as deadly infections than adults with solid tumors. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was purified and its gene was cloned in 1984. G-CSF shortens the duration of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and reduces complications due to infections typically associated with cytotoxic chemotherapy [1,2]. Thus, the British Society of Hematology (BSH) produced guidelines that recommend G-CSF therapy after induction, when appropriate, to reduce the hospital stay or antibiotic usage [3]. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using GCSF have been published over the past few decades, with conflicting results. Most of these studies demonstrated that the complete remission (CR) rate, disease-free survival (DFS), event-free survival and overall survival (OS) were not affected by G-CSF; however, some studies demonstrated a high CR rate and DFS when using G-CSF [4,5]. Hematological remission and long-term hematological control of acute myeloblastic leukemia are induced and maintained by G-CSF therapy [6]. Our primary objective was to determine whether prophylaxis with G-CSF in patients with AML produced a higher CR rate after the induction chemotherapy. Trials were identified by searching electronic databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane controlled trials register, the Cochrane Library and the Science Citation Index, updated to December 2007, and reference lists from the trials selected by electronic searching were handsearched to identify further relevant trials. The major conference abstracts were hand-searched to identify other potentially relevant studies for inclusion in this meta-analysis. The following quality criteria were used to select each study: (a) study design: RCTs, with or without blinding; (b) study population: newly diagnosed AML patients; (c) intervention: G-CSF; (d) controls: placebo or no treatment; (e) time of the intervention: after the first induction chemotherapy and (f) outcome measures: the CR rate after the first induction chemotherapy. According to the selection criteria, a total of eight studies were retrieved [4,7– 13]. Among these studies, three were excluded because of no information on the CR rate after the first induction course [11–13] (we have tried to contact the corresponding investigators of the studies excluded, but with no reply). Finally, a meta-analysis of pooled data from Dombret et al. [5], Heil et al. [7], Bradstock et al. [8], Goldstone et al. [9] and Usuki et al. [10], which were all published as full articles, was performed to assess the correlation between
Pure Directional Bending Measurement With a Fiber Bragg Grating at the Connection Joint of Eccentric-Core and Single-Mode Fibers

A novel fiber Bragg grating (FBG) structure based on an eccentric core fiber (ECF) and a single-mode fiber (SMF) was proposed and experimentally demonstrated for distinguishing the bending effect from the axial strain effect and measuring the pure directional bending. The structure is fabricated by writing a FBG on the fusion splice junction between an ECF and a SMF. The FBG formed on the ECF-SMF junction has two different resonant peaks because of the different refractive indices of the two fibers. The peak relating to the ECF is sensitive to both directional bending and axial strain, while the peak corresponding to the SMF is only sensitive to strain. By using the unique FBG structure, one can directly know whether a bending is accompanied by an axial strain, and can obtain both the direction and curvature of the bending. Experimental results show that the bending sensitivities of the FBG in the ECF part are 49.3 and -50.3 pm/m-1 at directions of 0° and 180°, respectively, and the strain sensitivities of the FBG in the ECF and SMF are 0.74 and 0.70 pm/με, respectively.
Compliance for Service based Systems through Formalization of Law

As with the advancement in Web-based infrastructures applications can be composed of services by different providers across the Internet, it is not possible to foresee legal requirements for every situation. Therefore, new legal challenges arise for modular applications in an Internet of Services. However, since such service based systems become more and more self describing by using sophisticated description schemas, we propose to apply standard legal methodology on this situation. By formalizing legal norms and the process of legal assessment to obtain legal rights and obligations we envision an autarchic system which can subsume service description facts under the terms of legal regulations in order to obtain legal consequences. This paper contributes the scientific concept to transfer legal methodology, as known in the offline world for decades, to a distributed and modular online business world, which composes its applications dynamically with services from different providers.
ADAPTIVE CENSUS AND INTERPOLATION BASED DISPARITY ESTIMATION USING WEIGHTED AUTOREGRESSIVE MODELS

This paper deals with an adaptive general scale interpolation algorithm that is capable of arbitrary scaling factors considering the non-stationarity of natural images. The proposed AR terms are modeled by pixels with their adjacent unknown HR neighbors. A novel stereo matching algorithm is proposed that utilizes color segmentation on the reference image and a self-adapting matching score that maximizes the number of reliable correspondences. Modified Census Transform is a form of non-parametric local transform used in image processing within a square window to a bit string, thereby capturing the image structure. The centre pixel’s intensity value is replaced by the bit string composed of set of boolean comparisons such that in a square window, moving left to right. A new technique is used and found a solution for correspondence problem that makes use of non-parametric local transforms as the basis for correlation. Non-parametric transforms rely on the relative ordering of local intensity values, and not on the intensity values themselves. Correlation using such transforms can tolerate a significant number of images. This can result in improved performance near object boundaries when compared with conventional methods such as normalized correlation.
Glucose hypometabolism of hypothalamus and thalamus in narcolepsy

It has been hypothesized that hypothalamus is involved in narcolepsy. The relative difference between cerebral glucose metabolism of 24 narcoleptic patients and 24 normal controls was studied using 18F‐fluorodeoxy glucose positron emission tomography. Patients with narcolepsy showed significantly reduced cerebral glucose metabolism in bilateral rectal and subcallosal gyri, the medial convexity of right superior frontal gyrus, bilateral precuneus, right inferior parietal lobule, and in left supramarginal gyrus (uncorrected p < 0.001). Bilateral posterior hypothalami and mediodorsal thalamic nuclei showed hypometabolism with significance at the level of corrected p < 0.05, with small volume correction. This study showed cerebral glucose hypometabolism of the hypothalamus‐thalamus‐orbitofrontal pathways in the narcoleptic brain. Ann Neurol 2004