Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In human IgA nephropathy uteroglobin does not play the role inferred from transgenic mice.

BACKGROUND Uteroglobin (UG)-knockout and UG-antisense transgenic mice develop clinical and pathological features of immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy with heavy proteinuria. These models suggested that UG, an anti-inflammatory protein with high affinity for fibronectin (Fn), prevents the formation of IgA-Fn complexes and mesangial deposits in mice. We aim to elucidate whether similar mechanisms underlie the development and severity of human IgA nephropathy. METHODS Specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were devised to detect serum levels of UG binding to Fn or incorporated into IgA-Fn complexes and IgA binding to Fn or collagen IV. Sera from 75 patients with IgA nephropathy with normal renal function and various degrees of proteinuria (0.2 to 5 g/d of protein) stable over the previous 3 months without therapy were investigated and compared with healthy controls. RESULTS Levels of UG binding to Fn were similar in patients with IgA nephropathy and healthy controls. UG incorporated into circulating IgA-Fn complexes, as well as levels of IgA-Fn complexes and IgA binding Fn and collagen IV, were significantly greater in patients than healthy controls. Greater amounts of UG incorporated into IgA-Fn complexes reduced the risk for proteinuria with protein greater than 1 g/d (odds ratio = 0.67; P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis assigned a predictive value for proteinuria persistently greater than 1 g/d of protein to lower amounts of UG incorporated into IgA-Fn complexes (R = -0.267; P = 0.008) and increased binding of IgA to collagen IV (R = 0.214; P = 0.0003). CONCLUSION This first report of human IgA nephropathy after the publication of the mouse model shows that UG is not reduced in circulation and is even increased in IgA-Fn complexes. Because aberrant IgA1 glycosylation is the event initiating IgA nephropathy in humans, we speculate that the enhanced incorporation of UG into IgA-Fn complexes might represent feedback to reduce the formation of macromolecular aggregates.
Triclosan: environmental exposure, toxicity and mechanisms of action

Triclosan [5‐chloro‐2‐(2,4‐dichlorophenoxy)phenol; TCS] is a broad spectrum antibacterial agent used in personal care, veterinary, industrial and household products. TCS is commonly detected in aquatic ecosystems, as it is only partially removed during the wastewater treatment process. Sorption, biodegradation and photolytic degradation mitigate the availability of TCS to aquatic biota; however the by‐products such as methyltriclosan and other chlorinated phenols may be more resistant to degradation and have higher toxicity than the parent compound. The continuous exposure of aquatic organisms to TCS, coupled with its bioaccumulation potential, have led to detectable levels of the antimicrobial in a number of aquatic species. TCS has been also detected in breast milk, urine and plasma, with levels of TCS in the blood correlating with consumer use patterns of the antimicrobial. Mammalian systemic toxicity studies indicate that TCS is neither acutely toxic, mutagenic, carcinogenic, nor a developmental toxicant. Recently, however, concern has been raised over TCS's potential for endocrine disruption, as the antimicrobial has been shown to disrupt thyroid hormone homeostasis and possibly the reproductive axis. Moreover, there is strong evidence that aquatic species such as algae, invertebrates and certain types of fish are much more sensitive to TCS than mammals. TCS is highly toxic to algae and exerts reproductive and developmental effects in some fish. The potential for endocrine disruption and antibiotic cross‐resistance highlights the importance of the judicious use of TCS, whereby the use of TCS should be limited to applications where it has been shown to be effective. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Ecology of Height: The Effect of Microbial Transmission on Human Height

The height that adult humans achieve results from a complex interplay between genetic endowment and environmental exposures during development. We hypothesize that exposure to microbes—both exogenous pathogens and endogenous biota—are critical environmental determinants of the expression of human height in a community. Both experimental studies and historical changes in height in relation to presumed microbial transmission support this hypothesis.
The Social Composition of Washington Correspondents

T HE newspaper ~an is a man’ sensitized to the observation of aspects of the real world, with a talent for translating segments of re› ality into the grammar of ccstories. ", In the inflections which creep into his recording of events, there are imbedded~ however obscurely, a per› sonality and an autobiography. Un› der the arid mobilization of facts in a neW8 dispatch on the budget there is a construct of individual temPer&› ment~ The dominAnt impulse of the scientist is to know; the driving mo› tivation of the journalist is to tell. What he tella, what he cOnsiders worth telJing, and how’ he tells it ~ the products of aaocial-psyf? ho› logical structure of desire, calcula› tion and inhibition. The material which follows pre› sents selected data on 117 newspa› per correspondents in Washington (representing 180 leading daily newspapers, all the press associa› tions and all syndicates, and includ› ing the leading columnists), which they 8upplied by answering two lengthy questionnaires I 8ubmiited to-them in 1986. This is a sample more than large enough" to permit
Building an Arabic Machine Translation Post-Edited Corpus: Guidelines and Annotation

We present our guidelines and annotation procedure to create a human corrected machine translated post-edited corpus for the Modern Standard Arabic. Our overarching goal is to use the annotated corpus to develop automatic machine translation post-editing systems for Arabic that can be used to help accelerate the human revision process of translated texts. The creation of any manually annotated corpus usually presents many challenges. In order to address these challenges, we created comprehensive and simplified annotation guidelines which were used by a team of five annotators and one lead annotator. In order to ensure a high annotation agreement between the annotators, multiple training sessions were held and regular inter-annotator agreement measures were performed to check the annotation quality. The created corpus of manual post-edited translations of English to Arabic articles is the largest to date for this language pair.
Factores que Influyen en la Intención de Adopción de elearning en Empresas Venezolanas

E-learning is usually part of the strategies that organizations use for continuing education and training. Knowledge management initiatives usually consider the use of e-learning as part of the processes for development of intellectual assets. Most of the time, e-learning is used because of economical reasons such as cost reduction and mass delivery of the contents, rather than possible improvements in the learning process itself. In this research we overview e-learning from within a knowledge management integration perspective. For this, a study is perform on a group of companies from the metropolitan zone of Caracas, Venezuela, about the intention of adoption of e-learning strategies, from the point of view of the management. Then, we explore the adoption factors that the employees and final users of e-learning technology have for participating in initiatives of this type.
The Making of Hawks and Doves: Inflation Experiences on the FOMC

We show that personal experiences of inflation strongly influence the hawkish or dovish leanings of central bankers. For all members of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) since 1951, we estimate an adaptive learning rule based on their lifetime inflation data. The resulting experience-based forecasts have significant predictive power for members' FOMC voting decisions, the hawkishness of the tone of their speeches, as well as the heterogeneity in their semi-annual inflation projections. Averaging over all FOMC members present at a meeting, inflation experiences also help to explain the federal funds target rate, over and above conventional Taylor rule components.
Cholesterol (and cardiovascular risk) in adolescence

Purpose of review Atherosclerosis is a significant cause of adult morbidity and mortality. New evidence confirms that it begins in childhood and accelerates at adolescence. Many new studies have solidified the understanding of its risk factors and changed the approach to their clinical management. Recent findings The important descriptions of known risk factors and their clear relation to the pathophysiologic process of atherosclerosis are reviewed here. Some emerging risk factors are discussed. Furthermore, the many new studies on treatment options are reviewed. Summary These new findings make it imperative that adolescents be screened for traditional risk factors and that they be treated with therapeutic lifestyle change. With the weight of new evidence on the safety and efficacy of statins in this age group, clinicians can feel more confident in their use when indicated. Research into emerging risk factors like obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes. and homocysteine will be important in the future management.
Deviations from Kleinman symmetry measured for several simple atoms and molecules.

Deviations from Kleinman symmetry for the second hyperpolarizability tensors of some simple atoms and molecules (He, Ar, Kr, Xe, ${\mathrm{CH}}_{4}$, ${\mathrm{CF}}_{4}$, ${\mathrm{SF}}_{6}$, ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{CO}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{6}$, ${\mathrm{CHF}}_{3}$, and ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$) have been measured down to the 0.1% level of accuracy at several frequencies far below the first strong electronic resonance, by means of dc-electric-field\char21{}induced second-harmonic generation (ESHG). The results of the experiment are discussed within the framework of several models. The observed Kleinman-symmetry deviations are small compared to the electronic dispersion, and appear to be dominated by electronic rather than vibrational contributions. However, vibrations are shown to play a role in the case of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, and the results observed for ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ differ significantly. The observed deviation for He is relatively large and should provide a sensitive test of ab initio calculations.
Electrically stimulated breast model's thermal imaging simulations

Different tissues energy consuming values show differences from each other. Conductivity and metabolic heat source of the tissue alter whether it is healthy or not. The temperature differences of tissues take the thermal infrared imaging into very important and vital point. It was not possible to be able to detect these amounts of differences with the early instrumentation and technology. However, in recent years by the improvement of sensitivity of detectors and cameras it is now possible to sense these amounts of temperature differences. Infrared imaging has a limited performance for the breast cancer diagnosis which occurs especially due to patient moving. Nevertheless, this performance can be improved by applying low frequency currents in medical safety limits. By the help of current application, temperature differences of tissues which have different electrical and thermal properties can be increased and malignant tissue can be distinguished in the obtained thermal image. In this study, woman breast and cancerous tissue are two dimensionally modeled. By using realistic values for regular and cancerous tissue Pennes bio heat equation is solved with finite element method. Simulations are implemented for different tumor locations. Whenever malignant tissue approaches to the skin surface, higher temperature differences are obtained. Imaging performance is increased with current application and tumors can be sensed at 4.5 cm depth with the modern state-of-the-art thermal infrared imagers (possess approximately 10 °mK sensitivity).
Shopping Centre Patronage: Situational Factors Against Affect

The objective of this study is to understand to what extent hedonic and utilitarian consumer profiles are affected by situational factors and how in turn they impact shopping centre patronage. A six step multiple regression analysis corresponding to six different shopping centres has been applied to two clusters of consumers. The data are based on consumers’ hedonic/utilitarian customer profile. First, results show that in general the impact on shopping centre patronage is largely affected by proximity, convenience and accessibility variables, which are more relevant among the utilitarian profile consumers. On the other hand, in the hedonic profile segment, affect, that is, the experience of feeling or emotion is the relevant variable explaining patronage. Second, the predictive contribution of these variables on patronage varied according to the shopping centres’ positioning. With the findings of the present study, retail managers can formulate marketing strategies, which will attract retail consumers towards their shopping centre and also help them to enhance the significant factors that influence retail store consumer’s purchase decision. Also, this investigation contributes to the diagnosis of how consistent is the retailers’ in their positioning strategy in targeting the market segments. The present research integrates both situational factors and hedonic as well as utilitarian consumer profiles along with the role of situational dynamics to explain shopping centres’ patronage.
Multivariate analysis of landscape wildfire dynamics in a Mediterranean ecosystem of Greece

This paper focuses on spatial distribution of long-term fire patterns versus physical and anthropogenic elements of the environment that determine wildfire dynamics in Greece. Logistic regression and correspondence analysis were applied in a spatial database that had been developed and managed within a Geographic Information System. Cartographic fire data were statistically correlated with basic physical and human geography factors (geomorphology, climate, land use and human activities) to estimate the degree of their influence at landscape scale. Land cover types of natural and agricultural vegetation were the most influential factors for explaining landscape wildfire dynamics in conjunction with topography and grazing.
Technical and Scale Efficiency of the Turkish Automotive Industry Using Data Envelopment Analysis

Bu arastirmada 2011-2015 donemi dikkate alinarak, otomotiv ana sanayinde faaliyet gosteren 14 firmanin teknik ve olcek etkinliklerinin yani sira toplam faktor verimliliklerindeki degismeler analiz edilmistir. Firmalarin goreli etkinliklerinin belirlenmesinde Veri Zarflama Analizinden, toplam faktor verimliliginin zaman icindeki degisiminin ortaya konulmasinda Malmquist Toplam Faktor Verimliligi Endeksinden yararlanilmistir. Analiz sonuclarina gore, olcege gore sabit getiri varsayimi altinda 2011 ve 2013 yillarinda sadece Oyak Renault’un 2012, 2014 ve 2015 yillarinda ise sadece Hyundai Assan ve Oyak Renault’un maksimum ciktiya ulastiklari tespit edilmistir. Degisken getiri varsayimi altinda ise 2011, 2012, 2014 ve 2015 yillarinda A.I.O.S. , Hattat Tarim, Hyundai Assan, Otokar, Oyak Renault ve Turk Traktor’un, 2013 yilinda ise A.I.O.S. , Hattat Tarim, Otokar, Oyak Renault ve Turk Traktor’un tam uretim siniri uzerinde yer aldiklari belirlenmistir. Olcek etkinlikleri incelendiginde ise, 2011 ve 2013 yillarinda Oyak Renault’un, 2012, 2014 ve 2015 yillarinda ise Hyundai Assan ve Oyak Renault’un optimal uretim olceginde uretim yaptiklari, diger firmalarin ise olcek etkinliklerinin 1’den kucuk oldugu belirlenmistir. Diger taraftan Turk otomotiv sanayinin toplam faktor verimliliginin % 14 arttigi, firma bazinda en fazla artisin A.I.O.S. firmasinda gerceklestigi tespit edilmistir.
An Evaluation of Lidar-derived Elevation and Terrain Slope in Leaf-off Conditions

The effects of land cover and surface slope on lidar-derived elevation data were examined for a watershed in the piedmont of North Carolina. Lidar data were collected over the study area in a winter (leaf-off) overflight. Survey-grade elevation points (1,225) for six different land cover classes were used as reference points. Root mean squared error (RMSE) for land cover classes ranged from 14.5 cm to 36.1 cm. Land cover with taller canopy vegetation exhibited the largest errors. The largest mean error (36.1 cm RMSE) was in the scrub-shrub cover class. Over the small slope range (0° to 10°) in this study area, there was little evidence for an increase in elevation error with increased slopes. However, for low grass land cover, elevation errors do increase in a consistent manner with increasing slope. Slope errors increased with increasing surface slope, under-predicting true slope on surface slopes � 2°. On average, the lidarderived elevation under-predicted true elevation regardless of land cover category. The under-prediction was significant, and ranged up to � 23.6 cm under pine land cover.
Rhythmic grouping in English, Greek and Korean: testing the iambic-trochaic law

The iambic-trochaic law (ITL) states that repeating sounds with an intensity contrast are perceived as binary groups with initial prominence (trochees) and those with a durational contrast with final prominence (iambs). Although the ITL has been empirically supported, it is not clear whether it is due to universal cognitive mechanisms or whether language-specific prosodic properties affect listeners’ grouping preferences. We tested the law with speakers of English, Greek and Korean who heard strings of tones varied in duration and/or intensity. The results revealed neither significant differences among languages nor a strong bias shared by speakers of all languages. Significantly, listeners’ grouping preferences were influenced by the duration of the inter-tone interval (ITI), with long ITI (200 ms) resulting in stronger trochaic preferences than short ITI (20 ms), indicating that specific experimental conditions may be responsible for cross-linguistic differences in listener responses across experiments testing the ITL.
Self-esteem, personality, and eating disorders: baseline assessment of a prospective population-based cohort.

OBJECTIVE To study the relationship of self-esteem and personality factors with eating disorders (ED). METHODS A region-wide representative sample of 2862 girls 12-21 years old from Navarre (Spain) participated in the baseline assessment of a prospective study. A two-stage procedure was used, consisting in a first screening phase followed by a psychiatrist interview (DSM-IV criteria). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the association of self-esteem (36-item scale) and personality characteristics (Eysenck inventory) with psychiatrist-diagnosed ED while controlling for potential confounders. RESULTS Strong associations for ED were found with low self-esteem (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] for the lowest quartile: 7.98, 95% CI: 3.4-18.8) and high levels of neuroticism (adjOR for the highest quartile: 9.49, 95% Cl: 3.7-24.5). DISCUSSION Our results, although based on a cross-sectional design, support the potential role of neuroticism and low self-esteem in the onset of ED.
Predictors of Bleeding from Esophageal Varices: The Role of Factor VII and von Willebrand Factor (vWF)

Objectives: Bleeding from gastroesophageal varices is the most serious and life-threatening complication of cirrhosis and accounts for 10% of all cases of bleeding from the upper GI tract. It is essential to identify and treat those patients at the highest risk because each episode of variceal hemorrhage carries a 20 percent to 30 percent risk of death, and up to 70 percent of patients who do not receive treatment die within one year of the initial bleeding episode. The aim of this study is to determine the clinical predictors of bleeding esophageal varices and study the role of F VII (factor VII) and vWF (von willebrand factor) in predicting bleeding in patients with eosphogeal varices. Methods: A case control study was done on all patients with esophageal varices admitted at Sohag and Qena faculty of medicine hospitals from January 2012 to August 2013. Various clinical, laboratory and endoscopic variables were tested to determine the predictors of esophageal bleeding. Results: Among 300 patients with esophageal varices, 80 percent was due to hepatitis C virus (HCV), 18 percent was due to hepatitis B virus (HBV), and 2 percent had both HCV and HBV. As an etiologic factor for their liver disease, hemoglobin was 10.12 ± 2.26 g/l, platelet count 135.55 ± 65.94 × l09/l, prothrombin time 14.1 ± 0.92 second, albumin 2.88 ± 0.71 g/dl, ALT 48.25 ± 24.15 u/l, total bilirubin 1.92 ± 1.36 mg/dl. Factor VII was 27.4 ± 8.92 percent and vWF was 188.33 ± 13.66 IU/dl. Splenomegaly was reported 79.6 percent, 90.3 percent had ascites. 35 percent had grade III esophageal varices, 29 percent had four-column esophageal varices on endoscopy, 13.7 percent had concomitant gastric varices and 38.3 percent had portal hypertensive gastropathy. Platelet count, presence of red color sign, the number of columns of esophageal varices, presence of portal gastropathy on eosphagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) showed a significant positive correlation with bleeding. There is a significant decrease of FVII and a significant increase of vWF in bleeding group in comparison with non bleeding group. Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia, presence of encephalopathy and endoscopic findings of large varices, presence of red color sign, and portal hypertensive gastropathy were found to be predictors of esophageal variceal bleeding. Increase of vWF and decrease of FVII are laboratory predictors of esophageal variceal bleeding.
Simultaneous Impairment of Intracranial and Peripheral Artery Vasoreactivity in CADASIL Patients

Background: Reduced cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) is an important step in the pathogenesis of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). The present study utilized quantitative single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with the autoradiographic (ARG) method and reactive hyperemia peripheral arterial tonometry (RH-PAT) to assess vasoreactivity in intracranial arteries and in peripheral arteries in patients with CADASIL. Methods: Quantitative SPECT studies were conducted in eight patients with CADASIL, while RH-PAT analysis was conducted in eight CADASIL patients and in eight age-matched normal subjects. Quantitative SPECT studies with the ARG method were performed at baseline and after administration of acetazolamide. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) values were measured using stereotactic extraction estimation (SEE) methods. The rCBF of CADASIL patients was averaged in the bilateral frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes as well as in the limbic system, cerebellar hemisphere, whole cerebral cortex and basal ganglia. The CVR index from acetazolamide stress of intracranial arteries was calculated in each area. Vasoreactivity of peripheral arteries was estimated by the reactive hyperemia index (RHI) measured with a PAT device before and after interruption of arterial flow. Results: Average RHI after post-deflation was lower in CADASIL patients than in normal subjects. RHI correlated significantly with CVR in all brain areas in CADASIL patients. Conclusions: Vasoreactivity is reduced in peripheral arteries and in intracranial arteries in patients with CADASIL.