Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contribution of High Flux Membranes to the Therapy of Uremia‐Associated Dyslipidemia

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of mortality in hemodialysis patients. Uremia induced hypertriglyceridemia; increased levels of lipoprotein remnants and low high‐density lipoprotein are the main features of cardiovascular risk factors. Also, elevated oxidative stress and inflammation are the main contributors of endothelial dysfunction. Even statin based interventional trials failed to improve mortality in dialysis patients, and different treatment options have been proved to be useful. We aimed to evaluate the effect of dialyzer type on uremia‐associated dyslipidemia and endothelial dysfunction. In total 312 patients were enrolled. The initial and 6th month blood samples were obtained from the non‐arteriovenous fistula arm on the day before the first hemodialysis session of the week. Flow mediated dilatation of the patients was measured from the same arm before obtaining the blood samples. Patients were on hemodialysis therapy for 76.43 ± 52.7 months. According to their dialyzer type, there has been a statistically significant improvement noted in terms of total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The flow mediated dilatation of the patients are measured as 4.3 ± 0.5 and 4.4 ± 0.4 in baseline measurements of the low flux and high flux groups, respectively. Sixth month values of the patients were measured as 4.34 ± 0.4 and 4.62 ± 0.6. The improvement in low flux groups was not statistically significant but in the high flux group the endothelial dysfunction was significantly improved. Our results show that high‐flux dialyzers improved dyslipidemia and endothelial dysfunction in hemodialysis patients. These findings provide a new insight on the selection of high efflux in hemodialysis.
Breast-feeding and post-partum amenorrhoea in Indonesia

Summary The association between breast-feeding patterns and resumption of menses post-partum was examined in a prospective study in Indonesia. In order to examine these relationships directly in a longitudinal study, it was first necessary to distinguish among women who experienced infant mortality before menses resumed, women who weaned before menses resumed, and women who had return to menses while breast-feeding. Information on suckling patterns and menstrual status was collected by recall for 444 women at monthly visits for 2 years. Three main breast-feeding variables, minutes per episode, number of episodes per day, number of episodes per night, and other breast-feeding variables were derived for each woman, to give the average nursing pattern up to menses or the end of the study, whichever came first. While high levels of nursing for each of these three main variables were found to be significantly related to delay in return of menses post-partum, the interactions between more minutes per episode, and more frequent day- and night-time feeds, were found to be the most important factors in the delay in onset of post-partum menstruation in those women whose menses resumed while still nursing or who remained amenorrhoeic and nursing at the end of the study.
Distribution, DNA damage and cytotoxic effects of etoposide in human tumor xenografts in vivo.

Mechanisms of resistance to VP-16 in vivo were studied using sensitive and multidrug resistant human breast tumor (MCF-7) cells, implanted bilaterally in nude mice. Administration of VP-16 (40 mg/kg, i.p.) indicated that there were no significant differences in either accumulation and retention of VP-16 or in the drug-induced bulk DNA damage in sensitive or resistant solid xenografts. Furthermore, under these conditions, no differential cytotoxic response to VP-16 was observed in solid tumors.
Polysaccharides in germination. Xyloglucans ( amyloids') from the cotyledons of white mustard.

Two xyloglucan fractions have been isolated from the cotyledons of resting white-mustard seeds, the first by extraction with hot EDTA, and the second by subsequent extraction with alkali or lithium thiocyanate. Although both appear to have the ;amyloid' type of structure in which chains of (1-->4)-linked beta-d-glucopyranose residues carry d-xylose-rich side chains through position 6, these side chains are rather different in structure in the two polysaccharide fractions, and the second or ;insoluble' xyloglucan has fewer of them. The side chains in both polysaccharides are also different from those in other seed amyloids, especially in having xylose linked through positions 3 and 4 (instead of through position 2 as usual) and in containing fucose residues. Both polysaccharides show the characteristic blue ;amyloid' colour with iodine in the presence of sodium sulphate, and it is suggested that this arises by the interaction of iodine molecules and possibly iodide ions within the interstices between aggregated xyloglucan chains. ;Soluble' xyloglucan is metabolized during germination and is presumed to have a reserve function. ;Insoluble' xyloglucan is metabolized less completely over the period studied but its lack of turnover during cell-wall differentiation indicates that it also is a reserve. These and other beta-(1-->4)-linked reserve polysaccharides of seeds might also have a structural function which is of particular value for the survival of the dormant seed.
The Interplay between Socioeconomic Inequalities and Clinical Oral Health

Oral health inequalities associated with socioeconomic status are widely observed but may depend on the way that both oral health and socioeconomic status are measured. Our aim was to investigate inequalities using diverse indicators of oral health and 4 socioeconomic determinants, in the context of age and cohort. Multiple linear or logistic regressions were estimated for 7 oral health measures representing very different outcomes (2 caries prevalence measures, decayed/missing/filled teeth, 6-mm pockets, number of teeth, anterior spaces, and excellent oral health) against 4 socioeconomic measures (income, education, Index of Multiple Deprivation, and occupational social class) for adults aged ≥21 y in the 2009 UK Adult Dental Health Survey data set. Confounders were adjusted and marginal effects calculated. The results showed highly variable relationships for the different combinations of variables and that age group was critical, with different relationships at different ages. There were significant income inequalities in caries prevalence in the youngest age group, marginal effects of 0.10 to 0.18, representing a 10- to 18-percentage point increase in the probability of caries between the wealthiest and every other quintile, but there was not a clear gradient across the quintiles. With number of teeth as an outcome, there were significant income gradients after adjustment in older groups, up to 4.5 teeth (95% confidence interval, 2.2-6.8) between richest and poorest but none for the younger groups. For periodontal disease, income inequalities were mediated by other socioeconomic variables and smoking, while for anterior spaces, the relationships were age dependent and complex. In conclusion, oral health inequalities manifest in different ways in different age groups, representing age and cohort effects. Income sometimes has an independent relationship, but education and area of residence are also contributory. Appropriate choices of measures in relation to age are fundamental if we are to understand and address inequalities.
The “Greening” of China: Progress, Limitations, and Contradictions

ABSTRACT China’s rapid economic growth in the last three decades has been fuelled by energy-intensive investment and manufacturing, which have become instrumental for China to become the world’s largest economy based on purchasing power parity, and for the United States and the European Union to have access to cheap consumer goods. China’s development strategy, however, has generated a serious domestic environmental crisis, which has also accelerated the global climate emergency. In addition, the 2008 economic crisis led to a collapse of China’s external demand, inducing the leadership to support domestic investment – including investment in environmental projects – as an alternative source of effective demand. By setting ambitious green targets and by adopting strategic policy initiatives, China has become the world’s largest investor in renewable energy. Yet China remains the world’s largest coal consumer and the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter. The Chinese economy nears a crossroad: will it be able to maintain its commitment to green energies or will it fall back to its historical reliance on fossil fuels to sustain growth? This article evaluates the interplay between China’s economy and environment over the course of the reform period, and investigates the set of forces that impinge upon China’s ecological future.
Impact of number of isoenzyme loci on the robustness of intraspecific phylogenies using multilocus enzyme electrophoresis: consequences for typing of Trypanosoma cruzi

Thirty-one stocks of Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, representative of the genetic variability of the 2 principal lineages, that subdivide T. cruzi, were selected on the basis of previous multilocus enzyme electrophoresis analysis using 21 loci. Analyses were performed with lower numbers of loci to explore the impact of the number of loci on the robustness of the phylogenies obtained, and to identify the loci that have more impact on the phylogeny. Analyses were performed with numerical (UPGMA) and cladistical (Wagner parsimony analysis) methods for all sets of loci. Robustness of the phylogenies obtained was estimated by bootstrap analysis. Low numbers of randomly selected loci (6) were sufficient to demonstrate genetic heterogeneity among the stocks studied. However, they were unable to give reliable phylogenetic information. A higher number of randomly selected loci (15 and more) were required to reach this goal. All loci did not convey equivalent information. The more variable loci detected a greater genetic heterogeneity among the stocks, whereas the least variable loci were better for robust clustering. Finally, analysis was performed with only 5 and 9 loci bearing synapomorphic allozyme characters previously identified among larger samples of stocks. A set of 9 such loci was able to uncover both genetic heterogeneity among the stocks and to build robust phylogenies. It can therefore be recommended as a minimum set of isoenzyme loci that bring maximal information for all studies aiming to explore the phylogenetic diversity of a new set of T. cruzi stocks and for any preliminary genetic typing. Moreover, our results show that bootstrap analysis, like any statistics, is highly dependent upon the information available and that absolute bootstrap figures should be cautiously interpreted.
A novel non-intrusive power supplement equipment design for electronic transformers

Electronic transformers (ET), as standard measuring equipment for voltage and current, are widely utilized in today's digital substations. Usually, the electronic transformers are installed on the high-voltage side which normally has no grounding connector, making the power supplements of the ETs somehow difficult. To date, the majority of power supplement methods are typically indirect methods with low efficiency and high cost. Moreover, the installation and maintenance are also inconvenient. In order to overcome all those drawbacks, a new solution that upgrades ETs into a self-powering device by employing magnetoelectric energy harvester is proposed in this paper. Some preliminary experiments have been conducted to prove its feasibility. It is highly possible that it will become a better way to power the electronic transformers.
Clinical and biomechanical measures of balance as fall predictors in ambulatory nursing home residents.

BACKGROUND We evaluated the capacity of biomechanical and clinical measures of balance to predict future risk of recurrent falls in a cohort of frail, elderly ambulatory residents of 12 Tennessee community nursing homes. METHODS Baseline measurements of balance and other potential fall risk factors were obtained in 303 ambulatory nursing home residents. Balance measures included biomechanics force platform measurements of postural sway (area ellipse and mean velocity) and clinical measures, which included functional reach, Tinetti balance subscale (adapted from Tinetti's Performance Oriented Mobility Index), timed chair stands, and 10-foot walk. Residents who fell two or more times during follow-up (mean of 11 months) were identified from nursing home incident reports and nursing notes. The predictive value of the balance measures was evaluated by the incidence density ratio (IDR) estimated from proportional hazards models. RESULTS There were 118 recurrent fallers (54.2 per 100 person-years). Rates of recurrent falls increased with increasing quintiles of both the biomechanical and clinical measures of balance, with unadjusted IDRs (95% CI) per quintile change of 1.22 (1.07-1.39) for area ellipse, 1.12 (0.98-1.27) for mean velocity of postural sway, 1.29 (1.13-1.47) for the Tinetti balance subscale, 1.24 (1.08-1.41) for timed walk, 1.24 (1.09-1.42) for timed chair stands, and 1.12 (0.98-1.28) for functional reach. Controlling for age, gender, height, and weight did not materially affect the linear relationship between the balance measure quintiles and subsequent recurrent falls. However, after controlling for additional fall risk factors, only area ellipse of postural sway and the Tinetti balance subscale remained independently predictive of subsequent recurrent fall rates, with IDRs of 1.16 (1.02-1.36) and 1.17 (1.01-1.34), respectively. In an analysis where subjects were stratified by tertiles of each of these two measures, each measure appeared to independently predict future rates of recurrent falls. The independent predictive capacity of each measure persisted after controlling for other fall risk factors in a multivariate analysis with IDRs of 1.15 (1.00-1.32) for area ellipse and 1.15 (1.00-1.32) for the Tinetti balance subscale. Inclusion of both balance measures in a model with other fall risk factors to evaluate their relationship did not materially alter IDR point estimates of these risk factors. CONCLUSIONS In this cohort of frail, nursing home residents, both area ellipse of postural sway and the Tinetti balance subscale independently predicted risk of future recurrent falls. However, the predictive value of other independent fall risk factors on risk of future recurrent falls persisted and was not explained by these two measures. Thus, assessment of patient fall risk based on surrogate endpoints, for either research or clinical practice, may need to include multiple measurements.
An LO-buffer-less 60-GHz CMOS transmitter with oscillator pulling mitigation

A low-power and small-area 60-GHz CMOS transmitter with oscillator pulling mitigation is presented. The subharmonic injection locking technique for the suppression of pulling effects is analyzed and demonstrated. The transmitter fabricated in a 65nm CMOS process achieves 7.04-Gb/s data rate with an EVM performance of −25 dB in 16QAM. The whole transmitter consumes 210 mW from a 1.2-V supply and occupies a core area of 0.82 mm2 including a PLL.
The involvement of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone in the antihyperalgesic effect of paroxetine in a rat model of neuropathic pain

Paroxetine increases the levels of neurosteroids, such as allopregnanolone (AP), that influence the excitability of the central nervous system by positive allosteric modulation of &ggr;-aminobutyric acid type A receptors. Here, we investigated the role of AP synthesis on the paroxetine-induced antihyperalgesic effect in a rat model of neuropathic pain induced by lumbar spinal nerve ligation (SNL). Subcutaneous administration of paroxetine in SNL rats, dose-dependently decreased the probability of hyperalgesic response and increased AP levels in the spine but not in either brain or serum. Concomitant treatment with an inhibitor of the AP-synthesizing enzyme, finasteride, attenuated the paroxetine-induced antihyperalgesic effect as well as the paroxetine-induced increase in spinal AP levels. Intrathecal injection of exogenous AP mimicked the analgesic effects of paroxetine in vehicle-treated SNL rats, whereas no additional analgesic effects were observed in paroxetine-treated SNL rats. Our findings suggest that the antihyperalgesic effect of paroxetine in a rat neuropathic pain model is AP-mediated. These results also suggest that pharmacological-based therapies targeting AP synthesis might be a promising treatment for neuropathic pain.
The Antiapoptotic Herpes Simplex Virus Glycoprotein J Localizes to Multiple Cellular Organelles and Induces Reactive Oxygen Species Formation

ABSTRACT The Us5 gene of herpes simplex virus (HSV) encodes glycoprotein J (gJ). The only previously reported function of gJ was its ability to inhibit apoptosis. However, the mechanism by which gJ prevents apoptosis is not understood, and it is not known whether gJ mediates additional cellular effects. In this study, we evaluated the expression, localization, and cellular effects of Us5/gJ. Us5 was first expressed 4 h after infection. gJ was detectable at 6 h and was expressed in glycosylated and unglycosylated forms. Us5 was regulated as a late gene, with partial dependency on DNA replication for expression. Us5 expression was delayed in the absence of ICP22; furthermore, expression of Us5 in trans protected cells from apoptosis induced by an HSV mutant with deletion of ICP27, suggesting that the antiapoptotic effects of ICP22 and ICP27 are mediated in part through effects on gJ expression. Within HSV-infected or Us5-transfected cells, gJ was distributed widely, especially to the endoplasmic reticulum, trans-Golgi network, and early endosomes. gJ interacted with FoF1 ATP synthase subunit 6 by a yeast two-hybrid screen and had strong antiapoptotic effects, which were mediated by protein rather than mRNA. Antiapoptotic activity required the extracellular and transmembrane domains of gJ, but not the intracellular domain. Consistent with inhibition of FoF1 ATP synthase function, Us5 was required for HSV-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, and gJ was sufficient to induce ROS in Us5-transfected cells. Thus, HSV gJ is a multifunctional protein, modulating other cellular processes in addition to inhibition of apoptosis.
Variations of Carnosic acid and Carnosol Concentrations in Ethanol Extracts of Wild Lepechinia salviae in Spring (2008–2011)

Ethanol extracts from dried leaves of wild Lepechinia salvia (Lindl) Epling, collected during the flowering period (September-November), contained 15% to 25% carnosic acid and 2 to 8% carnosol, depending on the month of collection. The highest concentration of carnosic acid in extracts was in October, while carnosol concentration had a peak in September, which suggests that it is not a product of carnosic acid oxidation. A comparison of extracts obtained in September 2008 to 2011 shows that the production of both abietanes increased in years with less winter rainfall and higher temperatures, which induced an early blooming. EC50values in DPPH radical scavenging and antiproliferative (CCRF-CEM tumor cells) bioassays confirm that the high bioactivity of the extracts of rosemary, sage and L. salviae does not arise only from carnosol and carnosic acid. The cytotoxic activity was significantly higher in extracts of L. salviae, probably due to water stress differences between the cultivars and the wild species. These results correlate well with the close phylogenetic relationship between the three species, and their similar medicinal uses.
Towards the powerline alternative in automotive applications

The power line technology has received an increasing attention in the last decades due to its inherent benefits, mainly related to the reduction of cabling and associated costs. Power line communication (PLC) was first employed in power utilities and since the 80s in home automation, too. However, its use in the automotive field received relatively little attention. This paper revisits the related work in using PLC technology for communication within the automotive domain and outlines its possible benefits. Then, it focuses on the issues that need to be addressed when introducing the PLC in the automotive domain. The final goal of this work is to carry out a practical assessment of the PLC technology in the referred domain that may open the way for future use in industrial scale.
Thermosensitivity and its possible fine‐structural basis in mechanoreceptors in the beak skin of geese

An electrophysiological study on single afferent nerve fibers in the ophthalmic nerve of the goose revealed two kinds of temperature‐sensitive mechanoreceptors in the beak, which are innervated by large‐diameter myelinated axons. Some Herbst corpuscles, which display rapidly adapting responses to mechanical stimulation, discharge tonically to cooling the receptive field. A static response maximum occurs at temperatures between 15 and 25°C. The vibration sensitivity of Herbst corpuscles decreases with temperature. Many slowly adapting Ruffini endings also respond with sustained discharges to cooling but behave like rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors on warming the receptive field. The temperature at which the maximal static response occurs in different slowly adapting units varies between 10 and 30°C.
RAGE Blockade Stabilizes Established Atherosclerosis in Diabetic Apolipoprotein E–Null Mice

Background—Previous studies suggested that blockade of RAGE in diabetic apolipoprotein (apo) E–null mice suppressed early acceleration of atherosclerosis. A critical test of the potential applicability of RAGE blockade to clinical settings was its ability to impact established vascular disease. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that RAGE contributed to lesion progression in established atherosclerosis in diabetic apoE-null mice. Methods and Results—Male apoE-null mice, age 6 weeks, were rendered diabetic with streptozotocin or treated with citrate buffer. At age 14 weeks, certain mice were killed or treated with once-daily murine soluble RAGE or albumin; all mice were killed at age 20 weeks. Compared with diabetic mice at age 14 weeks, albumin-treated animals displayed increased atherosclerotic lesion area and complexity. In diabetic mice treated with sRAGE from age 14 to 20 weeks, lesion area and complexity were significantly reduced and not statistically different from those observed in diabetic mice at age 14 weeks. In parallel, decreased parameters of inflammation and mononuclear phagocyte and smooth muscle cell activation were observed. Conclusions—RAGE contributes not only to accelerated lesion formation in diabetic apoE-null mice but also to lesion progression. Blockade of RAGE may be a novel strategy to stabilize atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation in established diabetes.