Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nectin-1 is a marker of thyroid cancer sensitivity to herpes oncolytic therapy.

CONTEXT The prognosis for patients diagnosed with anaplastic thyroid cancer is dismal, with a median survival time of only 6 months. Novel therapies are needed for these and other thyroid cancers that are refractory to conventional therapy. OBJECTIVES Our goals were to assess the ability of an attenuated, replication-competent, oncolytic herpes virus (NV1023) to enter and lyse human thyroid cancers and determine whether herpes simplex virus receptor expression is a determinant of NV1023 efficacy. DESIGN A panel of 12 human thyroid cancer cell lines including anaplastic, medullary, follicular, and papillary cancers were exposed to NV1023 and assessed for susceptibility to viral entry and oncolysis. The expression of herpes simplex virus glycoprotein D receptors nectin-1 and herpes virus entry mediator was assessed by quantitative fluorescence-activated cell sorter and correlated with NV1023 entry and oncolysis. RESULTS There was significant variation in the ability of NV1023 to enter thyroid cancer cells as measured by lacZ expression. Thyroid cancer nectin-1 expression correlated strongly with NV1023 entry. Nectin-1 transfections and antibody receptor blocking studies validated the importance of nectin-1 for NV1023 entry. Follicular cancers were least sensitive to NV1023 oncolysis. All anaplastic, medullary, and papillary cancers tested exhibited greater than 85% cytotoxicity 7 d after exposure to NV1023 at multiplicity of infection 1, although oncolysis was variable at multiplicity of infection 0.01. Significant correlations between nectin-1 expression and NV1023 oncolysis were identified using Pearson's coefficients. CONCLUSIONS NV1023 causes significant cytotoxicity of anaplastic, medullary, and papillary thyroid cancers. Nectin-1 is a novel marker of thyroid cancer sensitivity to herpes oncolytic therapy that might guide patient selection for therapy.
UV-selective face cream (Acne RA-1,2) in acne patients: clinical study of its effects on epidermal barrier function, sebum production, tolerability and therapy adherence.

BACKGROUND General skin care recommendations such as the use of moisturizers and products with adequate photoprotection are important components of management for acne patients to complement the medical regimen. This study aimed to evaluate the real-life clinical effects of a novel UV-selective face cream (Acne RA-1,2, Meda Pharma, Solna, Sweden) on acne, epidermal barrier function, sebum production, adherence and tolerability when used together with pharmacological acne treatment. METHODS Forty patients receiving pharmacological acne treatment applied Acne RA-1,2 once-daily for three months. Investigator's Global Assessment of acne, trans-epidermal water loss, sebum production and tolerability were assessed at one and three months. RESULTS After 3 months, there was a 38% significant clinical improvement in mean Investigator Global Assessment score (3.4 to 2.1), a 29% significant reduction in trans-epidermal water loss (13.2 to 9.4 g/h/m2), and a 17% significant decrease in sebum production vs. baseline (234.6 to 195.6 µg/cm2; all P<0.01). One hundred percent of patients reported complete adherence to pharmacological therapy over the summer of the study vs. 52.5% in the previous summer. About 87.5% of patients considered their acne improved over the summer of the study, vs. 55.0% in the previous summer. Pruritus, erythema, dryness and total tolerability symptom scores were significantly reduced after 3 months vs. baseline (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Acne RA-1,2 is a useful daily adjunct to pharmacological therapy as it helps to mitigate the irritation these therapies cause, increasing adherence to therapy, and leading to a clinical improvement in acne and epidermal barrier function and a decrease in sebum production.
Physician training requirements in sonography: how many cases are needed for competence?

OBJECTIVE Physician competence in the performance of sonographic studies was assessed after their involvement in predetermined increments of cases to determine whether the case volumes currently required by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the American College of Radiology for training in sonography can be lowered substantially. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sonographic competence tests were administered to 10 first-year diagnostic radiology residents after their involvement in increments of 50 cases, up to a total of 200 cases (four competency tests). Each competency test consisted of the resident's independently scanning and interpreting 10 clinically mandated studies that were scored in comparison with the examination performed by the sonographer and interpreted by an attending radiologist. Trainee studies were graded on the percentage of anatomic landmarks depicted, the number of reporting errors, the number of clinically significant reporting errors, and the percentage of cases receiving a passing score. RESULTS Although resident performance improved progressively with increasing experience for all parameters assessed, performance of the group was poor even after their involvement in 200 cases. At this testing level, the mean percentage of anatomic landmarks depicted successfully was 56.5%; the mean total reporting errors per case was 1.2; the mean clinically significant errors per case was 0.5; and the mean percentage of cases receiving a passing score was 16%. Impressive performance differences were observed among residents for all parameters assessed, and these differences were not explained by the number of months of radiology training the resident had taken before the sonography rotation. CONCLUSION Involvement in 200 or fewer cases during the training period is not sufficient for physicians to develop an acceptable level of competence in sonography.
Who Benefits from Transshipment? Exogenous vs. Endogenous Wholesale Prices

This paper studies how transshipments affect manufacturers and retailers, considering both exogenous and endogenous wholesale prices. For a distribution system where a single manufacturer sells to multiple identical-cost retailers, we consider both the manufacturer being a price taker and the manufacturer being a price setter in a single-period setup under multivariate normal demand distribution. In the case of the manufacturer being a price taker, we provide several analytical results regarding the effects of key parameters on order quantities and profits. In the case of the manufacturer being a price setter, we characterize the Stackelberg game that arises, and provide several insights into how the game dynamics are affected by transshipments. Specifically, we find that risk pooling makes retailers' order quantities less sensitive to the wholesale price set by the manufacturer; hence, in general, the manufacturer benefits from retailers' transshipments by charging a higher wholesale price, while retailers are often worse off. The paper captures the effect of demand correlation and the effect of the number of retailers throughout, and it illustrates the findings by a numerical example. We also provide an interactive Web page for numerical experiments.
Characterization of proteomic changes in cardiac mitochondria in streptozotocin‐diabetic rats using iTRAQ™ isobaric tags

Diabetes now affects more than 5% of the world's population and heart failure is the most common cause of death amongst diabetic patients. Accumulating evidence supports a view that myocardial mitochondrial structural and functional changes are central to the onset of diabetic heart failure, but the exact nature of these changes at the proteomic level remains unclear.Here we report on proteomic changes in diabetic rat heart mitochondria following 120 days of streptozotocin‐diabetes using the recently developed iTRAQ™ labeling method, which permits quantification of proteins directly from complex mixtures, bypassing the limitations associated with gel‐based methods such as 2‐DE. Of 252 unique proteins identified, 144 were represented in at least three of six individual paired experiments. Relative amounts of 65 proteins differed significantly between the groups, confirming that the cardiac mitochondrial proteome is indeed impacted by diabetes. The most significant changes were increased protein levels of enzymes involved in mitochondrial oxidation of long‐chain fatty acids, which was also confirmed by enzyme assays, and decreased levels of multiple enzymes involved in oxidative phosphorylation and catabolism of short‐chain fatty acids and branched‐chain amino acids. We also found significant changes in levels of several enzymes linked to oxidative stress.
A DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF RACCOON RABIES IN A RURAL ENVIRONMENT

A recent outbreak of rabies in raccoons, Procyon lotor (L.), in Loudoun County, Virginia (1981–82), prompted a study of the epidemiology of the disease. Parameters studied included the occurrence and movement of the disease over time, sex and age relationships, and behavior patterns of raccoons. During the 18 mo, 427 raccoons were tested, of which 75% were infected with rabies virus. Interpretation of rainfall data and the subsequent spatial occurrence of infected raccoons within the county indicated a cause and effect relationship. The submission rate of female raccoons was greater than that of males. The female raccoons (adult and juvenile) were also found to be infected with the virus more often than the males. Behavior of infected raccoons in a rural environment was similar to those observed in the southeastern United States during earlier epizootics of rabies. The presence of a skunky odor on infected raccoons may be a characteristic of raccoon rabies.
Positive and Negative Electrospray Ionization-Collision-Induced Dissociation of Sulfur-Containing Zwitterionic Liquids

The mass spectrometric properties of several (1,2-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)-alkane-1-sulfonates (alkane=ethyl, propyl and butyl) are investigated in this study. These substances, named zwitterionic liquids (ZILs), were synthesized using classical transformations and analyzed in positive and negative electrospray ionization mode using collision-induced dissociation (0–50 eV). We have also performed regioselective deuterium labeling of the alkyl chain of 3-(1,2-dimethyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium-3-yl)-propane-1-sulfonates. Thus, the mass spectra of isotopically-labeled compounds were used for the confirmation of fragmentation pathways of ZILs. Briefly, the data obtained in this study show that the fragmentation of ZILs is dependent on the alkyl chain length between the imidazolium ring and the sulfonate group. In positive electrospray mode, the main fragments are the imidazolium ring containing even electron ions. On the other hand, in negative electrospray mode, sulfur-containing radical-anions are dominant.
Flexibility in MHC and TCR Recognition: Degenerate Specificity at the T Cell Level in the Recognition of Promiscuous Th Epitopes Exhibiting No Primary Sequence Homology

Recognition of peptide Ags by T cells through the TCR can be highly specific. In this report we show the degeneracy of Ag recognition at both MHC and TCR levels. We present evidence that unrelated promiscuous Th cell epitopes from various protein sources exhibit sufficient structural homology, despite minimal structural identity, to elicit cross-reactive proliferative responses at the bulk T cell level. This epitopic mimicry was also observed when peptide (CS.T3378–395 and TT830–844)-specific CD4+ T cell lines and T cell hybridoma clones were used in proliferation and Ag presentation assays. A scrambled CS.T3378–395 peptide did not show any proliferation, indicating that the specificity of the cross-reactive responses may be linked with the primary structure of the peptides. Blocking of CS.T3378–395-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation by anti-MHC class II mAb showed that recognition of promiscuous T cell epitopes is largely in association with MHC class II molecules. These findings suggest that promiscuous Th epitopes may be useful in designing peptide-based vaccine constructs. At the same time these results show that at the T cell level there may be a great deal of immunological cross-reactivity between heterologous pathogens, and because of this the host’s response to a pathogen may be modified by its previous experience with other unrelated pathogens.
Towards investigation of magnetic response of circular arrangement of plasmonic spheres by scaled experiments in RF regime

An idea of magnetic metamaterial particle at optical frequencies, based on a circular arrangement of plasmonic spheres has been proposed recently. Unfortunately, experimental verification of this interesting idea is very difficult and expensive due to current limitations of nanotechnology. On the other hand, there is also recently published approach with scaled experiments that make use of RF structures that behave similarly to plasmonic spheres but in the RF regime (‘RF replicas’). Here we extend this approach to investigation of plasmonic magnetic particles. Numerical simulations clearly show that an appropriate arrangement of RF Best's spherical resonators supports circulating displacement current completely analog to circulating displacement current in related plasmonic arrangement at optical frequencies. In addition, an RF waveguide demonstrator analog to well known SRR-based subwavelength waveguide is numerically analysed. All obtained results show that should be indeed feasible to investigate electromagnetic properties of circular arrangement of plasmonic nanospheres by scaled experiments in RF regime.
Karl‐Axel Ekbom and iron deficiency in restless legs syndrome

We read with great interest the article published by Allen and Earley entitled ‘‘The Role of Iron in Restless Legs Syndrome. ’’ In their introduction, the authors state that in 1945 Ekbom noted a high prevalence of iron deficiency (ID) among patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS). Also according to the authors, the description of the striking relation between ID and RLS led another Swedish neurologist, Nordlander, to not only propose that ID in some body tissue caused RLS but also to successfully treat 21 of 22 patient with RLS with relatively large doses of intravenous (IV) iron. In fact, to our reading, Professor Karl-Axel Ekbom in his article published in 1944, entitled ‘‘Asthenia Crurum Paraesthetica’’ (Irritable legs) and in his masterpiece entitled ‘‘Restless Legs,’’ published in 1945, did not mention nor suggest any form of relation involving RLS and ID. As far as we can detect, a possible causal relationship between RLS and ID was first described in 1953 by Nils-Brage Nordlander at the University of Uppsala. Nordlander reported several patients with anemia and RLS, highlighting specific cases of patients with ID anemia and RLS whose symptoms disappeared after intravenous iron therapy. The positive therapeutic results of iron therapy in RLS were later confirmed by others authors, including Professor Karl-Axel Ekbom, the famous Swedish neurologist who rediscovered and in fact clinically defined RLS as a neurological disorder.
EAACI Position Paper on Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps Executive Summary

OS document, initated by the Academy ofAllergology and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) andapproved by the European Rhinologic Society (ERS), isintended to be state-of-the art for the specialist as well asfor the general practitioner:• to update their knowledge of rhinosinusitis and nasalpolyposis;• to provide an evidence-based documented revision ofthe diagnostic methods;• to provide an evidence-based revision of the availabletreatments;• to propose a stepwise approach to the management ofthe disease;• to propose guidance for deﬁnitions and outcomemeasurements in research in diﬀerent settings.This executive summary focuses on deﬁnitions, diagnosisand treatment and the relation to allergy and lowerairway disease. The whole document is published at theEAACI website (http://www.eaaci.org) and in the JournalRhinology (Supplement 18, March 2005). Definition of rhinosinusitis/nasal polypsRhinitis and sinusitis usually coexist and are concurrentin most individuals; thus, the correct terminology is nowrhinosinusitis.In 2001 the WHO put together a working group onrhinitis and its impact on asthma (ARIA) (9). In thisgroup rhinitis was classiﬁed according to duration andseverity. Because rhinitis and sinusitis are so closelylinked the deﬁnition of CRS/NP in the EPOS document isdeveloped from the ARIA classiﬁcation of rhinitis andbased on symptomatology, duration and severity ofdisease.The diagnosis of rhinosinusitis is made by a widevariety of practitioners, including allergologists, otolar-yngologists, pulmonologists, primary care physicians andmany others. Due to the large diﬀerences in technicalpossibilities to diagnose and treat rhinosinusitis/nasalpolyps by various professions, deﬁnitions of CRS/NPshould be tailored to the individual group.Clinical definition of rhinosinusitis/nasal polypsRhinosinusitis (including nasal polyps) is deﬁned as:• Inﬂammation of the nose and the paranasal sinusescharacterised by two or more symptoms:– blockage/congestion– discharge: anterior/post nasal drip– facial pain/pressure– reduction or loss of smelland either• Endoscopic signs:– polyps– mucopurulent discharge from middle meatus– oedema/mucosal obstruction primarily in middlemeatusand/or• CT changes:– mucosal changes within ostiomeatal complex and/or sinusesSeverity of disease. The disease can be divided intoMILD and MODERATE/SEVERE based on total visualanalogue scale (VAS) score (0–10 cm): MILD ¼ VAS0–4, MODERATE/SEVERE ¼ VAS 5–10.To evaluate the total severity the patient is asked toindicate on a VAS the question:How troublesome are your symptoms of rhinosinusitis? Not troublesome Most troublesome
The prevalence of chromosome 22q11.2 deletions in 2,478 children with cardiovascular malformations. A population‐based study

Deletion of chromosome 22q11.2 is considered one of the most frequent genetic causes of cardiovascular malformations. It is frequently associated with conotruncal malformations, but may also be present among patients with nonconotruncal malformations. The aim of the present study was to establish the prevalence of the 22q11.2 deletion in an unselected population‐based cohort of children with various cardiovascular malformations. The study population was defined as children born in 2000–2008 who were registered in the Danish National Patient Registry with a diagnosis of cardiovascular malformation from one of the two national departments of pediatric cardiology. Sensitive multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification was performed on dried blood spot samples from each individual's neonatal screening test. Of 2,952 children with cardiovascular malformations, 2,478 were eligible for genetic testing. A total of 46 individuals (1.9% [1.4–2.5%]) carried the deletion, with the highest prevalence among individuals registered with interrupted aortic arch (22% [11–40]). The most frequent diagnoses among individuals carrying the deletion were tetralogy of Fallot (n = 15) and ventricular septal defect (n = 15). One in four cases had not been diagnosed in the usual clinical setting. The prevalence of 22q11.2 deletions in an unselected population‐based cohort of children with cardiac malformations was 1.9% [1.4–2.5%]. Genetic testing of every individual registered with a conotruncal malformation would have achieved a diagnostic sensitivity of 70% in the present cohort. Prospective studies outlining testing recommendations in children with ventricular septal defect are warranted. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Studies on genetic variability, interrelationships association and path analysis in indigenous germplasm of Lentil in Madhya Pradesh, India

One hundred thirty nine lentil germplasm lines (collected from different parts of Madhya Pradesh) including 3 checks were studied for seed yield and its components for estimating genetic variability and correlation co-efficient. Analysis of variance for seed yield and its component showed significant differences among the genotypes for all ten traits. High heritability estimates were observed for all the traits except number of primary branches per plant. In general phenotypic coefficients of variation were greater than their corresponding genotypic coefficients of variation. High estimates of heritability coupled with high genetic advance and moderate to high GCV were observed for total number of pods per plant, number of effective pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds per pod, 100 seed weight and seed yield per plant indicating that selection in such traits might be effective. Seed yield per plant exhibited positive and highly significant correlations with days to maturity, plant height, number of primary branches per plant, number of secondary branches per plant, total number of pods per plant, number of effective pods per plant, number of seeds per plant and number of seeds per pod. Path coefficient analysis showed that number of effective pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, and 100 seed weight showed maximum and positive direct effect on seed yield per plant. Hence these traits could be used for the improvement of seed yield resulting in the evolution of high yielding varieties of lentil.
Algebraical Characterisation of Interval-Timed Petri Nets with Discrete Delays

In this paper we consider Interval-Timed Petri nets ITPN which are an extension of Timed Petri nets. They are considered to behave with discrete delays. The class of ITPNs is Turing complete and therefore the reachability of an arbitrary marking in such a net is not decidable. We introduce a time dependent state equation for a firing sequence of ITPNs, which is analogous to the state equation for a firing sequence in standard Petri nets and we prove its correctness using linear algebra. Our result is original and delivers both a necessary condition for reachability and a sufficient condition for non-reachability of an arbitrary marking in an ITPN.
An Augmented Mixed Finite Element Method for the Navier-Stokes Equations with Variable Viscosity

A new mixed variational formulation for the Navier--Stokes equations with constant density and variable viscosity depending nonlinearly on the gradient of velocity, is proposed and analyzed here. Our approach employs a technique previously applied to the stationary Boussinesq problem and to the Navier--Stokes equations with constant viscosity, which consists firstly of the introduction of a modified pseudostress tensor involving the diffusive and convective terms, and the pressure. Next, by using an equivalent statement suggested by the incompressibility condition, the pressure is eliminated, and in order to handle the nonlinear viscosity, the gradient of velocity is incorporated as an auxiliary unknown. Furthermore, since the convective term forces the velocity to live in a smaller space than usual, we overcome this difficulty by augmenting the variational formulation with suitable Galerkin-type terms arising from the constitutive and equilibrium equations, the aforementioned relation defining the additi.
Studies on the susceptibility of organ cultures to infection and on the localization of the virus in the cultures.

cause of the increasing use of organ culture techniques and because of the possible existence of epithelial resistance factors, we felt it would be important to extend these observations. Using a minimum dose of infectious virus to challenge the organ cultures and using tracheae excised at varying intervals after the donor animal had last been exposed to the virus, we compared the susceptibilty to infection of tracheal cultures prepared from immune and nonimmune rats. We were also interested in defining the site of viral multiplication in tracheal cultures after infection in vivo, and we attempted to accomplish this with fluorescent antibody staining.