Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A randomized trial comparing preoperative chemotherapy plus surgery with surgery alone in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND The efficacy of surgery for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer is limited, although recent studies suggest that preoperative chemotherapy may improve survival. We conducted a randomized trial to examine the possible benefit of preoperative chemotherapy and surgery for the treatment of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. METHODS We studied 60 patients (59 men and 1 woman) with stage IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either surgery alone or three courses of chemotherapy (6 mg of mitomycin per square meter of body-surface area, 3 g of ifosfamide per square meter, and 50 mg of cisplatin per square meter) given intravenously at three-week intervals and followed by surgery. All patients received mediastinal radiation after surgery. The resected tumors were evaluated by means of K-ras oncogene analysis and flow cytometry. RESULTS The median period of survival was 26 months in the patients treated with chemotherapy plus surgery, as compared with 8 months in the patients treated with surgery alone (P < 0.001); the median period of disease-free survival was 20 months in the former group, as compared with 5 months in the latter (P < 0.001). The rate of recurrence was 56 percent in the group treated with chemotherapy plus surgery and 74 percent in the group treated with surgery alone. The prevalence of mutated K-ras oncogenes was 15 percent among the patients receiving preoperative chemotherapy and 42 percent among those treated with surgery alone (P = 0.05). Most of the patients treated with chemotherapy plus surgery had tumors that consisted of diploid cells, whereas the patients treated with surgery alone had tumors with aneuploid cells. CONCLUSIONS Preoperative chemotherapy increases the median survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.
Evidence for a Role for the Adaptive Immune Response in Human Term Parturition

Spontaneous labor at term involves leukocyte recruitment and infiltration into the choriodecidua; yet, characterization of these leukocytes and their immunological mediators is incomplete. The purpose of this study was to characterize the immunophenotype of choriodecidual leukocytes as well as the expression of inflammatory mediators in human spontaneous parturition at term.
Ethyl pyruvate decreases sepsis-induced acute renal failure and multiple organ damage in aged mice.

BACKGROUND Sepsis is a common cause of acute renal failure (ARF). The incidence of sepsis increases dramatically after 50 years of age; however, most ARF studies are performed in young mice. METHODS We performed two common sepsis models, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration and cecal ligation puncture (CLP) in aged mice. We developed a fully treated CLP model in aged mice by treating mice with fluid resuscitation and antibiotics. RESULTS LPS induced renal injury in aged but not young mice. However, volume resuscitation starting within 6 hours decreased renal injury. We then used this fluid resuscitation scheme, along with antibiotics, to develop a fully treated CLP model in aged mice. Mice subjected to CLP developed functional and histologic ARF and multiple organ damage. Treatment with ethyl pyruvate, even when started 12 hours after surgery, decreased serum creatinine, tubular damage, and multiple organ injury at 24 hours. Ethyl pyruvate decreased plasma tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and kidney mRNA for TNF alpha, tissue factor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and increased mRNA for urokinase-like plasminogen activator. CONCLUSION CLP in aged mice causes functional and histologic changes consistent with human ARF. A single dose of ethyl pyruvate inhibits renal and multiple organ damage, and is still effective when given 12 hours after surgery.
Identification and Analysis of Dominant Electromigration Failure Modes in Copper/Low-K Dual Damascene Interconnects

We investigate the electromigration-induced void morphologies that dominate the reliability of Cu/low-k dual damascene vias. We observe that while voids form in both the upper and lower metal levels during electromigration stress, slit-type voids underneath vias fundamentally dominate the reliability of vias. Early failure distributions are common-place for Cu dual-damascene vias, and we show that multi-link structures are a necessary and efficient means to ensure that all potential voiding modes are characterized during accelerated testing. Additionally we find via reliability is a function of width of the stripe attached to vias, and electromigration must be investigated across a wide width range to ensure that the limiting geometry is correctly identified
Bone mineral density in women with idiopathic hirsutism

Idiopathic hirsutism is relatively uncommon, affecting approximately 6% of hirsute women. In the present study we compared the bone mineral density (BMD) of women with idiopathic hirsutism with controls. A group of 20 women diagnosed with idiopathic hirsutism was evaluated with respect to BMD and the findings were compared to those of a control group consisting of 10 normal women. Hirsutism was graded according to the Ferriman-Gallwey score and threshold was considered to be a score more than 4. There was no statistically significant difference with respect to patients' mean age, BMI and body fat composition. Serum levels of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), androstenedione, testosterone, free testosterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and estradiol were assessed in both groups and no statistically significant differences were found. There was no statistically significant difference with respect to bone turnover – which was evaluated by determining the serum levels of parathyroid hormone, calcium, alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin as well as the urinary secretion of calcium and hydroxyproline, corrected for the creatinine values – between the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed using the t test for unpaired data to compare age, BMD and biochemical data, and Wilcoxon's rank test was used to compare physical activity and calcium intake. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. The BMD at the level of the 2nd to 4th lumbar vertebrae (L2-L4) and the total BMD were higher in women with idiopathic hirsutism compared to those in the control group, suggesting a possible direct effect of androgens on the osseous tissue of hirsute women.
Patients' conceptions of how the spiritual dimension is addressed in mental health care: a qualitative study.

AIM This paper reports a study to describe patients' conceptions of how the spiritual dimension is addressed in mental health care. BACKGROUND Spirituality is a broad concept, and is highly subjective, multidimensional and difficult to define. Spirituality and religiousness are two separate concepts but have several common features. In mental health care, it is essential that nursing care be built on a holistic view, and the spiritual dimension has an important function in nursing care. The notion of spirituality is full of nuances, and in a multi-cultural society patients express their spirituality in different ways. METHOD Data were collected by interviewing 12 strategically selected patients in mental health care and analysed according to a qualitative method inspired by the phenomenographic approach. The data were collected in 2003 in Sweden. FINDINGS Three descriptive categories emerged: patients wish to have their spiritual needs addressed; patients must see to it that their spiritual needs are addressed; patients lack confidence in nurses with regard to discussing spirituality. The findings show that patients actively sought the assistance of nurses to meet their spiritual needs. They turned their thoughts inwards and found community with other patients, while nurses often avoided addressing the spiritual dimension. CONCLUSION Nurses should work actively to seek new knowledge about how they can address patients' spiritual needs. It is also important that there be scope for discussing and reflecting on spiritual questions at the workplace. Additional research is needed to explore how knowledge about spirituality should be implemented in mental health care and nursing education.
The Effects of Vasopressin on Systemic and Splanchnic Hemodynamics and Metabolism in Endotoxin Shock

We compared the effects of vasopressin and norepinephrine on systemic and splanchnic circulation and metabolism in endotoxin shock in pigs. Twenty-one pigs were randomized to endotoxin shock (Escherichia coli endotoxin infusion) (n = 6), endotoxin and vasopressin (VASO; n = 6), endotoxin and norepinephrine (NE; n = 6), and controls (n = 3). Endotoxin infusion was increased to induce hypotension, after which vasopressin or norepinephrine was started to keep systemic mean arterial blood pressure >70 mm Hg. Regional blood flows and arterial and regional lactate concentrations were measured. Tonometers with microdialysis capillaries were inserted into the stomach, jejunum, and colon. Systemic mean arterial blood pressure >70 mm Hg was achieved in the VASO and NE groups. Vasopressin decreased cardiac output, superior mesenteric artery, and portal vein blood flow, whereas hepatic arterial blood flow increased. Arterial lactate concentration increased from 2.0 mM (1.6–2.1 mM) to 4.7 mM (4.7–4.9 mM) (P = 0.007). Systemic and mesenteric oxygen delivery and consumption decreased and oxygen extraction increased in the VASO group. Vasopressin increased mucosal-arterial Pco2 gradients in all three locations, whereas luminal lactate release occurred only in the jejunum. Animals in the NE group remained stable. Vasopressin reversed hypotension but decreased systemic and gut blood flow. This was associated with hyperlactatemia, signs of visceral dysoxia, and jejunal luminal lactate release.
Early Interactions of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli and Bean Roots: Specificity in the Process of Adsorption and Its Requirement of Ca(sup2+) and Mg(sup2+) Ions

Roots of Phaseolus vulgaris L. were incubated with dilute suspensions (1 x 10(sup3) to 3 x 10(sup3) bacteria ml(sup-1)) of an antibiotic-resistant indicator strain of Rhizobium leguminosarum bv. phaseoli in mineral medium and washed four times by a standardized procedure prior to quantitation of adsorption (G. Caetano-Anolles and G. Favelukes, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 52:371-376, 1986). The population of rhizobia remaining adsorbed on roots after washing was homogeneous, as indicated by the first-order course of its desorption by hydrodynamic shear. Rhizobia were maximally active for adsorption in the early stationary phase of growth. The process leading to adsorption was rapid, without an initial lag, and slowed down after 1 h. Adsorption of the indicator strain at 10(sup3) bacteria ml(sup-1) was inhibited to different extents in the presence of 10(sup3) to 10(sup8) antibiotic-sensitive competitor rhizobia ml(sup-1). After a steep rise above 10(sup4) bacteria ml(sup-1), inhibition by heterologous competitors in the concentration range of 10(sup5) to 10(sup7) bacteria ml(sup-1) was markedly less than by homologous strains, while at 10(sup8) bacteria ml(sup-1) it approached the high level of inhibition by the latter. At 10(sup7) bacteria ml(sup-1), all of the heterologous strains tested were consistently less inhibitory than homologous competitors (P < 0.001). These differences in competitive behavior indicate that in the process of adsorption of R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli to its host bean roots, different modes of adsorption occur and that some of these modes are specific for the microsymbiont (as previously reported for the alfalfa system [G. Caetano-Anolles and G. Favelukes, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 52:377-381, 1986]). Moreover, whereas the nonspecific process occurred either in the absence or in the presence of Ca(sup2+) and Mg(sup2+) ions, expression of specificity was totally dependent on the presence of those cations. R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli bacteria adsorbed in the presence of Ca(sup2+) and Mg(sup2+) were more resistant to desorption by shear forces than were rhizobia adsorbed in their absence. These results indicate that (i) symbiotic specificity in the P. vulgaris-R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli system is expressed already during the early process of rhizobial adsorption to roots, (ii) Ca(sup2+) and Mg(sup2+) ions are required by R. leguminosarum bv. phaseoli for that specificity, and (iii) those cations cause tighter binding of rhizobia to roots.
Time Estimation in Humans: Effects of Ambient Illumination and Sex

7 male and 7 female college students made estimations of 15-sec. intervals in conditions of dark, low and high ambient illumination. Analysis of variance showed significant effects of illumination and illumination by sex. Increased light levels shortened time estimation except for males under high light intensity. Results are discussed in terms of arousal theory and the relevance of these factors in research on time estimation.
Production of the HIV-Suppressive Chemokines CCL3/MIP-1α and CCL22/MDC Is Associated with More Effective Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-Infected Children

Background: Certain CC chemokines including ligands for the HIV-1 coreceptor CCR5 are associated with suppression of HIV-1 infection. Whether the release of these chemokines from lymphocytes influences treatment outcome in children receiving antiretroviral therapy is not known. Methods: A study of 175 HIV-infected children in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil was conducted to compare clinical measures and HIV-suppressive chemokine release. Clinical measures including %CD4+ T cells, viral loads, and antiretroviral drug-resistant mutations were obtained. Chemokine release was measured in cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells collected from 135 children before or after receiving therapy. Chemokine levels were compared between subject groups stratified according to clinical measures and treatment regimen (1–2, 3–4, or no antiretrovirals) extant at the time of cell sample collection. Results: Mean viral loads did not vary significantly between treatment groups although there were significant differences in %CD4+ T cells. Virus from children taking 3–4 antiretrovirals had significantly more drug-resistant mutations than did virus from those receiving 1–2 drugs. Among antiretroviral-treated children, there was a significant direct relationship between %CD4+ T cells and MIP-1α/CCL3 and macrophage-derived chemokine/CCL22 production. In addition, there was a significant inverse relationship between viral load and MIP-1α production in patients receiving 3–4 antiretrovirals. Greater recovery of %CD4+ T cells after therapy was associated with higher MIP-1α and macrophage-derived chemokine production at baseline. Conclusions: The production of HIV-suppressive chemokines is associated with better outcome in children receiving antiretroviral regimens in settings where drug-resistant mutations are prevalent. Such information may provide insights for the design of treatment strategies for pediatric HIV infection under similar circumstances.
Wi-Fi Coordinated WiGig Concurrent Transmissions in Random Access Scenarios

About 60-GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) unlicensed frequency band is considered as a key enabler for future multi-Gbps WLANs. IEEE 802.11ad (WiGig) standard has been ratified for 60-GHz wireless local area networks (WLANs) by only considering the use case of peer to peer (P2P) communication coordinated by a single WiGig access point (AP). However, due to 60-GHz fragile channel, multiple number of WiGig APs should be installed to fully cover a typical target environment. Nevertheless, the exhaustive search beamforming training and the maximum received power-based autonomous users association prevent WiGig APs from establishing optimal WiGig concurrent links using random access. In this paper, we formulate the problem of WiGig concurrent transmissions in random access scenarios as an optimization problem, and then we propose a greedy scheme based on (2.4/5 GHz) Wi-Fi/(60 GHz) WiGig coordination to find out a suboptimal solution for it. In the proposed WLAN, the wide coverage Wi-Fi band is used to provide the control signalling required for launching the high date rate WiGig concurrent links. Besides, statistical learning using Wi-Fi fingerprinting is utilized to estimate the suboptimal candidate AP along with its suboptimal beam direction for establishing the WiGig concurrent link without causing interference to the existing WiGig data links while maximizing the total system throughput. Numerical analysis confirms the high impact of the proposed Wi-Fi/WiGig coordinated WLAN.
Human Capital, Growth, and Asset Prices

Human capital investment is one of the most important drivers of growth. In this paper, I enhance the endogenous growth model of Kung and Schmid (2015) by an educational choice decision of the household. The engine of growth in the extended model is a composite of firm-side R&D capital stock and a household-side human capital stock. As households are able to allocate their time to labor, leisure and educational activities, the model allows to simultaneously study labor and education choices. The parameters of the non-linear model can be estimated by advanced Bayesian methods, allowing to study the return on human capital conditional on the data.
Hybrid Incompatibilities, Local Adaptation, and the Genomic Distribution of Natural Introgression between Species

Under allopatric speciation, geographic barriers eliminate gene flow between eventual species at all loci in the genome simultaneously. There is increasing evidence, however, that speciation can be complex, with some loci experiencing gene flow during speciation or during bouts of secondary contact. In taxa with heteromorphic sex chromosomes—birds, butterflies, mammals, and Drosophila—the X (or Z) chromosome generally shows reduced levels of gene flow compared to autosomes. To investigate why, we develop population genetic models of secondary contact and gene flow at a neutral locus that is genetically linked to selected loci involved in hybrid incompatibilities and/or local adaptation. Using models that assume weak migration and strong selection, we compare gene flow at X-linked versus autosomal neutral loci as a function of linkage, dominance, sex-specific selection, and sex-specific recombination. For most cases, gene flow at neutral loci on the X is reduced relative to autosomes, as the greater efficacy of hemizygous selection in XY hybrids reduces the opportunity for neutral migrant alleles to escape their genetically linked, locally disfavored alleles via recombination. There are some circumstances, however, involving sex-limited selection and sex-limited recombination that allow neutral loci on the X to introgress more readily than those on autosomes.
Implementing pay-for-performance in primary health care: the role of institutional entrepreneurs

Abstract Institutional entrepreneurs are vital for facilitating non-incremental health policy change in complex institutional settings where established traditions and practices carry considerable weight. This paper describes a comparative case study of health policy-making which shows that Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework for non-incremental policy change requires enhancement to explain results in policy-making in two Westminster unitary majoritarian jurisdictions. The most similar systems comparative study found that historical, rational choice, organisational and discursive institutionalist approaches explained the policy change and variation observed better than agency-based approaches did. However, institutional entrepreneurs were important in both cases. Differences in coordinative discourse help to explain the differences in degree of change achieved in each case study and highlight the importance of discursive institutionalist approaches in bridging institutional and agency-based approaches.
Prostate-specific antigen corrected for prostate volume improves differentiation of benign prostatic hyperplasia and organ-confined prostatic cancer.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the ratio of PSA and prostate volume provides additional useful information for the discrimination of benign prostatic hyperplasia from prostatic carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS Since 1989, a prospective study has been in progress involving 229 patients (49 with locally confined prostatic carcinoma, 180 with benign prostatic hyperplasia) to establish whether the ratio of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate volume, determined by transrectal ultrasound (longitudinal x anterior-posterior x transverse diameter x 0.52), allows a better differentiation than the absolute PSA values. RESULTS In this population of patients with prostatic disease, the positive predictive value for diagnosis of a prostatic carcinoma was 26% with an absolute PSA threshold value of 4.0 ng/ml, and 36% at a threshold value of 10 ng/ml. With a threshold value of the PSA/prostate volume ratio of 0.25 ng/(ml x cm3), the positive predictive value was 56% compared with 93% for a threshold value of 0.4 ng/(ml x cm3). CONCLUSION The ratio PSA/prostate volume is a superior method for the diagnosis of prostatic carcinoma both with regard to its sensitivity and its specificity in patients with absolute PSA values in excess of 4 ng/ml.
Complications of Intrathecal Baclofen Pumps in Children

Intrathecal baclofen is increasingly being used to manage severe spasticity in children. Although substantial tone reduction with this treatment has been documented, complications also occur. In this study, we describe the device- and major non-device-related complications in a group of 100 consecutive children and young adults who received 117 intrathecal baclofen pumps for the management of severe spasticity. Twenty-four patients (24%) experienced a total of 48 complications. The most common complication was disconnection of the catheter at its connection to the pump, occurring in 9% of pumps implanted. This complication occurred more frequently in pumps with catheter access ports (16%) than in those without ports (2%). Catheter dislodgement from the intrathecal space was the next most common complication, occurring in 8% of pumps implanted (13% of pumps with ports, 4% of pumps without ports). To decrease the occurrence of the most common complications of intrathecal pumps, we now typically implant pumps without catheter access ports, and we use 2-piece catheters. Although the lack of an access port may be a disadvantage for troubleshooting, most complications can be detected in pumps without a port. Patient and family education is critical in preventing serious consequences of baclofen withdrawal resulting from catheter-related complications.
Convergence and Divergence: the Federalization of Belgian Equality Policies

The development of an asymmetrical federal structure profoundly changed the institutional setting for Belgian gender equality policies. This contribution assesses the influence of this process on the development of the Belgian women's policy agencies and its gender equality policies. It argues that while the characteristics of the Belgian federal system—its asymmetrical structure and dual, centrifugal nature—stimulate the development of diverging structures, the nature of the issue—the cross-cutting character of gender inequality, the hegemonic approach to gender inequality—and the absence of national civil society actors push towards a convergence of policy approaches across different policy-making institutions.