Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age Trends of Renal Arteriolar Hyalinization Explored with the Aid of Serial Sections

Background: Hyalinized renal arterioles (Hy) can be counted per unit area of PAS-stained paraffin sections. The percentages of nephrons having hyalinized afferent and efferent arterioles can be assessed in serial sections. Methods: Slides of renal tissue were assessed for Hy in 559 basal forensic autopsies, i.e. those with no condition known to correlate with hypertension. Serial sections in a series of 20 cases were used to measure afferent and efferent arterioles and determine formulas to relate afferent and efferent arterioles to Hy. The formulas were used in the 559 cases to assess the trends on age of Hy in terms of percentage of affected nephrons. Results: Hy increased rapidly from ages 15 to 34 years, but stabilized from ages 35 to 102 years at levels implying afferent arterioles of about 2/5 of nephrons and efferent arterioles of about 1/5. Most of the nephrons in the kidney were deduced to be supplied by hyalinized afferent arterioles in nearly half of all subjects from ages 35 to 102 years, and the rates were the same at all ages. Conclusion: These data provide for the first time provisional estimates for the prevalence of Hy to be used as baselines for biopsy comparisons. Failure of numerous kidneys to enter end-stage nephrosclerosis in spite of several decades of involvement by hyalinization in half or more of their arterioles does not support the view that hyalinization induces ischemic nephron atrophy.
Sewage Sludge as a Biomass Resource for the Production of Energy: Overview and Assessment of the Various Options†

Treatment of municipal wastewater results worldwide in the production of large amounts of sewage sludge. The major part of the dry matter content of this sludge consists of nontoxic organic compounds, in general a combination of primary sludge and secondary (microbiological) sludge. The sludge also contains a substantial amount of inorganic material and a small amount of toxic components. There are many sludge-management options in which production of energy (heat, electricity, or biofuel) is one of the key treatment steps. The most important options are anaerobic digestion, co-digestion, incineration in combination with energy recovery, co-incineration in coal-fired power plants, co-incineration in combination with organic waste focused on energy recovery, use as an energy source in the production of cement or building materials, pyrolysis, gasification, supercritical (wet) oxidation, hydrolysis at high temperature, production of hydrogen, acetone, butanol, or ethanol, and direct generation of electrical energy by means of specific micro-organisms. Incineration and co-incineration with energy recovery and use of sewage sludge in the production of Portland cement are applied on a large scale. In these processes, the toxic organics are destructed and the heavy metals are immobilized in the ash or cement. The energy efficiency of these processes strongly depends upon the dewatering and drying step. It is expected that these applications will strongly increase in the future. Supercritical wet oxidation is a promising innovative technology but is still in the development stage. With the exception of biogas production, the other biological methods to produce energy are still in the initial research phase. Production of biogas from sewage sludge is already applied worldwide on small, medium, and large scales. With this process, a substantial experience exists and it is expected that this application is getting more and more attention. Besides the increasing focus on the recovery and reuse of energy, inorganics, and phosphorous, there is also an increasing focus to solve completely the problem of the toxic organics and inorganic compounds in sludge. In the assessment and selection of options for energy recovery by means of biological methods, this aspect has to be taken into account.
Automatically Identifying Special and Common Unit Tests Based on Inferred Statistical Algebraic Abstractions

Common and special test inputs can be created to exercise some common and special behavior of the class under test, respectively. Although manually created tests ar e valuable, programmers often overlook some special or even common test inputs. We have developed a new approach for automatically identifying special and common unit tests fo r a class without requiring any specification. Given a class, we automatically generates test inputs and identifies common and special tests among the generated tests. Programmers can inspect these identified tests and use them to augment existing tests. Our approach is based on statistical algebraic abstractions, program properties (in the form of algebraic specifications) dynamically inferred from test e xecutions. We use statistical algebraic abstractions to cha racterize program behavior and identify special and common tests. Our initial experience has shown that many interesting test inputs could be identified among a large number of generated tests.
Tailoring iron chelation by iron intake and serum ferritin: the prospective EPIC study of deferasirox in 1744 patients with transfusion-dependent anemias

Background Following a clinical evaluation of deferasirox (Exjade®) it was concluded that, in addition to baseline body iron burden, ongoing transfusional iron intake should be considered when selecting doses. The 1-year EPIC study, the largest ever investigation conducted for an iron chelator, is the first to evaluate whether fixed starting doses of deferasirox, based on transfusional iron intake, with dose titration guided by serum ferritin trends and safety markers, provides clinically acceptable chelation in patients (aged ≥2 years) with transfusional hemosiderosis from various types of anemia. Design and Methods The recommended initial dose was 20 mg/kg/day for patients receiving 2–4 packed red blood cell units/month and 10 or 30 mg/kg/day was recommended for patients receiving less or more frequent transfusions, respectively. Dose adjustments were based on 3-month serum ferritin trends and continuous assessment of safety markers. The primary efficacy end-point was change in serum ferritin after 52 weeks compared with baseline. Results The 1744 patients enrolled had the following conditions; thalassemia (n=1115), myelodysplastic syndromes (n=341), aplastic anemia (n=116), sickle cell disease (n=80), rare anemias (n=43) and other transfused anemias (n=49). Overall, there was a significant reduction in serum ferritin from baseline (−264 ng/mL; P<0.0001), reflecting dosage adjustments and ongoing iron intake. The most common (>5%) adverse events were gastrointestinal disturbances (28%) and skin rash (10%). Conclusions Analysis of this large, prospectively collected data set confirms the response to chelation therapy across various anemias, supporting initial deferasirox doses based on transfusional iron intake, with subsequent dose titration guided by trends in serum ferritin and safety markers (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00171821).
HETEROCHRONY AND DEVELOPMENTAL INNOVATION: EVOLUTION OF FEMALE GAMETOPHYTE ONTOGENY IN GNETUM, A HIGHLY APOMORPHIC SEED PLANT

Seed plant female gametophytes are focal points for the evolutionary modification of development. From a structural perspective, the most divergent female gametophytes among all seed plants are found in Gnetum, a clade within Gnetales. Coenocytic organization at sexual maturity, absence of defined egg cells (free nuclei are fertilized), lack of centripetal cellularization, and postfertilization development of embryo‐nourishing tissues are features of the female gametophytes of Gnetum unparalleled among seed plants. Although the female gametophyte of Gnetum retains the three basic phases of somatic development common to female gametophytes of plesiomorphic seed plants (free nuclear development, cellularization, cellular growth), the timing of fertilization has been accelerated relative to the rate of somatic development. As a consequence, the female gametophyte of Gnetum matures sexually (is fertilized) at a juvenile (compared with the ancestral somatic ontogeny) and free nuclear stage of somatic development, thereby precluding differentiation of egg cells. Unlike progenetic animals, where truncation of somatic ontogeny evolves in tandem with acceleration in the timing of sexual maturation, the female gametophyte of Gnetum completes the entire ancestral somatic ontogeny after precocious sexual maturation. This results in the evolution of postfertilization development of embryo‐nourishing female gametophyte tissues, a phenomenon unique among seed plants. Nonheterochronic developmental innovations have also played important roles in the evolution of the female gametophyte of Gnetum. Centripetal cellularization, which is always associated with the phase change from coenocytic to cellular organization among plesiomorphic seed plant female gametophytes, is lacking in Gnetum. Instead, during early phases of development, apomorphic free nuclear organization is coupled with a highly anomalous pattern of cellularization. Stage‐specific innovations during early development in the female gametophyte of Gnetum do not affect plesiomorphic aspects of later phases of development. Thus, a complex array of heterochronic and nonheterochronic developmental innovations have played critical roles in the ontogenetic evolution of the highly apomorphic female gametophyte of Gnetum.
Psychotherapy Relationships That Work: Therapist Contributions and Responsiveness to Patients

This book is the result of the American Psychological Association's Division of Psychotherapy (Div. 29) Task Force aimed at applying psychological science to the identification and promulgation of effective psychotherapy. Many efforts to improve therapy have focused on codifying evidence-based treatments, but in doing so have left the psychotherapeutic relationship behind. Clinical experience and research findings underscore that the therapeutic relationship accounts for as much of the outcome as particular treatments.
The Quest for Value: A Guide for Senior Managers

Confusion over what investors really want often makes it difficult for managers to reach decisions regarding business strategy, acquisitions and divestitures, financial structure, dividend policy and executive compensation. With company raiders knocking on just about every door, the cost of this ignorance is escalating. This book aims to help managers learn the processes that influence and control share prices. Written for senior management, key operating people, and planning and financial staff, this book provides a framework for the broadest range of company decision-making including goal setting, resource allocation, financial policy setting, incentive compensation planning and building shareholder value.
The Use of Flow Analysis in Foreign Exchange: Explanatory Analysis

This Paper provides questionnaire evidence on the role of flow analysis for professional traders and fund managers. This evidence suggests that besides fundamental information and technical analysis, the analysis of flows provides an independent third type of information for professionals. The proposition that flows can be used to learn about fundamentals is not consistent with the data. Instead, evidence indicates that flows more likely provide insight into semi-fundamental private information, suggesting support for the efficient market hypothesis only in a weak form.
Technical Perspective: Unexpected connections

To improve program performance on today's clusters, clouds and multicore computers requires the developer to pay serious attention to scalability. When a thread updates some shared datum, and another thread wants to read or write the most recent version of that datum (they \emph{conflict}), they must synchronise, which constitutes a sequential bottleneck. This is a general result that does not depend on any particular implementation, even with efficient hardware support for cache coherence, as explained in the paper. Here comes the paper's main insight. If two concurrent procedure calls \emph{commute} with each other (i.e., executing them in either order is equivalent), this means that neither one depends on the result of the other. Therefore, \emph{there is no inherent reason why these calls should conflict}; and, hence, \emph{it is possible to implement them in a way that scales well}.
More than meets the eye

A growing research literature suggests that visual brand placements need not be recalled in order to have an impact on brand attitudes. In an experimental study working with an authentic television broadcast, the authors investigated the influence of frequency of placement exposure, viewers’ involvement and viewers’ persuasion knowledge on the attitudes towards the brand and brand recall. Results clearly indicate a mere exposure effect. A frequently presented brand placement can have a positive effect on brand evaluations although viewers do not recall the brand. However, this effect can only be found when there is a high involvement in the programme and low persuasion knowledge. In contrast, when persuasion knowledge is high and involvement is low, frequently presented placements lead to a deterioration of brand attitudes.
Involvement of Signal Regulatory Protein α, a Negative Regulator of Toll-Like Receptor Signaling, in Impairing the MyD88-Independent Pathway and Intracellular Killing of Burkholderia pseudomallei-Infected Mouse Macrophages

ABSTRACT The facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis and is known for its ability to evade the Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated innate immune response. Previously it has been demonstrated that this bacterium was able to suppress the MyD88-independent pathway and can survive macrophage intracellular killing. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the suppression of this pathway are not fully understood. In the present study, we showed that both living and heat-killed B. pseudomallei bacteria restrict the TLR signaling response, particularly macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, by preventing downregulation of constitutively expressed signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) molecule, a known negative regulator of TLR signaling. In contrast, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mutant of B. pseudomallei, a less virulent strain, was able to downregulate SIRPα expression in mouse macrophages. However, depletion of constitutively expressed SIRPα was able to induce the gene expression downstream of TLR signaling pathways (particularly the MyD88-independent pathway), such as that of the iNOS gene, leading to enhanced macrophage intracellular killing of B. pseudomallei. Induction of gene expression was consistent with the enhanced degradation pattern of IκBα with SIRPα depletion. Additionally, the downregulation of SIRPα expression with upregulation of iNOS was observed when the macrophages were pretreated with gamma interferon (IFN-γ) prior to the infection, suggesting that the enhanced intracellular killing of bacteria by IFN-γ is associated with the decreased SIRPα expression. Altogether our findings demonstrate that B. pseudomallei evades macrophage intracellular killing by preventing the downregulation of SIRPα that results in the inhibition of gene expression downstream of the MyD88-independent pathway.
A Switchable-Order G$_{m}$-C Baseband Filter With Wide Digital Tuning for Configurable Radio Receivers

A master/slave technique which allows digital tuning of a Gm-C filter's cut-off frequency is proposed. It relies on an accurate transconductance division technique, fixing the reference frequency independently from the filter cut-off frequency. The design of a digitally-tunable Gm-C switchable third/fifth- order Butterworth low-pass filter in a 0.13-mum 1.2-V CMOS process is also proposed. An extended tuning range (above 25:1) is obtained through the design of a linear very widely tunable transconductor. Measured results prove this chip to be compatible with the baseband part of direct-conversion cellular receivers, from GSM to W-CDMA, with a tuning accuracy better than 5% over the entire tuning range.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Multiple Chronic Conditions Research Network: Overview of Research Contributions and Future Priorities

Background:By 2030, 171 million Americans are expected to have more than one chronic condition. The cohort of individuals with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) is growing and two thirds of healthcare costs for the US population are currently spent on the 20% of people who have MCC. Objectives:Recognizing the need for increased investment in MCC programs and research, Health and Human Services (HHS) developed the HHS Strategic Framework on MCC. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) contributed to the goals of the framework by funding the MCC Research Network, comprising 45 diverse grants and representing one of the largest federal investment in MCC studies to date. Results:The initial body of research emerging from the AHRQ MCC Research Network included: comanagement of commonly co-occurring conditions (including by caregivers); care for patients with low-prevalence combinations of MCC; the effect of MCC patients on provider performance metrics; guidelines for preventive services; medication management in individuals with MCC; as well as MCC-specific methodological and analytical techniques. Conclusions:The authors describe a subset of research contributions made in each topic area and make 3 recommendations for future MCC research: (1) include person-centered and person-driven measures and outcomes, (2) consider the person in the context of their relationships and community, and (3) include mental healthcare as an essential part of overall healthcare.
A Model of When to Negotiate

This article reports a model explaining previously identified gender differences in negotiation and generating new and testable insights. It specifically addresses how prescriptive gender stereotypes affect evaluators' perceptions of an employee who negotiates for higher compensation and how they influence negotiators' subjective experience of asking for higher pay. Immediate salary gains from the negotiation, the long-run reputation costs of negotiating, and the effect of negotiating on one's self-image may help to explain why it might be rational for women to be more reticent than men about bargaining for higher pay. The reputation costs of negotiating may depend on the norms in the local environment. Decreased status in the workplace constrains men's propensity to negotiate. The two-period model articulates the conditions necessary for increasing the likelihood that women will negotiate and suggests that finding mechanisms such as focal points or “calls to action” can help women to coordinate around negotiating. Gender differences in bargaining behavior have long been observed and have been implicated as causes of the glass ceiling, the gender wage gap, and other gender inequalities. Linda Babcock, Julia Bear, and provide a model describing the incentives that men and women face in choosing to negotiate for their compensation. They show that this model can predict the observed gender differences in bargaining behavior. The results demonstrate how collective action is necessary in order to equalize the bargaining behavior and outcomes of men and women . gender roles and negotiation behavior. public Power, the Kennedy executive for women leaders from the public, and Her work on gender differences in a wide variety of organizational settings and negotiation
Talent solutions in government-linked companies in Malaysia / Halisah Ashari

Today’s challenging business environment has created a complex and dynamic landscape forcing Government-linked Companies (GLCs) in Malaysia to manage their workforce in a global context competitively. Attracting, recruiting, engaging, deploying, developing and retaining the right leadership and high performers are becoming excruciatingly demanding as human capital shortfalls expand and the workforce increases in agility. Talent solutions have emerged as the nucleus means for business vitality to retain key performance individuals to meet and exceed current as well as future business strategies and goals to sustain organizational performance. The realization that talent shortages are increasingly becoming one of the biggest human capital concerns for organizations has prompted the war for talent. Integrated strategy-driven talent solutions that are championed by talent decisions have been recognized as an essential business strategy that drive the retention of highly talented key performance individuals and consequently reduces business risks leading the way to organizational resiliency and performance for organizations in today’s challenging and competitive business environment. This paper examined talent solutions at selected GLCs in Malaysia. The objectives of this paper were to better understand the challenges and importance of talents solutions in retaining key performance individuals and sustaining organizational performance in GLCs in Malaysia and to present practical case on talent retention efforts, the significant roles of talent decisions in championing talent solutions and the moderating roles of talent architecture itself in achieving and sustaining talent results. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 14 case-study GLCs selected from four different intensive industries namely social, infrastructure, economy, and technology. The findings of the study revealed that talent solutions were the key success factor to the retention of key performance individuals and organizational performance sustainability in GLCs. As expected, there was a significant relationship between talent decisions, talent architecture, and retention of key performance individuals and organizational performance.