Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Title A case of minimal change nephrotic syndrome with immunoglobulin

Title A case of minimal change nephrotic syndrome with immunoglobulin A nephropathy transitioned to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis Author(s) Hirose, Misaki; Nishino, Tomoya; Uramatsu, Tadashi; Obata, Yoko; Kitamura, Mineaki; Kawazu, Tayo; Miyazaki, Masanobu; Taguchi, Takashi; Kohno, Shigeru Citation Clinical and Experimental Nephrology, 16 (3), pp. 473-479; 2012 Issue Date 2012-06 URL http://hdl.handle. net/10069/27908 Right © Japanese Society of Nephrology 2012; The original publication is available at www.springerlink. com NAOSITE: Nagasaki University's Academic Output SITE
Chronic Pain in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Interdisciplinary Program Demonstrates Improvements in Disability, Psychosocial Function, and Healthcare Utilization

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of an individualized interdisciplinary chronic pain care plan as an intervention to reduce emergency department (ED) visits and improve clinical outcomes among patients who frequented the ED with concerns related to chronic pain. Methods A prospective cohort design was used in an urban tertiary care hospital. As a pilot program, fourteen patients with chronic pain who frequented the ED (i.e., >12 ED visits within the last year, of which ≥50% were for chronic pain) received a rapid interdisciplinary assessment and individualized care plan that was uploaded to an electronic medical record system (EMR) accessible to the ED and patient's primary care provider. Patients were assessed at baseline and every three months over a 12-month period. Primary outcomes were self-reported pain and function assessed using psychometrically valid scales. Results Nine patients completed 12-month follow-up. Missing data and attrition were handled using multiple imputation. Patients who received the intervention reported clinically significant improvements in pain, function, ED visits, symptoms of depression, pain catastrophizing, sleep, health-related quality of life, and risk of future aberrant opioid use. Discussion Individualized care plans uploaded to an EMR may be worth implementing in hospital EDs for high frequency visitors with chronic pain.
Simultaneous observation of the electron acceleration and ion deceleration over lunar magnetic anomalies

At ~25 km altitude over magnetic anomalies on the Moon, the deceleration of the solar wind ions, acceleration of the solar wind electrons parallel to the magnetic field, and heating of the ions reflected by magnetic anomalies were simultaneously observed by MAP-PACE on Kaguya. Deceleration of the solar wind ions was observed for two major solar wind ion compositions: protons and alpha particles. Deceleration of the solar wind had the same ΔE /q (ΔE: deceleration energy, q: charge) for both protons and alpha particles. In addition, the acceleration energy of the electrons was almost the same as the deceleration energy of the ions. This indicates the existence of an anti-moonward electric field over the magnetic anomaly above the altitude of Kaguya. The reflected ions were observed in a much larger area than the area where magnetic field enhancement was observed. These reflected ions had a higher temperature and lower bulk velocity than the incident solar wind ions. This suggests the existence of a non-adiabatic dissipative interaction between solar wind ions and lunar magnetic anomalies below Kaguya.
Antigenic Drift of the Pandemic 2009 A(H1N1) Influenza Virus in a Ferret Model

Surveillance data indicate that most circulating A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza viruses have remained antigenically similar since they emerged in humans in 2009. However, antigenic drift is likely to occur in the future in response to increasing population immunity induced by infection or vaccination. In this study, sequential passaging of A(H1N1)pdm09 virus by contact transmission through two independent series of suboptimally vaccinated ferrets resulted in selection of variant viruses with an amino acid substitution (N156K, H1 numbering without signal peptide; N159K, H3 numbering without signal peptide; N173K, H1 numbering from first methionine) in a known antigenic site of the viral HA. The N156K HA variant replicated and transmitted efficiently between naïve ferrets and outgrew wildtype virus in vivo in ferrets in the presence and absence of immune pressure. In vitro, in a range of cell culture systems, the N156K variant rapidly adapted, acquiring additional mutations in the viral HA that also potentially affected antigenic properties. The N156K escape mutant was antigenically distinct from wildtype virus as shown by binding of HA-specific antibodies. Glycan binding assays demonstrated the N156K escape mutant had altered receptor binding preferences compared to wildtype virus, which was supported by computational modeling predictions. The N156K substitution, and culture adaptations, have been detected in human A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses with N156K preferentially reported in sequences from original clinical samples rather than cultured isolates. This study demonstrates the ability of the A(H1N1)pdm09 virus to undergo rapid antigenic change to evade a low level vaccine response, while remaining fit in a ferret transmission model of immunization and infection. Furthermore, the potential changes in receptor binding properties that accompany antigenic changes highlight the importance of routine characterization of clinical samples in human A(H1N1)pdm09 influenza surveillance.
Solubilization of high affinity G-protein-coupled serotonin 1A receptors from bovine hippocampus using pre-micellar CHAPS at low concentration

The serotonin 1A (5-HT 1A ) receptors are members of a superfamily of seven transmembrane domain receptors that couple to G-proteins. They appear to be involved in various behavioural and cognitive functions. This paper reports an efficient strategy to solubilize 5-HT 1A receptors from bovine hippocampal membranes using the zwitterionic detergent CHAPS which is mild and non-denaturing. Since high concentration of CHAPS has earlier been shown to induce dissociation and depletion of G-protein sub-units, a low (pre-micellar) concentration of CHAPS was used for solubilizing 5-HT 1A receptors in the presence of NaCl followed by PEG precipitation. This results in solubilization of 5-HT 1A receptors with a high degree of efficiency and gives rise to high affinity, functionally active G-protein-sensitive solubilized receptors. Optimal solubilization of the receptor from the native source with high ligand binding affinity and intact signal transduction components may constitute the first step in the molecular characterization of the 5-HT 1A receptor in particular, and G-protein-coupled receptors in general.
Race, Policing, and Lethal Force: Remedying Shooter Bias with Martial Arts Training

This paper seeks to join the national conversation on race and policing. This conversation about race and policing should be of concern to everyone because problematic shootings by police cost taxpayers millions of dollars in settlements arising from civil lawsuits. These monies could instead be going towards improving social services, schools, and jobs. The need for reform of policing practices also transcends race. Almost half of all individuals shot and killed by police each year are White.The paper starts by examining the social science research on race and the decision to shoot. By and large, this research demonstrates that most people are quicker to see a weapon when dealing with a Black suspect than when dealing with a White suspect. Interestingly, several shooter bias studies have found that police officers are better than civilians at deciding when to shoot, suggesting that training and experience can improve accuracy and reduce racial bias in the decision to shoot. Some of the more recent shooter bias studies suggest a counter bias. In these studies, police officers were slower to shoot armed Black suspects over armed White suspects.The contradictory findings of the various shooter bias studies suggest that implicit racial bias may be playing less of a role in police shootings than commonly thought. Indeed, recent research by Phillip Atiba Goff and L. Song Richardson on police officers and stereotype threat suggest that racial bias plays less of a role in police decisions to shoot than whether the officer feels confident in his or her ability to command respect from the subject. Similarly, Frank Rudy Cooper suggests that police officers may be quicker to act punitively against Black suspects than White suspects left because of implicit racial bias and more because they perceive Blacks to pose a greater threat to their masculinity than Whites. In light of the research described above, Professor Lee offers two proposals for reform at the departmental level. First, she proposes that police departments implement training aimed at improving accuracy and reducing bias in the use of deadly force. Fortunately, studies have shown that repeated exposure to Black and White suspects when race is not a diagnostic cue as to whether the suspect is holding a gun results in less biased and more accurate decisions about when to shoot over the long-term. Professor Lee suggests that police departments borrow from these studies but use high-definition shooting simulators rather than computer keyboard exercises to more closely replicate on-the-street experiences. Second, she proposes that police departments mandate ongoing traditional martial arts training for all officers.
Development of a cardiopulmonary mathematical model incorporating a baro–chemoreceptor reflex control system

This article describes the development of a comprehensive mathematical model of the human cardiopulmonary system that combines the respiratory and cardiovascular systems and their associated autonomous nervous control actions. The model is structured to allow the complex interactions between the two systems and the responses of the combined system to be predicted under different physiological conditions. The cardiovascular system model contains 13 compartments, including the heart chambers operating as a pump and the blood vessels represented as distensible tubes configured in a serial and parallel arrangement. The accurate representation of the hemodynamics in the system and the good fit to published pressure and flow waveforms gave confidence in the modelling approach adopted for the cardiovascular system prior to the incorporation of the baroreflex control and the respiratory models. An improved baroreceptor reflex model is developed in this research, incorporating afferent, central and efferent compartments. A sigmoid function is included in the efferent compartment to produce sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve outflow to the effector sites. The baroreflex action is modelled using physiological data, its interaction with the chemoreflex control is explained and the simulation results presented show the ability of the model to predict the static and dynamic hemodynamic responses to environmental disturbances. A previously published respiratory model that includes the mechanics of breathing, gas exchange process and the regulation of the system is then combined with the cardiovascular model to form the cardiopulmonary model. Through comparison with published data, the cardiopulmonary model with the baro–chemoreflex control is validated during hypoxia and hypercapnia. The percentage difference between the predicted and measured changes in the heart rates and the mean arterial pressures are within 3% in both cases. The total peripheral resistance correlates well for hypoxia but is less good for hypercapnia, where the predicted change from normal condition is around 7% compared with a measured change of 23%. An example showing the application of the proposed model in sport science is also included.
A Comparison of Constant Curvature Forward Kinematics for Multisection Continuum Manipulators

Over the past few years, modeling of continuum robots has been the subject of considerable attention in the research community. In this paper, we compare a set of forward kinematic models developed for continuum robots, with the underlying assumption of piecewise constant curvature. A new approximate kinematic model based on phase and actuator length differences is also introduced for comparison. The comparative evaluation consists of computer simulation and physical experiments on a multisection continuum robotic manipulator, the OctArm. The experiments include both elongation and bending in 3D space. The comparative accuracy of the models is reported, along with relative numerical stability. Further conclusions are drawn on the applicability of the models to different real-world scenarios.
cDNA Cloning and Expression Analysis of Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthase from Ornithogalum saundersiae

Farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS, EC 2.5.1.10) catalyzes the consecutive head-to-tail condensations of isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) with dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP) to form farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), a key precursor of sesquiterpenoids, triterpenoids, sterols, and farnesylated proteins. Here we report the molecular cloning and functional identification of a new full-length cDNA encoding FPPS from Ornithogalum saundersiae, a potential medicinal plant that produces a promising antitumour sterol glycoside, OSW-1. An 1327 bp long unigene with an open reading frame of 1044 bp was retrieved from the transcriptome sequencing of O. saundersiae. The full-length FPPS cDNA, designated OsaFPPS, was isolated from O. saundersiae with gene-specific primers. The resultant OsaFPPS encodes a 347-amino acids protein with a calculated molecular mass of 40;085:6 Da, and a theoretical isoelectric point of 5.01. Phylogenetic tree analysis indicated that OsaFPPS belongs to the plant FPPS super-family. Expression of soluble OsaFPPS in E. coli was verified by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blot analysis. Functional analysis of the purified OsaFPPS protein was carried out using IPP and DMAPP as substrates, and the product was unambiguously determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses
Anticipation, Tax Avoidance, and the Price Elasticity of Gasoline Demand

Traditional least squares estimates of the responsiveness of gasoline consumption to changes in gasoline prices are biased toward zero, given the endogeneity of gasoline prices. A seemingly natural solution to this problem is to instrument for gasoline prices using gasoline taxes, but this approach tends to yield implausibly large price elasticities. We demonstrate that anticipatory behavior provides an important explanation for this result. We provide evidence that gasoline buyers increase gasoline purchases before tax increases and delay gasoline purchases before tax decreases. This intertemporal substitution renders the tax instrument endogenous, invalidating conventional IV analysis. We show that including suitable leads and lags in the regression restores the validity of the IV estimator, resulting in much lower and more plausible elasticity estimates. Our analysis has implications more broadly for the IV analysis of markets in which buyers may store purchases for future consumption.
An Emergent Case of Pancreatic Cancer; Adenosquamous Carcinoma with Sarcomatoid Change

The case describes a 39 year old male that presented with epigastric pain, nausea and constipation. A computed tomography revealed a 2 x 3 cm lesion in the head of the pancreas. The patient was referred to our institution and a high contrast computed tomography showed the lesion to have grown to 5 x 5 cm within a period of 15 days. Biopsies were obtained from the pancreatic mass. However, a few days later the patient went into circulatory shock and was transported to the intensive care unit where he was treated for acute onset liver and kidney failure. The patient’s condition progressively worsened and despite all efforts of resuscitation, he passed away. Final immunohistochemical analysis revealed a poorly differentiated pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma with sarcomatoid characteristics. pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma is a rare exocrine pancreatic tumor demonstrated to have a more aggressive disease course than ductal adenocarcinoma. The additional sarcomatoid component in the tumor may have further promoted cancer cell proliferation and metastatic dissemination. The present case highlights the complex dynamism of pancreatic cancer and that a rapid growth rate of a pancreatic mass should not preclude the suspicion of malignancy.
Readability, Suitability and Health Content Assessment of Cancer Screening Announcements in Municipal Newspapers in Japan.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to assess the readability, suitability, and health content of cancer screening information in municipal newspapers in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) and the framework of Health Belief Model (HBM) were used for assessment of municipal newspapers that were published in central Tokyo (23 wards) from January to December 2013. RESULTS The mean domain SAM scores of content, literacy demand, and layout/typography were considered superior. The SAM scores of interaction with readers, an indication of the models of desirable actions, and elaboration to enhance readers' self-efficacy were low. According to the HBM coding, messages of medical/clinical severity, of social severity, of social benefits, and of barriers of fear were scarce. CONCLUSIONS The articles were generally well written and suitable. However, learning stimulation/motivation was scarce and the HBM constructs were not fully addressed. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS Articles can be improved to motivate readers to obtain cancer screening by increasing interaction with readers, introducing models of desirable actions and devices to raise readers' self-efficacy, and providing statements of perceived barriers of fear for pain and time constraints, perceived severity, and social benefits and losses.
Electric Vehicle Battery-Ultracapacitor Energy System Optimization

In order to improve the performances of the electric vehicle power supply, a Battery/Ultracapacitors Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) has been proposed. We have examined the HESS parameters for an EV configuration propelled by two in-wheel connected directly to the vehicle frontal wheels and a single EM coupled to a differential transmission system that drives the rear wheels. This paper presents a new energy management strategy for Battery/Ultracapacitor HESS to both parameters: minimize the sizing of the HESS and maximize the EV drive range. To reach this purpose, it is adopted a genetic algorithm (GA) technique. Finally, the Pareto frontier including optimal HESS parameter groups has been obtained, which indicates that it is possible to reduce the HESS mass without harming the EV drive range.
Burden and Depression among Caregivers of Hemodialysis Patients

1.2 Methods Cross sectional, descriptive study design was used. Purposive sampling was used to collect data from all patients undergoing hemodialysis at Human Organ Transplant Center. Face to face interview was conducted with the caregivers. Semi structured questionnaires were used to measure socio-demographic and dialysis related variables whereas standard tools Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) and Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to measure burden and depression. Analysis was done using inferential statistics.
A Low-Complexity Spectro-Temporal Distortion Measure for Audio Processing Applications

Perceptual models exploiting auditory masking are frequently used in audio and speech processing applications like coding and watermarking. In most cases, these models only take into account spectral masking in short-time frames. As a consequence, undesired audible artifacts in the temporal domain may be introduced (e.g., pre-echoes). In this article we present a new low-complexity spectro-temporal distortion measure. The model facilitates the computation of analytic expressions for masking thresholds, while advanced spectro-temporal models typically need computationally demanding adaptive procedures to find an estimate of these masking thresholds. We show that the proposed method gives similar masking predictions as an advanced spectro-temporal model with only a fraction of its computational power. The proposed method is also compared with a spectral-only model by means of a listening test. From this test it can be concluded that for non-stationary frames the spectral model underestimates the audibility of introduced errors and therefore overestimates the masking curve. As a consequence, the system of interest incorrectly assumes that errors are masked in a particular frame, which leads to audible artifacts. This is not the case with the proposed method which correctly detects the errors made in the temporal structure of the signal.
The Effect of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus–Induced Immunosuppression on Vaccination Against Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus

SUMMARY Poor efficacy of avian influenza virus (AIV) vaccines in chickens has been documented in the field in spite of good results in experimental settings. Although the causes are multifactorial and complex, one contributing factor may be prior infection with immunosuppressive viruses. In an effort to evaluate the role of immunosuppressive agents on AIV pathogenesis and vaccine efficacy, the effect of prior infection with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), a ubiquitous immunosuppressive virus of chickens, was evaluated. Specific-pathogen-free white Plymouth Rock chickens were exposed to variant E IBDV at 1 day of age and were subsequently vaccinated with an inactivated H7 AIV vaccine 2 wk later. Vaccinated chickens exposed to IBDV had a geometric mean antibody titer to AIV of 1:1.7 by hemagglutination inhibition assay compared to a geometric mean titer of 1:47.5 from chickens that were vaccinated but not exposed to IBDV. Three weeks postvaccination, the chickens were challenged with one of six different doses of highly pathogenic (HP) AIV homologous to the vaccine. Within challenge virus dose groups, vaccinated chickens exposed to IBDV had similar mortality rates to nonvaccinated chickens that were not exposed to IBDV. In contrast, vaccinated chickens that were not exposed to IBDV were protected from mortality. Exposure to IBDV also decreased the mean death time (2.3–3.7 days depending on dose) compared with vaccinated birds not exposed to IBDV (4–7 days depending on dose). Neither vaccination nor IBDV infection had an effect on mean bird infection dose with HPAIV, but the 50% bird lethal dose was reduced from >106 50% egg infective dose (EID50) in the vaccinated, IBDV-nonexposed group to 103.3 EID50 in the vaccinated group exposed to IBDV. These results are consistent with IBDV exposure contributing to poor vaccine efficacy in the field.