Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of Brain Tumour-Associated Headache

Eighty-five brain tumour patients were examined for further characteristics of brain tumour-associated headache. The overall prevalence of headache in this population was 60%, but headache was the sole symptom in only 2%. Pain was generally dull, of moderate intensity, and not specifically localized. Nearly 40% met the criteria of tension-type headache. An alteration of the pain with the occurrence of the tumour was experienced by 82.5%, implying that the preexisting and the brain tumour headaches were different. The classic characteristics mentioned in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (worsening in the morning or during coughing) were not found; this might be explained by the patients not having elevated intracranial pressure. Univariate analysis revealed that a positive family history of headache and the presence of meningiomas are risk factors for tumour-associated headache, and the use of β-blockers is prophylactic. Pre-existing headache was the only risk factor according to logistic regression, suggesting that patients with pre-existing (primary) headache have a greater predisposition to develop secondary headache. Dull headache occurs significantly more often in patients with glioblastoma multiforme, and pulsating headache in patients with meningioma. In our study, only infratentorial tumours were associated with headache location, and predominantly with occipital but rarely frontal pain.
The potential benefits of participating in early‐phase clinical trials in multiple myeloma: long‐term remission in a patient with relapsed multiple myeloma treated with 90 cycles of lenalidomide and bortezomib

We present the case of a woman with relapsed multiple myeloma (MM) who received combination lenalidomide and bortezomib therapy for 90 cycles followed by continuous lenalidomide monotherapy and has completed over 100 cycles of treatment to date. The patient was diagnosed with advanced‐stage, symptomatic MM in 2001. Following a partial response (PR) to dexamethasone in combination with pamidronate and thalidomide, the patient underwent protocol‐directed non‐myeloablative allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from her matched sibling donor the following year. In 2004, the patient relapsed and was enrolled in a phase I, dose‐escalation trial of lenalidomide plus bortezomib for relapsed and refractory MM. After eight cycles of study treatment, the patient achieved a minimal response. The patient received a total of 90 cycles of treatment with lenalidomide 5 mg given for 14 d every 21 d, and 1 mg/m2 of bortezomib initially given on days 1, 4, 8, and 11 for the first 20 cycles, and then weekly thereafter on days 1 and 8. Bortezomib was discontinued after 90 cycles, and the patient continued to receive lenalidomide monotherapy. As of cycle 100, the patient achieved a PR. Currently, she is clinically stable with response sustained for over 7 yrs. Therapy has been well tolerated with no significant long‐term toxicity; no dose reductions of lenalidomide and bortezomib were required. The excellent tolerability of this steroid‐free approach and the durable response seen underscore the potential benefits of participating in early‐phase clinical trials evaluating novel therapies and new drug combinations. This case further supports that combination treatment with lenalidomide and bortezomib is an effective therapy in the management of patients with relapsed and refractory MM.
Export Diversification and Fiscal Procyclicality

ABSTRACT This paper provides empirical evidence that more export diversification leads to less fiscal procyclicality, which is robust to different specifications and alternative measures after controlling for terms of trade, resource abundance, and institutional quality. We also find that countries that had previously left the fiscal procyclicality trap fell back again during the Great Recession and export structure was a highly correlated factor. We control for potential endogeneity with instrument variables and exploit within-country variations with panel data to further support our empirical findings. Altering fiscal procyclicality is a novel channel through which export structure affects economic growth.
00 AM-5 : 00 PM Law as an Instrument for Political Influence over Kosovo ’ s Public Broadcaster

Politics uses its instruments to exert influence over the public media. The main instrument that politics uses is the law – as the grounds which regulate the rapport between the public media and the political power. Examples of the most independent public broadcasters can be found in those countries where politics has adopted and executed such legislation that limits the possibility of politics to exert influence over the main components related to the independence of the public media. In the case of the Radio Television of Kosovo – RTK, politics has failed to follow this practice notwithstanding that RTK has been established based on models of the public broadcasters in countries representing the Democratic -Corporatist and North-Atlantic Models. The political power in Kosovo has used the law as an instrument to exert influence on the two main parameters related to the editorial independence of the broadcaster: the manner of financing and the election of the medium’s Board. The model of influence has not changed in spite of changes made within the RTK’s founding institution or by changes of political forces in power. RTK went through only one five-year spell of pre-payment during which time it underwent the transformation into a company that is financially independent. However, that same period demonstrated that financial independence alone without managerial independence is no guarantee for editorial independence. The consequences of such influence are reflected on the editorial policies and program content, which render this broadcaster that has the legal status “public” into a medium that serves as a “loudspeaker” for the voice of the political power.
The anti‐aggregating properties of vascular endothelium: interactions between prostacyclin and nitric oxide

1 The interactions between endothelium‐derived nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin as inhibitors of platelet aggregation were examined. 2 Porcine aortic endothelial cells treated with indomethacin and stimulated with bradykinin (10–100 nm) released NO in quantities sufficient to account for the inhibition of platelet aggregation attributed to endothelium‐derived relaxing factor (EDRF). 3 In the absence of indomethacin, stimulation of the cells with bradykinin (1–3 nm) released small amounts of prostacyclin and EDRF which synergistically inhibited platelet aggregation. 4 EDRF and authentic NO also caused disaggregation of platelets aggregated either with collagen or with U46619. 5 A reciprocal potentiation of both the anti‐and the dis‐aggregating activity was also observed between low concentrations of prostacyclin and authentic NO or EDRF released from endothelial cells. 6 It is likely that interactions between prostacyclin and NO released by the endothelium play a role in the homeostatic regulation of platelet‐vessel wall interactions.
Evaluating validity of clinical criteria for requesting chest X-rays in trauma patients referred to emergency room

Background: Our goal was to identify the clinical criteria for requesting the chest X-ray in patients with blunt trauma and whether its findings such as clinical signs with a high sensitivity could be used to codify the final criteria. Materials and Methods: 386 patients with multiple trauma or blunt chest trauma examined by a physician and the injury mechanism, vital signs, O 2 saturation, auscultation findings, abrasions and ecchymosis, crepitation, tenderness on palpation, and pain on lateral compression were noted. The physician′s clinical judgment on the necessity of a chest X-ray was also noted in a questionnaire. After taking the X-ray, a digital photo was taken and showed to a radiologist to report any significant chest injury. Data were collected and the positive and negative predictive values, sensitivity and specificity were estimated. Results: 350 males (90.9%) and 35 females (9.1%) with the mean age of 47.1 ± 15.5 years old were evaluated. Falling down (37.7%) was the major mechanism of injury and chest pain (48%) the first complaint of patients. In 87.3% of the chest X-rays, there was no abnormal finding. Among several pathological findings in the chest X-rays, hemothorax, and rib fracture (each with 3.4% prevalence) had a higher prevalence. Tenderness on palpation with clinical judgment had a higher sensitivity about 95% and higher specificity about 100% in crepitation detected. Conclusion: Results showed the combination of positive chest pain and tachypnea in the patients could identify a significant chest injury with 100% sensitivity. More studies on this issue are warranted.
Expression and Immunogenicity of Sequence-Modified Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Subtype B pol and gagpol DNA Vaccines

ABSTRACT Control of the worldwide AIDS pandemic may require not only preventive but also therapeutic immunization strategies. To meet this challenge, the next generation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccines must stimulate broad and durable cellular immune responses to multiple HIV antigens. Results of both natural history studies and virus challenge studies with macaques indicate that responses to both Gag and Pol antigens are important for the control of viremia. Previously, we reported increased Rev-independent expression and improved immunogenicity of DNA vaccines encoding sequence-modified Gag derived from the HIV-1SF2 strain (J. zur Megede, M. C. Chen, B. Doe, M. Schaefer, C. E. Greer, M. Selby, G. R. Otten, and S. W. Barnett, J. Virol. 74: 2628-2635, 2000). Here we describe results of expression and immunogenicity studies conducted with novel sequence-modified HIV-1SF2 GagPol and Pol vaccine antigens. These Pol antigens contain deletions in the integrase coding region and were mutated in the reverse transcriptase (RT) coding region to remove potentially deleterious enzymatic activities. The resulting Pol sequences were used alone or in combination with sequence-modified Gag. In the latter, the natural translational frameshift between the Gag and Pol coding sequences was either retained or removed. Smaller, in-frame fusion gene cassettes expressing Gag plus RT or protease plus RT also were evaluated. Expression of Gag and Pol from GagPol fusion gene cassettes appeared to be reduced when the HIV protease was active. Therefore, additional constructs were evaluated in which mutations were introduced to attenuate or inactivate the protease activity. Nevertheless, when these constructs were delivered to mice as DNA vaccines, similar levels of CD8+ T-cell responses to Gag and Pol epitopes were observed regardless of the level of protease activity. Overall, the cellular immune responses against Gag induced in mice immunized with multigenic gagpol plasmids were similar to those observed in mice immunized with the plasmid encoding Gag alone. Furthermore, all of the sequence-modified pol and gagpol plasmids expressed high levels of Pol-specific antigens in a Rev-independent fashion and were able to induce potent Pol-specific T- and B-cell responses in mice. These results support the inclusion of a gagpol in-frame fusion gene in future HIV vaccine approaches.
Structural Principles of Tau and the Paired Helical Filaments of Alzheimer’s Disease

Tau, a major microtubule‐associated protein in brain, forms abnormal fibers in Alzheimer’s disease and several other neurodegenerative diseases. Tau is highly soluble and adopts a natively unfolded structure in solution. In the paired helical filaments of Alzheimer’s disease, small segments of tau adopt a β‐conformation and interact with other tau molecules. In the filament core, the microtubule‐binding repeat region of tau has a cross‐β structure, while the rest of the protein retains its largely unfolded structure and gives rise to the fuzzy coat of the filaments.
Lead-contaminated soil abatement and urban children's blood lead levels.

OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that a reduction of 1000 ppm or more of lead in soil accessible to children would result in a decrease of at least 0.14 mumol/L (3 micrograms/dL) in blood lead levels. SETTING Urban neighborhoods with a high incidence of childhood lead poisoning and high soil lead levels. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial of the effects of lead-contaminated soil abatement on blood lead levels of children followed up for approximately 1 year after the intervention. PATIENTS A total of 152 children less than 4 years of age with venous blood lead levels of 0.34 to 1.16 mumol/L (7 to 24 micrograms/dL). Children were largely poor and had a mean age at baseline of 32 months, a mean blood lead level of 0.60 mumol/L (12.5 micrograms/dL), and a median surface soil lead level of 2075 ppm. INTERVENTIONS Children were randomized to one of three groups: the study group, whose homes received soil and interior dust abatement and loose paint removal; comparison group A, whose homes received interior dust abatement and loose paint removal; and comparison group B, whose homes received only interior loose paint removal. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in children's blood lead levels from preabatement levels to levels approximately 6 and 11 months after abatement. RESULTS The mean decline in blood lead level between preabatement and 11 months after abatement was 0.12 mumol/L (2.44 micrograms/dL) in the study group (P = .001), 0.04 mumol/L (0.91 microgram/dL) in group A (P = .04), and 0.02 mumol/L (0.52 microgram/mL) in group B (P = .31). The mean blood lead level of the study group declined 0.07 mumol/L (1.53 micrograms/dL) more than that of group A (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.14 to -0.01 mumol/L [-2.87 to -0.19 micrograms/dL]) and 0.09 mumol/L (1.92 micrograms/dL) more than group B (95% CI, -0.16 to -0.03 mumol/L [-3.28 to -0.56 micrograms/dL]). When adjusted for preabatement lead level, the 11-month mean blood lead level was 0.06 mumol/L (1.28 micrograms/dL) lower in the study group as compared with group A (P = .02) and 0.07 mumol/L (1.49 micrograms/dL) lower than in group B (P = .01). The magnitude of the decline independently associated with soil abatement ranged from 0.04 to 0.08 mumol/L (0.8 to 1.6 micrograms/dL) when the impact of potential confounders, such as water, dust, and paint lead levels, children's mouthing behaviors, and other characteristics, was controlled for. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate that lead-contaminated soil contributes to the lead burden of urban children and that abatement of lead-contaminated soil around homes results in a modest decline in blood lead levels. The magnitude of reduction in blood lead level observed, however, suggests that lead-contaminated soil abatement is not likely to be a useful clinical intervention for the majority of urban children in the United States with low-level lead exposure.
Bartonella henselae trimeric autotransporter adhesin BadA expression interferes with effector translocation by the VirB/D4 type IV secretion system

The Gram‐negative, zoonotic pathogen Bartonella henselae is the aetiological agent of cat scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis and peliosis hepatis in humans. Two pathogenicity factors of B. henselae – each displaying multiple functions in host cell interaction – have been characterized in greater detail: the trimeric autotransporter Bartonella adhesin A (BadA) and the type IV secretion system VirB/D4 (VirB/D4 T4SS). BadA mediates, e.g. binding to fibronectin (Fn), adherence to endothelial cells (ECs) and secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VirB/D4 translocates several Bartonella effector proteins (Beps) into the cytoplasm of infected ECs, resulting, e.g. in uptake of bacterial aggregates via the invasome structure, inhibition of apoptosis and activation of a proangiogenic phenotype. Despite this knowledge of the individual activities of BadA or VirB/D4 it is unknown whether these major virulence factors affect each other in their specific activities. In this study, expression and function of BadA and VirB/D4 were analysed in a variety of clinical B. henselae isolates. Data revealed that mostisolates have lost expression of either BadA or VirB/D4 during in vitro passages. However, the phenotypic effects of coexpression of both virulence factors was studied in one clinical isolate that was found to stably coexpress BadA and VirB/D4, as well as by ectopic expression of BadA in a strain expressing VirB/D4 but not BadA. BadA, which forms a dense layer on the bacterial surface, negatively affected VirB/D4‐dependent Bep translocation and invasome formation by likely preventing close contact between the bacterial cell envelope and the host cell membrane. In contrast, BadA‐dependent Fn binding, adhesion to ECs and VEGF secretion were not affected by a functional VirB/D4 T4SS. The obtained data imply that the essential virulence factors BadA and VirB/D4 are likely differentially expressed during different stages of the infection cycle of Bartonella.
Antifactor Xa Levels versus Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time for Monitoring Unfractionated Heparin

Intravenous unfractionated heparin (UFH) remains an important therapeutic agent, particularly in the inpatient setting, for anticoagulation. Historically, the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) has been the primary laboratory test used to monitor and adjust UFH. The aPTT test has evolved since the 1950s, and the historical goal range of 1.5–2.5 times the control aPTT, which first gained favor in the 1970s, has fallen out of favor due to a high degree of variability in aPTT readings from one laboratory to another, and even from one reagent to another. As a result, it is now recommended that the aPTT goal range be based on a corresponding heparin concentration of 0.2–0.4 unit/ml by protamine titration or 0.3–0.7 unit/ml by antifactor Xa assay. Given that several biologic factors can influence the aPTT independent of the effects of UFH, many institutions have transitioned to monitoring heparin with antifactor Xa levels, rather than the aPTT. Clinical data from the last 10–20 years have begun to show that a conversion from aPTT to antifactor Xa monitoring may offer a smoother dose‐response curve, such that levels remain more stable, requiring fewer blood samples and dosage adjustments. Given the minimal increased acquisition cost of the antifactor Xa reagents, it can be argued that the antifactor Xa is a cost‐effective method for monitoring UFH. In this review, we discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of the aPTT, antifactor Xa, and protamine titration tests, and provide a clinical framework to guide practitioners who are seeking to optimize UFH monitoring within their own institutions.
Intelligent car platform for swarm algorithm verification

As an important part of artificial intelligence, swarm algorithm is mostly verified by theoretical simulation. In this paper, such swarm behavior is verified by intelligent cars. The hardware design includes intelligent car network module, speed measurement module, electronic compass module and motor module, etc. The software part includes control program of each module and swarm algorithm. Based on the intelligent car's swarm algorithm, this paper designs a suitable platform of intelligent car for verification. Finally completes the design and algorithm verification of the intelligent car successfully.
Brokers versus Retail Investors: Conflicting Interests and Dominated Products

I study how brokers distort household investment decisions. Using a novel convertible bond data set, I find that consumers often purchase dominated bonds—cheap and expensive otherwise‐identical bonds coexist in the market. Brokers are incentivized to sell the dominated bonds, typically earning two times greater fees for selling them. I develop and estimate a broker‐intermediated search model that rationalizes this behavior. The estimates indicate that costly search is a key friction in financial markets, but the effects of search costs are compounded when brokers are incentivized to direct the search of consumers toward high‐fee inferior products.
Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids.

BACKGROUND In laboratory animals, the consumption of soy protein, rather than animal protein, decreases serum cholesterol concentrations, but studies in humans have been inconclusive. In this meta-analysis of 38 controlled clinical trials, we examined the relation between soy protein consumption and serum lipid concentrations in humans. METHODS We used a random-effects model to quantify the average effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids in the studies we examined and used hierarchical mixed-effects regression models to predict variation as a function of the characteristics of the studies. RESULTS In most of the studies, the intake of energy, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol was similar when the subjects ingested control and soy-containing diets; soy protein intake averaged 47 g per day. Ingestion of soy protein was associated with the following net changes in serum lipid concentrations from the concentrations reached with the control diet: total cholesterol, a decrease of 23.2 mg per deciliter (0.60 mmol per liter); 95 percent confidence interval, 13.5 to 32.9 mg per deciliter [0.35 to 0.85 mmol per liter]), or 9.3 percent; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a decrease of 21.7 mg per deciliter (0.56 mmol per liter); 95 percent confidence interval, 11.2 to 31.7 mg per deciliter [0.30 to 0.82 mmol per liter]), or 12.9 percent; and triglycerides, a decrease of 13.3 mg per deciliter (0.15 mmol per liter; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.3 to 25.7 mg per deciliter [0.003 to 0.29 mmol per liter]), or 10.5 percent. The changes in serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol concentrations were directly related to the initial serum cholesterol concentration (P < 0.001). The ingestion of soy protein was associated with a nonsignificant 2.4 percent increase in serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. CONCLUSIONS In this meta-analysis we found that the consumption of soy protein rather than animal protein significantly decreased serum concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides without significantly affecting serum HDL cholesterol concentrations.
Extracting error-related potentials from motion imagination EEG in noninvasive brain-computer interface

Brain-computer interface is a communication system for controlling a device, e.g. computer, wheelchair or robot, by human intensions, which does not depend on the brains normal output pathways of peripheral nerves and muscles but relies on the detectable signals representing responsive or intentional brain activities. This study studied the BCI system that was based on the left-right hand motion imagination (MI) from the offline analysis and online application. First of all, we designed a MI brain-computer interface (BCI) experimental paradigm with visual cues, and collected the EEG signal of the left-right hand MI in offline experiment, of which the average classification accuracy was 69.14% after analyzed. Secondly, five able-bodied subjects executed two online sessions individually, of which the average classification accuracy was 64.5% and 66.2%, respectively. The characteristics of features are mainly in the Mu (8–13Hz) and Beta (14–30Hz) frequency band with the channels of FC3, FC4, C3, C4, CP3 and CP4. Finally, we designed a new protocol to extract the error-related potentials (ErrPs). Furthermore, we also analyzed follow-up study plans that extract the ErrPs signal online in real-time used for cancelling the error command sent by BCI.