Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phase III trial of bevacizumab plus interferon alfa-2a in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (AVOREN): final analysis of overall survival.

PURPOSE A phase III trial of bevacizumab combined with interferon alfa-2a (IFN) showed significant improvements in progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Here, we report overall survival (OS) data. PATIENTS AND METHODS Six hundred forty-nine patients with previously untreated mRCC were randomly assigned to receive bevacizumab (10 mg/kg every 2 weeks) plus IFN (9 MIU subcutaneously three times a week; n = 327) or IFN plus placebo (n = 322) in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase III trial. The primary end point was OS. Final analysis of the secondary end point (PFS) was reported earlier. RESULTS Median OS was 23.3 months with bevacizumab plus IFN and 21.3 months with IFN plus placebo (unstratified hazard ratio [HR] = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.10; P = .3360; stratified HR = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.04; P = .1291). Patients (> 55%) in both arms received at least one postprotocol antineoplastic therapy, possibly confounding the OS analysis. Patients receiving postprotocol therapy including a tyrosine kinase inhibitor had longer median OS (bevacizumab plus IFN arm: 38.6 months; IFN plus placebo arm: 33.6 months; HR = 0.80; 95% CI, 0.56 to 1.13). Tolerability was similar to that reported previously. CONCLUSION Bevacizumab plus IFN is active as first-line treatment in patients with mRCC. Most patients with mRCC receive multiple lines of therapy, so considering the overall sequence of therapy when selecting first-line therapy may optimize patient benefit.
Lesions of reuniens and rhomboid thalamic nuclei impair radial maze win‐shift performance

The reuniens (Re) and rhomboid (Rh) nuclei are major sources of thalamic input to hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. We compared effects of lesions in ReRh and other parts of the midline‐intralaminar complex on tasks affected by lesions in terminal fields innervated by these nuclei, including: visuospatial reaction time (VSRT), a measure of sensory guided responding; serial VSRT, a measure of action sequence learning; and win/shift radial arm maze (RAM) measures of spatial memory. ReRh lesions affected RAM, but not VSRT or serial VSRT performance. The effects of caudal intralaminar lesions were doubly dissociated from ReRh lesions, affecting VSRT, but not RAM or serial VSRT performance. Rostral intralaminar lesions did not produce significant impairments, other than a subgroup with larger lesions that were impaired performing a delayed RAM task. Combined lesions damaging all three sites produced RAM deficits comparable to ReRh lesions and VSRT deficits comparable to caudal intralaminar lesions. Thus there was no indication that deficits produced by lesions in one site were exacerbated significantly by the cumulative effect of damage in other parts of the midline‐intralaminar complex. The effects of ReRh lesions provide evidence that these nuclei affect memory functions of hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex. The double dissociation observed between the effects of ReRh and caudal intralaminar nuclei provides evidence that different nuclei within the midline‐intralaminar complex affect distinct aspects of cognition consistent with the effects of lesions in the terminal fields they innervate. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Group II and III metabotropic glutamate receptors contribute to different aspects of visual response processing in the rat superior colliculus

1 Neurones in the superior colliculus (SC) respond to novel sensory stimuli and response habituation is a key feature of this. It is known that both ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors participate in visual responses of superficial SC neurones. A feature of Group II and Group III mGlu receptors is that they may modulate specific neural pathways, possibly via presynaptic mechanisms. However, less is known about how this may relate to functions of systems in whole animals. We have therefore investigated whether these receptors affect specific attributes of visual responses in the superficial SC. 2 Recordings were made from visually responsive neurones in anaesthetised rats, and agonists and antagonists of Group II and III mGlu receptors were applied iontophoretically at the recording site. 3 We found that application of the Group III metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist l‐2‐amino‐4‐phosphonobutyric acid (l‐AP4) produced an increase in visual response habituation, whilst Group III antagonists decreased habituation. These effects were independent of the response habituation mediated via GABAB receptors. In contrast, modulation of Group II mGlu receptors with the specific agonist LY354740 or the antagonist LY341495 did not affect response habituation, although these compounds did modulate visual responses. This suggests a specific role for Group III mGlu receptors in visual response habituation. 4 The magnitude of Group II effects was smaller during presentation of low contrast stimuli compared with high contrast stimuli. This suggests that activation of Group II receptors may be activity dependent and that these receptors can translate this into a functional effect in adapting to high contrast stimuli.
A Class-E2 wireless power transfer system with different efficiency curves

Class-E inverters and Class-E rectifiers are combined to compose isolated Class-E2 DC/DC converters to transfer power through loosely coupled inductive coils. A design method for this converter is discussed to achieve ZVS (zero-voltage switching) and ZDS (zero-derivative switching). The converter is operated in a fix-frequency and open-loop mode. Load characteristics for this converter are analyzed in graphs including the relations among output voltage, output current and efficiency. High impedance design fitting for light load and load insensitive design fitting for heavy load are introduced to get different efficiency curves, which are suitable for different load probability distribution in different applications.
A multi-frequency WIPT system with a stable communication carrier

This paper proposes a new wireless information and power transfer (WIPT) system based on frequency splitting phenomenon. Three resonant frequencies appear in a four coils WPT system within certain distance under specific circuit parameters. Noticeably, the middle resonant frequency remains constant regardless of coupling coefficient change. This advantage provides a stable carrier frequency for communication to improve performance. In the proposed system, the highest and lowest resonant frequency are taken as power carriers while the middle is assigned to carry information. The simulation results show that the new system displays desirable communication stability with the OOK modulation (500kbps) and higher power efficiency (78.33%) than previous work due to overcoupling.
A new scheme of robust image watermarking: the double watermarking algorithm

This paper is an attempt to describe the concept of double watermarking. The latter term refers to a new watermarking algorithm based on embedding mark (signature) in both spatial and multi-resolution domain. For the purpose of increasing the image watermarking robustness against attacks of an image transmission, we encode with a turbo code an image-embedded mark. This new scheme of image watermarking is able to embed 2000 bits in medical images. Results of experiments carried out on a database of 30- 256x256 pixel-sized medical images show that watermarks are robust to Noises, Filter attacks, JPEG Compression and geometric distortion such as Cropping. Results demonstrate that fidelity can be improved by incorporating a codage that is shaped into the embedding process. Other advantages of the two embedding domains are to preserve intellectual features and to secure the mark in the image. The image degradation is measured by Relative Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (RPSNR). Experimental results show that this unit of measurement is the best distortion metric witch is correlated with Human Visual System (HVS); and therefore more suitable for digital watermarking.
The application of RF technology in industry field

The peper realized high-speed transmission of product image information in industry field based on the radio technology. It successfully solved the problems, such as jamming or disturbance of 2.4 GHz frequency channel, the exorbitant power dissipation, complicated RF protocol. The paper developed the embedded software, basically realized the predetermined function.
Socioeconomic status and risk for arsenic-related skin lesions in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES Arsenic contamination of groundwater is a severe public health crisis in Bangladesh, where the population is exposed to arsenic in drinking water through tube wells used for groundwater collection. In this study, we explored the association between socioeconomic status and arsenic toxicity. METHODS We used baseline data from 11438 men and women who were recruited into the Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS), a prospective cohort study on the health effects of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh. We conducted analyses with logistic regression and generalized estimating equations. RESULTS We found a strong dose-response association with all measures of arsenic exposure and skin lesions. We also found that the effect of arsenic was modified by land ownership on a multiplicative scale, with an increased risk among non-land owners associated with well water arsenic (P=.04) and urinary total arsenic concentrations (P=.03). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides insight into potentially modifiable host characteristics and identifies factors that may effectively target susceptible population subgroups for appropriate interventions.
The application of digital pulse amplitude tonometry to the diagnostic investigation of endothelial dysfunction in men with erectile dysfunction

The application of digital pulse amplitude by fingertip peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) device in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED) has never been performed. We investigated the diagnostic value of reactive hyperaemia (RH) and augmentation index (AI) as evaluated using PAT in men with ED of any origin. A total of 40 patients underwent diagnostic investigation for ED, including dynamic penile duplex ultrasound (PDU) and PAT device. Moreover, 30 patients without ED served as controls. According to PDU cutoff at 35 cm/sec, patients were divided into vascular (n = 30) and nonvascular (n = 10) ED aetiology. Moreover, controls with (n = 10) or without (n = 20) vascular risk factors (VRFs) were studied in a separate analysis. Average RH‐PAT was not different in men with or without ED (P = 0.56) independently of VRFs. The AI was higher in men with ED compared with the controls (P < 0.0001) as well as when controlled for the presence or absence of VRFs (P < 0.0001). An inverse relationship between AI and PSV was also found (r2 = −0.72, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, an increased AI but not an impaired RH‐PAT is present in men with vascular ED independently of VRFs and may represent an early detection of vascular impairment that may precede endothelial dysfunction in populations at low risk for developing vascular ED.
Study of underfill material for fine pitch Cu pillar bump

Underfill (UF) is an important process in flip-chip packaging because of significant impact on the reliability of the IC's package. For three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) demand, fin e pit ch an d fine gap are the market trend in the future due to t he requirements of functionality and performance in electronic device. In this study, a two die stacking, with Cu pillar bumps area of multiple pitches, joint by thermal-compress ion bon ding without flux has been demonstrated in chip on chip fashion. The maximum standoff height after micro bump joint is less than 25 um. Because of different pitch and fine gap structure, underfill dispensing becomes a challenge process for 3DIC stacking. Two different types of underfill were chosen to study in this paper. UF-A has higher viscosity and better stress simulation than UF-B. Different dispensing design were also studied in this paper, and the mechanism of underfill flowing property was determined by scanning acoustic tomograph (SAT) for comparing the effect of dispensing parameter and material.
BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF TWIN PREGNANCY IN DUNDEE

A review is presented of 712 twin pregnancies which occurred in Dundee between 1956 and 1971. It shows a falling age of twin reproduction, a changing ratio of mono‐ to dizygosity and the poor growth rates of both types. Birth weight variations suggest that “crowding” in the uterus may affect the individual growth of each twin, but the combined weight of twins continues to increase to term and shows no obvious sign of restriction.
Beneficial effects of legumes on parameters of the metabolic syndrome: a systematic review of trials in animal models

Abstract Legume consumption plays a pivotal role in the prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). This systematic review aimed to highlight the beneficial effects of legume interventions for the prevention and/or improvement of parameters related to the MetS and the implicated metabolic pathways so far reported. The methodology involved a search in four electronic databases (Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library) from January 2007 to December 2014, considering as descriptors ‘Metabolic Syndrome’ and ‘Fabaceae’ and adequately adjusting the equation in each one of them. In total, forty-one studies were finally included. The majority of the studies described a regulating effect on glucose and lipid metabolism due to legume administration, whereas effects on blood pressure and renal parameters are not fully described. Regarding the metabolic pathways involved, they include the up-regulation of genes related to β-oxidation and acetyl-CoA degradation and the down-regulation of glycolytic and lipogenesis genes, as well as those associated with the acetyl-CoA synthesis. The ameliorating effects of legume consumption on the alterations associated with the MetS are clearly reported and coincide with changes in the expression of protein and genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. More research needs to be conducted including more legume species that are highly consumed as part of a healthy dietary pattern.
Predicting energy expenditure in elders with the metabolic cost of activities.

INTRODUCTION Measuring free-living energy expenditure in aging human is a considerable challenge. The objective of this study was to predict total energy expenditure (TEE) in elders by combining the metabolic cost of activities and accelerometer outputs. METHODS Seventeen elders (7 women, 10 men) aged 60 to 78 yr were recruited. Body composition was measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry. Doubly labeled water was used as the criterion standard to measure TEE on a 7-d time frame. During the same period, participants wore a uniaxial accelerometer (Caltrac) to estimate TEE. Resting metabolic rate and metabolic costs of sitting, standing, and walking (1, 3, and 5 km·h(-1)) were measured by indirect calorimetry. RESULTS There was no correlation between Caltrac's outputs and doubly labeled water measurement of TEE. The best predictors of TEE were fat-free mass, the metabolic cost of standing, and the metabolic cost of walking at 3 km·h(-1) (r = 0.78, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that TEE may be estimated with good accuracy using fat-free mass, the cost of standing still, and the cost of walking at 3 km·h(-1). These predictors are easy to measure in older adults. Further work is needed to confirm our findings and develop prediction equation with these parameters.
Network forensics: Today and tomorrow

Whenever Intrusion is detected over the internet a network forensic is used to capture, record all the evidence, maintain documentation, and lastly perform analysis. It collects all the evidence and preserves them for future analysis. Original evidences are stored in the evidence locker and analysis is performing on the duplicate copy of the data. Network forensic collect dynamic information but digital forensic collect volatile and static information. Network forensic proposed various network forensics analysis tools (NFATs), which provides network security and it detects intrusion and send alert message to their corresponding client and servers. A honeytrap tool is used to identify intruder and collect essential information from the intruder. Different framework is used to reconstruct the network trace. However, it is difficult to trace the intruder activity. In this paper, we deal with different tools and different framework that provides network security.
Cyclin D1 Expression Is Regulated Positively by the p42/p44MAPK and Negatively by the p38/HOGMAPK Pathway*

We have previously shown that the persistent activation of p42/p44MAPK is required to pass the G1 restriction point in fibroblasts (Pagès, G., Lenormand, P., L'Allemain, G., Chambard, J. C., Meloche, S., and Pouysségur, J. (1993) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 90, 8319-8323) and postulated that MAPKs control the activation of G1 cyclin-dependent complexes. We examined the mitogen-dependent induction of cyclin D1 expression, one of the earliest cell cycle-related events to occur during the G0/G1 to S-phase transition, as a potential target of MAPK regulation. Effects exerted either by the p42/p44MAPK or the p38/HOGMAPK cascade on the regulation of cyclin D1 promoter activity or cyclin D1 expression were compared in CCL39 cells, using a co-transfection procedure. We found that inhibition of the p42/p44MAPK signaling by expression of dominant-negative forms of either mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (MKK1) or p44MAPK, or by expression of the MAP kinase phosphatase, MKP-1, strongly inhibited expression of a reporter gene driven by the human cyclin D1 promoter as well as the endogenous cyclin D1 protein. Conversely, activation of this signaling pathway by expression of a constitutively active MKK1 mutant dramatically increased cyclin D1 promoter activity and cyclin D1 protein expression, in a growth factor-independent manner. Moreover, the use of a CCL39-derived cell line that stably expresses an inducible chimera of the estrogen receptor fused to a constitutively active Raf-1 mutant (ΔRaf-1:ER) revealed that in absence of growth factors, activation of the Raf > MKK1 > p42/p44MAPK cascade is sufficient to fully induce cyclin D1. In marked contrast, the p38MAPK cascade showed an opposite effect on the regulation of cyclin D1 expression. In cells co-expressing high levels of the p38MAPK kinase (MKK3) together with the p38MAPK, a significant inhibition of mitogen-induced cyclin D1 expression was observed. Furthermore, inhibition of p38MAPK activity with the specific inhibitor, SB203580, enhanced cyclin D1 transcription and protein level. Altogether, these results support the notion that MAPK cascades drive specific cell cycle responses to extracellular stimuli, at least in part, through the modulation of cyclin D1 expression and associated cdk activities.
Formal Modelling and Verification of Hybrid Systems by Hybrid Relational Approach

Hybrid systems arise in real-time and embedded control systems with the interactions emerged between continuous physical environment and discrete digital controllers. In this paper, we propose an approach for the verification of hybrid systems which are constructed by a hybrid parallel modelling language, where the interaction between the controller and the environment is synchronized by signals. The proof rules with respect to the modelling language are illustrated in the style of Hoare triples. For an application of our approach, a water tank model is produced as a sequential hybrid model, then we verify the model with the satisfiability according to a design requirement. Moreover, for parallel hybrid model, a case of subway control system involving overlapping metro lines is presented and verified with respect to the collision avoidance requirement.
Short Term Spectrum Trading in Future LTE Based Cognitive Radio Systems

Market means of spectrum trading have been utilized as a vital method of spectrum sharing and access in future cognitive radio system. In this paper, we consider the spectrum trading with multiple primary carrier providers (PCP) leasing the spectrum to multiple secondary carrier providers (SCP) for a short period of time. Several factors including the price of the resource, duration of leasing, and the spectrum quality guides the proposed model. We formulate three trading policies based on the game theory for dynamic spectrum access in a LTE based cognitive radio system (CRS). In the first, we consider utility function based resource sharing (UFRS) without any knowledge of past transaction. In the second policy, each SCP deals with PCP using a non-cooperative resource sharing (NCRS) method which employs optimal strategy based on reinforcement learning. In variation of second policy, third policy adopts a Nash bargaining while incorporating a recommendation entity in resource sharing (RERS). The simulation results suggest overall increase in throughput while maintaining higher spectrum efficiency and fairness.
Gastric permeability in celiac disease.

demonstration of a gastric mucosa tight to sucrose yet. Lactulose likewise passes the gastric mucosa but in a variable manner (duodenal: median, 0.5% [range, 0.22‐1.33] vs. oral: median, 1.32% [range, for sucrose determination; we compared this method with an HPLC 0.15‐1.96]; Pu 0.10). Therefore, no significant results in lactulose method with an electrochemical detector and found equivalent results. could be shown and these data were omitted. The contact time to We therefore believe that none of the arguments or hypotheses the intestinal mucosa would have been reduced for lactulose and posed by Cox et al. are justified or proven. Further in vivo or in vitro sucrose in the same way by intraduodenal application of the test tests of gastric permeability in celiac patients will clarify the issue. solution. H. VOGELSANG, M.D.