Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection and Dynamic Changes of EGFR Mutations from Circulating Tumor DNA as a Predictor of Survival Outcomes in NSCLC Patients Treated with First-line Intercalated Erlotinib and Chemotherapy

Purpose: Blood-based circulating-free (cf) tumor DNA may be an alternative to tissue-based EGFR mutation testing in NSCLC. This exploratory analysis compares matched tumor and blood samples from the FASTACT-2 study. Experimental Design: Patients were randomized to receive six cycles of gemcitabine/platinum plus sequential erlotinib or placebo. EGFR mutation testing was performed using the cobas tissue test and the cobas blood test (in development). Blood samples at baseline, cycle 3, and progression were assessed for blood test detection rate, sensitivity, and specificity; concordance with matched tumor analysis (n = 238), and correlation with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Concordance between tissue and blood tests was 88%, with blood test sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 96%. Median PFS was 13.1 versus 6.0 months for erlotinib and placebo, respectively, for those with baseline EGFR mut+ cfDNA [HR, 0.22; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.14–0.33, P < 0.0001] and 6.2 versus 6.1 months, respectively, for the EGFR mut− cfDNA subgroup (HR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.65–1.04, P = 0.1076). For patients with EGFR mut+ cfDNA at baseline, median PFS was 7.2 versus 12.0 months for cycle 3 EGFR mut+ cfDNA versus cycle 3 EGFR mut− patients, respectively (HR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.21–0.48, P < 0.0001); median OS by cycle 3 status was 18.2 and 31.9 months, respectively (HR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.31–0.84, P = 0.0066). Conclusions: Blood-based EGFR mutation analysis is relatively sensitive and highly specific. Dynamic changes in cfDNA EGFR mutation status relative to baseline may predict clinical outcomes. Clin Cancer Res; 21(14); 3196–203. ©2015 AACR.
Urban Middle-School Students' Attitudes Toward a Defined Science

Recent studies have shown that urban students and students of color have exceptionally negative attitudes toward school science and their futures in that field as compared with white students and nonurban students. In this paper we summarize research findings on students' attitudes toward science. We note that most of the studies of students' attitudes toward science that have been conducted so far have measured students' attitudes against the backdrop of a “generalized science. ” Thus, we develop a detailed argument for why science needs to be more clearly defined in attitude instruments. We report on our development of this instrument as well as our initial findings. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed88:197–222, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10110
New multiobjective tabu search algorithm for fuzzy optimal planning of power distribution systems

This paper presents a new multiobjective Tabu search (NMTS) algorithm to solve a multiobjective fuzzy model for optimal planning of distribution systems. This algorithm obtains multiobjective nondominated solutions to three objective functions: fuzzy economic cost, level of fuzzy reliability, and exposure (maximization of robustness), also including optimal size and location of reserve feeders to be built for maximizing the level of reliability at the lowest economic cost (for a given level of robustness). The main characteristics of the NMTS algorithm are: search of planning solutions using several objective functions simultaneously; partition of the space of solutions to diversify the search; intensification of the search by ranking lists of the best network nodes of the distribution system; and an elaborated Tabu list that stores visited network nodes, avoiding unwanted movements. The NMTS algorithm has been intensively tested in real distribution systems, proving its practical application in large power distribution systems.
Dynamics of Peer Victimization in Early Adolescence

ABSTRACT This study addressed the stability of victimization across four consecutive years from Grades 4 to 7, and the concurrent correlates, short-term consequences, and predictors of victimization in early adolescence. Participants were 600 students (49% girls) enrolled in 10 elementary schools in Grades 4-5 and 2 middle schools in Grades 6-7 in an ethnically diverse school system. Data collection included peer nominations, self-reports, and teacher reports in each year. Victimization was highly stable across all years, including the transition from elementary to middle school. Both concurrent and short-term consequences showed that victimized 6th graders, especially girls, experienced significantly greater maladaptive outcomes than their nonvictim counterparts. For both genders, risk factors for adolescent victimization included externalizing and internalizing behaviors, while protective factors included academic and peer sociability elements. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed.
Intervention as Indirect Rule: Civil War and Statebuilding in the Democratic Republic of Congo

disrupted, not all of them logical, based on evidence or immediately understandable. The value of the book is in laying bare all of this detail and providing a picture of the frustrations of sitting at the centre of such discussions. It is significantly enlivened by numerous quotes from a wide variety of actors on all sides. In addition, the role played by John Garang and the tragedy of his death is clearly laid out within this book. In addition, the immediacy of the material is given urgency through extensive use of the first person. This puts the reader in the heart of what was going on and in parts it really does make you wonder how any agreement was reached at all. This book does not pretend to be a comprehensive analysis of the war, the context of the negotiations or a study in international relations. What it does is to bring the rich detail of peace discussions to life for a general reader and anyone engaged in peace negotiations should read it. What the book also does, perhaps, is to explain why some peace negotiations lead to peace agreements that are held up as imperfect, incomplete or fail to address some issues. There is an interesting discussion within the book on what elements were non-negotiable and what could not be put on the table. At the same time, the extensive behind the scenes negotiations that each man had to undertake to get any agreement on their respective sides also shows just how complex such negotiations can be and how easily they can go wrong. It lays bare the frustration and sheer effort required to keep talking rather than turning to violence. For me, however, despite the first person narrative, the two people who bring the whole thing to life are John Garang and Ali Osman Taha, both of whom come out of the book as flawed but deeply honourable men who took great personal risk and developed a close and trusting relationship, without which there would not be peace in Sudan. Not an exercise in realist international relations perhaps, but an exercise in realistic approaches to solving conflict. This book is not a course text. However, it will be of considerable interest to those working on the peace negotiations or recent history of Sudan. In addition, because of the level of detail, it will also be of interest to anyone embarking or engaging in peace negotiations in Africa and beyond.
Compiler Generated Synchronization for Do Loops

This paper presents methods for the compile time generation of synchronization instructions for parallel loops running on a multiprocessor. A synchronization instruction set and architecture are defined, and using these it is shown how to synchronize FORTRAN source loops so that dependences on the parallel loop are enforced. Construction of an applicable dependence graph is covered. A program transformation is given that increases the parallelism that can be utilized in a parallel loop containing nested loops. Finally, a generalizable technique is presented for reducing the number of dependences needing synchronizing in a parallel loop. 17 refs., 14 figs.
Hybrid Java compilation and optimization for digital TV software platform

The Java software platform for the interactive digital TV (DTV) is composed of the system/middleware classes statically installed on the DTV set-top box and the xlet classes dynamically downloaded from the TV stations, where xlets are executed only when the TV viewer initiates the interaction. In order to achieve high performance on this dual-component, user-initiated system, existing just-in-time compilation is not enough, but idle-time compilation and optimization as well as ahead-of-time compilation are also needed, requiring a hybrid compilation and optimization environment. We constructed such a hybrid environment for a commercial DTV software platform and experimented with real, on-air xlet applications. Our experimental results show that the proposed hybrid environment can improve the DTV Java performance by as much as an average of 150%, compared to the JITC-only environment.
Functional studies of RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Nutrient availability is one of the environmental conditions that have the largest effect on cell growth. The nutrient status is transmitted by several signal transduction pathways, providing an essential framework for the coordination of cell growth. These pathways have been shown to be remarkably well conserved among eukaryotes. Transcriptional initiation is the endpoint for many signal transduction pathways and thus the final answer to an environmental change. The control of gene expression through transcription initiation is therefore one of the most fundamental processes in biology, containing many layers of complexity. I have used the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae to study different mechanisms involved in the control of gene expression. The mediator protein complex is required for regulated transcription of nearly all RNA polymerase II-dependent genes. Studies of the Mediator subunit Med21 revealed that it genetically and physically interacts with two other Mediator subunits, Med7 and Med10. A strong Med21 self-interaction was also identified, suggesting a possible dimerisation of Med21. The second part of the study focused on elucidating the function of the split jumonji domain, comprising the jmjN and jmjC subdomains, that has been identified in many transcription factors, by studying its physical interactions. I identified 19 different yeast proteins that could interact either directly or indirectly with the jumonji domain of the zinc finger protein Gis1 in a complex interaction pattern. Gis1 is known to be involved in nutrient dependent regulation of gene expression. Genome-wide microarray analysis was used to investigate the role of Gis1 and the related Rph1 protein in the growth phase-dependent gene regulation. This resulted in the identification of both redundant and unique roles of Gis1 and Rph1 in regulation of genes with an enrichment of STRE and PDS elements in their promoters. One of the proteins that interact directly with the jumonji domain of Gis1 is the unconvential prefoldin-like protein Bud27. Genetic and biochemical methods were used to study the roles of Bud27 and Gis1 in nutrient dependent regulation of gene expression by the TOR signaling pathway.
Legislating the Family: The Effect of State Family Laws on the Presence of Children in Same-Sex Households

Faced with legal animus or outright legal prohibitions on adoption, fostering, or surrogacy, gay men and lesbians could be deterred from family formation. In this article, we use 2000 U.S. Census data to assess the validity of this assumption by examining the effect of positive and negative family laws on the presence of children in the households of same-sex unmarried partners. In doing so, we seek to assess whether formal law plays a central role in family formation outcomes for gay men and lesbians. Employing a multilevel analysis, we find that formal law, particularly negative formal law, appears to play little role in outcomes involving family formation. Formal law might, however, play a greater role when defining property or other legal rights, such as through second parent adoption. These findings are compatible with the notion that individuals are less likely to consult formal law in their everyday lives - particularly with regard to family matters - but are more likely to do so with regard to family issues concerning wills and estates, transfers of property, or other "business" matters.
The Solow Model in the Empirics of Growth and Trade

Translated to a cross-country context, the Solow model (Solow, 1956) predicts that international differences in steady state output per person are due to international differences in technology for a constant capital output ratio. However, most of the cross-country growth literature that refers to the Solow model has employed a specification where steady state differences in output per person are due to international differences in the capital output ratio for a constant level of technology. My empirical results show that the former specification can summarize the data quite well by using a measure of institutional technology and treating the capital output ratio as part of the regression constant. This reinterpretation of the cross-country Solow model provides an interesting implication for empirical studies of international trade. Harrod-neutral technology differences as presumed by the Solow model can explain why countries have different factor intensities and may end up in different cones of specialization.
Main Directions of Research in the Arms Trade

Research in arms transfers over the past decades has greatly increased our knowledge, but in a somewhat uneven fashion. With the end of the Cold War, arms transfers take place in a new international system. It appears that the most useful research at this stage—and given the limitations on the quantitative information available—should involve factual description of the different stages of arms transfers, the parties, their interests, the legal aspects, and the mechanics of arms transfers; harder information on the economic aspects of arms transfers, including the effects of offsets, of transfer of technology, and of joint development and production; identification of general trends and of characteristics relevant to more general concepts; and elaboration of ways and means to bring arms transfers under better national and international control. Perhaps most important, researchers should show detachment, devoting their efforts more to establishing facts than to presenting opinions.
Incidence and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Mycoplasma pneumoniae in Saudi Arabia

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is increasingly recognized as a common and an important pathogen in community-acquired respiratory tract infections (RTIs) and pneumonia, particularly in school-age children and young adults. To determine the incidence and antibiotic susceptibility of M. pneumoniae at the main hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, we studied 552 respiratory samples from patients diagnosed with different clinical diagnosis. The isolation, identification, enumeration and antibiotic resistance test for M. pneumoniae were performed using Pneumofast kit. There were 194 patients (35.1%) with current M. pneumoniae infection, mostly among younger age groups, with pneumonia the most common underlying clinical condition. All tested isolates were susceptible to four antibiotics included in the Pneumofast kit, doxycycline, minocycline, ciprofloxacine and erythromycin. The findings suggest that M. pneumonia infection in Saudi Arabia is more common among younger age groups, and pneumonia is the most common underlying clinical condition among patients with M. pneumoniae infection, that cannot be distinguished from other respiratory infections on the basis of clinical and radiographic diagnosis alone.
THE INFLUENCE OF READING ACTIVITY AT HOME ON STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARDS READING, CLASSROOM ATTENTIVENESS AND READING ACHIEVEMENT: AN APPLICATION OF STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING

Summary. This paper reports findings from an explanatory study of home background, affective and behavioural factors which influence students' reading achievement, for a sample of 5000 students (age 5–14 years), drawn from government and non-government schools. Results of structural equation modelling of the data indicated that regardless of family socio-economic status, age and gender, “Reading Activity at Home'‘ had significant positive influences on measures of students' reading achievement, attitudes towards reading and attentiveness in the classroom. The findings are discussed briefly in terms of their policy implications.
Domain-specific constraints of conceptual development

Although we have made much progress in understanding the growth of mind by shifting from Piagetian theory to a variety of views of conceptual development as the domain-specific construction of knowledge under constraints, the key notion of “constraints” is not yet well articulated. As a result, the views have not yet constituted a coherent theory that replaces Piagetian theory. In this article, after summarising “dominant” views of conceptual development, we reconceptualise the notion of “innate constraints”, more specifically as preferences and biases that serve as learning mechanisms, not as innate knowledge or representational contents. We then propose to expand the notion of “constraints” to include interactive, sociocultural constraints as well as internal, cognitive ones, which enable even young children to acquire knowledge in uniquely human ways. We believe that these formulations make the current views of conceptual development better specified and more comprehensive. Finally we offer our prospect for the future of conceptual development theories.
Is there a relation between mean platelet volume and chronic kidney disease stages in diabetic patients

Objective: Chronic kidney disesase (CKD) is a state of atherosclerotic and chronic inflammation and as the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) declines, cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and inflammation increase. Mean platelet volume (MPV) has shown to be influenced by cardiovascular risk factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between MPV and CKD. Methods: This is prospective study of a total of 812 CKD patients. Patients with CKD were assigned to into the five groups depending on estimated GFR which were calculated by Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD). Patients demographics, comorbid disease were recorded, and laboratory variables were also evaluated. Results: The mean age of CKD patients was 62.6±15.4 years. According to stages, 96 patients (11.8%) were classified as stage 1 (GFR >90 ml/min/1.73 m2), 77 patients (9.5%) as stage 2 (GFR 89-60 ml/min/1.73 m2), 306 patients (37.7%) as stage 3 (GFR 59-30 ml/min/1.73 m2), 198 (24.4%) patients as stage 4 (GFR 29-15 ml/min/1.73 m2) and 135 (16.6%) patients as stage 5 (GFR <15 ml/min/1.73 m2, dialysis and non-dialysis). DM was found to be positive in 299 (152 female; 147 male) patients. The mean MPV was found to higher in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic patients (9.5±1.3 fL vs 9.3±1.4 fL, p: 0.024). There was a positive correlation between CKD stage and MPV in diabetic male patients. Conclusion: The results of our study might suggest that diabetic male patients with CKD have higher MPV values support the idea that these groups have additional risks other than CKD and these patients should be followed closely in respect to its complications.
Peter Libby Current Concepts of the Pathogenesis of the Acute Coronary Syndromes

The last decade has witnessed a major reassessment of our perceptions about the acute coronary syndromes. Today, we recognize that thrombosis underlies most acute complications of atherosclerosis, notably unstable angina and acute myocardial infarction. A consensus has emerged that inflammation plays a decisive role in the pathophysiology of these acute thrombotic events (Figure 1). Knowledge of the underlying mechanisms has increased substantially since this topic was last reviewed in these pages 6 years ago. The present article provides an update of this rapidly moving field. Most coronary thromboses result from a fracture in the protective fibrous cap of the plaque (Figure 1, cross section 5). Ample evidence now supports the concept that the protective fibrous cap, far from being fixed and static, actually can undergo continuous and dynamic remodeling and displays considerable metabolic activity. 1 Fibrils of interstitial collagen confer biomechanical strength on the fibrous cap. The balance between synthetic and degradative processes closely controlled by inflammatory mediators regulates the level of collagen in this structure. For example, the lymphokine gamma interferon (IFNg) can inhibit de novo synthesis of interstitial collagen by smooth muscle cells, the major source of this extracellular matrix protein in the artery wall.2 Proinflammatory cytokines induce the expression of enzymes capable of breaking down constituents of the arterial extracellular matrix. In particular, matrix metalloproteinases, including interstitial collagenases and gelatinases, can degrade the collagen fibrils that lend strength to the plaque’s fibrous cap. 3–6 Recent work has established that certain elastolytic cathepsins, also regulated by inflammatory mediators and expressed in atheroma, can weaken elastin, another important component of the arterial extracellular matrix. Examples include the sulfhydryl-dependent proteinases cathepsins S and K. 7,8
The temperature changes in the pulp chamber during cavity preparation with the Er:YAG laser using a very short pulse.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the temperature changes in the pulp chamber during cavity preparation with the Er:YAG laser (2940 nm) with a very short pulse (VSP). MATERIALS AND METHODS Nine groups of 10 intact molars each were used. One root of each sample was amputated and a thermocouple was inserted into the chamber. Class V cavity preparation in enamel was performed, and then preparation was performed in dentine. The enamel was lased with 400, 360, and 320 mJ in contact mode using a VSP with a duration of 100 microsec. The diameter of the fiber tip was 950 microm. Frequencies of 10, 12, and 15 Hz were used, and the total time of irradiation was 10 sec. The dentine was irradiated with 340, 280, and 200 mJ at 10, 8, and 5 Hz for 7 sec. Cooling was done with a water spray (73 psi and 50 mL/min). The differences were tested by MANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test. RESULTS The highest rise in temperature in the pulp was achieved after enamel irradiation with 400 mJ and 15 Hz (1.99 +/- 0.28 degrees C), and the lowest was after irradiation with 320 mJ and 10 Hz (0.70 +/- 0.18 degrees C). In dentine the highest temperature increase was achieved with 340 mJ and 10 Hz (1.37 +/- 0.42 degrees C), and the lowest was with 200 mJ and 5 Hz (0.43 +/- 0.18 degrees C). Two-way analysis of both enamel and dentine showed that the influence of energy on temperature increase was stronger than that of frequency. CONCLUSION Cavity preparation with an Er:YAG laser using VSP mode in vitro did not cause significant increases in temperature in the pulp chamber of human molars.
Adaptive polynomial modelling of the reflectance map for shape estimation from stereo and shading

This paper is concerned with estimation of the reflectance map and its use in surface shape estimation by a method that combines stereo and shading information. There are many advantages to the integrated approach. However, shape from shading algorithms are limited in their applicability by the assumption of idealized reflectance and lighting models involving many preset or hard to estimate parameters. In this paper, it is shown that the difficulties involved in estimation of the reflectance function and light source distribution can be eliminated through direct estimation of the reflectance map using adaptive polynomial models. The reflectance map estimate is used with a surface estimate provided by stereo in an integrated approach to surface shape estimation. <<ETX>>