Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ovarian carcinoma patient derived xenografts reproduce their tumor of origin and preserve an oligoclonal structure

Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) patients frequently relapse by 24 months and develop resistant disease. Research on EOC therapies relies on cancer cell lines established decades ago making Patient Derived Xenografts (PDX) attractive models, because they are faithful representations of the original tumor. We established 35 ovarian cancer PDXs resulting from the original graft of 77 EOC samples onto immuno-compromised mice. PDXs covered the diversity of EOC histotypes and graft take was correlated with early patient death. Fourteen PDXs were characterized at the genetic and histological levels. PDXs reproduced phenotypic features of the ovarian tumors of origin and conserved the principal characteristics of the original copy number change (CNC) profiles over several passages. However, CNC fluctuations in specific subregions comparing the original tumor and the PDXs indicated the oligoclonal nature of the original tumors. Detailed analysis by CGH, FISH and exome sequencing of one case, for which several tumor nodules were sampled and grafted, revealed that PDXs globally maintained an oligoclonal structure. No overgrowth of a particular subclone present in the original tumor was observed in the PDXs. This suggested that xenotransplantation of ovarian tumors and growth as PDX preserved at least in part the clonal diversity of the original tumor. We believe our data reinforce the potential of PDX as exquisite tools in pre-clinical assays.
Chronic Upper Airway Obstruction: Value of the Flow Volume Loop Examination in Assessment and Management

Chronic obstructive lesions of the upper airways such as post-traumatic strictures, bilateral vocal cord paralysis and chronic inflammatory foci are uncommon. The functional assessment of the severity and character of an obstruction is important both for diagnosis and management, and may also allow evaluation of the efficacy of medical and surgical treatment. There are limitations of simple spirometric pulmonary function tests, which are evident when assessing upper airways obstruction. The flow volume loop is a graphic recording of airflow during maximal respiration and expiration at different lung volumes, and may be affected in a characteristic way by alterations in the airway resistance. Three unusual cases of chronic upper airway obstruction are presented which illustrate the value of the flow volume loop examination in their management.
Managing Social-Business Tensions: A Review and Research Agenda for Social Enterprise

ABSTRACT: In a world filled with poverty, environmental degradation, and moral injustice, social enterprises offer a ray of hope. These organizations seek to achieve social missions through business ventures. Yet social missions and business ventures are associated with divergent goals, values, norms, and identities. Attending to them simultaneously creates tensions, competing demands, and ethical dilemmas. Effectively understanding social enterprises therefore depends on insight into the nature and management of these tensions. While existing research recognizes tensions between social missions and business ventures, we lack any systematic analysis. Our paper addresses this issue. We first categorize the types of tensions that arise between social missions and business ventures, emphasizing their prevalence and variety. We then explore how four different organizational theories offer insight into these tensions, and we develop an agenda for future research. We end by arguing that a focus on social-business tensions not only expands insight into social enterprises, but also provides an opportunity for research on social enterprises to inform traditional organizational theories. Taken together, our analysis of tensions in social enterprises integrates and seeks to energize research on this expanding phenomenon.
The expression of the model uncertainty in measurements

The measurand value, the conclusions, and the decisions inferred from measurements may depend on the models used to explain and to analyze the results. In this paper, the problems of identifying the most appropriate model and of assessing the model contribution to the uncertainty are formulated and solved in terms of Bayesian model selection and model averaging. The computational cost of this approach increases with the dimensionality of the problem. Therefore, a numerical strategy to integrate over the nuisance parameters and to compute and to sample the measurand post-data distribution is also outlined.
Rapidly Expanding Range of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Viruses

The movement of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N8) virus across Eurasia and into North America and the virus’ propensity to reassort with co-circulating low pathogenicity viruses raise concerns among poultry producers, wildlife biologists, aviculturists, and public health personnel worldwide. Surveillance, modeling, and experimental research will provide the knowledge required for intelligent policy and management decisions.
Thrombolytic Treatment for Acute Stroke Should Be Individualized for Each Patient

tions for appropriate medical management. While it is laudable to use noninvasive techniques (in this case, CTA instead of catheter angiography), the more important issue is the need to evaluate the site of the disease itself. Dissection is a problem of the arterial wall. While catheter angiography has been the traditional method of diagnosis and follow-up, this technique produces high resolution images of the arterial lumen; the wall itself and the overall increased diameter of the artery cannot be defined on such a study. It is these parameters that have the highest predictive value in the diagnosis of acute dissection by CTA, and it is these parameters that should be assessed in follow-up. Acute dissection may be quite subtle on angiography, and I have personally used MRI on a number of occasions to image the “halo” of mural blood surrounding a normal-size lumen to make the diagnosis. When this “halo” is hyperintense, as in the subacute stage, it is readily visible. What about the acute stage, when the intensities of blood and muscle in the arterial wall may be the same? This is when it is most important to assess the wall itself and the width of the artery. The same principles are true for the follow-up of the disease. Healing is not complete because the lumen has returned to a normal size, but because the hematoma has been absorbed from the wall. CTA is an excellent method for making these assessments. Evaluating the vascular dissection in this way not only leads to a better understanding of the natural history of the disease process, particularly its recovery phase, but also to a more rational use of treatments such as anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy. At this time, we have no good rationale for using anticoagulants for a given time period. The luminal diameter as defined with repeat catheter angiography is usually used to help make this decision, but does a
Do invasive bullfrogs in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, show evidence of parasite release?

Abstract Few studies have examined vertebrate models of invasive species to explore parasite release as a proposed mechanism through which host species might become invasive. In this study, we examined evidence for parasite release in invasive American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana/Lithobates catesbeianus) from five sites in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. We examined helminth species richness, as well as the prevalence, intensity and abundance of lung and kidney fluke infections. These flukes are expected to impose costs on host survival, growth and reproductive output. We compared measures of these parasite taxa with bullfrogs from Ontario and New Brunswick where they are endemic. Helminth species richness in bullfrogs from the Victoria sites was lower than in Ontario bullfrogs, but comparable to reported indices for other endemic populations. The prevalence of lung flukes (Haematoloechus spp.) in bullfrogs from Victoria was twice as high as was observed in the Ontario bullfrogs, and higher than has been reported from other endemic locations. In four of the five study sites in Victoria, numbers of Echinostoma spp. kidney cysts were lower than observed in endemic populations; however, the fifth site had uncharacteristically high numbers of cysts. In this study, there did not appear to be clear evidence to support parasite release using either parasite species numbers, or infection by specific parasite taxa. Instead, the invasive bullfrogs demonstrated high parasite species richness and high levels of infection for parasites known to be harmful to their hosts.
Analysis of asynchronous frequency hopping multiple-access network performance based on the frequency hopping sequences

In this study, the authors investigate the impact of the frequency-hopping (FH) sequence on the packet transmission performance of the asynchronous frequency-hopping multiple-access (FHMA) network. According to the model of the asynchronous FHMA network given in this study, the authors analyse the impact of the two important FH sequence factors – uniformity and frequency slot number – on the correct transmission probability and the packet transmission frequency efficiency. According to the non-collision probability analysed in this study, the uniformity of the FH sequence is an important issue to determine the correct packet transmission probability. Moreover, based on the definition of the packet transmission frequency efficiency given in this study, the optimal frequency slot number employed to obtain the maximum frequency efficiency is obtained. By employing three typical FH sequences, the simulation results are also included, which validates the theoretical analysis about the packet transmission performance of the asynchronous FHMA network.
The model for end‐stage liver disease (MELD)

The Model for End‐stage Liver Disease (MELD) was initially created to predict survival in patients with complications of portal hypertension undergoing elective placement of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts. The MELD which uses only objective variables was validated subsequently as an accurate predictor of survival among different populations of patients with advanced liver disease. The major use of the MELD score has been in allocation of organs for liver transplantation. However, the MELD score has also been shown to predict survival in patients with cirrhosis who have infections, variceal bleeding, as well as in patients with fulminant hepatic failure and alcoholic hepatitis. MELD may be used in selection of patients for surgery other than liver transplantation and in determining optimal treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who are not candidates for liver transplantation. Despite the many advantages of the MELD score, there are approximately 15%‐20% of patients whose survival cannot be accurately predicted by the MELD score. It is possible that the addition of variables that are better determinants of liver and renal function may improve the predictive accuracy of the model. Efforts at further refinement and validation of the MELD score will continue. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;45:797–805.)
Surgical management of achalasia in Zaria, Northern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Achalasia of the cardia is generally considered a rare disease. Because the cause is uncertain, treatment is palliative and directed at relieving distal oesophageal obstruction. In developed countries, several treatment options are available, but in developing countries, achalasia is usually treated by open surgical myotomy. We reviewed the outcome of management of achalasia in our patients and the influencing factors. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all adult patients treated for achalasia between 1991 and 2006. Diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms and barium swallow examination. The severity and frequency of dysphagia were determined before and after treatment. Barium examination was repeated 2 weeks after surgery or when the patient had recurrence of dysphagia, regurgitation or heartburn. Treatment was by modified Heller's operation, transabdominally without complementary antireflux procedure. Logistic regression modelling was performed to identify factors predictive of poor outcome. RESULTS There were 47 patients, 31 (66.0%) males and 16 females, mean age (+/- standard deviation (SD) 34.6+/-9.8 years. All patients presented with dysphagia, which was severe in 31 cases (66.0%) and moderate in 14 (29.8%). Preoperative maximum oesophageal diameter ranged from 34 to 89 mm, mean 67.4+/-12.7mm. In 30 (63.8%) of the patients, the maximum diameter was >70 mm. Postoperative maximum diameter ranged from 28 to 72 mm, mean 37.5+/-8.2 mm (p=0.001). The mean preoperative diameter of the narrowest distal oesophagus was 4.6+/-2.5 mm, compared with the postoperative figure of 11.6+/-1.8 mm (p=0.015). Following surgery, 41 (87.2%) patients had complete relief of dysphagia, regurgitation and heartburn. Four patients continued to have heartburn after surgery. Patients with severe dysphagia or preoperative oesophageal dilatation >70 mm had the greatest likelihood of incomplete relief of symptoms after treatment. CONCLUSION Achalasia can be accurately diagnosed on the basis of clinical symptoms and barium swallow examination. A modified Heller's operation provides lasting relief of symptoms. Patients with severe preoperative dysphagia or oesophageal dilatation are more likely to have poor outcome of treatment.
The Potential for Developing Community-based Tourism among the Bedouins in the Badia of Jordan

Population displacement through desertification has affected the socioeconomic and cultural development of Jordan's Badia desert. To counterbalance this change, it is important to preserve and revitalise cultural heritage as a source of tourism development in the desert. One possible way of revitalising the Badia regions is to highlight their cultural resources for tourism. The goal of the study is to find alternative tourism resources based on understanding the potential tourism resources in the Badia and to attract tourists for cultural heritage experiences. The analysis suggests new opportunities for cultural heritage tourism with elements of Bedouin material and non-material culture. Solutions include establishing community-based Bedouin tourism that involves the local people in partnership with the BRDC,1 expanding the tourism network to include the Badia region using resources such as folkways and archaeology to enrich the experience, building a rest house; and erecting a Bedouin heritage village. This will generate income and give Badia indigenous communities additional revenue, thereby positively impacting the regional and national economy.
Forced expression of chimeric human fibroblast tropomyosin mutants affects cytokinesis

Human fibroblasts generate at least eight tropomyosin (TM) isoforms (hTM1, hTM2, hTM3, hTM4, hTM5, hTM5a, hTM5b, and hTMsm alpha) from four distinct genes, and we have previously demonstrated that bacterially produced chimera hTM5/3 exhibits an unusually high affinity for actin filaments and a loss of the salt dependence typical for TM-actin binding (Novy, R.E., J. R. Sellers, L.-F. Liu, and J.J.-C. Lin, 1993. Cell Motil. & Cytoskeleton. 26: 248-261). To examine the functional consequences of expressing this mutant TM isoform in vivo, we have transfected CHO cells with the full-length cDNA for hTM5/3 and compared them to cells transfected with hTM3 and hTM5. Immunofluorescence microscopy reveals that stably transfected CHO cells incorporate force- expressed hTM3 and hTM5 into stress fibers with no significant effect on general cell morphology, microfilament organization or cytokinesis. In stable lines expressing hTM5/3, however, cell division is slow and sometimes incomplete. The doubling time and the incidence of multinucleate cells in the stable hTM5/3 lines roughly parallel expression levels. A closely related chimeric isoform hTM5/2, which differs only in the internal, alternatively spliced exon also produces defects in cytokinesis, suggesting that normal TM function may involve coordination between the amino and carboxy terminal regions. This coordination may be prevented in the chimeric mutants. As bacterially produced hTM5/3 and hTM5/2 can displace hTM3 and hTM5 from actin filaments in vitro, it is likely that CHO-expressed hTM5/3 and hTM5/2 can displace endogenous TMs to act dominantly in vivo. These results support a role for nonmuscle TM isoforms in the fine tuning of microfilament organization during cytokinesis. Additionally, we find that overexpression of TM does not stabilize endogenous microfilaments, rather, the hTM-expressing cells are actually more sensitive to cytochalasin B. This suggests that regulation of microfilament integrity in vivo requires stabilizing factors other than, or in addition to, TM.
Diffusion of Innovations: Evaluation of the Sustainability of the Community Directed Treatment with Ivermectin Programme (CDTI) In Adamawa State, Nigeria

The Adamawa State, Nigeria CDTI project was approved by APOC in 1998, commenced implementation in 1999, concluded its fifth year of APOC support on 30th November 2004, and was evaluated for sustainability by evaluators appointed by APOC from Nigeria and Kenya in December 2004. The terms of reference of that team were to evaluate the sustainability of the project; discuss the findings of feedback/planning meetings with the State, LGA and community authorities and assist them to develop post-APOC sustainability plans and analyze the data collected and present a report, NOTF and APOC management. Thereafter, the Country Office of Helen Keller International (HKI) instituted a separate, independent, and autonomous evaluation of the Adamawa State CDTI project, of which this is the evaluation report. That evaluation was conducted on the basis of the APOC guidelines and procedures for sample selection and other field activities, as well as the instruments designed by APOC for that purpose. The present evaluation team (also, HKI evaluators) worked at the State level and in 3 local government areas (LGAs), 6 health centres and 12 communities. The team carried out review of documents and interviews of health personnel at these various levels and also met with community representatives at the LGA, district and community levels. The team found that 17 LGAs are endemic but treatment took place in 19 in 2004. Two LGAs were treated on the basis of REMO refined. Reported therapeutic coverage is high (the lowest TCR is 73 percent), but CDD motivation is low and turnover high (fifty percent in Ganye LGA) and this is viewed in this report as a serious threat to programme sustainability. Viewed as a new innovation in community health care delivery system. An understanding of the diffusion and adoption pattern of the CDTI is collorary significance to the sustainability question.
Automatic Selection of Machine Learning Models for WCET-aware Compiler Heuristic Generation !

Machine learning has shown its capabilities for an automati cg enera- tion of heuristics used by optimizing compilers. The advantages of these heuristics are that they can be easily adopted to a new environment and in some cases out- perform hand-crafted compiler optimizations. However, this approach shifts the e! ort from manual heuristic tuning to the model selection pr oblem of machine learning - i.e., selecting learning algorithms and their respective parameters - which is a tedious task in its own right. In this paper, we tackle the model selection problem in a systematic way. As our experiments show, the right choice of a learning algorithm and its parame- ters can significantly a! ect the quality of the generated heu ristics. We present ag eneric framework integrating machine learning into ac ompiler to enable an automatic search for the best learning algorithm. To find goo ds ettings for the learner parameters within the large search space, optimizations based on evolu- tionary algorithms are applied. In contrast to the majority of other approaches aiming at a reduction of the average-case execution time (ACET), our goal is the minimization of the worst-case execution time (WCET) which is a key parameter for embedded systems acting as real-time systems. A careful case study on the heuristic generation for the well-known optimization loop invariant code motion shows the challenges and benefits of our methods. 1I ntroduction Optimizing compilers transform a program written in a sourc el anguage into as eman- tically equivalent program in a target language. The generated code should exhibit a high performance. Since finding optimal solutions to compiler optimizations is provably hard, compiler writers are forced to use heuristics as approximate solutions. The devel- opment of heuristics for compiler optimizations is a tediou st ask requiring both ah igh amount of expertise and an extensive trial-and-error tuning. The reasons are twofold. First, heuristics often use simplified architecture models of complex systems, which do not su! ciently capture all relevant architectural feature s. Second, compiler optimiza- tions are typically executed within a sequence of interfering optimizations. Since the mutual interactions are hardly predictable, compiler writers develop heuristics based on conservative assumptions. Such heuristics avoid negative e"ects but also prevent the exploration of the optimization potential. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Artist Design Network of Excellence and from the European Community's Seventh Frame-
Use of Uracil Thin Layer for Measuring Biologically Effective UV Dose

Abstract— Dimerization of uracil monomers in a polycrystalline state by UV radiation changes the absorption characteristics of a thin layer of the material. The change in optical density, measured by spectrophotometry in the250–400 nm range, as a function of the exposure time is evaluated in terms of the biologically effective UV dose. A statistical evaluation of a great number of uracil dosimeters irradiated with a TL01 lamp from Philips establishes the possibility of evaluating the biologically effective UV dose using a uracil dosimeter. Nonlinear regression procedures were introduced to correct the absorption spectra for contributions due to light scattering and to determine the optical density values required to calculate the UV dose expressed in HUunits. Comparison of cumulative daily doses and long‐term monitoring measured by the uracil thin‐layer dosimeter and a phage T7 dosimeter are given, which allow the determination of conversion factors between various biological dosimeters under different irradiation conditions.
Young children's comprehension of pretend episodes: the integration of successive actions.

In 3 experiments, children's comprehension of successive pretend actions was examined. In Experiment 1, children (25-38 months) watched 2 linked actions (e.g., a puppet poured pretend cereal or powder into a bowl, and then pretended to feed the contents of the bowl to a toy animal). Children realized that the pretend substance was incorporated into the second action. In Experiment 2, children (24-39 months) again watched 2 linked actions (e.g., a puppet poured pretend milk or powder into a container, and then pretended to tip the contents of the container over a toy animal). They realized that the animal would become "milky" or "powdery. " In Experiment 3, children (25-36 months) drew similar conclusions regarding a substitute rather than an imaginary entity. The results are discussed with reference to children's causal understanding, their capacity for talking about objects and events in terms of their make-believe and real status, and the processes underlying pretense comprehension.