Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The renin angiotensin system blockade in kidney transplantation: pros and cons

Besides the immunological mediated damage on the graft, the intrarenal renin‐angiotensin system (RAS) is viewed as an additional mechanism in the development and progression of chronic allograft injury. RAS blocking agents efficiently control post‐transplant hypertension and are useful to reduce proteinuria and for treating post‐transplant erythrocytosis. However, RAS blockade is associated with some potentially relevant adverse events as hyperkalemia, anemia, and even to a decline in renal function. There are consistent experimental data showing that RAS blockade has a therapeutic effect on chronic allograft injury. Some clinical studies have shown that RAS blockade reduces transforming growth factor‐β1 and other markers of fibrosis but, up to now, there is not convincing evidence supporting that RAS blockade has further benefit on the progression of chronic allograft injury in comparison with other antihypertensive interventions. Theoretically, RAS blockade may also improve cardiovascular disease, which constitutes the main cause of mortality and morbidity in renal allograft recipients. Nevertheless, to date there is lack of evidence for supporting that RAS blockade improves neither graft nor patient survival in comparison with other antihypertensive drugs. Randomized, prospective, double blind, placebo‐controlled trials with enough sample size and follow‐up are needed to address the potential role of RAS blockade to improve graft and patient outcome. Meanwhile, we should empirically balance case to case the pros and cons of RAS blockade in renal transplantation.
Embryonic and postnatal development of microglial cells in the mouse retina

Macrophage/microglial cells in the mouse retina during embryonic and postnatal development were studied by immunocytochemistry with Iba1, F4/80, anti‐CD45, and anti‐CD68 antibodies and by tomato lectin histochemistry. These cells were already present in the retina of embryos aged 11.5 days (E11.5) in association with cell death. At E12.5 some macrophage/microglial cells also appeared in peripheral regions of the retina with no apparent relationship with cell death. Immediately before birth microglial cells were present in the neuroblastic, inner plexiform (IPL), and ganglion cell (GCL) layers, and their distribution suggested that they entered the retina from the ciliary margin and the vitreous. The density of retinal microglial cells strongly decreased at birth, increased during the first postnatal week as a consequence of the entry of microglial precursors into the retina from the vitreous, and subsequently decreased owing to the cessation of microglial entry and the increase in retina size. The mature topographical distribution pattern of microglia emerged during postnatal development of the retina, apparently by radial migration of microglial cells from the vitreal surface in a vitreal‐to‐scleral direction. Whereas microglial cells were only seen in the GCL and IPL at birth, they progressively appeared in more scleral layers at increasing postnatal ages. Thus, microglial cells were present within all layers of the retina except the outer nuclear layer at the beginning of the second postnatal week. Once microglial cells reached their definitive location, they progressively ramified. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:224–239, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Exploring the regulatory framework and governance of decentralised water management systems : a strata and community title perspective

© Commonwealth of Australia 2009 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from the Commonwealth. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney General‘s Department, Robert Garran Offices, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 or posted at www.ag. gov.au/cca. Online/print: ISBN: 978-1-921107-82-5 Exploring the regulatory framework and governance of decentralised water management systems: a strata and community title perspective, September 2009 Authors: J Warnken, N Johnston and C Guilding Published by the National Water Commission 95 Northbourne Avenue Canberra ACT 2600 Tel: 02 6102 6000 Email: enquiries@nwc.gov.au Date of publication: September 2009 Cover design by: Angelink Cover photo courtesy of Dr Jan Warnken, Decentralised water management system at the Town of 1770, Agnes Water An appropriate citation for this report is: Warnken J, Johnston N, and Guilding C 2009, Exploring the regulatory framework and governance of decentralised water management systems: a strata and community title perspective, National Water Commission, Canberra.
An on‐line sampling system for fermentation monitoring Using membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS): Application to phenoxyacetic acid monitoring in penicillin fermentation

A sampling system for on‐line monitoring of organic compounds of low volatility in complex fermentation media uses membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS). A Syringe pump draws a continuous flow of microfiltered broth from the reactor and circulates it after acidification through a membrane inlet, in which a membrane is the only interface between the sample and the high vacuum of a mass spectrometer. All operations run automatically, i.e., sampling, acidification measurement, and calibration. The on‐stream acidification enables MIMS monitoring of carboxylic acids, as they must be undissociated in order to pass the hydrophobic membrane. The performance of the monitoring system was tested by measurements of standard solutions of phenoxyacetic acid (POAA, the sie chain precursor of penicillin‐V) as well as on POAA during 200 h penicillin‐V fermentation. During the entire fermentation POAA was monitored n low millimolar concentrations with high accuracy and fast response to step changes in POAA concentration. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) allowed direct identification of peaks in the mass spectrum of the broth that were not accounted for by POAA. These peaks were identified as SO2 and SCO. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Polyamine depletion by ODC‐AdoMetDC antisense adenovirus impairs human colorectal cancer growth and invasion in vitro and in vivo

Polyamine biosynthesis is controlled primarily by ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S‐adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC). Polyamine concentrations are elevated in colorectal cancer. Depletion of polyamine content in colorectal cancer by chemotherapy is related to tumor regression and impaired tumorigenicity. The current study evaluates the therapeutic effects of antisense ODC and AdoMetDC sequences on colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo.
A Stochastic-Volatility Model for Pricing Power Variants of Exchange Options

In this article, the author presents a model with jumps and stochastic volatility, based on two correlated variance-gamma processes combined with an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process with gamma innovations. The objective is to analyze pricing methods for a European-style equity option to exchange one stock for another, as well as two important classes of its variants, which raise the stock prices and the standard option payoff, respectively, to certain powers. These option variants are particularly useful in adjusting the risk level of exchange options and can also be viewed as generalizations of traditional power-type options. The pricing formulas are obtained under risk neutrality in terms of characteristic functions and are thus independent from the model distribution. Numerical results are given for illustrating the efficiency of the presented formulas along with various advantages of the proposed stochastic-volatility model. TOPICS: Options, statistical methods, performance measurement
A swift unrest horde system for curtail SDO hit in cloud computing

One of the immense risk to benefit accessibility in distributed computing is Distributed Denial of Service. Here a novel approach has been proposed to limit SDO [Strewn Defiance of Overhaul] assaults. This has been wanted to accomplish by a canny quick motion horde organize. An astute horde arrange is required to guarantee independent coordination and portion of horde hubs to play out its handing-off tasks. Clever Water Drop calculation has been adjusted for appropriated and parallel advancement. The quick motion system was utilized to keep up availability between horde hubs, customers, and servers. We have intended to reproduce this as programming comprising of different customer hubs and horde hubs
A robust equal-load-sharing control scheme for parallel UPS units with time delay consideration

This paper proposes a robust control scheme for equal load sharing between n parallel-connected UPS units with LCL output filters. Dual-loop control is used with capacitor voltage feedback in the outer loop, and capacitor current feedback in the inner loop. Time delay in exchanging information between UPS units is taken into consideration in the stability analysis. It is shown that large time delay, if not compensated, affects the dynamic performance of the system and tends to destabilize the system. Simulation results are provided to prove the stability and robustness of the system against load variation and hot-swap operation.
Opium consumption and lipid and glucose parameters in diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome: a survey in northern Iran.

BACKGROUND A traditional belief is common among people of the Middle East countries regarding anti-diabetic and anti-dyslipidemic effect of opium. AIM To assess the association between opium consumption and lipid and glucose parameters in diabetic patients of northern Iran. METHODS Ninety-seven diabetic patients admitted to Critical Care Unit (CCU) of Rouhani and Shahid Beheshti hospitals from 2006 to 2007 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Forty-eight patients with regular opium consumption of three days a week for more than 6 months were considered as case group. A non-opium diabetic patient admitted in the same hospital was considered as control for each opium addict patient. Total cholesterol, Triglyceride, LDL, HDL, FBS, HbA1c were measured in all patients. Student t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square test and Spearman correlation were used for data analysis. RESULT The mean age of patients was 64.32 ± 11.47 years. There were no significant differences between the serum level of lipid and glucose indices between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The effect of opium consumption on diabetes and dyslipidemia are not protective.
Tourism logistics management through financial and regulatory measures: evidence from a panel of countries

ABSTRACT The objective of the study is to analyze the different factors that influence international tourism demand in a panel of 21 tourists –oriented countries, over a period of 2006–2016. The results confirm that logistics performance index has a positive impact on international tourism demand, while financial and regulatory measures have a differential impact on international tourism. The business disclosure index increases tourism demand while the cost of business start-up procedures increases travel items receipts. The results emphasize the need for an integrated economic and financial model that helps to integrate international tourism infrastructure and logistics activities to support broad-based growth.
The Myth of the Press Gang: Volunteers, Impressment and the Naval Manpower Problem in the Late Eighteenth Century

The press gang is generally regarded as the means by which the British navy solved the problem of recruiting enough seamen in the late eighteenth century. This book, however, based on extensive original research conducted primarily in a large number of ships' muster books, demonstrates that this view is false. It argues that, in fact, the overwhelming majority of seamen in the navy were there of their own free will. Taking a long view across the late eighteenth century but concentrating on the period of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars of 1793-1815, the book provides great detail on the sort of men that were recruited and the means by which they were recruited, and includes a number of individuals' stories. It shows how manpower was a major concern for the Admiralty; how the Admiralty put in place a range of recruitment methods including the quota system; how it worried about depleting merchant shipping of sufficient sailors; and how, although most seamen were volunteers, the press gang was resorted to, especially during the initial mobilisation at the beginning of wars and to find certain kinds of particularly skilled seamen. The book also makes comparisons with recruitment methods employed by the navies of other countries and by the British army. J. Ross Dancy is Assistant Professor of History at Sam Houston State University.
Multilevel Panel Data Modelling for Unemployment Rate in Indonesian

Indonesia as a developing country is often faced with the problem of unemployment. Low unemployment rates can reflect good economic growth and reflect the well-being of the population, thus each country will attemp to lower the unemployment rate, including Indonesia. The unemployment rate of provinces in Indonesia from 2005 to 2015 observed every 6 months can be viewed as panel data. This study aims to model the trend of unemployment rate in Indonesia and external factors that influence it through multilevel modeling approach, where unemployment rate value at any point of time (level 1) is nested within the province (level 2). Selected models are models with random intercept and random time slopes which indicate there are varieties of unemployment rate between provincies that occurs at initial values and the rate of change over time. The average decline is about 0.05% every 6 months. Provinces with a high initial unemployment rate value were more likely to decline the unemployment rate compared to provinces with low initial unemployment rate values. After being controlled by the effect of time, the fixed effect that significantly affects unemployment rate is investment and population density. In addition, unemployment rate in August tended to be higher than unemployment rate in February.
Inclusive, Responsive, Democratic Local Government Institution and Active Citizens

Reform in decentralization and village democratization can be seen in the involvement of villagers in the policy-making process, both in the economic, political and rural development fields. In the community planning process there is widespread (participatory) community involvement. The involvement of citizens in village development is one part of the development goals. Equality, justice, non-violence, tolerance, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability and responsiveness are principles that must be put forward in the village development planning process. The involvement of citizens in village development planning and budgeting aims to ensure and identify what should be the development priorities, policies, programs and activities that require budget or resources. By using a descriptive qualitative approach, this research is expected to be able to understand more deeply about inclusive and responsive democracy carried out by village government institutions and the involvement of villagers' participation. This is one of the first steps that should be taken by the village government in building democracy at the village level.
A comparison of health-related quality of life of elderly and younger insulin-treated adults with diabetes.

BACKGROUND diabetes is a significant disease of elderly people, an age group whose numbers will double over the next 20-30 years. Yet studies which assess diabetes-related quality of life have rarely included elderly participants. OBJECTIVES to compare and contrast the health-related quality of life of elderly (> or = 65 years) and younger individuals with diabetes using reliable and valid assessment tools. METHODS 191 adults (> or = 30 years) with diabetes currently on an insulin regimen were recruited. Medical and demographic data were gathered from the medical chart. Participants completed a generic quality of life measure (SF-36) and 3 diabetes-specific measures. Statistical analyses compared adults (30-64 years) to elderly adults (> or = 65 years). RESULTS on the generic SF-36, physical and mental summary scores did not differ. However, elderly participants reported greater role limitations due to physical problems, and better social function. On diabetes-specific measures, elderly participants reported higher satisfaction with diabetes-related aspects of their lives, less diabetes-related emotional distress, and better ability to cope with their diabetes. CONCLUSIONS the differences that did emerge between the two groups suggest that, though experiencing more limitations in their ability to function in their roles, elderly individuals with diabetes may still feel that they can cope with these limitations and thus manage the distress and lifestyle demands of the diabetes. The value of subscale analysis of the SF-36 and use of diabetes-specific health-related quality of life measures is also affirmed.
Proinflammatory and Immunomodulatory Cytokine mRNA Time Course Profiles in Hamsters Infected with a Virulent Variant of Leptospirainterrogans

ABSTRACT In order to quantify in vivo the mRNAs of cytokines which play important roles in leptospirosis, we have developed quantitative real-time PCR assays for interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-10, IL-12p40, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), gamma interferon (IFN-γ), transforming growth factor β, and two housekeeping genes (encoding β-actin and hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase). We used a lethal hamster model reflecting severe leptospirosis in humans. The LightCycler system was used to quantify the gene expression levels with the SYBR green I detection format using external standard curves for each target. We compared the expression levels of cytokine mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of both control (uninfected) hamsters and Leptospira interrogans-inoculated hamsters from 1 to 24 h and then 1 to 4 days postinfection. In this kinetic study, there was pronounced expression of Th1 cytokine mRNA (TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-12), with transcripts being detected as early as 1 h postinfection. Expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-10, was prominent in delayed samples from 1 to 4 days postinfection in response to infection with Leptospira interrogans. Our data are the first to establish that pathogenic leptospires can stimulate in vivo the production of type 1 cytokines involved in cellular immunity by using this informative animal model. Measuring and assessing cytokine profiles may provide a useful method for accurate study of the mechanisms of anti-Leptospira immunity, indications of prognosis factors, and prospective evaluation of leptospirosis vaccine efficacy in humans.
Treatment of spontaneous ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Spontaneous rupture with bleeding is a potentially life-threatening complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We review our experience with treatments of ruptured HCC. METHODOLOGY Between January 1988 and December 1997, 18 patients with ruptured HCC were admitted. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the treatment type of ruptured HCC. Group 1 consisted of 10 patients treated by transarterial embolization (TAE) followed by elective hepatectomy. Group 2 consisted of 2 patients treated by only TAE. Group 3 consisted of 3 patients treated by emergency operation. Group 4 consisted of 3 patients who could not be treated by TAE or surgery. RESULTS In Group 1, 4 of the 10 patients died; 3 from recurrent HCC and 1 from cerebral hemorrhage, and hospital mortality was absent. The 1-year survival rate was 87.5%. In Group 2, both patients recovered sufficiently well to be discharged. The 1-year survival rate was 50%. In Groups 3 and 4, hospital mortality rate was 100%. CONCLUSIONS TAE followed by elective hepatectomy was an effective treatment in patients with ruptured HCC.
Mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease is associated with a distributed pattern of brain white matter damage

This study assesses the patterns of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) damage in patients with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment (PD‐MCI) compared with healthy controls and cognitively unimpaired PD patients (PD‐Cu). Three‐dimensional T1‐weighted and diffusion tensor (DT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained from 43 PD patients and 33 healthy controls. Cognition was assessed using a neuropsychological battery. Tract‐based spatial statistics was applied to compare DT MRI indices between groups on a voxel‐by‐voxel basis. Voxel‐based morphometry was performed to assess GM atrophy. Thirty PD patients were classified as MCI. Compared with healthy controls, PD‐Cu and PD‐MCI patients did not have GM atrophy. No region of WM damage was found in PD‐Cu patients when compared with healthy controls. Relative to healthy controls and PD‐Cu patients, PD‐MCI patients showed a distributed pattern of WM abnormalities in the anterior and superior corona radiata, genu, and body of the corpus callosum, and anterior inferior fronto‐occipital, uncinate, and superior longitudinal fasciculi, bilaterally. Subtle cognitive decline in PD is associated with abnormalities of frontal and interhemispheric WM connections, and not with GM atrophy. DT MRI might contribute to the identification of structural changes in PD‐MCI patients prior to the development of dementia. Hum Brain Mapp 35:1921–1929, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Use of anabolic-androgenic steroids in adolescence: winning, looking good or being bad?

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use among Norwegian adolescents and to contrast three perspectives on AAS use: performance enhancement in sports competition, body image and eating concerns, and AAS-use as belonging to a cluster of problem behaviors. METHOD A nationally representative sample of 8,877 (53.8% female) Norwegian youths (15-22 years of age) were surveyed (response rate 78%). Sports participation included measures of participation in strength sports, participation in competitive sports, strength training and perceived athletic competence. Body image and eating concerns included measures of disordered eating, perceived physical appearance and satisfaction with body parts. Problem behavior was measured by three dimensions of conduct problems (overt destruction, overt nondestruction and covert destruction), illicit drug use and sexual involvement. RESULTS Information about AAS was obtained from 8,508 subjects. Lifetime AAS use was 0.8% (1.2% male and 0.6% female), 12-month prevalence was 0.3% and 5.1% had been offered AAS. AAS use did not vary according to sports involvement and demographics. Logistic regression analyses showed that AAS use was associated with such problem behavior as marijuana (cannabis) involvement and overt nondestruction (e.g., aggressive-type conduct problems) and, to some extent, with involvement in power sports and disordered eating. AAS users differed little from those who had been offered but refrained from using AAS, except that they were more likely to be current marijuana users. CONCLUSIONS Adolescent AAS use seems primarily to be another type of problem behavior and only secondarily is it associated with strength-sport participation and disordered eating.