Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phase I trial of intravesical gemcitabine in bacillus Calmette-Guérin-refractory transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder.

PURPOSE The aim of this phase I study was to determine the safety and toxicity profile of gemcitabine administered as an intravesical agent in patients with transitional-cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with superficial bladder cancer refractory to intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy and refusing a cystectomy were considered eligible for the trial. Gemcitabine was given in the bladder for 1 hour twice weekly in 100 mL sodium chloride for a total of six treatments. After a 1-week break, a second course of six treatments over 3 weeks was given, followed by response assessment. Four dose levels were explored: 500 mg, 1,000 mg, 1,500 mg, and 2,000 mg. RESULTS Eighteen patients completed therapy: three at 500 mg, six at 1,000 mg, three at 1,500 mg, and six at 2,000 mg. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was observed at 500 mg. At 1,000 mg, three patients developed hematuria and one had a skin reaction resembling grade 3 hand-foot syndrome. Three patients at 1,500 mg had no grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Of six patients at 2,000 mg, one had grade 3 thrombocytopenia and neutropenia without infection. Seven patients had a complete response (negative cytology and posttreatment biopsy), and four patients had a mixed response (negative bladder biopsy but positive cytology). CONCLUSION Gemcitabine has substantial activity as an intravesical agent in BCG-refractory TCC and warrants further investigation. Therapy given twice weekly was associated with minimal bladder irritation and tolerable myelosuppression. The recommended phase II dose for twice-weekly therapy is 2,000 mg.
IL-8 , IL-8 RA ( CXCR 1 ) and IL-8 RB ( CXCR 2 ) expression in pilomatricoma

Pilomatricoma is a rare benign tumor of the hair follicle matrix cells, which associates during its evolution a foreign body-like inflammatory process. We have investigated three such tumors, two of them displaying a rather poor stroma, while the third was distinctive due to its stroma and large numbers of inflammatory cells infiltrating the tumor. The analysis of IL-8 (interleukin-8), CXCR1 (IL-8RA – IL-8 receptor alpha) and CXCR2 (IL-8RB – IL-8 receptor beta) expression showed that these molecules are present not only in many different types of inflammatory and endothelial cells, but also in several tumor basaloid, transitional and even few ghost cells. Taking into consideration the roles played by IL-8 and its two receptors, CXCR1 and CXCR2, this pattern of expression offers some insights on the potential roles of these molecules in tumor survival, cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Furthermore, given the expression of IL-1 (interleukin-1) and TNF (tumor necrosis factor) receptors by the tumor cells, IL-8 production by such cells might be under the control of these pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Truncated Robust Soliton Distribution on LT Codes for Multimedia Transmission

The paper has a unique insight into the recently emerging erasure correcting codes, LT codes, in terms of its crucial structure of Robust Soliton Distribution in the truncation form. We propose a truncation scheme on the original degree distribution to achieve a higher decoding success probability while slightly decreasing the operational complexity. We test the influence of the truncation length on the codes performance. Simulation results demonstrate its effectiveness for a source message of reasonable size. This improvement can enhance the channel performance of multimedia transmission in lossy packet networks.
Isoforms of fatty-acid-binding protein in bovine heart are coded by distinct mRNA.

In the course of our studies on structure/function relationships of fatty-acid-binding proteins, we reported earlier that the two isoforms of the 15-kDa cardiac fatty-acid-binding protein (cFABP) from bovine heart only differ in one position; Asn98 in pI 5.1-cFABP; Asp98 in pI 4.9-cFABP [Unterberg, C. , Börchers, T. , Højrup, P., Knudsen, J. and Spener, F. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 16,255-16,261]. In the present study, we elucidate the origin for this heterogeneity. Isoelectric focusing analysis of immunoprecipitated in vitro translation products from total mRNA and positive-hybrid-selected cFABP/mRNA revealed two L-[35S]methionine-labeled proteins corresponding to pI 5.1-cFABP and pI 4.9-cFABP. In a control experiment, recombinant mRNA derived from cDNA encoding pI 5.1-cFABP was translated and produced only pI 5.1-cFABP as shown by isoelectric focusing of the translation products. We could observe co-translational acetylation but not post-translational deamidation of the cFABP isoforms. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the isoforms of cardiac fatty-acid-binding protein found in bovine heart are coded by distinct mRNA species.
Bringing pedagogy to doctoral publishing

This article explores the role of publication in taking forward the work of the doctorate. Low publication rates from doctoral degrees have been noted as a problem in the quality of doctoral education for preparing students to participate in research cultures. At the same time there is ambivalence and some resistance among doctoral supervisors and candidates about the place of publication in doctoral work. This article argues that issues of writing and publication need to be systematically addressed within doctoral pedagogy. In a climate of increasing pressure to publish during and after candidature, pedagogies need to take up a more explicitly outward-looking stance, developing a stronger orientation to induction and participation in the world of peer-reviewed publication. These arguments are developed through two case studies that illustrate ways of supporting doctoral researchers to effectively recontextualise their dissertation writing for wider audiences.
ADIPOSE CELL ORGANELLES: ISOLATION, MORPHOLOGY AND POSSIBLE RELATION TO INTRACELLULAR LIPID TRANSPORT *

Triglyceride synthesis as well as most of the other biochemical reactions attributed to adipose tissue are thought to occur in the cytoplasm of the adipose cell. ' Recent reports2-' on the fine structure of adipose tissue indicate that the attenuated cytoplasm which envelopes the large central lipid mass of each adipose cell is rich in a variety of organelles including mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, small lipid droplets and vesicles. The way in which these organelles participate in glyceride synthesis has not been clearly defined although experiments with intact and cell-free preparations of adipose tissue suggest that mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum are Since triglyceride synthesized in the cytoplasmic compartment is stored in the large central lipid vacuole, transfer of lipid between these two areas must occur. Undoubtedly, an appreciation of the mechanism involved in the transport of lipid between these compartments will help to understand the process of triglyceride storage. Numerous studies have shown that adipose tissue readily converts glucose into neutral glyceride,'"'' however, the intracellular localization of this newly synthesized lipid has not been studied. In order to gain insight into the process of intracellular lipid transport, the subcellular disposition of newly synthesized glyceride in free adipose cells incubated with labeled glucose was determined. Ultracentrifugation methods were adapted for the isolation of various cellular organelles from homogenates of free adipose cells. Electron microscope studies of the particulate fractions so obtained are included in this report.
Hypoxia-inducible factor signaling in the development of tissue fibrosis

Capillary rarefaction is a hallmark of fibrotic diseases and results in reduced blood perfusion and oxygen delivery. In the kidney, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, which leads to the destruction of renal tissue and the irreversible loss of kidney function, is associated with hypoxia and the activation of Hypoxia-Inducible-Factor (HIF) signaling. HIF-1 and HIF-2 are basic-helix-loop-helix transcription factors that allow cells to survive in a low oxygen environment by regulating energy metabolism, vascular remodeling, erythropoiesis, cellular proliferation and apoptosis. Recent studies suggest that HIF activation promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and renal fibrogenesis. These findings raise the possibility that the spectrum of HIF activated biological responses to hypoxic stress may differ under conditions of acute and chronic hypoxia. Here we discuss the role of HIF signaling in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic kidney disease.
A Boost PFC Stage Utilized as Half-Bridge Converter for High-Efficiency DC–DC Stage in Power Supply Unit

The half-bridge (HB) LLC converter is one of the most attractive dc–dc converters for medium power supplies due to its soft switching capability. However, its conversion efficiency is considerably degraded in wide-link-voltage applications because of a small magnetizing inductance and wide switching frequency variation for a high voltage gain. In this paper, a boost power factor correction (PFC) stage, which can also play an important role during the hold-up time, is proposed for a high-efficiency HB LLC converter. In the proposed PFC stage, the boost PFC converter can be effectively utilized as a HB converter by replacing a boost diode and inductor with a synchronous switch and transformer, respectively. After the ac line is lost, the proposed PFC stage can operate as the HB converter and regulate the output voltage instead of the HB LLC converter. Thus, it enables the HB LLC converter to be designed with a large magnetizing inductance and narrow switching frequency variation. As a result, the proposed PFC stage can enhance the overall efficiency of the PSU by improving the efficiency of the HB LLC converter. To confirm the validity of this paper, a prototype with 180–264-Vrms ac line, 250–400-V link voltage, and 48 V/480 W output is tested.
Epidermal nerve fiber density and sural nerve morphometry in peripheral neuropathies

Objective: To study intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) density in distal leg skin biopsies, sural nerve morphometry, electrophysiology, and clinical features in patients with peripheral neuropathies. Methods: We studied 26 patients with neuropathic complaints who had undergone clinical evaluation, nerve conduction studies, distal leg skin biopsy, and sural nerve biopsy. We quantified densities of IENF and of myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in the sural nerve. Associations among skin and sural nerve morphometric measures and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitudes were examined nonparametrically. Morphometric measures were examined with respect to diagnostic category of neuropathy. Results: IENF density correlated with the densities of sural nerve total myelinated (r = 0.57, p = 0.0011), small myelinated (r = 0.53, p = 0.0029), and large myelinated fibers (r = 0.49, p = 0.0054). There was a trend toward an association between IENF and sural nerve unmyelinated fiber densities (r = 0.32, p = 0.054). Sural SNAP amplitude and large myelinated fiber densities were highly correlated (r = 0.87, p < 0.0001). IENF density and sural nerve small fiber measures were concordant in 73% of patients. Reduced IENF density was the only indicator of small fiber depletion in 23% of cases. It was usually normal in acquired demyelinating neuropathies and where clinical suspicion for neuropathy was low. Conclusions: Distal leg Intraepidermal nerve (IENF) density may be more sensitive than sural nerve biopsy in identifying small fiber sensory neuropathies. Assessments of IENF density and large fiber measures on biopsy and electrophysiology are both useful for characterizing sensory and sensorimotor neuropathies.
The drivers of productivity dynamics over the last 15 years 1

The labor markets have recovered to the level of activity before the Great Recession. In May 2016, the unemployment rate was 4.7%, the same rate as in November 2007, the last month before the official start date of the Recession. In contrast, output has not converged to the prerecession trend. Figure 1 plots the evolution of the log-level of output (in black) together with the level of potential output as projected by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in 2007. Note that subsequently the CBO revised the potential output estimates to reflect the effect that the Great Recession has had on potential output.
Estimated Burden of Rotavirus-Associated Diarrhea in Ambulatory Settings in the United States

BACKGROUND: Two vaccines to prevent disease from rotavirus among young children were recently approved in the United States. Although previous studies of the burden of rotaviral disease have focused on hospitalizations, the assessment of baseline disease burden in ambulatory settings is useful for evaluating the overall impact of the vaccine. METHODS: Outpatient and emergency department (ED) data for 1994–2006 were analyzed from 2 nationally representative databases: the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and the National Hospital Medical Care Survey. Visits by children (younger than 5 years) with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) were identified by using a defined set of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Two previously described methods (the winter-residual-excess [WRE] and Brandt methods) were used to estimate the proportion of AGE attributable to rotavirus and to determine the annual number of visits, annual average visits, and annual visit rates in each setting. RESULTS: The estimated average annual number of rotavirus-associated visits over the 13-year period was 782 453 outpatient visits and 164 261 ED visits from the WRE method and 665 773 outpatient visits and 205 206 ED visits from the Brandt method. This resulted in an average of 39.1 and 33.3 outpatient visits per 1000 children and 8.2 and 10.3 ED visits per 1000 children for both the WRE and Brandt methods, respectively. The average annual proportion of visits for AGE attributed to rotavirus was 34.2% (29.1% from the Brandt method) in the outpatient setting and 21.8% (27.1% from the Brandt method) in the ED, with wide variations in individual years. CONCLUSIONS: Before the rotavirus vaccine, rotavirus seemed to be associated with a large number of outpatient and ED visits among young children. Rotavirus vaccine has the potential to reduce many outpatient and ED visits.
Continuous epidural infusion of bupivacaine and morphine for postoperative analgesia after hysterectomy

The analgesic efficacy and side‐effects of combined epidural infusion of bupivacaine and morphine, in comparison with these drugs alone, for postoperative analgesia after hysterectomy (60 patients) were evaluated. Before general anaesthesia, all patients had an epidural catheter placed (Th11‐12) and 20 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine was injected. In random order, epidural infusion was continued for 24 h with either 0.25% bupivacaine 4 ml‐ h‐1 (BUPI‐group), a bolus of 2 mg of morphine followed by morphine 0.2 mg‐ h‐1 (MO‐group), or a combination of the two drugs (COMB‐group). A urinary bladder catheter was kept for 24 h. Supplementary postoperative pain medications were i.m. morphine 0.1 mg‐ kg‐1 or rectal indomethacin 50 mg, on request. Immediately after awakening from general anaesthesia and transfer to the recovery room, 18/20 of the BUPI‐group patients, 17/20 of the MO‐group patients and 19/20 of the COMB‐group patients were pain‐free. In the postoperative evening and the first postoperative morning, the corresponding figures were 7/20 and 10/20 in the BUPI‐group, 15/20 and 15/20 in the MO‐group, and 18/20 and 15/20 in the COMB‐group (postop. evening; P<0.01 BUPI vs. others). The number of patients requiring supplementary analgesics (morphine and indomethacin) during the first 24 h was greatest in the BUPI‐group (P<0.01). The number of patients who vomited during the 24‐h period was 3 in the BUPI‐group, 9 in the MO‐group and 5 in the COMB‐group. Postoperatively, normal bowel function was restored after 1.9 days in the BUPI‐group, 2.2 days in the MO‐group and 2.6 days in the COMB‐group, on average (P<0.01 BUPI vs. COMB). Recatheterization of the urinary bladder (once) was required in 4 patients in the MO‐group and 2 in the COMB‐group, but in none of the BUPI‐group. It is concluded that although the morphine‐containing epidural infusions (6.8 mg 24 h‐1) were superior to that containing bupivacaine alone with respect to postoperative analgesia after hysterectomy, the occurrence of disturbing emetic and urinary side‐effects made the therapy not totally satisfactory.
Publishing Romanian public health data as Linked Open Data

Access to standardized and open data is vital for a full analysis of the Romanian public health system. Ministry of Health has published data on the situation of Romanian hospitals, pharmacies and medical staff, but the information is hard to be processed, due to its unstandardized formats. This article describes how the data provided by Ministry of Health are transformed into RDF triples, providing an open and standardized format. Also we use online services to add other properties and to link our dataset with other relevant datasets. The novelty of this article is that it publishes the data about the Romanian public health system in RDF format, allowing third parties to develop applications and creating a bridge of knowledge across domains and datasets.
Determining Optimal Inspection Intervals in Maintenance Considering Equipment Aging Failures

This paper presents an integrated inspection and failure model of equipment for asset management. The model combines both repairable and aging failure modes with maintenance activities. Based on this model, an optimization approach for determining equipment inspection interval is proposed. The proposed approach can optimize the inspection interval by minimizing the total cost including maintenance, failure loss, repair, replacement, and patrol costs. The proposed method is applied to a mixed set of equipment consisting of breakers and transformers in two regions. The results indicate that the optimal inspection interval for each region can be effectively obtained using the proposed method. Equipment aging failures have significant impacts on the optimal inspection interval. The optimal inspection interval gradually becomes shorter over years due to the equipment aging process. The optimal inspection interval is different for different regions depending on the equipment aging status and other factors in each region. Therefore, it is recommended to have a region-specific inspection strategy for each area.
Testosterone administration preserves protein balance but not muscle strength during 28 days of bed rest.

Decrements in muscle strength as a result of prolonged bed rest are well defined, but little is known about potential countermeasures for preventing loss of strength under this condition. The purpose of this study was to determine whether testosterone administration would preserve protein balance and muscle strength during prolonged bed rest. Ten healthy men (age, 36 +/- 2 yr; height, 177.2 +/- 3.4 cm; weight, 80.5 +/- 3.9 kg; mean +/- SE) were admitted to our in-patient metabolic unit. After a 1-week ambulatory run-in period, each subject was confined to bed for 28 days at 6 degree head-down tilt while receiving a daily oral dose of T3 (50 microg/day). During the bed rest/T3 period, six of the men were randomized to receive testosterone enanthate by i.m. injection (T; 200 mg/week) while four received placebo in a double blind fashion. Nitrogen balance was determined throughout, and whole body [13C]leucine kinetics were assessed at baseline and on day 26 of bed rest. Before bed rest and on the third day of reambulation, the muscle strength of the knee extensors and flexors and shoulder extensors and flexors was determined at 60 degrees/s on a Cybex isokinetic dynamometer. Despite improved [13C]leucine kinetics and maintenance of nitrogen balance and lean body mass in T-treated subjects, little preservation of muscle strength, particularly in the knee extensors, was noted. Muscle strength [reported as the best work repetition in foot-pounds (FtLb)] for right knee extensors declined (P = 0.011) similarly in both groups; from 165 +/- 15 to 126 +/- 18 FtLb in T-treated men and from 179 +/- 22 to 149 +/- 13 FtLb in placebo-treated men. Overall, there was less of a decline in extension and flexion strength of the shoulder compared to the knee, with no benefit from T. These results suggest that in the absence of daily ambulatory activity, T administration will not increase or, in the case of this bed rest model, preserve muscle strength.
Costs of Mounting an Immune Response during Pregnancy in a Lizard

Immune defenses are of great benefit to hosts, but reducing the impact of infection by mounting an immune response also entails costs. However, the physiological mechanisms that generate the costs of an immune response remain poorly understood. Moreover, the majority of studies investigating the consequences of an immune challenge in vertebrates have been conducted on mammals and birds. The aim of this study is to investigate the physiological costs of mounting an immune response during gestation in an ectothermic species. Indeed, because ectothermic species are unable to internally regulate their body temperature, the apportionment of resources to homeostatic activities in ectothermic species can differ from that in endothermic species. We conducted this study on the common lizard Zootoca vivipara. We investigated the costs of mounting an immune response by injecting females with sheep red blood cells and quantified the consequences to reproductive performance (litter mass and success) and physiological performance (standard metabolic rate, endurance, and phytohemagglutinin response). In addition, we measured basking behavior. Our analyses revealed that mounting an immune response affected litter mass, physiological performance, and basking behavior. Moreover, we demonstrated that the modulation of an immune challenge is impacted by intrinsic factors, such as body size and condition.
Peak Force, Velocity, and Power During Five and Ten Maximal Rowing Ergometer Strokes by World Class Female and Male Rowers

On a Gjessing rowing ergometer 20 A- and B-squad women (age 21.6 +/- 2.3 years, height 183.6 +/- 2.8 cm, weight 75.6 +/- 2.6 kg) and 81 A-squad men (age 24.6 +/- 2.1 years, height 194.8 +/- 3.3 cm, weight 92.8 +/- 2.7 kg) performed five and ten maximal strokes with a brake load of 3.0 kp; additionally, the women performed a 6-min maximal test (3.0 kp brake load). During the rowing stroke the peak force was measured with a strain gauge, while the peak velocity was determined with an ultrasound echo system. From these values the peak power was calculated. Regardless of sex, there was a relatively constant relationship between peak force and velocity, according to the principle of Hill. For the men the maximal peak force for five and ten strokes was 1350 N, the maximal peak velocity 3.80 m/s, and the maximal peak power 3230 W. The corresponding values for the women were 1020 N, 2.90 m/s, and 1860 W, respectively. With the exception of the strokes at the beginning, at no time during the 6-min maximal test was more than 65%-70% of the maximal force applied. Peak force decreased from the first stroke to the last stroke. The slightly increased peak power during the last 25 s of the test was caused solely by an increase in peak velocity.