Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Defucosylated Humanized Anti-CCR4 Monoclonal Antibody KW-0761 as a Novel Immunotherapeutic Agent for Adult T-cell Leukemia/Lymphoma

Purpose: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) has a very poor prognosis. We have developed the humanized defucosylated anti–CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4) monoclonal antibody KW-0761 as a next generation immunotherapeutic agent. The first aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the antitumor activity of KW-0761 would likely be sufficient for therapeutic clinical application against ATLL. The second aim was to fully elucidate the mechanism of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) mediated by this defucosylated monoclonal antibody. Experimental Design: The antitumor activity of KW-0761 against ATLL cell lines was evaluated in vitro using human cells and in mice in vivo. Primary ATLL cells from 23 patients were evaluated for susceptibility to autologous ADCC with KW-0761 by two independent methods. Results: KW-0761 showed potent antitumor activity against ATLL cell lines both in vitro and in the ATLL mouse model in vivo. In addition, KW-0761 showed potent antitumor activity mediated by highly enhanced ADCC against primary ATLL cells both in vitro and ex vivo in an autologous setting. The degree of KW-0761 ADCC against primary ATLL cells in an autologous setting was mainly determined by the amount of effector natural killer cells present, but not the amount of the target molecule CCR4 on the ATLL cell surface. Conclusion: KW-0761 should be sufficiently active for therapeutic clinical application for ATLL. In addition, combination treatment strategies that augment natural killer cell activity should be promising for amplifying the effect of KW-0761. In the near future, the actual efficacy of KW-0761 will be established in pivotal clinical trials. Clin Cancer Res; 16(5); 1520–31
Myths and Facts About Safe Patient Handling in Rehabilitation

&NA; As the incidence of injuries associated with patient‐handling tasks remains high in the rehabilitation community, interdisciplinary discussions on optimal methods for preventing injuries and ensuring good care continue. A national task force consisting of representatives from the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the Veterans Health Administration identified myths that have been promulgated on both sides of the discussion, focusing especially on rehabilitation practices. The purpose of this article is to dispel these myths by using evidence‐based methods. Evidence should be applied in discussions of safe patient handling, and although concern about patient outcomes is critical, there is no evidence that the use of patient‐handling technology undermines rehabilitation goals and strong evidence that these practices enhance the safety of rehabilitation care providers. Further research on the impact of safe patient‐handling practices on rehabilitation goals and continued communication between rehabilitation providers are recommended.
Graph Coloring Algorithms for Assignment Problems in Radio Networks

Assignment problems in radio networks, like the channel assignment, may be solved by graph coloring algorithms. In this paper we compare the performance of several recent techniques on a simple coloring problem: the search for a bipartite subgraph with the maximum number of edges of a given graph. The algorithms considered are a neural network, a genetic algorithm, simulated annealing and two heuristics. The results show that one heuristic, a new proposed multiagent system, and the standard simulated annealing technique are faster outperforming the algorithms in the literature. We also show how the algorithms may be easily adapted to deal with the kcoloring of a graph and can therefore be used for solving assignment problems in telecommunications. c
Na channel distribution in vertebrate skeletal muscle

The loose patch voltage clamp has been used to map Na current density along the length of snake and rat skeletal muscle fibers. Na currents have been recorded from (a) endplate membrane exposed by removal of the nerve terminal, (b) membrane near the endplate, (c) extrajunctional membrane far from both the endplate and the tendon, and (d) membrane near the tendon. Na current densities recorded directly on the endplate were extremely high, exceeding 400 mA/cm2 in some patches. The membrane adjacent to the endplate has a current density about fivefold lower than that of the endplate, but about fivefold higher than the membrane 100-200 micron from the endplate. Small local variations in Na current density are recorded in extrajunctional membrane. A sharp decrease in Na current density occurs over the last few hundred micrometers from the tendon. We tested the ability of tetrodotoxin to block Na current in regions close to and far from the endplate and found no evidence for toxin-resistant channels in either region. There was also no obvious difference in the kinetics of Na current in the two regions. On the basis of the Na current densities measured with the loose patch clamp, we conclude that Na channels are abundant in the endplate and near- endplate membrane and are sparse close to the tendon. The current density at the endplate is two to three orders of magnitude higher than at the tendon.
EXPECTATION IN MELODY: THE INFLUENCE OF CONTEXT AND LEARNING

The Implication-Realization (IR) theory (Narmour, 1990) posits two cognitive systems involved in the generation of melodic expectations: The first consists of a limited number of symbolic rules that are held to be innate and universal; the second reflects the top-down influences of acquired stylistic knowledge. Aspects of both systems have been implemented as quantitative models in research which has yielded empirical support for both components of the theory (Cuddy & Lunny, 1995; Krumhansl, 1995a, 1995b; Schellenberg, 1996, 1997). However, there is also evidence that the implemented bottom-up rules constitute too inflexible a model to account for the influence of the musical experience of the listener and the melodic context in which expectations are elicited. A theory is presented, according to which both bottom-up and top-down descriptions of observed patterns of melodic expectation may be accounted for in terms of the induction of statistical regularities in existing musical repertoires. A computational model that embodies this theory is developed and used to reanalyze existing experimental data on melodic expectancy. The results of three experiments with increasingly complex melodic stimuli demonstrate that this model is capable of accounting for listeners’ expectations as well as or better than the two-factor model of Schellenberg (1997).
Blockade of pulsatile LH, FSH and testosterone secretion in rams by constant infusion of an LHRH agonist.

Adult Soay rams were infused for 21 days with 50 micrograms buserelin/day, using s.c. implanted osmotic mini-pumps. The continuous treatment with this LHRH agonist induced a supraphysiological increase in the blood concentrations of LH (15-fold) and testosterone (5-fold) followed by a decrease below pre-treatment values after 10 days. The blood concentrations of FSH showed only a minimal initial increase but the subsequent decrease was dramatic, occurring within 1 day. By Day 10 of treatment, the blood concentrations of all 3 hormones were low or declining, LH pulses were absent in the serial profiles based on 20-min blood samples and the administration of LHRH antiserum failed to affect the secretion of LH or testosterone. By Day 21, the secretion of FSH, LH and testosterone was maximally suppressed. The i.v. injection of 400 ng LHRH was totally ineffective at stimulating an increase in the blood concentrations of LH while the i.v. injection of 50 micrograms ovine LH induced a normal increase in the concentrations of testosterone; this confirmed that the chronic treatment with the LHRH agonist had desensitized the pituitary gonadotrophs without markedly affecting the responsiveness of the testicular Leydig cells. The ratio of bioactive: radioimmunoactive LH did not change during the treatment. The long-term effect of the infusion was fully reversible as shown by the increase in the blood concentrations of FSH, LH and testosterone and the return of normal pulsatile fluctuations in LH and testosterone within 7 days of the end of treatment.
High School Students' Perceptions of Alcohol Prevention Programs

The purpose of this study was to explore Grade 11 students’ perceptions of programs related to the prevention of alcohol use in high school settings through an analysis of quantitative and qualitative data elicited from student questionnaires (n=452) and focus groups. It was found that students felt a need for increased information on alcohol education at the high school level. They identified content and preferred methods of delivery to improve cognitive, behavioral, and emotional engagement. Several metapolicy implications arose. At a broader policy level, provincial ministries may consider systematic collection of data to monitor youth alcohol use, as well as to inform educational programs and evaluate their efficacy.
Structural Analysis of a MIP Family Protein from the Digestive Tract of Cicadella viridis(*)

Homopteran insects, and especially Cicadella viridis, display in their digestive tract a specialized epithelial differentiation, the filter chamber (FC) acting as a water-shunting complex. The main intrinsic membrane protein of the FC is a 25,000-Da polypeptide (P25). In this paper we demonstrate that this P25 polypeptide is a member of the MIP family of membrane channel proteins, and that P25 forms homotetramers in the native membranes. Using polymerase chain reaction, a 360-base pair cDNA, named cic, was isolated from RNA of the FC. cic encodes a 119-amino acid polypeptide (CIC) whose homologies with MIP26, AQP1 (CHIP), AQP2, and -TIP are 38, 38, 34, and 20%, respectively. Using a specific antibody raised against a 15-amino acid peptide from the CIC sequence, we concluded that CIC and P25 are identical entities, and hence that P25 belongs to the MIP family. We investigated the quaternary structure of P25 in the membranes of the FC using biophysical analysis of P25 nondenaturing detergent micelles, scanning transmission electron microscopy, and image processing of conventional transmission electron microscopic images. All those different approaches converged to the conclusion that P25 exists as an homotetramer forming a regular two-dimensional array in the membranes.
Pediatric Loss of Control Eating and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Concentrations.

BACKGROUND Loss of control (LOC) eating in youth is associated with excess body weight and adiposity. After adjusting for fat mass, youth with LOC eating have higher blood pressure and higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol compared to youth without LOC eating. Increased inflammation may account for this relationship, although few data have examined this hypothesis. Therefore, this study explored the association between LOC eating and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), a marker of inflammation. METHODS We investigated hsCRP concentrations in relation to LOC eating in a convenience sample of 194 youth (age 14.3 ± 2.1 years; 63.9% female; BMI-z 1.64 ± 1.06). The presence of LOC eating in the past month was assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination interview. Serum hsCRP was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Adiposity was measured by air displacement plethysmography or dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. We compared hsCRP in those with and without LOC eating in analyses accounting for sex, adiposity, height, depressive symptoms, and eating psychopathology. RESULTS Youth with LOC eating had significantly greater hsCRP than youth without LOC eating (p = 0.02), after accounting for all covariates. The number of LOC eating episodes in the past month was positively associated with hsCRP (p = 0.01). The relationship between LOC eating and hsCRP was not mediated by depressive symptoms or eating psychopathology (ps > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Youth with disinhibited eating may manifest increased chronic inflammation. Those with LOC eating may be an important subgroup at risk for adverse health outcomes associated with both chronic inflammation and obesity. Future research should examine whether hsCRP concentrations mediate the relationship between LOC eating and its association with cardiometabolic risk.
Infant nutrition – diet between 6 and 24 months, implications for paediatric growth, overweight and obesity

Infants are growing rapidly from 6–24 months and have high nutrient needs in proportion to their body size. This sub-group of the population are prone to dietary imbalances and inadequacies. It is of vital importance to get nutrition right during this time period to support appropriate growth and development. Overweight and obesity rates are increasing in pre-school children, and maternal nutritional status and early life feeding have been identified as ‘critical windows’ for obesity risk. After the recommended period of exclusive breastfeeding, an increasingly diversified selection of foods are offered to infants and young children, and milk becomes less dominant in the diet. Rapid weight gain during infancy is the strongest risk factor for childhood overweight and obesity, and this may be modifiable with early intervention. During the complementary feeding period, there is an increase in protein intake, which is in excess of requirements, and may be associated with adverse outcomes regarding later body mass index and body fatness. Guidelines for healthcare professionals have been developed to raise the issue of overfeeding during infancy, and to manage overweight if it arises. Dietary intake measures show a deteriorating quality of diet as infants move from the first 12 months of life into the second year, with potential excesses of protein, energy, saturated fatty acids, salt and non-milk extrinsic sugars. Formula manufacturers can reduce the protein content of formulas for infants and young children in order to support appropriate growth, whilst supplements, fortified foods and milks can supply ‘at risk’ micronutrients.
Breaking down the barriers! Factors contributing to barrier days in a mature trauma center

BACKGROUND As we enter the brave new world of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, it is imperative that trauma centers provide not only excellent but also cost-effective trauma care. To that end, we sought to determine those factors that contribute significantly to barrier days (BDs), when a patient is medically cleared for discharge but unable to leave the hospital. We hypothesized that there would be significant demographic and payor factors associated with BDs. METHODS All trauma admissions to a Level II trauma center discharged alive from 2010 to 2012 were queried from the trauma registry. BDs were identified and recorded at daily sign-out. Patients with a hospital length of stay of 24 hours or less or transferred to another hospital were excluded. Univariate logistic regression was used to analyze which factors were significant (p ⩽ 0.05) for BDs. Significant variables were then included in a multivariate logistic regression model. RESULTS A total of 3,056 patients were included in the study, 105 (3.44%) of whom had at least one BD. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients awaiting nursing home placement and rehabilitation placement were at 6.39 and 2.79 times higher odds of having significant barriers to discharge, respectively, compared with patients who were discharged home. The multivariate model also showed that Medicaid coverage, one or more comorbidities, Injury Severity Score of 9 or greater, and one or more ventilation days had a significant correlation with the incidence of BDs. CONCLUSION This study suggests that discharge destination is a significant factor associated with BDs. Understanding what type of patient is prone to develop barriers to discharge will allow case managers and social workers to intervene with discharge planning early in that patient’s hospital course to secure placement and possibly reduce health care costs and improve functional outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level III.
A new Zigzag MDS code with optimal encoding and efficient decoding

Distributed file system has emerged in recent years as an efficient solution to store the large amount of data produced anytime and anywhere. In order to guarantee data reliability, it is necessary to introduce redundancy to the storage systems. Compared to simple replication, practical systems are increasingly adopting erasure codes for better storage efficiency. However, traditional erasure codes such as maximum-distance-separable (MDS) codes, are designed over a large finite field, which inevitably hinders the wide implementation of erasure codes. In this paper, we propose a new family of MDS codes with high computation efficiency. More specifically, only XOR operation is included in the encoding process to generate parity blocks. Upon failure of a storage node, we use the efficient Zigzag decoding method to recover the failed blocks, which achieves the optimal encoding and an efficient decoding. Furthermore, we implement the proposed codes in a distributed file system, and the results show the high performance of the new codes.
Why Does the Yield Curve Predict Economic Activity ?

There is a significant amount of empirical evidence to suggest that the yield curve is useful for forecasting inflation, recessions, and possibly even the growth rate of real output. This essay considers the theoretical reasons why the yield curve may have these predictive properties. It is found that the essential reason why the yield curve predicts inflation and recessions is that it, through the expectations hypothesis, embodies market expectations of future nominal interest rates. From this, the market expectations of future inflation can be directly determined. Additionally, a recession can be predicted by the yield curve if the market predicts it and expected future interest rates change consequently. In the case of forecasting real output, expectations of monetary policy reactions to demand and supply shocks are found to play the central role.
Reestablishment of the Endothelial Lining by Endothelial Cell Therapy Stabilizes Experimental Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Background— Loss of the endothelium and its replacement by a thick thrombus are structural features of human abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). In AAAs, the relationship between aortic diameter expansion, the presence of thrombus, and the lack of endothelial cells (ECs) remains unexplored. We hypothesized that reendothelialization by cell therapy would modulate aortic wall destruction and ultimately stabilize AAAs. We evaluated the impact of local seeding of rat aortic ECs or peripheral blood–derived outgrowth ECs on AAA evolution. Methods and Results— Rat aortic ECs (n=30) or serum-free medium (controls; n=29) were seeded endovascularly immediately (day 0) or 14 days after surgery in the rat xenograft model. Rat aortic EC seeding prevented AAA formation and stabilized formed AAAs at 28 days (diameter increase at day 0+28, 51±6% versus 83±6%; day 14+28, −1±4% versus 22±6% in rat aortic ECs and controls, respectively; P<0.01). This stabilizing effect was associated with the reestablishment of the endothelial lining, the suspension of proteolysis, and the reconstitution of new aortic wall rich in smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix. Transplanted rat aortic ECs did not participate directly in aortic wall repair but exerted their healing properties through paracrine mechanisms involving the upregulation of endothelium-derived stabilizing factors and the recruitment of resident vascular cells. In rats, the transplantation of outgrowth ECs (n=7) significantly reduced by 30% the progression of AAAs and restored the abluminal endothelium at 28 days compared with controls (n=9). Conclusion— Our study demonstrates the potential of restoring the endothelial lining to control AAA dynamics and designates ECs as an efficient therapy to stop AAA expansion.
Self-Esteem Among Vietnamese American Adolescents

Abstract This prospective study examined whether interdependent self-construal (collectivism), independent self-construal (individualism), family cohesion, and social support would predict levels of self-esteem among Vietnamese American adolescents. Standardized self-report measures of family cohesion, social support, and self-esteem, as well as a measure of self-construal, were administered to 152 Vietnamese American adolescents. The results indicated that independent self-construal, family cohesion, and social support were significantly related to self-esteem. Interdependent self-construal was also found to positively affect self-esteem via family cohesion and social support. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Assessment of tourism and hospitality management competencies: a student perspective (Presentation)

Ongoing research into the needs of tourism and hospitality industries with respect to competencies required of graduates is crucial to ensure curricula are relevant and up to date. Additionally, as student internships are common components of tertiary education in tourism and hospitality management, studies investigating the role internship plays in developing tourism students’ management competencies are essential. This paper reports on a longitudinal study that explores management competencies of Australian tourism and hospitality students in a 3 year Bachelor of Business in Tourism program. This investigation assessed students’ perceptions of their level of management competence, developed during the first, second and third years of their degree program. A self-assessment instrument that measures perceived competence in 24 generic management competencies and 8 management roles within the Competing Values Framework (CVF) (Quinn, Thompson, Faerman & McGrath, 1996) was used. The key findings of this investigation imply that tertiary education in tourism and hospitality studies has proved effective in contributing towards the development of management competencies in this cohort of students, particularly in the mentor role. This study also highlights the importance of offering a curriculum in tourism and hospitality management that incorporates a blend of learning experiences that will develop students’ level of management competence, thereby preparing them for future management roles.