Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glomerular density and progression.

Sir, We have recently read with great interest the article by Tsuboi et al. [1], which examines glomerular metrics in progressive idiopathic membranous nephropathy. In patients with proteinuria (>1 g/day), low glomerular density was predictive of a loss of renal function in this disease. In the accompanying editorial, Fogo [2] reminds us that glomerular density is a relative metric, with tubulointerstitial volume being the denominator. Interstitial fibrosis is actually a consequence of both reduction in tubulointerstitial volume and excess matrix accumulation. In the same way that a deflated balloon contains the same amount of material in a smaller volume, renal fibrosis is accompanied by a reduction in renal size [3] due to collapse of the renal parenchyma, a process enhanced by myofibroblast-mediated contraction [4]. A similar process occurs in skin wound healing, where the drawing together of wound edges by tissue contraction is an important part of wound closure. More direct evidence comes from examining the histology in experimental renal infection and scarring [5]. Being a primarily tubulointerstitial model of injury, the glomeruli are largely unaffected during fibrosis, with increasing density of glomeruli therefore providing a direct measure of parenchymal collapse. There are obvious differences between the elegant observations of Tsuboi et al. [1] and our tubulointerstitial disease corollary [5]. In their case, in a form of primary glomerular disease, less glomeruli per area of cortex was a worse prognostic feature. In our studies in a primarily tubulointerstitial disease, increasing glomerular density occurred with renal damage. However, these two observations may well be part of a continuum. Our morphometric studies in experimental renal infection indicate that glomerular density decreases acutely in association with interstitial oedema, increased cellularity and fibrogenesis. The contraction of renal parenchyma occurs later. A progressive increase in fibrous scar tissue in this model is therefore a combined effect of an early increase in collagen expression and a later collapse of the renal 2131
Comparing Mutational and Standing Genetic Variability for Fitness and Size in Caenorhabditis briggsae and C. elegans

The genetic variation present in a species depends on the interplay between mutation, population size, and natural selection. At mutation-(purifying) selection balance (MSB) in a large population, the standing genetic variance for a trait (VG) is predicted to be proportional to the mutational variance for the trait (VM); VM is proportional to the mutation rate for the trait. The ratio VM/VG predicts the average strength of selection (S) against a new mutation. Here we compare VM and VG for lifetime reproductive success (≈ fitness) and body volume in two species of self-fertilizing rhabditid nematodes, Caenorhabditis briggsae and C. elegans, which the evidence suggests have different mutation rates. Averaged over traits, species, and populations within species, the relationship between VG and VM is quite stable, consistent with the hypothesis that differences among groups in standing variance can be explained by differences in mutational input. The average (homozygous) selection coefficient inferred from VM/VG is a few percent, smaller than typical direct estimates from mutation accumulation (MA) experiments. With one exception, the variance present in a worldwide sample of these species is similar to the variance present within a sample from a single locale. These results are consistent with specieswide MSB and uniform purifying selection, but genetic draft (hitchhiking) is a plausible alternative possibility.
1 Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Effects of Hydroxytyrosol and 2 Oleuropein from Olive Leaves in Alloxan-Diabetic Rats 3

7 8 This study was designed to test the antidiabetic and antioxidative activities of olive leaf oleuropein 9 and hydroxytyrosol. Diabetes in Wistar rats was induced by intraperitoneal injections of alloxan. The 10 serum glucose and cholesterol, hepatic glycogen, the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances 11 (TBARS), and the components of hepatic and serum antioxidant system were examined. Diabetic 12 rats showed hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, increased lipid peroxidation, and depletion in the 13 antioxidant enzymes activities. The administration, for 4 weeks, of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol 14 rich extracts, leading to 8 and 16 mg/kg body weight of each compound, significantly decreased the 15 serum glucose and cholesterols levels and restored the antioxidant perturbations. These results 16 suggested that the antidiabetic effect of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol might be due to their 17 antioxidant activities restraining the oxidative stress which is widely associated with diabetes 18 pathologies and complications. 19 20
Risk and return characteristics of environmentally and socially responsible firms in Spain during a financial downturn: 2008–2011

The onset of the global financial crisis in 2008 undermined trust in financial markets, with immediate damages to businesses and enduring negative effects for numerous national economies. The situation also has endangered progress in terms of investments in environmental and social management (ESM) issues, because managers may be more likely to embrace the misguided notion that such investments represent a non-returnable costs that will hinder firms’ financial performance. Yet ESM is needed now more than ever, because “doing good and doing well” messages are highly appreciated by stakeholders and can substantially improve a firm’s competitiveness. This article analyzes the performance of the Spanish FTSE4Good IBEX index, compared with that of the Spanish IBEX 35 index, during the financial crisis and reveals slightly better performance for the former. Thus, considering the difficult financial context, indicators of good environmental and social performance, among other factors, might have positive effects on stock index performance. The findings offer some key implications for managerial practice.
Development of a dielectric equivalent gel for better impedance matching for human skin

It would be useful to develop a tissue equivalent gel to improve the uniformity of the electromagnetic field in the human body, and for making a tissue equivalent dielectric human phantom. In this study, solid type, water based gelatin‐honey gels were developed which have the electrical characteristics of skin tissue. It was demonstrated that a stable and homogeneous gel, with a relative dielectric constant ε′ chosen from desired ranges found in skin, can be made for 200–400 MHz. Bioelectromagnetics 24:214–217, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Improvement of InGaN-GaN light-emitting diode performance with a nano-roughened p-GaN surface

This investigation describes the development of InGaN-GaN light-emitting diode (LED) with a nano-roughened top p-GaN surface which uses Ni nano-mask and wet etching. The light output of the InGaN-GaN LED with a nano-roughened top p-GaN surface is 1.4 times that of a conventional LED, and wall-plug efficiency is 45% higher. The operating voltage of InGaN-GaN LED was reduced from 3.65 to 3.5 V at 20 mA and the series resistance was reduced by 20%. The light output is increased by the nano-roughening of the top p-GaN surface. The reduction in the series resistance can be attributed to the increase in the contact area of nano-roughened surface.
Small size multiband meander line antenna for wireless applications

In this paper, the design of a novel small size, low profile and multiband meander line dipole antenna is presented. The design analysis and characterization of the antenna is performed using the method of moments (MoM) technique. The new designed antenna has an operating frequency of 1.03 GHz, 2.4 GHz and 2.8 GHz with acceptable bandwidth which makes it useful for the new wireless applications. The radiation characteristics, VSWR and input impedance of the proposed antenna as a one of the small antennas are described and simulated using NEC-Win pro. vl . 6 from nittany scientific Inc., MATLAB - v6.5 and NEC viewer.
Augmented desensitization to epidermal growth factor (EGF) immediate actions: A novel mechanism for altered EGF growth response in mutant A431 cells

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) may either stimulate or inhibit cell growth. To elucidate the mechanism of these varied effects, we compared EGF action in parental A431 cells in which cell growth is inhibited, and clone 15, a mutant of these cells resistant to EGF growth inhibition. In both lines, EGF receptor was present in similar concentrations and underwent tyrosine phosphorylation to the same extent. Likewise, in both lines, acute exposure to EGF stimulated an increase in free cytoplasmic [Ca2+], as well as a similar increase in phosphoryla‐tion of lipocortin 1, a major substrate for the EGF receptor kinase whose phos‐phorylation is calcium‐dependent. On the other hand, pretreatment of clone 15 cells with EGF for 72 h abolished EGF‐induced phosphorylation of lipocortin 1 and led to a loss of the increase in cytoplasmic free [Ca2+], whereas no such desensitization was seen in the parental A431 cells. These data indicate a link between EGF‐induced increase in cytoplasmic calcium, lipocortin phosphoryla‐tion, and cell growth and suggest that differences in mechanisms of desensitization to these immediate actions of EGF may lead to altered growth response to this hormone.
Maxillary sinus floor augmentation with injectable calcium phosphate cements: a pre-clinical study in sheep.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this pre-clinical study was to evaluate the biological performance of two injectable calcium phosphate cement (CPC) composite materials containing poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic)acid (PLGA) microspheres with different properties in a maxillary sinus floor elevation model in sheep. MATERIALS AND METHODS PLGA microspheres were made of either low molecular weight (~17 kDa) acid-terminated PLGA (PLGA(L-AT) ) or high molecular weight (~44 kDa) end-capped PLGA (PLGA(H-EC) ) and incorporated in CPC. Eight female Swifter sheep underwent a bilateral maxillary sinus floor elevation procedure via an extra-oral approach. All animals received both materials, alternately injected in the left and right sinus (split-mouth model) and a time point of 12 weeks was used. Analysis of biological performance was based on histology, histomorphometry, and evaluation of sequential fluorochrome labeling. RESULTS Both types of CPC-PLGA composites showed biocompatibility and direct bone-cement contact. CPC-PLGA(L-AT) showed a significantly higher degradation distance compared to CPC-PLGA(H-EC) (1949 ± 1295 μm vs. 459 ± 267 μm; P = 0.0107). Further, CPC-PLGA(L-AT) showed significantly more bone in the region of interest (26.4 ± 10.5% vs. 8.6 ± 3.9% for PLGA(H-EC) ; P = 0.0009) and significantly less remaining CPC material (61.2 ± 17.7% vs. 81.9 ± 10.9% for PLGA(H-EC) ; P = 0.0192). CONCLUSIONS Both CPC-PLGA(L-AT) and CPC-PLGA(H-EC) demonstrated to be safe materials for sinus floor elevation procedures in a large animal model, presenting biocompatibility and direct bone contact. In view of material performance, CPC-PLGA(L-AT) showed significantly faster degradation and a significantly higher amount of newly formed bone compared to CPC-PLGA(H-EC) .
Antibody Mediated Rejection Associated With Complement Factor H–Related Protein 3/1 Deficiency Successfully Treated With Eculizumab

Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) activates the classical complement pathway and can be detrimental to graft survival. AMR can be accompanied by thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Eculizumab, a monoclonal C5 antibody prevents induction of the terminal complement cascade (TCC) and has recently emerged as a therapeutic option for AMR. We present a highly sensitized 13‐year‐old female with end‐stage kidney disease secondary to spina bifida‐associated reflux nephropathy, who developed severe steroid‐, ATG‐ and plasmapheresis‐resistant AMR with TMA 1 week post second kidney transplant despite previous desensitization therapy with immunoglobulin infusions. Eculizumab rescue therapy resulted in a dramatic improvement in biochemical (C3; creatinine) and hematological (platelets) parameters within 6 days. The patient was proven to be deficient in complement Factor H‐related protein 3/1 (CFHR3/1), a plasma protein that regulates the complement cascade at the level of C5 conversion and has been involved in the pathogenesis of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome caused by CFH autoantibodies (DEAP‐HUS). CFHR1 deficiency may have worsened the severe clinical progression of AMR and possibly contributed to the development of donor‐specific antibodies. Thus, screening for CFHR3/1 deficiency should be considered in patients with severe AMR associated with TMA.
Ethics of placebo-controlled clinical trials in multiple sclerosis

The increasing number of established effective therapies for relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) and emerging consensus for early treatment raise practical concerns and ethical dilemmas for placebo-controlled clinical trials in this disease. An international group of clinicians, ethicists, statisticians, regulators, and representatives from the pharmaceutical industry convened to reconsider prior recommendations regarding the ethics of placebo-controlled trials in MS. The group concluded that placebo-controlled trials can still be done ethically, with restrictions. For patients with relapsing MS for which established effective therapies exist, placebo-controlled trials should only be offered with rigorous informed consent if the subjects refuse to use these treatments, have not responded to them, or if these treatments are not available to them for other reasons (e.g., economics). Suggestions are provided to protect subject autonomy and improve informed consent procedures. Recommendations are tighter than previously suggested for placebo-controlled trials in “resource-restricted” environments where established therapies may not be available. Guidance is also provided on the ethics of alternative trial designs and the balance between study subject burden and risk, scientific rationale and interpretability of trial outcomes. GLOSSARY: EET = established effective therapy; MS = multiple sclerosis; PPMS = primary progressive MS; SPMS = secondary progressive MS.
Planar Compact Slot Antenna With Multi-Band Operation for IEEE 802.16m Application

A novel multi-band design of planar slot antenna with compact operation for IEEE 802.16m WiMAX system is proposed. With the use of C- and inverted L-shaped slots, multi resonant modes close to 2.6/3.5/5.5 GHz bands can be excited to meet the specifications of WiMAX system (IEEE 802.16m). The obtained impedance bandwidth across these operating bands can reach about 525/743/813 MHz for the 2.6/3.5/5.5 GHz bands, respectively. We derive more than 10% reduction in antenna size and gain compact operation only from 32 14 0.8 antenna dimension. The measured peak gains and total radiation efficiencies are about 3.0/4.3/5.2 dBi and 88/95/97% for the 2.6/3.5/5.5 GHz bands, respectively, with nearly omni-directional pattern in the -plane.
Aquaporins in Saccharomyces

Aquaporin water channel proteins mediate the transport of water across cell membranes in numerous species. TheSaccharomyces genome data base contains an open reading frame (here designated AQY1) that encodes a protein with strong homology to aquaporins. AQY1 from laboratory and wild-type strains of Saccharomyces were expressed inXenopus oocytes to determine the coefficients of osmotic water permeability (Pf). Oocytes injected with wild-typeAQY1 cRNAs exhibit high Pf values, whereas oocytes injected with AQY1 cRNAs from laboratory strains exhibit low Pf values and have reduced levels of Aqy1p due to two amino acid substitutions. When the AQY1 gene was deleted from a wild-type yeast and cells were cultured in vitro with cycled hypo-osmolar or hyper-osmolar stresses, theAQY1 null yeast showed significantly improved viability when compared with the parental wild-type strain. We conclude thatSaccharomyces cerevisiae contains at least one aquaporin gene, but it is not functional in laboratory strains due to apparent negative selection pressures resulting from in vitromethods.
Influence of glaciation on divergence patterns of the endemic minnow, Zacco pachycephalus, in Taiwan

The genetic subdivision of the endemic minnow, Zacco pachycephalus, in 12 rivers of Taiwan was studied by allozyme electrophoresis. Among 26 loci surveyed, six were significantly differentiated among sites. Allozyme genotype frequencies within samples accord with Hardy–Weinberg expectations. A highly divergent genetic structure among sites (FST = 0.497) with low genetic variability within samples (H = 0.006–0.062, mean = 0.03) suggests that local populations originated from a small number of founders. upgma and Fitch trees derived from Nei’s genetic distance and hierarchical analysis of FST values reveal that samples of Z. pachycephalus can be divided into northern, middle, and southern subgroups and that most genetic variation (87%) is distributed among rather than within groups. It is proposed that there were two isolated refugia during the most recent glacial period, and that populations of the southern group (Group I) originated from a southern refugium in Taiwan below the boundary of the Kaoping River, and other groups (Group II), including northern and middle subgroups, originated from a refugium located on the extinct landbridge between Taiwan and mainland China. The postglacial division between northern and middle subgroups may be due to hydrological differences between these two regions.
Identification of essential alphaproteobacterial genes reveals operational variability in conserved developmental and cell cycle systems

The cell cycle of Caulobacter crescentus is controlled by a complex signalling network that co‐ordinates events. Genome sequencing has revealed many C. crescentus cell cycle genes are conserved in other Alphaproteobacteria, but it is not clear to what extent their function is conserved. As many cell cycle regulatory genes are essential in C. crescentus, the essential genes of two Alphaproteobacteria, Agrobacterium tumefaciens (Rhizobiales) and Brevundimonas subvibrioides (Caulobacterales), were elucidated to identify changes in cell cycle protein function over different phylogenetic distances as demonstrated by changes in essentiality. The results show the majority of conserved essential genes are involved in critical cell cycle processes. Changes in component essentiality reflect major changes in lifestyle, such as divisome components in A. tumefaciens resulting from that organism's different growth pattern. Larger variability of essentiality was observed in cell cycle regulators, suggesting regulatory mechanisms are more customizable than the processes they regulate. Examples include variability in the essentiality of divJ and divK spatial cell cycle regulators, and non‐essentiality of the highly conserved and usually essential DNA methyltransferase CcrM. These results show that while essential cell functions are conserved across varying genetic distance, much of a given organism's essential gene pool is specific to that organism.
Quantifying ongoing HIV-1 exposure in HIV-1-serodiscordant couples to identify individuals with potential host resistance to HIV-1.

BACKGROUND Immunogenetic correlates of resistance to HIV-1 in HIV-1-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals with consistently high exposure may inform HIV-1 prevention strategies. We developed a novel approach for quantifying HIV-1 exposure to identify individuals remaining HIV-1 uninfected despite persistent high exposure. METHODS We used longitudinal predictors of HIV-1 transmission in HIV-1 serodiscordant couples to score HIV-1 exposure and define HESN clusters with persistently high, low, and decreasing risk trajectories. The model was validated in an independent cohort of serodiscordant couples. We describe a statistical tool that can be applied to other HESN cohorts to identify individuals with high exposure to HIV-1. RESULTS HIV-1 exposure was best quantified by frequency of unprotected sex with, plasma HIV-1 RNA levels among, and presence of genital ulcer disease among HIV-1-infected partners and by age, pregnancy status, herpes simplex virus 2 serostatus, and male circumcision status among HESN participants. Overall, 14% of HESN individuals persistently had high HIV-1 exposure and exhibited a declining incidence of HIV-1 infection over time. CONCLUSIONS A minority of HESN individuals from HIV-1-discordant couples had persistent high HIV-1 exposure over time. Decreasing incidence of infection in this group suggests these individuals were selected for resistance to HIV-1 and may be most appropriate for identifying biological correlates of natural host resistance to HIV-1 infection.
TAC-IGBT: An improved IGBT structure

An improved Trench Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (TIGBT), called the Trench Accumulation Layer Controlled Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (TAC-IGBT) is proposed. In this new device, the P base of the Conventional TIGBT (CT-IGBT) is completely removed, an accumulation channel is incorporated. Numerical simulation results indicate that the structure has lower on-state voltage drop, larger latching current density and smaller gate charge. At the condition of the collector current is 5.0×10−5A. /µm, the on-state voltage drop of the TAC-IGBT is 0.5V lower than the CT-IGBT structure. The latching current density increases nearly one order of magnitude. The gate charge needed for the TAC-IGBT is less than 1/3 of the CT-IGBT structure. Furthermore, the TAC-IGBT is more simple and cheaper for fabrication.
Accumulation of NACP/α-synuclein in Lewy body disease and multiple system atrophy

OBJECTIVES NACP/α-synuclein is an aetiological gene product in familial Parkinson's disease. To clarify the pathological role of NACP/α-synuclein in sporadic Parkinson's disease and other related disorders including diffuse Lewy body disease (DLBD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA), paraffin sections were examined immunocytochemically using anti-NACP/α-synuclein antibodies. METHODS A total of 58 necropsied brains, from seven patients with Parkinson's disease, five with DLBD, six with MSA, 12 with Alzheimer's disease, one with Down's syndrome, one with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), three with ALS and dementia, one with Huntington's disease, two with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), one with Pick's disease, one with myotonic dystrophy, and three with late cerebellar cortical atrophy (LCCA), and 15 elderly normal controls were examined. RESULTS In addition to immunoreactive Lewy bodies, widespread accumulation of NACP/α-synuclein was found in neurons and astrocytes from the brainstem and basal ganglia to the cerebral cortices in Parkinson's disease/DLBD. NACP/α-synuclein accumulates in oligodendrocytes from the spinal cord, the brain stem to the cerebellar white matter, and inferior olivary neurons in MSA. These widespread accumulations were not seen in other types of dementia or spinocerebellar ataxia. CONCLUSION Completely different types of NACP/α-synuclein accumulation in Parkinson's disease/DLBD and MSA suggest that accumulation is a major step in the pathological cascade of both diseases and provides novel strategies for the development of therapies.