Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined Aliskiren and Amlodipine Reduce Albuminuria via Reduction in Renal Inflammation in Diabetic Rats

Abstract We hypothesized that compared with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ), the renin inhibitor aliskiren (ALISK) or amlodipine (AMLO) and their combination reduce albuminuria via reduction in renal inflammation, independent of blood pressure (BP) changes. We studied normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic (DM) Sprague-Dawley rats treated for 6 weeks with vehicle, ALISK, HCTZ, or AMLO individually and combined and evaluated the effects of treatments on BP, urine albumin to creatinine ratio, renal interstitial fluid levels of angiotensin II, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-&agr;), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) and renal expression of TNF-&agr;, IL-6, transforming growth factor beta 1, and nuclear factor kappa B. There were no differences in BP between treatments. Only ALISK and its combinations reduced renal interstitial fluid angiotensin II. Urine albumin to creatinine ratio increased in DM rats and decreased with ALISK alone or combined with HCTZ or AMLO. HCTZ or AMLO individually and combined did not influence urine albumin to creatinine ratio. Renal interstitial fluid TNF-&agr; and IL-6, and the renal expression of TNF-&agr;, IL-6, transforming growth factor beta 1, and nuclear factor kappa B were increased in DM rats. These renal inflammatory markers were reduced only with ALISK or AMLO individually or combined with other treatments. We conclude that ALISK alone and combined with HCTZ or AMLO reduced albuminuria in diabetes via reduction in renal inflammation, independent of BP changes.
The quality of life of children with severe developmental disabilities

BACKGROUND Research examining the quality of life (QoL) of children with severe developmental disabilities (SDD) is limited. The present study examines parent perceptions of child QoL in children with SDD compared with typically developing (TD) children and then examines predictors of QoL for the SDD group. METHOD Parents of 246 children with SDD (aged 4 to 19 years) and 210 TD children (aged 4 to 18 years) responded to an online survey. QoL was measured using a composite variable composed of the child's happiness, achievement of potential and friendship quality. RESULTS Children with DD had lower QoL ratings than TD children. In children with DD, higher QoL was related to younger age, higher adaptive skills, lower maladaptive behaviour, lower parent psychological distress and higher satisfaction with the child's education. CONCLUSIONS Interventions to promote positive outcomes for children with SDD should target both characteristics of the individual and the environment.
Analysis of the Huge Immigration of Sogatella furcifera (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) to Southern China in the Spring of 2012

Abstract Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) is a migratory rice pest that periodically erupts across Asia, and early immigration is an important cause of its outbreak. The early immigration of S. furcifera into southern China shows evident annual fluctuations. In the spring of 2012, the huge size of the immigrant population and the large number of immigration peaks were at levels rarely seen prior to that year. However, little research has been done on the entire process of round-trip migration to clarify the development of the population, the long-distance migration and the final eruption. In this study, the light-trap data for S. furcifera in southern China and Vietnam in 2011–2016 were collected, and the trajectory modeling showed that the early immigrants to southern China came from the northern and central Vietnam, Laos, and northeastern Thailand. Analysis of the development of the population, the migration process and meteorological factors revealed the reasons for the huge size of the early immigration: 1) the expansion of the source area could be seen as a precondition; 2) the large size of the returned population in the last autumn and the warm temperature of southern Vietnam and Laos in the last winter increased the initial populations; 3) the sustained strong southwest winds were conducive to the northward migration of the population during the major immigration period in early May. Therefore, the large-scale immigration of S. furcifera to southern China in the spring of 2012 resulted from the combined effects of several factors involved in the process of round-trip migration.
High-power and high-conversion efficiency deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser at 258  nm generation in the CsLiB6O10 (CLBO) crystal with a beam quality of M2<1.5.

We report a 10 kHz, 10.5 W deep ultraviolet (DUV) laser at 258 nm with a pulse duration of 3 ns by fourth-harmonic generation (FHG) in a CsLiB6O10 crystal with high-conversion efficiency. The fundamental laser is at 1030 nm with 35 W output power consisting of a Yb:YAG ceramics thin rod amplifier. The M2 of the DUV laser was confirmed to be <1.5. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best beam quality for DUV laser power higher than 10 W generated by FHG of a solid-state laser, as well as the highest conversion efficiency of 31% from infrared to DUV so far.
Acute Comitant Esotropia in a Boy with Head Trauma and Convulsions Receiving Carbamazepine

We examined an 11-year-old boy who complained of acute onset of diplopia. The patient had head trauma and postsurgical convulsions and had been treated with carbamazepine. Diplopia developed after the dose of carbamazepine was increased to 700 mg/day. On examination, comitant esotropia and lateral gaze nystagmus were found. These disorders disappeared after carbamazepine was decreased to 400 mg/day. We believe that acute comitant esotropia and lateral gaze nystagmus may have been precipitated by head trauma and carbamazepine in our patient.
Infrared spectroscopy as molecular probe of the macroscopic metal-liquid interface

Metal-liquid interfaces are of the utmost importance in a number of scientific areas, including electrochemistry and catalysis. However, complicated analytical methods and sample preparation are usually required to study the interfacial phenomena. We propose an infrared spectroscopic approach that enables investigating the molecular interactions at the interface, but needing only minimal or no sample preparation. For this purpose, the internal reflection element (IRE) is wetted with a solution as first step. Second, a small plate of the metal of interest is put on top and pressed onto the IRE. The tiny amount of liquid that is remaining between the IRE and the metal is sufficient to produce an IR spectrum with good signal to noise ratio, from which information about molecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, can be deduced. Proof-of-concept experiments were carried out with aqueous salt and acid solutions and an aluminum plate.
Marine anti-biofouling efficacy of amphiphilic poly(coacrylate) grafted PDMSe: effect of graft molecular weight

Abstract There is currently strong motivation due to ecological concerns to develop effective anti-biofouling coatings that are environmentally benign, durable, and stable for use by the maritime industry. The antifouling (AF) and fouling-release (FR) efficacy of amphiphilic, charged copolymers composed of ~52% acrylamide, ~34% acrylic acid, and ~14% methyl acrylate grafted to poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMSe) surfaces were tested against zoospores of the green alga Ulva linza and the diatom Navicula incerta. The biofouling response to molecular weight variation was analyzed for grafts ranging from ~100 to 1,400 kg mol−1, The amphiphilic coatings showed a marked improvement in the FR response, with a 55% increase in the percentage removal of diatoms and increased AF efficacy, with 92% reduction in initial attachment density of zoospores, compared to PDMSe controls. However, graft molecular weight, in the range tested, was statistically insignificant. Grafting copolymers to PDMSe embossed with the Sharklet™ microtopography did not produce enhanced AF efficacy.
Reduced Sleep Acutely Influences Sedentary Behavior and Mood But Not Total Energy Intake in Normal-Weight and Obese Women

Using a crossover design, 22 normal-weight and 22 obese women completed two free-living sleep conditions: (a) Normal Sleep: night of ~8 hr time in bed; and (b) Reduced Sleep: night of < 5 hr time in bed). Outcome measures were energy intake, physical activity and sedentary time, and mood. Sleep time was 7.7 ± 0.3 and 4.8 ± 0.2 hrs during the Normal Sleep and Reduced Sleep conditions, respectively (F = 1791.94; p < 0.0001). Energy intake did not differ between groups or as a function of sleep condition (F = 2.46; p = 0.1244). Sedentary time was ~ 30 min higher after the Reduced Sleep condition (F = 4.98; p = 0.0318); other physical activity outcomes were not different by condition (p > 0.05). Total mood score, depression, anger, vigor, fatigue, and confusion were worse after Reduced Sleep (p < 0.05). Reducing sleep acutely and negatively influenced sedentary time and mood in normal-weight and obese women.
Clinical investigation of RAD1901, a novel estrogen receptor ligand, for the treatment of postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms: a phase 2 randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-ranging, proof-of-concept trial

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of RAD1901, an oral estrogen receptor ligand, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms of menopause. Methods: This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, dose-ranging, proof-of-concept trial. Postmenopausal women with a minimum of 7 moderate-to-severe, diary-reported hot flashes per day, or 50 per week, were randomized to one of five blinded dose groups (0 [placebo], 10, 25, 50, or 100 mg RAD1901 daily for 28 d). Efficacy endpoints included frequency and severity of hot flashes over 4 weeks of treatment. Results: One hundred participants were randomized across the five treatment regimens. The frequency of moderate-to-severe hot flashes decreased in all groups over the treatment period (mean percent change from baseline at 4 wk, −54.1%, −77.2%, −51.8%, −53.8%, and −67.0% for placebo, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mg groups). The response in the 10 mg group was significantly different from placebo at 4 weeks (P = 0.024). No other dose group was significantly different from placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in severity of hot flashes between placebo and any dose group. Treatment was well tolerated; most treatment-emergent adverse events were mild to moderate in severity. Conclusions: Daily treatment with 10 mg RAD1901 over 4 weeks resulted in a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of moderate-to-severe hot flashes compared with placebo, with an acceptable safety profile. Further clinical trials are warranted to investigate RAD1901's utility as a potential treatment for vasomotor symptoms.
Estimation of inbreeding depression on female fertility in the Finnish Ayrshire population

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data enable the estimation of inbreeding at the genome level. In this study, we estimated inbreeding levels for 19,075 Finnish Ayrshire cows genotyped with a low-density SNP panel (8K). The genotypes were imputed to 50K density, and after quality control, 39,144 SNPs remained for the analysis. Inbreeding coefficients were estimated for each animal based on the percentage of homozygous SNPs (FPH ), runs of homozygosity (FROH ) and pedigree (FPED ). Phenotypic records were available for 13,712 animals including non-return rate (NRR), number of inseminations (AIS) and interval from first to last insemination (IFL) for heifers and up to three parities for cows, as well as interval from calving to first insemination (ICF) for cows. Average FPED was 0.02, FROH 0.06 and FPH 0.63. A correlation of 0.71 was found between FPED and FROH , 0.66 between FPED and FPH and 0.94 between FROH and FPH . Pedigree-based inbreeding coefficients did not show inbreeding depression in any of the traits. However, when FROH or FPH was used as a covariate, significant inbreeding depression was observed; a 10% increase in FROH was associated with 5 days longer IFL0 and IFL1, 2 weeks longer IFL3 and 3 days longer ICF2 compared to non-inbred cows.
Technical and US regulatory issues in triaging material for the molecular laboratory

We recently performed a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) on a patient aged 28 years, a father of 2 children, with a deep neck mass. Smears on site looked like melanoma, but there was no history. Immunohistochemistry and potentially molecular testing would be needed. For example, it could be useful to analyze the gene BRAF, coding for the serine/threonine protein kinase B-Raf, to identify mutations that confer survival benefit to melanoma patients treated with kinase inhibitors. Scenarios like this are playing out with increasing frequency in cytology. What exactly is the best way to triage material for the molecular laboratory? The short answer is that any cytology preparation (eg, smears, monolayer preparations, or cell blocks fixed by various means) can produce a valid molecular test result, and a key consideration is to use the preparation with sufficient numbers of tumor cells (Table 1). The devil is in the details, however, and the many publications that have established the suitability of cytology samples for molecular diagnosis continue to raise new questions. Beyond the scientific questions, molecular laboratories in the United States need to stay compliant with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA). More challenging still could be the proposed new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations that would require laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) to be granted FDA approvals. These regulations, if enacted as described, threaten the ability of cytology to help patients who need molecular testing. In this article, we have restricted attention only to BRAF mutation testing as an example of how technologies and the regulatory climate affect the ability of cytology laboratories to provide a valuable service for patients.
Optimization of rituximab for the treatment of DLBCL: increasing the dose for elderly male patients

Male sex is associated with unfavourable pharmacokinetics and prognosis in elderly patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We investigated higher rituximab doses for elderly male DLBCL patients. Elderly patients (61–80 years) received 6 cycles CHOP‐14 (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone at 14‐day intervals) and were randomized to 8 cycles rituximab (males 500 mg/m2, females 375 mg/m2) every 2 weeks or according to an upfront dose‐dense schedule. In 268 (120 females, 148 males) no difference between the standard and the upfront dose‐dense rituximab schedule was found (3‐year PFS 72% vs. 74%; OS 74% vs. 77%; P = 0.651). The 500 mg/m2 dose of rituximab for male patients was associated with serum levels and exposure times slightly better than in females and a male/female hazard ratio of 0.9 for progression‐free survival (PFS) and 0.8 for overall survival. For elderly males, 500 mg/m2 was not more toxic than 375 mg/m2 rituximab, but improved PFS by 32.5% (P = 0.039), with a trend for a (30%) better overall survival (P = 0.076) in a planned subgroup analysis adjusting for International Prognostic Index risk factors. We conclude that the higher rituximab dose for elderly male patients abrogated the adverse prognosis of male sex without increasing toxicity. In the era of personalized medicine, sex‐specific pharmacokinetics and toxicities should be investigated for all drugs where these parameters impact on outcome.
Scalable Peaceman-Rachford Splitting Method with Proximal Terms.

Along with developing of Peaceman-Rachford Splittling Method (PRSM), many batch algorithms based on it have been studied very deeply. But almost no algorithm focused on the performance of stochastic version of PRSM. In this paper, we propose a new stochastic algorithm based on PRSM, prove its convergence rate in ergodic sense, and test its performance on both artificial and real data. We show that our proposed algorithm, Stochastic Scalable PRSM (SS-PRSM), enjoys the $O(1/K)$ convergence rate, which is the same as those newest stochastic algorithms that based on ADMM but faster than general Stochastic ADMM (which is $O(1/\sqrt{K})$). Our algorithm also owns wide flexibility, outperforms many state-of-the-art stochastic algorithms coming from ADMM, and has low memory cost in large-scale splitting optimization problems.
An activity history based approach for recognizing the mode of transportation

By understanding a person's context, smart assistant systems aim to simplify and automate tasks. One type of useful context information is the mode of transportation. Commonly, the mode of transportation is recognized by analyzing raw sensor data of mobile devices, such as a smartphone. However, fine-grained sampling and collecting sensor data at high frequency to analyze raw sensor data is also conducted by activity recognition systems. These systems have been shown to accurately recognize activities such as sitting, standing, or walking. This means several systems analyze raw data for their needs. In our opinion, this doubled use of resources should be avoided. In this paper, we propose an approach, which avoids doubled raw sensor data analysis by taking advantage of the already available information of a person's activity. As a hypothesis, the approach assumes that observed activity sequences can lead to the mode of transportation. Thus, we aim to map activity sequences to modes of transportation. Applying the proposed approach, we show that the three different modes of transportation car, tram, and bus are recognized with an accuracy of up to 97 %.
Anatomical map of the cranial vasculature and sensory ganglia

There is growing evidence of a direct influence of vasculature on the development of neurons in the brain. The development of the cranial vasculature has been well described in zebrafish but its anatomical relationship with the adjacent developing sensory ganglia has not been addressed. Here, by 3D imaging of fluorescently labelled blood vessels and sensory ganglia, we describe for the first time the spatial organization of the cranial vasculature in relation to the cranial ganglia during zebrafish development. We show that from 24 h post‐fertilization (hpf) onwards, the statoacoustic ganglion (SAG) develops in direct contact with two main blood vessels, the primordial hindbrain channel and the lateral dorsal aortae (LDA). At 48 hpf, the LDA is displaced medially, losing direct contact with the SAG. The relationship of the other cranial ganglia with the vasculature is evident for the medial lateral line ganglion and for the vagal ganglia that grow along the primary head sinus (PHS). We also observed that the innervation of the anterior macula runs over the PHS vessel. Our spatiotemporal anatomical map of the cranial ganglia and the head vasculature indicates physical interactions between both systems and suggests a possible functional interaction during development.
Tumor microenvironment and noncoding RNAs as co‐drivers of epithelial–mesenchymal transition and cancer metastasis

Reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and tumor microenvironment (TME) are crucial events in tumor progression and metastasis. Pervasive stromal reprogramming of TME modifies numerous cellular functions, including extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, inflammation, and immunity. These environmental factors allow selection of more aggressive cells that develop adaptive strategies associating plasticity and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), stem‐like phenotype, invasion, immunosuppression, and resistance to therapies. EMT is a morphomolecular process that endows epithelial tumor cells with mesenchymal properties, including reduced adhesion and increased motility. Numerous studies have demonstrated involvement of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as miRNAs and lncRNAs, in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. NcRNAs regulate every hallmark of cancer and have now emerged as new players in induction and regulation of EMT. The reciprocal regulatory interactions between ncRNAs, TME components, and cancer cells increase the complexity of gene expression and protein translation in cancer. Thus, deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms controlling EMT will not only shed light on metastatic processes of cancer cells, but enhance development of new therapies targeting metastasis. In this review, we will provide recent findings on the role of known ncRNAs relevant to EMT and cancer metastasis and discuss the role of the interaction between ncRNAs and TME as co‐drivers of EMT. Developmental Dynamics 247:405–431, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Immediate Restoration of Immediate Implants in the Esthetic Zone of the Maxilla Via the Copy‐Abutment Technique: 5‐Year Follow‐Up of Pink Esthetic Scores

BACKGROUND Implant esthetics may benefit from individualized zirconia abutments copying the emergence profile of the natural tooth and delivered within days after immediate implant insertion. PURPOSE To investigate the esthetic outcome of the Copy-Abutment technique using the Pink Esthetic Score (PES). MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 77 patients with single-tooth implants in the anterior maxilla restored at the day of immediate implant placement using Copy-Abutments and provisional crowns were followed-up after 1 week, 1 month, 4 months, 6 months, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years to assess implant esthetics. RESULTS PES ranged between 7 and 14 (median: 13) and improved significantly between the 6 month and 1 year follow-up (p < .001), then remained stable up to the fifth year. Significant improvement was seen for the variables PES-6 soft tissue color (p = .002) and PES-7 soft tissue texture (p < .001) up to the 1 year follow-up, while PES-5 alveolar process deficiency deteriorated (p = .016). Mean mucosal recession was 0.26 ± 0.86 mm (range: 0-1.6) after 5 years and not related to gingival biotype. CONCLUSION Copy-Abutments for immediate restoration of implants in the esthetic zone show satisfactory long-term esthetic outcomes.
Understanding Challenges, Strategies, and the Role of Support Networks in Medication Self-management Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the challenges and strategies of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) regarding daily management of their medication regimen focusing on the role of their support networks. Methods A purposeful sample of 25 patients with T2DM was recruited from local self-help groups, general practitioner practices, and a university hospital in southwestern Germany. Four semi-structured focus groups were conducted to identify the challenges patients experienced, the strategies they used, and their collaboration with support networks to assist them in self-managing their medication regimen. Sessions were audio- and video-recorded, fully transcribed, and subjected to computer-aided qualitative content analysis, guided by the Self- and Family Management Framework (SFMF). Results Patients with T2DM experienced numerous challenges affecting medication self-management arising from their personal situation, health status and resources, characteristics of their regimen, and how health care is currently organized. Patients’ self-initiated strategies included activating health care, community, social, and online resources; taking ownership of medication-related needs; and integrating medication-taking into daily life. Patients drew on self-help groups, family, and friends to discuss concerns regarding medication safety and receive experience-based information and advice for navigating within the health care system as well as practical hands-on support with daily medication self-management. Conclusions Understanding the challenges and building on strategies patients with T2DM devised help diabetes educators to better address patients’ needs and priorities and guide patient-centered interventions to support patients’ self-management activities. Community and social support networks operating in patients’ lives need to be engaged in the self-management support.