Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical and pharmacokinetics study of oxaliplatin in colon cancer patients.

AIM to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of oxaliplatin and to analyze the pharmacokinetics of both ultrafiltrable (free) and protein-bound platinum in patients with metastatic colon cancer. METHOD 60 patients with stage IV colon carcinoma received 4-6 (mean 4.5) cycles of oxaliplatin based combination chemotherapy. Response rate, progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicity were evaluated. The pharmacokinetics of oxaliplatin was evaluated in 8 patients who were given 85 mg/sqm or 130 mg/sqm using an infusion time of 2-4 h. Pharmacokinetic analysis was performed on blood, plasma and plasma ultrafiltrable by ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry). RESULTS Overall response rate (complete and partial) occurred in 33 (55%) patients. The median time of progression was 9.3 months. Cumulative neurotoxicity, vomiting and diarrhea, myelosuppression appeared in 32.3%, 21.3%, and 39.4% patients, respectively. The mean Cmax and AUC 0-24 of oxaliplatin increased in a dose-related manner. The pharmacokinetics of platinum after oxaliplatin administration was triphasic characterized by a short initial distribution phase and a long terminal elimination phase.The clearance of ultrafiltrable platinum was relatively high and the clearance of platinum from plasma and blood cells was relatively low, which is probably a reflection of the covalent binding of platinum to these matrices. CONCLUSION Oxaliplatin is active and well tolerated in patients with advanced colon cancer. With a relatively low interpatient variability, it is eliminated triphasically and the mean Cmax and AUC 0-24 increases in a dose-related manner. These results provide a scientific basis for the safe and effective use of oxaliplatin in the clinic.
Effect of phytogenic additive on broiler chicken performance

The use of phytogenic additives leads to a reduced use of antibiotics as growth promoters in the diet of broiler chickens. The mechanisms of action of these additives are different, either by improving the integrity of the intestinal villi, by improving the general condition of the gastrointestinal tract, or by getting a higher feed intake. The trial was conducted on 600 one dayold chicks hybrids Ross 308 divided into two groups of eight repetitions. Broiler chickens were fed with standard diets for fattening, with and without added phytogenic additives. Fattening lasted 35 days. The control group achieved an average final body weight of 2.19 kg, 1.58 feed conversion ratio and mortality rate of 3.91%, while the group with the addition of phytogenic additives reached the final mass of 2.24 kg, feed conversion ratio of 1.54 and mortality of 3.90%.
Distributed Reinforcement Learning for NOMA-Enabled Mobile Edge Computing

A novel non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) enabled cache-aided mobile edge computing (MEC) framework is proposed, for minimizing the sum energy consumption. The NOMA strategy enables mobile users to offload computation tasks to the access point (AP) simultaneously, which improves the spectrum efficiency. In this article, the considered resource allocation problem is formulated as a long-term reward maximization problem that involves a joint optimization of task offloading decision, computation resource allocation, and caching decision. To tackle this nontrivial problem, a single-agent Q-learning (SAQ-learning) algorithm is invoked to learn a long-term resource allocation strategy from historical experience. Moreover, a Bayesian learning automata (BLA) based multi-agent Q-learning (MAQ-learning) algorithm is proposed for task offloading decisions. More specifically, a BLA based action select scheme is proposed for the agents in MAQ-learning to select the optimal actions in every state. The proposed BLA based action selection scheme is instantaneously self-correcting, consequently, if the probabilities of two computing models (i.e., local computing and offloading computing) are not equal, the optimal action unveils eventually. Extensive simulations demonstrate that: 1) The proposed cache-aided NOMA MEC framework significantly outperforms the other representative benchmark schemes under various network setups. 2) The effectiveness of the proposed BAL-MAQ-learning algorithm is confirmed from the comparison with the results of conventional reinforcement learning algorithms.
Antenatal Sonographic Diagnosis of Single Umbilical Artery

Seven fetuses with a single umbilical artery were detected at the perinatal ultrasound unit of Yale University during a one-year period. Other sonographic abnormalities included hydramnios (four cases) and intrauterine growth retardation (two cases). Two neonates died shortly after birth, two others survived with abnormalities, and three were normal. The varied sonographic appearances of single umbilical artery are illustrated and contrasted with sonograms of normal umbilical cords.
Sex differences in clinical and genetic determinants of levodopa peak-dose dyskinesias in Parkinson disease: an exploratory study.

BACKGROUND Several factors, both clinical and genetic, may account for the risk of developing levodopa-induced peak-dose dyskinesias (PDD) in patients with Parkinson disease, but it is unclear how these factors interact for modulating the individual susceptibility for PDD. OBJECTIVE To examine clinical and genetic risk factors for determining individual susceptibility of PDD in patients with Parkinson disease. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING Referral center for Parkinson disease in Calabria, southern Italy. Patients Two hundred fifty patients with Parkinson disease were screened for the presence or absence of PDD following a short-term levodopa administration, and 215 subjects were available for further evaluations, including genotypic analysis of the CA dinucleotide short tandem repeat (CAn-STR) polymorphism located in the dopamine receptor D2 gene (DRD2). RESULTS One hundred five patients (48.8%) exhibited PDD following short-term levodopa administration, and 110 patients (51.2%) did not. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that independent predictors for the occurrence of PDD were female sex, earlier age at onset of Parkinson disease, longer duration of treatment, and higher dose of levodopa. Genetic factors related to the DRD2 CAn-STR polymorphism were not independent predictors for PDD in the total population, but they had a strong protective effect on the appearance of PDD when the multivariate analysis was performed in men (odds ratio, 0.34 [95% confidence interval, 0.14-0.84]). In women, a genetic protective effect on PDD was not evident. CONCLUSIONS Risk factors for PDD, both clinical and genetic, act in different ways for men and women. Genetic factors related to the DRD2 polymorphic status have a protective effect on PDD development in men but not in women. A female sex-related effect for the risk of PDD may be so strong that it overcomes any protective effect due to genetic factors.
Identifying Attacks on Nonlinear Cyber-Physical Systems in a Robust Model Predictive Control Setup

The design of resilient control strategies has become a crucial security issue for autonomous control systems which are exposed to the threat of attacks to both their physical and cyber components. In this paper, we present a setup consisting of two interlacing approaches towards secure control of multi-agent nonlinear dynamic systems under attack. First, we combine aspects from Pareto optimality and robust model predictive control (MPC) to maintain the system in a feasible state even if attacks with large impact occur. Second, we propose an attack identification method based on ideas from signal recovery, considering optimization problems with penalty terms for the violation of the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions. We compare our approach to Nash- and Pareto-based non-robust MPC and illustrate the solution procedure with a nonlinear numerical example.
Etravirine Concentrations in the Cervicovaginal Compartment in HIV-1-Infected Women Receiving Etravirine-Containing Antiretroviral Therapy: DIVA 02 Study

ABSTRACT We studied the penetration of etravirine and HIV shedding in the genital tract among 12 HIV-1-infected women receiving an etravirine-containing regimen who had <40 copies/ml blood plasma (BP) HIV RNA. None of the cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) samples showed detectable HIV RNA. Median etravirine concentrations were 663 ng/ml in BP and 857 ng/ml in CVF, with a CVF/BP etravirine ratio of approximately 1.2. This good penetration of etravirine may contribute to the control of viral replication in the female genital tract.
Effects of Combined Stress during Intense Training on Cellular Immunity, Hormones and Respiratory Infections

Objectives: This study was designed to determine immune and hormonal changes and their relationship with the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) during an extremely stressful military training (3 weeks of physical conditioning followed by a 5-day combat course with energy restriction, sleep deprivation and psychological stress). Methods: Blood samples were collected from 21 cadets (21 ± 2 years old) before training and after the combat course for analysis of leukocyte and lymphocyte subpopulations, serum cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β and IL-10], and hormones [catecholamines, cortisol, leptin, total insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) and testosterone]. Symptoms of URTI were recorded from health logs and medical examinations during training. Results: After the combat course, total leukocyte and neutrophil counts were significantly increased while total lymphocytes were unchanged. In lymphocyte subsets, NK cells were reduced (p < 0.01), while CD4+ and CD19+ (B) cells were increased. Levels of IL-6 were increased (p < 0.01), while those of IL-1β and IL-10 were unchanged. Norepinephrine and dopamine levels were increased, while those of cortisol were reduced. Levels of leptin, testosterone, prolactin and total IGF-I were reduced, while those of DHEAS were increased. The incidence of URTI increased during the training (χ2 = 53.48, p < 0.05). After training data analysis showed a significant correlation between URTIs and NK cells (p = 0.0023). Training-induced changes in immune and hormonal parameters were correlated. Conclusions: Blood NK cell levels are related to increased respiratory infections during physical training in a multistressor environment. The training-induced decreases in immunostimulatory hormone levels may have triggered immunosuppression.
Sistema de computação ubíqua na assistência domiciliar à saúde

Objetivo: concepcao de um sistema computacional inteligente para interligar o paciente em sua casa e os profissionais de saude, por meio da integracao de diversos servicos relacionados ao monitoramento remoto da saude do paciente. Metodo: analise das principais experiencias e trabalhos relacionados a area de computacao ubiqua na assistencia domiciliar a saude, em conjunto com especialistas da area de saude, com o objetivo de identificar os requisitos essenciais que devem ser tratados para a viabilizacao de um sistema dessa classe. Resultados: um sistema com uma arquitetura flexivel que integra uma infraestrutura de sensores, dispositivos, e servicos inteligentes para (i) continua identificacao da situacao de saude do paciente e envio de alertas; (ii) envio de notificacoes e lembretes direcionados ao paciente e associados ao plano de cuidados, elaborado pelo profissional de saude. Um prototipo implementado com foco na manipulacao de dados de pressao arterial e frequencia cardiaca e apresentado para demonstrar a viabilidade da proposta. Conclusao: o sistema proposto executa servicos integrados que permitem o acompanhamento continuo da evolucao do tratamento do paciente em sua casa.
Arterial Iron Content Is Increased in Patients with High Plasma Ferritin Levels

The association between increased amounts of stored iron and development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been recognized for many years. However, basic information on iron content in human arteries is limited. We envision that associations between body iron content and CVD are based on the accumulation of iron in the arteries, possibly leading to the dysfunction of cellular biochemical pathways. This study addresses the very fundamental question of whether there is a relation between body iron content and the level of iron accumulated in arterial tissue. The iron content in human nonatherosclerotic artery samples from patients with high and low body-iron contents estimated from the plasma ferritin concentration were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy in tissue extracts and by histological staining, using a modified Perls reaction to display iron deposits. We found that the arteries contained small but measurable levels of iron. The iron content was significantly higher in tissue from patients with high plasma ferritin (p = 0.026). Histological staining showed the presence of iron deposits. Our results suggest that iron does accumulate in arterial tissue in accordance to the level of stored body iron. Further studies are needed on the distribution of iron in excess to explain the relationship between stored iron and the development of atherosclerosis.
Endogenous desensitization: changing host granulomatou response to schistosome eggs at different stages of infection with schistosoma mansoni.

THE PATHOGENEsis of murine hepatosplenic schistosomiasis is related not only to the schistosome eggs 1 but also to the host granulomatous reaction to them, which affects large volumes of liver fissue.2' An-drade and Warren reported, however, that late in the course of infection the size of the granulomas around eggs newly trapped in the liver de-creases markedly.4 This observation suggested that if the host survives the initial severe reaction to the schistosome eggs, the diminished granulomatous response late in the infection might forestall the occurrence of overt disease and result in resistance to the disease. Cheever also observed a diminution in granuloma size in chronic istosomiasis mansoni, but reported it to be much slighter in degree. " Both studies4L6 suffered from the difficulty of having to differentiate, by miicroscopic appearance alone, eggs newly trapped in the liver from eggs which hadentered the liverin the past. tail eggs mared diminution findig the around is a delayed
On revealing what we'd rather hide: the problem of describing study participation.

Epidemiologists can’t help but be dismayed about all the ways there are to lose study subjects. We can never avoid that gap between the reference population we identify and the final study groups we assemble, despite our most resourceful efforts. As authors ourselves, the editors are sympathetic with the impulse to report response proportions in the best possible light. But matters are made worse when we obscure the gap. In this issue, Olson et al1 suggest a format for more fully reporting the steps taken to recruit a study population, and the response proportions at each step. Full disclosure of the components of response and nonresponse— including the reasons for excluding otherwise eligible participants—is beneficial in the big picture. Not all types of loss are created equal. Self-selection and low response can lead to bias or loss of generalizability, whereas loss of subjects at certain other stages can be less damaging. More complete information provides a better basis for assessing study results, and also for comparing results across studies. We encourage our authors to provide full and candid details of response proportions. Olson et al1 propose a table format for expressing these details. Flow diagrams are also an option. If this additional information lengthens a manuscript beyond the journal’s available page space, the details can be published in the electronic version of the journal—which raises another issue. In the long run, the electronic publication of scientific journals may turn out to be the most accessible and permanent repository of our work. Although most of us prefer to leaf rather than to scroll through our journals, librarians and other information specialists widely regard the electronic version of our published work as the authoritative version. Our journal’s page space remains limited, but our electronic space does not. We encourage authors to take advantage of this resource. Authors who wish to provide supplementary materials for the electronic version (including perhaps the fine details of response proportions) should include these as appropriately labeled appendices in their submitted manuscripts.
Wittgenstein on Simile as the 'Best Thing' in Philosophy.

In a remark written sometime between 1933 and 1943, Wittgenstein suggests that philosophy ought really to be written as one 'writes a poem. ' Around this time he also talks of simile as the 'best thing' in philosophy. In this paper I consider what it would mean to take such claims seriously. Through examining newly discovered material from the (unpublished) Skinner manuscripts (MSS), I offer an analysis of Wittgenstein's approach to literary techniques (broadly conceived) and see how this impacts on his conception of philosophy. ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR
Management of Diabetic Retinopathy and Other Ocular Complications in Type 1 Diabetes

Additional information available at the end of the chapter Abstract Type 1 diabetes can reduce vision by affecting various parts of the eye. Proactive, in‐ terdisciplinary coordination of treatment and timely referrals can aid in the minimiza‐ tion of visually threatening complications, significantly enhancing patient quality of life. The main causes of visual impairment in diabetes are proliferative diabetic retin‐ opathy and macular edema. Until recently, the mainstay of treatment for both condi‐ tions was retinal laser, which prevented significant vision loss but was much less effective at improving vision, especially in macular edema. Over the past decade, ex‐ citing new advances in treating diabetic eye disease, namely intraocular steroid and antivascular endothelial growth factor injections, have greatly improved the visual prognosis for the majority of patients with diabetic eye disease.
Rede de agentes : uma ferramenta para o projeto de sistemas inteligentes

Redes de objetos sao ferramentas formais para a especificacao e simulacao de sistemas a eventos discretos, dotadas de caracteristicas particularmente interessantes dentro do escopo dos chamados sistemas inteligentes, tais como capacidade de aprendizagem e adaptacao. Redes de agentes sao uma especializacao das redes de objetos onde a capacidade de decisao fica distribuida ao longo dos objetos da rede, chamados entao de agentes. Para tal, adotou-se um modelo especifico de funcoes de selecao (que sao genericas na definicao de rede de objetos), bem como um algoritmo geral que viabiliza a automatizacao e computabilidade destas funcoes. Redes de Agentes podem ser aplicadas em uma grande diversidade de contextos, desde a modelagem pura de sistemas complexos, com o proposito de analise, bem como na simulacao e controle de tais sistemas. Particularmente, pode ser utilizada no contexto da engenharia de software, auxiliando nas etapas de analise, projeto e simulacao de sistemas inteligentes. Com este trabalho desenvolveu-se uma ferramenta computacional (chamada ONtoolkit) que disponibiliza o uso das redes de agentes nas diferentes etapas de desenvolvimento de um sistema inteligente Abstract
Robot Behavior Design Expressing Confidence/Unconfidence based on Human Behavior Analysis

Dialogue robots have been actively researched. Many of these robots rely on merely using verbal information. However, human intention is conveyed using verbal information and nonverbal information. In order to convey intention as humans do, robots are necessary to express intention using verbal information and nonverbal information. This paper use speech information and head motion information to express confidence/unconfidence because they were useful features to estimate one’s confidence. First, human behavior expressing the presence or absence of confidence was collected from 8 participants. Human behavior was recorded by a microphone and a video camera. In order to select the behavior which is more understandable, the participants’ behavior was estimated for the confidence level by 3 estimators. Then the data of participants whose behavior was estimated to be more understandable were selected. The selected behavior was defined as representative speech feature and motion feature. Robot behavior was designed based on representative behavior. Finally, the experiment was conducted to evaluate the designed robot behavior. The robot behavior was estimated by 5 participants. The experiment results show that 3 participants estimated correctly the confidence/unconfidence behavior based on the representative speech feature. The differences between confidence and unconfidence of behavior are s the spent time before answer, the effective value of sound pressure, and utterance speed. Also, 3 participants estimated correctly the unconfidence behavior based on the representative motion features which are the longer spent time before answer and the bigger head rotation.
Newly discovered hepatitis C virus minicores circulate in human blood

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most prevalent causes of chronic blood‐borne infections worldwide. Despite developments of highly effective treatments, most infected individuals are unaware of their infection. Approximately 75% of infections are in low‐ and middle‐income countries; therefore, continuing research in HCV molecular virology and the development of vaccines and affordable diagnostics is required to reduce the global burden. Various intracellular forms of the HCV nucleocapsid (core) protein are produced in cell culture; these comprise the conventional p21 core and the newly discovered shorter isoforms (minicores). Minicores lack the N‐terminus of p21 core. This study was conducted to determine if minicores are secreted in cell culture and more importantly if they circulate in the blood of individuals infected with HCV. We also developed a new monoclonal antibody that detects minicores targeting a C‐terminal region common to p21 core and minicores. Direct evidence of minicores requires western blot analysis to distinguish the detection of p21 core from minicores. However, the sensitivity for western blot detection of HCV proteins from blood is nil without their prior purification/enrichment from blood. Therefore, we developed a purification method based on a heparin/Mn+2 precipitation of apolipoprotein B‐containing lipoproteins because HCV is thought to circulate as a hybrid lipoviral particle. Minicores are secreted in culture when cells are grown in the presence of human serum. The heparin/Mn+2 precipitate from HCV‐infected cell culture supernatants and from the blood of 4 patients with high‐titer genotype‐1 HCV contained minicores. Conclusion: Minicores are major newly discovered HCV proteins that are secreted and circulate in blood during natural infections. Minicore proteins have translational potential as targets in diagnostic assays and in vaccine development. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:21–28)