Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antiproteinuric response to dual blockade of the renin-angiotensin system in primary glomerulonephritis: meta-analysis and metaregression.

BACKGROUND In patients with primary glomerulonephritis (GN), antiproteinuric response to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors plus angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) versus either monotherapy is undefined because of the small size of studies and high heterogeneity of response. STUDY DESIGN Meta-analysis/metaregression. SETTING & POPULATION Randomized clinical trials (RCTs). SELECTION CRITERIA FOR STUDIES RCTs published from January 1996 to April 2007. Studies were excluded if information about levels of proteinuria was not available, patients had kidney disease other than primary GN, or if they had end-stage renal disease. INTERVENTION ACE inhibitor plus ARB versus monotherapy with 1 of these drug classes. OUTCOMES Absolute changes in proteinuria (primary), blood pressure, serum potassium level, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR; secondary). RESULTS We found 13 RCTs including 425 patients with primary GN with proteinuria ranging from 0.8 to 7.9 g/d of protein and age from 25 to 60 years. Combination treatment decreased proteinuria by 0.60 g/d (95% confidence interval, 0.40 to 0.80) versus ACE-inhibitor monotherapy and 0.54 g/d (95% confidence interval, 0.30 to 0.78) versus ARB monotherapy. Baseline levels of proteinuria explained most between-study variability of the antiproteinuric response to combination therapy versus monotherapies. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, GFR, age, and diagnosis of immunoglobulin A nephropathy did not modify antiproteinuric response. ACE-inhibitor plus ARB therapy did not change GFR, whereas it increased serum potassium levels (by 0.10 mEq/L versus ACE-inhibitor and 0.19 mEq/L versus ARB therapy) and decreased blood pressure. LIMITATIONS Only published data are included. CONCLUSIONS The antiproteinuric response to ACE-inhibitor plus ARB therapy versus either monotherapy is consistently greater and strictly related to baseline proteinuria, associated with only moderate increase in serum potassium levels, and not peculiar to immunoglobulin A nephropathy.
Plasmodium knowlesi invasion following spread by infected mosquitoes, macaques and humans

SUMMARY Plasmodium knowlesi is increasingly recognized as a major cause of malaria in Southeast Asia. Anopheles leucosphyrous group mosquitoes transmit the parasite and natural hosts include long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques. Despite early laboratory experiments demonstrating successful passage of infection between humans, the true role that humans play in P. knowlesi epidemiology remains unclear. The threat posed by its introduction into immunologically naïve populations is unknown despite being a public health priority for this region. A two-host species mathematical model was constructed to analyse this threat. Global sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo methods highlighted the biological processes of greatest influence to transmission. These included parameters known to be influential in classic mosquito-borne disease models (e.g. vector longevity); however, interesting ecological components that are specific to this system were also highlighted: while local vectors likely have intrinsic preferences for certain host species, how plastic these preferences are, and how this is shaped by local conditions, are key determinants of parasite transmission potential. Invasion analysis demonstrates that this behavioural plasticity can qualitatively impact the probability of an epidemic sparked by imported infection. Identifying key vector sub/species and studying their biting behaviours constitute important next steps before models can better assist in strategizing disease control.
Sex Education, Public Opinion, and Pornography: A Conditional Process Analysis

This study assesses the relationship between pornography consumption and support for sex education in public schools among adults in the United States. Goals were theoretical and applied. At the theoretical level, conditional process analyses are needed to further evaluate the predictions of the primary theory applied to pornography and social influence, the sexual script acquisition, activation, application model (3AM) of sexual media socialization. At the applied level, themes in pornography are most often associated with socialization outcomes that are a threat to the public health. In certain instances, however, pornography may socialize its users in ways that lead to health-promoting attitudes. An increased likelihood of support for sex education among youth may be one such example. Probabilistic national survey data gathered between 1988 and 2016 from 16 unique samples were utilized. A moderated-mediation path analysis indicated that pornography consumption was associated with support for sex education through more acceptance of teenage sex, but that this indirect effect (IE) was moderated by religiosity. Specifically, as religiosity decreased, the magnitude of the IE increased. These results are consistent with 3AM tenets about the role of sexual scripts in mass media socialization and factors that increase the likelihood of sexual scripting effects.
Unified description of Brillouin scattering in micro-and nanostructured waveguides based on the electrostrictive force

Introduction Brillouin scattering is a nonlinear process by which a fraction of the light incident upon a transparent material is frequency-downshifted through the excitation of acoustic phonons [1]. In an optical waveguide this phenomenon can appear in two different forms: forward or backward stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) involving transverse and longitudinal acoustic waves, respectively. These two forms so far have always been treated independently. However, several authors have recently reported in engineered micro and nanoscale photonic waveguides, e.g. photonic crystal fibres (PCF) or silicon waveguides, giant enhancement of Brillouin scattering and optical forces such as radiation pressure [2-5]. These new effects cannot be accounted for in standard Brillouin theory and thus a more accurate model including both longitudinal and shear waves is still needed to understand opto-acoustic interactions in such photonic waveguides. Herein, we provide a unified model of Brillouin scattering based on the elastodynamic wave equation subject to the electrostrictive force. From this model, we get the phonon wave packets and both the forward and backward Brillouin spectra without the need to perform a full band structure computation. We apply this new model for an arbitrary cross-section PCF and we found a very good agreement with experimental measurements.
In-Vehicle Intelligent Transport System for Preventing Road Accidents Using Internet of Things

Road safety is the prevention and protection of human lives from road accidents by implementing road safety measures. Majority of the road accidents are caused due to the careless driving techniques followed by the driver. The presence of speed breakers and steep curves in the road will be inconspicuous in low visibility conditions, like at night, or when there is fog, rain or snow and this will lead to the road accidents. To avoid such accidents certain measures like automatic speed break detection system in vehicle and steep turns or curves detection in the road way using internet of things technology will improve the road safety and saves the human lives being injured and killed unnecessarily. The vehicle will give the alert or voice messages when it detects the speed breakers and steep curves or turns with the help of ultrasonic sensor.
Is there a prognostic relevance of electrophysiological studies in bundle branch block patients?

The present European guidelines suggest a diagnostic electrophysiological (EP) study to determine indication for cardiac pacing in patients with bundle branch block and unexplained syncope. We evaluated the prognostic relevance of an EP study for mortality and the development of permanent complete atrioventricular (AV) block in patients with symptomatic bifascicular block and first‐degree AV block.
Three New PAX2 Gene Mutations in Patients with Papillorenal Syndrome

ABSTRACT Papillorenal syndrome (PAPRS; Mendelian Inheritance in Man [MIM] 120330) is an autosomal dominant disease characterised by the presence of congenital renal and optic nerve abnormalities associated with mutations of the PAX2 gene. In this article, the authors present four patients with PAPRS who are carriers of three new PAX2 mutations, as well as another patient with a possible non-pathogenic variant of the PAX2 gene. All patients were given a full neurophthalmological examination, and all patients underwent a genetic test for PAX2. Patients 1 and 2 presented with the classic signs of PAPRS: renal disease associated with a congenitally abnormal optic disc, whereas patients 3 and 4 only presented with a congenital optic nerve abnormality and no renal involvement. In patients 1 and 2, the optic nerves were affected by the presence of a central excavation within the optic disc, absence of the central retinal artery, as well as multiple cilioretinal arteries radiating from the periphery of the optic disc. Bilateral optic nerve pits were seen in patient 3, and lastly, in patient 4 there was the presence of superficial gliotic tissue on the left optic disc. All patients presented with a missense mutation in the PAX2 gene, where in patient 4 possibly being only a non-pathogenic variant of the gene. In conclusion, the authors present two patients with classic clinical signs of PAPRS, having two new PAX2 mutations, which until now have not been described in the current literature; another patient with a new PAX2 mutation showing only ocular manifestations of the disease, and lastly, a patient who is a carrier of a variant of the PAX2 gene has a congenitally abnormal optic disc, which is probably not related to PAPRS.
Low-Frequency Noise in Vertical InAs Nanowire FETs

This letter presents dc characteristics and low-frequency noise (LFN) measurements on single vertical InAs nanowire MOSFETs with 35-nm gate length and HfO<sub>2</sub> high-¿ dielectric. The average normalized transconductance for three devices is 0.16 S/mm, with a subthreshold slope of 130 mV/decade. At 10 Hz, the normalized noise power <i>SI</i> /<i>Id</i> <sup>2</sup> measures 7.3 × 10<sup>-7</sup> Hz<sup>-1</sup>. Moreover, the material-dependent Hooge's parameter at room temperature is estimated to be 4.2 × 10<sup>-3</sup>.
AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF MELATONIN ON HISTOPATHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS-INDUCED BY CARBON TETRACHLORIDE IN WISTAR RATS

Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences; Department of Surgery, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences; Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria; and 4* Optics and Imaging Centre, Nelson R Mandela Medical School, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000, South Africa.
The Underwater Vision Profiler 5: An advanced instrument for high spatial resolution studies of particle size spectra and zooplankton

The Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP) was developed to quantify the vertical distribution of macroscopic particles and zooplankton > 100 mm in size. The smaller size limit is fixed by optical resolution, whereas the larger size limit is determined by the volume of water illuminated per image. The new fifth generation instrument (UVP5) is compact (30 kg in air) and operates either as a stand‐alone instrument with an independent power supply for use on a mooring or free‐drifting array, or as a component of a Conductivity, Temperature, and Depth (CTD)‐rosette package. Images are recorded at a frequency up to 6 Hz. If the UVP5 is interfaced with a CTD, these images are acquired and analyzed in real time. Images are recorded every 20 cm at the 1 m s−1 lowering speed. The current maximum deployment depth is 3000 m. The recorded volume per image is 1.02 L, and the conversion equation from pixel area to size in mm2 is Sm=0.003Sp1. 3348 where Sp is the surface of the particle in pixels and Sm the surface in mm2. Comparisons between the earlier UVP versions and UVP5 indicate that images ranging in size from 105 µm to 2.66 mm are identical so historical and contemporary data sets can be compared.
Multivariable disturbance observer-based H2 analytical decoupling control design for multivariable systems

In this paper, an H2 analytical decoupling control scheme with multivariable disturbance observer for both stable and unstable multi-input/multi-output (MIMO) systems with multiple time delays is proposed. Compared with conventional control strategies, the main merit is that the proposed control scheme can improve the system performances effectively when the MIMO processes with severe model mismatches and strong external disturbances. Besides, the design method has three additional advantages. First, the derived controller and observer are given in analytical forms, the design procedure is simple. Second, the orders of the designed controller and observer are low, they can be implemented easily in practice. Finally, the performance and robustness can be adjusted easily by tuning the parameters in the designed controller and observer. It is useful for practical application. Simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
The Effect of Counterproductive Time on Online Task Completion

The objective of this study was to investigate how counterproductive time spent on a website affects consumers' online task completion. Two hundred and twenty-eight consumers were asked to perform a task on determined websites. Verbal protocols and clickstream data were collected. The results of Study 1 showed that the time spent waiting for pages to download had no effect on task completion, but that the time lost on pages that were useless to the task at hand had a negative impact on consumers' task completion. Study 2 indicated that the downloading time related to pages that were useful to consumers had no effect on task completion, but downloading times related to pages that were useless had a significant impact on task completion. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.
Effect of thermal treatment on the chemical composition and mechanical properties of birch and aspen

The high temperature treatment of wood is one of the alternatives to chemical treatment. During this process, the wood is heated to higher temperatures than those of conventional drying. The wood structure changes due to decomposition of hemicelluloses, ramification of lignin, and crystallization of cellulose. The wood becomes less hygroscopic. These changes improve the dimensional stability of wood, increase its resistance to micro-organisms, darken its color, and modify its hardness. However, wood also might loose some of its elasticity. Consequently, the heat treatment conditions have to be optimized. Therefore, it is important to understand the transformation of the chemical structure of wood caused by the treatment. In this study, the modification of the surface composition of the wood was followed with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and inverse gas chromatography (IGC) under different experimental conditions. The effect of maximum treatment temperatures on the chemical composition of Canadian birch and aspen as well as the correlations between their chemical transformation and different mechanical properties are presented. FTIR analysis results showed that the heat treatment affected the chemical composition of birch more compared to that of aspen. The results of IGC tests illustrated that the surfaces of the aspen and birch became more basic with heat treatment. The mechanical properties were affected by degradation of hemicellulose, ramification of lignin and cellulose crystallization.
Steep-sided domes on Venus: Characteristics, geologic setting, and eruption conditions from Magellan data

A survey of more than 95 percent of the Venus surface reveals 145 steep-sided domes which can be subdivided into a variety of morphologic forms, the most common being shaped like inverted bowls or flat-topped domes. Results of a preliminary analysis of the distribution and geologic setting of the domes are presented. The relation of the domes to analogous terrestrial features is examined, and possible models for their mode of emplacement are outlined.
Nuclear transport adapts to varying heat stress in a multistep mechanism

Appropriate cell growth conditions are limited to a narrow temperature range. Once the temperature is out of this range, cells respond to protect themselves, but temperature thresholds at which various intracellular responses occur, including nuclear transport systems, remain unclear. Using a newly developed precise temperature shift assay, we found that individual transport pathways have different sensitivities to a rise in temperature. Nuclear translocations of molecular chaperone HSP70s occur at a much lower temperature than the inhibition of Ran-dependent transport. Subsequently, importin (Imp) &agr;/&bgr;–dependent import ceases at a lower temperature than other Ran-dependent transport, suggesting that these are controlled by independent mechanisms. In vitro research revealed that the inhibition of Imp &agr;/&bgr;–dependent import is caused by the dysfunction of Imp &agr;1 specifically at lower temperature. Thus, the thermosensitivity of Imp &agr;1 modulates transport balances and enables the multistep shutdown of Ran-dependent transport systems according to the degree of heat stress.
Human Cytomegalovirus pp71 Stimulates Cell Cycle Progression by Inducing the Proteasome-Dependent Degradation of the Retinoblastoma Family of Tumor Suppressors

ABSTRACT The oncoproteins of the DNA tumor viruses, adenovirus E1A, simian virus 40 T antigen, and papillomavirus E7, each interact with the retinoblastoma family of tumor suppressors, leading to cell cycle stimulation, apoptosis induction, and cellular transformation. These proteins utilize a conserved LXCXE motif, which is also found in cellular proteins, to target the retinoblastoma family. Here, we describe a herpesvirus protein that shares a subset of the properties of the DNA tumor virus oncoproteins but maintains important differences as well. The human cytomegalovirus pp71 protein employs an LXCXD motif to attack the retinoblastoma family members and induce DNA synthesis in quiescent cells. pp71 binds to and induces the degradation of the hypophosphorylated forms of the retinoblastoma protein and its family members p107 and p130 in a proteasome-dependent manner. However, pp71 does not induce apoptosis and fails to transform cells. Thus, the similarities and differences in comparison to E1A, T antigen, and E7 make pp71 an interesting new tool with which to further dissect the role of the retinoblastoma/E2F pathway in cellular growth control and carcinogenesis.
Holistic design strategy for high-selectivity low-loss integrated millimetre-wave image-reject filters

To alleviate practical limitations in the design of millimetre-wave on-chip image-reject filters, systematic design methodologies are presented. Three low-order filters with high-selectivity and low-loss characteristics are designed and compared. Transmission zeroes are created by means of a quarter-wave transmission line (filter 1) and a series LC resonator (filters 2 and 3). Implemented on silicon germanium, the filters occupy 0.125, 0.064 and 0.079 mm2 chip area including pads. The measured transmission losses across 81–86 GHz E-band frequency range are 3.6–5.2 dB for filter 1, 3.1–4.7 dB for filter 2 and 3.6–5 dB for filter 3 where rejection levels at the image band are >30 dB.
Redox Regulation of Hexokinases.

SIGNIFICANCE Hexokinases are key enzymes that are responsible for the first reaction of glycolysis, but they also moonlight other cellular processes, including mitochondrial redox signaling regulation. Modulation of hexokinase activity and spatiotemporal location by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species as well as other gasotransmitters serves as the basis for a unique, underexplored method of tight and flexible regulation of these fundamental enzymes. Recent Advances: Redox modifications of thiols serve as a molecular code that enables the precise and complex regulation of hexokinases. Redox regulation of hexokinases is also used by multiple parasites to cause widespread and severe diseases, including malaria, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness. Redox-active molecules affect each other, and the moonlighting activity of hexokinases provides another feedback loop that affects the cellular redox status and is hijacked in malignantly transformed cells. CRITICAL ISSUES Several compounds affect the redox status of hexokinases in vivo. These include the dehydroascorbic acid (oxidized form of vitamin C), pyrrolidinium porrolidine-1-carbodithioate (contraceptive), peroxynitrite (product of ethanol metabolism), alloxan (a glucose analog), and isobenzothiazolinone ebselen. However, very limited information is available regarding which amino acid residues in hexokinases are affected by redox signaling. Except in cases of monogenic diabetes, direct evidence is absent for disease phenotypes that are associated with variations within motifs that are susceptible to redox signaling. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Further studies should address the propensity of hexokinases and their disease-associated variants to participate in redox regulation. Robust and straightforward proteomic methods are needed to understand the context and consequences of hexokinase-mediated redox regulation in health and disease.
Towards self-defending control systems in cybersecurity analysis and measures in industrial automation systems

The aim of this research paper is to propose an alternative but possible practical solution to basic key and common security threats such as overloading (Flooding Attacks) and their associated risks to a typical industrial automation system. For this purpose, countermeasures that can be directly implemented in end points regardless of any specific hardware or deployment platform are considered here. These proposed solutions include developing new control systems that can defend associated industrial automation processes and themselves against such attacks, i.e., identifying and building a defense mechanism in control algorithm, and hence named self-defending control strategies. For demonstration an example of such control algorithms was developed and simulation results are presented.
Cascade-based community detection

Given a directed social graph and a set of past informa- tion cascades observed over the graph, we study the novel problem of detecting modules of the graph (communities of nodes), that also explain the cascades. Our key observation is that both information propagation and social ties forma- tion in a social network can be explained according to the same latent factor, which ultimately guide a user behavior within the network. Based on this observation, we propose the Community-Cascade Network (CCN) model, a stochas- tic mixture membership generative model that can fit, at the same time, the social graph and the observed set of cas- cades. Our model produces overlapping communities and for each node, its level of authority and passive interest in each community it belongs. For learning the parameters of the CCN model, we devise a Generalized Expectation Maximization procedure. We then apply our model to real-world social networks and in- formation cascades: the results witness the validity of the proposed CCN model, providing useful insights on its signif- icance for analyzing social behavior.