Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pegfilgrastim Enhances the Antitumor Effect of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies

Therapeutic mAbs exert antitumor activity through various mechanisms, including apoptotic signalization, complement-dependent cytotoxicity, and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or phagocytosis (ADCP). G-CSF and GM-CSF have been reported to increase the activity of antibodies in preclinical models and in clinical trials. To determine the potential role of pegfilgrastim as an enhancer of anticancer antibodies, we performed a comparative study of filgrastim and pegfilgrastim. We found that pegfilgrastim was significantly more potent than filgrastim in murine xenograft models treated with mAbs. This was observed with rituximab in CD20+ models and with trastuzumab in HER2+ models. Stimulation with pegfilgrastim was associated with significant enhancement of leukocyte content in spleen as well as mobilization of activated monocytes/granulocytes from the spleen to the tumor bed. These results suggest that pegfilgrastim could constitute a potent adjuvant for immunotherapy with mAbs possessing ADCC/ADCP properties. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(6); 1238–47. ©2016 AACR.
Strain Effects on Electronic Bandstructures in Nanoscaled Silicon: From Bulk to Nanowire

In this paper, we present a comparative computational study on strain effects in Si nanostructures including bulk, thin film, and nanowire configurations. We employed a first principles calculation to identify the bandstructure parameters such as band splitting energy and transport effective mass. As a result, we found that bulk Si and Si thin film have similar strain effects on the bandstructure parameters under uniaxial lang110rang strain. Particularly, the effective mass reduction of electrons due to uniaxial lang110rang strain is expected even in Si thin film. On the other hand, Si nanowire structure with nanoscale cross section has lighter transport effective mass than the other structures, regardless of the amount of uniaxial strain.
Benefice Comptable Et Valeur De La Firme Cas Des Entreprises Cotees A La Bourse De Paris

Ce papier analyse l'association entre les rendements boursiers et les benefices pour un echantillon d'entreprises cotees a la Bourse de Paris pour les annees 1995 jusqu'a 1998. Nous avons teste cette association en distinguant entre les normes comptables adoptees par les firmes. Les resultats indiquent que le contenu informationnel du benefice varie selon les normes ayant servi a sa preparation.
Literal Meaning: Introduction

Zein da (1)-en esanahia? Hori bezalako galdera inozoetatik abiatu ohi dira filosofian eztabaidarik korapilatsuenak. Hori bezalako galderak izan ziren XX. mendeko hizkuntzaren filosofiaren iturri. Hori bezalako galderak dira XXI. mendeko hizkuntzaren filosofiaren kezken oinarri, mendearen hasieran behintzat; kritikagai dugun liburu hau da horren froga argia. Jakina, filosofoek besterik egiten ez dakitelako-edo, erraza dirudien galderari zuzenean erantzun ez eta auzi sakonen tankera duen hamaika galdera berri formulatzen dute1; honako hauek, esaterako
Alternative delivery systems for peptides and proteins as drugs.

The emergence of recombinant DNA technology has resulted in the large-scale production of a myriad of genetically engineered proteins and peptides, making many of them available for the first time for potential use as therapeutic entities. In addition, increased knowledge in the area of peptide/polypeptide hormones has resulted in an expansion of research efforts utilizing peptide synthetic chemistry, aimed toward developing novel therapeutic peptide drugs. Proteins and peptides cannot readily be administered by the conventional oral route, and thus alternative delivery methods to circumvent the necessity of frequent injections are being explored. This article reviews the current state-of-the-art technology of such methodologies, encompassing localized administration, administration to various body cavities (i.e., nasal, rectal, etc.), as well as controlled-release injectable or implantable systems. These different approaches result in quite different pharmacokinetics that may in part dictate which approach is best suited for a particular protein or peptide.
ZmpTAC12 binds single‐stranded nucleic acids and is essential for accumulation of the plastid‐encoded polymerase complex in maize

Summary The plastid‐encoded plastid RNA polymerase (PEP) represents the major transcription machinery in mature chloroplasts. Proteomic studies identified four plastome‐ and at least ten nuclear‐encoded proteins making up this multimeric enzyme. Depletion of single subunits is known to result in strongly diminished PEP activity causing severe defects in chloroplast biogenesis. Here, we characterized one PEP subunit in maize, ZmpTAC12, and investigated the molecular basis underlying PEP‐deficiency in Zmptac12 mutants. We show that the ZmpTAC12 gene encodes two different protein isoforms, both of which localize dually in chloroplasts and nuclei. Moreover, both variants assemble into the PEP‐complex. Analysis of PEP‐complex assembly in various maize mutants lacking different PEP‐complex components demonstrates that ZmpTAC12, ZmpTAC2, ZmpTAC10 and ZmMurE are each required to accumulate a fully assembled PEP‐complex. Antibodies to ZmpTAC12 coimmunoprecipitate a subset of plastid RNAs that are synthesized by PEP‐dependent transcription. Gel mobility shift analyses with recombinant ZmpTAC12 revealed binding capabilities with ssRNA and ssDNA, but not dsDNA. Collectively these data demonstrate that ZmpTAC12 is required for the proper build‐up of the PEP‐complex and that it interacts with single‐stranded nucleic acids.
Z-Source-Inverter-Based Flexible Distributed Generation System Solution for Grid Power Quality Improvement

Distributed generation (DG) systems are usually connected to the grid using power electronic converters. Power delivered from such DG sources depends on factors like energy availability and load demand. The converters used in power conversion do not operate with their full capacity all the time. The unused or remaining capacity of the converters could be used to provide some ancillary functions like harmonic and unbalance mitigation of the power distribution system. As some of these DG sources have wide operating ranges, they need special power converters for grid interfacing. Being a single-stage buck-boost inverter, recently proposed Z-source inverter (ZSI) is a good candidate for future DG systems. This paper presents a controller design for a ZSI-based DG system to improve power quality of distribution systems. The proposed control method is tested with simulation results obtained using Matlab/Simulink/PLECS and subsequently it is experimentally validated using a laboratory prototype.
Character-Based Machine Learning vs. Language Modeling for Diacritics Restoration

In this research we compare two approaches, in particular, character-based machine learning and language-modeling and offer the best solution for the diacritization problem solving. Parameters of tested approaches (i.e., a huge variety of feature types for the character-based method and a value n for the n-gram language-modeling method) were tuned to achieve the highest possible accuracy. Despite the main focus is on the Lithuanian language, we posit that obtained findings can also be applied to other, similar (Latvian or Slavic) languages. During experiments we measured the performance of approaches on 10 domains (including normative texts and non-normative Internet comments). The best results reaching ~99.5% and ~98.4% of the accuracy on characters and words, respectively, were achieved with the tri-gram language modeling method. It outperformed the character-based machine learning approach with an optimal composed feature set by ~1.4% and ~3.8% of the accuracy on characters and words, respectively.DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5755/j01.itc. 46.4. 18066
Frequency analysis of the peripheral pulse wave detected in the finger with a photoplethysmograph

A photoelectric plethysmograph that performs a frequency analysis of the peripheral volume pulse wave using a portable computer is described. It was used to determine how the pulse shape varied with age using 54 subjects in three age groups: 10-29, 30-59, and 60-89 years. The youngest group had a larger power in the second harmonic (normalized to the fundamental), with p<0.05, than the older two groups. The decrease of power in the harmonics of the peripheral pulse wave with age may be a useful noninvasive measure of aging and vascular disease. <<ETX>>
Inherited cancer susceptibility syndromes in paediatric practice

Abstract: Over the last decade there have been rapid advances in our knowledge about the molecular basis of many inherited disorders. Molecular testing is now available for many conditions and may assist in the management of the individual and their extended family. One area where the use of genetic testing has expanded rapidly is in the area of hereditary cancer, particularly in relation to hereditary breast/ovarian and hereditary bowel cancer syndromes. Although individually uncommon, there are also a number of rare cancer susceptibility syndromes affecting the paediatric population, where genetic testing may assist in patient management. The following review is a practical guide for clinicians about the role of genetic testing for some rare tumour susceptibilities pertaining to children, including retinoblastoma, familial adenomatous polyposis, juvenile polyposis syndromes, Von Hippel–Lindau disease, multiple endocrine neoplasia, Li–Fraumeni syndrome and neurofibromatosis. We concentrate on disorders where germline mutation testing is routinely available and influences patient management. We have placed specific emphasis on the paediatric presentation of these disorders and provide some guidance to clinicians about surveillance protocols in affected individuals and ‘at‐risk’ family members.
Preterm labor: current pharmacotherapy options for tocolysis

Introduction: In the developed world, preterm birth is in quantity and in severity the most important issue in obstetric care. Adverse neonatal outcome is strongly related to gestational age at delivery. Since the pathophysiological mechanism of preterm birth is not yet completely unraveled, the development of successful preventive strategies is hampered. When preterm labor is actually threatening, current pharmacological therapies focus on inhibition of preterm contractions. This allows for transportation of the mother to a center with a neonatal intensive care unit and administration of corticosteroids to enhance fetal lung maturation. Globally, however, large practice variation exists. Areas covered: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of current pharmacological therapies for preterm labor. Expert opinion: For the initial tocolysis, the use of atosiban or nifedipine for 48 h is recommended based on the largest effectiveness and most favorable side effect profile. However, since data that convincingly indicate the beneficial effect of tocolytics on neonatal outcome are lacking, it might well be that tocolytics are ineffective. The role of progesterone in treatment of acute tocolysis is limited, but it might play a role in the prevention of preterm labor or as sensitizer for other tocolytic agents.
Endmember constrained semi-supervised hyperspectral unmixing

In this paper an endmember constrained semi-supervised hyperspectral unmixing method is proposed. The linear model is used to represent the hyperspectral data. A priori information about the endmembers is incorporated into the objective function with soft regularization. This information can be acquired from a spectral library or from the data itself. Quantitative evaluation of the method is done using simulated data and it is shown the soft regularization can yield better results than hard regularization. The method is also applied on a real hyperspectral data set and the estimated abundance maps improve when a priori information is used to aid the unmixing.
Morning bright light therapy for sleep and behavior disorders in elderly patients with dementia

Fourteen inpatients with dementia showing sleep and behavior disorders (average age = 75 years), and 10 control elderly people (average age = 75 years) were carefully observed for 2 months. Four weeks of morning light therapy markedly improved sleep and behavior disorders in the dementia group. The measurement of sleep time and the serum melatonin values suggests that sleep and behavior disorders in the dementia group are related to decreases in the amplitude of the sleep‐wake rhythm and decreases in the levels of melatonin secretions. Morning light therapy significantly increased total and nocturnal sleep time and significantly decreased daytime sleep time. These results indicate that morning bright light is a powerful synchronizer that can normalize disturbed sleep and substantially reduce the frequency of behavior disorders in elderly people with dementia.
Use of finite element method for the numerical analysis of eddy current brake

Eddy current brake is developed to take the superior advantages of fast anti-lock braking to the conventional hydraulic brake systems. Magnetic and electric field generated by these eddy currents suppress the disturbing field. The electric and magnetic field distribution are obtained from Neumann's and Maxwell's equations respectively. The presented model for simulating electric and magnetic field are a three dimensional field problem. Braking torque analysis is investigated by using an approximate theoretical model. A good agreement is found between the numerical and experimental. Since the eddy-current problem usually depends on the geometry of the moving conductive sheet and the pole shape, there is no general method for solving it analytically. This paper presents a method for analysis of the eddy current in the special case of a rotating disc in a time-variant field by using a time-domain Finite Element Method from t = 0 to the brake time. Finite Element Methods is adopted for this work using COMSOL Multiphysics model.
Ultrahigh sensitivity made simple: nanoplasmonic label-free biosensing with an extremely low limit-of-detection for bacterial and cancer diagnostics

We present a simple and robust scheme for biosensing with an ultralow limit-of-detection down to several pg cm−2 (or several tens of attomoles cm−2) based on optical label-free biodetection with localized surface plasmon resonances. The scheme utilizes cost-effective optical components and comprises a white light source, a properly functionalized sensor surface enclosed in a simple fluidics chip, and a spectral analyzer. The sensor surface is produced by a bottom-up nanofabrication technique with hole mask colloidal lithography. Despite its simplicity, the method is able to reliably detect protein–protein binding events at low picomolar and femtomolar concentrations, which is exemplified by the label-free detection of the extracellular adherence protein (EAP) found on the outer surface of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus and of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is believed to be a prostate cancer marker. These experiments pave the way towards an ultra-sensitive yet compact biodetection platform for point-of-care diagnostics applications.
Similarity calculation method for user-define functions to detect malware variants

The number of malware has sharply increased over years, and it caused various damages on computing systems and data. In this paper, we propose techniques to detect malware variants. Malware authors usually reuse malware modules when they generate new malware or malware variants. Therefore, malware variants have common code for some functions in their binary files. We focused on this common code in this research, and proposed the techniques to detect malware variants through similarity calculation of user-defined function. Since many malware variants evade malware detection system by transforming their static signatures, to cope with this problem, we applied pattern matching algorithms for DNA variations in Bioinformatics to similarity calculation of malware binary files. Since the pattern matching algorithm we used provides the local alignment function, small modification of functions can be overcome. Experimental results show that our proposed method can detect malware similarity and it is more resilient than other methods.
Glucose-induced fibronectin and collagen type III expression in renal fibroblasts can occur independent of TGF-beta1.

BACKGROUND Various renal cell types have been shown to contribute to the excessive matrix deposition observed in diabetic nephropathy. The present study examined the effect of high ambient glucose and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) on matrix production by human renal fibroblasts. METHODS Human renal fibroblasts (TK173) were used to examine the effects of high glucose and TGF-beta1 on fibronectin and collagen type III expression. Stable transfectants were generated of TK173 cells expressing a dominant negative TGF-beta type II receptor. Matrix components were measured in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS Fibronectin secretion by renal fibroblasts was increased upon exposure to high glucose, but with delayed kinetics compared to TGF-beta1-induced fibronectin. Exposure to high glucose resulted in an increased secretion of latent TGF-beta1. However, treatment with neutralizing pan-specific anti-TGF-beta antibodies could not attenuate the effects of glucose. Furthermore, collagen type III was up-regulated by high glucose, but not by TGF-beta1. Importantly, fibroblasts expressing a dominant negative TGF-beta type II receptor were defective in TGF-beta1-induced fibronectin production, whereas glucose-induced fibronectin and collagen type III were unaffected. CONCLUSIONS These data show that in renal fibroblasts exposure to high glucose can increase matrix production independent of endogenous TGF-beta1. Although glucose activation is accompanied by an increased production of latent TGF-beta1, which can have an important role in vivo, the data suggest involvement of alternative growth factors in the mechanism by which hyperglycemic conditions can modulate matrix accumulation in diabetic nephropathy.
Acceleration Profiles in Elite Australian Soccer

Abstract We quantified the acceleration and high-velocity running of elite Australian soccer players. We hypothesised that high-intensity activity would be underestimated when excluding acceleration during match analysis given its high metabolic demand and occurrence at low velocities. Player movements were observed from 29 players (forwards and central and wide defenders and midfielders) during domestic Australian competition using 5-Hz global positioning system. Effort occurrence were determined for high-velocity running, sprinting and maximal accelerations. The commencement and final velocity of maximal accelerations were also identified. Players undertook an 8~fold greater number of maximal accelerations than sprints per game (65±21 vs. 8±5). Of maximal accelerations ~98% commenced from a starting velocity lower than what would be considered high-velocity running while ~85% did not cross the high-velocity running threshold. The number of efforts performed in all categories were position dependent (P<0.001). Wide defenders performed more maximal accelerations (P<0.006) and central defenders and midfielders performed less sprints compared to all other positions (P<0.02). Maximal accelerations are frequently undertaken during a match often occurring at low velocities. Excluding maximal accelerations in match analysis research may underestimate the amount of high-intensity movements undertaken. Additionally positional differences in high-intensity movements should be accounted for when developing specific conditioning drills.
Public Health Implications of Cesarean on Demand

Cesarean rates have been rising in the United States. Recently, there has been an upsurge of interest in “cesarean on maternal request” in the absence of any medical indication, a phenomenon that will further increase the cesarean rate. This trend may not be benign on a population basis, and reliable data are lacking. This article reviews reasons for the increasing cesarean rate, describes maternal and neonatal consequences likely to accrue with a policy of cesarean on demand, and explores larger implications for public health. Target Audience: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians Learning Objectives: After completion of this article, the reader should be able to state that there continues to be a rise in the cesarean delivery rate in the United States and summarize that cesarean delivery on maternal request (CDMR) is contributing to this rise without data to indicate a decrease in maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity, possibly with a large population cost.
Care management in mental health services in England and Northern Ireland: do integrated organizations promote integrated practice?

Objective: To explore whether integrated structures are associated with more integrated and differentiated forms of care management in mental health services. Method: Cross-sectional postal survey of care management arrangements in local authority social services departments in England (n = 101) and health and social services Trusts in Northern Ireland (NI) (n = 11). Results: Some, but not all, indicators showed more evidence of integrated practice in NI mental health and social services. This included: greater involvement of health care staff in care management; greater multidisciplinary working and a more integrated approach to assessment and care planning processes; a more differentiated approach to care management, including greater targeting of care management resources; a closer link between care management and specialist provision; and overall more integrated practice. Conclusions: This study concurs with previous research showing that structurally integrated health and social services in NI are more conducive towards, although insufficient to secure, integrated working. As the nature, type of services and ways of working appear to be broadly similar in England and NI, this may imply that greater structural integration per se may not lead to better service outcomes.
FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF HERBAL TABLETS CONTAINING IPOMOEA DIGITATA LINN. EXTRACT

Medicinal plants have curative properties due to the presence of various complex chemical substance of different composition, which are found as secondary plant metabolites in one or more parts of these plants. Ipomoea digitata Linn. , Convolvulaceae is a annual extensive perennial climber with large ovoid and tuberous roots herb indigenous to India and widely used in the treatments of hypolipodemic, hypogycemic, for debility, to increase secretion of milk, to increases milk, poor digestion, tuberculosis, enlarged liver etc. It was also found to have alterative, aphrodisiac, cholagogue, demulcent, diuretic, rejuvenative actions. The present paper deals with formulation and evaluation of anti-diabetic activity of tablets prepared from aqueous extract of the selected plant. A solid pharmaceutical dosage formulation using a novel dry plant extract (tuberous roots) using various excipients viz., carbopol, ethylcellulose, MCC, dibasic calcium phosphate and PEG-4000 by direct compression was reported to be statically significant as anti-diabetic activity. The present communication also deals with the evaluation of formulated tablets (weight variation, friability, hardness and disintegration time).