Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assistance from family members, friends, paid care givers, and volunteers in the care of terminally ill patients.

BACKGROUND In addition to medical care, dying patients often need many types of assistance, including help with transportation, nursing care, homemaking services, and personal care. We interviewed terminally ill adults and their care givers in six randomly selected areas of the United States (five metropolitan areas and one rural county) to determine how their needs for assistance were met and the frequency with which they received such assistance from family members and paid and volunteer care givers. METHODS The patients, whose physicians estimated them to have less than six months to live and who had clinically significant illness other than human immunodeficiency virus infection or the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, were referred to the study by their physicians. Of the 1131 eligible patients, 988 (87.4 percent) consented to a detailed in-person interview conducted in English, as did 893 of the 915 eligible primary care givers (97.6 percent). RESULTS Of the 988 terminally ill patients, 59.4 percent were over the age of 65 years, and 51.5 percent were women. The most frequent terminal illness was cancer (in 51.8 percent of the patients), followed by heart disease (18.0 percent) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (10.9 percent). Four percent of the patients were in an institution, such as a nursing home, residential hospice, or hospital; the rest were living in a private residence. A need for assistance was reported by 86.8 percent of the patients; they required help with transportation (reported by 62.0 percent), homemaking services (55.2 percent), nursing care (28.7 percent), and personal care (26.0 percent). Of the care givers, 72.1 percent were women. Primary care givers were family members in 96.0 percent of cases; only 4.0 percent were unrelated. Most patients relied completely on family members and friends for assistance. A total of 15.5 percent of patients relied only on paid assistance for more than half of the types of care that they needed. Volunteers (that is, unpaid helpers who were not family members or friends) provided less than 3 percent of all care. CONCLUSIONS In our survey of terminally ill patients, family members, usually women, provided the majority of assistance with nonmedical care. Although many people received assistance from paid care givers, very few had assistance from volunteers.
Martha Madison: Marvelous Machines: Exploring simple machines in an open-ended, collaborative sandbox

In this paper we discuss the construction of Martha Madison: Marvelous Machines, a serious video game designed to help students learn about the use of simple machines in the everyday world. Game participants are introduced to real-world, meaningful tasks that must be solved through the placement and manipulation of simple machines. The game provides in-game scaffolding and is played collaboratively by students co-located in the same space, playing on the same computer. The Martha Madison game provides learners specific tasks and goals to complete and an open world in which to complete them. The design of Martha Madison is intended to create a dialogue between players in the service of solving authentic problems presented in the game world and providing opportunities for students to change overall perceptions regarding the social and collaborative aspects of STEM work. The authors discuss the reasons, approaches, and challenges of the design of Martha Madison.
Phenotypic and functional comparison between flask adherent and magnetic activated cell sorted monocytes derived dendritic cells.

BACKGROUND Generation of an effective dendritic cell (DC) based cancer vaccine depends on appropriate differentiation of monocytes in vitro. OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of monocyte separation methods, flask adherence (Flask-DC) and magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS-DC), on phenotypic and functional characteristics of resultant DCs. METHODS DCs from healthy volunteers were generated from plastic adherence and MACS isolated monocytes in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 as well as TNF-α and monocyte conditioned medium (MCM) in 7 day cultures. Mature DCs were then subjected to phenotypic analysis using anti-CD14, anti-CD83 and HLA-DR monoclonal antibodies. Functional and cytokine release assays were carried out using [3H] thymidine uptake test and commercially available ELISA kits for the determination of IL-12, IL-10, IFN-γ and IL-4, respectively. RESULTS We found that MACS-DCs were more homogenous and the yield and viability were fairly higher than Flask-DCs. MACS-DCs expressed higher levels of CD83 and HLA-DR as well as CD14 compared to the Flask-DCs. Induction of T cell proliferative responses were higher in Flask-DCs and also they elicited higher levels of IL-12: IL-10 and IFN-γ: IL-4 ratios in cytokine generation assays. CONCLUSION MACS method was superior for mass production of viable homogenous and fully mature DCs but their cytokine profile had the potential to polarize the immune system toward Th2 type immune response.
The Effects of Self-Regulated Learning Processes on E-Learning Outcomes in Organizational Settings

This paper focuses on employees' e-learning processes during online job training. A new categorization of self-regulated learning strategies, that is, personal versus social learning strategies, is proposed, and measurement scales are developed. The new measures were tested using data collected from employees in a large company. Our approach provides context-relevant insights into online training providers and employees themselves. The results suggest that learners adopt different self-regulated learning strategies resulting in different e-learning outcomes. Furthermore, the use of self-regulated learning strategies is influenced by individual factors such as virtual competence and goal orientation, and job and contextual factors such as intellectual demand and cooperative norms. The findings can (1) help e-learners obtain better learning outcomes through their active use of varied learning strategies, (2) provide useful information for organizations that are currently using or plan to use e-learning for training, and (3) inform software designers to integrate self-regulated learning strategy support in e-learning system design and development.
DNA and histone synthesis in reovirus-infected cells.

Reovirus infection inhibits the incorporation of 3H-thymidine into cellular DNA. We have now investigated several aspects of this inhibition in L-929 cells early (8 h) after infection at high multiplicity (200 to 250 p.f.u./cell). Using equilibrium sedimentation analysis of DNA sequentially labelled with density and radioactive analogues of thymidine, we find a 52% reduction in the amount of DNA synthesized with no change in rate of replication fork movement in infected cells. Gel electrophoresis of histones labelled with 3H-lysine shows that infection inhibits their synthesis by 76% several hours before overall cellular protein synthesis is inhibited. There is also a reduction of nearly 50% in the size of the thymidine triphosphate pool, as measured by enzymic assay. The proportion of exogenous nucleotide in the pool is the same as in uninfected cells since there is no change in the buoyant density of DNA labelled during a short pulse with 3H-bromodeoxyuridine. The uptake of thymidine is reduced, but its phosphorylation to thymidine triphosphate is normal. The findings provide direct evidence that DNA synthesis is inhibited early in infection. This inhibition is accompanied by other derangements of thymidine and chromatin metabolism suggesting that there is an early and specific attack by reovirus on nuclear function in infected cells.
Propeller-twisting of base-pairs and the conformational mobility of dinucleotide steps in DNA.

When DNA is bent around a protein, it must distort. The distortion occurs by changes in the conformation of successive dinucleotide steps. Bending does not necessarily occur uniformly: some steps might remain particularly rigid, i.e. they might deform relatively little, while others might take more than their proportional share of deformation. We investigate here the deformational capacity of specific dinucleotide steps by examining a database of crystallized oligomers. Dividing the steps into ten types by sequence (AA( = TT), AC( = GT), AG( = CT), AT, CA( = TG), CG, GA( = TC), GC, GG( = CC) and TA), we find that some step types are practically rigid, while others have considerable internal mobility or conformational flexibility. Now in general base-pairs are not planar, but have Propeller-Twist. We find a clear empirical correlation between the level of Propeller-Twist in the base-pairs and the flexibility of the dinucleotide step which they constitute. Propeller-Twist in the base-pairs makes stacking into a dinucleotide step more awkward than in plane base-pairs. In particular, it provides a stereochemical "locking" effect which can make steps with highly Propeller-Twisted base-pairs rigid. Although the origins of Propeller-Twist are not yet clearly understood, this result provides a key to understanding the flexibility of DNA in bending around proteins.
Prognostic value of normal exercise and adenosine (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin SPECT imaging: results from the multicenter registry of 4,728 patients.

UNLABELLED Event rates associated with a normal or low-risk myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging study have been shown by numerous investigators to be associated with <1%/y of follow-up. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of a normal (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin study in a geographically diverse registry of patients undergoing stress myocardial perfusion SPECT. A total of 4,728 consecutively tested patients who underwent stress (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin SPECT at 5 U.S. hospitals were included in this series. METHODS Patients were monitored for the occurrence of major cardiac events and hospitalizations. Uniform methods of data collection and standardized epidemiologic methods for follow-up were used at all centers. We used a risk-adjusted, Cox proportional hazards model to assess time to cardiac death. RESULTS Of the 4,728 patients, one third underwent adenosine stress SPECT and two thirds underwent treadmill exercise. The observed annualized survival rate for those patients with a normal (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin study was 0.6%. Similarly, excellent survival rates were noted for the male and female subsets of this population as well as for patients who could exercise and for those undergoing pharmacologic stress testing. Compared with prior published outcomes studies on stress (201)Tl or (99m)Tc-sestamibi SPECT, the overall survival rates were similar and ranged from 99.3% to 99.7%. CONCLUSION Results from this large multicenter registry provide further supportive evidence that the excellent prognosis associated with a normal SPECT scan is independent of the radiopharmaceutical used.
Chloroplast RH3 DEAD Box RNA Helicases in Maize and Arabidopsis Function in Splicing of Specific Group II Introns and Affect Chloroplast Ribosome Biogenesis1[W][OA]

Chloroplasts in angiosperms contain at least seven nucleus-encoded members of the DEAD box RNA helicase family. Phylogenetic analysis shows that five of these plastid members (RH22, -39, -47, -50, and -58) form a single clade and that RH3 forms a clade with two mitochondrial RH proteins (PMH1 and -2) functioning in intron splicing. The function of chloroplast RH3 in maize (Zea mays; ZmRH3) and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana; AtRH3) was determined. ZmRH3 and AtRH3 are both under strong developmental control, and ZmRH3 abundance sharply peaked in the sink-source transition zone of developing maize leaves, coincident with the plastid biogenesis machinery. ZmRH3 coimmunoprecipitated with a specific set of plastid RNAs, including several group II introns, as well as pre23S and 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), but not 16S rRNA. Furthermore, ZmRH3 associated with 50S preribosome particles as well as nucleoids. AtRH3 null mutants are embryo lethal, whereas a weak allele (rh3-4) results in pale-green seedlings with defects in splicing of several group II introns and rRNA maturation as well as reduced levels of assembled ribosomes. These results provide strong evidence that RH3 functions in the splicing of group II introns and possibly also contributes to the assembly of the 50S ribosomal particle. Previously, we observed 5- to 10-fold up-regulation of AtRH3 in plastid Caseinolytic protease mutants. The results shown here indicate that AtRH3 up-regulation was not a direct consequence of reduced proteolysis but constituted a compensatory response at both RH3 transcript and protein levels to impaired chloroplast biogenesis; this response demonstrates that cross talk between the chloroplast and the nucleus is used to regulate RH3 levels.
Parkin immunoreactivity in the brain of human and non‐human primates: An immunohistochemical analysis in normal conditions and in Parkinsonian syndromes

The etiology of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but the gene involved in an autosomic recessive form of the disease with early onset has recently been identified. It codes for a protein with an unknown function called parkin. In the present study we produced a specific polyclonal antiserum against human parkin. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that parkin is expressed in neuronal perikarya and processes but also in glial and blood vessels in the primate brain (human and monkey). Electron microscopy indicated that parkin immunoreactivity is mostly located in large cytoplasmic vesicles and at the level of the endoplasmic reticulum. Parkin was expressed heterogeneously in various structures of the brain. It was detectable in the dopaminergic systems at the level of the perikarya in the mesencephalon but also in the striatum. However, parkin was also expressed by numerous nondopaminergic neurons. The staining intensity of parkin was particularly high in the hippocampal formation, the pallidal complex, the red nucleus, and the cerebellum. Comparison of control subjects with patients with Parkinson's disease and control animals with 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)‐intoxicated animals revealed a loss of parkin‐immunoreactive neurons only in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Furthermore, the surviving dopaminergic neurons in the parkinsonian state continued to express parkin at a level similar to that observed in the control situation. These data indicate that parkin is a widely expressed protein. Thus, the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in familial cases of Parkinson's disease with autosomal recessive transmission cannot be explained solely in terms of an alteration of this protein. J. Comp. Neurol. 432:184–196, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association of 1-y changes in diet pattern with cardiovascular disease risk factors and adipokines: results from the 1-y randomized Oslo Diet and Exercise Study.

BACKGROUND We hypothesized that favorable changes in dietary patterns would lead to a reduction in body size and an improvement in metabolic status. OBJECTIVE The objective was to study changes in diet patterns relative to changes in body size, blood pressure, and circulating concentrations of lipids, glucose, insulin, adiponectin, and other cytokines in the context of a 1-y randomized intervention study. DESIGN For 1 y, 187 men aged 45 +/- 2 y, approximately 50% of whom met the criteria of the metabolic syndrome, were randomly assigned to a diet protocol (n = 45), an exercise protocol (n = 48), a protocol of diet plus exercise (n = 58), or a control protocol (n = 36). A previously defined a priori diet score was created by summing tertile rankings of 35 food group variables; a higher score generally reflected recommended dietary changes in the trial (mean +/- SD at baseline: 31 +/- 6.5; range: 15-47). RESULTS Over the study year, the diet score increased by approximately 2 +/- 5.5 in both diet groups, with a decrease of an equivalent amount in the exercise and control groups. The weight change was -3.5 +/- 0.6 kg/10-point change in diet score (P < 0.0001), similarly within each intervention group, independently of the change in energy intake or baseline age and smoking status. Weight change was attenuated but remained significant after adjustment for intervention group and percentage body fat. Subjects with an increased diet score had more favorable changes in other body size variables, systolic blood pressure, and blood lipid, glucose, insulin, and adiponectin concentrations. Change in diet score was unrelated to resistin and several cytokines. CONCLUSION The change toward a more favorable diet pattern was associated with improved body size and metabolic profile.
The Pricing of Options on Assets with Stochastic Volatilities

One option-pricing problem which has hitherto been unsolved is the pricing of European call on an asset which has a stochastic volatility. This paper examines this problem. The option price is determined in series form for the case in which the stochastic volatility is independent of the stock price. Numerical solutions are also produced for the case in which the volatility is correlated with the stock price. It is found that the Black-Scholes price frequently overprices options and that the degree of overpricing increases with the time to maturity. Copyright 1987 by American Finance Association.
wo sequence dimorphisms of DPB 1 define the immunodominant serologic pitopes of HLA-DP

Wedescribe two sets of epitopes present inHLA-DPmolecules; theywere identifiedwith alloantibodies from clinical serum samples. Specificity was determined using fluorescent beads coated with single antigens and detected in a Luminex platform.Of the patientswith anti–HLA class II antibodies, 18%had anti-DP antibodies; among these, 24 of 32 patients (75%) had antibodies against the dimorphic epitope sets described here. Residues 56-A and 56-E divide DPB1 alleles into two mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive groups. These groups have distinctive dimorphic epitopes that are detected by antibodies. Epitope P-001, identified by 2 sera, is defined by residue 56-A of the DPB subunit. Epitope P-002, identified by 9 sera, is defined by residue 56-E. Interlocus DRB1/DPB1 reactivity is associatedwith P-002,which is found inDRB1–DR11 alleles. Residues at DPB1 85-87-EAV define the P-003 epitope, whereas P-004 is defined by 85–87-GPM. This dimorphism also divides DPB1 alleles into twomutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive groups. In this study, 12 patient sera identified DP-003, and 1 identified DP-004. Two dimorphic systems account largely for the serologic features of the DP molecules, and these specificities were found in most clinical samples with anti-DP activity. 2009 American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
NKX2.1 specifies cortical interneuron fate by activating Lhx6

In the ventral telencephalon, the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) is a major source of cortical interneurons. Expression of the transcription factor NKX2.1 in the MGE is required for the specification of two major subgroups of cortical interneurons - those that express parvalbumin (PV) or somatostatin (SST) - but direct targets of NKX2.1 remain to be established. We find that electroporation of Nkx2.1 cDNA into the ventral telencephalon of slice cultures from Nkx2.1-/- mouse embryos, followed by transplantation into neonatal cortex to permit postnatal analysis of their fate, rescues the loss of PV- and SST-expressing cells. The LIM-homeobox gene Lhx6 is induced by this rescue experiment, and gain- and loss-of-function studies suggest that Lhx6 is necessary and sufficient to rescue these and other interneuron phenotypes in cells transplanted from Nkx2.1-/- slices. Finally, NKX2.1 protein binds a highly conserved sequence in the Lhx6 promoter, and this sequence appears to mediate the direct activation of Lhx6 by NKX2.1. The slice transfection and transplantation methods employed here are beginning to uncover embryonic mechanisms for specifying neuronal fates that only become definable postnatally.
A prospective observational study of the effect of platelet transfusions on levels of platelet-derived cytokines, chemokines and interleukins in acute leukaemia patients with severe chemotherapy-induced cytopenia.

BACKGROUND Platelet concentrates contain soluble mediators derived from both platelets and contaminating leukocytes. During platelet transfusion these mediators are transferred, and transfusion-induced modulation of the cytokine network may then occur, possibly contributing to transfusion reactions, immunomodulation, or affecting residual leukemic cells. In this prospective observational study, we investigate the effect of platelet transfusion on the systemic levels of platelet-derived cytokines, chemokines and interleukins in an unselected group of acute leukaemia patients with severe chemotherapy-induced cytopenia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We investigated 31 platelet transfusions involving pre-storage, white blood cell-reduced, gamma-irradiated or pathogen-inactivated, photochemically-treated platelet concentrates received by 10 unselected patients. Peripheral blood plasma samples were collected before, immediately after, one hour, and 24 hours after the transfusions. Sampling from platelet concentrates was performed immediately before transfusion. A total of 31 soluble mediators were examined. Ten healthy controls matched for age and gender were included. RESULTS Despite heterogeneity in patients and platelet concentrates, significantly increased plasma concentrations were detected for the platelet-derived mediators, platelet-derived growth factor, β-thromboglobulin, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), CCL5, and CXCL4, 1 hour and/or immediately after platelet transfusions. The plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and soluble CD40 ligand were not altered by platelet transfusion. Certain interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-9, and IL-12), as well as interferon-γ showed a minor, transient decrease in systemic plasma levels during the first hour following transfusion. CONCLUSION Platelet transfusions modulate the systemic cytokine network in acute leukaemia patients with severe, chemotherapy-induced cytopenia.
Antifungal activity of miconazole against recent Candida strains

Miconazole (MICON) has long been used for the topical treatment of mucosal candidiasis. However, the preponderance of MICON susceptibility data was generated before standard methodology was established, and prior to the emergence of fluconazole (FLU)‐resistant strains. The objective of this study was to determine the antifungal activity of MICON and comparators against recent clinical isolates of Candida spp. using standard Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methodology. One hundred and fifty isolates, consisting of 25 strains each of Candida albicans, C. krusei, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C. dubliniensis, were tested. Of these, twenty‐two strains were known to be FLU‐resistant. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for MICON, amphotericin B (AM), caspofungin (CAS), clotrimazole (CLOT), FLU, itraconazole (ITRA), nystatin (NYS) and voriconazole (VOR). MICON demonstrated potent inhibitory activity against all of the strains tested. The MIC90 for MICON was 0.12 μg ml−1 against FLU‐susceptible strains, which was comparable to that of AM, CAS, CLOT, ITRA and VOR. The MICON MIC90 against FLU‐resistant strains was 0.5 μg ml−1, which was 12‐fold lower than the FLU MIC90. Our study showed that MICON possesses potent activity against all of the Candida isolates tested, including those with known FLU resistance. This indicates that recent clinical isolates remain susceptible to this antifungal and that MICON could be used as first‐line treatment for oropharyngeal candidiasis.