Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fangjifuling Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Renal Injury via Inhibition of Inflammatory and Apoptotic Response in Mice

Background/Aims: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent and serious complication of sepsis; however, there is no effective treatment for it. FangJiFuling (FF) decoction is widely used to treat acute glomerulonephritis and nephritic syndrome in the clinical setting. Methods: On the basis of its anti-inflammatory properties, the renoprotective effect of FF on a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced AKI was investigated. Major compounds were identified in FF with high-performance liquid chromatography. A bioinformatics analysis tool was used to predict target genes. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analyses were performed to validate the targets. Furthermore, the expression of a target gene was silenced by small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown in vitro. Results: Bioinformatics analysis indicated that inflammation, apoptosis, and cell junction were closely related to the renoprotective effects of FF. Validation was confirmed by an in vivo test. A reduction of inflammatory cell infiltration and inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression (iNOS, NF-κB, MCP-1, and TNF-α) following the administration of FF (50 mg/kg) was observed in LPS-treated renal tissue. In addition, FF treatment suppressed mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis by regulating the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in LPS-induced renal injury. Silencing Cx43, a cell-to-cell junction protein, was found to enhance the protective effect of FF against LPS-induced renal injury. Conclusion: Our study suggests that FF exhibits a renoprotective effect against LPS-induced inflammatory and apoptotic responses. In addition, Cx43 might be involved in these processes. These findings indicate the potential role of FF as a natural renoprotective product.
Dose increase beyond labelled dose of biologics is associated with incremental pharmacy costs: results from a real-world study in the UK

Abstract Background: There is limited evidence regarding biologics dosing patterns and its costs among psoriasis patients in the United Kingdom (UK). Objective: This retrospective study assessed biologics dose increase beyond labelled dose and associated UK pharmacy costs in moderate to severe psoriasis patients. Methods: Adult psoriasis patients on biologic prescription for ≥12 continuous months between January 2010 and March 2015 with their diagnosis recorded in the UK Hospital Treatment Insights Database within one month of such prescription were included. The proportion of patients receiving ≥30% higher the average daily maintenance dose as per the UK product label, and associated 12-month costs were reported. Results: The study included 362 patients, receiving adalimumab (48%), etanercept (17%), ustekinumab (12%), and infliximab (23%). Beyond labelled dose increase was noted in 14% adalimumab, 20% etanercept, 18% ustekinumab and 28% infliximab patients with an associated mean annual extra cost per patient of £7936, £5912, £2422 and £2275, respectively. Conclusion: Dose increase beyond labelled dose of biologics was commonly observed in moderate to severe psoriasis in the UK and resulted in substantial annual incremental pharmacy costs.
HPV impacts survival of stage IVC non-oropharyngeal HNSCC cancer patients

Objectives Human papillomavirus (HPV) status is a favorable prognostic marker for patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) and non-metastatic head and neck non-OPSCC. We evaluated the impact of HPV status on overall survival (OS) for patients with Stage IVC non-OPSCC. Materials and methods Patients diagnosed with Stage IVC non-OPSCC and known HPV status between 2010–2013 were identified in the National Cancer Database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine factors associated with OS. Propensity score-weighted Kaplan-Meier estimation was used to adjust for confounders in OS analyses. Multiple imputation method was used for sensitivity analysis. Results We identified 708 patients with Stage IVC non-OPSCC with 30% being HPV-positive. Unadjusted median survival was 10.3 months for HPV-negative patients and 21.4 months for HPV-positive patients (p<0.0001). Age ≥ 65 and tumor diameter were associated with worse OS (p<0.05) while treatment versus no treatment and HPV-positive status were associated with improved OS on multivariate analysis (p<0.001). Adjusted median survival for patients with HPV-negative and HPV-positive disease was 11.1 months and 23.8 months, respectively (p<0.001). On unadjusted subgroup analysis, patients with HPV-positive oral cavity disease exhibited improved outcomes (p<0.0001) while HPV-positive hypopharynx (p<0.06) and larynx (p<0.12) patients exhibited a trend for improved OS compared to HPV-negative patients. The survival advantage associated with HPV positivity was maintained on sensitivity analysis (p<0.01). Conclusion These data demonstrate a clinically meaningful association between HPV status and OS in patients with non-OSPCC presenting with Stage IVC disease. In the absence of randomized data, these findings support active consideration of HPV status in clinical decision making, clinical trial design, and patient counseling regarding prognosis.
A Novel Sensitive Immunoassay Targeting the 5-Methylthio-d-Xylofuranose–Lipoarabinomannan Epitope Meets the WHO's Performance Target for Tuberculosis Diagnosis

The only currently commercialized point-of-care assay for tuberculosis (TB) that measures lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in urine (Alere LF-LAM) has insufficient sensitivity. We evaluated the potential of 100 novel monoclonal antibody pairs targeting a variety of LAM epitopes on a sensitive electrochemiluminescence platform to improve the diagnostic accuracy. ABSTRACT The only currently commercialized point-of-care assay for tuberculosis (TB) that measures lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in urine (Alere LF-LAM) has insufficient sensitivity. We evaluated the potential of 100 novel monoclonal antibody pairs targeting a variety of LAM epitopes on a sensitive electrochemiluminescence platform to improve the diagnostic accuracy. In the screening, many antibody pairs showed high reactivity to purified LAM but performed poorly at detecting urinary LAM in clinical samples, suggesting differences in antigen structure and immunoreactivity of the different LAM sources. The 12 best antibody pairs from the screening were tested in a retrospective case-control study with urine samples from 75 adults with presumptive TB. The best antibody pair reached femtomolar analytical sensitivity for LAM detection and an overall clinical sensitivity of 93% (confidence interval [CI], 80% to 97%) and specificity of 97% (CI, 85% to 100%). Importantly, in HIV-negative subjects positive for TB by sputum smear microscopy, the test achieved a sensitivity of 80% (CI, 55% to 93%). This compares to an overall sensitivity of 33% (CI, 20% to 48%) of the Alere LF-LAM and a sensitivity of 13% (CI, 4% to 38%) in HIV-negative subjects in the same sample set. The capture antibody targets a unique 5-methylthio-d-xylofuranose (MTX)-dependent epitope in LAM that is specific to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and shows no cross-reactivity with fast-growing mycobacteria or other bacteria. The present study provides evidence that improved assay methods and reagents lead to increased diagnostic accuracy. The results of this work have informed the development of a sensitive and specific novel LAM point-of-care assay with the aim to meet the WHO's performance target for TB diagnosis.
Use of proteomics to detect sex-related differences in effects of toxicants: implications for using proteomics in toxicology

Abstract This review provides an overview of results obtained when using proteome analysis for detecting sex-based differences in response to toxicants. It reveals implications to be taken into account when considering the use of proteomics in toxicological studies. It appears that results may differ when studying the same chemical in the same species in different target tissues. Another result of interest is the limited dose-response behavior of differential abundance patterns observed in studies where more than one dose level is tested. It is concluded that use of proteomics to study differences in modes of action of toxic compounds is an active area of research. The examples from use of proteomics to study sex-dependent differences also reveal that further studies are needed to provide reliable insight in modes of action, novel biomarkers or even novel therapies. To eventually reach this aim for this and other toxicological endpoints, it is essential to consider background variability, consequences of timing of toxicant administration, dose-response behavior, relevant species and target organ, species and organ variability and the presence of proteoforms.
Cooperative and Competitive Reinforcement and Imitation Learning for a Mixture of Heterogeneous Learning Modules

This paper proposes Cooperative and competitive Reinforcement And Imitation Learning (CRAIL) for selecting an appropriate policy from a set of multiple heterogeneous modules and training all of them in parallel. Each learning module has its own network architecture and improves the policy based on an off-policy reinforcement learning algorithm and behavior cloning from samples collected by a behavior policy that is constructed by a combination of all the policies. Since the mixing weights are determined by the performance of the module, a better policy is automatically selected based on the learning progress. Experimental results on a benchmark control task show that CRAIL successfully achieves fast learning by allowing modules with complicated network structures to exploit task-relevant samples for training.
Aloe Polysaccharides Inhibit Influenza A Virus Infection—A Promising Natural Anti-flu Drug

Influenza A virus causes periodic outbreaks and seriously threatens human health. The drug-resistant mutants have shown an epidemic trend because of the abuse of chemical drugs. Aloe polysaccharides (APS) extracted from Aloe vera leaves have evident effects on the therapy of virus infection. However, the activity of APS in anti-influenza virus has yet to be investigated. Here, we refined polysaccharides from A. vera leaf. In vitro test revealed that APS could inhibit the replication of a H1N1 subtype influenza virus, and the most obvious inhibitory effect was observed in the viral adsorption period. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that APS directly interacted with influenza virus particles. Experiments on PR8 (H1N1) virus infection in mice demonstrated that APS considerably ameliorated the clinical symptoms and the lung damage of the infected mice, and significantly reduced the virus loads and mortality. Our findings provided a theoretical basis for the development of novel natural anti-influenza agents.
A Feature-Scaling-Based k-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm for Indoor Positioning Systems

With the increasing popularity of WLAN infrastructure, WiFi fingerprint-based indoor positioning systems have received considerable attention recently. Much existing work in this aspect adopts classification techniques that match a vector of radio signal strengths (RSSs) reported by a mobile station (MS) to pretrained reference fingerprints sampled from different access points (APs) at different reference points (RPs) with known positions. However, in the calculation of signal distances between different RSS vectors, existing techniques fail to consider the fact that equal RSS differences at different RSS levels may not mean equal differences in geometrical distances in complex indoor environment. To address this issue, in this paper, we propose a feature-scaling-based $k$ -nearest neighbor (FS- $k$ NN) algorithm for achieving improved localization accuracy. In FS- $k$ NN, we build a novel RSS-level-based FS model, which introduces RSS-level-based scaling weights in the computation of effective signal distances between signal vector reported by a MS and reference fingerprints in a radio map. Experimental results show that FS- $k$ NN can achieve an average location error as low as 1.70 m, which is superior to existing work.
Assessment of the incidence rate of end-stage renal disease in patients with and without diabetes in Poland.

INTRODUCTION Several studies have suggested, that diabetes is very important factor of the risk of the chronic a renal disease. The paper aims to present a retrospective analysis of incidence of end-stage renal disease in subgroups of patients with and without diabetes in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS For assessing this problem an electronic search was performed using Polish National Health Fund data base from 01.01. 2011 until 31.12. 2013 in general population and from 01.01. 2012 until 31.12. 2012 in 2 populations: with diabetes and without diabetes mellitus. RESULTS The 43.70 % patients with end-stage renal disease was diabetic. The incidence rate in 2012 was: 292.48 ± 90.97 diabetic men / 100,000 diabetic population; 203.10 ± 90.97 diabetic women / 100,000 diabetic population; 23.44 ± 6.34 non-diabetic men / 100,000 non-diabetic population; 17.88 ± 6.33 non-diabetic women / 100,000 non-diabetic population. CONCLUSIONS The incidence rate of end-stage renal failure in diabetics was multiple times higher than the incidence rate in non-diabetics. The incidence rate of new ESRD cases in Poland estimated to be 36.17 per 100,000 of general populations in 2011, 35.28% in 2012 and 30.46 per 100,000 of general populations in 2013. In 2012, the incidence rate of new ESRD cases in male diabetics was 292.48 ± 90.97 per 100,000 of diabetes men population, and in women diabetics 203.10 ± 66.06 per 100,000 of diabetes women population. In the same 2012 year, the incidence of new ESRD cases in men non-diabetics was 3.44 ± 6.34 per 100,000 of non-diabetes, and in women non-diabetes 17.58 ± 6.33 per 100,000 of non-diabetes women population.
Datasets of Android Applications: a Literature Review

Mobile phones and tablets have become the most widely used computing devices, with a large predominance of the Android platform. As a natural evolution, the development of Android applications has surged and has become a major field of study, with research efforts ranging from energy efficiency, to code smells, performance, maintainability, security, etc. These kind of challenges ask for dedicated solutions, tools, and datasets. This survey identifies and reviews 31 existing datasets of Android applications and classifies each of them according to key features, such as the total number of apps it contains, whether the commit history of the apps is available, whether it focusses on the source code or on the executable binaries of the apps, the sources used for building the dataset, etc. This study can benefit both the experienced and the novice researcher interested on doing research on Android apps, which can use the results of our study as a map for identifying the most suitable datasets for their research objectives.
Intrathoracic Airway Closure Impacts CO2 Signal and Delivered Ventilation during Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Rationale: End‐tidal CO2 (EtCO2) is used to monitor cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but it can be affected by intrathoracic airway closure. Chest compressions induce oscillations in expired CO2, and this could reflect variable degrees of airway patency. Objectives: To understand the impact of airway closure during CPR, and the relationship between the capnogram shape, airway closure, and delivered ventilation. Methods: This study had three parts: 1) a clinical study analyzing capnograms after intubation in patients with out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest receiving continuous chest compressions, 2) a bench model, and 3) experiments with human cadavers. For 2 and 3, a constant CO2 flow was added in the lung to simulate CO2 production. Capnograms similar to clinical recordings were obtained and different ventilator settings tested. EtCO2 was compared with alveolar CO2 (bench). An airway opening index was used to quantify chest compression‐induced expired CO2 oscillations in all three clinical and experimental settings. Measurements and Main Results: A total of 89 patients were analyzed (mean age, 69 ± 15 yr; 23% female; 12% of hospital admission survival): capnograms exhibited various degrees of oscillations, quantified by the opening index. CO2 value varied considerably across oscillations related to consecutive chest compressions. In bench and cadavers, similar capnograms were reproduced with different degrees of airway closure. Differences in airway patency were associated with huge changes in delivered ventilation. The opening index and delivered ventilation increased with positive end‐expiratory pressure, without affecting intrathoracic pressure. Maximal EtCO2 recorded between ventilator breaths reflected alveolar CO2 (bench). Conclusions: During chest compressions, intrathoracic airway patency greatly affects the delivered ventilation. The expired CO2 signal can reflect CPR effectiveness but is also dependent on airway patency. The maximal EtCO2 recorded between consecutive ventilator breaths best reflects alveolar CO2.
A control Policy of Information Flow behaviour Model based on Node Heterogeneity

The development and improvement of Internet technology has made network information richer and more attractive. Users can access networks more easily and enjoy greater network services. While the Internet provides rich and convenient service, Internet networks also provide greater conditions now for the breeding and spreading of harmful information. The user is subject to information dissemination on the network, and the user’s behaviour in information ﬂow has a tremendous impact on information dissemination. In this paper, based on the heterogeneity of the nodes in a network, an information ﬂow model is established, wherein the factors inﬂuencing a node’s information ﬂow behaviour are researched and categorized as factors internal and external to the node. The internal factor entails the autonomy of a node, which contains the degree of interest and the subjective judgment of the node. The external factors comprise the network structure, the location of the node, and the relationships among the nodes. Considering the issue of the spread of harmful information, a complex network model is built based on the information ﬂow behaviour of the nodes, and a control policy to address harmful information is established.
Computational Design of Structured Materials

Advances in manufacturing and processing techniques allow us to create objects with ever increasing complexity. This complexity can be used to create not only aesthetic forms, but also structured materials, whose geometries determine their deformation behavior. Systematic control over the elastic properties is possible with the right structures, but the relationship between structure and elastic properties is nontrivial. This highlights the need for new computational design approaches that can leverage the geometric complexity provided by advanced fabrication techniques, either by providing feedback about the deformation behavior throughout the design process, or by directly translating high-level functional targets into the appropriate material structure. This thesis introduces a novel set of techniques to characterize and create structured materials with various functional targets. We first introduce a data-driven microstructure synthesis approach. After creating a database of small-scale structures that show a clearly defined macroscopic deformation behavior when tiled, we use an interpolation method to create new structures from this database and design objects with spatially varying elastic properties. We then propose a design method to create surfaces with decorative cutouts that integrates aesthetics and stability into a single design process. We combine a discrete element texture approach with a topology optimization method to automatically optimizes the distribution of cutouts, creating a synergy of structure and function. Finally, we develop an approach to characterize the mechanical properties of tessellation-based networks of rods. We create a compact representation of the elastic behavior of such networks and explore the space of a specific type of tessellation, isohedral tilings, to show that we can create a broad range of mechanical behaviors from combinations of simple shapes. We present the resulting mechanical characterization using an intuitive visual representation that lends itself to an efficient exploration of the underlying space of structures.
Assessment of disability and incidence of chronic diseases in employed and unemployed people aged 60–70 years living in Poland: a cross-sectional study

Purpose. This study aimed to compare the level of disability and occurrence of chronic diseases in employed and unemployed people aged 60–70 years living in the society in the southeastern part of Poland (Podkarpackie region). Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study of 1000 randomly selected people (aged 60–70 years) was performed. The World Health Organization disability assessment schedule questionnaire and a metric questionnaire were used. Results. Only 9.20% of people were employed, more often men and those with tertiary/vocational education. The level of disability was significantly lower in employed people than in unemployed people (p = 0.023). There were significant differences in favor of employed people concerning mobility (p < 0.001), participation in social life (p = 0.002), ability to perform normal household activities (p = 0.006) and self-service activities (p = 0.026). Unemployed people showed increased times of incapacity for their usual activities/work compared to employed people. Conclusions. In Poland, people aged 60–70 years who remain in the labor market have lower levels of disability, fewer chronic diseases, tertiary education (or vocational education) and higher income levels than those who are unemployed.
Use of terbinafine and risk of death in patients with prostate cancer: A population‐based cohort study

Terbinafine is used for the treatment of several superficial fungal infections. In silico analyses and animal models suggest that terbinafine might have an anti‐tumor effect. We aimed to explore whether subsequent administration of terbinafine might be associated with a lower mortality rate in patients with prostate cancer. We identified patients diagnosed with prostate cancer between July 2005 and December 2014 from the Swedish Cancer Registry, and linked them to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register to ascertain subsequent use of terbinafine. A total of 799 patients received oral treatment of terbinafine during the study period with a mortality rate of 18.6 per 1,000 person‐years. Compared to patients who did not use terbinafine and adjusting for a range of confounding factors, patients that received oral treatment of terbinafine had a decreased risk of death from prostate cancer (HR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.38–0.73) and a decreased risk of death overall (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.52–0.77). To account for indication bias, we further identified 907 patients who received topical use of terbinafine. However, the risk of death from prostate cancer in patients with topical use of terbinafine was 0.92 (95% CI 0.74–1.12) and the risk of death overall was 1.03 (95% CI 0.91–1.17) as compared to the controls, which suggests that there was no association between risk of death in patients with prostate cancer with topical use of terbinafine. These findings suggest that this drug's potential anti‐tumor effect needs to be explored further.