Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
L-Arginine transport is augmented through up-regulation of tubular CAT-2 mRNA in ischemic acute renal failure in rats.

BACKGROUND Ischemic acute renal failure (iARF) is associated with increased nitric oxide (NO) production during the reperfusion period, as endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is maximally activated, and renal tubular inducible NOS (iNOS) is stimulated. Increased NO production leads to augmented tubular injury, probably through the formation of peroxynitrite. l-Arginine (l-Arg), the only precursor for NO, is transported into cells by cationic amino acid transporters, CAT-1 and CAT-2. We hypothesized that the increased NO production observed in iARF may result from increased l-Arg uptake, which would be reflected in the augmented expression of l-Arg transporter(s). METHODS Ischemic acute renal failure was induced in rats by right nephrectomy + left renal artery clamping for 60 minutes. l-Arg uptake was examined in freshly harvested glomeruli and tubuli from control, sham operated, and animals subjected to 15, 30, and 60 minutes, and 24 hours of reperfusion, following 60 minutes of ischemia. Using RT-PCR, renal tissues were examined further for the expression of iNOS, CAT-1, CAT-2, arginase I and arginase II. RESULTS Tubular expression of iNOS mRNA was initiated by ischemia, continued to increase after 60 minutes of reperfusion, and decreased after 24 hours. l-Arg transport into glomeruli was similar in all experimental groups. l-Arg uptake into tubuli was markedly augmented following the 60-minute reperfusion, while it moderately increased after 24 hours of reperfusion. This was accompanied by a parallel, preferential increase in tubular CAT-2 mRNA expression at 60 minutes of reperfusion. CAT-1 mRNA expression was unchanged, as detected by RT-PCR. In addition, the expression of arginase II and arginase I mRNA was attenuated by 30 minutes and one hour of reperfusion, and returned to baseline values after 24 hours of reperfusion. CONCLUSIONS Ischemic ARF is associated with augmented tubular CAT-2 mRNA expression, which leads to enhanced l-Arg transport and increased NO production. This may contribute to the renal injury exhibited in iARF.
Genetic algorithm for item selection with cross-selling considerations

A fundamental problem in chain convenience store is selecting items with respect to notion of "cross-selling effect". Recent works have proven the problem is NP-hard. In this paper, genetic algorithm is applied to this problem. Based on the features of genetic algorithm, a method of defining imprecise fitness function is proposed which is suited for solving item selection with imprecision cross-selling effect. Quantitative analysis method on "cross-selling effect" is also presented in this paper, which employs the ideas of quantitative association rules, a recent data mining technique to discover quantitative affinities in large transaction databases.
Radiation‐Induced Pulmonary Change: CT Findings

Four patterns of radiation change in the lung were identified in 53 computed tomographic studies of 41 patients at various times following completion of radiotherapy, (a) The homogeneous pattern shows slight increase in density uniformly involving irradiated portions of lung and is believed to represent a diffuse, minimal radiation pneumonitis, (b) Patchy consolidation is contained within irradiated lung but does not conform to the shape of the radiation field. It is analagous to radiation pneumonitis seen on chest radiographs. (c) Discrete consolidation that conforms to the radiation portal but does not uniformly involve it has several possible analogues, (d) Solid consolidation totally involves the irradiated lung and contains ectatic bronchi within it. This finding is analogous to radiation fibrosis. The temporal sequence and dose relationships of these appearances are discussed and related to those seen with conventional studies.
Forecasting precious metal returns with multivariate random forests

We use multivariate random forests to compute out-of-sample forecasts of a vector of returns of four precious metal prices (gold, silver, platinum, and palladium). We compare the multivariate forecasts with univariate out-of-sample forecasts implied by random forests independently fitted to every single return series. Using univariate and multivariate forecast evaluation criteria, we show that multivariate forecasts are more accurate than univariate forecasts.
The role of higher education in initial teacher education

The development of competency led, school-based initial teacher education in the UK and elsewhere has increasingly raised questions about the future role of higher education in initial teacher education. These developments have particularly raised questions about the continued role of those forms of knowledge traditionally associated with higher education research, theory and scholarship. There is, as a result, a growing crisis of confidence amongst British teacher educators as to what their contribution to teacher education can and should be. This is a question echoed both by policy makers and by those in senior managerial roles in higher education institutions. This paper will begin by illustrating the crisis by presenting findings from an on-going research project which examines the changing role of higher education in initial teacher education. The paper will then go on to explore what the rationale for the continued involvement of Higher education might be. It will be suggested that it is inappropriate to seek such a rationale in the 'ownership' of particular forms of educational knowledge (research, theory and scholarship) or in particular professional principles (the commitment to reflective practice). Rather, it will be suggested that that rationale is to be sought in the principles underlying higher education itself. It will be argued that it is only by the involvement of teacher education with institutions committed to certain fundamental values to open mindedness, to enquiry, to the commitment to question the assumptions underlying current knowledge and practice that the nature of teaching as a complex and moral activity, rather than a technical process can be maintained.
[Preoxygenation before induction for cesarean section].

In pregnant women at term, the oxygen reserve is decreased while the oxygen consumption is increased, carrying the risk of hypoxaemia during periods of apnea. Moreover, intubation of the trachea can be difficult. Therefore preoxygenation is of particular importance. The conventional method of preoxygenation consists in a 3-5 min breathing of 100% O2. However, in some obstetric emergencies, there may not be an adequate delay of time available for this technique. Recently, 4 maximally deep inspirations were demonstrated to be as effective as a 5-min inhalation of 100% O2 for preoxygenation. To determine whether these two techniques were equivalent before induction of a general anaesthesia for Caesarean section, 27 pregnant women at term (ASA 1 or 2) were studied. Following premedication with atropin sulfate (0.5 mg), the patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A (n = 12) was denitrogenated with 100% O2 for 4 min and group B (n = 15) with 4 maximally deep inspirations of 100% O2 within 30 s. Oxygen was administered at a flow rate of 10 L.min-1 via a non rebreathing anaesthesia system and a tight fitting face mask. Arterial saturation was assessed by pulse oximetry. General anaesthesia was induced with thiopentone (7 mg.kg-1) and succinylcholine (1.5 mg.kg-1). The trachea was intubated without previous ventilation and the delay required for the SpO2 to decrease to 93% was measured. This time was 137.9 +/- 79.2 s (extremes 85-320) in group A and 144.5 +/- 57.3 s (extremes 60-285) in group B respectively. These times were not significantly different. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Role of Endothelial TLR4 for Neutrophil Recruitment into Central Nervous System Microvessels in Systemic Inflammation

Brain inflammation is a frequent consequence of sepsis and septic shock. We imaged leukocyte recruitment in brain postcapillary venules induced by i.p. administration of LPS as a simple model of systemic inflammation. The i.p. injection of LPS (0.5 mg/kg) induced significant leukocyte rolling and adhesion in brain postcapillary venules of wild-type (WT) mice and more than 90% were neutrophils. However, no emigrated neutrophils were detected in brain parenchyma. High levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were detected in the plasma after LPS injection but a different profile (IL-1β but not TNF-α) was detected in the brain. LPS caused no recruitment in TLR4 knockout mice. In chimeric mice with TLR4-expressing resident cells but TLR4-deficient bone marrow-derived circulating cells, neutrophil rolling and adhesion was similar to WT mice. This observation is consistent with a requirement for resident cells in the LPS-induced neutrophil recruitment into brain microvessels. Transgenic mice engineered to express TLR4 exclusively on endothelial cells had a similar level of leukocyte recruitment in brain as WT mice in response to LPS. High dose LPS (10 mg/kg) led to neutrophil infiltration in the brain parenchyma in WT mice. High KC and MIP-2 production was observed from brain parenchyma microglial cells, and CXCR2 knockout mice failed to recruit neutrophils. However, neither neutrophil infiltration nor KC or MIP-2 was observed in endothelial TLR4 transgenic mice in response to this LPS dose. Our results demonstrate that direct endothelial activation is sufficient to mediate leukocyte rolling and adhesion in cerebral microvessels but not sufficient for emigration to brain parenchyma.
Reported symptoms before and one year after hysterectomy in African American and white women.

PURPOSE Although African American women are more likely than white women to undergo hysterectomy, there are few data describing their symptoms before and after surgery. This report compares reported symptoms in white and African American women before and 1-year after having a hysterectomy with at least one ovary retained. METHODS Using data from a prospective cohort study, we compared self-reported symptoms at baseline and 1-year follow-up among 382 women undergoing hysterectomy without bilateral oophorectomy (197 African American and 185 white) and 448 controls (199 African American and 249 white). Symptoms were assessed using an 11-item scale with questions on somatic, psychologic, and urogenital symptoms. RESULTS Women undergoing hysterectomy had more severe symptom scores before surgery than controls, but no significant racial differences were found. At follow-up, total scores for women with hysterectomies were comparable to those of control women, but some differences were observed within individual domains. Urogenital scores were worse for women with hysterectomies for both African American and white women. African American women with hysterectomies had better scores in the psychologic domain than either controls or white women with hysterectomies. CONCLUSIONS African American women, despite having such characteristics as larger uterine weight and lower hemoglobin that might suggest they would have more severe symptoms, had scores that were no worse than white women both before and after hysterectomy.
Prognosis of depression in elderly community and primary care populations: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the prognosis of depression in elderly community and primary care populations. METHOD MEDLINE and PsycINFO were searched for potentially relevant articles published from January 1981 to November 1996 and from January 1984 to November 1996, respectively. The bibliographies of relevant articles were searched for additional references. Twelve studies met the following five inclusion criteria: original research, published in English or French, study population of community residents or primary care patients, subjects' mean age 60 years and over, and reported affective state as an outcome. The validity of the studies was assessed according to the criteria for prognostic studies described by the Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group. Information about the population, proportion of depressed subjects detected and treated by primary care physicians, length of follow-up, outcomes, and prognostic factors was systematically abstracted from each report. RESULTS All of the studies had some methodologic limitations. A meta-analysis of outcomes at 24 months estimated that 33% of subjects were well, 33% were depressed, and 21% had died. There was statistically significant heterogeneity in the outcomes across studies. The length of follow-up and lower age limit for enrollment explained part of the heterogeneity for the percent well but not for the other outcomes. Physical illness, disability, cognitive impairment, and more severe depression were associated with worse outcomes but inconsistently so. CONCLUSIONS Depression in elderly community and primary care populations has a poor prognosis, is perhaps chronic or relapsing or both, and is probably undertreated. Despite the methodologic limitations of the studies and this meta-analysis, these findings seem to support efforts to develop detection and treatment programs for depression in these populations.
Adaptive FACTS controller based on Kalman filter estimator

An indirect adaptive controller for a Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) is designed to damp oscillations and enhance the stability of power systems. A combined on-line identifier and a Pole-Shift (PS) feedback controller, as an adaptive power system stabilizer, is applied to a STATCOM device connected at the middle bus of a single machine infinite bus system. A Kalman Filter as a parameters estimator is used for on-line model identification to track on-line the changes of the plant parameters and update the controller. Simulation studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed indirect adaptive controller in damping the oscillations and enhancing the stability of the power system in comparison to the conventional controller.
Solesolevaki as social capital: a tale of a village, two tribes, and a resort in Fiji

ABSTRACT This paper advances understanding of the complex and adaptive nature of indigenous Fijian communities involved in tourism. It examines how tourism-related development has set the people of one Fijian village along two separate development pathways, and explores how preferential access to tourism benefits has created disparities within the community. Complex Adaptive Systems theory and Social Capital theory are used to conceptualise how over 40 years of tourism involvement has influenced development within an indigenous Fijian community. The findings argue that indigenous Fijian communities are non-homogeneous entities, which are constantly in transition, responding and adapting integratively to both internal and external changes over time. The findings show that the emergence of new behaviours and ways of life has led to the collapse of the pre-existing systems of social capital. As a response, community members retreated and regrouped, strengthening internal bonds and social capital in their smaller social units, leading to both dependency and opportunity-seeking behaviours among participants. Ultimately, the paper asserts that money alone does not lead to development, but rather tourism and access to a variety of capital do.
Physical Activity, Health, and Dietary Patterns of Middle School Children

Purpose: We sought to characterize the physical activity, health, and dietary patterns of middle school children and examine associations between these factors. Parent−child relationships also were examined. Methods: Thirty-eight children and parents participated and completed a three-day physical activity recall and 24-hour dietary recall. The Child Health Questionnaire was used to assess child health. Percentage overweight was determined for each participant. Results: Forty-four percent of children did not meet the current recommendation for physical activity. Fat and sodium consumption exceeded recommendations, and intake of key nutrients was inadequate. Youth who spent more time in sedentary activity had poorer general health. There were positive associations between parent and child percentage overweight and physical activity. Parent physical activity explained an additional 46.2% of the variance in child physical activity. Conclusions: Increasing physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors through strategies that incorporate parents is an important component of a physical therapy program for school children.
Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Respiratory Isolate IA565

ABSTRACT Klebsiella pneumoniae is a clinically significant opportunistic bacterial pathogen as well as a normal member of the human microbiota. K. pneumoniae strain IA565 was isolated from a tracheal aspirate at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Here, we present the genome sequence of K. pneumoniae IA565.
Buffer sizing in wireless networks: challenges, solutions, and opportunities

Buffer sizing is an important network configuration parameter that impacts the quality of service characteristics of data traffic. With falling memory costs and the fallacy that "more is better," network devices are being overprovisioned with large buffers. This may increase queueing delays experienced by a packet and subsequently impact stability of core protocols such as TCP. The problem has been studied extensively for wired networks. However, there is little work addressing the unique challenges of wireless environments such as time-varying channel capacity, variable packet inter-service time, and packet aggregation, among others. In this article we discuss these challenges, classify the current state-of-the-art solutions, discuss their limitations, and provide directions for future research in the area.
K-Ras4B/calmodulin/PI3Kα: A promising new adenocarcinoma-specific drug target?

ABSTRACT Introduction: Decades of efforts have yet to yield a safe and effective drug to target KRAS-driven pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers; particularly those driven by the highly oncogenic splice variant KRAS4B. K-Ras4B’s fairly smooth surface, cancer tissue/cell heterogeneity, tolerated lipid post-translational modification exchange, as well as drug-elicited toxicity present a daunting challenge. Areas covered: Within this framework, hee we focus on a new adenocarcinoma-specific drug concept. Calmodulin (CaM) binds to K-Ras4B but not to the H-Ras or N-Ras isoforms. Physiologically, in calcium- and calmodulin-rich environments such as ductal tissues, calmodulin can sequester K-Ras4B from the membrane; in cancer, CaM/Ca2+ can replace the missing receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signal, acting to fully activate PI3Kα. Expert opinion: An oncogenic GTP-bound K-Ras4B/CaM/PI3Kα complex is supported by available experimental and clinical data; therefore, targeting it may address a pressing therapeutic need. High resolution electron microscopy (EM) or crystal structure of the tripartite complex would allow orthosteric or allosteric drug discovery to disrupt the CaM/PI3Kα interface and thus Akt/mTOR signaling. However, since drug resistance is expected to develop, combining it with compensatory pathways, particularly those involved in cell-cycle control, appears a reasonable strategy.
The Intersection of Pedagogical Documentation and Teaching Inquiry: A Living Curriculum

Using interpretive research methods, this paper examines the use of pedagogical documentation (PD) as a storied method of assessment and inquiry by in-service K-3 teachers. Our findings show that PD is highly effective in opening “reflective space” for primary teachers and children aged five to eight and inviting co-inquiry to deeper pedagogical examination and interpretation of learning. The intersection of PD as a storied approach to evaluation and in teacher inquiry was implemented in a variety of ways as teachers adapted PD to meet their communal needs and address their professional goals. We conclude with a discussion of the power of digital images in learning stories and inquiry.
The Impact of Auditor Brand Name on Auditor Remuneration in a Large Private Client Segment

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of auditor reputation and nonaudit services on audit pricing in the context of large private audit clients. Focusing on German large private clients, we use a low litigious audit environment that allows us to investigate the role of auditor reputation as proxied by auditor type for three auditor tiers. We find evidence for a Big 4 audit fee premium, suggesting the pronounced role of auditor reputation even in a private client segment. However, this premium is subject to the Big 4 auditor's role in the national audit market. Audit pricing is also affected by nonaudit services, which add value to the audit engagement for the client. Nonaudit fees further incentivize pricing strategies for audits of private audit clients, particularly for Big 4 auditors, which indicates a joint effect of nonaudit fees and auditor type on audit fees.
Noninvasively assessed pulmonary artery stiffness predicts mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

AIMS Decreased total compliance of the pulmonary vascular bed is associated with increased mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We investigated whether proximal pulmonary artery stiffness, in terms of area distensibility and noninvasively assessed relative area change (RAC), calculated as relative cross-sectional area change, predicts mortality in patients with PAH. METHODS AND RESULTS Eighty-six subjects underwent right-heart catheterization and MRI to assess area distensibility and RAC. Patients were followed up to 48 months. Kaplan-Meier plot and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses assessed the predictive value of area distensibility and RAC. In 70 patients, the diagnosis PAH was confirmed, and 16 subjects served as control subjects. In comparison with control subjects, proximal pulmonary arteries of patients were distended (685 +/- 214 mm2 vs 411 +/- 153 mm2, p < 0.001), less distensible (area distensibility = 0.46 +/- 0.38.10(-2) mm Hg(-1) vs 3.69 +/- 1.96. 10(-2) mm Hg(-1), p < 0.0001), and RAC was smaller (20 +/- 10% vs 58 +/- 21%, p < 0.0001) [mean +/- SD]. RAC showed an inverse curvilinear relation with mean pulmonary artery pressure (R2 = 0.47). Eighteen patients (26%) died because of cardiopulmonary causes. Patients with a pulmonary artery RAC <or= 16% had a worse prognosis than those with a value > 16% (log-rank p < 0.001). RAC predicted mortality better than area distensibility. CONCLUSION Noninvasively measured pulmonary artery RAC predicts mortality in patients with PAH.
High altitude monocular visual-inertial state estimation: Initialization and sensor fusion

Obtaining reliable state estimates at high altitude but GPS-denied environments, such as between high-rise buildings or in the middle of deep canyons, is known to be challenging, due to the lack of direct distance measurements. Monocular visual-inertial systems provide a possible way to recover the metric distance through proper integration of visual and inertial measurements. However, the nonlinear optimization problem for state estimation suffers from poor numerical conditioning or even degeneration, due to difficulties in obtaining observations of visual features with sufficient parallax, and the excessive period of inertial measurement integration. In this paper, we propose a spline-based high altitude estimator initialization method for monocular visual-inertial navigation system (VINS) with special attention to the numerical issues. Our formulation takes only inertial measurements that contain sufficient excitation, and drops uninformative measurements such as those obtained during hovering. In addition, our method explicitly reduces the number of parameters to be estimated in order to achieve earlier convergence. Based on the initialization results, a complete closed-loop system is constructed for high altitude navigation. Extensive experiments are conducted to validate our approach.