Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chlorambucil–rituximab as first‐line therapy in patients affected by follicular non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma: a retrospective single‐centre study

Rituximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody directed against the CD20 antigen, has been shown to be active in newly diagnosed and relapsed patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), both as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy. Many studies suggest that the prognosis of patients with FL may improve when it is used in combination with chemotherapy. Despite these advances, the disease remains essentially incurable with standard therapy, and novel approaches to treatment are needed because optimal therapy is not defined. The combination of chlorambucil–rituximab is one of several standard treatment options for FL. Here, we considered data arising from 75 patients with newly diagnosed FL at the European Institute of Oncology treated with the combination of rituximab plus chlorambucil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of chlorambucil and rituximab, delivered 6 mg/m2/day orally for 6 weeks and 375 mg/m2 in a standard 4‐weekly schedule, respectively. Patients responding to the induction therapy received a prolonged therapy with four additional cycles of chlorambucil plus rituximab. Seventy‐one patients (94.6%) completed the treatment; four patients discontinued treatment because of grade 3–4 hematological toxicity. The overall response rate was 97.3% including 74.7% of complete responses. Only two patients had a stable disease at revaluation after treatment. With a median follow‐up of 57 months, 72 patients (96%) are alive. Median event‐free survival (EFS) and median overall survival (OS) were not reached; 5‐year OS rate was 98.4%. The 5‐year EFS was 71.3%. By univariate and multivariate analyses, elevated beta‐2 microglobulin levels and partial responses to therapy were correlated with worse EFS. These results suggest that the combination of chlorambucil and rituximab is an active and safe regimen in patients with newly diagnosed FL, principally in those with low tumour burden and favourable prognostic factors. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collocation, Semantic Prosody, and Near-synonymy: The HELP Verbs in Mandarin Chinese

In this study, our goal was to find out how the verbs 幫忙 bāngmang and 幫助 bāngzhu differ in usage. In particular, we aimed to determine the characteristics of the co-occurrences for the two verbs to investigate whether the verb 幫忙 bāngmang typically takes an event as an object with positive or neutral collocates and whether the verb 幫助 bāngzhu typically takes a person/an organization as an object with negative collocates. Data for the two synonymous verbs were collected from the Chinese GigaWord Corpus using Chinese Word Sketch. As we predicted, our corpus data showed that 幫忙 bāngmang typically took an event as an object and 幫助 bāngzhu typically took a person/an organization as an object, and that the verb 幫助 bāngzhu was more often linked with lexical items that had negative meanings. Based on the results presented, this study has practical implications for second language acquisition, translation, and dictionary compiling.
Liquid‐Metal Microdroplets Formed Dynamically with Electrical Control of Size and Rate

Liquid metal co-injected with electrolyte through a microfluidic flow-focusing orifice forms droplets with diameters and production frequencies controlled in real time by voltage. Applying voltage to the liquid metal controls the interfacial tension via a combination of electrochemistry and electrocapillarity. This simple and effective method can instantaneously tune the size of the microdroplets, which has applications in composites, catalysts, and microsystems.
Protein Pattern and Plasmid Profile of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Dahi, A Traditional Fermented Milk Product of Pakistan

A total of 116 isolates were identified from randomly collected market dahi samples from Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Lactic acid bacteria dominated the microbial population of dahi and were identified according to their morphological and physiological characteristics. Among these lactobacilli were frequently occurring organisms. The phenotypic and biochemical analyses gave a diversity of species (8 presumptive species). The most abundant species were Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (28 isolates) and Streptococcus thermophilus (25 isolates). Some contaminants such as Staphylococcus, Micrococcus and Saccharomyces spp. were also observed. The whole cell protein profiles of selected strains of lactic acid bacteria were examined by SDS-PAGE. It was observed that each species yielded a different electrophoretic pattern. It was further observed that among the strains investigated for the analysis of plasmid DNA 22 strains were found positive, 8 strains of L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus followed by 5 of L. acidophilus, 4 of L. casei, 3 of L. helveticus and one of each L. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis, whereas no plasmid was observed in S. thermophilus and L. lactis strains investigated during the study. All the plasmids isolated were mostly large size plasmids and ranged from 20 to 25 kb in size.
On Building Workflow Models for Flexible Processes

Process support systems, such as workflows, are being used in a variety of domains. However, most areas of application have focused on traditional production-style processes, which are characterized by predictability and repetitiveness. Application in non-traditional domains with highly flexible process is still largely unexplored. Such flexible processes are characterized by lack of ability to completely predefine and/or an explosive number of alternatives. Accordingly we define flexibility as the ability of the process to execute on the basis of a partially defined model where the full specification is made at runtime and may be unique to each instance. In this paper, we will present an approach to building workflow models for such processes. We will present our approach in the context of a non-traditional domain for workflow deployment, which is, degree programs in tertiary institutes. The primary motivation behind our approach is to provide the ability to model flexible processes without introducing non-standard modeling constructs. This ensures that the correctness and verification of the language is preserved. We propose to build workflow schemas from a standard set of modeling constructs and given process constraints. We identify the fundamental requirements for constraint specification and classify them into selection, termination and build constraints. Finally, we will demonstrate the dynamic building of instance specific workflow models on the basis of these constraints.
Anger Rumination Scale: Validation in Mexico

Abstract The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the Anger Rumination Scale (ARS; Sukhodolsky, Golub, & Cromwell, 2001) in a Mexican sample (n = 700, M age = 38.6, SD = 12.42). Through confirmatory factor analysis and using modification indices, the four-factor structure of the original scale was replicated: angry afterthoughts, thoughts of revenge, angry memories, and understanding of causes. In addition, the four-factor model had better goodness of fit indices than rival models with three and two factors. Alpha reliabilities were acceptable (.72 –.89). ARS results correlated with measures of state anger, trait anger, anger expression, and anger control (negatively); correlations were significant (ps < .001) ARS outcomes also correlated (ps < .001) with physical and verbal aggression, hostility, anger, and emotion suppression, suggesting convergent validity. Men reported more thoughts of revenge than women (p < .001; Eta squared = .026), but there was no evidence of gender differences on the other anger rumination scales, or in total scores.
Profiles of a Novel p 53-Armed Replication-Competent Oncolytic Adenovirus in Rodents , Felids , and Nonhuman Primates

Conditionally replicating adenovirus (CRAd) has demonstrated to be safe in clinical studies. We generated a triple-regulated p53armed CRAd, SG600-p53, in which the partially deleted E1a and E1b genes are regulated under the human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter and the hypoxia response element. SG600p53 was proven to be effective both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, the preclinical safety profiles of SG600-p53 in animal models were investigated. SG600-p53 had no adverse effects on mouse behavioral and nervous systems at 1.03 10 viral particles (VP)/kg, 2.0 3 10 VP/kg and 4.0 3 10 VP/kg doses, and on cat cardiovascular and respiratory systems at 2.0 3 10 VP/kg, 4.0 3 10 VP/kg, and 8.0 3 10 VP/kg doses. In acute toxicity test in mice, the maximum tolerated dose (2.5 3 10 VP/kg) induced cachexia, decreased activity, and eye closure in 9/20 mice which could be self-resolved within 30 min. Sensitized by five repeated ip injections at 1.0 3 10 VP/kg each ip and excitated by one iv injection at 1.03 10 VP/kg, guinea pigs did not show any sign of systemic anaphylaxis. In repeat-dose toxicological studies, the noobservable-adverse-effect levels of SG600-p53 in rats (1.0 3 10 VP/kg) and cynomolgus monkeys (5.0 3 10 VP/kg) were 12-fold and 60-fold of the proposed clinical dose, respectively. Intramuscular injections of SG600-p53 in cynomolgus monkeys caused inflammation at injection sites, which was alleviative at the end of observation period. The anti-virus antibody was produced in animal sera and decreased gradually 4 weeks later. No histopathological changes were found by bone marrow examination. Our data in different animal models suggest that SG600-p53 is a safe antitumor therapeutic agent.
Tonic Inhibition of Accumbal Spiny Neurons by Extrasynaptic α4βδ GABAA Receptors Modulates the Actions of Psychostimulants

Within the nucleus accumbens (NAc), synaptic GABAA receptors (GABAARs) mediate phasic inhibition of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and influence behavioral responses to cocaine. We demonstrate that both dopamine D1- and D2-receptor-expressing MSNs (D-MSNs) additionally harbor extrasynaptic GABAARs incorporating α4, β, and δ subunits that mediate tonic inhibition, thereby influencing neuronal excitability. Both the selective δ-GABAAR agonist THIP and DS2, a selective positive allosteric modulator, greatly increased the tonic current of all MSNs from wild-type (WT), but not from δ−/− or α4−/− mice. Coupling dopamine and tonic inhibition, the acute activation of D1 receptors (by a selective agonist or indirectly by amphetamine) greatly enhanced tonic inhibition in D1-MSNs but not D2-MSNs. In contrast, prolonged D2 receptor activation modestly reduced the tonic conductance of D2-MSNs. Behaviorally, WT and constitutive α4−/− mice did not differ in their expression of cocaine-conditioned place preference (CPP). Importantly, however, mice with the α4 deletion specific to D1-expressing neurons (α4D1−/−) showed increased CPP. Furthermore, THIP administered systemically or directly into the NAc of WT, but not α4−/− or α4D1−/− mice, blocked cocaine enhancement of CPP. In comparison, α4D2−/− mice exhibited normal CPP, but no cocaine enhancement. In conclusion, dopamine modulation of GABAergic tonic inhibition of D1- and D2-MSNs provides an intrinsic mechanism to differentially affect their excitability in response to psychostimulants and thereby influence their ability to potentiate conditioned reward. Therefore, α4βδ GABAARs may represent a viable target for the development of novel therapeutics to better understand and influence addictive behaviors.
Query Processing and Optimization in Graph Databases

Graph data management has received a lot of attention in the last decade, fueled by rapid development of two vertical domains, Linked Data and Social Media. This thesis deals with the database aspects of graph processing problems in these two domains. We present both the new query processing techniques (e.g., efficient shortest path estimation) and the novel query optimization methods (in particular, for join ordering and cardinality estimation) for a broad range of graph databases.
Super-hydrophobic 3D printed polysulfone membranes with a switchable wettability by self-assembled candle soot for efficient gravity-driven oil/water separation

The development of super-hydrophobic surfaces for water/oil separation has attracted much interest in fundamental research and industrial applications in recent years. This article proposes a facile method to fabricate super-hydrophobic surfaces on 3D printed polysulfone (PSU) membranes via the coating of candle soot. A 3D printed PSU membrane fabricated by selective laser sintering was applied for the oil/water separation and showed a different wettability on its top surface and bottom surface. The self-assembled candle soot loose network endowed the 3D printed PSU membrane with super-hydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 161° and a sliding angle of 5°, preserving an outstanding mechanical stability under sonication and chemical stability in 1 M HCl, 1 M NaOH, 1 M NaCl and hot water. Interestingly, this super-hydrophobic surface could dramatically switch to a super-oleophobic state after being prewetted by water. Ten cycles of switchable oil/water separation were performed, demonstrating a high oil/water separation stability of the dry candle soot coated PSU membrane and the water prewetted candle soot coated PSU membrane. Additionally, the effect of selective laser sintering processing parameters on the structure and performance and the influence of the immersion time on the deposition of candle soot were investigated. Overall, this study provides an efficient, simple and reliable fabrication method for super-hydrophobic surfaces with switchable wettability.
Metatitanic Acid and Titania Pseudomorphs after Titanyl Sulfates

One-dimensional (1D) nanostructured inorganic materials (nanowires, nanorods, or nanotubes) are interesting from various aspects. Such structures can be considered as building blocks for sensors, electronics, photonics, and bioelectronics applications. Their potential relies on the subtle control of their physical properties, which are based on their atomic scale structures, and their 1D morphology, i.e., their length and diameter dimensions at the nanoand microscale. By controlling these parameters, a variety of chemical and physical properties can be tailored [1,2].
A unified algorithm for phase and cross-talk calibration of polarimetric data-theory and observations

A unified approach to phase and cross-talk calibration of polarimetric data which can be applied to calibrating scattering matrix data or to extraction of the descriptors of distributed targets is described. It relies on the scene being dominated by targets with uncorrelated like and cross-polarized backscattering coefficients, but provides cross-talk calibration of targets for which this is not true. The algorithm needs unsymmetrized data, but uses only quantities derived from the covariance matrix of large areas. It makes no assumptions about system reciprocity, permits ready interpretation of the terms in the calibration procedure, allows comparison of the relative magnitude of the system-induced mixing of terms in the observed covariance matrix, is noniterative, and produces indicators which allow testing of whether it meets its own underlying assumptions. The linear distortion model is shown to lead to an inconsistent system of equations; this inconsistency can be removed by introducing an extra parameter which has properties expected of system noise. The modulus of the copolarized correlation coefficient, which is important in polarimetric classification and as a phase descriptor, is shown to be invariant under all effects embodied in the linear distortion model. Calibration of the scattering matrix data is based on a minimum least squares principle. This suggests that current methods of symmetrization are not optimal. The same analysis shows that estimates of parameters needed to form an equivalent reciprocal system are also nonoptimal. The method is more general than the well-known van Zyl algorithm for cross-talk removal, and permits an analysis of the conditions under which the van Zyl algorithm will yield valid results. Correction of phase distortion induced by channel imbalance Is treated as an optional extra step relying on a known HH-VV phase difference in some region of the image. Results from the algorithm are discussed using scattering matrix data from the 1989 MAESTRO campaign. >
Worst-case Analysis of Set Union Algorithms

This paper analyzes the asymptotic worst-case running time of a number of variants of the well-known method of path compression for maintaining a collection of disjoint sets under union. We show that two one-pass methods proposed by van Leeuwen and van der Weide are asymptotically optimal, whereas several other methods, including one proposed by Rein and advocated by Dijkstra, are slower than the best methods.
A Low Cost Embedded Solution for Detection and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Gestures through Wireless Communication

Abstract This paper describes the concept of a non-optical acceleration-based gesture recognition system for a low cost and small size remote control for mobile robots which is capable of recognizing more than 5 gestures based on the input signals from a MEMS 3-axes accelerometer and a MEMS 2 axes-gyroscope. The system is designed like a wristwatch and based on a microcontroller module which detects the accelerations and the movements of the user's arm and transmits the results wirelessly to a receiver. The two main topics in this paper are the description of the hardware and the newly developed algorithm used to analyze and classify the detected movements in comparison to the traditional algorithms Hidden Markov Model (HMM) and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW).
Functional Requirements for Fab-7 Boundary Activity in the Bithorax Complex

ABSTRACT Chromatin boundaries are architectural elements that determine the three-dimensional folding of the chromatin fiber and organize the chromosome into independent units of genetic activity. The Fab-7 boundary from the Drosophila bithorax complex (BX-C) is required for the parasegment-specific expression of the Abd-B gene. We have used a replacement strategy to identify sequences that are necessary and sufficient for Fab-7 boundary function in the BX-C. Fab-7 boundary activity is known to depend on factors that are stage specific, and we describe a novel ∼700-kDa complex, the late boundary complex (LBC), that binds to Fab-7 sequences that have insulator functions in late embryos and adults. We show that the LBC is enriched in nuclear extracts from late, but not early, embryos and that it contains three insulator proteins, GAF, Mod(mdg4), and E(y)2. Its DNA binding properties are unusual in that it requires a minimal sequence of >65 bp; however, other than a GAGA motif, the three Fab-7 LBC recognition elements display few sequence similarities. Finally, we show that mutations which abrogate LBC binding in vitro inactivate the Fab-7 boundary in the BX-C.
Evaluation of hydrolytic degradation of bionanocomposites through fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Studies about in vitro biodegradation of polymers have grown considerably due to the wide application of biodegradable polymers in biomedical areas. The objective of this study was to prepare bionanocomposites films of PHB, PEG, and organoclays by solution intercalation, and to evaluate the morphology, structure, hydrolytic degradation through FTIR and the calculation of carbonyl content. The results showed that bionanocomposites displayed intermediated dispersion of the filler, the polymer chains were intercalated into the organoclay layers and was observed some degree of exfoliation. There was an influence of PEG and of the clay on the degradation of the polymer, this fact was observed due to the decrease in the intensity of PHB carbonyl band in the region around 1275 cm-1, affecting the amorphous and crystalline regions of the polymer. This reduction can be associated with the increase in hydrophilicity of the polymer caused by the presence of the PEG and clay, suggesting the possibility of increasing the biodegradability of the pure polymer. In future research, there will be made characterizations to know if these materials can be used in medical devices.
Differential Roles of Fibrinogen and von Willebrand Factor on Clot Formation and Platelet Adhesion in Reconstituted and Immune Thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND: Bleeding tendencies in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) do not always correlate with the number of platelets, suggesting platelet function variation. We used a model of normal whole blood thrombocytopenia to compare platelet function and other hemostatic variables with ITP patients. We further investigated the effect of in vitro spiking with von Willebrand factor (vWF) and fibrinogen on platelet function and hemostatic variables. METHODS: The Cone and Plate(let) Analyzer was used to measure platelet adhesion (surface coverage [SC], %) and aggregation (average size, &mgr;m2) under defined shear rate (1200 s−1). Rotational thromboelastometry was used to determine variables of clot formation triggered by CaCl2 and tissue factor. RESULTS: In both the model of thrombocytopenia as well as in ITP, the SC and to some extent the average size were correlated to the platelet number over a range of 5 to 80 × 106/mL. The results obtained for most ITP samples were within the boundaries of the lower and upper limits set by the whole blood model of thrombocytopenia. The addition of 2 U/mL vWF (Haemate-P) to whole blood (calculated to plasma volume) results in an increase in the SC and average size without affecting clot formation. Spiking with fibrinogen (100 and 300 mg/dL) did not affect platelet deposition but improved clot formation. CONCLUSIONS: Using a model of whole blood thrombocytopenia enables us to establish reference variables for the Cone and Plate(let) Analyzer and rotational thromboelastometry and to assess platelet function and clot formation in the presence of severe thrombocytopenia. We demonstrated that in most cases of ITP, platelet function is comparable to normal platelets. This work also suggests that vWF and fibrinogen differentially affect primary and secondary hemostasis and therefore both may perform a function in the bleeding phenotype and possibly may be considered for treatment in patients with ITP.
Localized JAK/STAT signaling is required for oriented cell rearrangement in a tubular epithelium

Rearrangement of cells constrained within an epithelium is a key process that contributes to tubular morphogenesis. We show that activation in a gradient of the highly conserved JAK/STAT pathway is essential for orienting the cell rearrangement that drives elongation of a genetically tractable model. Using loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments, we show that the components of the pathway from ligand to the activated transcriptional regulator STAT are required for cell rearrangement in the Drosophila embryonic hindgut. The difference in effect between localized expression of ligand (Unpaired) and dominant active JAK (Hopscotch) demonstrates that the ligand plays a cell non-autonomous role in hindgut cell rearrangement. Taken together with the appearance of STAT92E in a gradient in the hindgut epithelium, these results support a model in which an anteroposterior gradient of ligand results in a gradient of activated STAT. These results provide the first example in which JAK/STAT signaling plays a required role in orienting cell rearrangement that elongates an epithelium.