Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of Interconnected Markers for T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a complex disease, resulting from proliferation of differentially arrested immature T cells. The molecular mechanisms and the genes involved in the generation of T-ALL remain largely undefined. In this study, we propose a set of genes to differentiate individuals with T-ALL from the nonleukemia/healthy ones and genes that are not differential themselves but interconnected with highly differentially expressed ones. We provide new suggestions for pathways involved in the cause of T-ALL and show that network-based classification techniques produce fewer genes with more meaningful and successful results than expression-based approaches. We have identified 19 significant subnetworks, containing 102 genes. The classification/prediction accuracies of subnetworks are considerably high, as high as 98%. Subnetworks contain 6 nondifferentially expressed genes, which could potentially participate in pathogenesis of T-ALL. Although these genes are not differential, they may serve as biomarkers if their loss/gain of function contributes to generation of T-ALL via SNPs. We conclude that transcription factors, zinc-ion-binding proteins, and tyrosine kinases are the important protein families to trigger T-ALL. These potential disease-causing genes in our subnetworks may serve as biomarkers, alternative to the traditional ones used for the diagnosis of T-ALL, and help understand the pathogenesis of the disease.
Expression of epidermal growth factor, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1alpha in chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE The object of this study was to compare the expression of epidermal growth factor, interleukin-1alpha, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in chronic otitis media with or without cholesteatoma. BACKGROUND It has been reported that cytokines and epidermal growth factor are effective in the bone resorption process in chronic otitis media. Bone resorption can also occur in chronic otitis media without cholesteatoma. However, comparative analysis is lacking. This issue has been investigated in a blind, controlled and prospective analysis. METHOD The activities of interleukin-1alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and epidermal growth factor were determined by commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits in tissue biopsy samples from 16 patients without cholesteatoma and from 23 patients with cholesteatoma (cholesteatoma epithelium). To establish a control group, external auditory canal skin was randomly collected from two groups (21 patients). The Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS The levels of interleukin-1alpha, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and epidermal growth factor in tissue samples from the group with cholesteatoma were significantly greater than those in the group without cholesteatoma and the control group. No correlation was observed with other clinical factors such as age, sex, and antibiotic coverage. CONCLUSION Higher levels of cytokines in patients with cholesteatoma confirm that the destructive behavior of cholesteatoma is likely mediated by cytokines and epidermal growth factor and is the result of keratinocyte activity. Antibiotic treatment does not affect the level of cytokine concentration in patients with chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma, although the ear discharge subsides and inflammation-related symptoms regress in some cases.
Degree of Preoperative Subchondral Bone Edema Is Not Associated With Pain and Graft Outcomes After Matrix-Induced Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation

Background: Matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) is an established technique for the repair of knee chondral defects. While a number of factors may affect the clinical outcome, little is known about the influence of subchondral bone abnormalities at the time of surgery on pain and graft outcomes after MACI. Purpose: To investigate the association between subchondral bone marrow edema within 3 months before MACI surgery on preoperative and postoperative reported pain and symptoms as well as postoperative graft outcomes. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This retrospective study was undertaken in 56 patients undergoing MACI with clinical and radiological assessments before surgery and at 3, 12, 24, and 60 months after surgery. Patients were assessed using the Pain and Symptoms subscales of the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate the severity of preoperative subchondral bone marrow edema, while graft infill and an MRI composite graft score were evaluated after surgery via the magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) scoring system. Linear regression utilizing generalized estimating equations was used to investigate the association between preoperative subchondral bone marrow edema scores and preoperative and postoperative KOOS subscores as well as postoperative MRI-based scores of graft repair. Results: The degree of preoperative subchondral bone marrow edema was not significantly associated with postoperative outcomes, whereby there was no evidence of a difference between edema subgroups over all time points for the KOOS-Pain subscore (P = .644), KOOS-Symptoms subscore (P = .475), or MRI composite score (P = .685) after adjustment for potential confounders of age, body mass index, defect size, and defect location. Conclusion: No association was demonstrated between the severity of preoperative subchondral bone marrow edema with postoperative patient-reported knee pain or symptoms or postoperative graft repair assessed via MRI.
Nogo‐A at CNS paranodes is a ligand of Caspr: possible regulation of K+ channel localization

We report Nogo‐A as an oligodendroglial component congregating and interacting with the Caspr–F3 complex at paranodes. However, its receptor Nogo‐66 receptor (NgR) does not segregate to specific axonal domains. CHO cells cotransfected with Caspr and F3, but not with F3 alone, bound specifically to substrates coated with Nogo‐66 peptide and GST–Nogo‐66. Binding persisted even after phosphatidylinositol‐ specific phospholipase C (PI‐PLC) removal of GPI‐linked F3 from the cell surface, suggesting a direct interaction between Nogo‐66 and Caspr. Both Nogo‐A and Caspr co‐immunoprecipitated with Kv1.1 and Kv1.2, and the developmental expression pattern of both paralleled compared with Kv1.1, implicating a transient interaction between Nogo‐A–Caspr and K+ channels at early stages of myelination. In pathological models that display paranodal junctional defects (EAE rats, and Shiverer and CGT−/− mice), distances between the paired labeling of K+ channels were shortened significantly and their localization shifted toward paranodes, while paranodal Nogo‐A congregation was markedly reduced. Our results demonstrate that Nogo‐A interacts in trans with axonal Caspr at CNS paranodes, an interaction that may have a role in modulating axon–glial junction architecture and possibly K+‐channel localization during development.
Upper bounds on general dissipation functionals in turbulent shear flows: revisiting the ‘efficiency’ functional

We show how the variational formulation introduced by Doering & Constantin to rigorously bound the long-time-averaged total dissipation rate [ ] in turbulent shear flows can be extended to treat other long-time-averaged functionals lim supT→∞(1/T)×∫0T f(D, Dm, Dv)dt of the total dissipation D, dissipation in the mean field Dm and dissipation in the fluctuation field Dv. Attention is focused upon the suite of functionals f = D(Dv/Dm)n and f = Dm(Dv/Dm)n (n [ges ] 0) which include the ‘efficiency’ functional f = D(Dv/Dm) (Malkus & Smith 1989; Smith 1991) and the dissipation in the mean flow f = Dm (Malkus 1996) as special cases. Complementary lower estimates of the rigorous bounds are produced by generalizing Busse's multiple-boundary-layer trial function technique to the appropriate Howard–Busse variational problems built upon the usual assumption of statistical stationarity and constraints of total power balance, mean momentum balance, incompressibility and boundary conditions. The velocity field that optimizes the ‘efficiency’ functional is found not to capture the asymptotic structure of the observed mean flow in either plane Couette flow or plane Poiseuille flow. However, there is evidence to suppose that it is ‘close’ to a neighbouring functional that may.
Wireless Communications With RF-Based Energy Harvesting: From Information Theory to Green Systems

Harvesting energy from ambient environment is a promising technology to free electronic devices from electric wire and lifetime-limited battery, which have found many significant applications in sensor networks and body-area networks. This paper investigates the fundamental limit of information transmission in a wireless communication system with RF-based energy harvesting, where a master node acts both the information source and the energy source for a child node, while only information is transmitted back from the child node to the master node. In the systemic level viewpoint, we jointly investigate the two-way information transmission between the two nodes under the unique external power supply constraint at the master node. In particular, three typical receivers are considered, including the optimum receiver, the orthogonal receiver and the power splitting receiver. We explicitly characterize the achievable capacity-rate region and discuss the effect of signal processing power consumption at the child node. We also derive the boundary of the achievable capacity-rate region, which illustrates the most energy-efficient transmission strategy of the system. Simulation results confirm the substantial gain of employing capacity-rate region achieving transmission strategies and employing optimal receivers. Moreover, we present a typical application of our results, where the required transmit power is minimized to green the system.
Reliability and validity of a wireless microelectromechanicals based system (keimove™) for measuring vertical jumping performance.

UNLABELLED The aim of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of a microelectromechanicals (MEMs) based system (Keimove™) in measuring flight time and takeoff velocity during a counter-movement jump (CMJ). As criterion reference, data of a high- speed camera (HSC) and a force-platform (FP) synchronized with a linear position transducer (LPT) was used. Thirty professional soccer players completely familiarized with the CMJ technique performed three CMJs. The second and third trials were used for further analysis. The Keimove™ system, the HSC and the FP synchronized with the LPT (FP+LPT) simultaneously measured the CMJ performance. During each repetition, the Keimove™ system registered flight time and velocity at takeoff. At the same time and as criterion reference, both the HSC and the FP recorded the flight time while the LPT+FP registered the velocity at takeoff. Pearson correlation coefficients for the flight time were high (r = 0.99; p < 0.001) when Keimove™ system was compared with the HSC or the FP+LPT, respectively. For the velocity at takeoff variable, the Pearson r between the Keimove™ system and the FP+LPT was lower although significant at the 0.05 level. No significant differences in mean values were observed for flight times and velocity at takeoff between the three devices. Intraclass correlations and coefficients of variation between trials were similar and ranged between 0.92-0.97 and 2.1-7.4, respectively. In conclusion, the Keimove™ system represents a valid and reliable instrument to measure velocity at takeoff and flight time during CMJ testing. Thus, this MEMs-based system will offer a portable, cost-effective tool for the assessment CMJ performance. KEY POINTS The Keimove™ system is composed of specific software and a wireless MEMs-based device designed to be attached at the lumbar region of the athlete.The Keimove™ system is a mechanically valid and reliable instrument in measuring flight time and velocity at takeoff during CMJ.The validity of the Keimove™ system was determined by comparing its mean flight time and velocity at takeoff with data obtained simultaneously with both a high-speed camera and a force platform synchronized with a linear position transducer.
Uptake and antitumoral effects of iodine and 6‐iodolactone in differentiated and undifferentiated human prostate cancer cell lines

Evidence indicates that iodine per se could be implicated in the physiology of several organs that can internalize it. In thyroid and breast cancer, iodine treatments inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis through a direct (mitochondria) and/or indirect effect (iodolipid generation). Here, we determined the uptake of iodide (I−) and iodine (I2), as well as the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of 6‐iodolactone (6‐IL) and both forms of iodine in human prostate cells lines.
Does Information Technology Make a Difference in Healthcare Organization Performance? A Multiyear Study

N ow that Y2K worries are behind us, things will settle down as far as computers and information systems are concerned. Or will they? This question is certainly on the minds of healthcare administrators, whether they are managing hospitals or HMOs. One indication of the obsession with computer trends surfaced in a survey of medical group managers, who rated information technology (IT) as the most important of 23 key strategic and organizational issues that they face (Hospital 6. Health Networks 1997). The managers lacked confidence in their readiness and ability to deal with the IT issue. Given the economic and environmental pressures affecting the healthcare industry and the impact that IT may have on healthcare delivery, the medical group managers’ concern is not surprising. As consumers, regulators, insurers, and accrediting agencies continue to push for cost-effectiveness, open access, high clinical quality, and improved service, effective managed care demands that healthcare providers adopt IT, not just to manage costs but to aid clinical care as well (Davidoff 1997; Simpson 1999). Yet analyses by the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) show that the most important factor contributing to rising healthcare costs and impaired quality of service is flawed healthcare information systems (Samuelson 1995). A range of perceptions and beliefs surround IT and its value to healthcare organizations. In this article we report the results of a study designed to shed light on the actual contribution of IT. Does IT make a difference in healthcare organization performance? A multiyear study of medical groups was undertaken to answer this question and provide guidance as healthcare organizations develop plans and make decisions about information technology.
Osteochondritis dissecans of the elbow: excellent mid-term follow-up results in teenage athletes treated by arthroscopic debridement and microfracture

Aim To extend the microfracture procedure, which has been proven successful on osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the knee and ankle, to OCD lesions in the elbow. Methods Nine young patients were treated by arthroscopic debridement and microfracture by a single surgeon. The average age at operation was 15.0 years (median 15; range 12-19). The average length of the follow-up was 5.3 years (median 5; range 2-9). The follow-up included physical examination and patient interview with elbow function scoring. Success of treatment was determined according to pre-operative and follow-up Mayo Elbow Performance Index scores and the patients’ return to sports. Results Eight patients scored excellent results on the follow-up and 1 scored a good result. Four out of 9 patients were able to increase their training intensity, 2 returned to the same level of activity, 2 changed sports (due to reasons unrelated to the health of their elbow), and 1 left professional sports and started training only recreationally. No patients stopped participating in sports altogether. Conclusions We advocate arthroscopic microfracturing, followed by a strict rehabilitation regime, as a highly effective treatment for OCD of the humeral capitellum.
Imaging Learning: The Search for a Memory Trace

Learning is associated with structural changes in the human brain that can be seen and studied by MRI. These changes are observed in gray matter and surprisingly also in white matter tissue. Learning a wide range of skills, from sports, computer games, music, and reading, to abstract intellectual learning, including classroom study, is associated with structural changes in appropriate cortical regions or fiber tracts. The cellular changes underlying modifications of brain tissue during learning include changes in neuronal and glial morphology as well as vascular changes. Both alterations in axon morphology and myelination are thought to contribute to white matter plasticity during learning but to varying degrees depending on age. Structural changes in white matter could promote learning by improving the speed or synchrony of impulse transmission between cortical regions mediating the behavior. Action potentials can stimulate oligodendrocyte development and myelination by at least three known mechanisms that involve signaling molecules between axons and oligodendrocytes, which do not require neurotransmitter release from synapses. Integrating information from cellular/molecular and systems-level research on normal cognitive function, development, and learning is providing new insights into the biological mechanisms of learning and the structural changes produced in the brain.
Clinical Awareness of Do's and Don'ts of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Among University Medical Students-A Questionnaire Study.

BACKGROUND Medical students today are tomorrow's future doctors. One of the key skills that students should develop during their graduation training is to be prepared for emergency life saving measures like cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) anytime, anywhere. The students play integral role in learning, mastering and inculcating the most pragmatic clinical skill of CPR. OBJECTIVES a) To evaluate the CPR awareness among undergraduate medical students. b) To screen the knowledge regarding accurate, effective CPR procedural techniques and various barriers of CPR failure in clinical practice from student perspective. c) To ascertain interest in CPR training programs and also inculcating CPR as an active part of clinical practice in future. MATERIALS AND METHODS The questionnaire comprised of three parts, first one dealing with general questions to know the importance of CPR in clinical practice, second one comprised of the main goal and accuracy of CPR intervention and the last segment consisted of questions targeting the indications, methods and effectiveness of CPR. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Descriptive statistics and multiple response analyses were done by using SPSS 17. RESULTS The students had good knowledge about the importance of CPR in clinical practice and stand average in knowing its indications and effectiveness. Whereas, only 1.2% of them were completely aware about the universal compression ventilation ratio, and 20.4% were aware of the current order of CPR being compression, airway and breathing. CONCLUSION Though, CPR awareness is good among the students but skills of CPR have to be mastered by proper certified training programs at regular intervals and knowledge has to be updated with the changing trends in CPR.
Factors associated to bruxism in children from 4-6 years.

BACKGROUND Bruxism has brought losses for the life quality of people. Its implications in the orofacial motricity and speech of children are still not well known. AIM To investigate bruxism occurrence and associated factors concerning oral habits, orofacial motricity and functions of chewing, breathing and swallowing in children from 4 to 6 years. METHOD 141 children from the referred age group who attend three education centers in São Paulo took part in the study. Parents filled in an investigation protocol on bruxism and the children were submitted to an orofacial motricity assessment. The research group was composed by children whose parents indicated habits of teeth clenching or grinding, during sleep or not. For the statistical analysis the Analysis of Variance, the Two-Proportion Equality Test and the Odds Ratio calculation were used, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS A high occurrence of bruxism among the children (55.3%) was observed. The identified associated factors were: sialorrhea during sleep, pacifier use, habit of lip and fingernails biting, altered cheek tonus and bite, besides the participation of the perioral muscles during liquid swallowing. There was a high occurrence of children from both groups complaining about frequent headaches (76%) and who slept less hours than what is recommended for their age (35%). CONCLUSION The findings corroborated the relationship among bruxism, oral habits and altered aspects of orofacial motricity in children from the studied age group, reinforcing the necessity of speech therapy actions next to the institutions and families.
Campus Clinical: Simulation-Based Curriculum Designed to Meet Clinical Course Learning Outcomes

Campus Clinical is a simulation-based curriculum designed to meet the challenge of decreasing clinical spaces in maternal-child units. The curriculum framework is situated in a constructivist, experiential learning context, integrating Chickering and Gamson’s principles for good practice in education. This innovative approach to meeting clinical course learning outcomes is transferable to a variety of settings.
Asynchronous parallel nonconvex large-scale optimization

We propose a novel parallel asynchronous algorithmic framework for the minimization of the sum of a smooth (nonconvex) function and a convex (nonsmooth) regularizer. The framework hinges on Successive Convex Approximation (SCA) techniques and on a novel probabilistic model which describes in a unified way a variety of asynchronous settings in a more faithful and exhaustive way with respect to state-of-the-art models. Key features of our framework are: i) it accommodates inconsistent read, meaning that components of the variables may be written by some cores while being simultaneously read by others; ii) it covers in a unified way several existing methods; and iii) it accommodates a variety of parallel computing architectures. Almost sure convergence to stationary solutions is proved for the general case, and iteration complexity analysis is given for a specific version of our model. Numerical results show that our scheme outperforms existing asynchronous ones.
Efficacy and Safety of Mechanical Thrombectomy in Treating Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Meta Analysis

ABSTRACT Objectives: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) is a promising treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). But the results of completed trials were contradictory. Hence, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MT in treating AIS. Methods: Literatures were searched in the databases including Pubmed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Ovid-SP. The bias and quality of publications with randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were assessed with the Cochrane collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. Results: Totally 16 publications matched the inclusion criteria, including seven independent RCTs and 2043 AIS patients. The results showed that the recanalization rate and the modified Rankin score of 0–2 at 90 days after treatment were better in MT combining standard care group, but the mortality had no significant difference, even the incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage during follow-up period was worse, as compared with standard care group. Conclusion: MT combining standard care would be an effective and promising treatment for AIS patients according to the present study.