Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The renal protective effect of angiotensin receptor blockers depends on intra-individual response variation in multiple risk markers.

AIMS Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are renoprotective and targeted to blood pressure. However, ARBs have multiple other (off-target) effects which may affect renal outcome. It is unknown whether on-target and off-target effects are congruent within individuals. If not, this variation in short term effects may have important implications for the prediction of individual long term renal outcomes. Our aim was to assess intra-individual variability in multiple parameters in response to ARBs in type 2 diabetes. METHODS Changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), albuminuria, potassium, haemoglobin, cholesterol and uric acid after 6 months of losartan treatment were assessed in the RENAAL database. Improvement in predictive performance of renal outcomes (ESRD or doubling serum creatinine) for each individual using ARB-induced changes in all risk markers was assessed by the relative integrative discrimination index (RIDI). RESULTS SBP response showed high variability (mean -5.7 mmHg, 5(th) to 95(th) percentile -36.5 to +24.0 mmHg) between individuals. Changes in off-target parameters also showed high variability between individuals. No congruency was observed between responses to losartan in multiple parameters within individuals. Using individual responses in all risk markers significantly improved renal risk prediction (RIDI 30.4%, P < 0.01) compared with using only SBP changes. Results were successfully replicated in two independent trials with irbesartan, IDNT and IRMA-2. CONCLUSIONS In this post hoc analysis we showed that ARBs have multiple off-target effects which vary between and within individuals. Combining all ARB-induced responses beyond SBP provides a more accurate prediction of who will benefit from ARB therapy. Prospective trials are required to validate these findings.
Understanding the Time Variation in Exchange Rate Pass-Through to Import Prices

In this paper, we analyze the presence of time variation in the pass-through from the nominal effective exchange rate to import prices for 24 advanced economies over the period 1995–2015. In line with earlier studies in the literature, we find substantial heterogeneity in the level of exchange rate pass-through across countries.
Understanding Pre‐Eclampsia Using Alzheimer's Etiology: An Intriguing Viewpoint

Characterized by hypertension and proteinuria after the 20th week of gestation, pre‐eclampsia (PE) is a major cause of maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Despite being recognized for centuries, PE still lacks a reliable, early means of diagnosis or prediction, and a safe and effective therapy. We have recently reported that the event of toxic protein misfolding and aggregation is a critical etiological manifestation in PE. Using comparative proteomic analysis of gestational age‐matched sera from PE and normal pregnancy, we identified several proteins that appeared to be dysregulated in PE. Our efforts so far have focused on transthyretin (TTR), a transporter of thyroxine and retinol, and amyloid precursor protein whose aggregates were detected in the PE placenta. Based on these results and detection of TTR aggregates in sera from PE patients, we proposed that PE could be a disease of protein misfolding and aggregation. Protein misfolding and aggregation have long been linked with many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. However, linkage of protein misfolding and aggregation with the PE pathogenesis is a new and novel concept. This review aims to understand the roles of aggregated proteins in PE using the cues from the Alzheimer's etiology.
Histological evidence for skin rejuvenation using a combination of pneumatic energy, broadband light, and growth factor therapy

Abstract Background and objective: A variety of laser or light-based devices have been developed for skin rejuvenation. This study evaluates the efficacy (at the microscopic level) of a combination of pneumatic energy, broadband light, and profusion tip-delivered epidermal growth factor (EGF). Methods: Healthy adult Japanese volunteers were recruited for this study. The posterior parts of the left and right arms were treated with a device that combines pneumatic energy and broadband light (Isolaz device). The left arms were also treated with EGF through a tip. Each subject received four treatments at 10-day intervals. Biopsy specimens obtained 3 weeks after the second treatment and 3 weeks after the fourth treatment were examined for histological study. Results: After two treatments, elastin fibers and fibroblasts in the dermal papillary layers of the left arms were increased compared to the right arms. A mean of 173.9 cells positive for proliferating cell nuclear antibody (PCNA) were observed on the left arm compared to 101.0 on the right arm. After the fourth treatment, angiogenesis and increased collagen fibers were observed in the dermal papillary layers of both arms. Conclusion: Four treatments with the addition of the profusion tip appear to hasten new collagen and elastin fiber formation, and the increase of PCNA positive cells so that dermal remodeling begins at an earlier stage than with the Isolaz alone.
Evaluation of hybrid terrestrial-satellite suburban wireless mesh backhauls for LTE networks

The development of 5G networks supposes a big challenge for mobile operators in order to satisfy the ambitious objective of delivering broadband services ubiquitously. Based on this, the increasing capabilities of satellite systems have created the consensus that such systems can satisfy the required necessities for several scenarios, such as for rural or low-density populated areas. Used in combination with a terrestrial wireless backhaul, satellite backhauls are envisaged as a solution to improve the network efficiency in terms of delivered traffic to access nodes while increasing its resiliency for the mentioned scenarios. This paper presents i) our ns-3 framework for modeling hybrid terrestrial-satellite mesh backhaul networks that carry LTE traffic and ii) a comparison of our different backpressure-based approaches against generic shortest-path routing in a low-density suburban scenario for LTE networks. Simulation results reveal the advantages of backpressure-based approaches to make an efficient use of the network resources while integrating seamlessly both terrestrial and satellite backhaul resources.
The Colletotrichum orbiculare ssd1 Mutant Enhances Nicotiana benthamiana Basal Resistance by Activating a Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathway[C][W]

Plant basal resistance is activated by virulent pathogens in susceptible host plants. A Colletotrichum orbiculare fungal mutant defective in the SSD1 gene, which regulates cell wall composition, is restricted by host basal resistance responses. Here, we identified the Nicotiana benthamiana signaling pathway involved in basal resistance by silencing the defense-related genes required for restricting the growth of the C. orbiculare mutant. Only silencing of MAP Kinase Kinase2 or of both Salicylic Acid Induced Protein Kinase (SIPK) and Wound Induced Protein Kinase (WIPK), two mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases, allowed the mutant to infect and produce necrotic lesions similar to those of the wild type on inoculated leaves. The fungal mutant penetrated host cells to produce infection hyphae at a higher frequency in SIPK WIPK-silenced plants than in nonsilenced plants, without inducing host cellular defense responses. Immunocomplex kinase assays revealed that SIPK and WIPK were more active in leaves inoculated with mutant fungus than with the wild type, suggesting that induced resistance correlates with MAP kinase activity. Infiltration of heat-inactivated mutant conidia induced both SIPK and WIPK more strongly than did those of the wild type, while conidial exudates of the wild type did not suppress MAP kinase induction by mutant conidia. Therefore, activation of a specific MAP kinase pathway by fungal cell surface components determines the effective level of basal plant resistance.
Board structure and institutional ownership at the time of IPO

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of mandatory regulatory provisions on board structure and the influence of such board structure on institutional holdings. Design/methodology/approach The study uses unique hand-collected data set of Indian IPOs during the 2004-2012 period after the corporate governance reforms with the introduction of clause 49 in the listing agreements in 2001. Using OLS regression, the paper empirically analyses the determinants of board size and board independence at the time of the IPOs and the influence of such a board structure on shareholdings by domestic and foreign institutional investors. Findings The authors find that complying with mandatory regulatory provisions does not impede firms from structuring their boards to reflect the firms’ advising and monitoring needs. The authors also find that complying with provisions have positive implication for the firm, as firms with greater board independence appear to attract more foreign institutional investors. Originality/value To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first study to examine the issue in a regime where regulation mandates the composition of the board of directors. The paper also extends the literature on institutional holdings by providing evidence on the impact of board structure on institutional ownership at a critical time in a firm’s life cycle when concerns for endogeneity for empirical investigations are weaker.
Effect of Heparin and/or Antithrombin III on the Generation of Endotoxin-Induced Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor

Summary It has been experimentally shown that endotoxin induces a significant increase in the blood levels of a plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI). We evaluated the effect of different doses of heparin (5 to 20IU kg−1 h−1), antithrombin III (10 to 40 U kg−1 h−1 and 240 U/kg as bolus) and of a combination of the two on: 1) the elevation of PAI activity, 2) fibrin deposition in kidneys and 3) mortality in rabbits infused with E. coli lipopoly-saccharide. Our results show that heparin plus AT III is able to significantly reduce the generation of endotoxin-induced PAI activity in rabbits' circulation. Low dose of heparin and a bolus injection of AT III both cause a decrease in the generation of PAI at 2 but not at 6 hours of endotoxin infusion. Moreover, fibrin deposits in kidneys of animals receiving heparin plus AT III or a bolus injection of AT III were significantly reduced as compared to control rabbits. The association between low levels of PAI and decreased fibrin deposits is strengthened by the significant correlation (p < 0.05) found between these two parameters. Finally, the plasma levels of PAI activity at 2 and 6 hours of endotoxin infusion in surviving animals were lower than those observed in animals that died within 2 hours after the end of treatment. We conclude that heparin plus AT III partially prevents the endotoxin-induced generation of PAI activity which seems to correlate with the reduced presence of fibrin deposits in kidneys and with a reduced mortality.
Consumers’ Preference on Imported and Locally Made Furniture in Dar es Salaam and Arusha, Tanzania

This study was designed to assess the consumer’s preference between imported and locally made furniture in Dar es Salaam and Arusha in Tanzania. Primary and secondary data for the study were collected from furniture consumers in the study area. A total of 134 consumers were surveyed. Questionnaires and documentary reviews were used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used in the analysis of data. The result of the study revealed significant differences on the levels of consumers’ preference for furniture products. Imported furniture seems to be far preferred by consumers. It was observed that the major differences in consumers’ preference for furniture were due to quality and design. This study provides valuable implications for local small-scale manufacturers if they want to compete in the globalized market. It is, therefore, recommended that local furniture manufacturers should acquire adequate skills, technology and innovation in order to produce competitive products.
History of antibiotic use and risk of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)

A population‐based, incidence case‐control study was conducted among women in upstate New York to determine whether histories of certain infections and antibiotic use are associated with risk of non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Our study involved 376 cases of NHL identified through the New York State Cancer Registry and 463 controls selected from the Medicare beneficiary files and state driver's license records. Information about use of common medications including antibiotics, history of selected infectious diseases and potential confounding variables was obtained by telephone interview. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using an unconditional logistic regression model. There was a progressive increase in risk of NHL with increasing frequency and duration of systemic antibiotic use, as assessed over the period of 2–20 years before the interview. The ORs for the highest exposure categories, ≥36 episodes and ≥366 days of use, were 2.56 (95% CI 1.33–4.94) and 2.66 (95% CI 1.35–5.27), respectively. These associations were primarily due to antibiotic use against respiratory infections and dental conditions. Moreover, the association with frequency of antibiotic use for respiratory infections was pronounced for marginal zone B‐cell lymphoma and for respiratory tract lymphoma. Analyses by class of antibiotics did not suggest that a general cytotoxic effect of antibiotics was responsible for these increased risks. Although recall bias and selection bias remain potential concerns in our study, the results are generally consistent with the hypothesis that persistent infection/inflammation predisposes individuals to the development of NHL. However, a direct role of antibiotics in NHL induction has not been ruled out. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Winning in Professional Team Sports: Historical Moments

Our aims in this paper are to (1) examine the higher moments of the distribution of winning percentages and (2) discover economic implications of such an examination. The results prove useful to both current sports league policy questions and future research. We speculate that the institutional differences between North American pro leagues and European soccer leagues will prove fruitful areas for future research on the determination of competitive balance. (JEL C1, L83, Z20)
Genome-wide mapping of the RNA targets of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa riboregulatory protein RsmN

Abstract Pseudomonads typically carry multiple non-identical alleles of the post-transcriptional regulator rsmA. In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, RsmN is notable in that its structural rearrangement confers distinct and overlapping functions with RsmA. However, little is known about the specificities of RsmN for its target RNAs and overall impact on the biology of this pathogen. We purified and mapped 503 transcripts directly bound by RsmN in P. aeruginosa. About 200 of the mRNAs identified encode proteins of demonstrated function including some determining acute and chronic virulence traits. For example, RsmN reduces biofilm development both directly and indirectly via multiple pathways, involving control of Pel exopolysaccharide biosynthesis and c-di-GMP levels. The RsmN targets identified are also shared with RsmA, although deletion of rsmN generally results in less pronounced phenotypes than those observed for ΔrsmA or ΔrsmArsmNind mutants, probably as a consequence of different binding affinities. Targets newly identified for the Rsm system include the small non-coding RNA CrcZ involved in carbon catabolite repression, for which differential binding of RsmN and RsmA to specific CrcZ regions is demonstrated. The results presented here provide new insights into the intricacy of riboregulatory networks involving multiple but distinct RsmA homologues.
Revisiting the Exchange Rate Response to Monetary Policy Innovations: The Role of Spillovers of U.S. News Shocks

Recursive vector autoregression (VAR) analysis suggests that the nominal exchange rate tends to depreciate after a contractionary monetary policy shock in most developing countries, a puzzle for virtually all open-economy macroeconomic models. Using a structural VAR approach, we document that when the U.S. economic outlook worsens developing countries' exchange rates signicantly depreciate and their policy-controlled interest rates increase. We show that commonly used recursive VAR schemes inevitably confound these correlations for the monetary policy innovation. In our econometric framework, we identify the spillover effects of future U.S. business cycles as the innovations that best explain future movements in the Federal Funds rate over an horizon of two years. When the monetary policy shock is then cleansed of these variations, the exchange rate response puzzle disappears. We conclude by showing that a standard small open economy model with news about future fundamentals in a large economy is consistent with all the empirical findings of this paper.
Immunohistochemical Expression of Estrogen Receptor β in Normal and Tumoral Canine Mammary Glands

To date, two isoforms of estrogen receptors (ER) have been identified, cloned, and characterized from several species, estrogen receptor-α (ERα) and estrogen receptor-β (ERβ). Although the presence of ERα has been demonstrated in normal and tumoral canine mammary tissues, the issue of ERβ expression has not been addressed in the dog. In this study, we have analyzed the expression of ERβ in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples of nonaltered mammary gland, 30 malignant (six complex carcinoma, 12 simple carcinoma, three carcinosarcoma, and nine carcinoma or sarcoma in benign tumor), and five benign (one fibroadenoma, one complex papilloma, one complex adenoma, and two benign mixed tumors) mammary tumors of the dog by using a polyclonal ERβ antibody and the avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex immunohistochemical technique. Our results show that high numbers of normal ductal and acinar epithelium and approximately one third of canine mammary tumors express ERβ. This expression was higher in benign than in malignant tumors. Furthermore, expression was higher in complex and mixed histologic subtypes of malignant tumors when compared with simple subtypes.
Development of Semi- and Grafted Interpenetrating Polymer Networks Based on Poly(Ethylene Glycol) Diacrylate and Collagen

Purpose The objective of this work was to develop composite hydrogels based on poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and collagen (Coll), potentially useful for biomedical applications. Methods Semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) were obtained by photo-stabilizing aqueous solutions of PEGDA and acrylic acid (AA), in the presence of collagen. Further grafting of the collagen macromolecules to the PEGDA/poly(AA) network was achieved by means of a carbodiimide-mediated crosslinking reaction. The resulting hydrogels were characterized in terms of swelling capability, collagen content and mechanical properties. Results and Conclusions The grafting procedure was found to significantly improve the mechanical stability of the IPN hydrogels, due to the establishment of covalent bonding between the PEGDA/poly(AA) and the collagen networks. The suitability of the composite hydrogels to be processed by means of stereolithography (SLA) was also investigated, toward creating biomimetic constructs with complex shapes, which might be useful either as platforms for tissue engineering applications or as tissue mimicking phantoms.
Representation of three‐dimensional objects by the rat perirhinal cortex

The perirhinal cortex (PRC) is known to play an important role in object recognition. Little is known, however, regarding the activity of PRC neurons during the presentation of stimuli that are commonly used for recognition memory tasks in rodents, that is, three‐dimensional objects. Rats in the present study were exposed to three‐dimensional objects while they traversed a circular track for food reward. Under some behavioral conditions, the track contained novel objects, familiar objects, or no objects. Approximately 38% of PRC neurons demonstrated “object fields” (a selective increase in firing at the location of one or more objects). Although the rats spent more time exploring the objects when they were novel compared to familiar, indicating successful recognition memory, the proportion of object fields and the firing rates of PRC neurons were not affected by the rats' previous experience with the objects. Together, these data indicate that the activity of PRC cells is powerfully affected by the presence of objects while animals navigate through an environment; but under these conditions, the firing patterns are not altered by the relative novelty of objects during successful object recognition. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Athletic Performance of Elite Rugby League Players Is Improved After an 8-Week Small-Sided Game Training Intervention

Abstract Seitz, LB, Rivière, M, de Villarreal, ES, and Haff, GG. The athletic performance of elite rugby league players is improved after an 8-week small-sided game training intervention. J Strength Cond Res 28(4): 971–975, 2014—The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a small-sided game training intervention on the intermittent shuttle running performance, speed, and repeated sprint ability of elite rugby league players during the competitive phase of a rugby league season. Ten elite rugby league players from a Stobart Super League team academy underwent 2 small-sided game sessions per week over an 8-week period. Each session consisted of four 10-minute blocks of 1 small-sided game, interspersed with a 3-minute recovery. Changes in physical performance were assessed before and after the training intervention with an intermittent shuttle running test (30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test), speed tests (10-, 20-, and 40-m linear sprints) and a repeated sprint ability test (8 × 20-m linear sprint, departing every 20 seconds). Results showed that the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (+1.29%), 10-m (−3.17%), 20-m (−1.37%), and 40-m (−0.96%) sprint times and mean sprint time (−2.11%), total sprint time (−2.11%), and percentage of sprint decrement (7.10 vs. 5.93%) during the repeated sprint ability test were significantly improved after the training intervention. Based on these results, it was concluded that an 8-week small-sided game training intervention was an effective method for improving the physical performance of elite rugby league players during the competitive phase of the season.
Investment on human capital in a dynamic contest model

Abstract Although most contest games are modeled in such a way that the outcome depends only on the efforts exerted by the contestants, what is arguably more important is the contestants’ effective efforts which may be influenced also by their ability, human capital, strength, etc. In this paper, we investigate an extensive model including such an effectiveness parameter and analyze the optimal investment behavior in a dynamic conflict framework. At each period, two contestants compete for a common prize by choosing contest efforts and investment levels. Each contestant’s investment accumulates as his/her human capital which depreciates through time. Who wins the component contest at a particular period is determined by the contestants’ effective efforts, defined as increasing functions of their efforts and human capitals. Following the analysis of subgame perfect Nash equilibrium in a two-period model and of open-loop equilibrium in an infinite-horizon model, we provide intuitive comparative static results.