Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real-time RT-PCR quantification of PRAME gene expression for monitoring minimal residual disease in acute myeloblastic leukaemia

Abstract Background: Specific gene rearrangements are used for minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment, but are frequently lacking in leukaemias. In these cases, the quantification of PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma) transcripts could be useful. Methods: PRAME transcripts were quantified by real-time RT-PCR in normal and leukaemic samples, and the results were compared with those of conventional RT-PCR. Basal expression of PRAME was determined in 25 blood samples and 25 bone marrow samples from healthy donors, as well as in 12 haematological cell lines (Jurkat, K562, HL60, DOHH2, IM9, Daudi, CEM, KG1, DG75, 8226, U937, Raji). Results: In paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) (n=22) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) (n=17), and in adult AML (n=20), abnormal PRAME expression was found in 41%, 35% and 40% of cases, respectively. To assess the sensitivity of PRAME for monitoring MRD, PRAME-positive t(8;21) AML samples with detectable AML1/ETO expression by conventional RT-PCR (n=17) were assessed for quantitative expression of AML1/ETO and PRAME. The expression of these genes was closely correlated. To confirm that PRAME expression was correlated with clinical data, the expression of PRAME was also sequentially followed in patients (n=13) from onset to cytological remission or relapse. The cytological and molecular data were highly correlated in all patients. Conclusions: Our data confirm that PRAME quantification by real-time RT-PCR appears suitable for monitoring MRD in PRAME-positive leukaemia.
Acceleration of Dextransucrase Activity of Streptococcus mutans by Secretory Immunoglobulin A

The effect of immunoglobulins on the activity of dextransucrase purified from Streptococcus mutans strain HS-6 is described. When human salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) or colostral IgA, either natured or denatured, was incubated with dextransucrase, the rate of the dextran synthesis was markedly accelerated, whereas human serum IgA or IgG neither accelerated nor inhibited the enzyme activity. The results suggest that a portion unique for secretory IgA, the secretory component, might be related to the enzyme acceleration. On the other hand, specific rabbit antiserum against the dextransucrase inhibited completely dextran synthesis by the enzyme.
Analysis of proteins expressed in rat plasma exposed to dioxin using 2‐dimensional gel electrophoresis

Dioxins are a class of polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons that induces a wide spectrum of toxic responses in animals. In this study, two groups of Sprague‐Dawley rats were exposed to 2,3,7,8‐tetrachlorobenzo‐p‐dioxin (TCDD); one group received short‐term exposure at a single dose of 1, 10, 20 or 50 μg/kg body weight and the other received long‐term exposure to a daily low dose of 0.01, 0.1, 1 or 2.5 μg/kg body weight for one month. Two‐dimensional electrophoresis was utilized to resolve the protein profile of rat plasma exposed to TCDD at different doses. One novel and three volume‐increased spots were identified and characterized by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry and electrospray‐ionization on quadropole‐TOF2 mass spectrometry. The novel protein was identified as plasma glutathione peroxidase precursor and the volume‐increased proteins were cytokeratin 8 polypeptide, Ig lambda‐1 chain C region and Ig lambda‐2 chain C region. These proteins may be used as biomarkers to diagnose dioxin exposure and may help in understanding the toxic effects of dioxins.
MPF from starfish oocytes at first meiotic metaphase is a heterodimer containing one molecule of cdc2 and one molecule of cyclin B.

We have purified to near homogeneity the M‐phase‐specific protein kinase from starfish oocytes at first meiotic metaphase, using an improved procedure based on affinity chromatography on the immobilized yeast protein suc1. As already reported, this is identical to MPF, the cytoplasmic factor that controls entry of eukaryotic cells into M‐phase. MPF is a complex formed by the stoichiometric association of a 34‐kd polypeptide previously identified as cdc2 with a polypeptide that migrates with the same mobility as starfish cyclin in SDS‐PAGE (apparent mol. wt 47 kd). A cDNA clone encoding starfish cyclin B has been isolated and its sequence determined. It contains a single open reading frame encoding a predicted 43 729‐dalton protein. Partial microsequencing of the 47‐kd polypeptide component of MPF allowed its identification as the starfish cyclin. Since the apparent mol. wt of native starfish MPF was found to be less than 100 kd, it is a heterodimer comprising one molecule of cdc2 and one molecule of cyclin B.
Fast and easy language understanding for dialog systems with Microsoft Language Understanding Intelligent Service (LUIS)

With Language Understanding Intelligent Service (LUIS), developers without machine learning expertise can quickly build and use language understanding models specific to their task. LUIS is entirely cloud-based: developers log into a website, enter a few example utterances and their labels, and then deploy a model to an HTTP endpoint. Utterances sent to the endpoint are logged and can be efficiently labeled using active learning. Visualizations help identify issues, which can be resolved by either adding more labels or by giving hints to the machine learner in the form of features. Altogether, a developer can create and deploy an initial language understanding model in minutes, and easily maintain it as usage of their application grows.
Una revisión de los métodos de medición del desajuste educativo: ventajas e inconvenientes

El objetivo de esta comunicacion es el analisis de la incidencia de los diferentes metodos de medicion en la estimacion del desajuste educativo. El analisis empirico se lleva a cabo para dos paises, Reino Unido y Espana, con el fin de analizar si las diferencias entre los metodos de medicion persisten entre paises. Los datos utilizados proceden, respectivamente, del British Household Panel Survey (BHPS 1995) y del Panel de Hogares de la Union Europea (PHOGUE 1995). La hipotesis fundamental es que los diferentes metodos de medicion conducen a diferencias significativas en la estimacion del desajuste educativo. Los metodos que se han aplicado son el estadistico, en sus dos versiones de media y moda, y una variante del metodo subjetivo. La informacion disponible, sin embargo, solo ha permitido aplicar este ultimo metodo en el caso de Espana. A partir de la informacion contenida en el PHOGUE, y con fines exploratorios, se ha construido un indicador alternativo de desajuste educativo que constituye una aportacion original de este trabajo. * Deseo agradecer al UK Data Archive (University of Essex) el acceso al British Household Panel Survey. Una revision de los metodos de medicion del desajuste educativo: ventajas e inconvenientes
Pneumocystis jirovecii Pneumonia in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus From Southern Taiwan

BackgroundOpportunistic infection has been documented in systemic lupus erythematosus with special attention paid to Pneumocystis jirovecii because of the significant morbidity and high mortality. ObjectivesThe limited large-scale investigations covering P. jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) in systemic lupus erythematosus following biologics or immunosuppressants therapy prompted us to perform this study in southern Taiwan. MethodsA retrospective study was completed in 858 hospitalized lupus patients from January 2000 to December 2011. The definite diagnosis of PCP was made by the laboratory detection of Pneumocystis organisms together with consistent clinical and radiological manifestations of PCP. Positive polymerase chain reaction results of sputum samples were not regarded as infection in this study, unless P. jirovecii was the sole pathogen found and pulmonary manifestations resolved following antibiotics for PCP treatment alone. ResultsThe laboratory identification of Pneumocystis organisms depended on lung biopsy in 2 cases and bronchoalveolar lavage in 3 patients. Five cases, 2 women and 3 men aged 30 to 50 years (41.8 ± 8.8 years), were identified with a 0.6% incidence. None received chemoprophylactics against P. jirovecii infection. All had lupus nephritis and lymphopenia with low CD4+ T-cell counts. Prior usages of higher daily prednisolone dosages and concomitant biologics or immunosuppressants were observed in all patients. Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia contributed to a high mortality rate (60%). ConclusionsWe report the rare occurrence but high mortality of PCP infection in this study. A consensus guideline addressing prophylactic antibiotics against Pneumocystis organisms in highest-risk lupus patients on biologics or immunosuppressants could be helpful in guiding their management.
[Rapid determination of saccharin sodium in ice cream by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)].

This is a method for the rapid determination of saccharin sodium in ice cream by HPLC. A radial compression C18 cohumn, 100 mm x 8 mm i.d. , and ultraviolet detector at 220 nm were applied to the determination without extraction. The solution of samples would be determined after they were treated with the solution of copper sulfate and sodium hydroxide in water. The detectable amount was 0.38 mg/kg, the coefficient of variation CV was 1.72%, and the recovery was 96.25%-101.75%.
Assessing the relationship of attitude toward the ad to intentions to use direct-to-consumer drugs: A systematic quantitative meta-analysis

Attitude toward the ad (Aad) is widely known to be an essential predictor of behavioral intentions. Therefore, a number of studies have addressed Aad in the DTCA literature. Despite this interest in Aad, there has not been a comprehensive attempt to investigate general findings across independent DTCA studies. Such an investigation is useful in understanding the general strength and variability of the relationships. In the current meta-analysis, the data provided a summary of 278 samples reported in the 36 articles for which the author could obtain usable data. The aggregated study effects suggested a significant relationship between Aad and a number of important constructs, including both antecedents (education and income) and consequences (behavioral intention). The results from the current meta-analysis suggest that Aad is a statistically significant predictor of behavioral intentions, but that Aad has a small to moderate effect size in terms of affecting consumers’ intentions.
Switched reluctance generation control over wide speed range applied to flywheel energy storage system

Due to the characteristics of high reliability, wide speed scope with high efficiency, and low cost, Switched Reluctance Generator (SRG) system is suitable for applications in the field of variable-speed constant-voltage generation, such as wind power generation, flywheel energy storage, electric vehicle, aircraft power generator, etc. In this paper, a nonlinear dynamic model of SRG system is established, including switched reluctance machine and power circuit. Furthermore, a control plan of variable-speed constant-voltage generation is designed, which covers a wide speed range. Simulation results show that the SRG system has favorable dynamic and static characteristics.
A 500μA low drop-out voltage regulator in 90-nm CMOS technology

The paper presents a CMOS low-dropout voltage regulator (LDO). By using wideband and low-current circuit techniques, high performances in terms of transient response, Implemented in 90-nm CMOS technology. The proposed LDO voltage regulator with 50-mA driving capability is presented utilizes paralleled input differential pairs and current amplifiers to provide fast transient response, the LDO itself should provide 0. 1μs with transient variation of the voltage less than 153mV.
On the check base selection problem for fast adders

Considers the problem of selecting a suitable check base for on-line error detection by residue codes in fast adders. The dependency between structural properties of an adder and its set of possible error values is characterized. Based on this characterization an efficient procedure is developed for testing the appropriateness of a check base for a specific adder. <<ETX>>
High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Nanostructured Hydroxyapatite

Abstract Crystalline properties of synthetic nanostructured hydroxyapatite (n-HA) were studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The focal-series-restoration technique, obtaining exit-plane wavefunction and spherical aberration-corrected images, was successfully applied for the first time in this electron-beam-susceptible material. Multislice simulations and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were also employed to determine unequivocally that n-HA particles of different size preserve stoichiometric HA-like crystal structure. n-HA particles with sizes of twice the HA lattice parameter were found. These results can be used to optimize n-HA sinterization parameters to improve bioactivity.
Thrombin generation in antiphospholipid syndrome

Our objective was to study acquired Activated Protein C (APC) resistance in patients with antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) using a thrombin generation based assay. We compared patients with and without lupus (systemic lupus erythematosus, SLE). A parameter summarizing APC inhibition of thrombin generation with increasing APC concentrations (IC50-APC) was increased in all patient groups compared to controls: median values were 15.3 (interquartile range, IQR, 9.7 to 34.0) in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), 27.3 (IQR 23.5 to 43.5) in patients with SLE without APS, 64.1 (IQR 25.9 to 65.0) in patients with SLE/APS compared to 10.4 [IQR 8.5 to 15.8] in controls, respectively p = 0.003, p = 0.0001 and p = 0.0001. In conclusion, patients with SLE and primary APS displayed a hypercoagulable state characterized by APC resistance.
A high performance control technique of power electronic transformers in medium voltage grid-connected PV plants

With reference to medium-voltage grid-connection of large photovoltaic (PV) plants, the paper proposes and analyses a high performance solution based on a power electronic transformer (PET). It Includes dc-links and multilevel converters either in low-voltage or in high-voltage side, and a medium-frequency (MF) transformer. Together with the very reduced sizes of the whole conversion apparatus, an important feature of the proposed topology is the permitted presence of unbalanced voltages on the different dc-links corresponding to the partitions of the PV plant. This is enabled by the multilevel cascaded H-bridge configuration of the low-voltage side converter, in order to take into account the nonuniform distribution either of temperature or (mainly) of solar radiation on the different cells arrays, together with eventual different kind or age of used cells. another advantageous feature is the good level of power quality indexes on grid quantities, ensured by a multilevel NPC front-end: mainly low values of either harmonic distortion, or voltage and current dissymmetry. this occurs even if the commutation frequency of the switching devices of this converter is not high (1÷2 kHz). However, the paper is mainly focused on the control technique of the multilevel converters connected to the primary and secondary windings of the MF transformer, imposing multistep- or square-wave voltages. Some simple control algorithms are presented in order to maximize the power generated by every partition of the plant (also in unbalanced operations) together with the minimization of the joule losses of the central conversion unit in quasi-stationary operating conditions.
Distributed robust vehicle state estimation

A distributed estimation approach based on opinion dynamics is proposed to enhance the reliability of vehicle corners' velocity estimates. The corners' estimates, which are obtained from a Kalman filter, is formed by integrating the model-based and kinematic-based velocity estimation approaches. These estimates are utilized as opinions with different levels of confidence in the developed algorithm. More reliable estimates robust to disturbances and time delay are achieved via solving a convex optimization problem. Vehicle tests with various driveline configurations are performed to verify the estimator performance under different surfaces friction conditions in pure and combined-slip (combination of longitudinal/lateral) maneuvers, which are arduous for the current vehicle state estimators.
Trigonometric Integrals for the magnetic field of the coil of rectangular cross section

Formulas are derived giving the vector potential and the magnetic field components of a general coil of rectangular cross section and constant winding density. The solution is given in a cylindrical coordinate system in terms of trigonometric integrals. The formulas presented have been cross-checked and validated against alternative expressions giving the various field components as integrals of expressions containing Bessel and Struve functions. The trigonometric integrals for the fields can be evaluated easily to several hundred significant figures using mathematical packages such as Maple or Mathematica. Alternatively, they can be evaluated with a small FORTRAN program. Sample results and field line plots obtained with the method are given, and the field of a coil of rectangular cross section is examined in some detail. A comparison with the results of a finite-element method is also given.
Differential regulation of an auxin-producing nitrilase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Nitrilases (nitrile aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.5.1) convert nitriles to carboxylic acids. We report the cloning, characterization, and expression patterns of four Arabidopsis thaliana nitrilase genes (NIT1-4), one of which was previously described [Bartling, D. , Seedorf, M. , Mithöfer, A. & Weiler, E. W. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 205, 417-424]. The nitrilase genes encode very similar proteins that hydrolyze indole-3-acetonitrile to the phytohormone indole-3-acetic acid in vitro, and three of the four genes are tandemly arranged on chromosome III. Northern analysis using gene-specific probes and analysis of transgenic plants containing promoter-reporter gene fusions indicate that the four genes are differentially regulated. NIT2 expression is specifically induced around lesions caused by bacterial pathogen infiltration. The sites of nitrilase expression may represent sites of auxin biosynthesis in A. thaliana.
Drosophila melanogaster: Distribution and Development

The development of catecholamine-containing neurons (CA neurons) in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster was studied. Glyoxylic-acid-induced histofluorescence and antibodies against dopamine and tyrosine hydroxylase were used to describe catecholamine distribution in the larval central nervous system (CNS). The three techniques gave rise to a similar pattern of distribution of putative CA neurons. At all developmental stages CA neurons were distributed widely throughout the CNS but represented only a small fraction of all CNS neurons. Catecholamine-containing processes were confined to the CNS. The CA neurons are first discerned at about 18 hours of embryonic development. We suggest that these larval CA neurons are maintained throughout the ontogeny of the fly and that the adult CA pattern is composed of embryonic neurons and neurons that differentiate during metamorphosis.
Over‐expression of BMP4 and BMP5 in a child with axial skeletal malformations and heterotopic ossification: A new syndrome

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a highly conserved class of signaling molecules that induce ectopic cartilage and bone formation in vivo. Dysregulated expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) is found in the cells of patients who have fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), a genetic disorder of axial and appendicular skeletal malformation and progressive heterotopic ossification. Loss of function mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein 5 (bmp5) gene leading to under‐expression of BMP5 cause the murine short ear syndrome, characterized by small malformed ears and a broad range of axial skeletal malformations. We found features reminiscent of both the short ear mouse and FOP in a child with malformed external ears, multiple malformations of the axial skeleton, and progressive heterotopic ossification in the neck and back. We examined BMP mRNA expression in transformed lymphocytes by semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR and protein expression by ELISA assays and immunohistochemistry. Elevated levels of BMP4 and BMP5 mRNA and protein were detected in the patient's cells while levels of BMP2 mRNA were unchanged. Our data suggest that dysregulated expression of BMP4 and BMP5 genes is associated with an array of human axial skeletal abnormalities similar to the short ear mouse and FOP. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Generation of similarity knowledge flow for intelligent browsing based on semantic link networks

Similarity Knowledge Flow (SKF) is a kind of scientific workflow, providing an effective technique and theoretical support for intelligent browsing in the Web and e‐Science environment. In this paper, a Semantic Link Networks (SLN) based SKF generation method is proposed. First, the topics are represented by Element Fuzzy Cognitive Maps then the semantic values of concepts/keywords and relations are calculated. Third, semantic similarity degrees between topics are calculated to build SLN‐based semantic values of concepts and their relations in Element Fuzzy Cognitive Maps. In this way, similar relations at the keyword level are extended to the topic level. With the help of SLN and based on user's demand, SKF is generated as the browsing path of topics to guide user browsing behaviors. Finally, the semantic value of SKF is defined as a criterion to evaluate the browsing path of topics. Experimental results show that the browsing path of topics is easy to be activated by SKF which is generated by SLN. The proposed method has been proved to have a very good prospect in the fields of Web services and e‐Science applications. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Dither-Less All Digital PLL for Cellular Transmitters

An all-digital frequency synthesizer for cellular transmitter is presented. Low phase-noise is achieved both in-band and out-of-band exploiting a 2-dimensional Vernier time-to-digital converter and a dither-less digitally controlled oscillator. These building blocks heavily rely on digital calibration techniques to precisely and efficiently implement two-point modulation and spur cancellation in the presence of implementation impairments. The presented prototype shows an in-band phase noise of -108 dBc/Hz, an out-of-band phase noise of -160 dBc/Hz @20 MHz and in-band fractional spurs below -50 dBc. These results are obtained for an output carrier of 1.8 GHz, a reference clock of 26 MHz, with a power consumption of 41.6 mW.