Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Successful collection and transplantation of peripheral blood stem cells in cancer patients using large‐volume leukaphereses

It was the aim of our study to determine the collection efficiency and yield of CD34+ cells in 88 cancer patients (pts, 44 males/44 females) who underwent 154 large‐volume leukaphereses (LV‐LPs). The diagnoses were as follows: 18 patients had Non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma, 9 Hodgkin's disease, 24 multiple myeloma, 6 acute leukemia, 27 breast cancer, and 4 patients had solid tumors of different types. During the course of LV‐LPs, 20 liters (l) of blood were processed at a median flow‐rate of 85 ml/min (CS 3000 Baxter) and 130 ml/min (COBE Spectra), respectively. Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) were collected following granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF)‐supported cytotoxic chemotherapy. A 31% and 21% mean decrease in the platelet and white blood count was noted at the end of the LV‐LPs when compared with the pre‐leukapheresis values. The aphereses were well tolerated without adverse effects. The level of circulating CD34+ cells was closely related to the number of CD34+ cells contained in the respective leukapheresis product (R = 0.89, P < 0.001). Compared with 270 patients who underwent 838 regular 101 LPs, the yield of CD34+ cells/kg was almost two‐fold greater (4.84 ± 0.63 × 106 [Mean ± SEM] vs 2.60 ± 0.16 × 106, P < 0.001). The antigenic profile of CD34+ cells was assessed in 54 separate products collected on the occasion of 27 LV‐LPs following the processing of 101 and 201, respectively. The intra‐individual comparison included differentiation as well as lineage‐associated markers (CD38, Thy‐1, c‐kit, CD33, CD45RA). No difference in the subset composition was observed between the first and second product, arguing against a preferential release of particular CD34+ cell subsets during the procedure. As shown by molecular biological or immunocytochemical examination, the likelihood of harvesting malignant cells using large‐volume aphereses was not increased in comparison with regular leukaphereses. Single harvests of ≥2.5 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg could be obtained in 74% of the patients, compared with 52% in case of regular LPs. As the majority of patients were autografted with more than 2.5 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg following high‐dose therapy, hematological recovery in general was rapid and not related to the type of apheresis product used. Considering patient comfort and savings in resource utilization, large‐volume leukaphereses have become the standard procedure for PBSC collection in our center. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A new genus and family for the misclassified chytrid, Rhizophlyctis harderi

A chytrid first discovered in Mediterranean sands and called Rhizophlyctis harderi was classified in the genus Rhizophlyctis based on its interbiotic vegetative thalli with multiple rhizoidal axes and resting thalli with tufts of rhizoid-like appendages. Developmental, electron microscopic and molecular analyses, however, have brought into question the proper placement of this chytrid. Because its original description was in German and not Latin, the name R. harderi is not validly published. We found that this chytrid produces three thallus forms that could place it in three different morpho-genera: Rhizophydium, Phlyctochytrium or Rhizophlyctis. The ultrastructural architecture of its zoospore is different from that of zoospores of Rhizophlyctis rosea, the type species for Rhizophlyctis, and shares zoospore ultrastructural characteristics with the Rhizophydiales. Zoospores of this chytrid exhibit a distinctive kinetosome-associated structure (KAS), a curved shield bridged to two of the kinetosomal triplets and a layered cap anterior to the kinetosome. Phylogenetic analyses of nuc rDNA also support the placement of this chytrid in the Rhizophydiales and not in the Rhizophlyctidales. Given its molecularly based phylogenetic placement and its distinctive zoospore architecture, we describe this chytrid in a new genus, Uebelmesseromyces, in the Rhizophydiales and erect Uebelmesseromycetaceae as a new family to accommodate it.
Consumer Evaluations of Bi-National Products in the Global Market

The global market today is characterized by the proliferation of binational products, or products that are branded in one country while actually manufactured in another. This paper investigates how consumers evaluate the quality of such products under two different situations. In Study 1, where brand name and country-of-manufacture were the only pieces of information given about a product, it was found that consumers used both pieces of information in evaluating the product. In Study 2, however, where specific attribute product information was available as well as brand name and country-of-manufacture, it was revealed that consumers relied heavily on the brand name information. The implications of the results for marketing, manufacturing, and sourcing strategies are discussed.
Correction of Iron Deficiency with an Iron‐Fortified Fluid Whole Cow's Milk in Children: Results of a Pilot Study

Purpose: This study assesses the efficacy of an iron-fortified (15 mg Fe, as stabilized ferrous sulfate (SFE-171), per liter) fluid whole cow's milk (IFFWCM) for the treatment of mild iron deficiency in children. Previous studies in healthy adult volunteers showed a mean 10.2 ± 4.7% iron absorption. Patients and Methods: Seventeen children (12 to 48 months old) with iron deficiency (serum iron (SI) <60 μg/dl, transferrin saturation (TS) <15%, serum ferritin (SF) <15 ng/ml) were included in this study; 11 of them were anemic. As treatment, they received IFFWCM, instead of the customary whole cow's milk, for at least 4 months; medicinal iron was not administered. Hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb), SI, TS, and SF were determined monthly. Results: The Hb increased from 10.3 ± 0.8 to 12.7 ± 0.6 g/dl in the group with anemia (ΔF_B: 2.4 ± 1.0 g/dl) and from 12.6 ± 0.7 to 13.5 ± 0.3 g/dl in the group without anemia (ΔF_B: 0.9 ± 0.5 g/dl); the difference between both groups was significant (p < 0.01); the rate for Hct values showed a similar pattern. In the whole group, the SI increased to 84.8 ± 37.4 ±g/dl, with no difference between children with anemia and children without anemia; TS showed a similar pattern (ΔF_B: 19.0 ± 11.0%). The mean SF increased from 12.1 ± 2.7 ng/ml to 27.9 ± 25.4 ng/ml. Normal values for Hct, Hb, SI, and TS were reached by 100% of children; the rate for SF was 56.3%. Time required to reach normal Hct in the children with anemia was 59.4 ± 33.0 days. Acceptance and tolerance were excellent; no treatment had to be discontinued. The group of patients with anemia was compared with an historical group composed of 55 children matched for age, basal Hct, and achieved Hct increase, treated with medicinal FS (4–6 mg/kg/day): time required to reach normal Hct was shorter in the FS-treated group (39.0 ± 14.5 days) (p = 0.050). Conclusion: The use of IFFWCM alone could be an effective, relatively inexpensive, and well-tolerated treatment of iron deficiency in children.
SVM based machine learning approach to identify Parkinson's disease using gait analysis

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neuro-degenerative disease which affects a persons mobility. Tremors, rigidity of the muscles and imprecise gait movements are characteristics of this disease. Past attempts have been made to classify Parkinsons disease from healthy subjects but in this work, effort was made to focus on the specific gait characteristics which would help differentiate Parkinsons Disease from other neurological diseases (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntingtons Disease) as well as healthy controls. A range of statistical feature vector considered here from the Time-series gait data which are then reduced using correlation matrix. These feature vectors are then individually analysed to extract the best 7 feature vectors which are then classified using a Gaussian radial basis function kernel based Support vector machine (SVM) classifier. Results show that the 7 features selected for SVM achieves good overall accuracy of 83.33%, good detection rate for Parkinsons disease of 75% and low false positive results of 16.67%.
Advertising as a cue to consume: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of acute exposure to unhealthy food and nonalcoholic beverage advertising on intake in children and adults.

BACKGROUND Several studies have assessed the effects of food and nonalcoholic beverage (hereafter collectively referred to as food) advertising on food consumption, but the results of these studies have been mixed. This lack of clarity may be impeding policy action. OBJECTIVE We examined the evidence for a relation between acute exposure to experimental unhealthy food advertising and food consumption. DESIGN The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies in which advertising exposure (television or Internet) was experimentally manipulated, and food intake was measured. Five electronic databases were searched for relevant publications (SCOPUS, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Emerald Insight, and JSTOR). An inverse variance meta-analysis was used whereby the standardized mean difference (SMD) in food intake was calculated between unhealthy food advertising and control conditions. RESULTS Twenty-two articles were eligible for inclusion. Data were available for 18 articles to be included in the meta-analysis (which provided 20 comparisons). With all available data included, the analysis indicated a small-to-moderate effect size for advertising on food consumption with participants eating more after exposure to food advertising than after control conditions (SMD: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.09; 0.65; I(2) = 98%). Subgroup analyses showed that the experiments with adult participants provided no evidence of an effect of advertising on intake (SMD: 0.00; P = 1.00; 95% CI: -0.08, 0.08; I(2) = 8%), but a significant effect of moderate size was shown for children, whereby food advertising exposure was associated with greater food intake (SMD: 0.56; P = 0.003; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.94; I(2) = 98%). CONCLUSIONS Evidence to date shows that acute exposure to food advertising increases food intake in children but not in adults. These data support public health policy action that seeks to reduce children's exposure to unhealthy food advertising.
Intermittent Palm Cooling’s Impact on Resistive Exercise Performance

Abstract To examine palm cooling’s (15°C) impact, subjects performed 3 four-set leg press workouts in a randomized sequence. Per workout they received 1 of 3 treatments: no palm cooling, palm cooling between sets, or palm cooling between sets and post-exercise. Dependent variables were examined with three-way ANOVAs; average power underwent a three-way ANCOVA with body fat percentage as the covariate. Simple effects analysis was our post hoc and α=0.05. Left hand skin temperatures produced a two-way interaction (no palm cooling, palm cooling between sets>palm cooling between sets and post-exercise at several time points). A “high responder” subset had their data analyzed with an additional three-way ANOVA that again produced a two-way interaction (palm cooling between sets>no palm cooling>palm cooling between sets and post-exercise at multiple time points). Blood lactate results included a two-way interaction (no palm cooling>palm cooling between sets, palm cooling between sets and post-exercise at 0 min post-exercise). Average power yielded a two-way interaction (palm cooling between sets, palm cooling between sets>no palm cooling for the fourth set). Intermittent palm cooling hastened heat removal and blood lactate clearance, as well as delayed average power decrements.
Tibial torsion: cause or consequence of osteoarthritis?

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between torsional variations of the lower extremity and the development of medial osteoarthritis in the knee. METHODS Computed tomography measurements of the femoral and tibial torsion were evaluated in 21 lower extremities of 19 patients with primary bilateral gonarthrosis and compared with 14 lower extremities of eight normal individuals. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference between lower extremities with and without gonarthrosis in terms of tibial torsion (26.20° ± 9.78° and 25.32° ± 11.50°,respectively), femoral torsion (15.89° ± 8.63° and 13.91° ± 7.26°, respectively) and tibiofemoral index (10.30° ± 13.06° and 11.39° ± 12.84°,respectively) (p>0.05). CONCLUSION We conclude that medial compartment osteoarthritis in the early arthritic period is not always associated with torsional deformities of the lower limb.
Tractional force generation by porcine Müller cells. Development and differential stimulation by growth factors.

PURPOSE To assess the ability of retinal Müller cells to generate tractional forces during dedifferentiation in culture and to assess their responsiveness to contraction-stimulating growth factors. METHODS Müller cells were isolated from papain-DNase-digested porcine retina. The identity of the isolated cells was confirmed by immunodetection of carbonic anhydrase II (CA-II), cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (CRALBP), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), vimentin, and alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha SMA). Tractional force generation was assessed as a function of Müller cell contraction of collagenous extracellular matrices in vitro. The effects of potential promoters were assessed by addition directly to culture medium. The contributions of specific promoting to the contraction-promoting activity in serum were assessed by adding neutralizing antibodies and measuring loss of stimulatory activity. RESULTS Freshly isolated Müller cells did not generate substantial matrix contraction. However, this activity increased 150-fold within 12 days in culture and continued to increase during the next 21 days. Development of the capacity for extracellular matrix contraction coincided with the acquisition of immunodetectable alpha SMA and loss of GFAP. Matrix contraction by Müller cells was stimulated in a dose-dependent fashion by human serum, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Müller cells were not stimulated by transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1), transforming growth factor beta 2 (TGF beta 2), or endothelin-1 (E1). Neutralizing antibodies against PDGF and IGF-I reduced the activity in human serum by 37% and 58%, respectively, and 87% when added together. CONCLUSIONS Porcine Müller cells in culture acquire the ability to contract extracellular matrices and thus generate tractional forces. Acquisition of this activity coincides with alpha SMA expression and loss of GFAP. Further, this activity is dependent on the presence of exogenous promoters, including PDGF or IGF-I.
Luminescence mechanism analysis on high power tunable color temperature Chip-on-Board white LED modules

Recently, with the increasing requirements on guaranteeing the color uniformity and improving the luminous efficacy and manufacturing efficiency, a wafer level chip scale packaging (WLCSP) technology has been developed by thermally impressing a thin multiple phosphor film on a LED wafer, then being segmented into individual LED chips. In this paper, a high power white LED Chip-on-Board (COB) module with high color rendering index (CRI, Ra>93) and tunable correlated color temperatures (CCTs) is prepared. In this COB module, the tunable color temperatures are achieved by using two types of white LED WLCSPs with different target CCTs of 3000K and 5000K, and twelve CSPs are mounted in series with the flip-chip soldering technology. The thermal dissipation effect and luminescence mechanism of this COB module are studied through the finite element analysis (FEA) and Monte-Carlo Ray-tracing simulations respectively. The results reveal that: firstly, the measured spectral power distribution (SPD) intensity of the prepared COB module are smaller than the arithmetic sum of SPD intensities of its each series connected CSPs, which may be attribute to the light absorption happened among CSPs. Secondly, the case temperature and driven current have the different effects on the optical and color performances of COB module (such as luminous flux, CCT and CRI).
When does adoption of health information technology by physician practices lead to use by physicians within the practice?

OBJECTIVE We sought to determine the extent to which adoption of health information technology (HIT) by physician practices may differ from the extent of use by individual physicians, and to examine factors associated with adoption and use. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using cross-sectional survey data from the National Study of Small and Medium-Sized Physician Practices (July 2007-March 2009), we examined the extent to which organizational capabilities and external incentives were associated with the adoption of five key HIT functionalities by physician practices and with use of those functionalities by individual physicians. RESULTS The rate of physician practices adopting any of the five HIT functionalities was 34.1%. When practices adopted HIT functionalities, on average, about one in seven physicians did not use those functionalities. One physician in five did not use prompts and reminders following adoption by their practice. After controlling for other factors, both adoption of HIT by practices and use of HIT by individual physicians were higher in primary care practices and larger practices. Practices reporting an emphasis on patient-centered management were not more likely than others to adopt, but their physicians were more likely to use HIT. DISCUSSION Larger practices were most likely to have adopted HIT, but other factors, including specialty mix and self-reported patient-centered management, had a stronger influence on the use of HIT once adopted. CONCLUSIONS Adoption of HIT by practices does not mean that physicians will use the HIT.
Evaluation of Pharmacist Medication Education and Post-discharge Follow-up in Reducing Readmissions in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI)

Background: Hospital readmissions have been shown to contribute to both patient morbidity and rising health care expenditures across a number of disease processes. Adherence to a cardioprotective drug regimen is particularly important after ST-segment elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI) because it is an acute condition associated with high patient morbidity and mortality. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist intervention with regard to reduction in hospital readmissions and improvement in medication adherence and literacy. Methods: This was a prospective single-center study in which patients admitted with STEMI who received stents between January 2015 and April 2015 were included. Pharmacist intervention included medication reconciliation, medication education, facilitation of the delivery of discharge medications, and post-discharge telephone calls within 48 to 72 hours. A retrospective review of historical STEMI patients who did not have pharmacist transitions of care support was performed to compare readmission rates. Results: All-cause readmission at 30 days decreased from 13% to 5% (P = 0.18). Twelve of 95 patients in the historical control group were readmitted, compared to 2 of 40 patients in the intervention group. In the historical group, 3 of 12 patients required subsequent stent placement upon readmission, compared to none in the intervention group. , Medication adherence and literacy scores improved significantly from baseline to high adherence and literacy at 30 days post-discharge (P = 0.0005). Conclusion: Pharmacist involvement in medication education signficantly improved medication adherence and literacy. There was a reduction in 30-day readmission rates, but the results were not statistically significant.
Association between Carbohydrate Intake and Serum Lipids

Background: The effect of dietary carbohydrate on blood lipids has received considerable attention in light of the current trend in lowering carbohydrate intake for weight loss. Objectives: To evaluate the association between carbohydrate intake and serum lipids. Methods: Blood samples and 24-hour dietary and physical activity recall interviews were obtained from each subject at quarterly intervals for five consecutive quarters between 1994 and 1998 from 574 healthy adults in Central Massachusetts. Relationships between serum lipids and dietary carbohydrate factors were assessed using linear mixed models and adjusting for other risk factors known to be related to blood lipids. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal results were reported. Results: Cross-sectional analysis results from this study suggest that higher total carbohydrate intake, percentage of calories from carbohydrate, glycemic index (GI) and/or glycemic load (GL) are related to lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and higher serum triacylglycerol levels, while higher total carbohydrate intake and/or GL are related to lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. In a one-year longitudinal analysis, GL was positively associated with total and LDL-C levels, and there was an inverse association between percentage of calories from carbohydrate and HDL-C levels. Conclusions: Results suggest that there is a complex and predominantly unfavorable effect of increased intake of highly processed carbohydrate on lipid profile, which may have implications for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Further studies in the form of randomized controlled trials are required to investigate these associations and determine the implications for lipid management.
Propionicimonas paludicola gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel facultatively anaerobic, Gram-positive, propionate-producing bacterium isolated from plant residue in irrigated rice-field soil.

Two propionate-producing strains (Wd(T) and Wf) that were isolated anaerobically from plant residue of irrigated rice-field soil in Japan were characterized phenotypically and phylogenetically. The growth rate of strain Wd(T) was very slow in basal medium, but both growth and propionate production were stimulated significantly by the addition of cyanocobalamin. Strain Wf grew well in basal medium and produced substantial amounts of fermentation products, including propionate. Other phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics of the two isolates were almost identical. Both were facultatively anaerobic, but much better growth was observed under anaerobic conditions. Cells were Gram-positive, non-motile, non-spore-forming and pleomorphic rods with irregular V- or crescent-shaped cell arrangements. Fermentation products from glucose in the presence of excess cyanocobalamin were acetate, lactate, a small amount of succinate and CO(2), in addition to propionate. Both oxidase and catalase activities were negative. The strains possessed meso-diaminopimelic acid in their peptidoglycan and their major cellular fatty acids were C(13 : 0), anteiso-C(15 : 0) and C(15 : 0). The isolates had high genomic DNA G+C contents (68.7 and 67.4 mol%, respectively). Menaquinones MK-9(H(4)) and MK-10(H(4)) were the predominant respiratory quinones. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences placed both strains in the Actinobacteria, with Micropruina glycogenica as their closest relative (sequence similarity values of 95.8 and 95.7 %, respectively). Microlunatus phosphovorus and Friedmanniella antarctica were also related closely to the isolates. As their morphological, physiological and chemotaxonomic characteristics were distinctly different from those of any related species, Propionicimonas paludicola gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed to accommodate these strains. The type strain of the novel species is Wd(T) (=JCM 11933(T)=DSM 15597(T)).