Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Electrochemotherapy in Cancer Treatment

An electric field of high intensity changes the organization of lipids in the cell membrane, creating transient hydrophilic pores through which ions can freely permeate. This phenomenon, called electroporation (EP), greatly facilitates molecular transport across the membrane and permits enhanced delivery of biologically active mole− cules, such as drugs and nucleic acids, into the cell. Currently, EP is commonly used for in vitro cell transfection as the cleanest method available. It can also be applied in genetic therapy or immunotherapy in vivo. The most recent application of EP, becoming increasingly popular in the EU, the USA, and Australia, is electrochemothera− py (ECT), in which electroporation significantly increases the intracellular concentration of a cytotoxic agent. ECT applied with a drug that can hardly permeate through the plasma membrane without EP, such as bleomycin, allows localized treatment of a tumor, thereby reducing the side effects of systemic chemotherapy. In some cases, ECT eliminates the necessity of surgery (Adv Clin Exp Med 2007, 16, 5, 601–607).
N-methyl-D-aspartate Receptor Antagonists may Ameliorate Spinal Cord Injury by Inhibiting Oxidative Stress: An Experimental Study in Rats.

AIM To investigate the neuroprotective effect of a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist (amantadine) in an experimental spinal cord injury (SCI) model. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty male Spragueâ€"Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control (I), SCI (II), and SCI + amantadine (III). SCI was created using clip compression technique. At the end of day 7, blood samples were obtained from the rats and analyzed using various biochemical markers. Histological examination was also performed. MDA, GSH, and MPO assays were done. VEGF, TNF-α, and Baxexpressions were also analyzed. RESULTS The group III had several inflammatory cells in the gray and white matter, with mildly degenerated multipolar and bipolar cells. Some bipolar and multipolar neurons showed TNF-α expression; however, TNF-α was found to be weak in small groups of inflammatory cells around the blood vessels in the substantia grisea and alba. Positive Bax expression was observed in the substantia grisea layer, particularly in the membrane of some bipolar neurons and glial cells; however, negative Bax expression was observed in neuron and glial cells and showed positive VEGF expression in the vascular endothelium in the group III. CONCLUSION NMDA receptor antagonists, especially amantadine, may ameliorate SCI by inducing angiogenesis, affecting inflammation and apoptosis. It inhibits oxidative stress and the signaling pathways following SCI in rats.
The reliability of 10 km treadmill time trial performance and the effect of different high intensity interval training strategies on 10 km running performance and associated physiological parameters

13 TITLE . 13 INTRODUCTION . 13 METHODS . 13 RESULTS . 14 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS . 15 CHAPTER ONE – LITERATURE REVIEW . 17 1.
lncRNA HOTTIP facilitates osteosarcoma cell migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by forming a positive feedback loop with c-Myc

Homeobox A transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) is an oncogenic long non-coding RNA in cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the function and mechanism of HOTTIP in the aggressive behaviors of human osteosarcoma (OS) cells. Expression levels of HOTTIP and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were determined by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Cell invasive and migratory abilities were evaluated in vitro using Matrigel and wound healing assays, respectively. Knockdown of HOTTIP expression was achieved by small interfering RNA-mediated silencing. Overexpression of c-Myc was accomplished by transfecting cultured cells with a c-Myc overexpression plasmid. HOTTIP was demonstrated to be upregulated in OS tissues and cell lines; knockdown of HOTTIP inhibited OS cell migration, invasion and EMT, and suppressed c-Myc expression. In addition, overexpression of c-Myc increased HOTTIP expression and enhanced OS cell migration and invasion. HOTTIP promoted cell migration and invasion by upregulating c-Myc in OS. The positive feedback loop formed by HOTTIP and c-Myc may contribute to OS progression, and HOTTIP may act as a therapeutic target for OS.
Abnormal Uterine Bleeding - A Clinicopathological Study Of 160 Cases

Objective:To study the histopathology of endometrial biopsies in abnormal uterine bleeding and clinicopathological correlation. Methods:Endometrial biopsies obtained from 160 cases of abnormal uterine bleeding were studied followed by correlation of endometrial histopathology with parity, age and bleeding pattern. Results:Abnormal uterine bleeding was most frequent in multiparous women in 4thand 5th decades. The commonest bleeding pattern was menorrhagia. Endometrial abnormality was found in 53% cases which included endometrial hyperplasia (27%), mixed pattern endometrium (19%), endometritis (4%), endometrial polyp (2%) and endometrial carcinoma (1%). The frequency of endometrial hyperplasia was highest in multiparous women in 4th decade. The most common bleeding patterns in hyperplasia were menorrhagia (35%) and menometrorrhagia (30%). Forty one percent patients with menometrorrhagia had endometrial hyperplasia. Postmenopausal patients had predominantly proliferative, hyperplastic and mixed patterns of endometrium. Conclusion:Endometrial biopsy should be recommended during the work up of abnormal uterine bleeding to exclude organic pathology of endometrium.
Barriers Hindering Maternal Care of Children Suffering from Thalassemia: An Assessment Study

Background: Thalassemia is a group of genetic disorders of blood, characterized by decreased synthesis of one or two types of polypeptide chain (α or β) that form abnormal human hemoglobin molecules. Aim of this study: was to assess barriers hindering maternal care of their children suffering from thalassemia. Research design: A descriptive design was utilized in carry out this study. Setting: The study was conducted in Pediatric Hematology Outpatient Clinic at both Ain Shams University and Zagazig University Hospitals. Subject: A Purposive sample composed of 100 mothers (50 from each study setting) provided care to their children suffering from thalassemia. Tools of data collection: An interviewing questionnaire sheet that was designed by the researcher to assess barriers hindering maternal care of their children suffering from thalassemia. Results: Most of the studied mothers were having physical, psychological, nutritional, educational barriers and sleep disorders that hinder care of their children suffering from thalassemia. Conclusion: There are barriers that prevent the mothers from provide care of children with thalassemia and considers physical barriers as the main barriers are meeting the mothers when care her child with thalassemia. Recommendations: Periodic assessment of maternal practices in care of their thalassemic children and Identify barriers hindering maternal care.
Analysis of single-position for revision surgery using lateral interbody fusion and pedicle screw fixation: feasibility and perioperative results.

Background To analyze perioperative and radiographic outcomes following revision surgery using lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) performed entirely in the lateral position. Traditionally, patients undergoing interbody fusion in the lateral decubitus position are placed prone for pedicle screw fixation. However prone positioning carries known risks and may increase surgical time due to the need to re-drape and reposition. Little is published regarding revision surgery in a single position. Methods Sixteen patients over the age of 18 with degenerative lumbar pathology who underwent a revision of previous lumbar fusion using interbody fusion via lateral access and revision of posterior instrumentation from a single surgeon met inclusion criteria. Patients who underwent combined procedures requiring repositioning or had inadequate preoperative imaging were excluded. Patients remained in the lateral decubitus position for the entirety of the procedure including interbody placement, revision of prior instrumentation, and pedicle screw fixation. Demographics, surgical details, and perioperative outcomes were reported. Results The mean operative time was 211 minutes for all cases, 161 minutes for single-level procedures and 296 minutes for two-level procedures. Mean estimated blood loss was 206 cc. The mean patient age was 66, 70% of which were male. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 27.4 and Charleson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was 3. All cases were performed on the lumbar spine (T12/L1-L4/L5), with the majority of procedures performed at the L2/3 level (44%). The mean pelvic incidence (PI) was 60 degrees (range, 41-71 degrees) with mean preoperative PI/lumbar lordosis (LL) mismatch of 23.9 degrees. Mean postoperative PI/LL mismatch was 12 degrees. Conclusions Revision surgery in the lateral position is feasible with complication rates comparable to published literature. The need to reposition is eliminated and single position surgery reduces operative time.
Calibration of Confidence in Situation Awareness Queries

Two experiments using a simulated Air Traffic Control task were conducted to examine the relationship between situation awareness and confidence under conditions of high and low temporal and perceptual demand. In the first experiment, participants were required to actively manipulate the aircraft on the radar screen. In the second experiment, the participants were required to passively observe the simulated air traffic. In both experiments, Endsley's SAGAT was used to query the subjects' SA and confidence in their responses. The results of this study revealed that whereas SA was affected primarily by perceptual demand, confidence was affected by both time pressure and workload. Moreover, the participants' under/overconfidence was affected primarily by perceptual demand. However, the participants were clearly overconfident in response to difficult SA queries and predominantly underconfident to easy SA queries. These results have implications for our understanding of the relationship between SA and performance in aviation research.
A model-based approach to predicting graduate-level performance using indicators of undergraduate-level performance

The graduate admissions process is crucial for controlling the quality of higher education, yet, rules-of- thumb and domain-specific experiences often dominate evidence-based approaches. The goal of the present study is to dissect the predictive power of undergraduate performance indicators and their aggregates. We analyze 81 variables in 171 student records from a Bachelor’s and a Master’s program in Computer Science and employ state-of-the-art methods suitable for high-dimensional data-settings. We consider regression models in combination with variable selection and variable aggregation embedded in a double-layered cross-validation loop. Moreover, bootstrapping is employed to identify the importance of explanatory variables. Critically, the data is not confounded by an admission-induced selection bias, which allows us to obtain an unbiased estimate of the predictive value of undergraduate- level indicators for subsequent performance at the graduate level. Our results show that undergraduate- level performance can explain 54% of the variance in graduate-level performance. Significantly, we unexpectedly identified the third-year grade point average as the most significant explanatory variable, whose influence exceeds the one of grades earned in challenging first-year courses. Analyzing the structure of the undergraduate program shows that it primarily assesses a single set of student abilities. Finally, our results provide a methodological basis for deriving principled guidelines for admissions committees.
Single institution implementation of permanent 131Cs interstitial brachytherapy for previously irradiated patients with resectable recurrent head and neck carcinoma

Purpose Permanent interstitial brachytherapy is an appealing treatment modality for patients with locoregional recurrent, resectable head and neck carcinoma (HNC), having previously received radiation. Cesium-131 (131Cs) is a permanent implant brachytherapy isotope, with a low average photon energy of 30 keV and a short half-life of 9.7 days. Exposure to medical staff and family members is low; patient isolation and patient room shielding are not required. This work presents a single institution’s implementation process of utilizing an intraoperative, permanent 131Cs implant for patients with completely resected recurrent HNC. Material and methods Fifteen patients receiving 131Cs permanent seed brachytherapy were included in this analysis. The process of pre-planning, selecting the dose prescription, seed ordering, intraoperative procedures, post-implant planning, and radiation safety protocols are described. Results Tumor volumes were contoured on the available preoperative PET/CT scans and a pre-implant treatment plan was created using uniform source strength and uniform 1 cm seed spacing. Implants were performed intraoperatively, following tumor resection. In five of the fifteen cases, intraoperative findings necessitated a change from the planned number of seeds and recalculation of the pre-implant plan. The average prescription dose was 56.1 ±6.6 Gy (range, 40-60 Gy). The average seed strength used was 2.2 ±0.2 U (3.5 ±0.3 mCi). Patients returned to a recovery room on a standard surgical floor and remained inpatients, without radiation safety restrictions, based on standard surgical recovery protocols. A post-implant treatment plan was generated based on immediate post-operative CT imaging to verify the seed distribution and confirm delivery of the prescription dose. Patients were provided educational information regarding radiation safety recommendations. Conclusions Cesium-131 interstitial brachytherapy is feasible and does not pose major radiation safety concerns; it should be considered as a treatment option for previously irradiated patients with recurrent, resectable HNC.
Molecular screening of the human parvoviruses B19 and bocavirus 1 in the study of congenital diseases as applied to symptomatic pregnant women and children

Introduction B19 virus (B19V) and bocavirus 1 (HBoV1) are human pathogenic parvoviruses that are prevalent worldwide and are responsible for a diverse and not yet fully established spectrum of clinical manifestations. Objective To screen B19V and HBoV1 in patients with clinical manifestations associated with acquisition of the infection during gestation. Methods A retrospective, observational study was performed that included serum samples from patients without a previous known aetiology. B19V and HBoV1 were determined by end-point PCR. Positive samples were genotyped. Results A total of 106 serum samples were analysed, 61 from pregnant women and 45 from neonates and paediatric patients. None were positive for HBoV1, while B19V was detected in 37/106 [34.9 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 26.5–44.4] of the samples studied. In the group of pregnant women, 28/61 (45.9 %, 95 % CI: 34.0–58.3) were B19V-positive, and 2 of them had foetal anaemia followed by hydrops and foetal death, 3 were associated with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss and there was 1 case of spontaneous abortion. B19V was also detected in cases of maternal febrile exanthema, polyhydramnios, oligohydramnios and foetal ascites. In the group of children, 9/45 (20.0 %, 95 % CI: 10.9–33.8) neonatal patients were B19V-positive, and this was associated with foetal hydrops, TORCH syndrome and cardiac alterations. The nucleotide sequences analysed confirmed the identity of B19V genotype 1. Conclusions We found no evidence to indicate the presence of HBoV1 in maternal blood or in the newborns/paediatric patients (hence providing no support for the supposed vertical transmission). On the other hand, the high frequency of B19V in the pathologies studied indicates the importance of molecular diagnosis in both the mother and the child. Future efforts should contribute to early detection and characterization of infections.
PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS WHO TAKE SYNCHRONOUS COURSES THROUGH VIDEO CONFERENCING ABOUT DISTANCE EDUCATION

The objective of this study is to determine how students who are taking synchronous distance education classes via video conferencing perceive distance learning courses. A qualitative research approach was used for the study. Scale sampling was also used. The study’s subjects consisted of a total of nine students comprised of 2 nd and 4 th grade students engaged in a course via synchronous distance education. For the study, the case method, a qualitative research method, was used, and research data was obtained via semi-structured interviews and observation results. Data was analyzed by means of the descriptive analysis method. Findings obtained at the study’s conclusion indicate that students’ perceptions of the course changed during and at the completion of the course. It was generally seen in the descriptions students made about the environment before taking synchronous distance education that they did not have advance information or that they had a prejudice due to their misinformation. It is seen in the conducted interviews that these prejudices start to be eliminated thanks to the opportunities provided by synchronous distance education through this process. It appears, from students’ descriptions of the course environment prior to taking the course, that they did not have enough information or had preconceived ideas. As the course progressed, student perception changed and they were able to perceive more clearly the opportunities that synchronous distance education can provide. In this study, the most important problem in synchronous distance education was determined to be disconnection and sound problems. In this study, a significant problem was the hardware – i.e., sound, speed and connectivity issues. As well, students became bored after some time because of limited camera angles and cameras. It was concluded that this situation prevents the continuity of the course and so leads to distraction. On the other hand, it was observed that students start to get bored of the course after a while due to the fixedness of the camera angle and the small quantity of cameras. We also noticed that the fixed camera angle, small number of cameras and problems occurring in the images affected student perceptions. Besides these technical problems, the researchers observed, and the students expressed that the factors of teacher,
Network measures and simulation for knowledge intensive work performance

We describe the process of designing a reliable and valid instrument for collecting network and attribute data. Here, we explore the relationship between social networks structure, information and communication technologies (ICT) use and attitude towards performance in knowledge intensive work. We first develop a model for exploring the inherent relationship between the three concepts based on existing literature. We then develop appropriate item sets for measuring different independent (network structure, ICT use) and dependent variables (performance). We use the reliable item sets along with justifications to construct different phases of our instrument. In doing so, we introduce a simulation approach where we generate synthetic dataset for performing this analysis. In conclusion, we highlight the strengths of using a simulation approach for instrument testing and validation prior to real empirical data collection. We provide some descriptive statistics to demonstrate preliminary exploration of the relationship between different independent variables and dependent variables.
Radiometric and geometric assessment of data from the RapidEye constellation of satellites

To monitor land surface processes over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales, it is critical to have coordinated observations of the Earth's surface using imagery acquired from multiple spaceborne imaging sensors. The RapidEye (RE) satellite constellation acquires high-resolution satellite images covering the entire globe within a very short period of time by sensors identical in construction and cross-calibrated to each other. To evaluate the RE high-resolution Multi-spectral Imager (MSI) sensor capabilities, a cross-comparison between the RE constellation of sensors was performed first using image statistics based on large common areas observed over pseudo-invariant calibration sites (PICS) by the sensors and, second, by comparing the on-orbit radiometric calibration temporal trending over a large number of calibration sites. For any spectral band, the individual responses measured by the five satellites of the RE constellation were found to differ <2–3% from the average constellation response depending on the method used for evaluation. Geometric assessment was also performed to study the positional accuracy and relative band-to-band (B2B) alignment of the image data sets. The position accuracy was assessed by comparing the RE imagery against high-resolution aerial imagery, while the B2B characterization was performed by registering each band against every other band to ensure that the proper band alignment is provided for an image product. The B2B results indicate that the internal alignments of these five RE bands are in agreement, with bands typically registered to within 0.25 pixels of each other or better.
How much are we aware of the increase in accompanying comorbidities in sarcoidosis?

OBJECTIVE: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem chronic disease characterized by granulomatous inflammation. It is reported that the frequency of other inflammatory and malignant diseases increases. The primary objective of the study is to determine the types of comorbid diseases and their frequency, and whether the risk of malignancies and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid increases. The secondary objective is to identify the factors related to the comorbidities frequently detected. METHODS: The files of 694 patients who had the diagnosis of sarcoidosis between1998-2016 were evaluated. The frequency of comorbid diseases recorded was compared to the data of our country. RESULTS: Among the patients, 487 (70%) were female, and the mean age at diagnosis was 42.9 ± 11.8 (18-87). In 490 patients (70%) at least one comorbidity was detected. The most frequently detected comorbidities were systemic hypertension (22%), hepatosteatosis (16.9%), diabetes mellitus (16.4%), thyroid diseases (13.1%), and asthma (12%). Malignancy was found in a ratio of 4.0%, rheumatoid arthritis in 2.2%. The comparison to the frequencies across the country showed that the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases, asthma, malignancy, and rheumatoid arthritis was higher. Diabetes, thyroid diseases, asthma were more frequent in women. The mean age of patients in which diabetes, thyroid diseases, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis or malignancy was detected as a comorbidity was higher than those without comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities frequently occur among sarcoidosis patients, and the frequency of diabetes mellitus, thyroid diseases, asthma, malignancy, and rheumatoid arthritis is higher than the data of the country.