Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A phase II study of imatinib mesylate as adjuvant treatment for curatively resected high-risk localized gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

e21515 Background: In our previous study, the presence of c-kit mutation as well as tumor size and mitotic count was an independent poor risk factor for relapse after curative resection of primary localized GIST. The patients with all the 3 poor risk factors had only 30% of 2 year relapse free survival rate (RFSR). (Kim, et al. Clin Cancer Res, 2004) It is also well known that c-kit exon 11 mutant GISTs respond better to imatinib treatment than the other mutant or wild type GISTs. Therefore, the patients who have primary localized GISTs with large size, high mitotic count, and c-kit exon 11 mutation may be the best candidate of adjuvant imatinib treatment. In this phase II study, we have evaluated the efficacy and safety of adjuvant imatinib for this patient group. METHODS Patients who underwent complete resection of a primary GIST with 1) c-kit exon 11 mutation, and 2) ≥10 mitoses/50 HPF, or tumor size ≥10 cm, or ≥5 mitoses/50 HPF and tumor size ≥5 cm were eligible. Patients received imatinib 400mg p.o. daily until recurrence of disease, intolerable toxicities, or for 2 years. The primary end point was relapse-free survival (RFS). RESULTS A total of 47 patients from 4 centers in Korea were enrolled. The median age was 57.0 years. Stomach was the most common primary site (n=31). Median primary tumor size was 7.5cm and median mitoses index was 12/50 HPF. With a median follow-up of 26.9 months, the median RFS and overall survival (OS) have not yet been reached. RFSR was 97.7% at 1-year and 92.7% at 2-years. Six relapses (12.8%) were documented among the 47 patients. The treatments were generally well tolerated. Grade 3-4 toxicities included neutropenia 27.7%, rash 8.5%, constipation 4.3%, anorexia 2.1%, vomiting 2.1%, and pruritis 2.1%. There were no episode of febrile neutropenia and treatment-related death. CONCLUSIONS Postoperative adjuvant imatinib for 2 years were safe and could prolong the RFS in patients with high-risk of recurrence following complete surgical resection of the primary GIST. However, it remains unknown if this benefit in RFS can be translated into OS benefit. So, further follow-up is needed with comparison of OS with historical controls who could be use imatinib after recurrence. [Table: see text].
Enhanced Antibody Response in the Presence of Partial Adenosine Deaminase Inhibition

Abstract The enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) catalyzes the conversion of adenosine and 2′-deoxyadenosine to inosine and 2′-deoxyinosine, respectively. In the absence of ADA activity, 2′-deoxyadenosine is phosphorylated to deoxyadenosine triphosphate. This study concerned the effects of the ADA inhibitor 2′-deoxycoformycin on the murine in vitro immune response to sheep red blood cells (Mishell-Dutton cultures). In the presence of 10-7 M 2′-deoxycoformycin or 1 mM 2′-deoxyadenosine, there was a significant increase in the plaque-forming cell response when calculated as plaques per 106 viable cells recovered. Cultures containing 10-7 M 2′-deoxycoformycin retained approximately 10% of residual ADA activity of control cultures. Partial ADA deficiency was not preferentially toxic for cells capable of suppressing plaque cell generation. However, there was a decrease of recovered viable cells in all ADA-deficient cultures. There was no change in the percentage of recovered cells which were L3T4+ or Lyt 2+. A significant decrease was observed in a population of cells expressing surface immunoglobulins. The number of plaque-forming cells/103 recovered B cells increased significantly. We conclude that partial ADA deficiency results in selective toxicity to a population of non-antigen-specific B cells. Further studies with antigen-specific cells are necessary to determine the possible mechanism(s) by which cellular activation may prevent susceptibility to the toxic effects of ADA deficiency.
Confrontation de deux approches de la localisation spatiale

ResumeLors de la localisation d'un objet dans l'espace, le sujet recourt a l'utilisation d'un cadre de reference. Deux approches sont etudiees de facon independante. La premiere decrit le cadre en terme de reference egocen-tree (centree sur le sujet), ou allocentree (centree sur l'exterieur). Nous l'avons appelee approche « spatiale pure » car elle ne fait pas directement appel au langage. La deuxieme decrit le cadre en terme de reference deictique (centree sur le sujet) et non deictique (centree sur l'objet repere). Nous l'avons appelee approche « spatiolinguistique » car elle fait appel au langage sur le versant de la comprehension ou de la production des marqueurs spatiaux. Nous nous sommes d'abord interroges sur la pertinence d'une description dichotomique des cadres de reference. Puis, nous avons essaye de rapprocher ces approches en precisant divergences et points communs.Mots-cles : cadre de reference, egocentre/allocentre, deictique/non deictique, localisation spatiale.
Language support for learning a second language: What can the Malaysian example offer South Africa?

Abstract Like many postcolonial countries South Africa has, in most schools, in practice opted to use English for teaching and learning. Malaysia has similarly opted for the use of English in schools, although limiting this to the subjects of Mathematics and Science. In Malaysia, to achieve instruction in a second language, a wide range of supports is offered to teachers and learners whose proficiency in English may be limited. Such support includes materials, in-service training, support from English teachers, mentoring by senior teachers, English for Science and Technology as an examination subject, and the fostering of a positive attitude to both English and the Malay language. In this article we compare the Malaysian and the South African situations, and consider how the Malaysian experience could benefit South Africa.
Emotional cue exposure for alcohol abuse: development of a new treatment procedure to train moderation drinking in the context of dysphoria

Negative mood states are credited to exacerbate excessive drinking among problem drinkers. We developed an emotional cue exposure treatment procedure and applied it to three problem drinkers who have a history of drinking excessively under stressful emotional states. All three preferred a controlled drinking goal and received an average of seven sessions of treatment. Treatment comprised of providing alcohol (priming doses), followed by negative mood induction and response prevention of further drinking. Reductions were observed in the quantity and frequency of drinking, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Severity of Alcohol Dependence Questionnaire (Form C) and the Impaired Control Questionnaire scores. Increments were observed in self-efficacy to face different difficult situations. These gains were maintained at the 6-month follow-up. Providing alcohol to problem drinkers in treatment, followed by negative mood induction and response prevention, is clinically feasible and may benefit clients who drink under a variety of stressful mood states. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nao humanoid robot gait planning based on the linear inverted pendulum

The gait planning of humanoid robot Nao is solved based on the linear inverted pendulum (LIPM) in this paper. The step length and period is selected according to the structure of Nao. LIPM model and ZMP is applied in the planning. An ideal gait data is obtained through simulation experiment, demonstrating the effectiveness of the LIPM model in the gait planning of the biped robot.
Cachectin/tumor necrosis factor stimulates collagenase and prostaglandin E2 production by human synovial cells and dermal fibroblasts

Cachectin/TNF (tumor necrosis factor), an endotoxin-induced murine macrophage hormone implicated in the pathogenesis of cachexia and shock, has been found capable of stimulating collagenase and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production by isolated human synovial cells and dermal fibroblasts. This bioactivity associated with cachectin is comparable to that observed with the monokine interleukin 1 (IL-1), previously suggested as the major mediator of proteolysis. The ability of cachectin/TNF to stimulate collagenase and PGE2 production suggests that it may play a role in tissue destruction and remodelling, as these processes occur in inflammatory diseases.
Temperature Shift and Host Cell Contact Up-Regulate Sporozoite Expression of Plasmodium falciparum Genes Involved in Hepatocyte Infection

Plasmodium sporozoites are deposited in the skin by Anopheles mosquitoes. They then find their way to the liver, where they specifically invade hepatocytes in which they develop to yield merozoites infective to red blood cells. Relatively little is known of the molecular interactions during these initial obligatory phases of the infection. Recent data suggested that many of the inoculated sporozoites invade hepatocytes an hour or more after the infective bite. We hypothesised that this pre-invasive period in the mammalian host prepares sporozoites for successful hepatocyte infection. Therefore, the genes whose expression becomes modified prior to hepatocyte invasion would be those likely to code for proteins implicated in the subsequent events of invasion and development. We have used P. falciparum sporozoites and their natural host cells, primary human hepatocytes, in in vitro co-culture system as a model for the pre-invasive period. We first established that under co-culture conditions, sporozoites maintain infectivity for an hour or more, in contrast to a drastic loss in infectivity when hepatocytes were not included. Thus, a differential transcriptome of salivary gland sporozoites versus sporozoites co-cultured with hepatocytes was established using a pan-genomic P. falciparum microarray. The expression of 532 genes was found to have been up-regulated following co-culture. A fifth of these genes had no orthologues in the genomes of Plasmodium species used in rodent models of malaria. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of a selection of 21 genes confirmed the reliability of the microarray data. Time-course analysis further indicated two patterns of up-regulation following sporozoite co-culture, one transient and the other sustained, suggesting roles in hepatocyte invasion and liver stage development, respectively. This was supported by functional studies of four hitherto uncharacterized proteins of which two were shown to be sporozoite surface proteins involved in hepatocyte invasion, while the other two were predominantly expressed during hepatic parasite development. The genome-wide up-regulation of expression observed supports the hypothesis that the shift from the mosquito to the mammalian host contributes to activate quiescent salivary gland sporozoites into a state of readiness for the hepatic stages. Functional studies on four of the up-regulated genes validated our approach as one means to determine the repertoire of proteins implicated during the early events of the Plasmodium infection, and in this case that of P. falciparum, the species responsible for the severest forms of malaria.
Power loss modelling of MOSFET inverter for low-power permanent magnet synchronous motor drive

This paper investigates an analytical power loss modeling method applied to a three-phase voltage source inverter, aiming to obtain an accurate inverter loss without the need of extensive experimental measurement, under the context of inverter efficiency optimization. Modeling of semiconductor is achieved through analytical equations for conduction and switching losses in the MATLAB/Simulink environment, using drain-to-source current and voltage waveforms. An experimental verification consisting of low power DC-source, three-phase MOSFET inverter and brushless dc motor, is conducted to validate the loss model. It is found that the modeled power loss is generally consistent with experimental verification at incremental dc-link voltage from 12V-18V, with inverter efficiencies in the 94.7-97.4% and 94.5-97.2% regions, respectively. The developed loss model can be used in fast inverter-motor drive power loss optimization where losses depend on circuit parameters and operating point of motor, which are accounted for in the developed model.
Revisiting Nagel on Altruism

Abstract In this paper, I pursue an interpretive goal and a critical goal. My interpretive goal is to offer a clear restatement of Nagel's argument for a requirement of altruism (as found in The Possibility of Altruism). My critical goal is to explain why this argument is unsuccessful, and to make a case for the thesis that any argument of its kind must fail.
Inner-city achievers: who are they?

OBJECTIVE To define characteristics that differentiate inner-city children with Average or above-Average Full Scale IQ scores (> or =90) from those with below-Average scores (<90). DESIGN As part of a prospective study of children with and without in utero cocaine exposure tested at age 4 years on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence-Revised, we found that, taken together, only 32 (21%) scored at or above 90 whereas 118 (79%) scored below 90. The groups (IQ> or =90 and IQ<90) were compared on prenatal, natal, and postnatal factors. SETTING A study center in an inner-city hospital. PARTICIPANTS One hundred-fifty children of low socioeconomic status, 34 weeks' gestational age or older, and nonasphyxiated at birth, who had intelligence testing at age 4 years; 150 caregivers (biological and foster). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Association of Full Scale IQ with prenatal, natal, and postnatal characteristics (including caregiver-child interaction measured by the Parent Caregiver Involvement Scale [PCIS], and home environment measured by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment [HOME]). RESULTS The group of children with IQs at or above 90 (n = 32) did not differ from the group with IQs below 90 (n = 118) in prenatal or natal characteristics (all P> or =.18) or proportion in foster care, attendance at day care or Head Start, continued caregiver cocaine use, or parental IQ. Children with IQs at or above 90 had more developmentally appropriate interaction by caregivers (P=.043) and higher scores on 6 of 8 subscales and Total HOME (P< or =.05) than the group of children with IQs below 90. CONCLUSIONS Two postnatal factors, home environment and caregiver-child interaction, were associated with Full Scale IQ scores at or above 90 whereas prenatal and natal factors were not. These potentially malleable postnatal factors can be targeted for change to improve cognitive outcome of inner-city children.
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and cardiac surgery

Purpose of review Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an important, increasingly recognized antibody-mediated complication of heparin therapy occurring in approximately 0.5–5% of patients receiving heparin for at least 5 days. HIT is a prothrombotic disorder that typically presents with a 50% platelet count drop, thrombotic event manifesting usually 5–14 days after starting heparin, or both. HIT antibodies usually decrease to negative titers/levels within 3 months. When there is clinical suspicion of HIT, heparin should be discontinued and alternative anticoagulation should be considered, as well as laboratory evaluation for HIT. Recent findings HIT immunoassay results should be used for clinical decision-making about initial anticoagulation management. Recent data reevaluate the importance of absolute titers of HIT antibodies as a risk factor for clinical occurrence. Although laboratory assays are routinely used, current data suggest that increasing optical densities are more likely associated with a positive 14C-serotonin release assay and HIT. HIT is also associated with a greater risk for adverse events, so even though alternative anticoagulation is used, clinicians should be aware of this hypercoagulable syndrome. Summary For patients with HIT, alternative anticoagulation is available, but for cardiovascular surgery, if the operation cannot be delayed until HIT antibodies have become negative, alternative anticoagulation strategies are recommended, although patients with HIT are at a greater risk for adverse outcomes.
Implementing the design of magnetic flip-flop based on swapped MOS design

Flip-flops are used as data storage elements for storing its states. Non-volatile may retain stored information even without power. In this proposed, a power-efficient Magnetic Flip-flop design architecture is implemented to reduce high write energy which required at the time of computing purpose and reduces leakage power. The design is based on multi-threshold swapped MOS design using CMOS technology which reduces writing energy and time. The CMOS technology provides less noise ratio during the design. Thus the proposed method achieves lower power consumption and reduced writing energy and its time.
A MODEL OF COMPETITION BETWEEN EMPLOYED , SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED JOB !

This paper presents a model in which not only employed job search is endogenized, but also the phenomenon that long-term unemployed may become discouraged and stop searching for a job. When this model is applied to Dutch flow data, we find that this discouragement particularly took place in the early 1980's. We also find that ,a mere stimulus to labour participation is not enough to solve the problem of the high long-term unemployment in The Netherlands.
Automated short tandem repeat (STR) analysis in forensic casework — a strategy for the future

Short tandem repeat (STR) loci are routinely analysed for forensic purposes in the UK. Because small regions of DNa are amplified, successful results are more likely to be obtained from highly degraded material where the DNA fragment length may be < 500 bp. The method is superceeding conventional analysis with single locus probes (SLPs). Dimeric STR loci display stutter artefacts, hence STRs used in casework are restricted to tri or tetrameric loci. Some STRs are complex repeats and have more alleles than simple repeats – for example the locus D21S11 has 21 alleles which differ in size by 2 bp because of the presence/absence of a hexanucleotide within the block of tetrameric repeats. These loci are of great potential interest because they combine increased discriminating power with reduced potential to stutter. Multiplexing 4 different loci with different dye labelled primers (i.e. carrying out polymerase chain reaction of 4 loci simulataneously) using the ABD 373 A automated sequencer enables a large numbers of samples to be processed. In addition data aquisition and manipulation is automated so that minimum postelectrophoresis operator input is required. It is our aim to develop a system equivalent in power to that of 4 single locus probes. To achieve this we have developed an octoplex system consisting of 7 loci and a sex test (amelogenin locus) which has a probability of chance of association of 10−9; the power of this system is equivalent to that achieved by 4 conventional SLPs.
Histomorphometric outcomes after lateral sinus floor elevation procedure: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present systematic review of the literature was to evaluate biomaterials performances considering new bone formation estimated through histomorphometric analysis of bone biopsies from human subjects after maxillary sinus floor elevation. MATERIALS AND METHODS An electronic and manual search was performed to retrieve articles showing histomorphometric data of bone biopsies performed after sinus floor elevation surgery. Recorded data were statistically analyzed evaluating percentage of new bone volume, residual biomaterial, and connective/soft tissues in the biopsies. A meta-analysis of comparative studies was also performed. RESULTS After article selection process, 84 articles were included in the quantitative synthesis and 16 of them in the meta-analysis of comparative studies. The use of autogenous bone (AB) alone led to a significantly higher new bone formation if compared with bovine bone (BB) alone (P = 0.04), while no significant difference was found when the latter was compared with a mixture of AB and BB (P = 0.52). Grafts composed of BB showed significantly greater new bone formation as compared to hydroxyapatite (HA) (P < 0.001) while a mixture of tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and HA achieved better outcomes than BB (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Based on histomorphometric evaluation, AB should still be taken into consideration when the highest possible new bone formation is the primary aim in maxillary sinus surgery. When donor site morbidity is a concern, BB and a mixture of TCP and HA could be considered as predictable, showing promising results. More comparative histologic studies are needed to confirm such results.
The Sensor Network as a Database

Wireless sensor networks are an emerging area of research interest with a number of compelling potential applications. By architecting sensor networks as virtual databases, we can provide a well-understood nonprocedural programming interface suitable to data management, allowing the community to realize sensornet applications rapidly. We argue here that in order to achieve an energy-efficient and useful implementation, query processing operators should be implemented within the sensor network, and that approximate query results will play a key role. We observe that innetwork implementations of database operators require novel data-centric routing mechanisms, as well as a reconsideration of traditional network and database interface layering.
Relating Clustering Stability to Properties of Cluster Boundaries

In this paper, we investigate stability-based methods for cluster model selection, in particular to select the number K of clusters. The scenario under consideration is that clustering is performed by minimizing a certain clustering quality function, and that a unique global minimizer exists. On the one hand we show that stability can be upper bounded by certain properties of the optimal clustering, namely by the mass in a small tube around the cluster boundaries. On the other hand, we provide counterexamples which show that a reverse statement is not true in general. Finally, we give some examples and arguments why, from a theoretic point of view, using clustering stability in a high sample setting can be problematic. It can be seen that distribution-free guarantees bounding the difference between the finite sample stability and the “true stability” cannot exist, unless one makes strong assumptions on the underlying distribution.
Design and evaluation of tactile sensors for the estimation of grasped wire shape

This work presents the design of the tactile sensor within the WIRES project, aimed at automating the cabling process of switchgears. The design objective is the development of a sensor able to estimate both position and orientation of the grasped wire, with respect to a known reference frame. To this aim, an extensive Finite Element analysis has been performed to optimize the number of taxels, by simulating the contact between the sensor and wires with various diameters and grasping conditions. A specific algorithm for the reconstruction of the grasped wire shape has been developed and used for defining suitable metrics adopted in the design phase. Based on simulation results, a first prototype of the sensor has been realized and the proposed reconstruction algorithm has been experimentally tested.