Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Renal transplantation for amyloid end-stage renal failure-insights from serial serum amyloid P component scintigraphy

Although end-stage renal failure (ESRF) is common in systemic amyloidosis, few such patients receive renal transplants. Serum amyloid P component (SAP) scintigraphy is a specific method for the imaging and quantification of amyloid deposits in vivo, which has not previously been used to evaluate the outcome of renal transplantation in patients with amyloidosis. Evidence of renal graft amyloid was sought by SAP scintigraphy in 15 patients with systemic amyloidosis who had undergone renal transplantation 42-216 months (median, 73 months) previously. Prospective serial scans were obtained annually in eight cases. Renal grafts studied shortly after transplantation gave blood-pool images. The grafts remained normal in all patients whose underlying amyloidogenic disorder had remitted, whereas there was abnormal uptake of labelled SAP, indicating graft amyloidosis, in four out of 10 patients whose amyloid fibril precursor protein supply had not diminished. Graft amyloidosis was corroborated by renal dysfunction in each case, and by histology in one patient. SAP scintigraphy enables renal transplant grafts to be monitored non-invasively for involvement by amyloid. The lack of graft amyloidosis in all patients in whom the amyloidogenic underlying disorder had remitted, and in more than half of those in whom it had not, supports the use of renal transplantation for ESRF in systemic amyloidosis.
Elevated adenosine deaminase activity in overweightand obese Indian subjects

Objective: To determine adenosine deaminase activity in overweight and obese Indian subjects. Methods: This study comprised of 100 subjects. The body mass index (BMI) of subjects was calculated and adenosine deaminase activity was determined in their fasting blood sample. The study was divided into three groups depending upon BMI: Control (n = 40, BMI < 25 kg/m2), Overweight (n = 30, BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2) and Obese (n = 30, BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Results: The serum adenosine deaminase activity was significantly increased in overweight and obese subjects and as well as in combined overweight and obese group as compared to control (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Adenosine, an endogenous anti-inflammatory metabolite, is increased in response to inflammation produced by adipose tissue in obesity. However, adenosine deaminase acts on adenosine to convert it into inosine, thereby increasing adenosine deaminase activity in overweight and obese Indian subjects.
Retention of stem cell patterns in malignant cell lines

Generation and regeneration of the various tissues of the body depends ultimately on a subset of cells described as stem cells, but the criteria used to define a ‘stem cell’ vary quite widely. At least some of this difficulty arises because of real biological differences between different types of stem cells. For example, embryonic stem cells and somatic stem cells appear to differ in their proliferative potentials and in the plasticity that enables entry into multiple pathways of differentiation (Orkin & Morrison 2002). However, even the properties of the somatic stem cells renewing a single tissue type, which might be expected to have essentially similar properties, may also vary quite widely. For example, the patterns of distribution, behaviour, and marker expression of epithelial stem cells differ depending on whether they are found in skin, oral mucosa, cornea, intestine or glands (Cotsarelis et al . 1999; Lavker & Sun 2000; Pellegrini et al . 2001; Marshman et al . 2002; Alonso & Fuchs 2003). The basic defining features common to somatic stem cells have been proposed to be first, a high capacity for self-renewal and second, the ability to produce cells that differentiate to maintain tissue structure and function (Lajtha 1979). Many continuously renewing tissues, including blood and epithelia, have an additional proliferative phase where the cells generated by stem cell divisions enter the differentiation pathway but divide several times to amplify the maturing population before terminally differentiating (Potten 1981; Morrison et al . 1997). Such tissues therefore consist of a hierarchy of at least three cell types (Fig. 1): (i) stem cells which typically divide infrequently but retain an extensive selfrenewal capacity; (ii) amplifying cells that have a limited capability for proliferation; and (iii) post-mitotic differentiating or differentiated cells (Tudor et al . 2004). Individual haematopoeitic stem cells normally generate several phenotypically different cell lineages and have also been shown to have extensive developmental plasticity, at least experimentally. This has led to the inclusion of pluripotentiality among some defininitions of stem cells (Huntly & Gilliland 2005). The generation of a multilineage pattern is a normal characteristic of epithelial stem cells in hair follicles, the gut, and glands (Oshima et al . 2001; Marshman et al . 2002) but whether this is a universal property of epithelial stem cells has yet to be established. The concept that the growth of tumours, like the growth of normal tissues, depends on a subpopulation of stem cells was proposed many years ago (Hamburger & Salmon 1977) but until relatively recently questions about the presence of malignant stem cells in tumours were the source of much controversy (Denekamp 1994; Kummermehr 2001). This disagreement often seems to have been largely a question of semantics or to have arisen because of differing expectations
Kazakhstan - Growth slows as external pressures rise - Kazakhstan economic update (Fall 2014)

Kazakhstan is experiencing slower economic growth in 2014 due to negative supply- and demand-side effects. The Kazakh authorities are using expansionary fiscal and monetary policies to stimulate domestic demand. An uncertain global economic environment and regional geopolitical tensions pose risks to the economic outlook of Kazakhstan. If the economic slowdown starts to have a negative effect on the labor market, the government has instruments to mitigate its impact on the most vulnerable population. The government has identified a set of reforms that are expected to help diversify the economy and expand the non-oil sector. They have launched a major program of support for the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises, including by addressing the constraints related to access to credit. They are also working to improve the national regulatory and governance framework that will enhance the transparency and efficiency of economic transactions, facilitate private sector participation, and improve service delivery to the population. Ongoing reforms in customs administration and the courts are part of its reform agenda.
A micro-analytic investigation of how iconic gestures and speech represent core semantic features in talk

Cet article explore le role de la gestuelle iconique dans la communication. Ce type de gestuelle est clairement distingue du battement de main charge de rythmer le discours, des deictiques qui referent explicitement a un objet ou des gestes emblematiques codes culturellement et porteurs d'une signification par eux-memes. Apres une analyse des theories sur la fonction communicative de la gestuelle iconique, l'A. relate differentes experiences avant de proposer un cadre methodologique et experimental pour son investigation. Il teste ainsi l'interaction entre systeme linguistique et systeme gestuel afin de determiner le type d'information ou de categories semantiques (position ou taille) vehicules et leur repartition entre les deux systemes.
Cortical Na+,K+-ATPase Activity, Abundance and Distribution after in vivo Renal Ischemia without Reperfusion in Rats

The aim of our work was to study the changes in activity, abundance and distribution of sodium, potassium-adenosine triphosphatase (Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase) in membranes of cortical tubular cells in an in vivo model of ischemic injury without reperfusion. Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase, alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities and their distribution in membranes isolated from renal cortex using a Percoll gradient were studied after different ischemic periods. Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase α-subunit protein abundance was analysed by Western-blot. Plasma urea and cortical adenosine 5’triphosphate (ATP) were also measured. In cortical homogenates 5 min of ischemia promoted a diminution in ATP content. Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase activity diminished after 40 min and AP after 100 min of ischemia. Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase activity in the Percoll gradient fractions after 5 min peaked at a higher density and was significantly decreased after 40 min. AP activity was decreased in typically enriched apical membranes after both times of ischemia. At each time studied Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase abundance was increased in cortical homogenates and membranes. Our results showed opposite effects of ischemia on Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase activity and abundance. Increased levels of Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase protein were observed. The enzyme would be rapidly delivered to membrane domains and become inactivated as ischemia persists.
China: Market or Competitor?

This paper synthesizes recent research and new empirical findings to build a more comprehensive understanding of developments in China’s dairy sector. China’s tremendous rise in dairy demand has been driven by several mutually reinforcing factors: including rapid income growth, promotion by the government and dairy industry, changes in urban lifestyles, and the development of new, more sophisticated marketing channels. Domestic milk output has grown to satisfy rising demand largely by increasing the dairy herd. Substantial increases in productivity have been achieved through technology adoption, but there is evidence that the torrid growth has created inefficiencies because adaptations to marketing rules, infrastructure, and institutions have not kept pace with the changing environment. These results suggest there is ample room for future growth in both domestic milk production and dairy demand, but multinational firms and imported products will likely play and increasing role as China’s dairy market continues to develop. Got Milk? The Rapid Rise of China’s Dairy Sector and Its Future Prospects In the 1990s, during the second decade after China’s emergence from its period of Socialist isolation, Garnaut and Ma (1993) noted that the nation’s food consumption patterns were emerging in ways that were largely consistent with other East Asian nations—with one notable exception. Given China’s income level, the demand for grain, most meat commodities, aquaculture products, fruits and vegetables were at or exceeded the expected levels of consumption. There was only one major commodity that China’s consumers were under consuming: dairy. The average urban resident in 1992 only consumed a milk equivalent of 9.07 kilograms per capita of dairy products, only a fraction of level in many other nations. While Garnaut and Ma (1993) postulated that “different tastes associated with historical contact with international consumption patterns” was the cause for the unusually low consumption of milk in China, we suggest below that historical preferences are only one of the factors influencing dairy demand. Since the mid-1990s the lethargy of China’s dairy sector has disappeared and a large literature has appeared trying to understand it. Demand, especially in urban areas, has exploded (Zhou, Tian, and Zhou, 2002). Dairy production has risen sharply. Internationally there is a scramble to understand the implications China’s emerging dairy sector for world trade. While many papers have appeared recently that address the supply and demand for dairy products in China (Zhou, Tian, and Zhou, 2002; Fuller, Beghin, and Rozelle, 2004; Fuller et al., 2004), we believe that the literature still lacks research that systematically explains the recent emergence of China’s dairy industry and its future demand and supply trends.
A MEMS resonant magnetometer based on capacitive detection

In this paper, a MEMS resonant magnetometer based on Lorentz force is presented. The Lorentz force is stimulated by the interaction of an AC current which circulates in a suspended clamped-clamped conducting beam, obtained through a bulk micro-machining, and a 150 mT external static magnetic field. The off-plane (in the z-direction) structure displacement is converted into a capacitance change by a series of interdigitated combs. The frequency of the AC supply current is chosen to be equal to the resonant frequency of the suspended beam, leading to the increase of its deflection magnitude and the overall sensitivity by a factor equal to Q (Quality-factor). Throughout this paper, the first-order resonance frequency and the capacity are simulated with Comsol® and thereafter compared to the measured values. On the other hand, the quality-factor and the electric model of the sensor are determined from the characterization of the fabricated sensor prototype.
A novel optimal terminal iterative learning control approach for linear time-varying systems

This work explores a novel optimal terminal ILC approach to generate a control signal only from the information of the terminal point rather than the whole trajectory. The presented scheme is data-driven using the measured I/O data without knowing any modeling information of the plant. Compared with traditional optimal ILCs, the Markov parameters of the system can be iteratively estimated, which is used as a key part of the control law's learning gain. The stability and convergence is shown in the iteration domain by selecting suitable parameters.
The Perennial Debate: Nature, Nurture, or Choice? Black and White Americans’ Explanations for Individual Differences

The authors examine 3 common explanations for human characteristics: genes, the environment, and choice. A representative sample of White and Black Americans indicated how much they believed each factor influenced individual differences in athleticism, nurturance, drive to succeed, math ability, tendency toward violence, intelligence, and sexual orientation. Results show that across traits (a) Black respondents generally favored choice and rejected genetic explanations, whereas White respondents indicated less causal consistency; (b) although a sizable subset of respondents endorsed just 1 factor, most reported multiple factors as at least partly influential; and (c) among White respondents, greater endorsement of genetic explanations was associated with less acceptance of choice and the environment, although among Black respondents a negative relationship held only between genes and choice. The social relevance of these findings is discussed within the context of the attribution, essentialism, and lay theory literature. The results underscore the need to consider more complex and nuanced issues than are implied by the simplistic, unidimensional character of the nature–nurture and determinism–free will debates—perennial controversies that have significance in the current genomic era.
Sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND No effective systemic therapy exists for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. A preliminary study suggested that sorafenib, an oral multikinase inhibitor of the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor, the platelet-derived growth factor receptor, and Raf may be effective in hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS In this multicenter, phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, we randomly assigned 602 patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma who had not received previous systemic treatment to receive either sorafenib (at a dose of 400 mg twice daily) or placebo. Primary outcomes were overall survival and the time to symptomatic progression. Secondary outcomes included the time to radiologic progression and safety. RESULTS At the second planned interim analysis, 321 deaths had occurred, and the study was stopped. Median overall survival was 10.7 months in the sorafenib group and 7.9 months in the placebo group (hazard ratio in the sorafenib group, 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.55 to 0.87; P<0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the median time to symptomatic progression (4.1 months vs. 4.9 months, respectively, P=0.77). The median time to radiologic progression was 5.5 months in the sorafenib group and 2.8 months in the placebo group (P<0.001). Seven patients in the sorafenib group (2%) and two patients in the placebo group (1%) had a partial response; no patients had a complete response. Diarrhea, weight loss, hand-foot skin reaction, and hypophosphatemia were more frequent in the sorafenib group. CONCLUSIONS In patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, median survival and the time to radiologic progression were nearly 3 months longer for patients treated with sorafenib than for those given placebo. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00105443.)
Mix Multiple Features to Evaluate the Content and the Linguistic Quality of Text Summaries

In this article, we propose a method of text summary's content and linguistic quality evaluation that is based on a machine learning approach. This method operates by combining multiple features to build predictive models that evaluate the content and the linguistic quality of new summaries (unseen) constructed from the same source documents as the summaries used in the training and the validation of models. To obtain the best model, many single and ensemble learning classifiers are tested. Using the constructed models, we have achieved a good performance in predicting the content and the linguistic quality scores. In order to evaluate the summarization systems, we calculated the system score as the average of the score of summaries that are built from the same system. Then, we evaluated the correlation of the system score with the manual system score. The obtained correlation indicates that the system score outperforms the baseline scores.
Comparison Between Three Different Endurance Tests in Professional Soccer Players

Abstract Hoppe, MW, Baumgart, C, Sperlich, B, Ibrahim, H, Jansen, C, Willis, SJ, and Freiwald, J. Comparison between three different endurance tests in professional soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 27(1): 31–37, 2013—The aims of this study were (a) to assess and correlate interval shuttle run test (ISRT) performance, maximum oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]O2max), running economy (RE), running velocity at the first rise in blood lactate concentrations above baseline (vLT) and running velocity at 4 mmol·L−1 blood lactate concentration (v4) in professional soccer players and (b) to investigate whether a correlation exists between the respective results of time to exhaustion (Tlim) from continuous and intermittent endurance tests, respectively. Eleven male professional field soccer players (mean ± SD: age 23.8 ± 3.0 years, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max 58.2 ± 4.9 ml·kg−1·min−1) completed a continuous Incremental Test with lactate measurements to determine vLT and v4, a continuous Ramp Test with gas exchange analysis to determine V[Combining Dot Above]O2max and RE, and an intermittent ISRT to determine intermittent endurance capacity during the first week of preseason preparation. There were significant correlations between ISRT performance and V[Combining Dot Above]O2max (r = 0.70, p < 0.05), and between Tlim in both continuous endurance tests (r = 0.89, p < 0.01). Between all other variables no significant correlations were found overall (best r = 0.60, p > 0.05). The assessment of all values of V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, RE, vLT, and v4 should be included when investigating aerobic endurance performance among groups or over time in professional soccer players. Although V[Combining Dot Above]O2max, RE, vLT, and v4 have been regarded as important factors of aerobic performance in endurance related sports, the present data revealed that V[Combining Dot Above]O2max was the only factor, which correlated with intermittent endurance capacity in professional soccer players. Hence, V[Combining Dot Above]O2max should be increased through soccer-specific training interventions including universal agility components. The Tlim in continuous and intermittent endurance tests differs and is therefore an independent endurance performance factor in professional soccer players.
BOCHNER’S LINEARIZATION THEOREM

This is an expository paper for the purposes of the course Differentiable Manifolds II, which took place in Spring 2014 at UIUC. After reviewing some basic facts on group actions, we include a modern version of the proof of Bochner’s Linearization Theorem from the book of Duistermaat and Kolk [5].
A clinical report of 85 fractured metallic post-retained crowns.

AIM To determine any patient, technique or material factors that were significantly associated with post fracture in metallic post systems. SUMMARY Eighty-five fractured metal posts were retrieved over a 5-year period from a total of 84 patients who attended a dental hospital for treatment. A record was kept of the patient's dentition to identify the tooth with the fractured post, the number of teeth present, the excursive guidance scheme and the likely post design and material. Radiographs of 67 of these teeth were available. The presence or absence of a periapical lesion was noted as was the quality of the root filling. Maxillary lateral incisors, followed by maxillary centrals were associated with most of the fractured posts. The median survival to fracture was 36 months. The number of teeth in the dentition had a mode of 28. The most commonly fractured post design was a serrated and parallel design with an average diameter of 1.2 mm at the site of fracture. Apical lesions were found in 67% of the teeth with radiographs. Only 12% of teeth with a 'good' apical filling as opposed to 55% with a 'poor' apical filling had apical lesions. KEY LEARNING POINTS . Maxillary lateral incisors, followed by maxillary central incisors are at greatest risk of having a fractured metallic post. Having a large number of teeth in the dentition or an adequate length of post was not protective against metallic post fracture. Teeth with fractured post-retained crowns had a high incidence of apical lesions.
Security evaluation of proactive secret sharing cryptosystem

The proactive secret sharing (PSS) scheme divides the lifetime of a secret into a series of time periods, in which the shares are periodically updated without changing the secret. This paper proposes a practical method for evaluating and analyzing the security of PSS cryptosystem. Based on the response of server to the mobile attack, we apply the stochastic modeling techniques to depict the state transition of PSS cryptosystem, transferring from secure states to the compromised states. With the relationship of security to the threshold, the time period and the intrusion rate, an evaluation of security is obtained. The simulation figures show that the method is practical and applicable.
The Role Of The Budgetary System In Achieving Enterprise Performance

The long-term existence of an enterprise can only be assured by achieving of the performance.In the current economic climate, the companies pay more attention to effective management of resources and use for this purpose different management tools of performance. Along with material and financial resources necessary to productive activities, the people in an organization represent more than a source of cost or consumption. Their systems of needs and values, along with degrees of motivation and satisfaction determine individual and organizational performance. This is why the managers are tasked to reconcile and correlate the economic performance of the organization with the skills and capabilities of the employees. Flexible approach to business organization and permanent training of the human resources are the ingredients of success of an enterprise that aims to adapt to the current business environment changes.