Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research and Cooperative Groups: Can It Happen?

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) interventions to ameliorate cancer- and treatment-related toxicities is gaining increasing attention among clinical investigators. The National Cancer Institute supports a number of clinical studies, both descriptive and interventional, of CAM interventions across the cancer trajectory, from prevention through diagnosis and treatment, survivorship, and end of life. This report highlights the unique challenges that clinical investigators face when designing and implementing CAM clinical trials through the cooperative groups. This report focuses on 2 CAM trials that opened and accrued participants in the Children’s Oncology Group. One trial is aimed at preventing or reducing mucositis and the other at preventing chemotherapy- induced nausea and vomiting.
What is the optimal level of vitamin D? - separating the evidence from the rhetoric.

BACKGROUND Vitamin D deficiency is thought to be common in Australia. It is unclear when vitamin D supplementation should be prescribed. OBJECTIVE We assess the evidence that guides clinical decision-making on supplementation with vitamin D following a vitamin D test result. DISCUSSION Vitamin D assays are inconsistent and inaccurate and there is weak evidence around the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) that is optimal. Evidence of links between vitamin D deficiency and disease come from observational studies and there is little support from randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation. Where there is evidence of a link, increased risk is largely confined to very low 25(OH)D levels, with minimal health gains for 25(OH)D levels greater than 50 nmol/L. New evidence indicates that both high and low 25(OH)D levels may be associated with increased health risks. Taken together these considerations present a considerable challenge to clinical decision-making around treatment on the basis of 25(OH)D levels.
A Novel Reactive Power Compensation Scheme of UHV AC Transmission Line

Reactive power compensation scheme directly affects the overvoltage and safety operation of UHV AC transmission line. To maintain the voltage along the line in a reasonable range, reactive power compensation should change with the power flow dynamically. In the paper, a novel reactive power compensation scheme of UHV AC transmission line is proposed, which is based on the independent local power network. Compared to other plans, this method requires less reactive power compensation capacity of sending and receiving ends, and the transmission capability of UHV AC line can be increased through dynamic reactive power compensation adjustment with the change of power flow. Finally, the feasibility of this scheme is discussed through an demonstration UHV transmission line in China.
Modern Trends in Imaging IX: Biophotonics Techniques for Structural and Functional Imaging, In Vivo

In vivo optical imaging is being conducted in a variety of medical applications, including optical breast cancer imaging, functional brain imaging, endoscopy, exercise medicine, and monitoring the photodynamic therapy and progress of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In the past three decades, in vivo diffuse optical breast cancer imaging has shown promising results in cancer detection, and monitoring the progress of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The use of near infrared spectroscopy for functional brain imaging has been growing rapidly. In fluorescence imaging, the difference between autofluorescence of cancer lesions compared to normal tissues were used in endoscopy to distinguish malignant lesions from normal tissue or inflammation and in determining the boarders of cancer lesions in surgery. Recent advances in drugs targeting specific tumor receptors, such as AntiBodies (MAB), has created a new demand for developing non-invasive in vivo imaging techniques for detection of cancer biomarkers, and for monitoring their down regulations during therapy. Targeted treatments, combined with new imaging techniques, are expected to potentially result in new imaging and treatment paradigms in cancer therapy. Similar approaches can potentially be applied for the characterization of other disease-related biomarkers. In this chapter, we provide a review of diffuse optical and fluorescence imaging techniques with their application in functional brain imaging and cancer diagnosis.
Clinical and histological aspects in chronic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C affects approximately 160 million people, or about 2.35% of the general population of the globe [ Lavanchy , 2011]. In Europe it is estimated about 12 million people infected with C. About 10 % of them are located in Romania, occupying the 1st place in HCV morbidity and 4th place as mortality rate for liver disease. It is estimated that Romania will increase significantly by 2030 the number of patients with hepatitis C cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and liver disease deaths, thus implying significant social and medical costs [Gheorghe L. , 2009] . Although liver biopsy is no longer the gold standard in assessing liver fibrosis continues to be the method used in research on virus C.
mTOR signaling for biological control and cancer

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a major intersection that connects signals from the extracellular milieu to corresponding changes in intracellular processes. When abnormally regulated, the mTOR signaling pathway is implicated in a wide spectrum of cancers, neurological diseases, and proliferative disorders. Therefore, pharmacological agents that restore the regulatory balance of the mTOR pathway could be beneficial for a great number of diseases. This review summarizes current understanding of mTOR signaling and some unanswered questions in the field. We describe the composition of the mTOR complexes, upstream signals that activate mTOR, and physiological processes that mTOR regulates. We also discuss the role of mTOR and its downstream effectors in cancer, obesity and diabetes, and autism. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 1658–1664, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Energy Stable and Convergent Finite-Difference Scheme for the Modified Phase Field Crystal Equation

We present an unconditionally energy stable finite difference scheme for the Modified Phase Field Crystal equation, a generalized damped wave equation for which the usual Phase Field Crystal equation is a special degenerate case. The method is based on a convex splitting of a discrete pseudoenergy and is semi-implicit. The equation at the implicit time level is nonlinear but represents the gradient of a strictly convex function and is thus uniquely solvable, regardless of time step-size. We present a local-in-time error estimate that ensures the pointwise convergence of the scheme.
Vers un méta-outil de capitalisation et d'organisation de simulations

RESUME. Le foisonnement des simulations numériques dans le processus de développement des produits pose des problèmes de traçabilité et de cohérence des simulations effectuées au long d’un projet. La réutilisation des modèles ou démarches de calcul est difficile au sein d’un même projet ou à travers les différents projets d’une entreprise. Il s’agit de construire au sein des entreprises des Systèmes d’Information de Calcul (SIC) capitalisant l’ensemble des modèles utilisés ou produits par la simulation numérique. Une collaboration avec deux entreprises industrielles a permis de mettre en évidence une grande disparité de structuration des SIC mais aussi certains points communs que nous avons capitalisé au sein d’un « métaoutil » destiné à faciliter le prototypage rapide des SIC.
Oscillatory Characteristics of Nociceptive Responses in the SII Cortex

Objective: This study is aimed to explore the frequency characteristics of pain-evoked neuromagnetic responses in the secondary somatosensory (SII) cortices. Methods: Thulium-laser nociceptive stimuli to the left hand dorsum of 10 right-handed healthy adults. The pain stimuli were rated as mild, moderate, and severe levels according to subjects' reports on a 10-point visual analog scale. We analyzed their cortical responses with wavelet-based frequency analyses and equivalent current dipole (ECD) modeling. Results: For each pain level, we found an increase of theta (4-8 Hz) and alpha (8-13 Hz) power in bilateral SII areas at 180-210 ms after stimulus onset. The power was larger for the moderate than for the mild pain level (p < 0.05), but there was no statistical power difference of these oscillations between moderate and severe pain stimulus conditions (p = 0.7). Within the SII area, we did not observe particular difference in theta and alpha ECD locations between varying pain level conditions. Conclusions: The 4-13 Hz activities, peaking from 180 to 210 ms, are oscillatory correlates of SII activation in response to nociceptive stimulation, but their power may code the magnitude of pain stimuli only up to moderate level, as rated subjectively. This measure could be potentially used to evaluate SII activation in further pain studies.
Response of Rainbow Trout Gill Na+‐ATPase to T3 and NaCl Administration

The effect of the administration of commercial diets supplemented with 9 mg kg−1 3,5,3′‐triiodo‐l‐thyronine (T3) or 10% (w/w) NaCl was evaluated on the ouabain‐insensitive Na+‐ATPase activity in rainbow trout gill microsomes. The trial, carried out following the seasonal trend from March to mid‐May, included a treatment phase in freshwater and a subsequent transfer to brackish water (22‰ salinity) where trout were not treated. pH dependence, apparent Km values for Mg2+ and Na+, and Hill coefficients evaluated throughout the trial for Na+‐ATPase were generally not affected by the treatments and habitat change. In comparison with the control group, in both treated groups, Na+‐ATPase activity was lower during the freshwater phase and higher after brackish‐water transfer. As compared with untreated trout, gill (Na+ + K+)‐ATPase activity during the freshwater phase was stimulated by NaCl treatment and also by T3 treatment after transfer to brackish water. The results indicate that NaCl and T3 administration act differently on the two ATPase activities involved in Na+ regulation and suggest a prevalent role of Na+‐ATPase activity in hypoosmotic conditions.
Phosphorylation and Regulation of Akt/PKB by the Rictor-mTOR Complex

Deregulation of Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) is implicated in the pathogenesis of cancer and diabetes. Akt/PKB activation requires the phosphorylation of Thr308 in the activation loop by the phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1) and Ser473 within the carboxyl-terminal hydrophobic motif by an unknown kinase. We show that in Drosophila and human cells the target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase and its associated protein rictor are necessary for Ser473 phosphorylation and that a reduction in rictor or mammalian TOR (mTOR) expression inhibited an Akt/PKB effector. The rictor-mTOR complex directly phosphorylated Akt/PKB on Ser473 in vitro and facilitated Thr308 phosphorylation by PDK1. Rictor-mTOR may serve as a drug target in tumors that have lost the expression of PTEN, a tumor suppressor that opposes Akt/PKB activation.
UWB & UWB Channels

Ultra Wide Band (UWB) signalling is expected to play an important role in the future of communications systems. UWB uses extremely wide transmission bandwidths (in excess of 3 GHz), which results in desirable potentials such as accurate position location and ranging, lack of significant fading, high multiple access capability, secure communications, and possible easier material penetration. These advantages will result in more covert and faster wireless networks and also create new opportunities for the design of wireless positioning and ranging products.
Changes of serum hepatitis B virus DNA and aminotransferase levels during the course of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in children

During a follow‐up period of 3.2 ± 1.6 (1 to 8.6) yr, 1,087 serum specimens from 230 HBsAg carrier children were tested for hepatitis B virus markers. Dividing the serum specimens into four groups according to the status of HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA, the frequency of abnormally elevated ALT levels in serum was in the following order: HBeAg(+)/hepatitis B virus DNA(−) serum (60%), HBeAg(−)/hepatitis B virus DNA(+) serum (53%), HBeAg(+)/hepatitis B virus DNA(+) serum (41%), HBeAg(−)/hepatitis B virus DNA(−) serum (11%). Analysis of the data before HBeAg clearance showed that both a high serum ALT level and a low serum hepatitis B virus DNA level correlated with an imminent clearance of HBeAg. Approximately two thirds of children with serum ALT levels higher than 100 IU/L cleared HBeAg within the following year. Clearance of HBeAg occurred within the following year in 65% (13 of 20) of cases with serum hepatitis B virus DNA level ≤ 1,000 pg/ml, in contrast to 19% (30 of 157) of those with serum hepatitis B virus DNA level > 1,000 pg/ml. Among 53 children who lost HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA during follow‐up, only nine cases did not have an identified period of abnormal serum ALT levels. For the remaining 44 children, abnormal serum ALT levels fell to normal with clearance of both HBeAg and hepatitis B virus DNA in 33 children but remained elevated in the remaining 11 cases after seroconversion. This study also demonstrated that (a) serum ALT elevations in HBsAg carrier children were usually mild in degree and infrequently exceeded 100 IU/L, (b) hepatitis B virus DNA was detectable in only 1% (4 of 352) of the anti‐HBe(+) sera and all showed normal ALT levels. These findings are in contrast to the adult carriers and denote some unique features of HBsAg carrier children. (HEPATOLOGY 1990;12:657–660).
Cell–matrix adhesion

The complex interactions of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) play crucial roles in mediating and regulating many processes, including cell adhesion, migration, and signaling during morphogenesis, tissue homeostasis, wound healing, and tumorigenesis. Many of these interactions involve transmembrane integrin receptors. Integrins cluster in specific cell–matrix adhesions to provide dynamic links between extracellular and intracellular environments by bi‐directional signaling and by organizing the ECM and intracellular cytoskeletal and signaling molecules. This mini review discusses these interconnections, including the roles of matrix properties such as composition, three‐dimensionality, and porosity, the bi‐directional functions of cellular contractility and matrix rigidity, and cell signaling. The review concludes by speculating on the application of this knowledge of cell–matrix interactions in the formation of cell adhesions, assembly of matrix, migration, and tumorigenesis to potential future therapeutic approaches. J. Cell. Physiol. 213:565–573. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A compact process for treating oilfield wastewater by combining hydrolysis acidification, moving bed biofilm, ozonation and biologically activated carbon techniques

ABSTRACT A lab-scale hybrid system integrating a hybrid hydrolysis acidification (HA) reactor, a moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) and an ozonation-biologically activated carbon (O3-BAC) unit was used in the treatment of heavy oil wastewater with high chemical oxygen demand (COD) and low biodegradability. The effects of hydraulic retention time and ozonation time were investigated. The results show that under the optimal conditions, the effluent concentrations of COD, oil and ammonia were 48, 1.3 and 3.5 mg/L, respectively, corresponding to total removal efficiencies of 95.8%, 98.9% and 94.4%, respectively. The effluent could meet the grade I as required by the national discharge standard of China. The HA process remarkably improved the biodegradability of the wastewater, while the MBBR process played an important role in degrading COD. The ozonation process further enhanced the biodegradability of the MBBR effluent, and finally, deep treatment was completed in the BAC reactor. This work demonstrates that the hybrid HA/MBBR/O3-BAC system has the potential to be used for the treatment of high-strength oilfield wastewater.
Circular IGFBP-3 level affected by the gene transfer of different growth hormone isoforms

Abstract To evaluate whether through gene transfer, which growth hormone (GH) isoform can influence the circulation IGFBP-3 level, mice were injected three times with the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) mediated mammalian expression vector encoding different GH isoform gene. Then blood samples were drawn and the ELISA method was used to determine the circulation concentration of IGFBP-3. It was found that the 22 kDa GH gene could increase IGFBP-3 levels to 1.94 μg/mL whereas 20 kDa GH, 17 kDa GH and 5 kDa GH genes did not play a role in the circulation expression of IGFBP-3.
Görög Thrombosis Test: a global in-vitro test of platelet function and thrombolysis

This is the first laboratory evaluation of a new instrument, designed to test both platelet function and thrombolytic activity from a native blood sample, in vitro. The inventor assumed that the reduction and arrest of blood flow was due to activation, aggregation and stabilized thrombus formation by shear-activated platelets, and that re-establishment of flow was due to thrombolysis. Morphologic and functional studies presented here confirm these mechanisms. In vitro tests provided incontestable evidence for the principal role of platelets in the obstruction of flow (occlusion time) and for thrombolysis as the principal mechanism underlying the restoration of blood flow (lysis time). In addition to aggregation, it is the explosive generation of thrombin by shear-activated platelets that results in the formation of an occlusive haemostatic thrombus. Anticoagulation of blood completely prevented occlusion. Platelet-rich thrombus formation (occlusion time) was dose-dependently inhibited by monoclonal antibody against platelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib (6B4 and 12E4), aurin tricarboxylic acid, monoclonal antibody against platelet GPIIb/IIIa (MA-16N7C2 and abciximab), a synthetic GPIIb/IIIa antagonist (TAK-029), thrombin inhibitor (argatroban), and anti-von Willebrand factor, but not by anti-fibrinogen. Plasminogen activator streptokinase (Varidase) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (Monteplase) dose-dependently enhanced thrombolysis (lysis time) without affecting platelet function (occlusion time). The test is specific for thrombolysis. The plasmin inhibitor tranexamic acid prevented plasminogen activator-induced thrombolysis, while inhibition of clot retraction by cytochalasin B did not affect the lysis time. This rapid and sensitive global test of platelet function and thrombolytic activity could be of great value both in research and in clinical practice.
Time course of induction of increased human motor cortex excitability by nerve stimulation

Manipulation of afferent input induces changes in the excitability and organisation of human corticomotor representations. These changes are generally short lived, although can be prolonged by repetition. Here, we charted the time-course of the change of motor cortex excitability induced by electrical stimulation of radial and ulnar nerves. Corticomotor excitability was evaluated by measuring the amplitude of the motor evoked potentials in the first dorsal interosseous muscle by transcranial magnetic stimulation of the optimal cortical area. Measurements were carried out before the start of peripheral nerve stimulation, and then during the peripheral nerve stimulation at 15 min intervals over a period of 2 h. The amplitudes of the motor evoked potentials significantly increased during the 2 h period of peripheral nerve stimulation. Cortical excitability peaked after about 45–60 min stimulation. These clear-cut changes in cortical excitability following peripheral nerve stimulation may reveal some of the mechanisms underlying motor learning and cortical plasticity.
In vitro and in vivo histamine‐producing cell‐stimulating factor (or IL3) production during Nippostrongylus brasiliensis infection: coincidence with self‐cure phenomenon

Spleen cells from Nippostrongylus brasiliensis‐infected mice produce large amounts of histamine in response to adult worm antigen. This phenomenon results from the production of HCSF (histamine‐producing cell‐stimulating factor, probably related to IL3) by sensitized lymphocytes. This factor acts on its target cells (presumably mast cell precursors) by inducing a rapid increase in histamine synthesis. Similarly, parasite infection generates enhanced histamine production by spleen cells in response to concanavalin A (Con A). This results from increases in both HCSF production and the HCSF sensitivity of its target cells. In all cases, maximal histamine and HCSF productions are obtained on day 8 after infection and coincide with parasite rejection. Methyl prednisolone suppresses HCSF production by infected mouse spleen cells in response to worm antigen or Con A. HCSF activity is found in vivo on day 8 in the sera of infected mice, 4 h after they are challenged with an i. v. injection of adult worm antigen. No activity is detected in the sera of normal mice with or without antigen injection. Sera from infected mice that did not receive the antigen exhibit a slight HCSF activity on day 8. Our data bring the first evidence of the existence of an in vivo production of HCSF.
Endotoxin, cytokines, and hyperlipidemia.

Endotoxin, a class of lipopolysaccharide molecules derived from the gram-negative bacterial cell wall, consists of three regions: the O-specific polysaccharide, the core polysaccharide, and the lipid A (1). The O-specific polysaccharide, which carries the primary antigenicity of the bacteria, is linked to the core polysaccharide that is common to varieties of bacteria. The latter is bound to lipid A, which possesses most of the biologic activities of endotoxin. Endotoxin stimulates many pathophysiologic responses, including fever, activation of the immune system and the complement cascade, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism.
Big Data text-oriented benchmark creation for Hadoop

Massive-scale Big Data analytics is representative of a new class of workloads that justifies a rethinking of how computing systems should be optimized. This paper addresses the need for a set of benchmarks that system designers can use to measure the quality of their designs and that customers can use to evaluate competing systems offerings with respect to commonly performed text-oriented workflows in Hadoop™. Additions are needed to existing benchmarks such as HiBench in terms of both scale and relevance. We describe a methodology for creating a petascale data-size text-oriented benchmark that includes representative Big Data workflows and can be used to test total system performance, with demands balanced across storage, network, and computation. Creating such a benchmark requires meeting unique challenges associated with the data size and its often unstructured nature. To be useful, the benchmark also needs to be sufficiently generic to be accepted by the community at large. Here, we focus on a text-oriented Hadoop workflow that consists of three common tasks: categorizing text documents, identifying significant documents within each category, and analyzing significant documents for new topic creation.