Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rituximab in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma – a critical evaluation of randomized controlled trials

Introduction: The use of rituximab has led to significant improvements in the outcome of both aggressive and indolent Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). It is the first targeted therapy to be developed for the treatment of lymphoma which has been widely adopted. Areas covered: This paper discusses the use of rituximab in NHL, mainly concentrating on diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL), with a brief discussion about use in other types of NHL including mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). The use of rituximab in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been recently published in this journal by Robak (Robak T. Rituximab for chronic lymphocytic Leukemia. Expert Opin Biol. Ther. 2012;12(4):503-15). Non hematological indications for rituximab are also not discussed. A Pubmed search was conducted using key words of rituximab, DLBCL, FL, MCL, Burkitt's lymphoma and MALToma. Papers shortlisted for review included randomized control trials and scientific papers discussing CD20. Expert opinion: In conclusion this paper has critically evaluated the use of rituximab in the treatment mainly of DLBCL, FL and MCL both at diagnosis and relapsed disease, and briefly discuses its use in other subtypes of lymphoma. Rituximab has significantly improved the outcome of patients with B cell NHL, in particular those with DLBCL and FL. Patients usually tolerate the treatment well, and studies have shown it to be a cost effective treatment.
hnRNP A1 Relocalization to the Stress Granules Reflects a Role in the Stress Response

ABSTRACT hnRNP A1 is a nucleocytoplasmic shuttling protein that is involved in many aspects of mRNA metabolism. We have previously shown that activation of the p38 stress-signaling pathway in mammalian cells results in both hyperphosphorylation and cytoplasmic accumulation of hnRNP A1, affecting alternative splicing regulation in vivo. Here we show that the stress-induced cytoplasmic accumulation of hnRNP A1 occurs in discrete phase-dense particles, the cytoplasmic stress granules (SGs). Interestingly, mRNA-binding activity is required for both phosphorylation of hnRNP A1 and localization to SGs. We also show that these effects are mediated by the Mnk1/2 protein kinases that act downstream of p38. Finally, depletion of hnRNP A1 affects the recovery of cells from stress, suggesting a physiologically significant role for hnRNP A1 in the stress response. Our data are consistent with a model whereby hnRNP A1 recruitment to SGs involves Mnk1/2-dependent phosphorylation of mRNA-bound hnRNP A1.
Doppler sonography for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: A critical review

Introduction: Doppler sonography may detect increased intraneural blood flow of the median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the literature about the diagnostic value of increased intraneural flow detected by sonography in CTS Methods: Systematic review of studies published between 1985 and 2013. Results: The 7 studies we found had considerable differences in study design and had methodological shortcomings. Doppler sonography had a median sensitivity of 72% (range, 41–95%) and a median specificity of 88% (range, 71–100%). Most studies could not compare the diagnostic value of sonography to that of electrophysiological studies, because the latter were often used as a reference test. Conclusions: Increased intraneural flow detected by Doppler sonography may be a promising diagnostic test for CTS, but further studies are needed before it can be implemented in clinical practice. Muscle Nerve 50:159–163, 2014
Perturbed Homeostasis of Peripheral T Cells Elicits Decreased Susceptibility to Anti-CD3-Induced Apoptosis in Prediabetic Nonobese Diabetic Mice1

Activation-induced cell death (AICD) plays a key role in the homeostasis of the immune system. Autoreactive T cells are eliminated through AICD both from the thymus and periphery. In this study, we show that NOD peripheral T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, display a decreased susceptibility to anti-CD3-induced AICD in vivo compared with T cells from diabetes-resistant B6, nonobese diabetes-resistant, and NOD.B6Idd4 mice. The susceptibility of NOD CD8+ T cells to AICD varies in an age- and dose-dependent manner upon stimulation in vivo with either a mitogenic or nonmitogenic anti-CD3. NOD T cells preactivated by anti-CD3 in vivo are less susceptible than B6 T cells to TCR-induced AICD. Treatment of NOD mice with a mitogenic anti-CD3 depletes CD4+CD25−CD62L+ but not CD4+CD25+CD62L+ T cells, thereby resulting in an increase of the latter subset in the spleen. Treatment with a nonmitogenic anti-CD3 mAb delays the onset of T1D in 8.3 TCR transgenic NOD mice. These results demonstrate that the capacity of anti-CD3 to protect NOD mice from T1D correlates with its ability to perturb T cell homeostasis by inducing CD8+ T cell AICD and increasing the number of CD4+CD25+CD62L+ T cells in the periphery.
Silver Nanoparticle Thin Films Deposited on Glass Surface Using an Ionic Silsesquioxane as Stabilizer and as Crosslinking Agent

Thin films containing silver nanoparticles homogeneously dispersed, with narrow size distribution below 10 nm, were synthesized on flat glass surface, by using an ionic silsesquioxane as stabilizer and crosslinking agent. The films can be prepared without previous functionalization of substrate surfaces and without addition of other components. The films were heat treated up to 200 oC and characterized by ultraviolet-visible, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and ellipsometry. The films were thermally stable when heated up to 200 oC, presenting the same thickness, and maintaining both optical and morphological properties of silver nanoparticles. The antibacterial activity of the films, containing the silver nanoparticles, was evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus by using the film applicator coating method, showing an excellent performance even after the third cycle of sterilization.
Removal of internally deposited transuranium elements by Zn-DTPA.

deposited 239pu,241Am and 242Cm was tested in the rat. The radionuclides were administered in a citrate solution and treatment with three chelate injections (I mmol· kg- 1 • d- 1) was begun 6 days Iater, No essential differences were observed between the two chelates tested. The data indicate that the removal ofthe isotopes from the liver cannot be a suitable criterion for the effectivenessoftreatment in other soft tissue organs. The liver isotope contentwasreduced to 10% ofthe controls, whereas the content of other organs, including bone, was never reduced to less than 40 % of the control, In Iiver and lung, the response to treatment was different for 241Am and 242Cm as compared to 239pu. There was no such difference as far as other organs are concerned.
G&agr;73B is a downstream effector of JAK/STAT signalling and a regulator of Rho1 in Drosophila haematopoiesis

ABSTRACT JAK/STAT signalling regulates many essential developmental processes including cell proliferation and haematopoiesis, whereas its inappropriate activation is associated with the majority of myeloproliferative neoplasias and numerous cancers. Furthermore, high levels of JAK/STAT pathway signalling have also been associated with enhanced metastatic invasion by cancerous cells. Strikingly, gain-of-function mutations in the single Drosophila JAK homologue, Hopscotch, result in haemocyte neoplasia, inappropriate differentiation and the formation of melanised haemocyte-derived ‘tumour’ masses; phenotypes that are partly orthologous to human gain-of-function JAK2-associated pathologies. Here we show that G&agr;73B, a novel JAK/STAT pathway target gene, is necessary for JAK/STAT-mediated tumour formation in flies. In addition, although G&agr;73B does not affect haemocyte differentiation, it does regulate haemocyte morphology and motility under non-pathological conditions. We show that G&agr;73B is required for constitutive, but not injury-induced, activation of Rho1 and for the localisation of Rho1 into filopodia upon haemocyte activation. Consistent with these results, we also show that Rho1 interacts genetically with JAK/STAT signalling, and that wild-type levels of Rho1 are necessary for tumour formation. Our findings link JAK/STAT transcriptional outputs, G&agr;73B activity and Rho1-dependent cytoskeletal rearrangements and cell motility, therefore connecting a pathway associated with cancer with a marker indicative of invasiveness. As such, we suggest a mechanism by which JAK/STAT pathway signalling may promote metastasis.
ISAR Imaging of a Ship Target Using Product High-Order Matched-Phase Transform

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging of a ship target is very important compared with the plane target, and the imaging condition of the ship target is more complicated than that of the plane target due to the complexity of the ship's movement. In this letter, the received signal of a ship target is modeled as a multicomponent cubic phase signal, and the product high-order matched-phase transform is proposed to estimate the parameters of each component. Then, the instantaneous ISAR images can be obtained. Results of real data demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method proposed.
The quantitative importance of bacterial residues in the non-dietary faecal nitrogen of sheep. 2. Estimates of bacterial nitrogen in faecal material from 47 digestibility trials.

Zusammenfassung Die quantitative Bedeutung des Bakterien-Stickstoff im Schafkot-N. 2. Der Anteil an Bakterien-N im Kot, gemessen in 47 Verdaulichkeitsversuchen In fruheren Versuchen (mason 1969, 1977) wurde gezeigt, das der Bakterien-N, gemessen als Bakterien- und endogener Zerfall-Stickstoff (bacterial and endogenous nitrogen = BEDN) oder gemessen mit Hilfe eines internen Markers, einen grosen Teil des Kot-N ausmacht, der nicht direkt aus dem Futter stammt (non-dietary faecal nitrogen = NDFN). Die gegenwartige Arbeit beschreibt weitere Untersuchungen zur BEDN-Ausscheidung im Schafkot aus Verdaulichkeitsversuchen, in denen 47 verschie-dene Futtermittel und Futtermischungen getestet wurden. Es wurde festgestellt, das in den 136 untersuchten Kotproben der BEDN 59 bis 85 % des NDFN ausmacht, die haufigste Verteilung lag zwischen 70 und 77%. Die Art des Futters hatte anscheinend keinen Einflus auf dieses Verhaltnis und die Korrelation zwischen den ausgeschiedenen Mengen BEDN und NDFN pro Einheit Trockensubstanz betrug 0,88. Die Untersuchungen zeigten, das der Bakterien-N einen grosen Teil vom NDFN ausmacht. Diese Hypothese wird durch die Aminosaurenzusammensetzung des Kotes unterstutzt. Die Ergebnisse deuten ebenfalls darauf hin, das die Hohe der BEDN-Ausscheidung primar durch die Menge des verzehrten, vergarbaren Materials bestimmt wird.
Intraperitoneal Fluid Neopterin, Nitrate, and Tryptophan After Regional Administration of Interleukin-12

Activated monocytes–macrophages may be associated with antitumor activity, and activation of these cells by certain cytokines, primarily interferon gamma (IFN-&ggr;), can be indicated by alterations in the concentrations of neopterin, nitrate, or tryptophan. Specimens of peritoneal fluid were obtained from patients with intra-abdominal neoplasia who were undergoing treatment in a phase I trial of weekly intraperitoneal recombinant interleukin-12 (rhIL-12), an inducer of IFN-&ggr;. Concentrations of neopterin, nitrate, tryptophan, IFN-&ggr;, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-&agr;) were determined at various times during the first 48 hours in 11 patients who received intraperitoneal rhIL-12 in doses ranging from 100 to 1,500 ng/kg. An increase in peritoneal fluid nitrate concentrations was observed in nine of these patients. Increased concentrations of TNF-&agr; and IFN-&ggr; were detected in 3 of 9 and 8 of 11 patients, respectively. Increased peritoneal fluid neopterin concentrations were detected by 24 hours after the injection in all patients studied. A significant increase in the ascitic fluid neopterin level could still be detected after 1 or 2 weeks of treatment (mean ± standard error, 7.8 ± 1.5 nM vs. 4.6 ± 0.3 nM; Wilcoxon test, p = 0.0019), which is consistent with monocyte–macrophage activation. In contrast, the tryptophan concentration was lower (4.7 ± 1.1 &mgr;M vs. 6.1 ± 1.2 &mgr;M; p = 0.0428) after 1 or 2 weeks of treatment. There was a significant correlation between the dose of rhIL-12 and posttreatment neopterin concentrations (rs = 0.559, p = 0.0102). The intraperitoneal delivery of rhIL-12 appears to be associated with an immediate, sustained, and dose-dependent increase in peritoneal fluid neopterin, associated in most patients by an increase in IFN-&ggr; and in certain patients by an increase in nitrate and a decrease in tryptophan concentrations.
Physical and emotional symptom burden of patients with end-stage heart failure: what to measure, how and why

Objective Much of our understanding about symptom burden near the end of life is based on studies of cancer patients. The aim of this study was to explore physical and emotional symptom experience among end-stage chronic heart failure patients, looking for those symptoms mostly related to their global health status. Methods Forty-six patients with end-stage heart failure compiled the following: Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ). Results End-stage heart failure patients have many complaints and poor global health status. The most distressing symptoms reported were general discomfort and tiredness followed by anorexia and dyspnea. The KCCQ summary scores were highly correlated with ESAS (r = −0.78; P = 0.0001). Among the domains explored by the KCCQ, social functioning and self-efficacy showed the lowest correlation coefficients with ESAS (r = −0.50; P = 0.001 and r = −0.31; P = 0.003, respectively); concerning the physical limitation domain, the symptom score and the quality-of-life domain, the correlation coefficients were as follows: r = −0.71 (P = 0.0001), r = −0.75 (P = 0.0001) and r = −0.74 (P = 0.0001), respectively. In the multiple regression analysis of ESAS and KCCQ scores, general discomfort, depression and anxiety were the symptoms that mostly related with the results in the domains explored by the KCCQ. No independent predictor was found among symptoms and quality of life. Conclusion General discomfort together with depression and anxiety were the symptoms that were mostly related with the physical limitation domain of global health status, but did not influence the social functioning and the self-efficacy domains. When ESAS is used together with KCCQ, comprehensive and quantitative information on a patient's physical, emotional and social distress is provided.
Feasibility of a mitochondrial pyruvate malate shuttle in pancreatic islets. Further implication of cytosolic NADPH in insulin secretion.

Previous studies indicated that in pancreatic islets the amount of glucose-derived pyruvate that enters mitochondrial metabolism via carboxylation is approximately equal to that entering via decarboxylation and that both carboxylation and decarboxylation are correlated with capacitation of glucose metabolism and insulin release. The relatively high rate of carboxylation is consistent with the current study's finding that pyruvate carboxylase is as abundant in pancreatic islets as it is in liver and kidney. Since islets do not contain phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and, therefore, cannot carry out glyconeogenesis from pyruvate, the carboxylase might be present in the islet to participate in novel anaplerotic reactions. This idea was first explored by incubating mitochondria from various tissues with pyruvate. Mitochondria from tissues, such as pancreatic islets, liver, and kidney, in which pyruvate carboxylase is abundant, exported a large amount of malate and little or no citrate, isocitrate, and aspartate to the medium. The amount of malate within the mitochondria was < 1% that in the medium. When pancreatic islet mitochondria were incubated with [1-14C]pyruvate, radioactive carbon appeared in the medium primarily in malate. Very little radioactivity appeared in amino acids, and little or no radioactivity appeared in citrate and isocitrate. Carbon 1 of pyruvate can be incorporated into malate and other citric acid cycle intermediates only via carboxylation, as this carbon would be lost via decarboxylation when pyruvate enters the citric acid cycle as acetyl-CoA via the pyruvate dehydrogenase reaction. The amount of malate formed equaled the 14CO2 formed and the radioactivity from C-1 of pyruvate recovered in malate slightly exceeded the formation of 14CO2 in agreement with our previous studies that reported a high rate of carboxylation of pyruvate in intact islets. When intact pancreatic islets were incubated with methyl [U-14C]succinate as a mitochondrial source of four-carbon dicarboxylic acids, radioactivity appeared in pyruvate and lactate. Taken together with previous studies, the current results suggest that during glucose-induced insulin secretion there is a shuttle operating across the mitochondrial membrane in which glucose-derived pyruvate is taken up by mitochondria and carboxylated to oxaloacetate by pyruvate carboxylase. The oxaloacetate is converted to malate which exits the mitochondrion, where, in the cytosol, it is decarboxylated to pyruvate in the reaction catalyzed by malic enzyme. This pyruvate re-enters mitochondrial pools. Such a cycle produces NADPH in the cytosol. Since it is a cycle, this shuttle can produce far more NADPH than the pentose phosphate pathway, which is known to be a very minor route of glucose metabolism in the islet. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Parasitism, Host Immune Function, and Sexual Selection

Parasite-mediated sexual selection may arise as a consequence of 1) females avoiding mates with directly transmitted parasites, 2) females choosing less-parasitized males that provide parental care of superior quality, or 3) females choosing males with few parasites in order to obtain genes for parasite resistance in their offspring. Studies of specific host-parasite systems and comparative analyses have revealed both supportive and conflicting evidence for these hypotheses. A meta-analysis of the available evidence revealed a negative relationship between parasite load and the expression of male secondary sexual characters. Experimental studies yielded more strongly negative relationships than observations did, and the relationships were more strongly negative for ectoparasites than for endoparasites. There was no significant difference in the magnitude of the negative effect for species with and without male parental care, or between behavioral and morphological secondary sexual characters. There was a significant difference between studies based on host immune function and those based on parasite loads, with stronger effects for measures of immune function, suggesting that the many negative results from previous analyses of parasite-mediated sexual selection may be explained because relatively benign parasites were studied. The multivariate analyses demonstrating strong effect sizes of immune function in relation to the expression of secondary sexual characters, and for species with male parental care as compared to those without, suggest that parasite resistance may be a general determinant of parasite-mediated sexual selection.
Preventing Conduct Problems, Promoting Social Competence: A Parent and Teacher Training Partnership in Head Start

Studied the effectiveness of parent and teacher training as a selective prevention program for 272 Head Start mothers and their 4-year-old children and 61 Head Start teachers. Fourteen Head Start centers (34 classrooms) were randomly assigned to (a) an experimental condition in which parents, teachers, and family service workers participated in the prevention program (Incredible Years) or (b) a control condition consisting of the regular Head Start program. Assessments included teacher and parent reports of child behavior and independent observations at home and at school. Construct scores combining observational and report data were calculated for negative and positive parenting style, parent-teacher bonding, child conduct problems at home and at school, and teacher classroom management style. Following the 12-session weekly program, experimental mothers had significantly lower negative parenting and significantly higher positive parenting scores than control mothers. Parent-teacher bonding was significantly higher for experimental than for control mothers. Experimental children showed significantly fewer conduct problems at school than control children. Children of mothers who attended 6 or more intervention sessions showed significantly fewer conduct problems at home than control children. Children who were the "highest risk" at baseline (high rates of noncompliant and aggressive behavior) showed more clinically significant reductions in these behaviors than high-risk control children. After training, experimental teachers showed significantly better classroom management skills than control teachers. One year later the experimental effects were maintained for parents who attended more than 6 groups. The clinically significant reductions in behavior problems for the highest risk experimental children were also maintained. Implications of this prevention program as a strategy for reducing risk factors leading to delinquency by promoting social competence, school readiness, and reducing conduct problems are discussed.
Do Intervention Plans Meet Criteria for Effective Practice to Reduce Recidivism? How Probation Officers Forget about Social Capital and Basic Needs

The increased use of instruments for assessing risks and needs in probation should lead to intervention plans that meet the criteria for effective practice. An analysis of 300 intervention plans from the Dutch probation service showed that the match between the assessed criminogenic needs and the goals and interventions in the intervention plan is fairly low. It was also found that the so-called risk principle is not fully applied by probation officers. In addition, personal goals that the offender values are often not taken fully into account. Finally, the intervention plans have a strong focus on improving human capital, while improving social capital and basic needs often is not part of the intervention plans, even if they were assessed as dynamic criminogenic needs.
Dance/Movement therapy for children and adolescents with cancer.

PURPOSE Dance/movement therapy is introduced as a holistic approach to children's health issues, incorporating an array of medical, psychological, social, and spiritual issues. OVERVIEW Dance/movement therapy, with its unique emphasis on nonverbal communication in assessment and treatment, is presented as an innovative therapeutic approach to address the comprehensive needs of children and adolescents with cancer. Dance/movement therapy assessment and intervention strategies are discussed in the context of cognitive, emotional, and social developmental processes, as well as models of stress and psychological adjustment in pediatric cancer. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The inclusion of dance/movement therapy as part of the interdisciplinary team addressing the psychosocial needs of children and adolescents with cancer facilitates greater integration of factors related to coping. By its very nature, this modality offers constructs that promote holistic approaches to cancer care.