Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ovarian failure in systemic lupus erythematosus patients treated with pulsed intravenous cyclophosphamide

Pulsed intravenous cyclophosphamide is considered as standard therapy for lupus nephritis and several other severe manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). While the response rate to intravenous cyclophosphamide is substantial, concern has arisen about its toxicity. In addition to increased susceptibility to infection, bone marrow suppression, alopecia, hemorrhagic cystitis and malignancy, ovarian failure is an important side effect associated with the use of cyclophosphamide. Prior research on cyclophosphamide-treated women has consistently demonstrated that the risk of sustained amenorrhea depends on the age of the patient and the cumulative dose received. Sustained amenorrhea is difficult to avoid in women 32 years or older, even with very short intravenous cyclophosphamide courses. Younger women seem to have a substantially lower incidence of ovarian failure, but this side effect may be far more problematic for these patients. In these young women the risk may be modulated by the prior SLE disease duration, the presence of anti-U1RNP antibodies and anti-Ro antibodies. Co-treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists may preseserve the future fertility and ovarian function in young women. Ovarian banking before administration of cyclophosphamide should be considered in selected patients.
Distinct Signaling Properties of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Kinases 4 (MKK4) and 7 (MKK7) in Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) Differentiation*

Background: MKK4 and MKK7 have important development functions that are not fully understood. Results: In vitro ESC differentiation studies show that MKK4 is required for p38 activation and cardiomyocyte differentiation, while MKK4 and MKK7 both regulate Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and differentiating cell survival. Conclusion: MKK4 and MKK7 have complementary and distinct roles in ESC differentiation. Significance: Understanding signaling mechanisms underlying early developmental programs. Signal transduction pathways are integral components of the developmental regulatory network that guides progressive cell fate determination. MKK4 and MKK7 are upstream kinases of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), responsible for channeling physiological and environmental signals to their cellular responses. Both kinases are essential for survival of mouse embryos, but because of embryonic lethality, their precise developmental roles remain largely unknown. Using gene knock-out mouse ESCs, we studied the roles of MKK4 and MKK7 in differentiation in vitro. While MKK4 and MKK7 were dispensable for ESC self-renewal and pluripotency maintenance, they exhibited unique signaling and functional properties in differentiation. MKK4 and MKK7 complemented each other in activation of the JNK-c-Jun cascades and loss of both led to senescence upon cell differentiation. On the other hand, MKK4 and MKK7 had opposite effects on activation of the p38 cascades during differentiation. Specifically, MKK7 reduced p38 activation, while Mkk7(−/−) ESCs had elevated phosphorylation of MKK4, p38, and ATF2, and increased MEF2C expression. Consequently, Mkk7(−/−) ESCs had higher expression of MHC and MLC and enhanced formation of contractile cardiomyocytes. In contrast, MKK4 was required for p38 activation and Mkk4(−/−) ESCs exhibited diminished p-ATF2 and MEF2C expression, resulting in impaired MHC induction and defective cardiomyocyte differentiation. Exogenous MKK4 expression partially restored the ability of Mkk4(−/−) ESCs to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. Our results uncover complementary and interdependent roles of MKK4 and MKK7 in development, and identify the essential requirement for MKK4 in p38 activation and cardiomyocyte differentiation.
Bayesian Approach For Early Stage Event Prediction In Survival Data

40 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT . 42
Prediction and monitoring the therapeutic response of chronic dermal wounds

A significant proportion of chronic wounds fail to heal in response to treatment of underlying pathologies combined with good wound care practice. Current prognostic tests to identify these wounds rely on the use of algorithms based on clinically measurable parameters such as wound dimensions and wound duration. Venous leg ulcers may be stratified into healing/non healing at 24 weeks of compression therapy and diabetic foot ulcer treatment outcome assessed using a 3‐parameter algorithm. Accurate and reproducible measurement of wound area is required for these algorithms to have clinical utility. Whilst a number of attempts have been made to develop computerised wound‐assessment techniques, wound tracing by clinicians combined with planimetry remains the standard methodology. Once treatment has been initiated, it is important to continuously monitor the wound to assess efficacy of treatment. This can be achieved by measuring wound area change over the first weeks of treatment to identify whether re‐assessment of treatment strategy is required. A number of algorithms for assessing rate of wound area change have been evaluated to determine a surrogate endpoint for healing. Retrospective analysis of large patient groups indicates that approximately 75% correct prediction of healing outcome can be achieved.
An algorithm for the detection of ST segment elevation relating to induced ischemia in body surface potential maps

Criteria have been developed and published for the detection of ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG). In this study we report on an algorithm for the detection of ST segment elevation in body surface potential maps (BSPM). The algorithm seeks ST segment elevation, exceeding predefined thresholds, in two contiguous/adjacent leads. Thresholds are based upon the extension of existing 12-lead ECG criteria. The algorithm was applied to 45 subjects who had 120-lead BSPMs recorded during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). The algorithm was capable of distinguishing between baseline ECGs and peak balloon inflation ECGs with a sensitivity of 84.4% and specificity of 86.7%. Standard STEMI criteria, applied to 12-lead ECGs extracted from the same BSPMs, resulted in a sensitivity of 53.3% and a specificity of 100%. The BSPM algorithm has the potential to increase sensitivity but specificity is reduced.
Effects of lovastatin on the pharmacokinetics of diltiazem and its main metabolite, desacetyldiltiazem, in rats: possible role of cytochrome P450 3A4 and P‐glycoprotein inhibition by lovastatin

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of lovastatin on cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 and P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) in vitro and then to determine the effects of lovastatin on the pharmacokinetics of diltiazem and its main metabolite, desacetyldiltiazem, in rats.
Impact of low carbon fuels on gas turbine design

The climate change agenda combined with the growing demand for secure, abundant sources of low cost fuel has increased interest in the production of power from low carbon fossil fuels and driven the quest for zero emissions technology. As we push the boundaries of existing power technologies, particularly in fuel composition, understanding the constraints facing technology suppliers at each stage of the energy conversion process will assist in identifying opportunities to increase overall plant reliability and availability. The established low carbon power generation technology for utility operators is natural gas fired combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant. As traditional sources of gas have failed to meet demand new sources have become available that are normally delivered as liquefied natural gas (LNG). This fuel is derived from a range of geographies and while the energy content remains within specified bands, the proportions of individual constituents in the gas stream can vary. There is growing interest in integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology as it has the potential for near-zero emissions of greenhouse gases through pre-combustion capture of carbon, leaving hydrogen as the fuel for gas turbine plant. IGCC has the additional attraction of being able to process relatively cheap and abundant supplies of fuel generally sourced within country borders. The fuels being actively investigated and developed include: all grades of coal, petroleum coke and biomass, plus potential co-processing of these fuels. The combination of changes in fuel source, variable composition fuels and ever more exacting emissions requirements has introduced challenging combustion conditions for gas turbine manufacturers. The developers and operators of future high efficiency, low emissions gas turbine based generation plant must engage in an open dialogue with all vendors to ensure technical solutions deliver high levels of operational reliability and availability to underpin the requirement for secure, affordable, on-demand energy supply.
Pathogenicity islands: a molecular toolbox for bacterial virulence

Pathogenicity islands (PAIs) are distinct genetic elements on the chromosomes of a large number of bacterial pathogens. PAIs encode various virulence factors and are normally absent from non‐pathogenic strains of the same or closely related species. PAIs are considered to be a subclass of genomic islands that are acquired by horizontal gene transfer via transduction, conjugation and transformation, and provide ‘quantum leaps’ in microbial evolution. Data based on numerous sequenced bacterial genomes demonstrate that PAIs are present in a wide range of both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacterial pathogens of humans, animals and plants. Recent research focused on PAIs has not only led to the identification of many novel virulence factors used by these species during infection of their respective hosts, but also dramatically changed our way of thinking about the evolution of bacterial virulence.
Extraction of Keratin from Chicken Feather and Electrospinning of the Keratin/PLA Blends

Keratins were extracted from chicken feather waste by sulphitolysis method, using various sodium metabisulphite contents. The extracted keratin was characterized by FT-IR and gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) techniques. The extracted keratin with the highest molecular weight (12-20 kDa) was then selected for further study on electrospinning. The keratin/PLA solutions with a variety of blending ratios (10/90 to 90/10 w/w) were prepared before fabrication by electrospinning process. Morphology of the electrospun fiber was examined by using SEM technique, From the results, it was found that keratin/PLA blends containing 90 %wt of keratin could not be electrospun into fiber. By decreasing the keratin content to below 70 %wt, the blend solution can be electrospun into fiber. FT-IR spectrum of the keratin/PLA fiber showed the presence of peaks representing both keratin and PLA. These results confirmed that the fiber composed of both polymeric phases.
Comparative Pharmacokinetics Study of Sinomenine in Rats after Oral Administration of Sinomenine Monomer and Sinomenium Acutum Extract

Various products containing sinomenine monomer and extracts of Sinomenium acutum have been widely applied in clinical treatments. The goal of the present study was to compare the pharmacokinetics of sinomenine in rats after oral administration of sinomenine monomer and Sinomenium acutum extract, and to attempt to explore potential component-component interactions between the constituents of this traditional Chinese herbal medicine. A reliable and specific reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography method was developed to analyze sinomenine in rat plasma. Pharmacokinetic parameters for sinomenine were processed by non-compartmental analysis. The results showed that the maximum concentration, the area under the concentration-time curve, clearance and the apparent volume of distribution of sinomenine in the Sinomenium acutum extract statistically differed from those of sinomenine monomer (p < 0.05); however, the mean residence time, time of peak concentration, and half-life did not show significant differences between the two groups. These findings suggested that some additional components in the Sinomenium acutum extract may decrease the absorption of sinomenine. The complex interactions between sinomenine and other components of the herbal extract could result in the altered pharmacokinetic behavior of sinomenine, which may subsequently cause different therapeutic and detoxification effects.
Topological Transformation Groups

1. Introduction This note will summarize some of the recent work on topological groups and discuss a few topics in transformation groups mainly in S 3 and S 4. In one aspect of this subject, namely the relation of general locally compact groups to Lie groups, information is now fairly complete. However in most other aspects the situation is far less satisfactory and in many areas known results are fragmentary. In particular the study of compact and locally compact groups acting on manifolds is filled with unexplored areas and this is true in both the differentiable and non-differentiable cases.
High-coherence semiconductor lasers based on integral high-Q resonators in hybrid Si/III-V platforms

Significance The data rate of modern optical fiber communication channels is increasingly constrained by the noise inherent in its principal light source: the semiconductor laser (SCL). Here, we examine the phase noise of SCLs due to the spontaneous recombination of excited carriers radiating into the lasing mode as mandated by quantum mechanics. By incorporating a very high-Q optical resonator as an integral part of a hybrid Si/III-V laser cavity, we can remove most of the modal energy from the optically lossy III-V active region, thereby reducing the spontaneous emission rate while increasing the number of phase-stabilizing stored photons. Our fabricated SCLs boast more than a 10× linewidth improvement compared with commercial SCLs, with the possibility of a further major coherence increase. The semiconductor laser (SCL) is the principal light source powering the worldwide optical fiber network. The ever-increasing demand for data is causing the network to migrate to phase-coherent modulation formats, which place strict requirements on the temporal coherence of the light source that no longer can be met by current SCLs. This failure can be traced directly to the canonical laser design, in which photons are both generated and stored in the same, optically lossy, III-V material. This leads to an excessive and large amount of noisy spontaneous emission commingling with the laser mode, thereby degrading its coherence. High losses also decrease the amount of stored optical energy in the laser cavity, magnifying the effect of each individual spontaneous emission event on the phase of the laser field. Here, we propose a new design paradigm for the SCL. The keys to this paradigm are the deliberate removal of stored optical energy from the lossy III-V material by concentrating it in a passive, low-loss material and the incorporation of a very high-Q resonator as an integral (i.e., not externally coupled) part of the laser cavity. We demonstrate an SCL with a spectral linewidth of 18 kHz in the telecom band around 1.55 μm, achieved using a single-mode silicon resonator with Q of 106.
Policies for a Cost Function for Heterogeneous Networks Performance Evaluation

Heterogeneous cellular networks are analysed by taking several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) into account, their proper balance being required in order to guarantee a desired Quality of Service (QoS). An approach to integrate a set of KPIs into a single one is presented, by using a Cost Function that includes these KPIs, providing a single evaluation parameter as output, and reflecting network conditions and Common Radio Resource Management (CRRM) strategies performance. The proposed model enables the implementation of different CRRM policies, by manipulating KPIs according to user's or operator's perspectives, allowing for a better QoS. Results show that different policies can in fact be established, with a different impact on the network, e.g., with median values ranging by a factor higher than two.
T2*-weighted and arterial spin labeling MRI of calf muscles in healthy volunteers and patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome: preliminary experience.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to assess temporal changes with exercise in T2* and arterial spin labeling signals in patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome of the anterior compartment of the lower leg and in control subjects using T2* mapping and arterial spin labeling MRI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This prospective study was approved by the institutional research ethics board. Ten control subjects (five women and five men; mean age, 29.0 years) and nine patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome (three women and six men; mean age, 33.7 years) gave informed written consent and underwent MRI of the calf muscles using an axial T2*-weighted multiecho gradient-recalled echo and a flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery sequence with echo-planar imaging readouts before (baseline) and 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 minutes after exercise. T2* and arterial spin labeling signal changes (DeltaT2* and DeltaASL, respectively) over time were calculated relative to the baseline examination. DeltaT2* and DeltaASL between patients and control subjects were compared using the Student's t test. RESULTS In both patients and control subjects, DeltaT2* and DeltaASL showed a peak at 3 minutes after exercise, followed by a decrease over time. The maximum DeltaT2* was 26% and 29% for patients and control subjects, respectively. The maximum DeltaASL was 183% and 224% for patients and control subjects, respectively. After 15 minutes, arterial spin labeling signal returned to baseline; however, T2* remained elevated (8% in patients; 10% in control subjects). No statistically significant differences between patients and control subjects in postexercise DeltaT2* and DeltaASL were found (p = 0.21-0.98). CONCLUSION After calf muscle exercise, no statistically significant differences in T2* relaxation times or arterial spin labeling signal, indicative of differences in muscle oxygenation and perfusion status, were found between patients with chronic exertional compartment syndrome and control subjects.
UvA-DARE ( Digital Academic Repository ) Capturing the Diversity of Deprived Areas with Image-Based Features

Many cities in the Global South are facing rapid population and slum growth, but lack detailed information to target these issues. Frequently, municipal datasets on such areas do not keep up with such dynamics, with data that are incomplete, inconsistent, and outdated. Aggregated census-based statistics refer to large and heterogeneous areas, hiding internal spatial differences. In recent years, several remote sensing studies developed methods for mapping slums; however, few studies focused on their diversity. To address this shortcoming, this study analyzes the capacity of very high resolution (VHR) imagery and image processing methods to map locally specific types of deprived areas, applied to the city of Mumbai, India. We analyze spatial, spectral, and textural characteristics of deprived areas, using a WorldView-2 imagery combined with auxiliary spatial data, a random forest classifier, and logistic regression modeling. In addition, image segmentation is used to aggregate results to homogenous urban patches (HUPs). The resulting typology of deprived areas obtains a classification accuracy of 79% for four deprived types and one formal built-up class. The research successfully demonstrates how image-based proxies from VHR imagery can help extract spatial information on the diversity and cross-boundary clusters of deprivation to inform strategic urban management.
Differential Block of Fast and Slow Inactivating Tetrodotoxin-sensitive Sodium Channels by Droperidol in Spinal Dorsal Horn Neurons

Background Dorsal horn neurons of the spinal cord participate in neuronal pain transmission. During spinal and epidural anesthesia, dorsal horn neurons are exposed to local anesthetics and opioids. Droperidol is usually given with opioids to avoid nausea and vomiting. A recently developed method of “entire soma isolation” has made it possible to study directly the action of droperidol on different components of Na+ current in dorsal horn neurons. Methods Using a combination of the whole-cell patch-clamp recording from spinal cord slices and the entire soma isolation method, we studied the direct action of droperidol on two types of Na+ currents in dorsal horn neurons of young rats. Results The tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+ current in isolated somata consisted of a fast inactivating (&tgr;F, 0.5–2 ms; 80–90% of the total amplitude) and a slow inactivating (&tgr;S, 6–20 ms; 10–20% of the total amplitude) component. Droperidol, at concentrations relevant for spinal and epidural anesthesia, selectively and reversibly suppressed the fast component with a half-maximum inhibiting concentration (IC50) of 8.3 &mgr;m. The slow inactivating component was much less sensitive to droperidol; the estimated IC50 value was 809 &mgr;m. Conclusions Droperidol selectively blocks fast Na+ channels, the fast and slow components of the Na+ current in dorsal horn neurons are carried through pharmacologically distinct types of Na+ channels, and the effects of droperidol differ from those of local anesthetics and tetrodotoxin, which equipotently suppress both components. Droperidol may be suggested as a pharmacologic tool for separation of different types of inactivating tetrodotoxin-sensitive Na+ channel.
Contracting the Facebook API

In recent years, there has been an explosive growth in the popularity of online social networks such as Facebook. In a new twist, third party developers are now able to create their own web applications which plug into Facebook and work with Facebook's "social" data, enabling the entire Facebook user base of more than 400 million active users to use such applications. These client applications can contain subtle errors that can be hard to debug if they misuse the Facebook API. In this paper we present an experience report on applying Microsoft's new code contract system for the . NET framework to the Facebook API.We wrote contracts for several classes in the Facebook API wrapper which allows Microsoft . NET developers to implement Facebook applications. We evaluated the usefulness of these contracts during implementation of a new Facebook application. Our experience indicates that having code contracts provides a better and quicker software development experience.
RS-MONA: Reliable and Scalable Secure Method to Store and Share Secrete Data for groups in Cloud

This paper presents various issues related to privacy and security while storing user’s data on untrusted cloud. In today’s world Sharing of group resource among the cloud users is a major problem. There is a lot of research being made to find out the issues with these cloud service providers and cloud security in general. In this paper system proposes a secure multi-owner data sharing scheme, for dynamic group in the cloud. By providing group signature and encryption techniques, any cloud user can securely share data with others. The main objective of this paper include: to provide security for dynamic group system integrates Image based authentication and one time password (OTP) to achieve high level of security. In addition system identified some limitations in the same approach in terms of reliability and scalability . To resolve the drawbacksystem extends the basic MONA by adding the reliability as well as improving the scalability by growing the backup group managers dynamically. In this method System further presenting how system manage the risks like failure of group manager by increasing the number of backup group manager, sagging of group manager in case number of requests more . This method claims required reliability ,security,scalability and most importantly efficiency.