Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synchronous Primary Cancers of the Endometrium and Ovary With the Same Histopathologic Type Versus Endometrial Cancer With Ovarian Metastasis: A Single Institution Review of 72 Cases

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of women with simultaneous endometrial and ovarian carcinomas having the same histopathologic type. Materials and Methods A review of medical records from 1997 to 2015 identified 72 patients with simultaneous carcinomas of the endometrium and ovary with the same histopathologic type. Patients with synchronous primary cancers of endometrium and ovary (SCEOs) were compared with patients with primary endometrial cancer with ovarian metastasis (ECOM). Clinical and pathological data were obtained from the patients’ medical records. Clinicopathological variables including categorical data were analyzed by &khgr;2 or Fisher exact test and continuous data by a Student t test. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed and compared by using the log-rank test. Results A univariate and multivariate analysis of 72 patients with SCEO with the same histopathologic type revealed that SCEO is an independent prognostic factor of 10-year overall survival. There were 31 patients in the SCEO group and 41 patients in the ECOM group. With a mean follow-up time of 68.2 months, the 10-year overall survival rates were 61.3% and 36.6% in SCEO and ECOM groups, respectively (P = 0.029). Age, menopausal status, stage of ovarian cancer, performing lymphadenectomy, grade of endometrial tumor, omental metastasis, and residual tumor were found to be significant risk factors for recurrence in the synchronous group. Conclusions The differentiation between SCEO and ECOM is of great clinical importance while our results showed a better prognosis for patients with SCEO compared with patients with ECOM. More aggressive therapeutic approaches may be considered for patients with SCEO who are older, postmenopausal, and/or have advanced grade of endometrial tumor, omental metastasis, and residual tumor. Lymphadenectomy should be performed in every patient with SCEO.
Several concerns arise when the results are interpreted

Mohammadi et al. (2010) present an important trial on assessing another drug of amantadine for treatment of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although this study represents a good starting point for a randomised, controlled trial assessing the effects of amantadine in children with ADHD, there have been several important concerns which should be taken into consideration when the results are interpreted. We would like to share the following concerns. First, lack of placebo group, which has been addressed in discussion of the article (Mohammadi et al. 2010), may lower the persuasiveness of this report. It is possible that the present drug does produce improvement in children with ADHD, but this improvement may be a result of placebo effect rather than pharmacologic effect. There is a growing body of literature showing that placebo (not drug) has effects in medical treatment of somatic and psychiatric disorders (Turner et al. 1994; Koshi & Short 2007; Price et al. 2008), including pediatric ADHD (Sandler & Bodfish, 2008; Sandler et al. 2010). Several lines of evidence suggest that the average rate of positive response to placebos ranges from about 20 to 30% in ADHD treatment (Ottenbacher & Cooper 1983; Swanson et al. 1995; Greenhill & Ford 2002), suggesting that placebo effect is a significant factor in treatment response for at least a subset of ADHD children (Waschbusch et al. 2009). In the present study by Mohammadi et al. (2010), the percentages of responders for amantadine and methylphenidate are 50 and 55% according to parent ADHD rating scale, and 30% and 35% according to teacher ADHD rating scale, respectively. However, the design of the study without a placebo group may not help us to determine whether this response is due solely to pharmacologic effects or includes placebo effects. Hence, placebo-controlled medication assessments have long been recommended for evaluating the effects of medication for children with ADHD, although these trials can be costly and difficult to conduct, and have some ethical issues.
Phospholipids of goat spermatozoa and the seminal plasma.

Phospholipids of goat spermatozoa and seminal plasma were separated and quantified by two dimensional thin layer chromatography. The spermatozoal phospholipids were comprised of 25.0 percent phosphatidyl choline, 27.8 percent phosphatidal choline (choline plasmalogen). 5.0 percent phosphatidyl ethanolamine, 0.9 phosphatidal ethanolamine (ethanolamine phasmalogen), 11.8 percent sphingomyelin. 2.8 percent phosphatidyl serine, 1.8 percent phosphatidyl inositol. 4.4 percent lysophosphatidyl choline. 4.3 percent lysophosphatidyl ethanolamine. 8.0 percent diphosphatidyl glycerol (cardiolipin) and 0.5 percent phosphatidic acid. The corresponding values for the seminal plasma phospholipids were 18.3, 19.1. 9.1. 3.0, 15.0, 4.1, 3.5. 5.5. 9.6, 2.0 and 0.7 percent, respectively.
Sex-specific mortality of European shags after the Prestige oil spill : demographic implications for the recovery of colonies

Oil spills are extreme environmental perturbations (i.e. ecological catastrophes) affect- ing marine food webs and especially top predators, in which effects are likely amplified. As such, seabirds suffer from direct mortality and food depletion, with potentially important consequences for the population growth rate and probability of extinction. However, little is known about the effects of sex-skewed mortality (due to sex spatio-temporal differences in at-sea distribution) in seabird popu- lation dynamics. We analyzed the mortality of European shags Phalacrocorax aristotelis after the Prestige oil spill and its effects on breeding colonies in Galicia (southwest North Atlantic). Most adults found dead were females (85%). The year after the spill, Monte Carlo simulations of popula- tion trajectories predicted a reduction of 11% in the number of breeding pairs when skewed mortal- ity was considered, and a lower rate (8%) when assuming random sex distribution of adult mortality. The further reduction predicted with the sex-biased mortality was probably the result of unmated adults unable to reproduce. This difference, although slight, is a concern for conservation owing that the colonies studied were already showing a 5% annual decline due to other factors also related to human activities.
Pseudomonas putida Which Can Grow in the Presence of Toluene

A Pseudomonas putida strain able to grow in the presence of more than 50% toluene was isolated from soil. The strain was tolerant of other toxic solvents, including aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, and ethers. The stability of the solvent tolerance of strain IH-2000 was stimulated by addition of Mg2+ and Ca2+ to the medium containing toluene.
Transcription and replication of a natural hepatitis B virus nucleocapsid promoter variant is regulated in vivo by peroxisome proliferators.

A hepatitis B virus (HBV) transgenic mouse containing a naturally occurring mutation in the nucleocapsid promoter (A1764T plus G1766A) that inhibits the retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) plus peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) heterodimer from binding to the proximal nuclear hormone receptor recognition sequence has been generated. Viral transcription and replication occur in the liver and kidney. The nucleocapsid promoter mutation does not prevent peroxisome proliferators from increasing viral transcription and replication in the liver of these variant HBV transgenic mice. This suggests that peroxisome proliferators may enhance viral transcription directly in a PPARalpha-dependent manner through the nuclear hormone receptor recognition site in the enhancer 1 region of the HBV genome. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 (HNF4) binding to the proximal nuclear hormone receptor recognition sequence in the nucleocapsid promoter appears to limit RNA synthesis from the precore transcription initiation site. Consequently, the variant HBV transgenic mice transcribe very little precore RNA and secrete extremely low levels of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) compared with the wild-type HBV transgenic mice. This is consistent with the suggestion that viruses expressing HBeAg are preferentially eliminated in infected individuals when they seroconvert from HBeAg positive to anti-HBe antibody-positive status, leaving escape HBV variants that have reduced HBeAg expression.
Rapamycin‐sensitive phase of 3T3‐L1 preadipocyte differentiation after clonal expansion

Inhibition of insulin‐induced 3T3‐L1 preadipocyte differentiation by rapamycin has been attributed to a blockade of the early critical clonal expansion phase of the adipogenic program. Rapamycin binds to, and inhibits, mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin), leading to diminution of p70 S6 kinase activity and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (eIF4E‐BP1) function. Our objective was to determine if rapamycin‐sensitive pathways exist subsequent to the clonal expansion phase. We determined that the mitotic clonal expansion was complete by day 4 of the differentiation protocol, based on the response to Ara‐C (cytosine β‐d‐arabinofuranoside), which only inhibits differentiation when administered during this phase. Treatment of differentiating 3T3‐L1 cells with rapamycin, starting on day 4, exerted potent negative effects on glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase activity, and triacylglycerol accumulation, as well as on the protein expression of adipogenic transcription factors, C/EBPα and PPARγ. Insulin‐stimulated p70 S6 kinase activity, and its inhibition by rapamycin, were comparable in preadipocytes at day 0 vs. day 4 post‐differentiation. We conclude that a component of the adipogenic program, operating after the completion of clonal expansion, is inhibited by rapamycin, suggesting an ongoing need for mTOR function in this process. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prevalence and risk factors of allergies in Turkey: Results of a multicentric cross‐sectional study in children

The Prevalence And Risk Factors of Allergies in Turkey (PARFAIT) study was planned to evaluate prevalence and risk factors of asthma and allergic diseases and also to find out which geographical variables and/or climatic conditions play a role determining the prevalence of allergic diseases in Turkish school children. Study was planned as cross‐sectional questionnaire‐based. About 25,843 questionnaires from 14 centers were appropriate for analysis. Parental history of allergy, having an atopic sibling and other atopic disease in index case was significant risk factors for all allergic diseases. Breast feeding decreased the risk of current asthma (OR: 0.92, CI: 0.86–0.99) and wheezing (OR: 0.93, CI: 0.87–0.99) but not allergic rhinitis and eczema. Respiratory infection in the past was an important risk factor for the occurrence of allergic diseases especially for asthma which was increased 4.53‐fold. Children exposed to household smoke were significantly at higher risk of asthma, wheezing, and allergic rhinitis (OR: 1.20, CI: 1.08–1.33; OR: 1.21, CI: 1.09–1.34; and OR: 1.32, CI: 1.21–1.43, respectively). All allergic diseases were increased in those children living in areas which have altitude of below 1000 m and mean yearly atmospheric pressure above 1000 mb. The study has suggested that household and country‐specific environmental factors are associated with asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and eczema risk during childhood in Turkey.
RPI.Social: Simple Enactment and Execution of First-Class Agent Interaction Protocols

In Multiagent systems, first-class interaction protocols are those whose implementations are decoupled from the agents. A previous work has introduced the RPI framework (Role Playing Interactions) and established the contribution of RPI.Idiom which is a high-level language for the definition of such protocols. In this paper, we present RPI.Social which is a social engine associated with the agent to help it use interaction protocols written in RPI.Idiom. RPI.Social has two components: RPI.Social. IoP (for Initiate or Play) and RPI.Social. Exec. The first component deals with discovering and initiating interaction protocols for an agent which has a goal that could only be pursued through interacting. The same component is also used by agents invited for interaction to decide whether to participate or to decline the invitation. The second component serves as an interpreter of interaction protocols with several mechanisms and rules to coordinate and share results amongst the interacting agents. The main contribution of this paper is a solution for agents to automatically identify and execute firstclass interaction protocols.
Viscosity of sponge phase in porous medium

Sponge phases are phases of randomly connected membranes. We present an experimental investigation of their rheological properties. Both data on the « bulk » viscosity and the effective viscosity through pores are presented. When the bulk viscosity is of the order of a few times the solvent viscosity and is Newtonian in the accessible shear rates (10~~-1Ii s~ ~), the flow of the sponge through cylindrical pores leads to non-Newtonian behaviour. At low shear an enhanced viscosity as the sponge size approaches the pore diameter is observed, while at larger shear rates, the apparent viscosity saturates towards a smaller value close to that measured in the bulk. A simple model based on obstruction and deformation is introduced to describe these different regimes.
Chest Ultrasonography as a Screening Tool for High‐Resolution Computed Tomography Referral in Patients With Systemic Sclerosis—A Future Perspective: Comment on the Article by Suliman et al

To the Editor: We read with interest the report by Suliman et al (1) describing the relatively poor performance of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in identifying interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Interestingly, in their concluding remarks the authors suggest the use of chest ultrasonography (US) in the clinical evaluation of these patients. Previous studies have shown that the use of US to investigate for ILD (2) can reveal typical, though not specific, signs such as diffuse and/or irregular thickening of the pleural line, subpleural nodules, and reduction of the “gliding” or “sliding” sign (the physiologic shift of the pleural line with respiratory movements). In particular, the use of thoracic US has been proposed for patients with SSc (3), in whom PFTs do not reliably identify early interstitial lung involvement (1,2). Actually in this as in every interstitial lung disease, highresolution computed tomography (HRCT) is the gold standard for diagnosis. However, cost and radiation exposure rule out its routine use as a screening test. US, in contrast, could have relevant clinical utility, because it may easily be used to adequately explore the subpleural lung zones, which are often involved early in the course of this disease (4,5). In a recent study (6), our group compared the findings of chest US to those of HRCT in 175 consecutive patients with SSc fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology/ European League Against Rheumatism criteria (7). In all patients without signs of interstitial involvement on HRCT, pleural line thickness was ,3.0 mm. Moreover, among the 95 asymptomatic patients with normal findings of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and other PFTs, 26 had normal features seen on HRCT and pleural line thickness of #3 mm, while the 69 patients with pleural line thickening had a reticular or reticulonodular HRCT pattern limited to the basal area. The sensitivity of pleural line thickness (Figures 1A and B) to identify HRCT-detected interstitial lesions ranged from 74.3% for reticulonodular involvement if the width was . 3.5 mm to 80.0% for a reticular pattern with a width of . 3.0 to #5 mm, and to 90.1% for honeycombing if the width was . 5.0 mm. Moreover, specificity was 99% in all cases. Such a very high specificity allows exclusion of interstitial involvement in patients with SSc without clinical evidence of lung disease. The above findings suggest that chest US could be a useful complementary technique in the management of SSc, allowing better screening for interstitial lung involvement than PFTs (1,2,8). Consequently we believe that, at least among SSc patients without lung and heart comorbidities, US could be a valuable tool to select those who should be referred for thoracic HRCT scanning, both in the early phases and in the follow-up of the disease, with sensible savings in terms of cost and radiation exposure.
Excitatory response of prefrontal cortical fast‐spiking interneurons to ventral tegmental area stimulation in vivo

Prefrontal cortical (PFC) pyramidal neurons (PN) and fast spiking interneurons (FSI) receive dopaminergic (DA) and non‐DA inputs from the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Although the responses of PN to VTA stimulation and DA administration have been extensively studied, little is known about the response of FSI to mesocortical activation. We explored this issue using single and double in vivo juxtacellular recordings of medial PFC PN and FSI with chemical VTA stimulation. Electrophysiological characteristics combined with Neurobiotin staining and parvalbumin immunohistochemistry allowed identification of recorded cells as FSI or PN. NMDA injection into the VTA increased firing in all FSI tested (n = 7), whereas most PN (7/11) responded with an inhibition. Furthermore, FSI excitation matching the temporal course of PN inhibition was observed with FSI–PN paired recordings (n = 5). These divergent electrophysiological responses to mesocortical activation could reflect PFC GABAergic interneurons contributing to silencing PN. Thus, the mesocortical system could provide a critical control of PFC circuits by simultaneously affecting FSI and PN firing. Synapse 59:412–417, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Norovirus Outbreak at a Long-Term-Care Facility: The Role of Environmental Surface Contamination

Abstract Background: The role of environmental surface contamination in the propagation of norovirus outbreaks is unclear. An outbreak of acute gastroenteritis was reported among residents of a 240-bed veterans long-term-care facility. Objectives: To identify the likely mode of transmission, to characterize risk factors for illness, and to evaluate for environmental contamination in this norovirus outbreak. Methods: An outbreak investigation was conducted to identify risk factors for illness among residents and employees. Stool and vomitus samples were tested for norovirus by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fourteen days after outbreak detection, ongoing cases among the residents prompted environmental surface testing for norovirus by RT-PCR. Results: One hundred twenty-seven (52%) of 246 residents and 84 (46%) of 181 surveyed employees had gastroenteritis. Case-residents did not differ from non-case-residents by comorbidities, diet, room type, or level of mobility. Index cases were among the nursing staff. Eight of 11 resident stool or vomitus samples tested positive for genogroup II norovirus. The all-cause mortality rate during the month of the outbreak peak was significantly higher than the expected rate. Environmental surface swabs from case-resident rooms, a dining room table, and an elevator button used only by employees were positive for norovirus. Environmental and clinical norovirus sequences were identical. Conclusion: Extensive contamination of environmental surfaces may play a role in prolonged norovirus outbreaks and should be addressed in control interventions.
A Distortion Reducing Subband Limiter Implementation for Conference Phones

Distortion, most often caused by the loudspeaker, is a practical problem in acoustic echo cancellation-based conference phones. Typically, this distortion varies significantly with the frequency. This paper presents an implementation of a distortion reducing subband limiter to be used in conjunction with an acoustic echo canceller in a commercial conference phone, yielding improved cancellation performance. Verification of the performance was performed through evaluation of a fix-point real-time implementation.
Role of intestinal inflammation as an early event in obesity and insulin resistance

Purpose of reviewTo highlight recent evidence supporting a concept that intestinal inflammation is a mediator or contributor to development of obesity and insulin resistance. Recent findingsCurrent views suggest that obesity-associated systemic and adipose tissue inflammation promote insulin resistance, which underlies many obesity-linked health risks. Diet-induced changes in gut microbiota also contribute to obesity. Recent findings support a concept that high-fat diet and bacteria interact to promote early inflammatory changes in the small intestine that contribute to development of or susceptibility to obesity and insulin resistance. This review summarizes the evidence supporting a role of intestinal inflammation in diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and discusses mechanisms. SummaryThe role of diet-induced intestinal inflammation as an early biomarker and mediator of obesity, and insulin resistance warrants further study.
Different effects of hypertension, atherosclerosis and hyperlipidaemia on arterial distensibility

Objective To investigate the different effects of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia and atherosclerosis on the visco-elastic properties of large arteries. Design Vessel wall properties were determined in patients who had been subjected for the first time to coronary arteriography. Normotensive patients with no coronary disease (n = 15), one-vessel disease (n = 15) or two- or three-vessel disease (n = 15), 15 treated hypertensive patients (mean ± SEM duration of hypertension 9.6 ± 1.7 years) with no coronary disease and normocholesterolaemia and 15 healthy controls were matched for blood pressure, age and sex. Methods Arterial distension of the common carotid artery was determined by using a multigate Doppler system. The blood pressure curve was recorded by finger plethysmography. Results The end-diastolic diameter was significantly higher in the hypertensives (P < 0.05) but not significantly different in the normotensives compared with the controls. Arterial distensibility was significantly lower in the hypertensive group [(13.3 ± 0.8) x 10-3/kpa] than in the controls [(19.1 ± 1.5) x 10-3/kP; P < 0.01), in the group with no coronary disease [(18.8 ± 1.3) x 10-3/kPa; P < 0.01] and in those with one-vessel disease [(17.7 ± 1.4) x 10-3/kPa; P < 0.05]. Arterial distensibility was not significantly lower in the hypertensives than in the group with two- or three-vessel disease [(15.0 ± 1.0) x 10-3/kPa; NS). No significant correlation was found between cholesterol or lipoprotein(a) levels and arterial distensibility in the normotensive patients. Conclusions Hypertension is the predominant factor affecting the visco-elastic properties of large arteries. Arterial compliance is significantly altered only in extensive atherosclerosis.
Craniosynostosis: current conceptions and misconceptions

Abstract Cranial bones articulate in areas called sutures that must remain patent until skull growth is complete. Craniosynostosis is the condition that results from premature closure of one or more of the cranial vault sutures, generating facial deformities and more importantly, skull growth restrictions with the ability to severely affect brain growth. Typically, craniosynostosis can be expressed as an isolated event, or as part of syndromic phenotypes. Multiple signaling mechanisms interact during developmental stages to ensure proper and timely suture fusion. Clinical outcome is often a product of craniosynostosis subtypes, number of affected sutures and timing of premature suture fusion. The present work aimed to review the different aspects involved in the establishment of craniosynostosis, providing a close view of the cellular, molecular and genetic background of these malformations.