Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exposure of neonatal mice to Sevoflurane may induce male germ cell apoptosis in testicular tissue after puberty

Background: common use of sevoflurane in congenital defects during repeated surgeries may have detrimental effects on spermatogenesis after puberty. Objective: This study investigated sevoflurane effects on spermatogenesis process in male mature mice after exposure in prepubertal time. Materials and Methods: 24 neonatal NMRI male mice were randomly classified in three groups. Experimental 1 and 2 groups (exposure to 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and 2 MAC sevoflurane, respectively in 2 lit/min oxygen (O2) for 7 days (30 min, daily) and control. All groups were sacrificed after 2 months. Histological assessment, immunohistochemistry and apoptosis process was done. Bax and Bcl2 expression was evaluated in the testicular tissue by real time Poly Chain Reaction. Results: Our results showed that the integrity of testicular tissue was preserved in both experimental groups. Count of spermatogonial cells had significant decrease in group 2 compared to others. The rate of apoptosis in spermatogonial cells was 15±3% and 9±2% in the group 2 and 1, respectively. Also, Bax/Bcl2 ratio was 0.2615, 1.0070 and 9.3657 in control, experimental group 1 and 2, respectively. This result was significant (p≤0.002) between groups 2 with other groups. Conclusion: Continuous exposure of 2 MAC sevoflurane in 2 lit/min O2 simultaneous during prepubertal may create more testicular tissue damage in terms of cellular and molecular function compared to continuous exposure to lower level of sevoflurane by increase in ratio of Bax/Bcl2 and apoptosis in germ cells after puberty.
Méthodes numériques et optimisation, un guide du consommateur

Les cours du lycee nous ont conduits a voir la resolution de problemes en physique et en chimie comme l'elaboration de solutions formelles explicites en fonction de parametres inconnus puis l'utilisation de ces solutions dans des applications numeriques pour des valeurs numeriques specifiques de ces parametres. Cette demarche limitait la classe des problemes solubles a un ensemble tres limite de problemes suffisamment simples pour qu'une telle solution explicite existe. Malheureusement, la plupart des problemes reels en sciences pures et appliquees ne peuvent beneficier d'une telle solution mathematique explicite. On est donc conduit a remplacer le calcul exact de celle-ci par une evaluation numerique approchee. Ceci est particulierement evident en ingenierie, ou la conception assistee par ordinateur sur la base de simulations numeriques est la regle. Ce livre porte sur le calcul numerique sur ordinateur, et ne dit presque rien du calcul formel sur ordinateur, bien qu'ils se completent utilement. L'utilisation d'approximations a virgule flottante pour les nombres reels a pour consequence que des operations approximatives sont effectuees sur des nombres approximatifs. Pour se proteger contre le risque de desastre numerique, on doit alors choisir des methodes qui rendent les erreurs finales aussi petites que possible. Il se trouve que nombre des methodes de resolution des problemes mathematiques elementaires apprises au lycee ou dans les premieres annees des etudes superieures conviennent mal au calcul a virgule flottante et doivent donc etre abandonnees. Remplacant le calcul exact par une evaluation numerique approchee, nous tenterons de - decouvrir comment echapper a la dictature de cas particuliers suffisamment simples pour recevoir une solution analytique explicite, et gagner ainsi le pouvoir de resoudre des problemes complexes poses par de vraies applications, - comprendre les principes a la base de methodes reconnues et utilisees dans des logiciels numeriques a l'etat de l'art, - apprendre les avantages et les limites de ces methodes, pour pouvoir choisir a bon escient les briques pre-existantes a assembler pour resoudre un probleme donne. La presentation est a un niveau introductif, bien loin du niveau de details requis pour implementer ces methodes de facon efficace. Notre but principal est d'aider le lecteur a devenir un meilleur consommateur de methodes numeriques, capable de faire son choix parmi celles qui sont disponibles pour une tâche donnee, comprenant ce qu'elles peuvent et ne peuvent pas faire et outille pour conduire une evaluation critique de la validite de leurs resultats.
IIFET 2008 Vietnam Proceedings 1 FACTORS AFFECTING CONSUMER ATTITUDES TOWARDS AQUACULTURE

Attitudes towards production processes increased their importance over food purchase decissions in recent years. This paper aims to test which factors mainly affects attitudes towards aquaculture. Factors are classified into three groups: demographic, situational, and personal and marketing infuences. Using consumer survey data, factor analysis techniques were used to obtain an attitude meassure from a set of scales. Diferent linear models and fit methods were performed with variables of the three groups of factors to test for significant effects over attitude scores. Significant effects were found with education, ocupation and income. Purchase and consumption place were also found to be significant causes of diferencies across attitudes. Finally Consumer involvement with food safety and sustainability and generic advertising credibility have shown significant effects over attitudes towards aquaculture.
Clinical benefit of fulvestrant in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer and primary or acquired resistance to aromatase inhibitors: final results of phase II Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research Trial (SAKK 21/00).

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of fulvestrant, an estrogen receptor antagonist, in postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive tumors progressing after aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS This is a phase II, open, multicenter, noncomparative study. Two patient groups were prospectively considered: group A (n=70) with AI-responsive disease and group B (n=20) with AI-resistant disease. Fulvestrant 250 mg was administered as intramuscular injection every 28 (+/-3) days. RESULTS All patients were pretreated with AI and 84% also with tamoxifen or toremifene; 67% had bone metastases and 45% liver metastases. Fulvestrant administration was well tolerated and yielded a clinical benefit (CB; defined as objective response or stable disease [SD] for >or=24 weeks) in 28% (90% confidence interval [CI] 19% to 39%) of patients in group A and 37% (90% CI 19% to 58%) of patients in group B. Median time to progression (TTP) was 3.6 (95% CI 3.0 to 4.8) months in group A and 3.4 (95% CI 2.5 to 6.7) months in group B. CONCLUSIONS Overall, 30% of patients who had progressed following prior AI treatment gained CB with fulvestrant, thereby delaying indication to start chemotherapy. Prior response to an AI did not appear to be predictive for benefit with fulvestrant.
Application of XML Database Technology to Biological Pathway Datasets

The study of biological systems has accumulated a significant amount of biological pathway data, which is evident through the continued growth in both the number of databases and amount of data available. The development of BioPAX standard leads to the increased availability of biological pathway datasets through the use of a special XML format, but the lack of standard storage mechanism makes the querying and aggregation of BioPAX compliant data challenging. To address this shortcoming, we have developed a storage mechanism leveraging the existing XML technologies: the XML database and XQuery. The goal of our project is to provide a generic and centralized store with efficient queries for the needs of biomedical research. A SOAP-based Web service and direct HTTP request methods have also developed to facilitate public consumption of the datasets online
Missed opportunities for childhood vaccinations in office practices and the effect on vaccination status.

To determine the rate of childhood under-vaccination, rate and types of missed opportunities (MOs) for vaccinations, and the contribution of MOs to the undervaccination of preschool-age children, the authors conducted a retrospective medical chart review in seven primary care settings in the Rochester, NY, area: a hospital clinic, a neighborhood health center, a group-model health maintenance organization, an urban group practice, a suburban group practice, a rural health center, and a rural private practice. The random sample included 1124 children having birth dates between March 15, 1988, and September 15, 1989. The main outcome measures were cumulative undervaccination rate, defined as the proportion of patients from each practice who were ever > 60 days past-due for a vaccination by 12, 18, or 24 months of age; undervaccination time, defined as the median number of months during which children were undervaccinated; number of MOs; visit types and conditions associated with the MOs; and the duration of undervaccination time attributable to MOs. The cumulative undervaccination rate by 12 months was at least 20% in each practice except for the suburban practice, where it was 4%. The frequency of MOs varied from a high of 1.8 MO per patient per year at the rural private practice to a low of 0.3 MO per patient per year at the suburban practice. More than one quarter of MOs occurred during either health supervision or follow-up visits in all practices. In 28% of visits during which an MO occurred, patients had no fever or acute illness. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Axillary lymph node dissection in breast cancer patients after sentinel node biopsy*

therefore primary ALND (n1⁄4 12) – Occult breast cancer (n1⁄4 5) – LN found with other imaging modality than US (n1⁄4 5) – Inflammatory breast cancer (primary ALND) (n1⁄4 4) – Other cancer in same breast=axil (n1⁄4 4) – Clinical metastasis to axil, nothing noted about US (n1⁄4 4) – Breast cancer found in relation to breast reducing surgery (n1⁄4 2) – No SLNB because of breast implants (primary ALND) (n1⁄4 1) – 2 macrometastases found in lumpectomy, nothing noted about SLNB (n1⁄4 1) – Patient from Greenland, no SLNB (n1⁄4 1) – Normal axil at time of diagnosis, alternative treatment for 1 year, clinical metastases at time of operation (n1⁄4 1) – Patient refrains from SLNB (primary ALND) (n1⁄4 1) – Tumor excision in other department showed breast cancer, hereafter unsuccessful fine needle aspiration x 2, primary ALND (n1⁄4 1) – Patient diagnosed in 2007, surgery in 2012 for unknown reasons (n1⁄4 1)
Exaggerated Spread of Epidural Analgesia in Arteriosclerotic Patients

From time to time reports are published of massive spinal blockade with coma and cardiovascular collapse complicating epidural analgesia. In some cases there seems to be a fairly obvious reason for the accident in the form of direct or circumstantial evidence that the dura was punctured at some stage of the procedure, either before, or during, or after injection of a considerable volume of local anaesthetic into the extradural space (de Saram, 1956 ; Sykes, 1958). In these cases it was assumed that a fair proportion of the solution had found its way into the subarachnoid space through the puncture hole in the dura, causing a massive subarachnoid block, involving the cranial nerves and producing complete deafferentation with resulting loss of consciousness (Gordon-Jones, 1953). However, there have been other cases where no definite reason could be given for the unexpected onset of total spinal blockade (Mostert, 1960). Epidural puncture was technically faultless, and no cerebrospinal fluid or blood could be aspirated from the needle, and yet total spinal blockade and unconsciousness followed the injection of an apparently modest quantity of local anaesthetic solution. Sometimes the accident happened quickly (Stringer, 1954), but often there was a delay of 30 to 40 minutes, or even longer (Morrow, 1959). The published cases seem to have one feature in common. The patients are usually reported as suffering from some degree of arteriosclerotic vascular disease, often associated with diabetes mellitus. During the course of a previous investigation into the spread of epidural analgesia I noticed that arteriosclerotic patients required smaller doses than normal subjects of the same age in order to block a given
Effect of free surfaces on the smectic-A-hexatic-B-crystal-E transitions in thin free-standing films of the liquid-crystal compound n-heptyl-4'-n-pentyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate (75OBC).

An ac free-standing film calorimeter has been recently developed to investigate the physical properties of the smectic-A-hexatic-B-crystal-E transitions in free-standing films of the liquid-crystal compound n-heptyl-4'-n-pentyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate (75OBC). Due to the surface-enhanced order on free surfaces, we have discovered many new physical phenomena, e.g., a rich phase diagram, layer-by-layer transitions near a continuous transition, an interplay between a strong first-order surface transition and a nearby continuous transition, etc
A randomized comparison of once versus twice daily recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (filgrastim) for stem cell mobilization in healthy donors for allogeneic transplantation

To evaluate the schedule dependency of granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) (filgrastim) for stem cell mobilization, we conducted a randomized comparison in 50 healthy donors, with one subcutaneous daily injection of 10 µg/kg G‐CSF (n = 25) compared with twice injections daily of 5 µg/kg G‐CSF (n = 25). The two groups were well balanced for age, body weight and sex. G‐CSF application was performed on an out‐patient basis and leukapheresis was started in all donors on day 5. The most frequent side‐effects of G‐CSF were mild to moderate bone pain (88%), mild headache (72%), mild fatigue (48–60%) and nausea (8%) without differences between the two groups. The CD34+ cell count in the first apheresis was 5·4 × 106/kg donor weight (range 2·8–13·3) in the 2 × 5 µg/kg group compared with 4·0 × 106/kg (range 0·4–8·8) in the 1 × 10µg/kg group (P = 0·007). The target of collecting > 3·0 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg donor weight with one apheresis procedure was achieved in 24/25 (96%) donors in the 2 × 5 µg/kg group and in 17/25 (68%) donors in the 1 × 10 µg/kg group. The target of collecting > 5·0 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg in the first apheresis was achieved in 64% in the 2 × 5µg/kg group, but in only 36% in the 1 × 10 µg/kg group. The progenitor cell assay for granulocyte–macrophage colony‐forming units (CFU‐GM) and erythroid burst‐forming units (BFU‐E) was higher in the 2 × 5 µg/kg group than in the 1 × 10 µg/kg group (7·0 vs. 3·5 × 105/kg, P = 0·01; 6·6 vs. 5·0 × 105/kg; P = 0·1). Administering G‐CSF (filgrastim) at a dosage of 5 µg/kg twice daily rather than 10 µg/kg once daily is recommended; this leads to a higher CD34+ cell yield and requires fewer apheresis procedures without increasing toxicity or cost.
Discovery of ALK‐PTPN3 gene fusion from human non‐small cell lung carcinoma cell line using next generation RNA sequencing

An increasing number of chromosomal aberrations is being identified in solid tumors providing novel biomarkers for various types of cancer and new insights into the mechanisms of carcinogenesis. We applied next generation sequencing technique to analyze the transcriptome of the non‐small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cell line H2228 and discovered a fusion transcript composed of multiple exons of ALK (anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase) and PTPN3 (protein tyrosine phosphatase, nonreceptor Type 3). Detailed analysis of the genomic structure revealed that a portion of genomic region encompassing Exons 10 and 11 of ALK has been translocated into the intronic region between Exons 2 and 3 of PTPN3. The key net result appears to be the null mutation of one allele of PTPN3, a gene with tumor suppressor activity. Consistently, ectopic expression of PTPN3 in NSCLC cell lines led to inhibition of colony formation. Our study confirms the utility of next generation sequencing as a tool for the discovery of somatic mutations and has led to the identification of a novel mutation in NSCLC that may be of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic importance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A utilidade da informação contabilística na gestão das instituições de ensino superior em Portugal : o caso do Instituto Politécnico de Leiria

O regime juridico das instituicoes de ensino superior (IES) em Portugal, consagrado desde 20071, confere-lhes autonomia patrimonial, administrativa e financeira face ao Estado, sem prejuizo da acao fiscalizadora da tutela e do Governo; em favor da transparencia, cabe-lhes o dever de informacao ao Estado como garantia de estabilidade orcamental, bem como o dever de informacao interna e a comunidade, de forma acessivel e rigorosa, sobre a sua situacao financeira.
Comparison of Multilabel and Single-Label Classification Applied to the Prediction of the Isoform Specificity of Cytochrome P450 Substrates

Each drug can potentially be metabolized by different CYP450 isoforms. In the development of new drugs, the prediction of the metabolic fate is important to prevent drug-drug interactions. In the present study, a collection of 580 CYP450 substrates is deeply analyzed by applying multi- and single-label classification strategies, after the computation and selection of suitable molecular descriptors. Cross-training with support vector machine, multilabel k-nearest-neighbor and counterpropagation neural network modeling methods were used in the multilabel approach, which allows one to classify the compounds simultaneously in multiple classes. In the single-label models, automatic variable selection was combined with various cross-validation experiments and modeling techniques. Moreover, the reliability of both multi- and single-label models was assessed by the prediction of an external test set. Finally, the predicted results of the best models were compared to show that, even if the models present similar performances, the multilabel approach more coherently reflects the real metabolism information.
The TOR-controlled transcription activators GLN3, RTG1, and RTG3 are regulated in response to intracellular levels of glutamine

The essential, rapamycin-sensitive TOR kinases regulate a diverse set of cell growth-related readouts in response to nutrients. Thus, the yeast TOR proteins function as nutrient sensors, in particular as sensors of nitrogen and possibly carbon. However, the nutrient metabolite(s) that acts upstream of TOR is unknown. We investigated the role of glutamine, a preferred nitrogen source and a key intermediate in yeast nitrogen metabolism, as a possible regulator of TOR. We show that the glutamine synthetase inhibitor l-methionine sulfoximine (MSX) specifically provokes glutamine depletion in yeast cells. MSX-induced glutamine starvation caused nuclear localization and activation of the TOR-inhibited transcription factors GLN3, RTG1, and RTG3, all of which mediate glutamine synthesis. The MSX-induced nuclear localization of GLN3 required the TOR-controlled, type 2A-related phosphatase SIT4. Other TOR-controlled transcription factors, GAT1/NIL1, MSN2, MSN4, and an unknown factor involved in the expression of ribosomal protein genes, were not affected by glutamine starvation. These findings suggest that the TOR pathway senses glutamine. Furthermore, as glutamine starvation affects only a subset of TOR-controlled transcription factors, TOR appears to discriminate between different nutrient conditions to elicit a response appropriate to a given condition.
Contraceptive, cerebral vein thrombosis and choked discs.

PURPOSE To raise awareness of the importance of prompt and appropriate imaging in patients presenting with signs and symptoms suggestive of idiopathic intracranial hypertension. METHODS Case report with diagnostic tests and discussion of management options. RESULTS A 15-year-old girl presenting with bilateral optic disc swelling was noted to have extensive thrombosis of intracerebral venous sinuses with the clot extending along the internal jugular vein as inferior as the root of the neck demonstrable on magnetic resonance venography. CONCLUSIONS Ophthalmologists should be vigilant in obtaining appropriate imaging in cases of optic disc swelling.
Bibliotecas, arquivos e outras coisas digitais

Este artigo apresenta uma descricao dos principais conceitos a tomar em consideracao na abordagem ao tema das bibliotecas digitais. Apesar do termo usado poder transmitir uma perspectiva apenas centrada na biblioteca, pretende-se demonstrar que o contexto e os conceitos em causa podem e devem ser da mesma forma alargados aos arquivos e museus. O artigo inicia-se com uma resenha historica dos principais momentos e factos que contribuiram para a relevância do paradigma digital nestes meios. E apresentado de seguida um diagnostico do momento e expectativas actuais para o futuro proximo, incluindo uma descricao dos principais desafios na agenda actual. Nestas analises sao levadas em consideracao argumentacoes considerando igualmente factores tecnologicos, organizacionais e politicos. Dada a longa lista de temas, por falta de espaco os mesmos sao intencionalmente apresentados de forma simples e minimalista, visando antes de tudo proporcionar ao leitor nao definicoes ou descricoes complexas, mas antes pistas e referencias para exploracao futura.
Spousal Violence Against Women and Its Association With Women's Mental Health in Pakistan

In Pakistan, the issue of spousal violence is under-researched and still not considered a public health problem. To assess the association of spousal violence with women's mental health, a hospital-based cross-sectional survey was conducted through a structured interview schedule with 373 randomly selected ever-married women of reproductive age in eight randomly selected hospitals in the cities of Lahore and Sialkot, Pakistan. After controlling for sociodemographic variables, women's experiences of past and current psychological, physical, and sexual violence remained significantly associated with women's poor mental health. The situation warrants urgent action to mitigate the violence-induced damages done to women's mental health.
Excitonic and nonlinear-optical properties of dielectric quantum-well structures.

Excitonic and nonlinear-optical properties of dielectric quantum-well (DQW) structures are investigated theoretically. A DQW is a quantum well sandwiched by barrier materials with a smaller dielectric constant and a larger band gap than the well material. The fundamental physics determining the excitonic properties in a DQW, i.e., exciton binding energy, exciton oscillator strength, and nonlinear-optical response, are clarified. The most important mechanisms for enhancing the excitonic properties are quantum-confinement effect, mass-confinement effect, and dielectric-confinement effect. Quantum confinement increases the spatial overlap between an electron and a hole as a result of the potential well confinement, and it enhances oscillator strength. Mass confinement is based on the penetration of the carrier wave function into barrier layers with a heavier effective mass than the well layer. It increases the exciton reduced mass and hence the exciton binding energy. Dielectric confinement arises from the reduction of the effective dielectric constant of the whole system due to the penetration of the electric field into the barrier medium having a smaller dielectric constant than the well and enhances the Coulomb interaction between the electron and hole. On the basis of these analyses, the general guiding principles are established for designing DQW structures with optimum excitonic properties. Various practical examples of DQW's are examined with respect to the lattice-constant matching, the difference in the dielectric constant, and the difference in the carrier effective masses. ZnSe is found to be one of the most promising candidates for the barrier material of the GaAs DQW.