Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Renal cell carcinoma drug and cell therapy: today and tomorrow

Renal cell drug and cell Abstract Today, considerable progress in the renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treatment has been made due to development of target­ ed and immunotherapeutic approaches to the RCC treatment, especially in metastasising carcinoma. In the early stages of RCC, it is possible to use partial or total surgical nephrectomy, but in metastases development, the range of efficient treatment methods is dramatically limited. Appearance of targeted drugs like PD-1 and CTLA-4 receptors and their ligands’ inhibitors in clinical practice has significantly increased the total survival rate of patients with renal cell car­ cinoma. Emergence of adoptive cell therapy has opened new possibilities and prospects in RCC treatment. Previously activated in vitro cells are used there, which provides antineoplastic activity. For example, it could be antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL), lymphokine-activated natural killers (LAK-NK-cells) and tumour-infiltrating lym­ phocytes (TILs). In this review, the authors specified the main molecular markers, associated with RCC; and signalling pathways (VEGFR- and EGFR-signalling pathway), which directly take part in carcinogenesis. The paper also looks at clinically applicable targeted immune drugs and the principle of their effect on tumorous cells. Besides, modern clinical studies of cell drugs have been considered. At the moment, there are a number of variants of targeted and immune drugs for the metastatic RCC treatment. Patients have no opportunity to use all the available agents because of their cost and toxicity level. For the most efficient treatment of patients with diagnosed metastatic RCC, it is necessarily to carry out risk stratification and prognostic factors for the response to treatment.
Heller-Pinotti, a modified partial fundoplication associated with myotomy to treat achalasia: technical and final results from 445 patients

Aim: The need for an antireflux procedure after myotomy is no longer as controversial as it used to be. However, the choice of the best fundoplication after myotomy is still controversial. The authors present the results of laparoscopic myotomies associated with postero-latero-anterior fundoplications (Heller-Pinotti). Methods: Medical records and endoscopic findings were reviewed for achalasia patients that had submitted to the procedure following 5 years of followup. Results: In total, 445 patients were enrolled: 39 (8.7%) presented erosive esophagitis, the Los Angeles classification being A-21, B-12, C-2 and D-4 (2 with peptic substenosis and 2 Barret); 41 (9.2%) patients had dysphagia, 4 needed reinterventions; 49 (11%) presented a migration of the fundoplication wrap to the thorax due to hiatal hernia, this was correlated with a higher risk of present erosive esophagitis (P = 0.047) and dysphagia (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Laparoscopy myotomy postero-latero-anterior fundoplication (Heller-Pinotti) produces a good long-term outcome for dealing with dysphagia and in terms of reflux prevention.
The evolution of pedipalps and glandular hairs as predatory devices in harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones)

Pedipalps are the most versatile appendages of arachnids. They can be equipped with spines (Amblypygi), chelae (Scorpiones), or adhesive pads (Solifugae), all of which are modifications to grasp and handle fast-moving prey. Harvestmen (Opiliones) show a high diversity of pedipalpal morphologies. Some are obviously related to prey capture, like the enlargement and heavy spination of Laniatores pedipalps. Many Dyspnoi, by contrast, exhibit thin, thread-like pedipalps that are covered with complex glandular setae (clavate setae). These extrude viscoelastic glue that is used to immobilize prey items. Comparable setae (plumose setae) have previously been found in representatives of both Eupnoi and Dyspnoi, yet comprehensive data on their distribution are lacking. This study examined the distribution and ultrastructure of glandular setae in harvestmen and related them to pedipalpal morphology. Pedipalpal and setal characters were analysed in a phylogenetic framework. We found that glandular setae are synapomorphic for and widespread in the Palpatores clade (Eupnoi plus Dyspnoi). Their occurrence correlates with pedipalp morphology and feeding habit. Remnants of arthropod cuticular structures or secretions, frequently found attached to glandular setae, and behavioural observations, underlined the importance of the setae for capturing and securing prey. We hypothesize that glandular setae evolved as an adaptation to capture small and agile prey, which are hard to catch with a capture basket. Details of ultrastructure indicate that the setae are derived sensilla chaetica, with both a secretory and sensory function. Derived ultrastructural characters of the glandular setae, such as slit-like channel openings and a globular arrangement of the microtrichia, may increase their effectiveness. The functional role of further pedipalpal modifications, such as apophyses, stalked and hyperbendable joints, and curved segments, as well as sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic polymorphism, are discussed. Some implications of the results obtained for the taxonomic treatment of Phalangiidae are also discussed. These results shed new light on the biology and evolutionary history of this fascinating group of arthropods.
Rate dependence of the I Na -I KI complex on human ventricular conduction velocity under hypokalemia and hyperkalemia conditions

Conduction velocity (CV) heterogeneities are a long established pro-arrhythmic substrate in cardiac disease, including atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathies. One mechanism for generating dispersion of electrical conduction is conduction slowing in myocardial tissue. The rate dependent interactions of the I no -I ki ion channel complex on human ventricular CV are studied using an in-silico model. Two response domains of myocardial tissue are found. There exists a slow frequency of pacing domain (1 Hz), where CV is largely governed by the I Na channel alone. In the fast frequency domain (3.3 Hz), I K1 plays a more dominant role in ventricular CV. The simulation results suggest that, under arrhythmogenic conditions, the upper limit of the CV is governed by the fast sodium to inwardly rectifying potassium channel conductivity ratio. The role of these two channels in determining the CV is further investigated under hypokalemic and hyperkalemic conditions. A marked decrease in human ventricular CV during mild hyperkalemia and a bi-phasic response during a hypokalemic episode were found. Additionally, I K1 is found to lose its role in governing CV under severe hypokalemic conditions, whilst I Na channel conductivity is found to be crucial in all the considered scenarios.
Does coastal topography constrain marine biogeography at an oceanographic interface

Our understanding of the physical factors driving fine-scale structuring of marine biodiversity remains incomplete. Recent studies have hypothesised that oceanography and coastal geometry interact to influence marine biogeographic structure on small spatial scales. The coastal waters of eastern Tasmania, located at the oceanographic interface between two major boundary current systems (the East Australia Current (EAC) and the Leeuwin Current (LC)) represent an informative system for assessing this hypothesis. Parallel biogeographic and oceanographic analyses, focusing on the relative abundance of two widespread, larval-dispersed Nerita gastropods, suggest that the relative influences of the EAC and LC at this interface are modulated by coastal topographical variation. Specifically, east-facing coastalsitesaredominatedbytheEAC-derivedN.melanotragus,whereassouth-facingbaysaredominatedbyLC-derived N.atramentosa. Thesecombinedoceanographicandbiologicaldataimplythatcoastaltopographyandhydrodynamicscan combine to influence the local distributions and abundances of planktotrophic-developing taxa at coastal convergence zones. Additional keywords: boundary current, climate change, connectivity, conservation, dispersal, invasion, marine invertebrate, marine protected areas (MPAs), recruitment.
Noise Levels in a Medical Intensive Care Unit

This study was undertaken to investigate and analyze noise pollution in a large Chinese governmental hospital’s medical intensive care unit and compare to the WHO guidelines.This cross-sectional study was conducted in a MICU at a public governmental teaching hospital in Fujian province between July and August of 2017. A WENSN® WS1361 Integrated Sound Level Meter (China) was used for continuous every five seconds one week noise levels recording. After this measurement, the decibel meter was used for recording different location of isolation rooms and open bays, including occupied and unoccupied patient, and recording sound events occurs in the ICU to identify sources of noise. Peak and average noise levels were obtained from the meter, and data were downloaded from the WS1361 into a laptop computer. The measured mean equivalent sound pressure levels (L) and standard Aeq deviation over one week period were 66.64±7.57 dB(A), with acute spikes reaching 119.7 dB(A), the average sound level for a 24 hour period in a work day was 68.03±5.07 dB(A). These are higher than the current daytime environmental noise limit of 40-45 decibels in China and WHO. Mean work day noise was significantly louder than weekend time, there was a significant difference in work days and weekend (t=16.85;P=0.000). There was a statistical difference between the day time and night time shifts (t=34.67;P=0.000). The isolation rooms were significantly quieter than the open-bay rooms(t=46.15; p=0.00), sound levels in the occupied and unoccupied rooms also had significant difference(t=17.26; P=0.000). Two types of noise resources, including twenty kinds sources were identified and measured, mean noise levels ranged from of 61.33 to 79.21 dB(A). This study shows noise levels in intensive care units were exceeded the recommended. The study of the influence of noise on patient and staff is needed, and noise reduction strategies must be conduct in ICU.
Antibiotic mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles with potent antimicrobial activity and their application in antimicrobial coatings

We report a one-pot synthesis of spherical gold nanoparticles (52–22 nm) and their capping with cefaclor, a second-generation antibiotic, without use of other chemicals. The differently sized gold nanoparticles were fabricated by controlling the rate of reduction of gold ions in aqueous solution by varying the reaction temperature (20–70 °C). The primary amine group of cefaclor acted as both the reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles leaving the β-lactam ring of cefaclor available for activity against microbes. Antimicrobial testing showed that cefaclor reduced gold nanoparticles have potent antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria as compared to cefaclor or gold nanoparticles alone. The minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) of cefaclor reduced gold nanoparticles were 10 µg mL−1 and 100 µg mL−1 for S. aureus and E. coli respectively. The cefaclor reduced gold nanoparticles were further coated onto poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) modified glass surfaces to obtain antimicrobial coatings suitable for biomedical applications and were tested against E. coli as an exemplar of activity. The antimicrobial coatings were very robust under adverse conditions (pH 3 and 10), inhibited the growth of E. coli on their surfaces, and could be used many times with retained activity. Results from a combined spectroscopic (FTIR) and microscopic study (AFM) suggest that the action of these novel particles is through the combined action of cefaclor inhibiting the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer and gold nanoparticles generating “holes” in bacterial cell walls thereby increasing the permeability of the cell wall, resulting in the leakage of cell contents and eventually cell death.
PD1/PDL-1 Inhibitors: Emerging Hope for Bladder Cancer

Advanced bladder cancer (BC) has a poor prognosis with historically limited therapeutic options. Immunotherapy has emerged as a viable option for patients with advanced bladder cancer in the second line setting. Immune check point inhibitors have shown promising results in management of this disease. In this review we will discuss the recently evolving role of anti PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (programmed cell death protein-1 and programmed death ligand-1) for managing this disease.
Images Classification and Feature Extraction by Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ( UAV ’ s )

The classification method used in this research work is one in which a common set of features are used jointly in a single decision step. The classification analyses are chosen during experimental steps; planning the classification optimizes the data and enables conditions to be classified with the single run of the decision. This paper presents the classification of the terrain images; which are divided in to patches of same size and each patch is classified as either possessing features of interest or possesses no features of interest at all. As the classification method used is a single decision step method; in order to have a good classifier performance, a number of experiments are performed on several images with varying conditions; each experiment on an image is done and considered independently. Experimental results are presented using real images, the result clearly identify the regions with man-made features. This technique for terrain classification is developed for air vehicles navigating in a terrain; this technique would assist the air vehicles in efficiently searching/navigating a terrain.
Differentially Private Oblivious RAM

Abstract In this work, we investigate if statistical privacy can enhance the performance of ORAM mechanisms while providing rigorous privacy guarantees. We propose a formal and rigorous framework for developing ORAM protocols with statistical security viz., a differentially private ORAM (DP-ORAM). We present Root ORAM, a family of DP-ORAMs that provide a tunable, multi-dimensional trade-off between the desired bandwidth overhead, local storage and system security. We theoretically analyze Root ORAM to quantify both its security and performance. We experimentally demonstrate the benefits of Root ORAM and find that (1) Root ORAM can reduce local storage overhead by about 2× for a reasonable values of privacy budget, significantly enhancing performance in memory limited platforms such as trusted execution environments, and (2) Root ORAM allows tunable trade-offs between bandwidth, storage, and privacy, reducing bandwidth overheads by up to 2×-10× (at the cost of increased storage/statistical privacy), enabling significant reductions in ORAM access latencies for cloud environments. We also analyze the privacy guarantees of DP-ORAMs through the lens of information theoretic metrics of Shannon entropy and Min-entropy [16]. Finally, Root ORAM is ideally suited for applications which have a similar access pattern, and we showcase its utility via the application of Private Information Retrieval.
Quantum-dot exciton dynamics with a surface plasmon: Band-edge quantum optics

Y. N. Chen, G. Y. Chen,* D. S. Chuu, and T. Brandes Department of Physics and National Center for Theoretical Sciences, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan Institute of Physics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan Department of Electrophysics, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 300, Taiwan Institut fur Theoretische Physik, Technische Universitat Berlin, Hardenbergstrasse, 36 D-10623 Berlin, Germany Received 25 August 2008; published 13 March 2009
A Novel Linear-Order Algorithm for Adaptive Random Testing of Programs with Non-Numeric Inputs

Adaptive Random Testing (ART) is a family of testing techniques that aim to enhance the failuredetection effectiveness of random testing (RT) by spreading random test cases evenly throughout the input domain. ART has been empirically shown to be effective on software with numeric inputs. However, there are two aspects that need further improvement to make ART’s adoption more widespread — applicability to programs with non-numeric inputs, and the high computation overhead of many ART algorithms. We present a linear-order ART algorithm for software with non-numeric inputs. The key
Designing objects with meaningful associations

Objects often become cherished for their ties to beliefs, experiences, memories, people, places or values that are significant to their owner. These ties can reflect the ways in which we as humans use objects to characterise, communicate and develop our sense of self. This paper outlines our approach to applying product attachment theory to design practices. We created six artefacts that were inspired by interviews conducted with three individuals who discussed details of their life stories. We then evaluated the associations that came to mind for our participants when interacting with these newly designed artefacts to determine whether these links brought meaning to them. Our findings highlight the potential of design to bring emotional value to products by embodying significant aspects of a person’s self-identity. To do so, designers must consider both the importance and authenticity of the associations formed between an object and an individual.
Synergistic effect of toll-like receptor 4 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin on the maturation of murine dendritic cells

Objectives: To investigate whether there was a synergistic effect of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) on dendritic cells (DCs) activation. Methods: The maturation of bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), LPS plus TLR4-myeloid differentiation protein (MD)-2, LPS plus TSLP receptor (TSLPR)-immunoglobulin (Ig) G, or LPS plus TLR4-MD2 combined with TSLPR-Ig G, was detected. CD80 and CD86 expression was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to assess the expression of TSLP and TLR4. Besides, TSLP concentrations of culture supernatants were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phosphorylation extracellular regulated protein kinases (pERK) 1/2, and signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) 3 were measured by Western blotting. Results: CD80+ and CD86+ cell percentages were significantly decreased by TLR4-MD2, TSLPR-Ig G, and TLR4-MD2 plus TSLPR-Ig G. The mRNA levels of TLR4 could be effectively reduced by TSLPR-Ig G (P < 0.05), but TSLP level was not affected by TLR4-MD2. However, the TSLP concentrations were effectively decreased by TLR4-MD2 compared with LPS group. Moreover, the protein levels of MAPK and pERK1 were significantly reduced by TSLPR-Ig G, and the protein levels of MAPK and STAT3 were significantly reduced by TLR4-MD2. Conclusion: These data indicate that TLR4 combined with TSLP could exert synergistic action on BMDCs maturation. The synergistic effect may be regulated by MAPK signaling pathway.
Flame Retardant Multilayered Coatings on Acrylic Fabrics Prepared by One-Step Deposition of Chitosan/Montmorillonite Complexes

Multilayered coatings deposited using the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique have attracted great interest in recent years as a sustainable and efficient solution for conferring flame retardant properties to fabrics. The unique structure and interaction established upon the coating assembly are the key factors for successful flame retardant properties. In this study we aimed at the deposition of multilayered coatings comprising chitosan and montmorillonite with a LbL-like structure and interactions by the simple processing of compacted chitosan/montmorillonite complexes obtained by the direct mixing of an oppositely charged solution/suspension. Upon drying, the prepared complex yielded a continuous coating characterized by a brick-and-mortar multi-layered structure, in which oriented clay nanoplatelets were held together by a continuous chitosan matrix. When deposited on acrylic fabrics these coatings were able to suppress the melt-dripping phenomenon, and at 10 and 20% add-ons achieved self-extinguishing behavior within a few seconds after ignition. Cone calorimetry testing revealed an increase in time to ignition (up to +46%) and considerable reductions of the rates at which heat is released (up to −62 and −49% for peak of heat release rate and total heat release, respectively). A reduction in the total smoke release (up to −49%) was also observed.
SeqCorrect – A Modular Toolkit for DNA Sequencing Error Correction and Evaluation

Motivation: While there exists a plethora of sequencing error correction tools, the field is still lacking a generalized modular framework for this task. Especially wetlaband rundependent error profile characteristics are often ignored by current sequencing error correction methods. Many sequence correction tools ignore sequence-specific errors and do not explicitly model the G/C coverage bias of sequencers. Encapsulating this functionality in separate, user-friendly modules will facilitate the development of future sequencing error correction tools. Results: We compute expected k-mer counts under an idealized sequencing model and infer run-dependent median G/C coverage biases by counting k-mers in the read dataset and comparing the observed counts with their expected values. We classify k-mers into untrusted, unique, and repetitive. We correct substitution, insertion, and deletion errors and handle repetitive regions by locally and adaptively increasing the k-mer size in a read. Our error correction approach introduces less new errors (false positives) than other tools, but also corrects less errors in total. The main purpose of our toolkit is to simplify the design and evaluation of future error correction approaches. Availability: SeqCorrect is implemented in C++ and is available for download at https://github.com/lutteropp/SeqCorrect under the GNU GPL-3.0 license. Contact: sarah.lutteropp@h-its.org, alexandros.stamatakis@h-its.org
Sensitivity Evaluation of Two Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines to Tamoxifen through Apoptosis Induction

Tamoxifen citrate (TAM) has been used to treat breast cancer in women for many years. The com-parative effects of TAM in inducing apoptosis were evaluated in estrogen receptor-positive (ER- positive MCF-7) and estrogen receptor-negative (ER-negative MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cell lines in vitro in order to determine if these two cell lines differ in their sensitivity to TAM. Mi-tochondrial membrane permeability potential disruption was assessed in both cell lines by a lip-ophilic cationic dye (DePsipher assay, Trevigen, Inc.) utilizing fluorescence microscopy. Using this specific fluorochrome, we were able to associate mitochondrial membrane disruption to early, mid-, and late apoptotic cells. TAM induced cell death via apoptosis in both ER-positive and ER- negative cells, however, apoptosis induction was more pronounced in ER-positive MCF-7 compared to ER-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. These findings may have some therapeutic use in the treatment of estrogen dependent and estrogen independent breast cancer.