Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early Outcomes of Thymoglobulin and Basiliximab Induction in Kidney Transplantation: Application of Statistical Approaches to Reduce Bias in Observational Comparisons

Background. Retrospective comparison of treatment-related kidney transplant outcomes may be facilitated by multivariable statistical adjustments and case-matching. Methods. We studied Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network registry data for kidney transplants in 2001 to 2005 managed with thymoglobulin, basiliximab, or no antibody induction and discharge maintenance immunosuppression regimens of tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil. The primary outcome was the 6 month, Food and Drug Administration-approved composite endpoint of rejection, graft failure, or death. Outcomes according to induction exposure were compared using logistic regression analysis, exposure likelihood matching, and outcome risk score matching. Results. All statistical approaches demonstrated lower rates of the 6-month triple endpoint with thymoglobulin compared with basiliximab when steroids were present, with approximately 22% adjusted, relative reduction by logistic regression analysis and 3% absolute reductions by matching approaches. When steroids were absent, risk reduction among thymoglobulin versus basiliximab-treated patients was of larger magnitude but borderline statistical significance. Triple endpoint incidence was lower with both induction regimens compared with no induction across methods. Estimated sample sizes necessary to detect the observed differences between induction types in the presence of steroids in a prospective trial ranged from 1600 to nearly 7000 patients. Conclusions. Consistency across statistical approaches suggests superiority of thymoglobulin compared with basiliximab or no antibody induction therapy for 6-month kidney transplant outcomes in the modern immunosuppression era. As the sample sizes necessary to power a prospective superiority trial are likely prohibitive, studies such as these provide clinically relevant information that may not be otherwise attainable.
Analysis of FOXP3 Reveals Multiple Domains Required for Its Function as a Transcriptional Repressor1

Foxp3 has been shown to be both necessary and sufficient for the development and function of naturally arising CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in mice. Mutation of Foxp3 in Scurfy mice and FOXP3 in humans with IPEX results in fatal, early onset autoimmune disease and demonstrates the critical role of FOXP3 in maintaining immune homeostasis. The FOXP3 protein encodes several functional domains, including a C2H2 zinc finger, a leucine zipper, and a winged-helix/forkhead (FKH) domain. We have shown previously that FOXP3 functions as a transcriptional repressor and inhibits activation-induced IL-2 gene transcription. To characterize the role of each predicted functional domain on the in vivo activity of FOXP3, we have evaluated the location of point mutations identified in a large cohort of patients with the immune dysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome (IPEX) and found them to cluster primarily within the FKH domain and the leucine zipper, but also present within the poorly defined N-terminal portion of the protein. The molecular functions of each of the IPEX-targeted domains were investigated. We show that FOXP3 is constitutively localized to the nucleus and this localization requires sequences at both the amino and C-terminal ends of its FKH domain. Moreover, FOXP3 was found to homodimerize through its leucine zipper. We also identify a novel functional domain within the N-terminal half of FOXP3, which is required for FOXP3-mediated repression of transcription from both a constitutively active and a NF-AT-inducible promoter. Furthermore, we demonstrate that IPEX mutations in these domains correlate with deficiencies in FOXP3 repressor function, corroborating their in vivo relevance.
Enhanced permeabilities of cationized‐bovine serum albumins at the blood‐nerve and blood‐brain barriers in awake rats

Permeability‐surface area products (PAs) of the blood‐nerve barrier (BNB) and blood‐brain barrier (BBB) to 125I‐labeled native bovine serum albumin (nBSA, pI ∼︁4), and to 2 cationized albumins (cBSA) of differing pI (pI ∼︁ 8 and 11), were quantitatively determined in awake rats, using an i.v. bolus injection technique. Mean PAs of the BNB and BBB to 125I‐nBSA, after a circulation time of up to 120 min, were (0.17 ± 0.23) and (0.09 ± 0.05) × 10−5 ml/s.g. wet wt, respectively (n =; 12 rats), and were not significantly different from 0 (P > 0.05). Mean PAs of the BNB and BBB to 125I‐cBSA (pI ∼︁ 8), after circulation time of 12 min, were (1.9 ± 0.1) and (1.7 ± 0.1) × 10−5 ml/s.g wet wt, respectively (n =; 8). Significant greater PAs, at both the BNB and BBB to 125I‐cBSA (pI ∼︁ 11) [(8.2 ± 1.8) and (3.0 ± 0.6) × 10−5 ml/s.g wet wt, respectively (n =; 12)], than both PA's of nBSA and cBSA (pI ∼︁ 8) were found. The accumulation of 125I‐cBSA in epi‐perineurial tissues also was higher than that of 125I‐nBSA, and was related to the degree of cationization. Our results indicate that, as at the BBB, the transfer of cationized serum albumin is enhanced over that of native albumin at the BNB of the mammalian peripheral nerve. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Law of Accumulation and Breakdown of the Capitalist System

Written: 1926-29; First Published: 1929; Source: Translated and abridged by Jairus Banaji from Henryk Grossmann Das Akkumulationsund Zusammenbruchsgesetz des kapitalistischen Systems (Zugleich eine Krisentheorie), (Hirschfeld, Leipzig, 1929) Transcription: Steve Palmer. Copyleft: Internet Archive(marxists.org) 2005. Permission is granted to copy and/or distribute this document under the terms of the Creative Commons License. Published here with the permission of the translator Jairus Banaji.
Modelos para otorgamiento y seguimiento en la gestión del riesgo de crédito

Esta investigación muestra la aplicación y desempeño de tres modelos para la clasificación de solicitantes de créditos: el modelo de análisis discriminante, el de regresión logística y el de redes neuronales; técnicas empleadas por las instituciones financieras en el cálculo del scoring de crédito. Los resultados obtenidos muestran un mejor desempeño del modelo de redes neuronales en comparación con el de regresión logística y análisis discriminante, logrando una tasa de aciertos en la clasificación del 86.9%. Para los tres modelos se emplearon catorce variables que informan sobre las características socioeconómicas del prestatario y sobre las características propias de la operación crediticia. En el ámbito de la gestión financiera, este resultado es importante dado que puede complementarse con el cálculo de la probabilidad de incumplimiento, con los montos expuestos en cada operación de crédito y con la tasa de recuperación de la entidad para establecer el valor de las pérdidas esperadas a nivel individual y a nivel del portafolio de créditos de la entidad.
iTRAQ‐based quantitative proteomic analysis reveals new metabolic pathways of wheat seedling growth under hydrogen peroxide stress

As an abundant ROS, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays pivotal roles in plant growth and development. In this work, we conducted for the first time an iTRAQ‐based quantitative proteomic analysis of wheat seedling growth under different exogenous H2O2 treatments. The growth of seedlings and roots was significantly restrained by increased H2O2 concentration stress. Malondialdehyde, soluble sugar, and proline contents as well as peroxidase activity increased with increasing H2O2 levels. A total of 3 425 proteins were identified by iTRAQ, of which 157 showed differential expression and 44 were newly identified H2O2‐responsive proteins. H2O2‐responsive proteins were mainly involved in stress/defense/detoxification, signal transduction, and carbohydrate metabolism. It is clear that up‐regulated expression of signal transduction and stress/defence/detoxification‐related proteins under H2O2 stress, such as plasma membrane intrinsic protein 1, fasciclin‐like arabinogalactan protein, and superoxide dismutase, could contribute to H2O2 tolerance of wheat seedlings. Increased gluconeogenesis (phosphoenol‐pyruvate carboxykinase) and decreased pyruvate kinase proteins are potentially related to the higher H2O2 tolerance of wheat seedlings. A metabolic pathway of wheat seedling growth under H2O2 stress is presented.
Antibodies specific for distinct Kv subunits unveil a heterooligomeric basis for subtypes of alpha-dendrotoxin-sensitive K+ channels in bovine brain.

The authentic subunit compositions of neuronal K+ channels purified from bovine brain were analyzed using a monoclonal antibody (mAb 5), reactive exclusively with the Kv1.2 subunit of the latter and polyclonal antibodies specific for fusion proteins containing C-terminal regions of four mammalian Kv proteins. Western blotting of the K+ channels isolated from several brain regions, employing the selective blocker alpha-dendrotoxin (alpha-DTX), revealed the presence in each of four different Kvs. Variable amounts of Kv1.1 and 1.4 subunits were observed in the K+ channels purified from cerebellum, corpus striatum, hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and brain stem; on the other hand, contents of Kv1.6 and 1.2 subunits appeared uniform throughout. Each Kv-specific antibody precipitated a different proportion (anti-Kv1.2 > 1.1 >> 1.6 > 1.4) of the channels detectable with radioiodinated alpha-DTX in every brain region, consistent with a widespread distribution of these oligomeric subtypes. Such heterooligomeric combinations were further documented by the lack of additivity upon their precipitation with a mixture of antibodies to Kv1.1 and Kv1.2; moreover, cross-blotting of the multimers precipitated by mAb 5 showed that they contain all four Kv proteins. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that subtypes of alpha-DTX-susceptible K+ channels are prevalent throughout mammalian brain which are composed of different Kv proteins assembled in complexes, shown previously to also contain auxiliary beta-subunits [Parcej, D. N. , Scott, V. E. S. , & Dolly, J.O. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 11084-11088].
Expression and distribution of two alternatively spliced transcripts from the chicken α2(VI) collagen gene

Two types of mRNA molecules with different 3′ ends are transcribed from the chicken α2(VI) collagen gene. The major splice variant encodes a polypeptide with a von Willebrand factor A domain at its carboxyl terminus. In the minor splice variant, this A domain is replaced by a novel motif which reveals some similarity to a fibronectin type III repeat. In situ hybridization experiments demonstrate that the major transcript is ubiquitously expressed. Substantial amounts are found in skeletal and cardiac muscle, gizzard, skin, tendon, liver, the wall of blood vessels, and the connective tissue of peripheral nerves. In contrast, the minor transcript is expressed at a very low level and can hardly be detected in any tissue by in situ hybridization. Only the aortic wall contains a considerable amount of this splice variant. However, no difference is observed by Northern blotting and the polymerase chain reaction in the ratio of the two transcripts when aorta and the other tissues are compared. Thus, the minor splice variant is not expressed in a tissue specific manner and, consequently, it is unlikely that it plays a tissue specific role. It might rather serve a general function in the structure and assembly of type VI collagen microfibrils. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Small, unruptured intracranial aneurysms and management of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis

Article abstract Of the 2885 patients participating in the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial, 90 (3.1%) had unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA), of which 96% had a diameter of less than 10 mm. During an average 5-year follow-up, only one patient had subarachnoid hemorrhage 6 days after carotid endarterectomy (CE). For patients with unrepaired UIA, the 5-year stroke risk was 10% after CE and 22.7% with best medical care. Both risks are similar to those of patients without UIA. The decision regarding CE probably should not be influenced by the presence of a small UIA.
Medium Voltage Divider Coupled With an Analog Optical Transmission System

Similar to low-voltage power systems, also in medium voltage networks there is a growing need for power quality (PQ) analyses, required by the increasing diffusion of distributed generation sources equipped with switching converters. This leads to the employment of transducers and measurement techniques able to convert and acquire voltage signals with better accuracy on a wider frequency range than conventional voltage and current instrument transformers. Voltage dividers (VDs) are expected to become the most used transducers in PQ assessments, since, with respect to conventional voltage transformers, they show higher frequency bandwidth and better linearity. The main disadvantage of the VDs is the absence of galvanic insulation between the transducer and the measurement/protection devices. Therefore, in this paper, a prototype of a VD for phase-to-ground connection with an insulating transmission system is presented. It is constituted by a high-impedance resistive-capacitive VD and by an analog electronic insulation interface. Such an electronic interface, inserted between the output of the divider and the input of a measuring instrument, realizes the galvanic insulation by means of an optical transmission system ensuring, simultaneously, wide frequency bandwidth and high accuracy. The design, simulation, and characterization of the realized insulated equipment are presented. Its performance well fit the prescription of the international standards about instrument transformers for PQ measurements.
Identification of Quantifiable Hemodynamic Factors in the Assessment of Cerebral Aneurysm Behavior On behalf of the Subcommittee on Biorheology of the Scientific and Standardization Committee of the ISTH

Summary Previous experimental and theoretical studies on the hemodynamics of saccular intracranial aneurysms have provided evidence that aneurysms tend to grow, thrombose and rupture when (1) wall shear stress and mural tension are increased compared to normal values, and (2) flow deviates from a laminar unidirectional pattern (for example flow recirculation). Aneurysm wall shear stress, however, is the only hemodynamic factor which has received special attention in terms of estimation. Additional flow-related parameters exist which could potentially bring increased insight into mechanisms for cerebral aneurysm behavior; they could also help categorize the severity of such malformations and design effective intravascular treatment techniques. The purpose of this paper is thus to present an overview of such hemodynamic factors that could assist in determining the geometries which present the greatest risks to patients. These parameters include (1) hemodynamic shear stress, (2) pressure and related stresses, (3) impingement force on the aneurysm wall, (4) inflow rate into the aneurysm, and (5) residence time of blood within the aneurysmal sac. In addition, these factors can also be currently estimated in an in vitro setting.
Design of PD controller with Electrorheological fluid damper

To realize high precision positioning while not preventing high speed movement of the motor, a functional damper that can control its viscous characteristics in real time is one appropriate solution. Electro-Rheological (ER) fluids provide useful working fluids for the damper because their apparent viscosity can be controlled by the applied electric field. To realize a functional damper manipulated in real time, the modeling and control of the ER fluids is necessary. Moreover, for improved control performance or analysis of the stability of the motor controller including the ER fluid damper, it is necessary to introduce the response characteristics of the fluids when designing the controller. While the formula structure of the response delay has been relatively clear, it was not included in the controller. This paper identifies time delay effects of ER fluids, designs a PD controller for a instance that explicitly considers the fluid's response delay, and confirms the design by simulation and experiment.
Relationship between mobility and high-k interface properties in advanced Si and SiGe nanowires

For the first time, interface properties between high-k and Si or SiGe nanowires (NWs) have been experimentally investigated by adapting charge pumping technique and low-frequency noise measurement. It is found that the interface state density (Dit) of circular Si NWs is ~3 times higher than that of rectangular ones with a deleterious impact on the low field mobility. The oxide trap density in SiGe NWs is otherwise ~3.5 times higher than that of Si NWs which limits the mobility enhancement for this material.
Varieties of top incomes?

Focusing on the advanced political economies, this article critically reviews the recent scholarship on the evolution of top incomes over the past few decades. The existing literature shows that the determination of top incomes is complex, multifaceted and bound up with factors associated with both politics and economics. Technological change and globalization are vital sources of change in contemporary capitalism, but the continued diversity in top income shares across the advanced capitalist world suggests that these forces alone cannot account for the empirical patterns. Instead, there is compelling evidence that power and politics, including government policy, trade union and left party strength, institutions and financialization, all play a pivotal role in regulating distributive outcomes. It is argued that future research will require a plurality of methodological approaches in order to clarify the complex causal process that drives top-end income concentration.
Relevance of Antigenicity of Candida Albicans Growth Phases to Diagnosis of Systemic Candidiasis

The antigenicity of the two growth phases of Candida albicans has been compared by using crossed immunoelectrophoresis and double-diffusion techniques. Qualitative and quantitative differences in antigenic composition between the phases have been revealed and moreover a specific mycelial antigenic component demonstrated. It is postulated that the use of specific mycelial antigens for routine diagnostic precipitin testing in patients with suspected systemic candidiasis would give more reliable results than at present obtained with yeast cell antigens.
Tumor‐associated antigens: Tn antigen, sTn antigen, and T antigen

Glycosylation is one of the major posttranslational modifications of proteins. N‐glycosylation (Asn‐linked) and O‐glycosylation (Ser/Thr‐linked) are the two main forms. Abnormal O‐glycosylation is frequently observed on the surface of tumor cells, and is associated with an adverse outcome and poor prognosis in patients with cancer. O‐glycans (Tn, sTn, and T antigen) can be synthesized in the Golgi apparatus with the aid of several glycosyltransferases (such as T‐synthase and ST6GalNAc‐I) in a suitable environment. The unique molecular chaperone of T‐synthase is Cosmc, which helps T‐synthase to fold correctly in the endoplasmic reticulum. Dysregulation of these glycosyltransferases, molecular chaperones, or the environment is involved in the dysregulation of O‐glycans. Tn, sTn, and T antigen neo‐ or over‐expression occurs in many types of cancer including gastric, colon, breast, lung, esophageal, prostate, and endometrial cancer. This review discusses the major synthetic pathway of O‐glycans and the mechanism by which Tn, sTn, and T antigens promote tumor metastasis.
Tumor Suppressor SMAR1 Mediates Cyclin D1 Repression by Recruitment of the SIN3/Histone Deacetylase 1 Complex

ABSTRACT Matrix attachment region binding proteins have been shown to play an important role in gene regulation by altering chromatin in a stage- and tissue-specific manner. Our previous studies report that SMAR1, a matrix-associated protein, regresses B16-F1-induced tumors in mice. Here we show SMAR1 targets the cyclin D1 promoter, a gene product whose dysregulation is attributed to breast malignancies. Our studies reveal that SMAR1 represses cyclin D1 gene expression, which can be reversed by small interfering RNA specific to SMAR1. We demonstrate that SMAR1 interacts with histone deacetylation complex 1, SIN3, and pocket retinoblastomas to form a multiprotein repressor complex. This interaction is mediated by the SMAR1(160-350) domain. Our data suggest SMAR1 recruits a repressor complex to the cyclin D1 promoter that results in deacetylation of chromatin at that locus, which spreads to a distance of at least the 5 kb studied upstream of the cyclin D1 promoter. Interestingly, we find that the high induction of cyclin D1 in breast cancer cell lines can be correlated to the decreased levels of SMAR1 in these lines. Our results establish the molecular mechanism exhibited by SMAR1 to regulate cyclin D1 by modification of chromatin.
Association Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Primary Care Provider-Diagnosed Disease Among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans

Objective: To determine if a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was associated with primary care provider-diagnosed physical disease in the first 5 years post deployment. Methods: An examination of medical records of 4416 veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) was conducted. Participants were veterans who served between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2007, without prior combat exposure, and who utilized primary care services within the VA Healthcare Network of Upstate New York. Primary care provider-diagnosed International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Revision 9 (ICD-9) physical diseases were examined. Results: Adjusting for demographic characteristics and clinical factors (e.g., age, gender, depression, and substance use), PTSD was significantly associated with an almost two-fold increase of developing nervous system (odds ratio [OR], 1.98), musculoskeletal disease (OR, 1.84), and signs and ill-defined conditions of disease (OR, 1.78). A diagnosis of PTSD was significantly associated with increased odds of developing circulatory (OR, 1.29), hypertensive (OR, 1.38), and digestive system disease (OR, 1.34). Survival analyses showed that veterans with PTSD experienced early onset disease compared with veterans without PTSD; hypertensive (hazard ratio [HR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-2.04), circulatory, (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.11-1.67), digestive (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.08-1.43), nervous (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.59-2.06), musculoskeletal disease (HR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.32-1.67), and signs and ill-defined disease (HR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.51-1.92). Conclusions: PTSD is associated with increased prevalence and onset of physical disease among OEF/OIF veterans within the early years post military service. Rising rates of PTSD may foreshadow an increase in lifespan morbidity and healthcare utilization in the coming years among OEF/OIF veterans. CI = confidence interval; OEF/OIF = veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom; OR = odds ratio; PCPs = primary care providers; PTSD = posttraumatic stress disorder; HR = hazard ratio.