Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti-CD19 immunotoxin enhances the activity of chemotherapy in severe combined immunodeficient mice with human pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia

The anti-CD19 immunotoxin (IT) (HD37-dgRTA) is effective in killing B-lineage leukemia cells and in curing severe combined immunodeficient mice with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The present study aimed to identify effective combinations of HD37-dgRTA and chemotherapeutic agents. The in-vitro cytotoxicity assays demonstrate that the combination of HD37-dgRTA and either daunorubicin or vincristine is effective. The in-vivo experiments using HD37-dgRTA with vincristine prolonged the survival of mice compared to the chemotherapeutic agent or IT (90.7 vs. 147.1 days). Also, 80% of the mice treated with IT plus vincristine were long-term survivors.
Development of an acetylcholinesterase–choline oxidase based biosensor for acetylcholine determination

Abstract In this article, a novel amperometric acetylcholine (ACh) biosensor with immobilization of acetylcholinesterase–choline oxidase (AChE–ChO) on electrochemically polymerized polyaniline–polyvinylsulphonate (PANI–PVS) film has been successfully developed for the first time. AChE and ChO enzymes were immobilized on PANI–PVS film by cross-linking with using glutaraldehyde (GA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Determination of ACh was carried out by oxidation of enzymatically produced H2O2 at +0.4 V versus Ag/AgCl. Optimum pH and temperature were found to be 8.0 and 60 °C, respectively. The linear part was in the region 1.0 × 10−7–6.0 × 10−7 M (R 2 = 0.990). Storage stability and operation stability of the enzyme electrode were also studied.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress associated apoptosis implicated in atrial fibrillation

Myocardial apoptosis is a key event in the initiation and progression of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the trigger mechanism of apoptosis in AF has not been fully clarified. It has been reported that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress could mediate apoptosis and play a role in tissue remodeling after insult. This study explored the possible implication of ER stress and its association with apoptosis in AF patients. We analyzed the biopsies of left atrial appendage (LAA) from patients with paroxysmal AF (PaAF, n = 10), persistent AF (PeAF, n = 24) and sinus rhythm (SR, n = 20) undergoing isolated mitral valve surgery. Compared with patients in SR group, ER stress mediators, processed p50 activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), spliced X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), apoptosis-inductor C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) and Death Receptor 5 (DR5) were significantly elevated in PaAF and PeAF group. Caspase 3 cleavage and TUNEL positive cells were also increased in PaAF and PeAF group, paralleled with the expression of ER stress mediators. The results suggested that ER stress response was activated in AF, and prolonged ER stress was associated with myocardial apoptosis in AF patients.
IMPACT OF BETAINE, VITAMIN C AND FOLIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATIONS TO THE DIET ON PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF MATROUH POULTRY STRAIN UNDER EGYPTIAN SUMMER CONDITION

The present study aimed to study the effects of betaine (1g/kg diet), vitamin C (200mg/kg diet) or folic acid (1mg/kg diet) supplementations either alone, together or in combinations to the diet on productive and reproductive traits, digestibility nutrient, and economic efficiency of Matrouh poultry strain from 24-36 weeks of age under Egyptian hot summer condition (from June to September2008). A total number of 240 laying hens and 48 cocks of Matrouh strain (local strain) were randomly distributed into eight equal groups (30 hens and 6 cocks/ each). Each group was nearly equal in average body weight. The averages minimum and maximum ambient temperatures ranged between 23.6 and 34.7 0 C and relative humidity from 31.8 to 80.7%. , during the experimental period. Results obtained showed that the body weight at 32 or 36 weeks, feed conversion, egg production and egg mass were significantly (P<0.05) improved with the diet supplemented with betaine alone or in combination with vitamin C or folic acid as compared to control group. Supplementation of betaine, vitamin C or folic acid together or in combinations significantly increased (P < 0.05) shell thickness, Haugh units, shell to egg weight, sperm motility, hemoglobin, total protein, globulin, antibody titer against SRBC’S and significantly decreased (P < 0.05) dead spermatozoa, serum glucose, cholesterol, HDL and tri-glycerdes as compared with control group. The digestion coefficient of crude protein and ether extract were significantly (P<0.05) increased with the diet supplemented with betaine alone or together with vitamin C or folic acid or in combinations as compared to the control group. The best economic efficiency was obtained with layers fed diet containing of betaine plus vitamin C and follow in combinations of betaine, vitamin C and folic acid as compared to other groups. In conclusion, combinations of betaine (1g /kg diet), vitamin C (200mg/kg diet) and folic acid (1 mg /kg diet) improved the most productive and reproductive traits of Matrouh strain under Egyptian hot summer.
Liver Transplantation with Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation is More Effective than Resection for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma

Objective:Compare survival after neoadjuvant therapy and liver transplantation with survival after resection for patients with hilar CCA. Summary Background Data:We developed a protocol combining neoadjuvant radiotherapy, chemosensitization, and orthotopic liver transplantation for patients with operatively confirmed stage I and II hilar CCA in 1993. Since then, patients with unresectable CCA or CCA arising in the setting of PSC have been enrolled in the transplant protocol. Patients with tumors amenable to resection have undergone excision of the extrahepatic duct with lymphadenectomy and liver resection. Methods:We reviewed our experience between January 1993 and August 2004 and compared patient survival between the treatment groups. Results:Seventy-one patients entered the transplant treatment protocol and 38 underwent liver transplantation. Fifty-four patients were explored for resection. Twenty-six (48%) underwent resection, and 28 (52%) had unresectable disease. One-, 3-, and 5-year patient survival were 92%, 82%, and 82% after transplantation and 82%, 48%, and 21% after resection (P = 0.022). There were fewer recurrences in the transplant patients (13% versus 27%). Conclusions:Liver transplantation with neoadjuvant chemoradiation achieved better survival with less recurrence than conventional resection and should be considered as an alternative to resection for patients with localized, node-negative hilar CCA.
The inversion GPR signal by compressing sensing and its application

GPR signal is essentially a delayed, scaled and distorted version of the transmitted pulse, determined by sparse parameters such as time delays and amplitudes. The time delay indicates the detected target's depth, and the amplitude is the impedance contrast at interface or reflection coefficient. A system for sampling GPR signal at an ultra-low sampling rate based on the Finite Rate of Innovation (FRI) and the estimation of time delays and amplitudes to detect GPR signal is presented in the paper. We build the algorithm and apply it to real GPR data from Northwest of China. The results demonstrate that the inverted impedance and time delay can be used to depict the sandstone and clay layer with high accuracy.
Eye Examination Testability in Children with Autism and in Typical Peers

Purpose To compare testability of vision and eye tests in an examination protocol of 9- to 17-year-old patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to typically developing (TD) peers. Methods In a prospective pilot study, 61 children and adolescents (34 with ASD and 27 who were TD) aged 9 to 17 years completed an eye examination protocol including tests of visual acuity, refraction, convergence (eye teaming), stereoacuity (depth perception), ocular motility, and ocular health. Patients who required new refractive correction were retested after wearing their updated spectacle prescription for 1 month. The specialized protocol incorporated visual, sensory, and communication supports. A psychologist determined group status/eligibility using DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision) criteria by review of previous evaluations and parent responses on the Social Communication Questionnaire. Before the examination, parents provided information regarding patients’ sex, race, ethnicity, and, for ASD patients, verbal communication level (nonverbal, uses short words, verbal). Parents indicated whether the patient wore a refractive correction, whether the patient had ever had an eye examination, and the age at the last examination. Chi-square tests compared testability results for TD and ASD groups. Results Typically developing and ASD groups did not differ by age (p = 0.54), sex (p = 0.53), or ethnicity (p = 0.22). Testability was high on most tests (TD, 100%; ASD, 88 to 100%), except for intraocular pressure (IOP), which was reduced for both the ASD (71%) and the TD (89%) patients. Among ASD patients, IOP testability varied greatly with verbal communication level (p < 0.001). Although IOP measurements were completed on all verbal patients, only 37.5% of nonverbal and 44.4% of ASD patients who used short words were successful. Conclusions Patients with ASD can complete most vision and eye tests within an examination protocol. Testability of IOPs is reduced, particularly for nonverbal patients and patients who use short words to communicate.
Metaphase Harvest and Cytogenetic Analysis of Malignant Hematological Specimens

Cytogenetic analysis of malignant hematological disease is an important methodology used by clinicians and researchers, as observations of clonal chromosomal abnormalities have been shown to have both diagnostic and prognostic significance. The describes the culture, harvest, and preparation of chromosome spreads from bone marrow aspirates. Five alternate protocols describe adaptations of the for preparation of specimens from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) bone marrow, leukemic peripheral blood, CLL peripheral blood, post‐bone marrow transplant (post‐BMT) peripheral blood, and aplastic anemia bone marrow and peripheral blood. The modifications involve slightly different culture and harvest methods that are necessary to assure optimal results.
A 10–40 GHz frequency quadrupler source with switchable bandpass filters and > 30 dBc harmonic rejection

This paper presents a 10–40 GHz wideband frequency quadrupler in GF8HP 0.13 µm SiGe BiCMOS process. Three bands (low-, mid-, and high-band) are implemented on-chip for wideband operation. An on-chip 4-pole switchable elliptic bandpass filter is also used to result in greatly improved harmonic rejection ratio (HRR). The measured worstcase HRR is 32–48 dBc at 11–40 GHz with an output power of +1 to −8 dBm for Pin= 1 dBm (25–32 dB at 10–11 GHz). The output power and HRR remain nearly constant with Pin of 0–7 dBm. The chip is 3.96 mm2 and consumes 60 mW in low- and mid-band modes, and 84 mW for the high-band mode. To our knowledge, this wideband frequency quadrupler represents state-of-the-art performance in terms of bandwidth, HRR and Pout. Application areas are wideband low-harmonic content sources for wideband measurement systems, high-resolution imaging systems and digital beamforming phased-arrays.
Biology of Stem Cells in Human Umbilical Cord Stroma: In Situ and In Vitro Surveys

Cells in the umbilical cord stroma have gained attention in recent years; however, differentiation to certain lineages in humans has been demonstrated in few studies. Unlike bone marrow MSCs, human umbilical cord stroma cells (HUCSCs) are far from being well characterized. This study attempts to describe proliferation, structural, and differentiation properties of these cells to account for their exceptional nature in many aspects. Cellular dynamics, cellular structure, and the degree of transformations during expansion and differentiation into mesenchymal and neuronal lineages were examined in vitro over a 10‐month period. Comparisons with human bone marrow MSCs regarding differentiation were performed. HUCSCs in culture revealed two distinct cell populations, type 1 and type 2 cells, that possessed differential vimentin and cytokeratin filaments. Corresponding cells were encountered in cord sections displaying region‐specific localization. α‐Smooth muscle actin and desmin filaments, which were evident in cord sections, diminished through passages. No difference was noted regarding type 1 and type 2 cells in differentiation to chondrogenic, adipogenic, and osteogenic lineages, whereas a preferential differentiation was noted in neuronal lineage. Relative success was achieved by production of chondrocytic spheres and osteogenic monolayers, whereas adipocytes were immature compared with bone marrow MSCs. The presence of neuronal markers suggests that they transform into a certain state of maturity under neurogenic induction. Conclusively, HUCSCs retain their original phenotype in culture without spontaneous differentiation, have a limited lifespan, and bear multipotent stem cell characteristics. Given these characteristics, they may be generally considered progenitor cells if manipulated under appropriate conditions and deserve further study to be potentially used in cell‐based therapies.
New and simple equations to estimate the energy and fat contents and energy density of humans in sickness and health

Two formulas were derived to estimate the energy content of the human body which use only body mass, total body water by 3H2O dilution space and body minerals assessed by anthropometry. The formulas were tested in a body composition database of 561 patients and 151 normal volunteers using established metabolizable energy values for protein, fat and glycogen. Total body protein was determined by in vivo neutron activation analysis (IVNAA), body water by dilution of tritium and body minerals from skeletal frame size. Body glycogen was assumed to be 14.6 % of the mineral component. Body fat was obtained by difference, body mass less the sum of water, protein, minerals and glycogen. The standard deviation in the estimate of body energy content was 30 MJ or 4.1 % of the energy content of reference man. Two formulas for body energy content were derived by regression with body mass, total body water and body minerals or height. Two formulas for energy density and formulas for percentage body fat were similarly derived.
Natalizumab in pediatric multiple sclerosis: results of a cohort of 55 cases

Background: Limited information is available on the use of natalizumab (NA) in pediatric multiple sclerosis (ped-MS) patients. Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the long-term effects of NA in a large cohort of active ped-MS patients. Methods: Patients with definite ped-MS were treated with NA if in the previous year they had experienced at least two relapses or a severe relapse with incomplete recovery while on immunomodulating treatment, or at least two relapses and new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) lesions regardless of any prior treatment. Results: The study included 55 patients (mean age: 14.4 years, mean number of relapses: 4.4, pre-treatment mean disease duration: 25.5 months). They received a median number of 26 infusions. Three relapses occurred during the follow-up, one female patient continued to deteriorate in cognitive functioning. Mean Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores decreased from 2.7 to 1.9 at the last visit (p<0.001). During the follow-up the majority of patients remained free from MRI activity. Transient and mild clinical adverse events occurred in 20 patients. Mild hematological abnormalities occurred in seven patients. Anti-JCV antibodies were detected in 20/51 tested patients. Conclusions: NA was well tolerated in all patients. A strong suppression of disease activity was observed in the majority of patients during the follow-up.
Guidelines on the diagnosis and management of the thrombotic microangiopathic haemolytic anaemias

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) was first described by Moschowitz (1924). The classic pentad of diagnostic features has been recognized for many years. However, several other syndromes are also characterized by similar features. These include haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), eclampsia and the HELLP syndrome (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets). The concept has arisen that they might represent an overlapping spectrum of disease, although with varying pathophysiological features (see Table I). The recent characterization of a novel von Willebrand factor (VWF)-cleaving metalloprotease activity (Furlan et al, 1996; Tsai, 1996) and its deficiency or inhibition in some forms of microangiopathic haemolysis (Furlan et al, 1997, 1998; Tsai & Lian, 1998) has led to speculation that a pathogenic mechanism for individual patients can be defined more readily and appropriate treatment introduced more rapidly. However, there is still considerable confusion, a lack of properly conducted randomized clinical trials and poor co-ordination of clinical data. This is, in part, because these patients present to a range of specialists including haematologists, obstetricians, nephrologists and infectious disease physicians. These guidelines attempt to define the various clinical subtypes, specify the recognized diagnostic features and look critically at management options. It is acknowledged that there is a lack of evidence from well-conducted studies on which to support some of the recommendations made.
Opposite Modulation of Cocaine-Seeking Behavior by D1- and D2-Like Dopamine Receptor Agonists

Activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system is known to trigger relapse in animal models of cocaine-seeking behavior. We found that this “priming” effect was selectively induced by D2-like, and not by D1-like, dopamine receptor agonists in rats. Moreover, D1-like receptor agonists prevented cocaine-seeking behavior induced by cocaine itself, whereas D2-like receptor agonists enhanced this behavior. These results demonstrate an important dissociation between D1- and D2-like receptor processes in cocaine-seeking behavior and support further evaluation of D1-like receptor agonists as a possible pharmacotherapy for cocaine addiction.
Campylobacter jejuni-associated hemolytic-uremic syndrome: a possible role for endotoxin.

To the Editor. —Although the hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) has multiple causes and its pathogenesis remains to be elucidated, the case described by Delans et al, 1 like others, 2 offers challenge for some suggestions dealing with a common mediator involved in the disease production. As suggested by Delans et al, 1 other investigators 3-5 have indicated a possible role for endotoxin in the pathogenetic mechanisms of HUS. Since recent data have provided evidence for "endotoxicity" of members of the genus Campylobacter , 6,7 it is not unreasonable to indicate the endotoxic lipopolysaccharide of the bacterium as one of the possible determinants of the illness. Clinical studies devoted to identifying circulating endotoxin (as done in HUS after shigellosis 4 ) could confirm the relevance and the value of these suggestions.
1 MOBILE AUGMENTED REALITY FOR SPATIAL INFORMATION EXPLORATION

In this paper, we present an augmented reality system that integrates real and virtual worlds for outdoor sustainable education in campus. We develop a mobile spatially-aware computational device as a visualization aid to students learning outdoors. We apply the mobile augmented reality technology to a newly constructed ecological garden in our campus. Users can virtually see the underlying water cycling system outdoors and map the virtual objects to physical reality through embodied interaction with the computational device. The objective is to make invisible information visible to users to extend interactions with our “living” environment.
A Multicriteria Weighted Vote‐Based Classifier Ensemble for Heart Disease Prediction

The availability of a large amount of medical data leads to the need of intelligent disease prediction and analysis tools to extract hidden information. A large number of data mining and statistical analysis tools are used for disease prediction. Single data‐mining techniques show acceptable level of accuracy for heart disease diagnosis. This article focuses on prediction and analysis of heart disease using weighted vote‐based classifier ensemble technique. The proposed ensemble model overcomes the limitations of conventional data‐mining techniques by employing the ensemble of five heterogeneous classifiers: naive Bayes, decision tree based on Gini index, decision tree based on information gain, instance‐based learner, and support vector machines. We have used five benchmark heart disease data sets taken from UCI repository. Each data set contains different set of feature space that ultimately leads to the prediction of heart disease. The effectiveness of proposed ensemble classifier is investigated by comparing the performance with different researchers' techniques. Tenfold cross‐validation is used to handle the class imbalance problem. Moreover, confusion matrices and analysis of variance statistics are used to show the prediction results of all classifiers. The experimental results verify that the proposed ensemble classifier can deal with all types of attributes and it has achieved the high diagnosis accuracy of 87.37%, sensitivity of 93.75%, specificity of 92.86%, and F‐measure of 82.17%. The F‐ratio higher than the F‐critical and p‐value less than 0.01 for a 95% confidence interval indicate that the results are statistically significant for all the data sets.
Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeographic Differentiation among Avian Populations and the Evolutionary Significance of Subspecies

ABsTRAcr. -Phylogeographic population structures revealed by restriction analyses of mitochondrial (mt) DNA were assessed within each of six avian species with continentwide distributions in North America. The magnitude and geographic pattern of mtDNA variation differed considerably among species. The Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) and Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) exhibited little mtDNA polymorphism and a shallow phylogeographic structure. The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) and Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) showed somewhat higher nucleotide diversity, but no evidence of long-standing population separations. For each of these four species, evolutionary effective sizes of female populations estimated from mtDNA were substantially smaller than population sizes at the present time, suggesting historical demographic constraints on the numbers of females through which mtDNA lineages successfully have been transmitted. In contrast, the Rufous-sided Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) and Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) showed relatively deep mtDNA separations (mean nucleotide sequence divergence p = 0.008 and p = 0.012, respectively) between populations in Washington versus those in the central and eastern states. In the case of the Rufous-sided Towhee, the mtDNA clades may correspond to morphological and behavioral differences distinguishing the western "Spotted Towhee," which was formerly recognized as a distinct species. Overall, however, most of the taxonomic subspecies currently recognized within the six assayed species were genetically very close, and showed no obvious mtDNA differences. These results raise questions concerning the population-genetic and evolutionary significance of current subspecies designations in ornithology. Received 5 June 1991, accepted 23 February 1992.