Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bevacizumab in stage II-III colon cancer: 5-year update of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project C-08 trial.

PURPOSE The National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project trial C-08 was designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of adding bevacizumab to fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX6) for the adjuvant treatment of patients with stage 2-3 colon cancer. Our report summarizes the primary and secondary end points of disease-free and overall survival, respectively, with 5 years median follow-up time. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients received modified FOLFOX6 once every 2 weeks for a 6-month period (control group) or modified FOLFOX6 for 6 months plus bevacizumab (5 mg/kg) once every 2 weeks for a 12-month period (experimental group). The primary end point of the study was disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) was a secondary end point. RESULTS Of 2,673 analyzed patients, demographic factors were well-balanced by treatment. With a median follow-up of 5 years, the addition of bevacizumab to mFOLFOX6 did not result in an overall significant increase in DFS (hazard ratio [HR], 0.93; 95% CI, 0.81 to 1.08; P = .35). Exploratory analyses found that the effect of bevacizumab on DFS was different before and after a 1.25-year landmark (time-by-treatment interaction P value <.0001). The secondary end point of OS was no different between the two study arms for all patients (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.79 to 1.13; P = .56) and for those with stage 3 disease (HR, 1.0; 95% CI, 0.83 to 1.21; P = .99). CONCLUSION Bevacizumab for 1 year with modified FOLFOX6 does not significantly prolong DFS or OS in stage 2-3 colon cancer. We observed no evidence of a detrimental effect of exposure to bevacizumab. A transient effect on disease-free survival was observed during bevacizumab exposure in the study's experimental arm.
3D Body Shapes Estimation from Dressed‐Human Silhouettes

Estimation of 3D body shapes from dressed‐human photos is an important but challenging problem in virtual fitting. We propose a novel automatic framework to efficiently estimate 3D body shapes under clothes. We construct a database of 3D naked and dressed body pairs, based on which we learn how to predict 3D positions of body landmarks (which further constrain a parametric human body model) automatically according to dressed‐human silhouettes. Critical vertices are selected on 3D registered human bodies as landmarks to represent body shapes, so as to avoid the time‐consuming vertices correspondences finding process for parametric body reconstruction. Our method can estimate 3D body shapes from dressed‐human silhouettes within 4 seconds, while the fastest method reported previously need 1 minute. In addition, our estimation error is within the size tolerance for clothing industry. We dress 6042 naked bodies with 3 sets of common clothes by physically based cloth simulation technique. To the best of our knowledge, We are the first to construct such a database containing 3D naked and dressed body pairs and our database may contribute to the areas of human body shapes estimation and cloth simulation.
A GBM by Any Other Name?

Nucleic acid molecules and proteins useful for regulating the expression of genes in eukaryotic cells and organisms in an inducible manner are disclosed. In the regulatory system of the invention, transcription of a tet operator-linked nucleotide sequence is stimulated by a transcriptional activator fusion protein composed of two polypeptides, a first polypeptide which binds to tet operator sequences in the presence of tetracycline or a tetracycline analogue and a second polypeptide which directly or indirectly activates transcription in eukaryotic cells. In one embodiment, the fusion protein comprises a mutated Tet repressor operatively linked to a transcriptional activation polypeptide, such as a portion of herpes simplex virus virion protein 16. In the absence of an inducing agent (tetracycline or a tetracycline analogue), transcription of the tet operator-linked nucleotide sequence remains uninduced. In the presence of the inducing agent, transcription of the tet operator-linked nucleotide sequence is stimulated by the transactivator fusion protein of the invention. Novel transcription units which allow for coordinate or independent tetracycline-regulated expression of two or more nucleotide sequences by the transactivator fusion protein of the invention are also disclosed. Kits including the components of the regulatory system of the invention are also encompassed by the invention.
Improved characterization of liver lesions with liver-phase uptake of liver-specific microbubbles: prospective multicenter study.

PURPOSE To evaluate in a prospective multicenter study whether conventional ultrasonographic (US) characterization of liver lesions can be improved by imaging during the liver-specific phase of SH U 508A uptake in the microbubble-specific agent detection imaging mode. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred forty-two patients with liver lesions underwent conventional gray-scale and color Doppler US and SH U 508A-enhanced US. Two radiologists blindly read digital cine clips and assigned scores for confidence in diagnosis of benignancy or malignancy, diagnosis of specific lesion types, and relative difference in SH U 508A uptake between the lesion and the liver parenchyma (ie, subjective conspicuity score [SCS]). Comparisons were made to see whether the addition of agent detection imaging led to improved diagnostic performance. RESULTS Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed improved discrimination of benign and malignant lesions for readers 1 (P =.049) and 2 (P <.001). The number of patients with a correct diagnosis of benignancy or malignancy assigned by readers 1 and 2, respectively, improved from 114 and 113 to 125 and 128 with agent detection imaging (reader 1: P =.027; reader 2: P =.008; McNemar test). Specific diagnoses were made more accurately with agent detection imaging: At McNemar testing, the number of correct lesion type determinations increased from 83 to 92 (P =.022) for reader 1 and from 85 to 99 (P <.001) for reader 2. Both readers assigned high scores for differences in SH U 508A uptake between the liver parenchyma and the lesion for metastases and cholangiocarcinomas and low scores for uptake differences in most of the benign lesions. Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), hemangiomas, and adenomas had more variable uptake differences. Fourteen of 22 hemangiomas were assigned an SCS of less than 50%, and 22 (reader 1) and 15 (reader 2) of 31 HCCs were assigned an SCS of greater than 50%. CONCLUSION With use of SH U 508A-enhanced agent detection imaging, liver lesion characterization and diagnostic performance are significantly improved.
[Clinical features of missed abortion].

RATIONALE There is no general agreement concerning the definition of missed abortion which remains one of the most commonly encountered pregnancy complication of an extremely variable clinical picture. AIM OF THIS STUDY The analysis of the clinical symptoms of missed abortion. SETTING Academic Medical Center. MATERIALS AND METHODS Consecutive 50 women with non-viable pregnancy from 7 to 22 weeks, diagnosed by clinical examination, ultrasonography and serum beta-HCG evaluation were studied. RESULTS In 92% of the missed abortion cases a vaginal spotting was observed before the diagnosis was established. The average period of the estimated retention of the products of conception was 2.8 weeks. In only one patients this period exceeded 8 weeks. The reverse correlation was established between the gravidity of a patient and the period of asymptomatic retention of the non-viable conception products in uterus. The obtained results confirm that the onset of vaginal bleeding does not reflect the moment of embryonal/fetal death.
Expression of activation‐induced cytidine deaminase in human hepatocytes during hepatocarcinogenesis

Activation‐induced cytidine deaminase (AID) plays a role as a genome mutator in activated B cells, and inappropriate expression of AID has been implicated in the immunopathological phenotype of human B‐cell malignancies. Notably, we found that the transgenic mice overexpressing AID developed lung adenocarcinoma and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), suggesting that ectopic expression of AID can lead to tumorigenesis in epithelial tissues as well. To examine the involvement of AID in the development of human HCC, we analyzed the AID expression and its correlation with mutation frequencies of the p53 gene in liver tissues from 51 patients who underwent resection of primary HCCs. The specific expression, inducibility by cytokine stimulation and mutagenic activity of AID were investigated in cultured human hepatocytes. Only trace amounts of AID transcripts were detected in the normal liver; however, endogenous AID was significantly upregulated in both HCC and surrounding noncancerous liver tissues with underlying chronic hepatitis or liver cirrhosis (p < 0.05). Most liver tissues with underlying chronic inflammation with endogenous AID upregulation already contained multiple genetic changes in the p53 gene. In both hepatoma cell lines and cultured human primary hepatocytes, the expression of AID was substantially induced by TGF‐β stimulation. Aberrant activation of AID in hepatocytes resulted in accumulation of multiple genetic alterations in the p53 gene. Our findings suggest that the aberrant expression of AID is observed in human hepatocytes with several pathological settings, including chronic liver disease and HCC, which might enhance the genetic susceptibility to mutagenesis leading to hepatocarcinogenesis. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of Impairment and Disability on Health-Related Quality of Life of Elderly: A Community-Based Study from Urban India

Introduction: Increasing population of elderly and the emergence of epidemic of chronic or (non-communicable) diseases, which is likely to adversely affects their health-related quality of life (HRQOL), has implications on health systems in developing countries such as India. A study was conducted to know the common impairments and disabilities and their effect on HRQOL in elderly population. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study on elderly, selected by cluster sampling from central Delhi, India, was conducted from April 2005 to February 2006. A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire, along with Short Form -36 (SF-36) survey was used for data collection. The data was analyzed using Chi square and student's t test on SPSS v12 statistical software. P value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 200 elderly were included in the study. 71.5% subjects had at least one disability/impairment. Around 40% subjects reported their health being poor and another 50% of worsening of their health in the last 1 year. HRQOL score for people with and without chronic morbidity/disability was 51.8 and 73.5, respectively (P<0.05), with overall mean score 56.7 (±17.2). The most commonly affected HRQOL domains were Role Physical, Physical Functioning, and General Health. The HRQOL and domain scores decreased with increasing age, and females had lower mean scores than males (P<0.05). Conclusion: The HRQOL of elderly in urban India is severely affected by impairments and disabilities. There is an immediate need for specific preventive and rehabilitative measures targeted on elderly to maintain their health related quality of life. This information may be utilized for designing any policy and/or program targeted for elderly in India and in other similar settings.
Vasculature of the parotoid glands of four species of toads (bufonidae: bufo)

The parotoid glands of toads (Bufonidae) consist of large aggregations of granular glands located between the otic region of the skull and the scapular region. To determine the circulatory pattern of these glands, we perfused the vascular systems of Bufo alvarius, B. marinus, B. terrestris, and B. valliceps with either India ink or Microfil, a fine latex. The perfused glands were studied by gross dissection, microscopic examination, and histology. The vascular patterns of the parotoid glands were compared to the arrangement of vessels in the dorsal skin of Rana sphenocephala (Ranidae), a frog that lacks parotoid glands. The parotoid glands of the four species of toads are supplied with blood by the lateral and dorsal cutaneous arteries and are drained by one or more branches of the internal jugular vein. The dorsal cutaneous artery supplies most of the blood to the parotoid glands in B. terrestris and B. valliceps. In B. alvarius and B. marinus, both the lateral and dorsal cutaneous arteries serve major roles in the blood supply of the glands. These patterns of blood flow have not been described previously for parotoid glands and conflict with earlier accounts for B. alvarius and B. marinus. The arteries and veins associated with the parotoid glands of toads are present in R. sphenocephala, but are arranged differently. In R. sphenocephala, the lateral cutaneous artery supplies the dorsal and lateral skin posterior to the shoulder region, whereas the dorsal cutaneous artery supplies the skin of the shoulder region. In toads, both the lateral and dorsal cutaneous arteries supply the skin of the shoulder region and ramify into subcutaneous capillaries that surround the secretory units of the parotoid glands. Extensive vasculature presumably is important for delivering cholesterol and other precursor molecules to the parotoid glands, where those compounds are converted into toxins. J. Morphol. 260:247–254, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Progesterone inhibition of estrogen receptor replenishment in ovine endometrium.

The influence of exogenous progesterone and estradiol on the concentration of total cytoplasmic and nuclear estrogen receptor in endometrium of ovariectomized ewes was studied and the effect of the respective steroid treatments on the receptor-mediated translocation of estrogen to the nucleus determined. 16 ovariectomized ewes were assigned to treatment groups as follows: Group 1 controls; Group 2 estradiol-17beta (EZ) implants (silastic capsules packed with 54 + or -3 mg); Group 3 progesterone (P) (15 mg twice daily); and Group 4 EZ + P. Control and P-treated animals were implanted with empty silastic capsules. Blood samples were collected on Days 0 and 2-7 for analysis for EZ and P. Ewes were sacrificed on Day 7 and the uteri were removed. Total specific nuclear and cytoplasmic estrogen binding sites were determined by use of tritiated estradiol exchange assay. Tritiated E2 bound to total cytoplasmic and nuclear receptors was greater (p less than .05) in endometirum of E2 treated ewes (10.4 + or -7.27 and .23 + or -.06 fmoles/mcg DNA respectively) than in endometrium of control P- and E2 + P-treated animals (1.62 + or -.26 and .13 + or -.02 fmoles/mcg DNA respectively). An average of 81 + or -1% of the tritiated E2 bound to available cytoplasmic receptors was translocated to the nucleus during incubation of endometrium of ewes from all treatment groups. The concentration of tritiated E2 specifically bound in the cytoplasm and translocated to the nucleus during incubation was greater in the endometrium of controls P-treated and E2 + P-treated groups. Concentrations of labeled E2 in the cytoplasm after in vitro translocation was greater in the endometrium of E2-treated ewes than in the endometrium of the other treatment groups. It is suggested that P antagonizes estrogen binding in the uterus by decreasing the concentration of cytoplasmic estrogen receptor.
Expression of Chemokine Genes in Human Dermal Microvascular Endothelial Cell Lines Infected with Orientia tsutsugamushi

ABSTRACT Scrub typhus, caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, is characterized by local as well as systemic inflammatory manifestations. The main pathologic change is focal or disseminated multiorgan vasculitis, which is caused by the destruction of endothelial cells and perivascular infiltration of leukocytes. We investigated the regulation of chemokine induction in transformed human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) in response to O. tsutsugamushiinfection. The monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) mRNAs were induced, and their levels showed a transitory peak at 3 and 6 h, respectively. The RANTES transcript was detected at 6 h after infection, with increased levels evident by 48 h. The induction of the MCP-1 and IL-8 genes was not blocked by cycloheximide, suggesting that de novo protein synthesis of host cell proteins is not required for their transcriptional activation. Heat- or UV-inactivated O. tsutsugamushi induced a similar extent of MCP-1 and IL-8 responses. The induction of MCP-1 and IL-8 transcripts in the endothelial cells by O. tsutsugamushiwas not blocked by the inhibitors of NF-κB. Furthermore, the activation of NF-κB was not detected in HMEC-1 stimulated withO. tsutsugamushi. These results demonstrate that heat-stable molecules of O. tsutsugamushi induce the MCP-1 and IL-8 genes and the induction of the chemokine genes may be mediated by an NF-κB independent mechanism. We also showed that another major transcription factor, activator protein-1 (AP-1), was up-regulated in HMEC-1 after O. tsutsugamushi infection. This suggests the possible involvement of AP-1 in the chemokine gene expression.
Behavioral risk reduction in a declining HIV epidemic: injection drug users in New York City, 1990-1997.

OBJECTIVES This study assessed trends in HIV risk behaviors among injection drug users in New York City from 1990 to 1997. METHODS Injection drug users were recruited continuously from a large drug detoxification treatment program (N = 2588) and a research storefront located in a high-drug-use area (N = 2701). Informed consent was obtained, and a trained interviewer administered a structured interview covering sociodemographics, drug use history, HIV risk behavior, and participation in syringe exchange. RESULTS Trends were assessed for 5 risk behaviors in the 6-month period before the interview. The 3 injection risk behaviors declined significantly over time at each site (all P < .01). When data were pooled across sites, all 5 risk behaviors declined significantly over time (all P < .01). Participation in syringe exchange programs and in HIV counseling and testing increased greatly from 1990 to 1997. CONCLUSIONS The continuing risk reduction among injection drug users indicates a "declining phase" in the large HIV epidemic in New York City. HIV prevention programs appear to be making an important contribution to the declining phase.
Electroencephalographic Effects of Galantamine in Major Depressive Disorder

Summary: Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor stimulation is a potential target for controlling symptoms in several psychiatric disorders. Galantamine is a cholinesterase inhibitor that can modulate the nicotinic receptor sites. In this study, we examined the effect of galantamine on the quantitative EEG in patients with major depression. Twenty patients were included in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Patients received galantamine (8 mg/day for 4 weeks then 16 mg/day for another 4 weeks) or placebo for eight weeks. Quantitative EEG using the international 10 to 20 configuration, 9 minutes of resting, eyes closed, and eyes open was done before and after the study period. Nineteen patients completed the study and their data were included in the final analysis. The results showed that galantamine compared with placebo reduced absolute band power that was statistically significant (using multivariate analysis of variance) for beta wave [F(1,17) = 2.48, P = 0.03]; the between-subject effect was significant on the left and right posterior, and left central regions. The multivariate analysis of variance model for alpha was not significant [F(1,17) = 1.07, P = 0.43]. We suggest that the reduction in absolute power after galantamine administration could be a sign of brain activation as a result of modulation of neurotransmitter release. We recommend the initiation of a larger study to confirm our findings and help in understanding the neuropathology of major depression.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Riemerella Anatipestifer Isolated from Ducks and the Efficacy of Ceftiofur Treatment

The in vitro susceptibilities of 50 field isolates of Riemerella anatipestifer from ducks to ceftiofur and 16 other commonly used antimicrobials were determined. The MIC90 values (MIC refers to minimum inhibitory concentrations) for the antimicrobials used in this study are as follows: penicillin was 16 μg/ml; ceftiofur was 32 μg/ml; cephalothin, chloramphenicol, flumequine, and kanamycin were 64 μg/ml; nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, and sulfamethoxazole were 128 μg/ml; amikacin, ampicillin, gentamicin, lincomycin, spec-tinomycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, and trimethoprim were ≥256 μg/ml. The therapeutic efficacy of ceftiofur against a highly lethal experimental R. anatipestifer infection in ducks was also evaluated. All experimental ducks were infected through the infraorbital sinus with 1 ml of 9 × 109 CFU of R. anatipestifer. Ceftiofur (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg) was injected subcutaneously 5 hours after infection. A single dose of 2 mg/kg resulted in 73% survival as compared with 10% survival in the infected, but untreated controls.
A metric for ARMA processes

Autoregressive-moving-average (ARMA) models seek to express a system function of a discretely sampled process as a rational function in the z-domain. Treating an ARMA model as a complex rational function, we discuss a metric defined on the set of complex rational functions. We give a natural measure of the "distance" between two ARMA processes. The paper concentrates on the mathematics behind the problem and shows that the various algebraic structures endow the choice of metric with some interesting and remarkable properties, which we discuss. We suggest that the metric can be used in at least two circumstances: (i) in which we have signals arising from various models that are unknown (so we construct the distance matrix and perform cluster analysis) and (ii) where there are several possible models M/sub i/, all of which are known, and we wish to find which of these is closest to an observed data sequence modeled as M.
A specific inhibitor of janus kinase-3 increases survival in a transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disorder involving the motor neurons of cortex, brain stem, and spinal cord. About 10% of all ALS patients are familial cases (FALS), of which 20% have mutations in the Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene. The murine model for FALS, which overexpresses a FALS variant of the SOD1 gene, exhibits progressive limbic paralysis followed by death. Treatment of FALS mice with WHI-P131, a specific inhibitor of Janus kinase 3 (JAK3), increased survival by more than two months, suggesting that specific inhibitors of JAK3 may be useful in the treatment of human ALS. These results uniquely establish JAK3 as a novel molecular target for the treatment of FALS.