Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma Exchange Therapy to Reduce Mortality in Japanese Patients With Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage and Microscopic Polyangiitis

Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is well known as a serious complication of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). We examined the effectiveness of plasma exchange (PLEX) therapy to reduce mortality in Japanese DAH patients with MPA. This retrospective, double‐center, observational cohort study included 20 DAH patients with MPA who were admitted to Juntendo University Hospital or Juntendo Koto Geriatric Medical Center between April 1998 and March 2018. The primary outcome was non–disease‐specific mortality. The 1‐year survival rate of patients with PLEX therapy (N = 4) was higher than that of patients with conventional therapy (N = 16, 75% and 13%, respectively, P = 0.037). Higher values of the 1996 Five‐Factor Score (FFS) and 2009 FFS were associated with increased mortality, with hazard ratios of 2.29 (P = 0.040) and 2.41 (P = 0.043), respectively, by Cox univariate analysis. We investigated PLEX therapy for reducing mortality in DAH patients with MPA, and the 1996 FFS and 2009 FFS were both independent prognostic factors.
Evolutionary patterns of major urinary protein scent signals in house mice and relatives

Scent marks are important mediators of territorial behaviour and sexual selection, especially among mammals. The evolution of compounds used in scent marks has the potential to inform our understanding of signal evolution in relation to social and sexual selection. A major challenge in studies of chemical communication is that the link between semiochemical compounds and genetic changes is often unclear. The major urinary proteins (MUPs) of house mice provide information on sex, status and individual identity. Importantly, MUPs are a direct protein product of genes, providing a clear link between genotype and phenotype. Here, we examine the evolution of urinary protein signals among house mice and relatives by examining the sequences and patterns of mRNA expression of Mup genes related to urinary scent marks. MUP patterns have evolved among mouse species both by gene duplication and variation in expression. Notably, protein scent signals that are male specific in well‐studied inbred laboratory strains vary in sex‐specificity among species. Our data reveal that individual identity signals in MUPs evolved prior to 0.35 million years ago and have rapidly diversified through recombining a modest number of amino acid variants. Amino acid variants are much more common on the exterior of the protein where they could interact with vomeronasal receptors, suggesting that chemosensory perception may have played a major role in shaping MUP diversity. These data highlight diverse processes and pressures shaping scent signals, and suggest new avenues for using wild mice to probe the evolution of signals and signal processing.
Early Serum HBsAg Drop Is a Strong Predictor of HBeAg Seroconversion and HBsAg Loss to Pegylated Interferon Alfa-2a in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients with Prior Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Exposure

Background High rates of HBeAg and/or HBsAg seroconversion or clearance have been achieved in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients receiving pegylated interferon (pegIFN) in addition to ongoing nucleos(t)ide analogue (NUC) treatment. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate HBsAg kinetics to predict HBeAg seroconversion and HBsAg clearance in these patients. Material/Methods A total of 33 HBeAg-positive and 17 HBeAg-negative patients were enrolled between January 2010 and January 2018. At the end of pegIFN treatment, 9 of 50 patients achieved HBsAg clearance, and 9 of 33 HBeAg-positive patients achieved HBeAg seroconversion. Results The cutoff value of 0.41 log10 IU/mL in HBsAg decline at week 12 had a positive predictive value (PPV) of 58.3% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 94.6% for HBsAg clearance. The cutoff value of 1.94 log10 IU/mL in HBsAg decline at week 24 had a PPV of 80.0% and an NPV of 97.5% for HBsAg clearance. The cutoff value of 0.47 log10 IU/mL in HBsAg decline at week 12 had a PPV of 83.3% and an NPV of 85.2% for HBeAg seroconversion. The cutoff value of 1.29 log10 IU/mL in in HBsAg decline at week 24 had a PPV of 85.7% and an NPV of 88.5% for HBeAg seroconversion. Conclusions Early HBsAg drop has a high predictive value for HBsAg clearance and HBeAg seroconversion in patients who were treated with combination therapy of pegIFN and NUCs.
Predictors of late presentation to renal dialysis: a cohort study of linked primary and secondary care records in East London

Objectives The outcomes and experience of care for patients who start renal replacement therapy (RRT) in an unplanned manner are worse than for those who have planned care. The objective of this study was to examine the primary care predictors of unplanned starts to RRT. Design Retrospective cohort study with linked primary care and hospital data. Setting 128 general practices in East London with a combined population of 1 043 346 people. Participants 999 consecutive patients starting dialysis at Barts Health National Health Service Trust between September 2014 and August 2017. Primary outcome measures Unplanned versus a planned start to dialysis among the cohort of 389 patients with a linked primary care record. An unplanned start to dialysis is defined as receiving nephrology care in the low clearance clinic (or equivalent) for less than 90 days. A planned start is defined as access to pre-dialysis counselling and care for at least 90 days prior to commencing dialysis. Results The adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that the most important modifiable risk factors for unplanned dialysis were the absence of a chronic kidney disease (CKD) code in the general practice (GP) record (OR 8.02, 95% CI 3.65 to 17.63) and the absence of prescribed lipid lowering medication (OR 2.37, 95% CI 1.05 to 5.34). Other contributing factors included male gender and a greater number of long-term conditions. Conclusions Improving CKD coding in primary care and the additional review and clinical scrutiny associated with this may contribute to a further reduction in unplanned RRT rates.
A cache cooperation management for wireless

Proxy cache located at a base station is helpful for improving the performance of wireless multimedia streaming. In this paper, a cooperated proxy cache architecture, MobileCache, is proposed for the cell-based wireless environment. The proxies cooperate to provide seamless streaming for a wireless client. In order to improve the efficiency for MobileCache, a cache cooperation management scheme including cache replacement, cache migration and cache replication is presented to improve the revenue for MobileCache. Simulation proves that MobileCache achieves higher performance by employing the cache cooperation management than other schemes.
The role of oligodendrocyte gap junctions in neuroinflammation

ABSTRACT Gap junctions (GJs) provide channels for direct cell-to-cell connectivity serving the homeostasis in several organs of vertebrates including the central (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) nervous systems. GJs are composed of connexins (Cx), which show a highly distinct cellular and subcellular expression pattern. Oligodendrocytes, the myelinating cells of the CNS, are characterized by extensive GJ connectivity with each other as well as with astrocytes. The main oligodendrocyte connexins forming these GJ channels are Cx47 and Cx32. The importance of these channels has been highlighted by the discovery of human diseases caused by mutations in oligodendrocyte connexins, manifesting with leukodystrophy or transient encephalopathy. Experimental models have provided further evidence that oligodendrocyte GJs are essential for CNS myelination and homeostasis, while a strong inflammatory component has been recognized in the absence of oligodendrocyte connexins. Further studies revealed that connexins are also disrupted in multiple sclerosis (MS) brain, and in experimental models of induced inflammatory demyelination. Moreover, induced demyelination was more severe and associated with higher degree of CNS inflammation in models with oligodendrocyte GJ deficiency, suggesting that disrupted connexin expression in oligodendrocytes is not only a consequence but can also drive a pro-inflammatory environment in acquired demyelinating disorders such as MS. In this review, we summarize the current insights from human disorders as well as from genetic and acquired models of demyelination related to oligodendrocyte connexins, with the remaining challenges and perspectives.
Using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Data as an Occupational Health Profile: Washington State Janitors, 2011 to 2017.

OBJECTIVE Janitorial workers have a high burden of occupational injury and illness, but little information exists on their overall health. METHODS Data from the Washington State Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed to characterize the working population of Janitors in Washington State from 2011 to 2017 (n = 490) as compared with all other workers (n = 38,885). RESULTS Compared with other workers, Janitors were significantly more diverse, had lower socioeconomic status, and reported poorer general health and higher rates of arthritis and depression. Janitors were less likely to have adequate sleep, health insurance, and access to technology. Janitors reported higher rates of smoking and marijuana use. CONCLUSIONS Multiple risk factors compound the vulnerability of Janitors. BRFSS data can be used to characterize the health of occupational groups. Identifying overall health needs can better inform policy and help formulate strategies to improve workers' health.This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.
The Effect of Cyclic Strain on Human Fibroblasts with Lamin A/C Mutations and Its Relation to Heart Disease.

Although mutations in the Lamin A/C gene (LMNA) cause a variety of devastating diseases, the pathological mechanism is often unknown. Lamin A/C proteins play a crucial role in forming a meshwork under the nuclear membrane, providing the nucleus with mechanical integrity and interacting with other proteins for gene regulation. Most LMNA mutations result in heart diseases, including some types that primarily have heart disease as the main pathology. In this study, we used cells from patients with different LMNA mutations that primarily lead to heart disease. Indeed, it is a mystery why a mutation to the protein in every nucleus of the body manifests as a disease of primarily the heart in these patients. Here, we aimed to investigate if strains mimicking those within the myocardial environment are sufficient to cause differences in cells with and without the LMNA mutation. To test this, a stretcher device was used to induce cyclic strain upon cells, and viability/proliferation, cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix organization, and nuclear morphology were quantified. The properties of cells with HutchinsonGilford progeria syndrome were found to be significantly different from all other cell lines and were mostly in line with previous findings. However, the properties of cells from patients that primarily had heart diseases were not drastically different when compared to individuals without the LMNA mutation. Our results indicated that cyclic strain alone was insufficient to cause any significant differences that could explain the mechanisms that lead to heart diseases in these patients with LMNA mutations.
Capacity Planning and Performance Modeling: From Mainframes to Client-Server Systems

This example-driven, easy-to-read exploration of capacity planning of computer systems is designed to be accessible and relevant both to practising professionals and those with little mathematical background. Each chapter begins with an example, then guides the reader through the solution of the original problem via the solution of several smaller and simpler problems. In each case, the solution is based upon first principles and intuition. It draws examples from three current computing environments - centralized systems, distributed systems and parallel processing systems. The book is accompanied by a disk containing a modified version of QSolver/1, a capacity planning modelling package.
Sensors and crabbing for an in-pipe magnetic-wheeled robot

Summary form only given. This paper describes an adhesion status detection sensor as well as crabbing for an in-pipe magnetic-wheeled robot. The robot targeted in this study can travel in any position within a pipe via magnetic-wheel adhesion, and can easily negotiate bends in pipe elbows and T-pieces. Moreover, the dual structure of the wheels ensures superior travel performance even over gaps like those commonly found in gas and other pipelines. However with no sensor in the robot for accurately judging its own adhesion status, we had a significant problem because the robot had to be attached to the pipe in order to travel. Steps also had to be taken because it looked like the adhesion status of the robot might well deteriorate under certain conditions, such as when traveling over weld lines or when reacting to avoid obstacles. To that end, we used a Hall element to accurately detect adhesion status, and then set about confirming the efficacy of the element using an actual robot. We found with the Hall element output that inner magnetic-wheel rotation generated periodic vibration, so we eliminated this vibration as well. We also propose a new means of travel related to crabbing, which is the magnetic car-type robot's unique motion for mobility, and we set about confirming the efficacy of this means of travel using an actual robot.
Cardiopulmonary fitness but not muscular fitness associated with visceral adipose tissue mass

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the association between physical fitness (cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal) and the distribution of abdominal fat in overweight and obese adults. Methods Of the total 102 overweight and obese participants, 99 participants completed all measurements. Cardiopulmonary fitness was assessed by maximal oxygen consumption test and muscular fitness was assessed using 10 repetition max. Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were assessed by computed tomography (CT) at the level of lumbar spine 4–5. Results Cardiopulmonary fitness was inversely associated with both VAT and SAT, while muscular fitness only inversely associated with SAT. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that gender, age, and cardiopulmonary fitness, but not muscular fitness, were associated with VAT, and age, cardiopulmonary fitness, and muscular fitness were significantly associated with SAT. Conclusions Cardiopulmonary fitness is more closely related to both VAT and SAT while muscular fitness is related with SAT.
Use It or Lose It? A 5-Year Follow-up Study of Goal Management Training in Patients with Acquired Brain Injury

Abstract Objectives: To determine the perceived 5-year outcome of Goal Management Training (GMT) for individuals with chronic acquired brain injury and executive dysfunction, when compared to a nonspecific psychoeducational intervention (Brain Health Workshop, BHW). Methods: Of the 67 subjects in the initial randomized controlled trial [Tornås et al. (2016). Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 1–17], 50 (GMT, n = 21; BHW, n = 29) subjects returned written consent and questionnaires (54% male, age 45.8 ± 10.9 years). The 5-year follow-up consisted of two questionnaires, including the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function for daily life executive function (EF) and Quality of Life after Brain Injury to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Changes related to daily life EF and HRQoL were assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment, 6-month follow-up, and 5-year follow-up. Data were analyzed using a 2 × 4 mixed-design ANOVA. Results: The findings indicate that GMT is efficacious in improving EF and HRQoL 6-month post-treatment. However, these changes failed to remain significant at 5-year follow-up. Conclusions: Data from 50 participants receiving either GMT or BHW suggested that the significant GMT-related improvements on perceived EF and HRQoL observed at 6-month follow-up were no longer present at 5-year follow-up. These findings indicate a need to promote maintenance of interventions post-treatment.
Prediction and validation of HIV-1 gp41 ecto-transmembrane domain post-fusion trimeric structure using molecular modeling

Abstract The glycoproteins on the surface of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) undergoes cascade of conformational transitions to evade the human immune system. The virus replicates inside the host and infects the T-cells instigating acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The glycoprotein 41 (gp41) of HIV helps to mediate the fusion of virus and host membranes. The detailed mechanism of host cell invasion by virus remains obscure due to the unavailability of experimental structure of complete gp41. In the current study, the post-fusion (PoF) trimeric structure of ecto-domain including transmembrane domain of gp41 was modeled using multiple homologous templates of Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and HIV-1. In order to validate the gp41 model, interactions of three peptide inhibitors: T20, C37 and C34; were studied using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, binding free-energy calculation and per-residue energy decomposition analysis. The binding free energy calculated using MM-PBSA (Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area) method predicts maximum affinity for C34 and minimum by T20 for gp41, which is in good agreement with the available computational and experimental studies. The van der Waals interaction is a dominant contributor for the peptide-gp41 complexes. The per-residue decomposition of energy confirmed the role of Trp117, Trp120 and Ile124, present in C34 and C37, for the strong hydrophobic interactions with the deep pocket localized around the N-terminal of gp41, which is lacking in T20. The HIV-1 gp41 structure developed in this work can be used in future study to gain insight into the mechanism of virus invasion and probing potent inhibitor to eliminate AIDS. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
Randomised controlled trial (RCT) study design for a large-scale municipal fall prevention exercise programme in community-living older women: study protocol for the Kuopio Fall Prevention Study (KFPS)

Introduction Falls are a substantial health problem in seniors, causing fractures and being the leading cause of fatal injuries. The benefits of physical activity in fall prevention have been shown in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in small cohorts (eg, ≤200 persons), but there is a gap between the known health effects of exercise and the large-scale implementation of effective activity in communities. Mental health and subjective well-being (SWB) should also be studied since they are strongly related to healthy ageing. Thus far, the proven efficacy of communal strategies to reduce falls and improve healthy ageing is sparse. Methods and analysis In 2016, a 2-year RCT was launched in Kuopio, Finland to estimate the efficacy of a large, population-based, fall prevention exercise programme in community-living older women (born 1932–1945). Both the intervention and control group (n=457+457) receive health education. The intervention group is also offered free 6-month supervised training courses (weekly gym training and Taiji sessions), followed by a free 6-month unsupervised use of exercise facilities, as well as unsupervised low-cost exercise is also offered for another 12 months. During the whole 24-month follow-up, controls are free to pursue all their normal physical activities. Both study groups undergo the study measurements three times. Outcome measures include recording of falls, injuries, bone mineral density, changes in health and functional status and cognitive performance, deaths and SWB. Finally, the cost-effectiveness and cost–utility analysis will be conducted from the societal view. The main analyses comparing outcomes between study groups will be conducted using the intention to treat principle. Ethics and dissemination The study has been reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Hospital District of North Savo. All regulations and measures of ethics and confidentiality are handled in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Trial registration number NCT02665169; Pre-results.
Learning on Complex Simulations

This dissertation explores Machine Learning in the context of computationally intensive simulations. Complex simulations such as those performed at Sandia National Laboratories for the Advanced Strategic Computing program may contain multiple terabytes of data. The amount of data is so large that it is computationally infeasible to transfer between nodes on a supercomputer. In order to create the simulation, data is distributed spatially. For example, if this dissertation was to be broken apart spatially, the binding might be one partition, the first fifty pages another partition, the top three inches of every remaining page another partition, and the remainder confined to the last partition. This distribution of data is not conducive to learning using existing machine learning algorithms, as it violates some standard assumptions, the most important being that data is independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.). Unique algorithms must be created in order to deal with the spatially distributed data. Another problem which this dissertation addresses is learning from large data sets in general. The pervasive spread of computers into so many areas has enabled data capture from places that previously did not have available data. Various algorithms for speeding up classification of small and medium-sized data sets have been developed over the past several years. Most of these take advantage of developing a multiple classifier system in which the fusion of many classifiers results in higher accuracy than that obtained by any single classifier. Most also have a direct application to the problem of learning from large data sets. In this dissertation, a thorough statistical analysis of several of these algorithms is provided on 57 publicly available data sets. Random forests, in particular, is able to achieve some of the highest accuracy results while speeding up classification significantly. Random forests, through a classifier fusion strategy known as Probabilistic Majority Voting (PMV) and a variant referred to as Weighted Probabilistic Majority Voting (wPMV), was used on two simulations. The first simulation is of a canister being crushed in the same fashion as a human might crush a soda can. Each of half a million physical data points in the simulation contains nine attributes. In the second simulation, a casing is dropped on the ground. This simulation contains 21 attributes and over 1,500,000 data points. Results show that reasonable accuracy can be obtained by using PMV or wPMV, but this accuracy is not as high as using all of the data in a non-spatially partitioned environment. In order to increase the accuracy, a semi-supervised algorithm was developed. This algorithm is capable of increasing the accuracy several percentage points over that of using all of the non-partitioned data, and includes several benefits such as reducing the number of labeled examples which scientists would otherwise manually identify. It also depicts more accurately the real-world usage situations which scientists encounter when applying these Machine Learning techniques to new simulations.