Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Racial Disparities in Survival After Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer in Kentucky, 2001-2010

Whether the African American race remains a significant predictor of poorer prostate cancer survival after adjusting for other sociodemographic and treatment-related factors remains unclear. We examined whether disparities in survival among 18,900 African American and Caucasian men diagnosed with prostate cancer in Kentucky remained after adjusting for health insurance (payor source), cancer treatment, cancer stage at diagnosis, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, smoking status, and Appalachian region. After adjusting for these predictors, African American men living in Kentucky had poorer prostate cancer survival after 5 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.33; 95% confidence interval = 1.11, 1.59) and 10 years (HR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.18, 1.28) of follow-up, and for the entire follow-up period (HR = 1.41; 95% CI = 1.26, 1.65) compared to their Caucasian counterparts. Thus, health insurance status, cancer treatment, cancer stage at diagnosis, PSA level at diagnosis, smoking status, and geographic location did not explain the racial gap in survival in Kentucky.
Modulation of thermal pain perception by stress and sweet taste in women with bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVES To investigate if the increased pain threshold in women with bulimia nervosa (BN) may be due to chronic stress-induced analgesia. METHODS We measured thermal pain threshold latency, blood pressure and heart rate in 21 women with BN and 21 healthy women (HW) under six consecutive conditions: rest I, mental arithmetic task, rest II, eating sweet food, rest III, cold-pressor test. RESULTS Thermal pain threshold latency was longer in BN than in HW in all six conditions. It increased during mental arithmetic test and remained increased during the rest of the experiment in both groups. In the BN group, the increase of pain threshold during mental arithmetic was positively correlated with illness duration. The differential modulation of pain threshold by stress in BN and HW could not be explained by autonomic system reactivity. In HW, the pain threshold increased more during eating and blood pressure increased more during mental stress; in BN, the pain threshold was highest in the mental stress condition and blood pressure was most increased during eating. During the cold pressor test, women with BN showed smaller blood pressure increase and tolerated the cold for shorter time than HW. CONCLUSION The observed marked modulation of pain threshold by experimental stress suggests that stress-induced analgesia is unlikely to account for baseline pain insensitivity in BN. Increased pain threshold in BN is a stable yet incompletely understood phenomenon, which may be related to the predisposition to or maintenance of the disorder.
Computational Assessment of the Effects of Temperature on Wafer-Level Component Boards in Drop Tests

The drop reliability of wafer-level chip-scale package (WL-CSP) component boards used in portable devices was studied by employing mechanical shock loads (JESD22-B111 standard) at different temperatures. The drop tests were carried out at room temperature (23 degC), 75 degC, 100 degC, and 125 degC. The elevated temperatures were achieved by integrated heater elements in the components. The number of drops-to-failure increased significantly with increasing temperature. The physical failure analysis revealed that the outermost solder interconnections at the four corners of the components failed from the component side. At room temperature, the cracks propagated solely along the intermetallic layers but the increase of testing temperature progressively changed their propagation paths from the intermetallic layers into the bulk solder. Since the temperature 1) decreases the strength and elastic modulus of solders, 2) diminishes the stiffness of printed wiring boards, and 3) introduces thermally induced stresses, the finite-element method was employed to evaluate their combined effects. The calculations showed that due to the increases in testing temperature, the peeling stress is reduced markedly, while the equivalent plastic strain is only slightly increased at the interfacial regions of the solder interconnections. The reduction of the stresses increases the proportion of the bulk solder cracking relative to the cracking of the intermetallic layers and therefore the number of drops-to-failure increases as a function of increasing test temperature.
Design of waveguide-integrated graphene devices for photonic gas sensing

We present waveguide-integrated graphene devices for photonic gas sensing. In a gas environment, graphene’s conductivity is changed by adsorbed gas molecules which serve as charge-carrier donors or acceptors. To accurately probe gas-induced variations in the graphene’s conductivity, we optimize the graphene’s Fermi level and spectral region. Then, we propose graphene-on-silicon and graphene-on-germanium suspended membrane slot waveguides in which propagating light in the waveguide has a strong interaction with the top graphene layer. The gas concentration can be calculated by measuring the spectrum of the optical reflection from the waveguide Bragg grating. The maximum sensitivity of the waveguide-integrated gas sensor can reach one part per million for sensing gaseous nitrogen dioxide. Its sensitivity is about 20 times higher than that of the graphene-covered microfiber sensor and is comparable with that of a graphene plasmonic sensor. The fabrication of the proposed graphene device is CMOS compatible. Our results pave a way for chip-integrated sensitive photonic gas sensors.
Shaped reflector antennas for outdoor BTS of 4G/5G mobile communications

This paper presents an effective design of reflector antennas to radiate beam patterns fulfilling the coverage need of base station antenna (BSA) system in the 4G/5G mobile communication. A mechanical feed's titling mechanism has been implemented in conjunction with the synthesis of reflecting surface to provide remote beam tilting function for dynamic cell adjustments. The numerical and experimental results are shown to demonstrate the design concept.
Sterically stabilized BGTC‐based lipoplexes: structural features and gene transfection into the mouse airways in vivo

Colloidal stability of lipid/DNA aggregates is a major requirement for cationic lipid‐mediated transfection which is particularly difficult to fulfil at the high DNA concentrations used for in vivo gene delivery. Thus, we have investigated the potential of poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG) conjugates for steric stabilization of lipoplexes formed by bis(guanidinium)‐tren‐cholesterol/dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (BGTC/DOPE) liposomes, a class of cationic liposomes we have developed over the past few years.
IMLBTR Based Localization of WirelessSensor Network in the Wild

Wireless Sensor Network consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors to monitor physical or environmental conditions such as temperature, pressure, sound etc. A sensor system deployed in a forest area, shows that localization in the wild remains very challenging due to various interfering factors such as fire risk evaluation, canopy closure estimation, climatic observation, as well as search and rescue in the wild . In many applications of wireless sensor networks their location is an important information. It can be used to determine the location at which sensor readings originate, in the routing region as well as in the data storage protocols based on geographical areas. Location information can be obtained from manual settings or from GPS devices. Since both of these approaches are expensive and time consuming they not applicable to localization task of large scale wireless sensor networks. An accurate and efficient algorithm called, Iterative Multilateral Localization Based on Time Rounds (IMLBTR) is used, to reduce the location error and to prevent the abnormal phenomenon caused by trilateral localization. The experimental result is then compared with Combined and Differentiated Approach. By using QoS Multicast Routing Protocol/MQOSPF, the parameters such as accuracy, throughput, energy efficiency, packet delivery ratio, overhead, lifetime, and delay are improved.
Stationary‐Phase Gene Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae During Wine Fermentation

Genetic engineering of wine yeast strains requires the identification of gene promoters specifically activated under wine processing conditions. In this study, transcriptional activation of specific genes was followed during the time course of wine fermentation by quantifying mRNA levels in a haploid wine strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown on synthetic or natural winery musts. Northern analyses were performed using radioactive probes from 19 genes previously described as being expressed under laboratory growth conditions or on molasses in S. cerevisiae during the stationary phase and/or under nitrogen starvation. Nine genes, including members of the HSP family, showed a transition‐phase induction profile. For three of them, mRNA transcripts could be detected until the end of the fermentation. Expression of one of these genes, HSP30, was further studied using a HSP30::lacZ fusion on both multicopy and monocopy expression vectors. The production of β‐galactosidase by recombinant cells was measured during cell growth and fermentation on synthetic and natural winery musts. We showed that the HSP30 promoter can induce high gene expression during late stationary phase and remains active until the end of the wine fermentation process. Similar expression profiles were obtained on five natural winery musts. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analgesic and adverse effects of a low dose of intrathecally administered hyperbaric neostigmine alone or combined with morphine in patients submitted to spinal anaesthesia: pilot studies

We report the analgesic and adverse effects of intrathecally administered hyperbaric neostigmine, alone or combined with morphine, in two patients suffering from severe lower limb ischaemic pain (group 1), five patients undergoing Caesarean section (group 2) and 19 patients scheduled for orthopaedic surgery (group 3) under spinal anaesthesia. These patients were enrolled in three pilot studies undertaken before the initiation of the planned controlled studies. Hyperbaric neostigmine (50 μg in glucose 8%) produced analgesia lasting more than 6 h in patients of group 1, but the effect was accompanied by episodes of vomiting. A lower dose of hyperbaric neostigmine (25 μg), alone (two patients) or combined with morphine (50 μg) (one patient) produced no discernible analgesic effect but was followed by severe nausea and vomiting within 15 min of intrathecal injection in patients of group 2. Two patients who received hyperbaric morphine (100 μg) had analgesia for more than 24 h and exhibited mild pruritus. In patients of group 3, hyperbaric neostigmine alone (25 μg) produced analgesia of shorter duration than neostigmine (25 μg) plus morphine (50 μg) or morphine (100 μg). Neostigmine alone or combined with morphine was associated with adverse events, mainly nausea and vomiting that lasted up to 9–12 h in some patients. Other adverse events observed included anxiety, somnolence and involuntary defaecation. Most patients who received the combination of neostigmine and morphine exhibited more severe nausea, vomiting and somnolence. The low clinical efficacy of intrathecally administered neostigmine alone or in combination with morphine impairs the design of a double‐blind protocol and might restrict the clinical usefulness of the drug combination.
Autoecology of Dryadosaura nordestina (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) from Atlantic forest fragments in Northeastern Brazil

Life history parameters such as diet, reproduction, and sexual dimorphism are crucial to understand ecological and evolutionary forces shaping species traits. Nevertheless, such information is scant in the literature for most Neotropical squamates. Gymnophthalmidae contains over 242 species in 46 genera and includes small-size, mostly terrestrial species, although psamophilic, semi-aquatic, and low vegetation dwellers also occur. Dryadosaura is a monospecific genus - Dryadosaura nordestina Rodrigues et al., 2005 - , occurring in Atlantic Forest areas from Rio Grande do Norte to Northern Bahia, and little is known about its ecology and natural history. We analyzed the species' diet, reproduction, and sexual dimorphism based on 170 specimens deposited in museum collections. Dryadosaura nordestina is considered generalist and active forager, based on dietary items. Arthropods, especially ants and insect larvae, dominate the diet. The reproductive period shows a peak during the rainy season (May through June), while recruitment occurs from July through November. Males are significantly larger than females, and sexes can also be distinguished based on shape variables: males have higher heads and longer bodies, while body height and width are larger in females.
Linkage analysis under “random” and “genetic” reduced penetrance

We examined whether the results of linkage analysis are affected by the reasons for so‐called “reduced penetrance”. We simulated linkage data with random reduced penetrance and contrasted that with data that were simulated under inheritance controlled by two loci interacting epistatically. For the two‐locus disease models, one of those loci was linked to the marker. All data, irrespective of how the data were simulated, were analyzed under the assumption of a single‐locus genetic model with random reduced penetrance. We found that there appears to be little bias in the results of linkage analysis whether the “reduced penetrance” was caused by random (usually interpreted as environmental) factors or by strictly genetic factors. We also illustrate that when the trait or disease is influenced by more than one locus, the inheritance of the trait at the linked locus is the important consideration, not the inheritance of the trait per se.
Off-Target Effects of BCR-ABL and JAK2 Inhibitors

The advent of targeted oncolytic agents has created a revolution in the treatment of malignancies. Perhaps best exemplified in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), the tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including inhibitors of BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase and JAK2, have dramatically changed outcomes in persons with MPN. However, clinically relevant dosing of these adenosine triphosphate-mimetic agents in humans leads to inhibition of numerous tyrosine kinases beyond those touted by drug manufacturers and studied in landmark clinical trials. These so-called off-target effects have been linked to both clinical efficacy and toxicity. Rational drug development and serendipitous discovery of drug molecules allows the clinician to select targeted oncolytic agents to treat a specific clinical diagnosis and/or avoid exacerbation of concomitant disease states due to effects upon signaling pathways. Understanding the off-target binding and effects upon signaling pathway of the agents approved for the treatment of MPN will empower the clinician to adroitly select pharmacotherapy, predict toxicities, and utilize these agents in clinical practice for indications beyond MPN.
Alpha‐interferon treatment of chronic hepatitis B infection: Predictors of responsiveness

Specific therapy for chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection with a-interferon (a-IFN) has now become a possibility. These agents inhibit HBV replication and, in addition, appear to induce or amplify an immune response to HBV. Several shortcomings remain with this treatment, however: a-IFN requires parenteral administration, is not without side effects, and can be unpredictable in its effects. Treatment is made difficult by the fact that only 35-45% of patients respond to a-IFN, making selection of responsive patients complex. ' However, the extensive data compiled during the evaluation of a-IFN therapy in controlled therapeutic trials of chronic HBV infection and parallel studies of the natural history of chronic HBV infection go some way toward providing predictive information to suggest which patients are more likely to respond to treatment. It is possible that some of the mechanisms operative in spontaneous clearance of replicative HBV infection and in IFN-induced clearance overlap, and the associated phenomena can be used to judge which patients are most likely to respond to treatment.
Isolation and characterization of functional mammary gland stem cells

Abstract. Significant advances in the stem‐cell biology of several tissues, including the mammary gland, have occurred over the past several years. Recent progress on stem‐cell fate determination, molecular markers, signalling pathways and niche interactions in haematopoietic, neuronal and muscle tissue may provide parallel insight into the biology of mammary epithelial stem cells. Taking advantage of approaches similar to those employed to isolate and characterize haematopoietic and epidermal stem cells, we have identified a mammary epithelial cell population with several stem/progenitor cell qualities. In this article, we review some recent data on mammary epithelial stem/progenitor cells in genetically engineered mouse models. We also discuss several potential molecular markers, including stem‐cell antigen‐1 (Sca‐1), which may be useful for both the isolation of functional mammary epithelial stem/progenitor cells and the analysis of tumour aetiology and phenotype in genetically engineered mouse models. In different transgenic mammary tumour models, Sca‐1 expression levels, as well as several other putative markers of progenitors including keratin‐6, possess dramatically altered expression profiles. These data suggest that the heterogeneity of mouse models of breast cancer may partially reflect the selection or expansion of different progenitors.
Visual Fields in Short-Toed Eagles, Circaetus gallicus (Accipitridae), and the Function of Binocularity in Birds

Visual fields were determined in alert restrained birds using an ophthalmoscopic reflex technique. The region of binocular overlap is relatively small: maximum width of 20° occurs approximately 15° below the horizontal, and the field extends vertically through 80° with the bill tip placed close to the centre. Monocular field width in the horizontal plane is 139°, and the field is asymmetric about the optic axis. The cyclopean field extends through 260°, and the blind area above and behind the head reaches maximum width of 100° close to the horizontal. At the frontal margins of the monocular field the retinal and optical fields do not coincide; the retinal field margin lies approximately 10° inside the optical margin. This gives rise to an apparent binocular field that is twice the width of the functional binocular field. Interspecific comparisons show that the binocular field of Short-toed Eagles is similar in shape and size to those of bird species that differ markedly in phylogeny, ecology, foraging technique, and eye size. This suggests that these relatively narrow binocular fields are a convergent feature of birds whose foraging is guided by visual cues irrespective of whether items are taken directly in the bill or in the feet, as in eagles, and irrespective of the size and shape of the monocular and cyclopean visual fields. It is argued that binocular vision in birds results from the requirement for each monocular field to extend contralaterally to embody a portion of the optical flow field which is radially symmetrical about the direction of travel. This is in contrast to functional explanations of binocularity, such as those concerned with stereopsis, which present it as a means of extracting higher order information through the combination of two monocular images of the same portion of a scene.
Estimation of genetic parameters and evaluation of test-day milk production in sheep.

Genetic parameters and breeding values were estimated based on 11 708 daily milk yields from 2255 lactations (1351 sheep, 19 different flocks) between the years 2004 and 2010. The pedigree cov - ered 2334 individuals, including both the recorded animals and their known ancestors. The fixed effects were estimated by the least-squares method, while the genetic parameters were estimated by the REML method. The data were tested by 49 models, but on the basis of the coefficient-of-determination value and the significance of the effects, only 10 models were used for REML analysis. The most suitable model was chosen on the basis of the breeding values distribution and the heritability of daily milk production, which was estimated at 0.28. The fixed effects of the flock parity number, the flock test day, and the linear and quadratic coefficients of flock's days-in-milk in the chosen model were all highly significant (P < 0.0001) for the test-day milk yield. The breeding values had a normal distribution and a standard deviation of 0.46 kg.
Asymptomatic hypothyroidism and statin-induced myopathy.

Hypothyroidism is a well-known cause of secondary dyslipidemia, and its link to atherosclerosis has been known for 125 years. [1][1],[2][2] Elevated circulating levels of the apolipoprotein B100 containing lipoproteins, very low-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein, are the principal
Improvement of the newly developed latex agglutination test (Katex) for diagnosis of visceral lieshmaniasis

Introduction: Different methods are available for diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL), among them the urine‐based antigen detection assay, latex agglutination test (Katex), is a recently developed one. The main drawback of the test is false‐positive reactivity in some of healthy individuals. The false positivity of the test can be removed by boiling the urine sample for 5 min before testing. In this study an attempt was made to improve Katex by removing unpleasant boiling process, which also decreases field applicability of the test.
Dornase aerosol effect on sputum viscosity in cases of cystic fibrosis.

To the Editor:— Deoxyribonucleic acid is not normally present in mucoid respiratory secretions but is a product of pulmonary inflammatory cellular debris. 1,2 The DNA in mucopurulent secretions seems to contribute to the chronicity of respiratory disease by increasing the viscosity of such secretions. A therapeutic attack upon the DNA content of purulent respiratory secretions would therefore appear to be worthwhile in an attempt to reduce morbidity from respiratory infection and to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics. 3 Pancreatic dornase is a commercially available enzyme preparation which liquifies purulent sputum in vitro. 4,5 The reduction in viscosity occurs rapidly due to depolymerization of DNA 5 and the induction of intrinsic proteolysis. 6-8 Dornase aerosols have also been found to be useful in the evacuation of viscous mucopurulent secretions in bronchopulmonary disease. 9-13 I recently described a method for measuring the viscosity of sputum with a coneplate viscosimeter, thereby providing a
Geometry and Mechanics in the Opening of Chiral Seed Pods

Two joined latex strips show complex twisting behavior similar to that of seed pods. We studied the mechanical process of seed pods opening in Bauhinia variegate and found a chirality-creating mechanism, which turns an initially flat pod valve into a helix. We studied conﬁgurations of strips cut from pod valve tissue and from composite elastic materials that mimic its structure. The experiments reveal various helical conﬁgurations with sharp morphological transitions between them. Using the mathematical framework of “incompatible elasticity,” we modeled the pod as a thin strip with a flat intrinsic metric and a saddle-like intrinsic curvature. Our theoretical analysis quantitatively predicts all observed conﬁgurations, thus linking the pod’s microscopic structure and macroscopic conformation. We suggest that this type of incompatible strip is likely to play a role in the self-assembly of chiral macromolecules and could be used for the engineering of synthetic self-shaping devices.