Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immunotherapy of DC-CIK cells enhances the efficacy of chemotherapy for solid cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials in Chinese patients

ObjectiveProfessional antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) and cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, components of anti-cancer therapy, have shown clinical benefits and potential to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance. To evaluate whether DC-CIK cell-based therapy improves the clinical efficacy of chemotherapy, we reviewed the literature on DC-CIK cells and meta-analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs). MethodsWe searched several databases and selected studies using predefined criteria. RCTs that applied chemotherapy with and without DC-CIK cells separately in two groups were included. Odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) were reported to measure the pooled effect.ResultsTwelve reported RCTs (826 patients), which were all performed on Chinese patients, were included. Combination therapy exhibited better data than chemotherapy: 1-year overall survival (OS) (OR=0.22, P<0.01), 2-year OS (OR=0.28, P<0.01), 3-year OS (OR=0.41, P<0.01), 1-year disease-free survival (DFS) (OR=0.16, P<0.05), 3-year DFS (OR=0.32, P<0.01), objective response rate (ORR) (OR=0.54, P<0.01), and disease control rate (DCR) (OR=0.46, P<0.01). Moreover, the levels of CD3+ T-lymphocytes (MD=−11.65, P<0.05) and CD4+ T-lymphocytes (MD=−8.18, P<0.01) of the combination group were higher.ConclusionsImmunotherapy of DC-CIK cells may enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy on solid cancer and induces no specific side effect. Further RCTs with no publishing bias should be designed to confirm the immunotherapeutic effects of DC-CIK cells. 中文概要目的分析和研究DC-CIK细胞免疫治疗是否能够增强化疗在实体肿瘤中的疗效。 创新点首次荟萃分析了关于DC-CIK细胞免疫治疗联合化疗治疗肿瘤疗效的随机对照试验, 并从多个角度对疗效进行综合评价。 方法通过文献检索及筛选, 收集关于化疗联合DC-CIK细胞免疫治疗的随机对照试验 (图1), 并从中提取相关数据进行荟萃分析。 总生存率 (OS) 、无病生存率 (DFS) 、客观缓解率 (ORR) 、疾病控制率 (DFS) 和治疗后T淋巴细胞亚型水平是本研究中的主要疗效指标, 比值比 (OR) (图3、4和5) 以及平均差 (MD) (图6) 用来评价各个指标的综合效应。 结论共有12个随机对照试验被纳入我们的研究中 (表1和2) 。 相对于单独应用化疗, DC-CIK细胞治疗联合化疗的综合疗法能在1年生存率、2年生存率、3年生存率、1年无病生存率、3年无病生存率、客观缓解率以及疾病控制率等指标上有明显优势, 且接受综合疗法患者的CD3+T淋巴细胞和CD4+T淋巴细胞水平明显更高。 综上所述, DC-CIK细胞免疫治疗能够增强化疗对实体肿瘤的疗效。
LITERATURE REVIEW OF ROTAVIRUS PREVALENCE IN AFRICA

INTRODUCTION: Diarrhea kills 1.6 million children younger than 5 years annually, with rotavirus causing 600 000 of those deaths. Eighty-five percent of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa and southeast Asia. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to review rotavirus prevalence studies of children in Africa from 1975 to 2006. METHODS: Three multilingual Medline searches (limited to humans) were performed: “RV,” country/Africa, and epidemiology/diarrhea. Additional inclusion criteria included children <5 years of age, conducted over >3 months, and including >50 children. Data were analyzed in 4 periods. RESULTS: Of the initial 189 studies identified, 75 in 18 countries met the additional inclusion criteria (Table 1). More than half of the studies were hospital based. In all studies the most common serotypes were G1 (25%), G4 (16%), G2 (13%), G3 (12%), P[8] (37%), P[6] (35%), and P[4] (11%). From 1996 to 2006 the common serotypes were G1 (22%), G4 (17%), G2 (13%), G3 (13%), P[6] (37%), P[8] (35%), and P[4] (11%). CONCLUSIONS: The current prevalence rate is 30% (range: 17%–38%). Present serotypes include G1 through G4, G8, G9, P[8], P[6], and P[4]. Rotavirus diarrhea represents a significant disease burden. Current rotavirus prevalence studies are important, because there are effective rotavirus vaccines available to prevent mortality and severe disease. TABLE 1. Results of 75 Studies on Rotavirus Prevalence in Children <5 Years Old in Africa All Studies 1976–1985 1986–1995 1996–2006 Total No. of studies 75 12 39 24 Duration, mo 12 (8.0–15.5) 12 (8.0–12.5) 12 (8.0–12.5) 14 (11–24) Rotavirus-positive, % 26 25 25 30 Studies with serotyping, n 18 0 2 16 Rotavirus-positive with serotyping, % 24 — 5 67 — indicates that data were not available.
Minimizing Delays in the GI/G/1 Queue

What service-time distribution minimizes delays in a GI/G/1 queue with given renewal arrival process and given mean service time? It is natural to conjecture that the deterministic service-time distribution with unit mass on the mean is optimal for all objective functions of the form EfW where f is a nondecreasing function of the steady-state delay W. However, we show that this conjecture is false. In fact, for hyperexponential interarrival-time distributions mixtures of two exponential distributions, the service-time distribution minimizing the average delay maximizes the proportion of customers delayed.
An O(|E|) Time Algorithm for Computing the Reliability of a Class of Directed Networks

This paper studies the problem of computing the source-to-terminal reliability, the probability that a source s can communicate with a terminal t, in a probabilistic directed network. It introduces a set of reliability-preserving reductions, called 2-neighbor-node reductions. We show that for a class of directed networks, called BSP-digraphs, such reductions are always admissible and the source-to-terminal reliability can be computed in time linear in the size of the network. A directed network D = (V, E) is a BSP-digraph if its underlying undirected graph is series-parallel. The BSP-digraphs considered can be cyclic or acyclic and both vertices as well as edges can fail. Any two vertices can be chosen as s and t. Previously, no polynomial time algorithms were known for this class of digraphs. The proposed method is also applicable to mixed graphs containing directed and undirected edges.
Forced Myocardin Expression Enhances the Therapeutic Effect of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells After Transplantation in Ischemic Mouse Hearts

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) have only a limited differentiation potential toward cardiomyocytes. Forced expression of the cardiomyogenic transcription factor myocardin may stimulate hMSCs to acquire a cardiomyogenic phenotype, thereby improving their possible therapeutic potential. hMSCs were transduced with green fluorescent protein (GFP) and myocardin (hMSCmyoc) or GFP and empty vector (hMSC). After coronary ligation in immune‐compromised NOD/scid mice, hMSCmyoc (n = 10), hMSC (n = 10), or medium only (n = 12) was injected into the infarct area. Sham‐operated mice (n = 12) were used to determine baseline characteristics. Left ventricular (LV) volumes and ejection fraction (EF) were serially (days 2 and 14) assessed using 9.4‐T magnetic resonance imaging. LV pressure‐volume measurements were performed at day 15, followed by histological evaluation. At day 2, no differences in infarct size, LV volumes, or EF were observed among the myocardial infarction groups. At day 14, left ventricular ejection fraction in both cell‐treated groups was preserved compared with the nontreated group; in addition, hMSCmyoc injection also reduced LV volumes compared with medium injection (p < .05). Furthermore, pressure‐volume measurements revealed a significantly better LV function after hMSCmyoc injection compared with hMSC treatment. Immunohistochemistry at day 15 demonstrated that the engraftment rate was higher in the hMSCmyoc group compared with the hMSC group (p < .05). Furthermore, these cells expressed a number of cardiomyocyte‐specific markers not observed in the hMSC group. After myocardial infarction, injection of hMSCmyoc improved LV function and limited LV remodeling, effects not observed after injection of hMSC. Furthermore, forced myocardin expression improved engraftment and induced a cardiomyocyte‐like phenotype hMSC differentiation.
Hypoxia Enhances Tumor Stemness by Increasing the Invasive and Tumorigenic Side Population Fraction

Although advances have been made in understanding the role of hypoxia in the stem cell niche, almost nothing is known about a potentially similar role of hypoxia in maintaining the tumor stem cell (TSC) niche. Here we show that a highly tumorigenic fraction of side population (SP) cells is localized in the hypoxic zones of solid tumors in vivo. We first identified a highly migratory, invasive, and tumorigenic fraction of post‐hypoxic side population cells (SPm[hox] fraction) in a diverse group of solid tumor cell lines, including neuroblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and small‐cell lung carcinoma. To identify the SPm(hox) fraction, we used an “injured conditioned medium” derived from bone marrow stromal cells treated with hypoxia and oxidative stress. We found that a highly tumorigenic SP fraction migrates to the injured conditioned medium in a Boyden chamber. We show that as few as 100 SPm(hox) cells form rapidly growing tumors in vivo. In vitro exposure to hypoxia increases the SPm(hox) fraction significantly. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence studies showed that SPm(hox) cells expressed Oct‐4, a “stemness” gene having a potential role in TSC maintenance. In nude mice xenografts, SPm(hox) cells were localized to the hypoxic zones, as demonstrated after quantum dot labeling. These results suggest that a highly tumorigenic SP fraction migrates to the area of hypoxia; this migration is similar to the migration of normal bone marrow SP fraction to the area of injury/hypoxia. Furthermore, the hypoxic microenvironment may serve as a niche for the highly tumorigenic fraction of SP cells.
A Comparison of Protocols Used to Generate Insulin‐Producing Cell Clusters from Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) have the capacity to generate a panoply of tissue types and may therefore provide an alternative source of tissue in regenerative medicine to treat potentially debilitating conditions like Type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, the ability of mouse ESCs to generate insulin‐producing cell clusters (IPCCs) remains highly contentious. In an attempt to clarify this issue, three protocols for the ESC‐based generation of IPCCs (referred to as Blyszczuk, Hori, and Lumelsky protocols) were modified and evaluated for their ability to express pancreatic islet genes and proteins and their capacity to function. Herein, we show that the Blyszczuk protocol reproducibly generated IPCCs with gene‐expression characteristics that were qualitatively and quantitatively most reminiscent of those found in pancreatic islets. Furthermore, compared to the Hori and Lumelsky protocols, Blyszczuk‐derived IPCCs exhibited superior expression of c‐peptide, a by‐product of de novo insulin synthesis. Functionally, Blyszczuk IPCCs, in contrast to Hori and Lumelsky IPCCs, were able to transiently restore normal blood glucose levels in diabetic mice (<1 week). Longer normoglycemic rescue (>2 weeks) was also achieved in a third of diabetic recipients receiving Blyszczuk IPCCs. Yet Blyszczuk IPCCs were less able to rescue experimental diabetes than isolated syngeneic pancreatic islet tissue. Therefore, depending on the mode of differentiation, ESCs can be driven to generate de novo IPCCs that possess limited functionality. Further modifications to differentiation protocols will be essential to improve the generation of functional IPCCs from mouse ESCs.
An Exact Two-Dimensional Non-Guillotine Cutting Tree Search Procedure

We consider the two-dimensional cutting problem of cutting a number of rectangular pieces from a single large rectangle so as to maximize the value of the pieces cut. We develop a Lagrangean relaxation of a zero-one integer programming formulation of the problem and use it as a bound in a tree search procedure. Subgradient optimization is used to optimize the bound derived from the Lagrangean relaxation. Problem reduction tests derived from both the original problem and the Lagrangean relaxation are given. Incorporating the bound and the reduction tests into a tree search procedure enables moderately sized problems to be solved.
Giant vesical calculus with carcinoma bladder: A rare entity

A 60 year old male attended with history of dribbling of urine for one year along with frequent passing of urine at night for last 15-20 days. Rectal examination showed suggesting of 2 grad prostrate enlargement. Ultrasound shows vesicle calculus with no prostrate enlargement. At cystolithotomy, calculus (10x8x5cm) was noted. Histopathology shows keratinising squamous cell carcinoma. Postoperatively radiotherapy was done. Vesico cutaneous fistula was developed that healed subsequently. Journal of College of Medical Sciences-Nepal,2011,Vol-6,No-4, 61-63 DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3126/jcmsn.v6i4. 6730
Developing a Statewide, Standards-Based Student Report Card: A Review of the Kentucky Initiative.

This paper describes a major initiative in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to develop a statewide, standards-based, student report card for reporting the learning progress of individual students at all grade levels (K-12). Led by a team of researchers with expertise in grading and reporting, 36 educators from three diverse school districts created two reporting forms: one for elementary and another for secondary level. These reporting forms were piloted by 41 teachers who distributed both the new form and the traditional report card to parents/guardians during the school year. Information gathered through surveys administered to teachers, parents/guardians, and students was used to determine satisfaction with the new forms and to guide revisions. Plans are currently in place to expand applications and professional development, enhance technical support, and establish a basis for statewide implementation.
Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Accelerate Recovery of Acute Renal Injury and Prolong Survival in Mice

Transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM‐MSC) or stromal cells from rodents has been identified as a strategy for renal repair in experimental models of acute kidney injury (AKI), a highly life‐threatening clinical setting. The therapeutic potential of BM‐MSC of human origin has not been reported so far. Here, we investigated whether human BM‐MSC treatment could prevent AKI induced by cisplatin and prolong survival in an immunodeficient mouse model. Results showed that human BM‐MSC infusion decreased proximal tubular epithelial cell injury and ameliorated the deficit in renal function, resulting in reduced recipient mortality. Infused BM‐MSC became localized predominantly in peritubular areas and acted to reduce renal cell apoptosis and to increase proliferation. BM‐MSC also induced protection against AKI‐related peritubular capillary changes consisting of endothelial cell abnormalities, leukocyte infiltration, and low endothelial cell and lumen volume density as assessed by morphometric analysis. These findings indicate that human MSC of bone marrow origin hold potential to prolong survival in AKI and should be considered for testing in a clinical trial.
An investigation to examine the construction of meanings, attitudes and perceptions of HIV/AIDS among lay and professional counsellors in KwaZulu Natal [sic].

Short of a medical breakthrough, counselling is the only available tool to deal with the loss, pain and suffering that AIDS patients' experience. Studies have suggested that although there is a change in society's perception to AIDS, there still exist some negative attitudes and perceptions that occur among a variety of groups, which includes the health care workers. This study aims to investigate the construction of meaning, perceptions, and attitudes of HIV/AIDS among professional and lay counsellors . The researcher will compare lay and professional counsellors' attitudes, perceptions and meanings of AIDS. The Social Representational Theory was used to provide an understanding of how these metaphors and attitudes emerged and still exist. Qualitative methodology was used, which allowed the researcher to gather in depth data necessary for the study of psychological issues. The study made use of nonprobability purposive sampling. Data were collected by use of in-depth interviews. A pilot study was conducted to 'test' the interview schedule. Three lay and three professional , female counsellors were recruited for the interviews. All the interviews were tape recorded and transcribed. Thematic analysis was used to analysis the data. Essentially, the data reflected that there were many emergent metaphors which counsellors used that were similar to the general population. At times, these metaphors impacted on the counselling process. The findings of this study made recommendations in terms of more research around this area is needed, training programmes should include training in peer supervision and it should include more practical exposure to real situations.
A Quantitative Assessment of Skills and Competencies in Graduates of At-Risk High Schools.

The willingness to work and a high school diploma were once all that was needed to start one's career. The problem is that on the twentieth anniversary of the reports by the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), high school graduates may still lack what business and education leaders require for success in entry-level employment or post-secondary studies. The research question included understanding how prepared graduates from at-risk high schools are for post-secondary work or study. The study used a Likert-scaled survey to assess participant work readiness in 36 skill or competency areas. The sample consisted of recent graduates from three at-risk high schools in one school district. Graduate responses to the survey indicated that 64 per cent were not work ready. Statistically, results were consistent with the SCANS report that indicated that 51 per cent of all American high school graduates were underprepared. Pearson correlations were detected between the graduates' level of academic study (i.e., special education, tech-prep, college-prep, or honors) and work-readiness, and between pre-graduation work-experience and work-readiness. Implications for positive social change include improved graduate work readiness.
In-Vivo Imaging of Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndromes – unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction or sudden death – are associated with rupture of a coronary plaque with superimposed thrombosis which transiently or permanently may partially or totally occlude the coronary vessel [1]. In-vivo imaging of acute coronary syndromes can be achieved by routine diagnostic coronary angiography, intracoronary ultrasound and intracoronary angioscopy. Each image modality has its own particular value and limitation, which will be addressed in this review. Coronary angiography
HemaApp: noninvasive blood screening of hemoglobin using smartphone cameras

We present HemaApp, a smartphone application that noninvasively monitors blood hemoglobin concentration using the smartphone's camera and various lighting sources. Hemoglobin measurement is a standard clinical tool commonly used for screening anemia and assessing a patient's response to iron supplement treatments. Given a light source shining through a patient's finger, we perform a chromatic analysis, analyzing the color of their blood to estimate hemoglobin level. We evaluate HemaApp on 31 patients ranging from 6 -- 77 years of age, yielding a 0.82 rank order correlation with the gold standard blood test. In screening for anemia, HemaApp achieve a sensitivity and precision of 85.7% and 76.5%. Both the regression and classification performance compares favorably with our control, an FDA-approved noninvasive hemoglobin measurement device. We also evaluate and discuss the effect of using different kinds of lighting sources.
Optimum Replacement of a System Subject to Shocks: A Mathematical Lemma

We consider a system that is subject to shocks that occur randomly over time. We assume that the system must be replaced after it has functioned for a random length of time I, a moment of a major failure that is a stopping time with respect to the process {Nt, t â¥ 0} that models the number of shocks occurring in [0, t]. It may, however, be economical to replace the system at time mint, I prior to its failure, for some fixed but optimally chosen t. Costs are due to shocks, maintenance and replacement. We introduce an optimality criterion, based on cost considerations, which we use to find an optimal replacement time t0. In the process, we prove a general mathematical lemma that helps in arriving at the optimal replacement time for general classes of processes {Nt}, stopping times I and the cost structures involved. We also give a discrete time version of the lemma.
Improved Inequalities for the Poisson and Binomial Distribution and Upper Tail Quantile Functions

The exact evaluation of the Poisson and Binomial cumulative distribution and inverse (quantile) functions may be too challenging or unnecessary for some applications, and simpler solutions (typically obtained by applying Normal approximations or exponential inequalities) may be desired in some situations. Although Normal distribution approximations are easy to apply and potentially very accurate, error signs are typically unknown; error signs are typically known for exponential inequalities at the expense of some pessimism. In this paper, recent work describing universal inequalities relating the Normal and Binomial distribution functions is extended to cover the Poisson distribution function; new quantile function inequalities are then obtained for both distributions. Exponential bounds—which improve upon the Chernoff-Hoeffding inequalities by a factor of at least two—are also obtained for both distributions.
Strong Convexity Results for Queueing Systems

We prove a strong and seemingly odd result about the M/M/c queue: the reciprocal of the average sojourn time is a concave function of the traffic intensity. We use this result to show that the average itself is jointly convex in arrival and service rates. The standard deviation has the same properties. Also, we determine conditions under which these properties are exhibited by a standard approximation for the M/G/c queue. These results are useful in design studies for telecommunications and production systems.
Isolation of Primordial Germ Cells from Differentiating Human Embryonic Stem Cells

Of all the cell types that can be obtained from the differentiation of embryonic stem cells, primordial germ cells are arguably the most fascinating, as they represent the in vitro completion of the reproductive cycle of the organism from which the embryonic stem cell line was derived. It is also possible to obtain these cells from embryos at an appropriate stage of development, but this process yields only small numbers that are not applicable to investigations of their epigenetic architecture. A considerable body of data has been generated from the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells to this cell type, but despite the demonstration of their presence in human embryoid bodies, there has been little progress toward methods of producing human primordial germ cells in useful numbers. We present here a robust protocol to differentiate two human embryonic stem cell lines (H9 and hES‐NCL1) that maximizes the numbers of primordial germ cells that may be obtained using a simple fluorescence‐activated cell sorting strategy for their isolation. These primordial germ cells demonstrate high‐level expression of the germ cell‐specific VASA gene and show removal of parental imprints and chromatin modification changes that support their primordial germ cell identity.