Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A multicentre study of registration on renal transplantation waiting list of the elderly and patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND Studies in the USA have shown that some patients (African-Americans, women, the elderly and diabetics) were less likely to receive renal transplants. In order to identify patient characteristics modifying the likelihood of being wait-listed, we studied registration on renal transplantation waiting list (WLR) focusing on elderly (age > or =60 years) and on patients with type 2 diabetes (D2) in three departments of nephrology in the Rhône-Alpes county in France. METHODS In a cohort of 549 patients who reached end-stage renal disease (ESRD) between 1995 and 1998 in these units, we analysed the rates of pre-transplant evaluation (PTE), the duration of PTE, the rates of exclusion from transplantation by PTE and the rates of WLR. With Cox regression model, we identified the characteristics that have independent and significant effects on the likelihood of being registered after the first renal replacement therapy (RRT). RESULTS In this cohort, 185 patients (33.7%) were wait-listed by 31.03. 00 and no patient > or =70 years was evaluated or registered. In univariate analysis, PTE and WLR rates were lower in the elderly (21.5 and 20.0%, respectively) than those <60 years (79.1 and 70.2%, P < 0.001) and in D2 (33.0 and 24.2%) than in non-D2 (65.8 and 60.6%, P < 0.001). The duration of PTE was longer in D2 than in non-D2 (12.7 +/- 11.0 vs 7.5 +/- 7.1 months, P < 0.01). Among patients excluded from PTE, more patients without relevant co-morbidities [e.g. rapidly progressive ESRD, cardiovascular disease (CVD), malignancy] were present in the elderly (> or =70 years: 14.8%; 60-69 years: 17.0%; <60 years: 6.4%) and in D2 (18.0%) than in non-D2 (10.9%). The adjusted relative risks (aRR) of being wait-listed after first RRT were significantly lowered by age and D2 (aRR, 95% CI): 60-64 year olds (0.44%: 0.26-0.75), 65-69 year olds (0.07%: 0.03-0.20) and D2 (0.41%: 0.24-0.69). Other conditions associated with a lower aRR were rapidly progressive ESRD (0.21%: 0.08-0.55), CVD (0.59%: 0.36-0.94), malignancy (0.13%: 0.04-0.46) and psychosis (0.05%: 0.01-0.35). CONCLUSION Advanced age and D2 were associated with low PTE and WLR rates even after adjustment for other patient characteristics.
A scalable share differentiation architecture for elastic and real-time traffic

Today's Internet lacks the mechanisms necessary for traffic isolation (to divide resources fairly) and differentiation (to allocate resources to users according to their willingness to pay). In this work, we present a new architecture for relative service differentiation, scalable share differentiation (SSD), which allocates network resources on a user basis and properly provides for both elastic and real-time traffic isolation and meaningful differentiation. SSD does not require the storage of any per-flow or per-user information at the core nodes and is inherently designed to work without admission control, making it easier to deploy and manage. In addition, we present a way to provide more fine-grained flow control to users without changing the concepts of SSD, which permits users to choose different priorities for their packets/flows. This allows the integration of a novel concept for improving the service quality given to user flows: user-based admission control. With user-based admission control, the network is unaware of admission control decisions, and the user himself can perform the tasks of accepting, rejecting and prioritizing flows.
Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems of Poorly Soluble Drug Dutasteride: Formulation and In-Vitro characterization

Article history: Received on: 30/08/2016 Accepted on: 18/12/2016 Available online: 30/04/2017 The present study aims to prepare and evaluate the self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) to enhance the dissolution rate of a poorly soluble drug dutasteride. The formulation was prepared using capryol PGMC, Cremophor EL, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 as oil, surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively. The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams with presence and absence of drug were plotted to find out the nanoemulsification range and also to evaluate the effect of dutasteride on the emulsification behavior of the phases. Prepared SNEDDS formulations were evaluated for its particle size distribution, nanoemulsifying properties, robustness to dilution, self-emulsification time, turbidity measurement, drug content and in-vitro dissolution. Furthermore, the optimized formulations were evaluated for heating cooling cycle, centrifugation studies, freeze thaw cycling, particle size distribution and zeta potential to confirm the stability of the formed SNEDDS formulations. The particle size, zeta potential and polydispersity index of the optimized formulation was found to be 35.45 nm, -15.45 and 0.19, respectively. The in vitro results revealed that the prepared formulation enhanced the dissolution rate of dutasteride significantly compared to pure drug. In 60 minutes, the formulation showed 83.15% and 82.04 % drug release for pH 6.8 and pH 1.2 respectively. Based on the results, it was concluded that the dutasteride-loaded SNEDDS revealed better dissolution compared to the raw drug suspension and commercial drug.
An Active Nonautonomous Mobile Element in Sulfolobus islandicus REN1H1

ABSTRACT In the crenarchaeote Sulfolobus islandicus REN1H1, a mobile element of 321 bp length has been shown to be active. It does not contain terminal inverted repeats and transposes by a replicative mechanism. This newly discovered element has been named SMN1 (for Sulfolobus miniature noninverted repeat transposable element).
Edgeworth Corrections for Realized Volatility

The quality of the asymptotic normality of realized volatility can be poor if sampling does not occur at very high frequencies. In this article we consider an alternative approximation to the finite sample distribution of realized volatility based on Edgeworth expansions. In particular, we show how confidence intervals for integrated volatility can be constructed using these Edgeworth expansions. The Monte Carlo study we conduct shows that the intervals based on the Edgeworth corrections have improved properties relatively to the conventional intervals based on the normal approximation. Contrary to the bootstrap, the Edgeworth approach is an analytical approach that is easily implemented, without requiring any resampling of one's data. A comparison between the bootstrap and the Edgeworth expansion shows that the bootstrap outperforms the Edgeworth corrected intervals. Thus, if we are willing to incur in the additional computational cost involved in computing bootstrap intervals, these are preferred over the Edgeworth intervals. Nevertheless, if we are not willing to incur in this additional cost, our results suggest that Edgeworth corrected intervals should replace the conventional intervals based on the first order normal approximation.
Exploring Social Annotations for E-learning

In social annotation services, there is some semantic relatedness hidden behind the co-occurrences of users, resources and tags. This paper aims to explore the implicit information and semantics with a case study of the dasiae-learningpsila annotation. Users feature, resources distribution and dasiae-learningpsila tag co-occurrence network are investigated. The results are helpful to develop learning community and system, design adaptive learning materials and form domain concepts. Although the paper instantiates the study in the context of e-learning, the methodology is generic.
Questionable role of the angiotensin II receptor subtype 1 autoantibody in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

To the Editor: Other than its critical role in cardiovascular and fluid homeostasis, several lines of evidence connect the renin-angiotensin system with hypertensive pregnancy disorders. Recent findings further support the key role of the renin-angiotensin system in the etiology of pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders, since Wallukat et al1 identified an agonistic autoimmune antibody against the angiotensin II receptor subtype 1 (AT1-AA) as being detectable in preeclamptic patients but not in women with healthy pregnancies or in those with essential hypertension. Although there was a clear rationale for assuming that AT1-AA could be one of the circulating factors causing the maternal syndrome and the preeclamptic phenotype, we identified the AT1-AA also in normotensive pregnancies with intrauterine growth restriction and in pregnant …
An Area based Technique for Image-to-Image Registration of Multi-Modal Remote Sensing Data

This paper outlines further tests of the automatic image-to-image registration technique of Bunting et al with the inclusion of joint histogram image similarity metrics. These metrics were expected to increase the accuracy of the algorithms results given that previous literature has highlighted these metrics as optimal for multi-modal registration. But, this study has demonstrated the opposite with the correlation coefficient producing better matching results than the mutual information, kolmogorov distance and distance to independence metrics.
Analysis of Descent-Based Image Registration

We present a performance analysis for image registration with gradient descent. We consider a typical multiscale registration setting where the global two-dimensional translation between a pair of images is estimated by smoothing the images and minimizing the distance between them with gradient descent. Our study particularly concentrates on the effect of noise and low-pass filtering on the alignment accuracy. We analyze the well-behavedness of the image distance function by estimating the neighborhood of translations for which it is free of undesired local minima. This is the neighborhood of translations that are correctly computable with a simple gradient descent minimization. We show that the area of this neighborhood increases at least quadratically with the smoothing filter size. We then examine the effect of noise on the alignment accuracy and derive an upper bound for the alignment error in terms of the noise properties and filter size. Our main finding is that the error increases at a rate that is.
In vitro enteroid-derived three-dimensional tissue model of human small intestinal epithelium with innate immune responses

There is a need for functional in vitro 3D human intestine systems that can bridge the gap between conventional cell culture studies and human trials. The successful engineering in vitro of human intestinal tissues relies on the use of the appropriate cell sources, biomimetic scaffolds, and 3D culture conditions to support vital organ functions. We previously established a compartmentalized scaffold consisting of a hollow space within a porous bulk matrix, in which a functional and physiologically relevant intestinal epithelium system was generated using intestinal cell lines. In this study, we adopt the 3D scaffold system for the cultivation of stem cell-derived human small intestinal enteriods (HIEs) to engineer an in vitro 3D model of a nonstransformed human small intestinal epithelium. Characterization of tissue properties revealed a mature HIE-derived epithelium displaying four major terminally differentiated epithelial cell types (enterocytes, Goblet cells, Paneth cells, enteroendocrine cells), with tight junction formation, microvilli polarization, digestive enzyme secretion, and low oxygen tension in the lumen. Moreover, the tissue model demonstrates significant antibacterial responses to E. coli infection, as evidenced by the significant upregulation of genes involved in the innate immune response. Importantly, many of these genes are activated in human patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), implicating the potential application of the 3D stem-cell derived epithelium for the in vitro study of host-microbe-pathogen interplay and IBD pathogenesis.
Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) tactile display based on properties of mechanoreceptors

The authors first analyze dynamic properties of rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors in order to derive a principle of tactile displays. It is shown that Meissner corpuscles with coiled axons and Pacinian corpuscles with layered lamellae are suited to detect equivoluminal distortion of skin. Combining these analyses with a model of a contact and a relative motion between an object and the skin, it is shown that a prerequisite for tactile displays is to generate sources of shear stress that can be spatially dispersed at the skin surface and temporally modulated with a stick-slip frequency determined by parameters of the object to be displayed. As a device that satisfies this prerequisite, we propose a tactile display using Surface Acoustic Waves (SAW). The roughness of the surface can be changed continuously by controlling the burst frequency of the SAW.
Optimal control of Markov chains with constraints

A problem of optimal control of Markov chain with finite state space is considered. We consider a non-stationary finite horizon problem with constraints, given as a set of inequalities. Basing on recent results on existence of optimal solution we suggest to use the dual approach to optimization and thereby an approach to effective numerical algorithms. The approach is illustrated by numerical examples.
α‐Brain spectrin mRNA belongs to the population of intradendritically transported mRNAs

BRAIN spectrin is a cytoskeletal protein involved in neuronal polarization and differentiation. We have studied the intraneuronal expression of non-erythroid (NE) α-spectrin mRNA in the rat brain during the development of the CA3 pyramidal cells, and compared it with α-tubulin mRNA expression. In contrast to α-tubulin expression, which remains located in the neuronal somata, NE α-spectrin mRNA was present in the dendritic compartment during the first 2 weeks of life. NE α-Brain spectrin mRNA transport into the dendrites coincides with critical development events, including dendritic arborization, growth and synaptogenesis, and could be dependent on the appearance of synaptic activity at the mossy fibre/CA3 synapse.
A Human Protein Complex Homologous to the Drosophila MSL Complex Is Responsible for the Majority of Histone H4 Acetylation at Lysine 16

ABSTRACT We describe a stable, multisubunit human histone acetyltransferase complex (hMSL) that contains homologs of the Drosophila dosage compensation proteins MOF, MSL1, MSL2, and MSL3. This complex shows strong specificity for histone H4 lysine 16 in chromatin in vitro, and RNA interference-mediated knockdown experiments reveal that it is responsible for the majority of H4 acetylation at lysine 16 in the cell. We also find that hMOF is a component of additional complexes, forming associations with host cell factor 1 and a protein distantly related to MSL1 (hMSL1v1). We find two versions of hMSL3 in the hMSL complex that differ by the presence of the chromodomain. Lastly, we find that reduction in the levels of hMSLs and acetylation of H4 at lysine 16 are correlated with reduced transcription of some genes and with a G2/M cell cycle arrest. This is of particular interest given the recent correlation of global loss of acetylation of lysine 16 in histone H4 with tumorigenesis.
Large artery biomechanical, geometrical, and structural remodeling elicited by long-term propranolol administration in an animal model.

BACKGROUND Limited attention has been paid to the role of beta-adrenergic blocking agents on large artery function/structure, despite being clinically useful for treating many forms of cardiovascular disease. OBJECTIVE To assess long-term consequences of beta-blocker administration on the biomechanical properties, geometry, and histological structure of two major elastic arteries. METHODS Healthy male rats received water with their food, while beta-blockade was produced in rats by adding propranolol in their drinking water. The thoracic aorta and carotid artery were resected after three months for biomechanical (failure and inflation-extension) testing along with geometrical and histological evaluation. RESULTS The thoracic aorta presented increased strength longitudinally in propranolol-treated than untreated rats, resulting from increased adventitial collagen content. The distensibility of carotid artery increased in propranolol-treated rats at low-to-physiologic pressures, resulting from decreased medial collagen content. Structural remodeling was characterized by reduced lumen diameter, wall mass, and thickness-to-radius ratio. The latter, together with the greater resorption of the media than adventitia, related with the measured opening angle decrease in propranolol-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS The geometrical/biomechanical remodeling was mediated by the hemodynamic effects of propranolol treatment, namely the reduced blood flow, and served to normalize in vivo hoop stresses as well as vessel compliance.
School Day Eating Habits of Inner-City, African American Adolescents

Abstract:School administrators and food providers need to better understand what factors drive young consumers' food choices in order to keep them as customers and avoid a potential backlash from parents, the community, and public policymakers. This article reports the findings of a study on African American adolescents and food, specifically, their attitudes, constraints, and behaviors during the school day. The study is based on data collected in two Philadelphia public schools—a middle school and a high school—with very high African American student populations. Three areas with implications for improving the school day diet of African American adolescents are discussed
Mapping the evolving definitions of translational research

Objective Systematic review and analysis of definitions of translational research. Materials and methods The final corpus was comprised of 33 papers, each read by at least 2 reviewers. Definitions were mapped to a common set of research processes for presentation and analysis. Influence of papers and definitions was further evaluated using citation analysis and agglomerative clustering. Results All definitions were mapped to common research processes, revealing most common labels for each process. Agglomerative clustering revealed 3 broad families of definitions. Citation analysis showed that the originating paper of each family has been cited ~10 times more than any other member. Discussion Although there is little agreement between definitions, we were able to identify an emerging consensus 5-phase (T0–T4) definition for translational research. T1 involves processes that bring ideas from basic research through early testing in humans. T2 involves the establishment of effectiveness in humans and clinical guidelines. T3 primarily focuses on implementation and dissemination research while T4 focuses on outcomes and effectiveness in populations. T0 involves research such as genome-wide association studies which wrap back around to basic research. Conclusion We used systematic review and analysis to identify emerging consensus between definitions of translational research phases.
DESIGNING PERSONALIZED INTELLIGENT USER INTERFACES

Nowadays, the complexity of information communication technology has become a serious obstacle for many users. Personalization of user interfaces could become a useful instrument to increase usability for the individual. Technical and market research on content personalization have already been conducted during the last years. Although personalized content works quite well for customers, research in personalizing interfaces remains relatively new. The present paper describes an iterative design process on the development of an interface personalization prototype. We introduced a methodology to integrate user needs into the design process as well as in the resulting product, and recorded our experience with the applied methods. We also evaluated their appropriateness to the present research context. This project reflects the advantages of design methods in interdisciplinary teams and how they could serve as a means to communicate ideas between stakeholders.
Helicopter Safe Landing using Vision and 3D Sensing

— In this paper a mixed vision-range based approach, based on vision and laser range sensors technology, for safe landing of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is proposed. The guidance system allows a remote user to define target areas from a high resolution aerial or satellite image to determine the waypoints of the navigation trajectory or the landing area. The helicopter is required to navigate from an initial to a final position in a partially known environment, to locate a landing area and to land on it. The system is based on our previous work on UAV navigation and landing: a feature-based image matching algorithm finds the natural landmarks and gives feedbacks to the control system for autonomous navigation and landing. An algorithm for safe landing areas detection and classification is proposed, based on the use of 4D RGBD (Red, Green, Blue, Distance) data analysis for terrain classification. Results of a real scenario show the appropriateness of the approach that does not require any artificial landmark (e.g., helipad) and is robust to occlusions, light variations and high vibrations.
Prognostic significance of differentially expressed miRNAs in esophageal cancer

Altered microRNA (miRNA) expression has been found to promote carcinogenesis, but little is known about the role of miRNAs in esophageal cancer. In this study, we selected 10 miRNAs and analyzed their expression in 10 esophageal cancer cell lines and 158 tissue specimens using Northern blotting and in situ hybridization, respectively. We found that Let‐7g, miR‐21 and miR‐195p were expressed in all 10 cell lines, miR‐9 and miR‐20a were not expressed in any of the cell lines, and miR‐16‐2, miR‐30e, miR‐34a, miR‐126 and miR‐200a were expressed in some of the cell lines but not others. In addition, transient transfection of miR‐34a inhibited c‐Met and cyclin D1 expression and esophageal cancer cell proliferation, whereas miR‐16‐2 suppressed RAR‐β2 expression and increased tumor cell proliferation. Furthermore, we found that miR‐126 expression was associated with tumor cell dedifferentiation and lymph node metastasis, miR‐16‐2 was associated with lymph node metastasis, and miR‐195p was associated with higher pathologic disease stages in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. Kaplan‐Meier analysis showed that miR‐16‐2 expression and miR‐30e expression were associated with shorter overall and disease‐free survival in all esophageal cancer patients. In addition, miR‐16‐2, miR‐30e and miR‐200a expression were associated with shorter overall and disease‐free survival in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma; however, miR‐16‐2, miR‐30e and miR‐200a expression were not associated with overall or disease‐free survival in squamous cell carcinoma patients. Our data indicate that further evaluation of miR‐30e and miR‐16‐2 as prognostic biomarkers is warranted in patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma. In addition, the role of miR‐34a in esophageal cancer also warrants further study.