Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phase I trial of bortezomib in combination with docetaxel in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PURPOSE: Bortezomib (PS-341), a first-in-class proteasome inhibitor, is metabolized by deboronation involving cytochrome P4503A (CYP3A), which also metabolizes docetaxel. Preclinical studies have shown synergy between bortezomib and taxanes. We conducted a phase I study combining bortezomib and docetaxel in refractory solid tumor patients. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients received escalating doses of weekly docetaxel (days 1 and 8) and twice weekly bortezomib (days 2, 5, 9, and 12) in 3-week cycles. Two subjects were enrolled at each dose level, with cohort expansion to six for dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). Dose levels 1, 2, and 3 consisted of docetaxel/bortezomib 25/0.8, 25/1.0, and 30/1.0 mg/m(2), respectively. CYP3A activity and docetaxel pharmacokinetic studies were conducted, and proteasome inhibition was assessed. RESULTS: Fourteen patients received a total of 34 cycles of treatment. Dose level 2 was expanded for DLT that occurred in two of six patients consisting of febrile neutropenia in one patient and grade 3 thrombocytopenia in one patient. One patient received two cycles at dose level 3 with dose reduction to dose level 2, where grade 3 thrombocytopenia occurred at cycle 3. Both episodes of grade 3 thrombocytopenia were transient (<7 days). Dose level 1 was then expanded to six patients where no DLTs occurred. CYP3A activity and docetaxel clearance did not change between weeks 1 and 5. CONCLUSIONS: The maximum tolerated dose was docetaxel 25 mg/m(2) (days 1 and 8) with bortezomib 0.8 mg/m(2) (days 2, 5, 9, and 12) given every 21 days. Bortezomib treatment did not alter CYP3A activity and docetaxel clearance.
Seasonal variation in basal metabolic rates among the yakut (Sakha) of Northeastern Siberia

Objectives: Previous research has shown that indigenous circumpolar populations have elevated basal metabolic rates (BMRs), yet few studies have explored whether metabolic rates increase during the winter. This study addresses this gap by examining seasonal variation in BMR and its associations with thyroid function and lifestyle factors among the Yakut (Sakha) of Siberia.
Optimization of in situ plasma oxidation of metallic gadolinium thin films deposited by high pressure sputtering on silicon

Gadolinium oxide thin films were deposited on silicon by a two-step process: high pressure sputtering from a metallic gadolinium target followed by an in situ plasma oxidation. Several plasma conditions for metal deposition and oxidation were studied in order to minimize the growth of a SiOx layer at the interface between the high permittivity dielectric and the silicon substrate and to avoid substrate damage. Plasma emission was studied with glow discharge optical spectroscopy. The films were structurally characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Metal–insulator–semiconductor capacitors were fabricated with two different top metals (titanium and platinum) to analyze the influence of deposition conditions and the metal choice. Pt gated devices showed an interfacial SiOx regrowth after a forming gas annealing, while Ti gates scavenge the interface layer.
Strain rate effect in the single‐fiber‐fragmentation test

The single fiber fragmentation test (SFFT) has been widely used to characterize the interface in fiber-reinforced polymers. The purpose of the work reported here was to determine the effect of strain rate on the fiber fragment lengths obtained in the SFFT. Three materials systems were used to make single-fiber-composite specimens: E-glass fiber/polycarbonate matrix, AS4-carbon fiber/polycarbonate matrix, and AU4-carbon fiber/polycarbonate matrix. The fiber-matrix adhesion in all three systems is based on physisorption rather than chemisorption. Each system was tested at strain rates ranging over four orders of magnitude. Results are reported in terms of fragment length, the dependent variable in this study, which is inversely related to the quality of the interface. It was expected that the fragment length would show a systematic decrease with increasing strain rate, but the expected trend was not found. Although the polycarbonate matrix exhibited rate-dependent viscoelastic behavior typical of amorphous polymers below T g , the fragment length at saturation did not show a statistically significant variation with strain rate for any of the three materials systems. A major contributor to the lack of observed effect was the inherent random variability associated with the SFFT; random variability in average fragment length was equal or greater than the 19% effect of rate predicted for ideal elastic systems with no debonding at the interface. In addition, considerable interfacial debonding occurred during the SFFT, not surprising for interfaces based on physisorption alone. Debonding interferes with transfer of applied load from matrix to fiber, and would thus interfere with transfer of the effect of rate from matrix to fiber. A tensile impact test developed previously was also performed on single-fiber composite specimens made from the same three materials systems. The results of the impact tests differed from those obtained at controlled strainrates for only two of the materials systems.
Enhanced coherency of thermal emission by coupled resonant cavities supporting surface waves

Surface waves have been shown to play a key role in spontaneous thermal emission in the near-field as well as the coherence and the polarization properties of the nonradiative field. The near-field coherence of the delocalized nonradiative surface waves can be transferred into radiative fields by introducing a shallow grating on the surface. We show that the coherency of the thermal radiation can be enhanced by an order of magnitude compared with the coherency imposed by the delocalized surface waves. The enhanced coherency is due to coherent coupling between resonant cavities obtained by surface standing waves, where each cavity supports localized field that is attributed to coupled surface waves. We realized coupled resonant cavity structure on amorphous SiO2 and crystalline SiC, both support surface phonon-polaritons, to demonstrate extraordinary coherent thermal emission with a high quality factor of 600 and a spatial coherence length of 760λ (8.8mm).
Pivotal Role of Dogs in Rabies Transmission, China

The number of dog-mediated rabies cases in China has increased exponentially; the number of human deaths has been high, primarily in poor, rural communities. We review the incidence of rabies in China based on data from 1950 and 2004, obtained mainly from epidemiologic bulletins published by the Chinese Ministry of Health.
Study of the early Stage of Deposition Process for Electrodeposited Ni100-XFeX Thin Films

The aim of this work is to understand the early stages in the growth mechanism of invar (Fe64Ni34) alloys and also to study the influence of potential on the evolution of their crystalline structures. Fe64Ni34 layers were deposited onto copper substrates under optimal conditions using the electrochemical method of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The influence of the potential is examined and the nucleation kinetics is discussed. In this purpose, the obtained experimental data was interpreted by applying useful theoretical methods developed by Scharifker and Hills. X-ray diffraction experiments were performed on all samples in order to follow the structural evolution of Fe64Ni34 layers as a function of the potential.
Burned Area Mapping in the North American Boreal Forest Using Terra-MODIS LTDR (2001-2011): A Comparison with the MCD45A1, MCD64A1 and BA GEOLAND-2 Products

An algorithm based on a Bayesian network classifier was adapted to produce 10-day burned area (BA) maps from the Long Term Data Record Version 3 (LTDR) at a spatial resolution of 0.05° (~5 km) for the North American boreal region from 2001 to 2011. The modified algorithm used the Brightness Temperature channel from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) band 31 T31 (11.03 μm) instead of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) band T3 (3.75 μm). The accuracy of the BA-LTDR, the Collection 5.1 MODIS Burned Area (MCD45A1), the MODIS Collection 5.1 Direct Broadcast Monthly Burned Area (MCD64A1) and the Burned Area GEOLAND-2 (BA GEOLAND-2) products was assessed using reference data from the Alaska Fire Service (AFS) and the Canadian Forest Service National Fire Database (CFSNFD). The linear regression analysis of the burned area percentages of the MCD64A1 product using 40 km × 40 km grids versus the reference data for the years from 2001 to 2011 showed an agreement of R2 = 0.84 and a slope = 0.76, while the BA-LTDR showed an agreement of R2 = 0.75 and a slope = 0.69. These results represent an improvement over the MCD45A1 product, which showed an agreement of R2 = 0.67 and a slope = 0.42. The MCD64A1, BA-LTDR and MCD45A1 products underestimated the total burned area in the study region, whereas the BA GEOLAND-2 product overestimated it by approximately five-fold, with an agreement of R2 = 0.05. Despite MCD64A1 showing the best overall results, the BA-LTDR product proved to be an alternative for mapping burned areas in the North American boreal forest region compared with the other global BA products, even those with higher spatial/spectral resolution.
Saliency Detection with a Deeper Investigation of Light Field

Although the light field has been recently recognized helpful in saliency detection, it is not comprehensively explored yet. In this work, we propose a new saliency detection model with light field data. The idea behind the proposed model originates from the following observations. (1) People can distinguish regions at different depth levels via adjusting the focus of eyes. Similarly, a light field image can generate a set of focal slices focusing at different depth levels, which suggests that a background can be weighted by selecting the corresponding slice. We show that background priors encoded by light field focusness have advantages in eliminating background distraction and enhancing the saliency by weighting the light field contrast. (2) Regions at closer depth ranges tend to be salient, while far in the distance mostly belong to the backgrounds. We show that foreground objects can be easily separated from similar or cluttered backgrounds by exploiting their light field depth. Extensive evaluations on the recently introduced Light Field Saliency Dataset (LFSD) [Li et al., 2014], including studies of different light field cues and comparisons with Li et al.'s method (the only reported light field saliency detection approach to our knowledge) and the 2D/3D state-of-the-art approaches extended with light field depth/focusness information, show that the investigated light field properties are complementary with each other and lead to improvements on 2D/3D models, and our approach produces superior results in comparison with the state-of-the-art.
Mobile phones: the next frontier for hackers?

Security experts are finding a growing number of viruses, worms, and Trojan horses that target cellular phones. Security researchers' attack simulations have shown that before long, hackers could infect mobile phones with malicious software that deletes personal data or runs up a victim's phone bill by making toll calls. The attacks could also degrade or overload mobile networks, eventually causing them to crash. And they could be even more insidious in the future by stealing financial data. Smart phones represent a particular risk. They offer Internet connectivity, function like minicomputers, and can download applications or files, some of which could carry malicious code. Mobile-device technology is still relatively new, and vendors have not developed mature security approaches. To counter the growing threat, antivirus companies have stepped up their research and development. In addition, vendors of phones and mobile operating systems are looking for ways to improve security.
Suppression of Scant Identifies Endos as a Substrate of Greatwall Kinase and a Negative Regulator of Protein Phosphatase 2A in Mitosis

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) plays a major role in dephosphorylating the targets of the major mitotic kinase Cdk1 at mitotic exit, yet how it is regulated in mitotic progression is poorly understood. Here we show that mutations in either the catalytic or regulatory twins/B55 subunit of PP2A act as enhancers of gwlScant, a gain-of-function allele of the Greatwall kinase gene that leads to embryonic lethality in Drosophila when the maternal dosage of the mitotic kinase Polo is reduced. We also show that heterozygous mutant endos alleles suppress heterozygous gwlScant; many more embryos survive. Furthermore, heterozygous PP2A mutations make females heterozygous for the strong mutation polo11 partially sterile, even in the absence of gwlScant. Heterozygosity for an endos mutation suppresses this PP2A/polo11 sterility. Homozygous mutation or knockdown of endos leads to phenotypes suggestive of defects in maintaining the mitotic state. In accord with the genetic interactions shown by the gwlScant dominant mutant, the mitotic defects of Endos knockdown in cultured cells can be suppressed by knockdown of either the catalytic or the Twins/B55 regulatory subunits of PP2A but not by the other three regulatory B subunits of Drosophila PP2A. Greatwall phosphorylates Endos at a single site, Ser68, and this is essential for Endos function. Together these interactions suggest that Greatwall and Endos act to promote the inactivation of PP2A-Twins/B55 in Drosophila. We discuss the involvement of Polo kinase in such a regulatory loop.
Workings of auxetic nano-materials

Purpose: The human mind is consistently interested in new materials having unique properties. Recently, a relatively new field is being investigated which exhibits a negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR), and consequently are termed auxetic materials. Design/methodology/approach: One of the main reason for interest in auxetic materials is due to the possibility of enhanced mechanical properties such as shear modulus, plane strain fracture toughness and indentation resistance compared to non auxetic material. Findings: Auxetic materials were described concerning their classification, characteristic, properties and potential applications. Research limitations/implications: The paper is an overview the modelling structure and deformation mechanisms of auxetic nano-materials. Originality/value: The paper shows the possibilities of auxetic materials application resulting from their mechanical properties.
Using the Principles of Interactive Cartography to Communicate the Mechanisms of Migraine Pain

The program entitled ‘Mapping Migraine Pain’ was created based on the principles of interactive cartography to communicate the complexity of the mechanisms of migraine pain. An innovative zoom slider was developed to enhance spatial orientation and comprehension of multiple scales of information from the anatomical to the cellular and molecular levels. Think‐aloud protocols were conducted with ten undergraduate first‐year medical students to evaluate the significance and usability of the program. The zoom slider, based on interactive cartography, proved to be an effective and intuitive navigational element.
Effects of mineral fillers on hot-mix asphalt laboratory-measured properties

It is well recognized that mineral fillers play an important role in the properties of mastics and hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixtures. Better understanding of the effects of fillers on the properties of mastics and HMA mixtures is crucial to good mix design and high performance of HMA mixtures. This paper presents a laboratory investigation into the effects of different fillers on some properties of asphalt mastics and HMA mixtures. Three filler types and four filler contents were used to obtain the master curves of mastics and to characterize the stiffening effect of filler in mastics. The effects of filler on the characteristics of HMA mixtures were also investigated. The properties of HMA mixtures evaluated include optimum asphalt cement (AC) content, indirect tensile (IDT) strength, toughness index (TI), tensile strength ratio (TSR) and asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) rut depth. The results suggested that fillers had significant influence on the properties of HMA mixtures. With the increase of filler content, some properties of HMA improved while others decreased. Filler content for mix design should be determined based on the overall performance of HMA mixtures.
Rothamsted Repository Download

Dimethylsulphide (DMS) has an important role in the global sulphur cycle and atmospheric chemistry. Microorganisms using DMS as sole carbon, sulphur or energy source, contribute to the cycling of DMS in a wide variety of ecosystems. The diversity of microbial populations degrading DMS in terrestrial environments is poorly understood. Based on cultivation studies, a wide range of bacteria isolated from terrestrial ecosystems were shown to be able to degrade DMS, yet it remains unknown whether any of these have important roles in situ . In this study, we identified bacteria using DMS as a carbon and energy source in terrestrial environments, an agricultural soil and a lake sediment, by DNA stable isotope probing (SIP). Microbial communities involved in DMS degradation were analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, high-throughput sequencing of SIP gradient fractions and metagenomic sequencing of phi29-amplified community DNA. Labelling patterns of time course SIP experiments identified members of the Methylophilaceae family, not previously implicated in DMS degradation, as dominant DMS-degrading populations in soil and lake sediment. Thiobacillus spp. were also detected in 13 C-DNA from SIP incubations. Metagenomic sequencing also suggested involvement of Methylophilaceae in DMS degradation and further indicated shifts in the functional profile of the DMS-assimilating communities in line with methylotrophy and oxidation of inorganic sulphur compounds. Overall, these data suggest that unlike in the marine environment where gammaproteobacterial populations were identified by SIP as DMS degraders, betaproteobacterial Methylophilaceae may have a key role in DMS cycling in terrestrial environments.
Mutations Leading to X-linked Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia Affect Three Major Functional Domains in the Tumor Necrosis Factor Family Member Ectodysplasin-A*

Mutations in the epithelial morphogen ectodysplasin-A (EDA), a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family, are responsible for the human disorder X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (XLHED) characterized by impaired development of hair, eccrine sweat glands, and teeth. EDA-A1 and EDA-A2 are two splice variants of EDA, which bind distinct EDA-A1 and X-linked EDA-A2 receptors. We identified a series of novel EDA mutations in families with XLHED, allowing the identification of the following three functionally important regions in EDA: a C-terminal TNF homology domain, a collagen domain, and a furin protease recognition sequence. Mutations in the TNF homology domain impair binding of both splice variants to their receptors. Mutations in the collagen domain can inhibit multimerization of the TNF homology region, whereas those in the consensus furin recognition sequence prevent proteolytic cleavage of EDA. Finally, a mutation affecting an intron splice donor site is predicted to eliminate specifically the EDA-A1 but not the EDA-A2 splice variant. Thus a proteolytically processed, oligomeric form of EDA-A1 is required in vivo for proper morphogenesis.
A User-Friendly Patent Search Paradigm

As an important operation for finding existing relevant patents and validating a new patent application, patent search has attracted considerable attention recently. However, many users have limited knowledge about the underlying patents, and they have to use a try-and-see approach to repeatedly issue different queries and check answers, which is a very tedious process. To address this problem, in this paper, we propose a new user-friendly patent search paradigm, which can help users find relevant patents more easily and improve user search experience. We propose three effective techniques, error correction, topic-based query suggestion, and query expansion, to improve the usability of patent search. We also study how to efficiently find relevant answers from a large collection of patents. We first partition patents into small partitions based to their topics and classes. Then, given a query, we find highly relevant partitions and answer the query in each of such highly relevant partitions. Finally, we combine the answers of each partition and generate top-k answers of the patent-search query.
Towards Using a Generic Robot as Training Partner Off-the-shelf robots as a platform for flexible and affordable rehabilitation

In this paper, we demonstrate how a generic industrial robot can be used as a training partner, for upper limb training. The motion path and human/robot interaction of a nongeneric upper-arm training robot is transferred to a generic industrial robot arm, and we demonstrate that the robot arm can implement the same type of interaction, but can expand the training regime to include both upper arm and shoulder training. We compare the generic robot to two affordable but custom-built training robots, and outline interesting directions for future work based on these training robots.
Recognizing Emotional State Changes Using Speech Processing

Research on understanding human emotions in speech, seeks to find out utterance mood by analyzing cognitive attributes extracted from acoustical speech signal. Speech contains rich patterns which can be altered by mood of a speaker. This paper explores speech from database and long-term speech recordings to analyze of mood changing in individual speaker during long-term speech. We introduce a learning method based on statistical model to classify emotional states and moods of utterance, and also track its changes. With this object, the perceptual backgrounds of the individual speaker are analyzed, and then classified during the speech to extract patterns, which is embedded in speech signal. The proposed method, classifies emotions of the utterance in seven standard classes including, happiness, anger, boredom, fear, disgust, neutral and sadness. To this end, we call the standard speech corpus database, the EmoDB for the training phase of this approach. Thus, when pre-processing tasks done, the speech patterns and meaningful attributes have extracted by the MFCC method and selected by SFS method, and then we apply a statistical classification approach, LGMM, to categorize obtained features, and finally illustrate changes trend of the emotional states.
APPLICATION OF A STUDENT-ORIENTED SOFTWARE TOOL TO IMPROVE THE LEARNING OF FUZZY INFORMATION

In the information retrieval field, Fuzzy Information Retrieval Systems (FIRS) use the potential of fuzzy techniques to improve the retrieval activities. Some models of FIRS employ weighted queries to enhance the representation of user information needs and fuzzy connectives to evaluate such queries. In our teaching experience we have observed that students have many problems to understand the different semantics that could be associated to the weights of queries together with their respective strategies of query evaluation, so they must process many examples and compare the results continuously. In this sense, FIRS are suitable for applying a computer-supported learning tool, so we decided to improve the understanding of these complex FIRS by the development of a student­ oriented software tool. This tool provides an environment for demonstrating the performance of weighted queries with different semantics and their evaluations using fuzzy connectives. The use of our tool by student has allowed them to overcome the main understanding problems related to the different FIRS models, the students’ motivation has increased, and their marks in final exams have risen.