Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characteristic Changes in Decidual Gene Expression Signature in Spontaneous Term Parturition

Background The decidua has been implicated in the “terminal pathway” of human term parturition, which is characterized by the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways in gestational tissues. However, the transcriptomic changes in the decidua leading to terminal pathway activation have not been systematically explored. This study aimed to compare the decidual expression of developmental signaling and inflammation-related genes before and after spontaneous term labor in order to reveal their involvement in this process. Methods Chorioamniotic membranes were obtained from normal pregnant women who delivered at term with spontaneous labor (TIL, n = 14) or without labor (TNL, n = 15). Decidual cells were isolated from snap-frozen chorioamniotic membranes with laser microdissection. The expression of 46 genes involved in decidual development, sex steroid and prostaglandin signaling, as well as pro- and anti-inflammatory pathways, was analyzed using high-throughput quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Chorioamniotic membrane sections were immunostained and then semi-quantified for five proteins, and immunoassays for three chemokines were performed on maternal plasma samples. Results The genes with the highest expression in the decidua at term gestation included insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 1 (IGFBP1), galectin-1 (LGALS1), and progestogen-associated endometrial protein (PAEP); the expression of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), homeobox A11 (HOXA11), interleukin 1β (IL1B), IL8, progesterone receptor membrane component 2 (PGRMC2), and prostaglandin E synthase (PTGES) was higher in TIL than in TNL cases; the expression of chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2), CCL5, LGALS1, LGALS3, and PAEP was lower in TIL than in TNL cases; immunostaining confirmed qRT-PCR data for IL-8, CCL2, galectin-1, galectin-3, and PAEP; and no correlations between the decidual gene expression and the maternal plasma protein concentrations of CCL2, CCL5, and IL-8 were found. Conclusions Our data suggests that with the initiation of parturition, the decidual expression of anti-inflammatory mediators decreases, while the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators and steroid receptors increases. This shift may affect downstream signaling pathways that can lead to parturition.
Phase II study of paclitaxel with 3h infusion in patients with advanced gastric cancer

Background. To increase the options for agents for gastric cancer chemotherapy, we performed a phase II clinical trial on the use of a 3-h infusion of paclitaxel to confirm its efficacy and the feasibility of its use in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Methods. Thirty-two (32) patients with measurable metastatic gastric cancer were enrolled in this study. Seventeen patients (53%) had received prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease, 4 patients (13%) had adjuvant chemotherapy alone, and 11 patients (34%) were chemotherapy-naive. Paclitaxel was intravenously infused for 3 h, at a dose of 210 mg/m2, once every 3 weeks. To prevent hypersensitivity reactions, standard premedication was administered to all patients. Results. Nine (28%; 9/32 ) objective partial responses (PRs) were observed (95% confidence interval [CI], 14%–47%), and the remaining 23 patients showed stable (12 patients; 37.5%) and progressive disease (11 patients; 34.4%). The median time to response was 20 days (range, 14–38 days). The median response duration was 87 days (range, 50–103 days). The median survival of all patients was 234 days (range, 13–646 days). The major adverse reactions were myelosuppression (grade 3/4 leukopenia and neutropenia were observed in 59% and 88% of the patients, respectively), alopecia, and peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy was observed in 19 patients, however, most of the patients recovered after the completion of treatment. Conclusion. A 3-h infusion of paclitaxel is an effective therapy for advanced gastric cancer and is clinically well tolerated by the patients.
Underdiagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adult Patients: A Review of the Literature

Objective: To raise awareness of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as an underdiagnosed, undertreated, often comorbid, and debilitating condition in adults. Data Sources: PubMed was searched using combinations of keywords, including ADHD, adult, diagnosis, identify, prevalence, and comorbid, to find articles published between 1976 and 2013. Study Selection: In total, 99 articles were selected for inclusion on the basis of their relevance to the objective and importance to and representation of ADHD research, including international guidelines for adults with ADHD. Results: In a large proportion of children with ADHD, symptoms persist into adulthood. However, although adults with ADHD often experience chaotic lifestyles, with impaired educational and vocational achievement and higher risks of substance abuse and imprisonment, many remain undiagnosed and/or untreated. ADHD is usually accompanied by other psychiatric comorbidities (such as major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse). Indeed, adults with ADHD are more likely to present to a psychiatric clinic for treatment of their comorbid disorders than for ADHD, and their ADHD symptoms are often mistaken for those of their comorbidities. Untreated ADHD in adults with psychiatric comorbidities leads to poor clinical and functional outcomes for the patient even if comorbidities are treated. Effective treatment of adults’ ADHD improves symptoms, emotional lability, and patient functioning, often leading to favorable outcomes (eg, safer driving, reduced criminality). A few medications have now been approved for use in adults with ADHD, while a multimodal approach involving psychotherapy has also shown promising results. Conclusions General psychiatrists should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of ADHD in adults in order to diagnose and manage ADHD and comorbidities appropriately in these patients.
La alianza terapéutica: historia, investigación y evaluación*

La psicoterapia no se puede concebir al margen del establecimiento de una relacion interpersonal entre cliente y terapeuta. Entre los componentes de la relacion terapeutica, la alianza es el que ha recibido mas atencion por parte de la investigacion. En este articulo se describen brevemente algunas de las aportaciones mas significativas de las principales orientaciones teoricas en cuanto a la vision de la alianza terapeutica y se revisan las investigaciones principales que han tenido a la alianza como protagonista. La relacion significativa entre la alianza terapeutica y los resultados de la terapia asi como la interaccion entre terapeuta y paciente como variable influyente en el desarrollo de la alianza son algunos de los aspectos que se destacan.
Segregation of blood inventory: A key driver for optimum blood stock management in a resource-poor setting

Background: Blood inventory management entails maintaining a delicate balance between guaranteeing blood availability and minimizing wastage. The study was conducted to identify and analyze various factors of wastage which can provide insight to ideal inventory management, thus help in formulating policies and improve efficiency of blood transfusion services. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. To determine various causes of wastage, a retrospective analysis was done over 6 months and preventive strategies adopted. Issuable stock index (ISI) and wastage as percentage of issue (WAPI) were used to compare the effect on blood inventory before and after adoption of strategies. The average number of times each ABO group and Rh type was crossmatched before final transfusion was calculated and compared for randomly selected units over the first 6 months of 2012 and 2013. Results: Outdating was found to be the largest cause, and decrease in discarding rate was observed after adoption of strategies. Mean ISI for different study periods was comparable. However, significant decrease (P = 0.015) was observed for WAPI and WAPI with respect to outdating. Significant decrease in average number of times a unit was crossmatched before final transfusion for all positive blood groups and O-negative blood group was observed over corresponding first 6 months of 2012 and 2013. Conclusion: Division of inventory into two parts, enlistment of soon to outdate blood components, and reduction of holding of blood units to minimum period for elective surgery patients are simple measures which can minimize wastage.
Algorithms for melody search and transcription

This thesis studies two problems in music information retrieval: search for a given melody in an audio database, and automatic melody transcription. In both of the problems, the representation of the melody is symbolic, i.e., the melody consists of onset times and pitches of musical notes. In the first part of the thesis we present new algorithms for symbolic melody search. First, we present algorithms that work with a matrix representation of the audio data, that corresponds to the discrete Fourier transform. We formulate the melody search problem as a generalization of the classical maximum subarray problem. After this, we discuss algorithms that operate on a geometric representation of the audio data. In this case, the Fourier transform is converted into a set of points in the two-dimensional plane. The main contributions of the first part of the thesis lie in algorithm design. We present new efficient algorithms, most of which are based on dynamic programming optimization, i.e., calculating dynamic programming values more efficiently using appropriate data structures and algorithm design techniques. Finally, we experiment with the algorithms using real-world audio databases and melody queries, which shows that the algorithms can be successfully used in practice. Compared to previous melody search systems, the novelty in our approach is that the search can be performed directly in the Fourier transform of the audio data.
IgE Enhances Mouse Mast Cell FcεRI Expression In Vitro and In Vivo: Evidence for a Novel Amplification Mechanism in IgE-dependent Reactions

The binding of immunoglobulin E (IgE) to high affinity IgE receptors (FcεRI) expressed on the surface of mast cells primes these cells to secrete, upon subsequent exposure to specific antigen, a panel of proinflammatory mediators, which includes cytokines that can also have immunoregulatory activities. This IgE- and antigen-specific mast cell activation and mediator production is thought to be critical to the pathogenesis of allergic disorders, such as anaphylaxis and asthma, and also contributes to host defense against parasites. We now report that exposure to IgE results in a striking (up to 32-fold) upregulation of surface expression of FcεRI on mouse mast cells in vitro or in vivo. Moreover, baseline levels of FcεRI expression on peritoneal mast cells from genetically IgE-deficient (IgE −/−) mice are dramatically reduced (by ∼83%) compared with those on cells from the corresponding normal mice. In vitro studies indicate that the IgE-dependent upregulation of mouse mast cell FcεRI expression has two components: an early cycloheximide-insensitive phase, followed by a later and more sustained component that is highly sensitive to inhibition by cycloheximide. In turn, IgE-dependent upregulation of FcεRI expression significantly enhances the ability of mouse mast cells to release serotonin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-4 in response to challenge with IgE and specific antigen. The demonstration that IgE-dependent enhancement of mast cell FcεRI expression permits mast cells to respond to antigen challenge with increased production of proinflammatory and immunoregulatory mediators provides new insights into both the pathogenesis of allergic diseases and the regulation of protective host responses to parasites.
Therapy-activated stromal cells can dictate tumor fate

In this issue of JEM, Chan et al. describe a novel way by which an investigational form of chemotherapy known as low-dose metronomic chemotherapy can inhibit tumor growth, which also has therapeutic implications for targeting tumor-initiating cells (TICs), the tumor stroma, and chemokine receptors, as well as invasion and metastasis.
Identification of Novel Tumor Markers in Prostate, Colon and Breast Cancer by Unbiased Methylation Profiling

DNA hypermethylation is a common epigenetic abnormality in cancer and may serve as a useful marker to clone cancer-related genes as well as a marker of clinical disease activity. To identify CpG islands methylated in prostate cancer, we used methylated CpG island amplification (MCA) coupled with representational difference analysis (RDA) on prostate cancer cell lines. We isolated 34 clones that corresponded to promoter CpG islands, including 5 reported targets of hypermethylation in cancer. We confirmed the data for 17 CpG islands by COBRA and/or pyrosequencing. All 17 genes were methylated in at least 2 cell lines of a 21-cancer cell line panel containing prostate cancer, colon cancer, leukemia, and breast cancer. Based on methylation in primary tumors compared to normal adjacent tissues, NKX2-5, CLSTN1, SPOCK2, SLC16A12, DPYS and NSE1 are candidate biomarkers for prostate cancer (methylation range 50%–85%). The combination of NSE1 or SPOCK2 hypermethylation showed a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 95% in differentiating cancer from normal. Similarly NKX2-5, SPOCK2, SLC16A12, DPYS and GALR2 are candidate biomarkers for colon cancer (methylation range 60%–95%) and GALR2 hypermethylation showed a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 95%. Finally, SLC16A12, GALR2, TOX, SPOCK2, EGFR5 and DPYS are candidate biomarkers for breast cancer (methylation range 33%–79%) with the combination of EGFR5 or TOX hypermethylation showing a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 92%. Expression analysis for eight genes that had the most hypermethylation confirmed the methylation associated silencing and reactivation with 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatment. Our data identify new targets of transcriptional silencing in cancer, and provide new biomarkers that could be useful in screening for prostate cancer and other cancers.
Outage Analysis of the Full-Duplex Decode-and-Forward Two-Way Relay System

Contrary to the traditional theoretical analysis with perfect self-interference cancellation, this paper studies the outage performance of a full-duplex (FD) decode-and-forward two-way relay system with the consideration of the residual self-interference incurred by the FD mode. The exact closed-form outage probability expressions are derived in this paper. In addition, the asymptotic outage performance is investigated when the transmit powers increase to infinity, and the result demonstrates that the outage probabilities monotonically increase and finally converge to 1 as the transmit power exceeds a certain threshold. Furthermore, optimal power allocation schemes and optimal relay node placement strategies are then proposed to improve the outage performance. Finally, simulation results are conducted to verify the accuracy of the theoretical analysis.
A Causal Link Between Handwashing and Risk of Infection? Examination of the Evidence

Abstract To examine evidence of a causal link between handwashing and risk of infection, a review of published literature from 1879 through 1986 was conducted. In the 107 years studied, 423 articles specifically related to handwashing were found. Articles were categorized as studies to evaluate products (50.8%), review articles (29.1%), behavioral studies (10.9%), methodologie studies (2.8%), studies linking handwashing to infection and other (3.1%). There was an increase in the proportion of handwashing articles published in the 1980s with the rate (9.4/105 citations/year) being almost double that of any other period studied. Nonexperimental and experimental studies related to handwashing were reviewed and evidence for a causal association evaluated. Except for specificity, all the elements for causality, including temporality, strength, plausibility, consistency of the association, and dose response were present. It was therefore concluded that emphasis on handwashing as a primary infection control measure has not been misplaced and should continue.
Error Propagation for Approximate Policy and Value Iteration

We address the question of how the approximation error/Bellman residual at each iteration of the Approximate Policy/Value Iteration algorithms influences the quality of the resulted policy. We quantify the performance loss as the Lp norm of the approximation error/Bellman residual at each iteration. Moreover, we show that the performance loss depends on the expectation of the squared Radon-Nikodym derivative of a certain distribution rather than its supremum – as opposed to what has been suggested by the previous results. Also our results indicate that the contribution of the approximation/Bellman error to the performance loss is more prominent in the later iterations of API/AVI, and the effect of an error term in the earlier iterations decays exponentially fast.
Prolactin and Dehydroepiandrosterone Levels in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: The Role of the Extrapituitary Prolactin Promoter Polymorphism at −1149G/T

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has shown an association with high levels of prolactin, low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and induction of inflammatory cytokines in the serum of patients with the disease. This preliminary study examined the relevance of a −1149G/T functional single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (rs1341239) in the promoter of the extrapituitary prolactin gene in a cohort of African American and European American women with lupus. Examination of this SNP revealed that the −1149TT genotype was correlated with higher levels of prolactin in serum and prolactin gene expression (p = 0.0001) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Lower levels of DHEA in serum were demonstrated in lupus patients (p = 0.001); those with the −1149TT genotype had the lowest levels of DHEA. Furthermore, a small subset of women who were on DHEA therapy and had a TT genotype showed a significant decrease in prolactin gene expression and lower disease activity scores (SLEDAI). Lupus patients, particularly African Americans, had significantly higher levels of IL-6 (p = 0.0001) and TNF-α (p = 0.042). This study suggests that the −1149TT genotype may be a risk factor for lupus and may predict who could possibly benefit from DHEA therapy; therefore, these results should be validated in a larger cohort with all ethnic groups.
Exchanging information through social links: The role of friendship, trust and reciprocity

This paper shows that the features that characterize the exchange of information among individuals vary depending on the type of information exchanged (novel or specific) and the institutional affiliation of the individuals involved. It unbundles the concept of strong and weak links into three main tie characteristics: trust, friendship and reciprocity. Using data from a survey of nanotechnology researchers, we identify the characteristics of 594 links between researchers and individuals from different institutional groups (firms, governmental organizations and universities). Findings suggest behavioral regularities that are contingent on the kind of information being exchanged and the contact’s institutional membership. For, instance, when university researchers exchange novel information between themselves, the level of trust becomes essential, but exchanges with individuals from other institutional settings (firms and governmental organizations) will be characterized instead by reciprocity and friendship. We discuss the implications of these findings for research on the relational perspective of social networks and university-society relationships. INGENIO (CSIC‐UPV) Working Paper Series 2011/09
Real-time measurement of fibers using an HY-differential mobility analyzer with an optical particle counter (KOFAM)

This study investigated the applicability of an HY-differential mobility analyzer with an optical particle counter (HY-DMA/OPC), named as KOFAM, for counting fibrous matters in real time. Fibers separated from particles by the HY-DMA were counted with an OPC. To assess the KOFAM performance, the proposed method and the conventional gold standard phase contrast microscopy (PCM) method were compared in terms of variables such as recovery, relative difference, coefficient of determination, and conformity. The optimal sheath-to-aerosol (outlet) flow ratio of the internal flow in the HY-DMA was determined to be 1.6:1. In terms of recovery of the HY-DMA, the highest recovery was obtained at a voltage of 500 V regardless of which type of asbestos was tested. The recovery rate for serpentine was 45.5% and that for amphibole was 34.9%. The coefficients of determination of serpentine (R2 = 0.89) and amphibole (R2 = 0.87) were highly correlated. With respect to the coefficient of variation (CV), the KOFAM demonstrated superior performance over the M7400AD and F-1 methods and showed almost no difference from the PCM method (KOFAM: 22.5%, M7400AD: 32.4%, F-1: 88.8%, and PCM: 21.9%). There was no statistically significant difference between concentration measurements of the KOFAM and PCM analyses. Accordingly, it was concluded that the KOFAM can be used as a superior alternative to conventional fiber measurement methods. The preliminary results support the use of the KOFAM for constant measurement of airborne asbestos concentrations in real time.
Craniovertebral junction fixation with transarticular screws: biomechanical analysis of a novel technique.

OBJECT The authors compared the biomechanical stability resulting from the use of a new technique for occipitoatlantal motion segment fixation with an established method and assessed the additional stability provided by combining the two techniques. METHODS Specimens were loaded using nonconstraining pure moments while recording the three-dimensional angular movement at occiput (Oc)-C1 and C1-2. Specimens were tested intact and after destabilization and fixation as follows: 1) Oc-C1 transarticular screws plus C1-2 transarticular screws; 2) occipitocervical transarticular (OCTA) plate in which C1-2 transarticular screws attach to a loop from Oc to C-2; and (3) OCTA plate plus Oc-C1 transarticular screws. Occipitoatlantal transarticular screws reduced motion to well within the normal range. The OCTA loop and transarticular screws allowed a very small neutral zone, elastic zone, and range of motion during lateral bending and axial rotation. The transarticular screws, however, were less effective than the OCTA loop in resisting flexion and extension. CONCLUSIONS Biomechanically, Oc-C1 transarticular screws performed well enough to be considered as an alternative for Oc-C1 fixation, especially when instability at C1-2 is minimal. Techniques for augmenting these screws posteriorly by using a wired bone graft buttress, as is currently undertaken with C1-2 transarticular screws, may be needed for optimal performance.