Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Addressing domestic violence in Canada and the United States: The uneasy co-habitation of women and the state

Feminist sociologists and activists have drawn attention to how violence against women is linked to structural and cultural factors that subordinate women, mainly intersecting inequalities and limited rights. Mobilization by the Battered Women’s and Anti-Violence Movements, media attention, legislation, and policy have increased awareness and support to address violence against women. However, activists and researchers have also critiqued the problems with invoking the power of the state. The authors interrogate the role of the state in addressing domestic violence, especially in the context of immigration in the neoliberal era. More specifically, they examine how domestic violence, as legal and policy discourse, has been framed in Canada and the US, and the resulting forms of intervention. Through a critical literature review the authors show how this framing impacts immigrant and racialized women facing domestic violence. The article highlights problems and gaps in the respective discourses, as well as indicates possibilities for change.
Bone Marrow Cell Therapy for Ischemic Heart Disease: The Never Ending Story.

In the past 15 years, bone marrow (BM) cell (BMC) therapy has emerged as a potential novel strategy for the treatment of ischemic heart disease (IHD). The fervor for this novel promising therapy arose from the first studies on BMC differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cells.1 After this discovery, research proceeded rapidly from preclinical models to clinical studies to test BMC’s potential to recover cardiac function and facilitate scar healing in ischemic cardiomyopathy.2–6 To mention just a few pioneering in vivo studies, Tomita et al7 reported that in adult rats, BMC injection into a left ventricular (LV) cryoinjury-induced myocardial infarction (MI) promotes the generation of cardiomyocyte-like cells and neoangiogenesis. Concomitantly, Kocker et al8 showed that BMC therapy prevents cardiomyocyte apoptosis and stimulates neovascularization of the ischemic heart, leading to an improvement of LV ejection fraction (LVEF) and survival. Article, see p 558 Notably, after >15 years, the mechanisms through which BMCs exert cardioprotection in acute IHD and chronic IHD (CIHD) have not been completely unraveled yet. Different therapeutic properties have been ascribed to BMCs, including the ability to form new contractile cardiac tissue by differentiating into cardiomyocytes,9,10 as well as the capacity to limit ischemic damage through direct cell-mediated and indirect paracrine-mediated mechanisms, promoting the induction of angiogenesis, inhibition of cell death, and formation of scar tissue.11,12 Over the years, this latter concept has gained a broader consensus. Notwithstanding the uncertainties about mode of action, the large body of positive preclinical studies spurred enthusiasm for immediate clinical translation, taking advantage of the relatively easy accessibility of BM as a cell source. Hamano et al13 were the first, in 2001, to report a pilot clinical trial on the beneficial effects of BMC transplantation in patients with IHD. This landmark study …
Phenyl Valerate and Choline Ester Hydrolases in the Platelets of Human, Hen, Rat and Mouse

1 The levels of phenyl valerate and choline ester hydrolases in the platelets of human and certain laboratory animals have been determined for comparison. 2 The activities of total phenyl valerate hydrolase (PVase), paraoxon insensitive phenyl valerate hydrolase (PI-PVase), paraoxon and mipafox resistant esterase (PMRE) and propionylcholinesterase (PChE) were maximal in hen followed by mouse, rat and human. 3 Neurotoxicesterase (NTE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were concentrated in the platelets of hens followed by humans, rats and mice in order. 4 Maximum concentration of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was found in the platelets of hens followed by mice, humans and rats. 5 It is concluded that the normal levels of enzyme activities in the platelets of humans and various species of animals may help to evaluate the exposure risk to neurotoxic organophosphorous compounds.
Guns, Gangs, and Genes

Handgun and gang violence represent two important threats to public safety. Although several studies have examined the factors that increase the risk for gang membership and handgun carrying, few studies have explored the biosocial underpinnings to the development of both gang involvement and carrying a handgun. The current study addressed this gap in the literature by using kinship data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 to estimate the genetic and environmental effects on gang membership, handgun carrying, and the covariance between the two. Results revealed that genetic and nonshared environmental influences accounted for much of the association between gang membership and handgun carrying. Implications of these findings for future gang research are discussed.
Variable Impact of Combining Fatal and Nonfatal End Points in Heart Failure Trials

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are a cornerstone of evidence-based medicine. Their design, implementation, and interpretation are sometimes subject to flaws and errors. To achieve statistical significance and economically feasible RCTs, the use of composite end points in heart failure (HF) trials has become more common. We analyzed the incremental value of combining HF hospitalizations with all-cause mortality in trials of chronic HF that enrolled >1000 placebo patients and had a mean follow-up >9 months. We tested the assumption that, compared with mortality, combining HF hospitalization with all-cause death would yield a consistently predictable increase in event rate across HF RCTs. Average placebo arm duration of follow-up was determined, and standardized placebo event rates per 100 patient-years were estimated. Twelve major HF RCTs were included in this analysis. There was a substantial relative increase in the event rate ranging from 64% to 134% when a composite end point was used. This increase was not related to disease severity as described by annual mortality rate. The relative contribution of combining HF hospitalization with all-cause mortality was, however, influenced by the duration of the trial. Combining HF hospitalization with all-cause mortality increases the overall event rate in HF clinical trials; the relative increase varies widely and is unrelated to disease severity. Longer-duration trials have a more predictable increase in events than short RCTs. Trial duration must be considered when composite end points are used during the design and interpretation of HF RCTs.
Economic Evaluation of Decompressive Craniectomy Versus Barbiturate Coma for Refractory Intracranial Hypertension Following Traumatic Brain Injury*

Objectives:Decompressive craniectomy and barbiturate coma are often used as second-tier strategies when intracranial hypertension following severe traumatic brain injury is refractory to first-line treatments. Uncertainty surrounds the decision to choose either treatment option. We investigated which strategy is more economically attractive in this context. Design:We performed a cost-utility analysis. A Markov Monte Carlo microsimulation model with a life-long time horizon was created to compare quality-adjusted survival and cost of the two treatment strategies, from the perspective of healthcare payer. Model parameters were estimated from the literature. Two-dimensional simulation was used to incorporate parameter uncertainty into the model. Value of information analysis was conducted to identify major drivers of decision uncertainty and focus future research. Setting:Trauma centers in the United States. Subjects:Base case was a population of patients (mean age = 25 yr) who developed refractory intracranial hypertension following traumatic brain injury. Interventions:We compared two treatment strategies: decompressive craniectomy and barbiturate coma. Measurements and Main Results:Decompressive craniectomy was associated with an average gain of 1.5 quality-adjusted life years relative to barbiturate coma, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $9,565/quality-adjusted life year gained. Decompressive craniectomy resulted in a greater quality-adjusted life expectancy 86% of the time and was more cost-effective than barbiturate coma in 78% of cases if our willingness-to-pay threshold is $50,000/quality-adjusted life year and 82% of cases at a threshold of $100,000/quality-adjusted life year. At older age, decompressive craniectomy continued to increase survival but at higher cost (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio = $197,906/quality-adjusted life year at mean age = 85 yr). Conclusions:Based on available evidence, decompressive craniectomy for the treatment of refractory intracranial hypertension following traumatic brain injury provides better value in terms of costs and health gains than barbiturate coma. However, decompressive craniectomy might be less economically attractive for older patients. Further research, particularly on natural history of severe traumatic brain injury patients, is needed to make more informed treatment decisions.
Autonomous navigation for an unmanned aerial vehicle by the decomposition coordination method

This paper introduces a new approach for solving the navigation problem of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) by studying its rotational and translational dynamics and then solving the nonlinear model by the Decomposition Coordination method. The objective is to reach a destination goal by the mean of an autonomous computed optimal path calculated through optimal control sequence. Solving such complex systems often requires a great amount of computation. However, the approach considered herein is based on the Decomposition Coordination principle, which allows the nonlinearity to be treated at a local level, thus offering a low computing time. The stability of the method is discussed with sufficient conditions for convergence. A numerical application is given in consolidation the theoretical results.
Screening for small molecule inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii, the agent that causes toxoplasmosis, is an opportunistic parasite that infects many mammalian species. It is an obligate intracellular parasite that causes severe congenital neurological and ocular disease mostly in immunocompromised humans. The current regimen of therapy includes only a few medications that often lead to hypersensitivity and toxicity. In addition, there are no vaccines available to prevent the transmission of this agent. Therefore, safer and more effective medicines to treat toxoplasmosis are urgently needed. Areas covered: The author presents in silico and in vitro strategies that are currently used to screen for novel targets and unique chemotypes against T. gondii. Furthermore, this review highlights the screening technologies and characterization of some novel targets and new chemical entities that could be developed into highly efficacious treatments for toxoplasmosis. Expert opinion: A number of diverse methods are being used to design inhibitors against T. gondii. These include ligand-based methods, in which drugs that have been shown to be efficacious against other Apicomplexa parasites can be repurposed to identify lead molecules against T. gondii. In addition, structure-based methods use currently available repertoire of structural information in various databases to rationally design small-molecule inhibitors of T. gondii. Whereas the screening methods have their advantages and limitations, a combination of methods is ideally suited to design small-molecule inhibitors of complex parasites such as T. gondii.
Removal of Divalent Cations Induces Structural Transitions in Red Clover Necrotic Mosaic Virus, Revealing a Potential Mechanism for RNA Release

ABSTRACT The structure of Red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV), an icosahedral plant virus, was resolved to 8.5 Å by cryoelectron microscopy. The virion capsid has prominent surface protrusions and subunits with a clearly defined shell and protruding domains. The structures of both the individual capsid protein (CP) subunits and the entire virion capsid are consistent with other species in the Tombusviridae family. Within the RCNMV capsid, there is a clearly defined inner cage formed by complexes of genomic RNA and the amino termini of CP subunits. An RCNMV virion has approximately 390 ± 30 Ca2+ ions bound to the capsid and 420 ± 25 Mg2+ ions thought to be in the interior of the capsid. Depletion of both Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions from RCNMV leads to significant structural changes, including (i) formation of 11- to 13-Å-diameter channels that extend through the capsid and (ii) significant reorganization within the interior of the capsid. Genomic RNA within native capsids containing both Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions is extremely resistant to nucleases, but depletion of both of these cations results in nuclease sensitivity, as measured by a significant reduction in RCNMV infectivity. These results indicate that divalent cations play a central role in capsid dynamics and suggest a mechanism for the release of viral RNA in low-divalent-cation environments such as those found within the cytoplasm of a cell.
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockade Prevents Lethal Malignant Hypertension: Relation to Kidney Inflammation

Background—Angiotensin II is elevated in malignant hypertension. We tested the hypothesis that angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade can prevent the development of malignant hypertension even in the absence of a blood pressure-lowering effect. Methods and Results—Two-kidney, 1-clip rats were followed up for 28 days; blood pressure was measured by tail-cuff plethysmography and intra-arterially. After a 2-week run-in phase, rats received valsartan at a dose of 0.3 (n=14) or 3 (n=12) mg · kg−1 · d−1 or solvent (n=27). Only the higher dose of valsartan, but not the lower dose, decreased blood pressure. Both doses of valsartan prevented the development of lethal malignant hypertension. Twenty of 27 solvent-treated renovascular hypertensive rats died, but only 3 of 14 rats treated with the low dose and 1 of 12 rats treated with the high dose of valsartan died. Histological signs of malignant nephrosclerosis were found in all rats examined that had died throughout the study and in 6 of 7 surviving solvent-treated renovascular hypertensive animals. Increased expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and prominent interstitial influx of macrophages occurred in the nonclipped kidneys exposed to high pressure in solvent-treated rats. These alterations were prevented by valsartan at both doses, irrespective of blood pressure effects. Conclusions—Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade by valsartan prevents lethal malignant hypertension independently of blood pressure. The results suggest that reduction of angiotensin-induced inflammation in the kidney may contribute to the protective effects of valsartan.
Neoplastic human embryonic stem cells as a model of radiation resistance of human cancer stem cells

Studies have implicated that a small sub-population of cells within a tumour, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), have an enhanced capacity for tumour formation in multiple cancers and may be responsible for recurrence of the disease after treatment, including radiation. Although comparisons have been made between CSCs and bulk-tumour, the more important comparison with respect to therapy is between tumour-sustaining CSC versus normal stem cells that maintain the healthy tissue. However, the absence of normal known counterparts for many CSCs has made it difficult to compare the radiation responses of CSCs with the normal stem cells required for post-radiotherapy tissue regeneration and the maintenance of tissue homeostasis. Here we demonstrate that transformed human embryonic stem cells (t-hESCs), showing features of neoplastic progression produce tumours resistant to radiation relative to their normal counterpart upon injection into immune compromised mice. We reveal that t-hESCs have a reduced capacity for radiation induced cell death via apoptosis and exhibit altered cell cycle arrest relative to hESCs in vitro. t-hESCs have an increased expression of BclXL in comparison to their normal counterparts and re-sensitization of t-hESCs to radiation upon addition of BH3-only mimetic ABT737, suggesting that overexpression of BclXL underpins t-hESC radiation insensitivity. Using this novel discovery platform to investigate radiation resistance in human CSCs, our study indicates that chemotherapy targeting Bcl2-family members may prove to be an adjuvant to radiotherapy capable of targeting CSCs.
KOINOTITES: A Web Usage Mining Tool for Personalization

This paper presents the Web Usage Mining system KOINOTITES, which uses data mining techniques for the construction of user communities on the Web. User communities model groups of visitors in a Web site, who have similar interests and navigational behaviour. We present the architecture of the system and the results that we obtained in a real Web site.
Towards Personalized Selection of Web Services

ABSTRACT Web services have gained an increasing popularity, however, also shown problems like their automatic discovery or deficiencies in interoperability. Because of today’s wide variety of services of-fered to perform a specific task, it is essential that users are sup-ported in the eventual selection of appropriate services. In this paper we present an extensive study of different useful techniques towards advanced personalization of Web service selection. We propose the partitioning of the user profile to support different steps of interaction with services and present techniques to per-sonalize each subsequent step. Our main contribution is an algo-rithm featuring the expansion of service requests by user-specific demands and wishes. Services not matching a certain profile are discarded on the fly and equally useful results of alternative ser-vices can be compared with respect to user provided strategies and preferences. We also present a case study to exemplify the application of our personalization techniques.
Tregs strip dendritic cells of CD70 to regulate Th1 differentiation

When the immune system encounters an antigen, the response can result in the mobilization of effector cells or in tolerance. The outcome is largely dependent on immunosuppressive CD4 T cells that express the transcription factor Foxp3 (Tregs). Yet, how Tregs control different immune effector cells remains elusive. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Dhainaut et al report on a novel mechanism used by Tregs to prevent differentiation of naïve CD4 T cells to proinflammatory Th1CD4 (Th1) effectors.
Simvastatin inhibits oxidative stress via the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 signaling in trophoblast cells

Nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a key transcriptional regulator against oxidative stress through the induction of antioxidant and cytoprotective genes, such as heme oxygenase 1 (HO‐1), glutamyl cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC), and glutamyl cysteine ligase modulatory (GCLM). Nrf2 signaling is disrupted in pre‐eclamptic placentas, although increased oxidative stress is implicated in pre‐eclampsia. The aims of the study were: (i) to investigate the mechanism that underlies the impaired Nrf2 signaling in pre‐eclamptic placentas, and (ii) to examine the potential therapeutic role of statin for pre‐eclampsia.
Intentions to smoke cigarettes among never-smoking US middle and high school electronic cigarette users: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2011-2013.

INTRODUCTION Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is increasing rapidly, and the impact on youth is unknown. We assessed associations between e-cigarette use and smoking intentions among US youth who had never smoked conventional cigarettes. METHODS We analyzed data from the nationally representative 2011, 2012, and 2013 National Youth Tobacco Surveys of students in grades 6-12. Youth reporting they would definitely not smoke in the next year or if offered a cigarette by a friend were defined as not having an intention to smoke; all others were classified as having positive intention to smoke conventional cigarettes. Demographics, pro-tobacco advertisement exposure, ever use of e-cigarettes, and ever use of other combustibles (cigars, hookah, bidis, kreteks, and pipes) and noncombustibles (chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, snus, and dissolvables) were included in multivariate analyses that assessed associations with smoking intentions among never-cigarette-smoking youth. RESULTS Between 2011 and 2013, the number of never-smoking youth who used e-cigarettes increased 3-fold, from 79,000 to more than 263,000. Intention to smoke conventional cigarettes was 43.9% among ever e-cigarette users and 21.5% among never users. Ever e-cigarette users had higher adjusted odds for having smoking intentions than never users (adjusted odds ratio = 1.70, 95% confidence interval = 1.24-2.32). Those who ever used other combustibles, ever used noncombustibles, or reported pro-tobacco advertisement exposure also had increased odds for smoking intentions. CONCLUSION In 2013, more than a quarter million never-smoking youth used e-cigarettes. E-cigarette use is associated with increased intentions to smoke cigarettes, and enhanced prevention efforts for youth are important for all forms of tobacco, including e-cigarettes.
Study on temperature's impact on FDS of oil-paper insulation system by mutiple simulation methods

Oil-paper insulation has been widely used in power equipments such as bushing, high voltage cable and power transformer. As a result, effective methods to diagnose equipment's insulation condition that in high reliability are urgently needed. In recent year, with advantages of accurate results and strong anti-interference ability, frequency domain spectroscopy(FDS) has been widely used for insulation condition diagnosis of oil-paper insulating equipment all over the world. In this paper, a new modeling method using lumped element circuit was introduced to study the effect of temperature factor on the overall broadband frequency domain spectroscopy curves of transformer, and results from XY model, finite element model (FEM) and lumped element circuit (LEC) were compared to discuss their different characteristics and the application scope. Results show that there are peaks and valleys at about 105Hz of the FDS curves got from lumped element circuit, and temperature mainly affects the amplitude of peaks and valleys. Data got from XY model and finite element model have a high consistency, but are still different in certain frequency bands. The curves of dielectric loss tangent got from lumped element circuit are quite different with the former two models. Lumped element circuit should be firstly considered when the insulation condition of transformers are assessed from multiple perspectives or with broadband curves.
Distributed electro-thermal model based on fast and scalable algorithm for GaN power devices and circuit simulations

In this work, we present a novel concept of electro-thermal modelling of GaN lateral power devices. Based on a distributed modelling approach, where a thermal model and electrical compact model are coupled, a new distributed electro-thermal model has been developed. The model provides a detailed insight in the distributed electro-thermal behaviour during steady-state and transient (power switching) regime with a significant reduction of computational time compared to alternative models existing in literature. The model has been validated with experiments where p-GaN devices are tested under standard switching conditions. The waveforms and temperature readings predicted by the model show an excellent agreement with the experiments.