Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hodgkin's disease with monoclonal and polyclonal populations of Reed-Sternberg cells.

BACKGROUND There is strong evidence that Reed-Sternberg cells have a lymphoid phenotype, but clonally rearranged genes for B-cell and T-cell antigen receptors have not been demonstrable in tumor tissue from most patients with Hodgkin's disease. To elucidate this issue, we assayed single Reed-Sternberg cells from 12 patients with classic Hodgkin's disease of a B-cell immunophenotype to detect rearranged immunoglobulin variable-region heavy-chain (VH) genes. METHODS We isolated single Reed-Sternberg cells from frozen sections that had been immunostained for CD30. The rearranged VH genes of these cells were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by gel electrophoresis and nucleotide sequencing. RESULTS In all 12 patients, the Reed-Sternberg cells studied contained rearranged VH genes. Three patterns were observed: in three patients the rearrangements in each patient were identical, in six patients all the rearrangements were unrelated and unique, and in three patients both identical and unrelated rearrangements were detected. Apparently somatic mutations of VH genes were present in some Reed-Sternberg cells but absent in others. CONCLUSIONS Reed-Sternberg cells with B-cell phenotypes have rearranged VH genes; therefore, these cells arise from B cells. The pattern of VH gene mutations suggests that Reed-Sternberg cells can correspond to either immunologically naive or memory B cells. In half our patients the population of Reed-Sternberg cells was polyclonal; in the other half, monoclonal or mixed cell populations were found. Correlation with the clinical stage suggests that polyclonal Hodgkin's disease can present as a widespread lymphoma.
Spontaneous self-affirmation is associated with psychological well-being: Evidence from a US national adult survey sample

Emerging evidence suggests that individuals spontaneously self-affirm, by reflecting on values and strengths, in response to daily threats. We examined the prevalence and demographic and well-being correlates of spontaneous self-affirmation in the general population. Participants (n = 3185) completed the cross-sectional, nationally representative 2013 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS 4, Cycle 3), and answered questions about spontaneous self-affirmation, demographic factors, well-being, and affect. The majority of the population reported spontaneously self-affirming. Black and Hispanic respondents reported engaging in more spontaneous self-affirmation. Engaging in spontaneous self-affirmation was related to greater happiness, hopefulness, optimism, subjective health, and personal health efficacy, and less anger and sadness.
Orf virus infection and host immunity

Purpose of review A summary of recent advances in our knowledge of the biology of orf virus is presented to illustrate the interaction of a zoonotic pathogen with host skin. This is providing novel and interesting data on the viral mechanism of skin infection and the host response. Recent findings The full genome sequences of two parapoxviruses (orf virus and bovine papular stomatitis virus) have recently been published, defining the parapoxvirus genus at the molecular genetic level. This, along with more detailed characterization of viral immuno-modulatory proteins, is providing an insight into the acquisition of host genes and the mechanism of pathogenesis. A new chemokine-binding protein has been discovered with unique features. Structure–function analysis of the viral granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor inhibitory factor has revealed a similarity to type 1 cytokine receptors. The viral vascular endothelial growth factor-E stimulates angiogenesis in the skin without the side effects seen with cellular vascular endothelial growth factor-A, and may have therapeutic potential. Finally, orf virus is proving useful both as an immuno-modulator and as a vector for the expression of foreign antigens in non-permissive species. Summary Orf virus infection provokes a vigorous skin immune response. However, the virus has acquired a range of immuno-modulatory/pathogenesis-related genes that function to limit (at least transiently) the effectiveness of host immunity. With the advent of the orf virus genome sequence, the study of this dynamic process will provide important insights into virus pathogenesis and the host skin immune response to infection.
A 0.55-V 25-GHz transformer-coupled frequency divider with quadrature outputs

This paper presents the design of an ultra-low-voltage (ULV) transformer-coupled (TC) frequency divider. On-chip transformers are used to cross-couple two regenerative dividers for quadrature-phase generation while achieving low-voltage, low-power and wideband operation. Implemented in a standard 0.13-mum CMOS process, the ULV-TC divider measures an input operation range of 19.2% from 22.6 GHz to 27.4 GHz and an IQ sideband rejection of 41 dB while consuming a minimum 6.8 mW from a 0.55 V power supply.
Omeprazole for treatment of chronic erosive esophagitis in children: a multicenter study of efficacy, safety, tolerability and dose requirements. International Pediatric Omeprazole Study Group.

OBJECTIVES To determine the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of omeprazole in children and to determine the doses required to heal chronic, severe esophagitis. STUDY DESIGN Open multicenter study in children aged 1 to 16 years with erosive reflux esophagitis. The healing dose of omeprazole used was that with which the duration of acid reflux was <6% of a 24-hour intraesophageal pH study. Follow-up endoscopy was performed after 3 months of treatment with the healing dose. RESULTS At entry, two thirds of 57 patients who completed the study had esophagitis grade 3 or 4 (scale 0-4); some 50% had neurologic impairment or repaired esophageal atresia. Of the 57 patients, 54 healed; 3 did not heal and left the study, and 3 healed with a second course. Doses required for healing were 0.7 to 3.5 mg/kg/d: 0.7 mg/kg/d in 44% of patients and 1.4 mg/kg/d in another 28%. Healing dose correlated with grade of esophagitis but not with age or underlying disease. Reflux symptoms improved dramatically in almost all of the 57 patients, including the unhealed patients. CONCLUSIONS Omeprazole is well tolerated, highly effective, and safe for treatment of erosive esophagitis and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux in children, including children in whom antireflux surgery or other medical therapy has failed. On a per-kilogram basis, the doses of omeprazole required to heal erosive esophagitis are much greater than those required for adults.
Cyber-Physical Systems as an embodiment of Digital Ecosystems extended abstract

Digital Ecosystems represent the union between the digital world and real world. Cyber-Physical Systems provide a unified framework for connecting the abstract computational artifacts with the physical world. This allows for robust and flexible architectural design with multi-scale dynamics and integrated wired and wireless networking for managing the flows of mass, energy, and information in a coherent way. An example of Cyber Physical Systems is connecting sensors (which provide information from the physical world) to the internet (which represents the cyber world). Cyber-Physical Systems has recently been listed as the No.1 research priority by the U.S. President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Cyber-Physical Systems framework has the capability to tackle numerous scientific, social and economical issues. However, building Cyber-Physical Systems is not a trivial task. It requires a new ground-breaking theory that models cyber and physical resources in a unified framework. Digital Ecosystems constitute a superset which includes these Cyber Physical systems. Thus the underlying theories of Digital Ecosystems will help to provide important pointers to the development of these Cyber Physical Systems. None of the current state-of-the-art methods are able to overcome the challenges of building such Cyber Physical Systems due to the fact that computer science and theories underlying the real world have developed independently based on overly-simplified assumptions of each other. For example, many key requirements (e.g. uncertainty, inaccuracy, etc.) crucial to physical systems are not captured and fully dealt within the computer science research agenda. Similarly computational complexity, system evolution, software failure and failures of computer hardware are often ignored from the viewpoint of theories of the physical world, which treats computation as a precise, error-free, static ‘black-box’. The solution to Cyber-Physical Systems must break the boundary between the cyber world and the physical world by providing a unified infrastructure that permits integrated models addressing issues from both worlds simultaneously. Therefore, in this keynote, we explore an approach to such an infrastructure using the framework of Digital Ecosystems.
Optimal design of wideband microstrip arrays with high aperture efficiency on FR4 substrate

Two novel two-dimensional wideband arrays of microstrip E shaped patches are designed for use in a 10 % frequency range around the 2.45 GHz ISM band. The main design criterion was a combination of this bandwidth with an aperture efficiency as high as possible, since this allows to minimize occupied space. The design is based on a Method of Moments algorithm in combination with a Particle Swarm Optimization. CST MW Studio was employed for validation purposes. A very good agreement was achieved between simulated results. The maximum simulated aperture efficiency of the last array is 84 %, which is considerably higher than what has been reported up to now in literature for wideband microstrip arrays.
Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Activity of Breast Cancer Stem Cells Is Primarily Due To Isoform ALDH1A3 and Its Expression Is Predictive of Metastasis

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are proposed to initiate cancer and propagate metastasis. Breast CSCs identified by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity are highly tumorigenic in xenograft models. However, in patient breast tumor immunohistological studies, where CSCs are identified by expression of ALDH isoform ALDH1A1, CSC prevalence is not correlative with metastasis, raising some doubt as to the role of CSCs in cancer. We characterized the expression of all 19 ALDH isoforms in patient breast tumor CSCs and breast cancer cell lines by total genome microarray expression analysis, immunofluorescence protein expression studies, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. These studies revealed that ALDH activity of patient breast tumor CSCs and cell lines correlates best with expression of another isoform, ALDH1A3, not ALDH1A1. We performed shRNA knockdown experiments of the various ALDH isoforms and found that only ALDH1A3 knockdown uniformly reduced ALDH activity of breast cancer cells. Immunohistological studies with fixed patient breast tumor samples revealed that ALDH1A3 expression in patient breast tumors correlates significantly with tumor grade, metastasis, and cancer stage. Our results, therefore, identify ALDH1A3 as a novel CSC marker with potential clinical prognostic applicability, and demonstrate a clear correlation between CSC prevalence and the development of metastatic breast cancer. STEM CELLS 2011;29:32–45
Do mothers producing large offspring have to sacrifice fecundity?

We artificially selected on egg size in a butterfly to study the consequences for fecundity, reproductive effort and offspring fitness. Correlated responses in either pupal mass, larval or pupal development time were virtually absent. Offspring size was positively related to fitness, but only partly traded off against fecundity. Rather, total reproductive effort (measured as fresh mass), egg water content and the decline of egg size with female age increased in the large‐egg selected lines compared to either small‐egg or control lines. Accounting for these effects showed that reproductive investment (in dry mass) was in fact similar across lines. Such mechanisms may enable increased investment in (early) offspring without a reduction in their number, revealing a much more complex picture than a simple trade‐off between offspring size and number. Substantial variation among replicates suggests that there are different underlying mechanisms for change, rather than any single, unitary pathway.
Improving Energy Consumption by Using Cluster Based Routing Algorithm in Wireless Sensor Networks

Multi-path is favorite alternative for sensor networks, as it provides an easy mechanism to distribute traffic, as well as considerate fault tolerance. In this paper, a new clustering based multi path routing protocol namely ECRR (Energy efficient Cluster based Routing algorithm for improving Reliability) is proposed, which is a new routing algorithm and guarantees the achievement to required QoS of wireless sensor networks and can reduces the energy consumption. Proposed protocol has better performance in comparison the existing ones.
The Role of Anticoagulant Therapy During Prostate Biopsy

Since the advent of PSA (prostate specific antigen) in the early 1980s there has been a dramatic increase in the diagnosis of prostate cancer and transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS) has emerged as one of the most frequently performed urological procedures. The most common complications are haemorrhagic. Haematuria (12.5 to 80%), haematospermia (5.1 to 89%), and rectal bleeding (1.3 to 58.6%) have been reported to occur [1-3]. However, these bleeding symptoms generally resolve without treatment. Factors other than biopsy can influence the bleeding complication rate like anticoagulant medication and some medical conditions. Older patients constitute the main target group for prostate cancer screening and subsequently undergo prostate biopsy. At the same time cardiovascular disease most commonly affects the elderly who require low dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 75 mg, once daily), clopidogrel or warfarin as the mainstay of primary and secondary prophylaxis for coronary and peripheral vascular disease. The optimal management of patients who receive low doses (up to 100 mg) of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) / clopidogrel / warfarin and who are scheduled to undergo prostatic biopsy is still controversial. The approaches being implemented in every day clinical practice vary and include discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy, replacement with low-molecular weight heparin and continuing ASA during peri-procedural period. Little evidence is available and standardized comprehensive guidelines have not been developed to determine how to manage antiplatelet therapy or warfarin in surgical patients.
Identification of genes upregulated in the inflamed colonic lesions of Crohn's disease.

To identify the molecular mechanism which primarily plays a role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) without prior hypothesis, differential display method was employed to detect differentially expressed genes between the inflamed and uninflamed colonic samples from one patient with CD. The mRNA levels of these genes were subsequently semi-quantitated in affected and unaffected tissues from six patients using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Six genes including long form FLICE inhibitory protein (FLIP(L)) were found to be consistently overexpressed in the inflamed colonic CD tissues. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that FLIP(L) expressing cells were lamina propria lymphocytes (LPLs). The present study suggested that overexpression of FLIP(L) in the LPLs may be involved in the pathogenesis of CD through defective activation-induced cell death. In addition, this study provided evidence for a possible role of several previously unsuspected genes in the pathogenesis of CD.
Milk Proteins for Edible Films and Coatings

Due to the recent increase in ecological consciousness, research has turned toward finding edible materials. Viable edible films and coatings have been produced using milk proteins. These films and coatings may retard moisture loss, are good oxygen barriers, show good tensile strength and moderate elongation, are flexible, and generally have no flavor or taste. Incorporation of lipids in protein films, either in an emulsion or as a coating, improve their properties as barriers to moisture vapor. Interactions between chemical, structural properties, as well as film-forming conditions and functional properties of edible milk films are elucidated. Some potential uses of milk protein packaging, which are hinged on film properties, are described with examples.
Comparison of allogeneic vs autologous bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells delivered by transendocardial injection in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: the POSEIDON randomized trial.

CONTEXT Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are under evaluation as a therapy for ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Both autologous and allogeneic MSC therapies are possible; however, their safety and efficacy have not been compared. OBJECTIVE To test whether allogeneic MSCs are as safe and effective as autologous MSCs in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction due to ICM. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS A phase 1/2 randomized comparison (POSEIDON study) in a US tertiary-care referral hospital of allogeneic and autologous MSCs in 30 patients with LV dysfunction due to ICM between April 2, 2010, and September 14, 2011, with 13-month follow-up. INTERVENTION Twenty million, 100 million, or 200 million cells (5 patients in each cell type per dose level) were delivered by transendocardial stem cell injection into 10 LV sites. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Thirty-day postcatheterization incidence of predefined treatment-emergent serious adverse events (SAEs). Efficacy assessments included 6-minute walk test, exercise peak VO2, Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ), New York Heart Association class, LV volumes, ejection fraction (EF), early enhancement defect (EED; infarct size), and sphericity index. RESULTS Within 30 days, 1 patient in each group (treatment-emergent SAE rate, 6.7%) was hospitalized for heart failure, less than the prespecified stopping event rate of 25%. The 1-year incidence of SAEs was 33.3% (n = 5) in the allogeneic group and 53.3% (n = 8) in the autologous group (P = .46). At 1 year, there were no ventricular arrhythmia SAEs observed among allogeneic recipients compared with 4 patients (26.7%) in the autologous group (P = .10). Relative to baseline, autologous but not allogeneic MSC therapy was associated with an improvement in the 6-minute walk test and the MLHFQ score, but neither improved exercise VO2 max. Allogeneic and autologous MSCs reduced mean EED by −33.21% (95% CI, −43.61% to −22.81%; P < .001) and sphericity index but did not increase EF. Allogeneic MSCs reduced LV end-diastolic volumes. Low-dose concentration MSCs (20 million cells) produced greatest reductions in LV volumes and increased EF. Allogeneic MSCs did not stimulate significant donor-specific alloimmune reactions. CONCLUSIONS In this early-stage study of patients with ICM, transendocardial injection of allogeneic and autologous MSCs without a placebo control were both associated with low rates of treatment-emergent SAEs, including immunologic reactions. In aggregate, MSC injection favorably affected patient functional capacity, quality of life, and ventricular remodeling. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01087996.
Distributed finite-time containment control for multi-agent systems with multiple dynamic leaders

This paper studies the distributed finite-time containment control for a group of mobile agents modeled by double-integrator dynamics under multiple dynamic leaders with bounded unknown acceleration inputs. First, a distributed finite-time containment protocol is proposed on both the relative position and the relative velocity measurements. This protocol can drive the states of the followers to track the convex hull spanned by those of the leaders in finite time under the constraint that the leaders' acceleration inputs are unknown but bounded for all the followers. Then, a novel position-based containment protocol is designed and analyzed for solving the distributed finite-time tracking problem when both the velocity and acceleration measurements are not available for the followers. Finally, the effectiveness of the results is illustrated by numerical simulation.
Cosmological moduli problem, supersymmetry breaking, and stability in postinflationary cosmology.

We review scenarios that have been proposed to solve the cosmological problem caused by moduli in string theory, the postmodern Polonyi problem (PPP). In particular, we discuss the difficulties encountered by the apparently ``trivial`` solution of this problem, in which moduli masses are assumed to arise from nonperturbative, SUSY-preserving, dynamics at a scale higher than that of SUSY breaking. This suggests a powerful {ital cosmological} {ital vacuum} {ital selection} {ital principle} in superstring theory. However, we argue that if one eschews the possibility of cancellations between different exponentials of the inverse string coupling, the mechanism described above cannot stabilize the dilaton. Thus, even if supersymmetric dynamics gives mass to the other moduli in string theory, the dilaton mass must be generated by SUSY breaking, and dilaton domination of the energy density of the Universe cannot be avoided. We conclude that the only proposal for solving the PPP that works is the intermediate scale inflation scenario of Randall and Thomas. However, we point out that all extant models have ignored unavoidably large inhomogeneities in the cosmological moduli density at very early times, and speculate that the effects associated with nonlinear gravitational collapse of these inhomogeneities may serve as an efficient mechanismmore » for converting moduli into ordinary matter. As an important by-product of this investigation we show that in a postinflationary universe minima of the effective potential with a negative cosmological constant are not stationary points of the classical equations of scalar field cosmology. Instead, such points lead to catastrophic gravitational collapse of that part of the Universe which is attracted to them. Thus postinflationary cosmology dynamically chooses non-negative values of the cosmological constant. This implies that supersymmetry {ital must} be broken in any sensible inflationary cosmology. (Abstract Truncated)« less
Topiramate relieves refractory intercostal neuralgia

Chronic pain is a well-known and troublesome complication following thoracotomy. Approximately 50% of patients experience some type of chronic post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS) even 2 years after thoracic surgery.1 Persistent pain after thoracotomy may indicate either a possible recurrence or progression of malignancy. However, a few patients have intense, sharp, shooting and burning pain, consistent with neuropathic pain located in the distribution of an intercostal nerve (intercostal neuralgia). This is not related to the malignancy, and can be due to nerve entrapment, neuroma formation, or persistent nerve irritation. Various centrally acting pharmacologic therapies are used to treat neuropathic pain, including antidepressants and anticonvulsants, in addition to opioid and nonopioid analgesics. Anticonvulsants that are reported to decrease neuropathic pain include phenytoin, carbamazepine, sodium valproate, and gabapentin.2-4 However, many patients either do not receive optimal pain relief or are unable to continue with these medications because of adverse effects. Topiramate …