Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multimodal approach to therapy-related neuropathic pain in breast cancer.

PURPOSE This study evaluated the effects of the multimodal therapy (gabapentin-non steroidal anti inflammatory drug [NSAID]-morphine) on intensity and relief of treatmentrelated neuropathic pain in patients with breast cancer. METHODS This study involved 75 breast cancer outpatients who had previously undergone anti-neoplastic therapy (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy). The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups, which were formed depending on the planned analgesic therapy (gabapentin, gabapentin- NSAID, gabapentin-NSAID-morphine). Each group was a control group to itself. The pain intensity difference and scores of daily activities were collated and assessed by the modified Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) questionnaire (VAS/Likert Scale). Monitoring the additional medication and side effects optimized the therapy efficiency evaluation. RESULTS During this 6-week study, the decrease of pain intensity was significant in all 3 groups (p <0.0001). Although there was intergroup difference, it was statistically not significant (p >0.05). The variant analysis of pain relief showed differences both among and within the groups in the first 3 weeks of the study (F(1)=7.79, p=0.000; F(2)=7.01, p=0.001; F(3) =5.49, p=0.001). The multimodal group needed the least of additional medication and the variant analysis showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) from the 4th week of the trial period. The correlation between the increase trend of side effects and the frequency of additional medication was significant (p <0.05). CONCLUSION The multimodal therapy ensures adequate cancer-related neuropathic pain control with minimal side effects.
Gene-expression patterns in drug-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells and response to treatment.

BACKGROUND Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is curable with chemotherapy in approximately 80 percent of patients. However, the cause of treatment failure in the remaining 20 percent of patients is largely unknown. METHODS We tested leukemia cells from 173 children for sensitivity in vitro to prednisolone, vincristine, asparaginase, and daunorubicin. The cells were then subjected to an assessment of gene expression with the use of 14,500 probe sets to identify differentially expressed genes in drug-sensitive and drug-resistant ALL. Gene-expression patterns that differed according to sensitivity or resistance to the four drugs were compared with treatment outcome in the original 173 patients and an independent cohort of 98 children treated with the same drugs at another institution. RESULTS We identified sets of differentially expressed genes in B-lineage ALL that were sensitive or resistant to prednisolone (33 genes), vincristine (40 genes), asparaginase (35 genes), or daunorubicin (20 genes). A combined gene-expression score of resistance to the four drugs, as compared with sensitivity to the four, was significantly and independently related to treatment outcome in a multivariate analysis (hazard ratio for relapse, 3.0; P=0.027). Results were confirmed in an independent population of patients treated with the same medications (hazard ratio for relapse, 11.85; P=0.019). Of the 124 genes identified, 121 have not previously been associated with resistance to the four drugs we tested. CONCLUSIONS Differential expression of a relatively small number of genes is associated with drug resistance and treatment outcome in childhood ALL.
Preschool Phonological and Morphological Awareness As Longitudinal Predictors of Early Reading and Spelling Development in Greek

Different language skills are considered fundamental for successful reading and spelling acquisition. Extensive evidence has highlighted the central role of phonological awareness in early literacy experiences. However, many orthographic systems also require the contribution of morphological awareness. The goal of this study was to examine the morphological and phonological awareness skills of preschool children as longitudinal predictors of reading and spelling ability by the end of first grade, controlling for the effects of receptive and expressive vocabulary skills. At Time 1 preschool children from kindergartens in the Greek regions of Attika, Crete, Macedonia, and Thessaly were assessed on tasks tapping receptive and expressive vocabulary, phonological awareness (syllable and phoneme), and morphological awareness (inflectional and derivational). Tasks were administered through an Android application for mobile devices (tablets) featuring automatic application of ceiling rules. At Time 2 one year later the same children attending first grade were assessed on measures of word and pseudoword reading, text reading fluency, text reading comprehension, and spelling. Complete data from 104 children are available. Hierarchical linear regression and commonality analyses were conducted for each outcome variable. Reading accuracy for both words and pseudowords was predicted not only by phonological awareness, as expected, but also by morphological awareness, suggesting that understanding the functional role of word parts supports the developing phonology–orthography mappings. However, only phonological awareness predicted text reading fluency at this age. Longitudinal prediction of reading comprehension by both receptive vocabulary and morphological awareness was already evident at this age, as expected. Finally, spelling was predicted by preschool phonological awareness, as expected, as well as by morphological awareness, the contribution of which is expected to increase due to the spelling demands of Greek inflectional and derivational suffixes introduced at later grades.
E-administracja i idea Open Government w administracji lokalnej w Polsce

Celem artykulu jest przedstawienie wnioskow wynikających z analizy stopnia zaawansowania e-administracji w badanych gminach w Polsce oraz przyblizenie idei otwartego rządu, ktora na poziomie lokalnym dopiero zaczyna byc wdrazana. Celem badawczym jest określenie, w jakim stopniu strony internetowe urzedow gminnych realizują zadania stawiane przed administracją, oraz czy, a jeśli tak, to na ile, wladze lokalne starają sie otworzyc na potrzeby obywateli i ulatwic komunikowanie ze spolecznością lokalną. Badanie dotyczylo 44 wylosowanych gmin w Polsce. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych obserwacji mozna stwierdzic, ze o ile dostepnośc uslug oferowanych drogą elektroniczną jest zadowalająca, o tyle idea otwartości administracji publicznej na poziomie gminnym jest dopiero u progu rozwoju. Nigdzie nie zaobserwowano udostepniania otwartych zbiorow danych. Jednym z przejawow otwartości jest posiadanie konta przynajmniej na jednym portalu spolecznościowym – w badanej probie ma je prawie 3/4 gmin
Alterations in Glucose Metabolism During Menstrual Cycle in Women With IDDM

Objective — To examine the hormonal mechanisms underlying the variability in glycemic control during the different phases of the menstrual cycle in women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Research Design And Methods — Hyperglycemic (11.7 ± 0.1 mM), hyperinsulinemic (24 ± 3 mU/L) clamp studies were performed in 16 women with IDDM during the follicular (day 8 ± 1) and luteal (day 23 ± 1) phases of the menstrual cycle. Seven of the patients (group 1) experienced worsening glucose control during the luteal phase, whereas nine patients (group 2) did not. Results — In group 1, glucose metabolism fell from 30.2 ± 3.8 μmol·kg−1·min−1 during the follicular phase to 24.5 ± 2.0 μmol·kg−1·min−1 during the luteal phase (P = 0.09), whereas in group 2 it increased from 18.5 ± 1.2 to 23.2 ± 2.3 μmol·kg−1·min−1 (P = 0.03). The decrease in glucose metabolism during the luteal phase in patients in group 1 was associated with a significant rise in the serum estradiol levels from the follicular to luteal phase (164 ± 39 vs. 352 ± 59 pM, P = 0.006), whereas this rise was not observed in group 2 (334 ± 156 vs. 423 ± 74 pM, NS). Changes in other reproductive hormones (progesterone, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione, luteinizing hormone, follicular-stimulating hormone, or prolactin) were not related to the differences in glucose uptake in the two groups. Conclusions — 1) Marked heterogeneity in glucose metabolism is seen throughout the menstrual cycle in women with IDDM, 2) a subgroup of patients exhibits worsening premenstrual hyperglycemia and a decline in insulin sensitivity during the luteal phase, and 3) the deterioration in glucose uptake in this subgroup was associated with a greater increment in estradiol levels from the follicular to the luteal phase.
Growth mechanism of Cu-Sn full IMC joints on polycrystalline and single crystal Cu substrate

Growth mechanisms of Cu-Sn IMC joints bonded at 300°C on polycrystalline and single crystal Cu substrates were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) technology. The results showed that the prism-type Cu<sub>6</sub>Sn<sub>5</sub> grains formed on single crystal Cu substrate in the initial stage grew into the scallop-type Cu<sub>6</sub>Sn<sub>5</sub> grains by grain rotation and merge mechanism with the proceeding of the bonding. In addition, the scallop-type Cu<sub>6</sub>Sn<sub>5</sub> grains didn't have preferred orientation. The columnar Cu<sub>3</sub>Sn grains grew in clusters at the expense of Cu<sub>6</sub>Sn<sub>5</sub> along direction of the adjacent Cu<sub>6</sub>Sn<sub>5</sub> grains grain boundaries. The orientation of Cu<sub>3</sub>Sn was unrelated to that of Cu or Cu<sub>6</sub>Sn<sub>5</sub>, but had preferred orientations of Cu<sub>3</sub>Sn (100) parallel to the Cu substrate.
Cataloguing and classification for object libraries

Reusable object classes are seen as a major benefit of adopting the object-oriented paradigm in the commercial data processing and applications programming worlds. However, without some efficient and effective method of locating previously written classes, this benefit of reuse will be lost. Code location requires the classes to be stored in some retrievable fashion. Such an underlying classification system, together with an associated cataloguing system, appropriate for object libraries, is proposed.
Mutational Analysis of an RNA Polymerase II Elongation Factor in Drosophila melanogaster

ABSTRACT The ELL family of proteins function in vitro as elongation factors for RNA polymerase II. Deletion studies have defined domains in mammalian ELL required for transcription elongation activity and RNA polymerase binding in vitro, for transformation of cultured cells when overexpressed, and for leukemogenesis and cell proliferation as part of a leukemic fusion protein. The goal of this study was to identify domains required for chromosome targeting and viability in the unique Drosophila ELL (dELL) protein. Here, we show that an N-terminal domain of dELL is necessary and sufficient for targeting to transcriptionally active puff sites in chromatin, supporting a role for this domain in recruiting dELL to elongating RNA polymerase II. We demonstrate that a central domain of dELL is required for rapid mobilization of ELL during the heat shock response, suggesting a regulatory function for this domain. Unexpectedly, transgenic dELL in which the N-terminal chromosome binding domain is deleted can complement the recessive lethality of mutations in ELL, suggesting that Drosophila ELL has an essential activity in development distinct from its role as an RNA polymerase II elongation factor.
A quantitative trait locus analysis of social responsiveness in multiplex autism families.

OBJECTIVE Autism is a complex genetic disorder with a highly heterogeneous phenotype defined by repetitive behaviors, language deficits, and problems with reciprocal social interactions. The authors present the first genome-wide scan for a social endophenotype in autism using the Social Responsiveness Scale, which provides a quantitative measure of autistic-like behavior, primarily focused on social relatedness. METHOD A nonparametric quantitative genome scan was performed using the Social Responsiveness Scale in a cohort of about 100 families with two or more autistic probands from the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange to identify autism loci. To determine which additional loci were detected, linkage analysis with the same autism cohort using the qualitative diagnosis of autism was performed. To assess whether there were likely to be sex-specific genetic risk factors, the cohort was stratified by the sex of affected individuals. RESULTS The quantitative Social Responsiveness Scale genome scan identified two loci on chromosomes 11 and 17, with the highest score on chromosome 11 (z=3.22). In contrast, no linkage signals reached significance in the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised qualitative scan. The Social Responsiveness Scale scan with only male affected identified the same signals on chromosomes 11 and 17, as well as three other regions on chromosomes 4, 8, and 10. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the utility of the Social Responsiveness Scale quantitative endophenotype to detect autism-related genetic loci using quantitative behavioral information that may more closely relate to underlying genetic factors.
GROSS PRESENTATION AND HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF PLACENTAE IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH INTRAUTERINE FOETAL DEATH AT KENYATTA NATIONAL HOSPITAL.

BACKGROUND There are 3.2 million annual stillbirths, at least 98% occur in low-/middle income countries, and on average, as many as two-thirds of these stillbirths are thought to occur antenatally, prior to labour. The most useful test towards a diagnosis after stillbirth is pathological examination of the placenta and the foetus. However, this pathological examination is done in less than half of the placentae after cases of stillbirth. OBJECTIVE To determine gross presentation and histomorphological changes of placentae in patients presenting with intrauterine foetal death as compared to live births. DESIGN A case control study. SETTING The Kenyatta National Hospital's labour ward and the Department of Human Pathology, University of Nairobi. SUBJECTS The cases were mothers who presented with IUFD at a gestation of 28 weeks and above. The controls were a comparative group of mothers who delivered live babies at the hospital and were matched for age. RESULTS Reduction of the mass of functioning villi was present in 11.8% of placenta in the stillbirth group compared to 2% in the live birth group (p-value 0.002). There was significant presence of other placental abnormalities in the stillbirth group (22.5%) compared to the live birth group (9.8%) (p-value-0.002). CONCLUSION This study revealed that histological examination of placenta is useful in identifying some causes of stillbirths. This knowledge may lead to preventive measures which would lower perinatal mortality.
Students' Perceptions of Being Graded as a Group in the College Classroom: Relations among Students' Age, Employment, and Perceived Group Satisfaction

This investigation compared and measured for different age groups of students, hours of employment, and previous grading experiences of one student cohort in relation to their perceived overall satisfaction with being graded as a group. A cohort of 230 students from a large southern metropolitan university enrolled in sections of two undergraduate classes, Group Interaction and Decision Making and Conflict Management, participated. Analysis indicated that (a) older students (28–47 years) were more likely to be dissatisfied with a group grade experience than middle (23–27 years) and younger (18–22 years) students, (b) Older students working part time were significantly more dissatisfied with the overall group experience than the younger part-time working students, (c) Older part-time working students were significantly more dissatisfied with the overall experience of working and being graded as a group than the middle part-time and middle full-time working students. Differences were noted between the older and younger students, which supported Older students' overall dissatisfaction with their experience of being graded as a group. Common complaints by older students were that younger students were immature, irresponsible, lacked “real-life” experience, and had misplaced priorities. Common complaints by younger students were that older students were too serious and rigid. It is recommended that this work be extended to include other comparison groups, graduate students, and other disciplines.
Effect of the G1896A precore mutation on drug sensitivity and replication yield of lamivudine‐resistant HBV in vitro

Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is frequently caused by a mutation (G1896A) in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore (PC) reading frame that creates a stop codon, causing premature termination of the PC protein. During lamivudine treatment, drug resistance develops at a similar rate in HBeAg positive and HBeAg negative CHB. Lamivudine‐resistant HBV mutants have been shown to replicate inefficiently in vitro in the absence of PC mutations, but it is unknown whether the presence of PC mutations affects replication efficiency or antiviral sensitivity. This study utilized the recombinant HBV baculovirus system to address these issues. HBV baculoviruses encoding the G1896A PC stop codon mutation were generated in wild‐type (WT) and lamivudine‐resistant (rtM204I and rtL180M + rtM204V) backgrounds, resulting in a panel of 6 related recombinant baculoviruses. In vitro assays were performed to compare the sensitivities of the PC mutant viruses with lamivudine and adefovir and to compare relative replication yields. The PC mutation did not significantly affect sensitivities to either adefovir or lamivudine. WT HBV and PC mutant HBV showed similar replication yields, whereas the replication yields of the lamivudine‐resistant mutants were greatly reduced in HBeAg positive HBVs, confirming previous observations. However, the presence of the PC mutation was found to compensate for the replication deficiency in each of the lamivudine‐resistant mutants, increasing the replication yields of each virus. In conclusion, the PC stop codon mutation appears to increase the replication efficacy of lamivudine‐resistant virus but does not affect in vitro drug sensitivity.
Comparison of a Monoclonal Antibody-Blocking Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay and a Strip Immunoblot Assay for Identifying Type-Specific Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Serological Responses

ABSTRACT Detection of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2)-specific antibodies by a monoclonal antibody (MAb)-blocking enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA) was compared with detection by a strip immunoblot assay (SIA) in a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic population. The study population consisted of 1,683 genitourinary medicine clinic attendees (582 women and 1,101 men). Sera were tested for the presence of HSV-2 antibody by use of the blocking EIA, in which binding of the MAb AP-1 to HSV-2 glycoprotein G-2 (gG-2) is blocked by HSV-2-specific antibody. The Chiron RIBA HSV-1 and -2 strip immunoassay (SIA) utilizes HSV-1- and HSV-2-specific or cross-reactive antigens immobilized on nitrocellulose strips (HSV gB-1 and HSV gG-1 peptide bands specific for HSV-1 antibody, HSV-2 gG-2 band specific for HSV-2 antibody, and HSV gD-2 band cross-reactive for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies). A total of 1,612 sera were tested by MAb-blocking EIA for HSV-2 antibody and by SIA for HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies. By EIA, 541 (33.6%) sera were positive for HSV-2 antibody and 1,068 sera were negative for HSV-2 antibody; 3 sera gave equivocal results. HSV-2 antibody was detected in 555 (34.4%) sera by SIA; 144 (26%) of these sera possessed only HSV-2 antibody, and 411 (74%) sera contained both HSV-1 and HSV-2 antibodies. SIA detected HSV-1 antibody in 1,155 (71.6%) sera; 744 (64%) of these sera contained HSV-1 antibody alone. Sixteen sera contained antibody against HSV but could not be typed by SIA. A total of 512 sera were positive for HSV-2 antibody by both the EIA and SIA. We concluded that the blocking EIA and SIA showed a high level of agreement in detecting HSV-2 antibody in this population. In contrast to the SIA, the blocking EIA is a useful tool for large epidemiological studies, though the SIA proved to be slightly more sensitive once sera with discrepant results were further tested.
Channel-Grouping based rendezvous algorithm for cognitive radio adhoc networks

Cognitive Radio is utilized to exploit the existing wireless spectrum opportunistically, in which way to alleviate the spectrum shortage problem. It is of fundamental importance in cognitive radio adhoc networks for users to meet on a common channel via rendezvous and thereby establish communication links. In this paper, we investigate the probability analytic model to discuss the problem of rendezvous. Furthermore, a resulting Channel-Grouping based algorithm is proposed for decentralized rendezvous. The basic idea of the algorithm is to divide all channels into small sets, reducing the number of selectable channels in each round and thus improving the probability of successful rendezvous. Extensive simulations show that our proposed algorithm outperforms the other rendezvous schemes.
Role of AP1 element in the activation of human eNOS promoter by lysophosphatidycholine

Human endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a crucial role in maintaining blood pressure homeostasis and vascular integrity. It, therefore, is very essential to elucidate the regulation of it. In the current study, a red fluorescent protein (RFP) reporter system containing human eNOS promoter was first constructed, being characteristics of real time morphologic and quantitative analysis for the same sample. It was observed by DNA sequence deletion that 68% of the basal activity of the promoter was controlled by the region from −1 to −166 bp, and 32% of it was dependent on the region from −1,033 to −1,600 bp. The mutation of SSRE element (−999∼−994 bp) and wild‐type SSRE decoy oligodeoxynucleotides (ODN) did not alter the basal activity and the stimulating activity by lysophosphatidycholine (LPC). The mutation of upstream AP1 element (−1,530∼−1,524 bp) did not affect the basal activity, but resulted in near 30% reduction in the stimulating activity by LPC. Moreover, wild‐type AP1 decoy ODN also remarkably attenuated it. It was proved by EMSA analysis that LPC indeed enhanced the activity of AP1 transcriptional factor binding to AP1 element. However, the role of AP1 was dependent on the presence of SP1, which was proved by the combining mutation of AP1 with SP1. The mutation of downstream AP1 element (−662∼−656 bp) had no influence on the basal and stimulating activities by LPC. These results strongly suggest that the main functional region of the promoter is from −1 bp to −166 bp, that the upstream AP1 participates in the activation of the promoter by LPC on the premise of the presence of SP1, and that the downstream AP1 and SSRE do not involve the basal and stimulating activity by LPC. J. Cell. Biochem. 98: 872–884, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.