Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of Serum Hepcidin Levels with the Presence and Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Background Inflammation is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Hepcidin, a 25-kD peptide hormone produced by the liver, modulates acute inflammatory responses. This study aimed to determine the association of serum levels of hepcidin with the presence and severity of OSAS. Material/Methods We enrolled 184 patients with OSAS and 110 healthy subjects. Serum levels of hepcidin were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Results OSAS patients had significantly higher serum hepcidin levels compared with healthy controls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that serum hepcidin levels were an independent determinant of the presence of OSAS (OR 1.224, 95% CI 1.159–1.292; P<0.001). Serum hepcidin levels were significantly elevated in severe OSAS patients compared with mild and moderate OSAS patients. Spearman correlation analysis revealed that serum hepcidin levels were correlated with the severity of OSAS. In addition, serum levels of hepcidin were correlated with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) in patients with OSAS. Conclusions Elevated serum hepcidin levels are associated with the presence and severity of OSAS.
Optimal Taxes on Fossil Fuel in General Equilibrium

We analyze a dynamic stochastic general-equilibrium (DSGE) model with an externality—through climate change—from using fossil energy. Our central result is a simple formula for the marginal externality damage of emissions (or, equivalently, for the optimal carbon tax). This formula, which holds under quite plausible assumptions, reveals that the damage is proportional to current GDP, with the proportion depending only on three factors: (i) discounting, (ii) the expected damage elasticity (how many percent of the output flow is lost from an extra unit of carbon in the atmosphere), and (iii) the structure of carbon depreciation in the atmosphere. Thus, the stochastic values of future output, consumption, and the atmospheric CO2 concentration, as well as the paths of technology (whether endogenous or exogenous) and population, and so on, all disappear from the formula. We find that the optimal tax should be a bit higher than the median, or most well-known, estimates in the literature. We also formulate a parsimonious yet comprehensive and easily solved model allowing us to compute the optimal and market paths for the use of different sources of energy and the corresponding climate change. We find coal—rather than oil—to be the main threat to economic welfare, largely due to its abundance. We also find that the costs of inaction are particularly sensitive to the assumptions regarding the substitutability of different energy sources and technological progress.
Bovine mastitis prevalence and associated risk factors in dairy cows in Nyagatare District, Rwanda

In response to farmer requests after milk from their herds was rejected by processors due to poor quality, a study was carried out from April to October 2011 to determine the prevalence of subclinical mastitis, associated risk factors and causative micro-organisms. Samples were collected from 195 dairy cows on 23 randomly selected dairy farms delivering milk to Isangano, Kirebe and Nyagatare milk collection centres in Nyagatare District, Rwanda. The Draminsk® Mastitis Detector was used to detect subclinical mastitis in individual cows based on milk electrical conductivity changes. Risk factors for mastitis that were evaluated included teat-end condition, cow dirtiness, breed, parity, age and stage of lactation. Relationships of these factors with mastitis status were determined using Chi-square analysis, and relative importance as causes of mastitis was assessed using logistic regression. Samples from 16 subclinical mastitis positive dairy cows were analysed to identify causative micro-organisms using Dairy Quality Control Inspection analytical kits. Subclinical mastitis prevalence was 52% across the farms. It was higher with increases in, amongst other risk factors, teat-end damage severity, cow dirtiness, and level of pure dairy breed genetics. The risk factors considered accounted for 62% of mastitis prevalence; teat-end condition alone accounted for 30%. Most of the mastitis cases (87.5%) were caused by coliform bacteria. Considering that farmers are upgrading their local Ankole cows to cross-breed dairy cows that are more susceptible to mastitis, results from this study indicate the need to dip the teats of cows in sanitisers, improve cow hygiene, and introduce mastitis prevention and control programmes.
Measurable circle squaring

Laczkovich proved that if bounded subsets $A$ and $B$ of $R^k$ have the same non-zero Lebesgue measure and the box dimension of the boundary of each set is less than $k$, then there is a partition of $A$ into finitely many parts that can be translated to form a partition of $B$. Here we show that it can be additionally required that each part is both Baire and Lebesgue measurable. As special cases, this gives measurable and translation-only versions of Tarski's circle squaring and Hilbert's third problem.
Discrete-Rate Adaptive Multiuser Scheduling for MIMO-OFDM Systems

In this paper, we present a multiuser scheduling technique for the MIMO-OFDM system over multipath frequency-selective fading channels to exploit the multiuser, space and frequency diversities. Two scenarios including full-feedback and limited-feedback channel information have been considered. A discrete-rate adaptive modulation is employed to increase the spectral efficiency of the system. Performance analysis and numerical simulation are conducted to evaluate the average bit error rate (BER) and average spectral efficiency (ASE) and to show the significant advantages of the proposed scheme. It is also shown that when the number of active users is moderately high and is above 30, even 10% feedback load is sufficient to get the benefits of the proposed scheme.
Computerized working memory training has positive long‐term effect in very low birthweight preschool children

Working memory deficits are frequently found in children born preterm and have been linked to learning disabilities, and cognitive and behavioural problems. Our aim was to evaluate if a computerized working memory training program has long‐term positive effects on memory, learning, and behaviour in very‐low‐birthweight (VLBW) children at age 5 to 6 years.
International Portfolio of Real Estate Investment and Hedging: A Revisit

We use office data from ten cities in the Asia-Pacific region from 4Q2001 to 2Q2012 to propose a forward-looking investment appraisal framework to compare the effectiveness of two currency risk hedging strategies for a portfolio of real estate investments in ten cities of seven Asia-Pacific countries. This is aimed at determining the optimal choice among “unhedged”, “artificially” hedged and “natural” hedged options. Analyses based on NPV, IRR, Sharpe Ratio, Jensen’s alpha and stochastic dominance were done for 3, 5 and 7-year holding periods. All the results show that the “natural” hedge strategy is the optimal choice as it provides superior returns.
Statistical Timing Analysis: From Basic Principles to State of the Art

Static-timing analysis (STA) has been one of the most pervasive and successful analysis engines in the design of digital circuits for the last 20 years. However, in recent years, the increased loss of predictability in semiconductor devices has raised concern over the ability of STA to effectively model statistical variations. This has resulted in extensive research in the so-called statistical STA (SSTA), which marks a significant departure from the traditional STA framework. In this paper, we review the recent developments in SSTA. We first discuss its underlying models and assumptions, then survey the major approaches, and close by discussing its remaining key challenges.
Forming connections in the digital era: Tinder, a new tool in young Australian intimate life

Tinder is a location-based smartphone application used by young adults. Advertised as a popular and unique way to forge connections, Tinder’s introduction into intimate life is indicative of increased information and communication technology (ICT) usage within this sphere. While the impact of ICT use within intimate life has been debated, little sociological research has investigated Tinder within this context. This article draws on data from a small scale exploratory study, including surveys (n = 203) and interviews (n = 10), examining the use of Tinder by young Australians (aged 18 to 30) and how use contributes to intimate outcomes. While survey results provide insight regarding engagement with Tinder and its use in intimate life, two key themes – (1) Tinder’s use as an additional tool in intimate life and (2) its perceived impact on ‘connection quality’ – demonstrate Tinder’s role in intimate outcomes. Findings support Jurgenson’s depiction of today’s societies as ones characterised by augmented reality rather than digital dualism.
Towards a new approach for electrical grid management: The role of the cloud

The electrical system is facing a dramatic transformation. A main trend is the digitalization of the grid that implements automation and monitoring concepts at every voltage level. The consequent growing role of data management is calling for new paradigms in the service implementation. This paper presents a cloud-based platform concept that enables an open structure for new energy services. The architecture of the platform is presented to clarify the concept itself and the opportunities it opens. A concept of advanced grid monitoring based on data analytics is proposed as reference example.
Agreeing on who is present and who is absent in a synchronous distributed system

The author describes his system model and failure assumptions by precisely specifying the processor group membership problem. He then gives two protocols for solving this problem. The protocols provide all correct processors with constituent views of the processor group membership. They also guarantee bounded processor failure detection and join processing delays despite any number of performance failures that do not cause network partitioning. The first protocol provides very fast processor failure detection but can require a significant message traffic overhead, even when no failures occur. To reduce this overhead, the author derives the second protocol, which has a (provable) minimal message overhead in the absence of failures but provides a longer failure detection delay and is more complex. He concludes by comparing his approach with other known approaches. <<ETX>>
Social Context Predicts Vocalization Use in the Courtship Behaviors of Weddell Seals (Leptonychotes weddellii): A Case Study

Despite previous research, no study has convincingly demonstrated what role if any vocalizations might play in the reproductive behavior of Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii). To better understand that role, we created an artificial territory for an adult, male Weddell seal under the shore-fast ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, and recorded its in situ vocalizations and non-vocal behaviors with an underwater video camera and hydrophone while alone, with another male, and with one or more females. Additionally, we simultaneously recorded the vocalizations and non-vocal behaviors from a female interacting with the male. Analysis of 86 hr of video and audio recordings showed: 1) the male vocalized more than the female, 2) the male’s vocal repertoire was larger than the females’ repertoire, 3) vocalizations changed quantitatively and qualitatively with social context, and 4) patterns of vocalizations and non-vocal behaviors were detected with Theme, pattern recognition software from Noldus Information Technology. These results provided strong evidence that vocalizations played an important role during courtship, and together with the significant behavioral sequences, vocal and non-vocal, they provided insight into the function of their vocalizations including chirps, growls, jaw claps, knocks, mews, trills, and trills + knocks.
Colonic Epithelial Cells Benign-to-Malignant Tumor Transition in Cultured Human Actin Cytoskeletal Organization Loss in the Updated Version

The colonie epithelium in vivo is a highly indented sheet one cell thick. Culture methods have been developed to allow the normal cellular migration of the cells comprising this sheet to flatten it into a patch on the surface of a Retri dish [Friedman, E. A. , Higgins, P. J., Lipkin, M. , Shinya, H. , and Gelb, A. M. , In Vitro (Rockville), 17: 632-644, 1981]. Actin cytoskeletal organization was analyzed in such epithelial "patches" derived from several human colonie adenocarcinomas and their precursors, adeno mas (benign tumors). The actin cytoskeleton was visualized by fluorescence microscopy after the fixed, permeabilized cells were stained with rhodamine-conjugated phalloidin. This drug has a very high affinity for actin filaments and a much lower affinity for monomeric actin. Actin organization was scored from 0 (no cables) to 5 points (extensive intercellular cable network). The phalloidin-stained actin found in seven adenocarcinomas had a predominantly granular fluorescence pattern with very little cable organization, scoring an average of 0.9 Â±0.8 (S. D.). Three established cell lines derived from human colon carcinomas contained no cables by this analysis, scoring 0.0 Â±0.0. In marked contrast, all 12 of the cultured adenomas had extensive actin cable networks, scoring an average of 4.3 Â±0.4. There was no statistical difference between adenomas of differing histopathology class and malignant potential. However, cytoskeletons of plasminogen-activator-secreting "late-stage" preneoplastic cells from adenomas became disorganized by exposure to 12-Otetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate or another tumor promoter, teleocidin B. They scored, respectively, average actin organiza tion values of 0.0 Â±0.0 and 0.4 Â±0.6. In contrast, nonplasminogen-activator-secreting "early-stage" preneoplastic cells from less advanced benign tumors were unaffected by 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate or teleocidin B and retained extensive actin organization. Most, if not all, adenocarcinomas arise from preexisting preneoplastic adenomatous cells. Thus, loss of actin organization appears to mark the transition of noninvasive benign colonie tumors to invasive malignant tumors in humans. This transition is mimicked in vitro by exposure of certain "late-stage" preneoplastic cells to a tumor promoter which induces secretion of a plasminogen activator.
CYP17 Genetic Variation and Risk of Breast and Prostate Cancer from the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium (BPC3)

CYP17 encodes cytochrome p450c17α, which mediates activities essential for the production of sex steroids. Common germ line variation in the CYP17 gene has been related to inconsistent results in breast and prostate cancer, with most studies focusing on the nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) T27C (rs743572). We comprehensively characterized variation in CYP17 by direct sequencing of exons followed by dense genotyping across the 58 kb region around CYP17 in five racial/ethnic populations. Two blocks of strong linkage disequilibrium were identified and nine haplotype-tagging SNPs, including T27C, were chosen to predict common haplotypes (Rh2 ≥ 0.85). These haplotype-tagging SNPs were genotyped in 8,138 prostate cancer cases and 9,033 controls, and 5,333 breast cancer cases and 7,069 controls from the Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium. We observed borderline significant associations with prostate cancer for rs2486758 [TC versus TT, odds ratios (OR), 1.07; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), 1.00-1.14; CC versus TT, OR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.95-1.26; P trend = 0.04] and rs6892 (AG versus AA, OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.00-1.15; GG versus AA, OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.95-1.30; P trend = 0.03). We also observed marginally significant associations with breast cancer for rs4919687 (GA versus GG, OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97-1.12, AA versus GG, OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.03-1.34; P trend = 0.03) and rs4919682 (CT versus CC, OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97-1.12; TT versus CC, OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.01-1.33; P trend = 0.04). Common variation at CYP17 was not associated with circulating sex steroid hormones in men or postmenopausal women. Our findings do not support the hypothesis that common germ line variation in CYP17 makes a substantial contribution to postmenopausal breast or prostate cancer susceptibility. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(11):2237–46)
Simulating the Formation of Molecular Clouds. II. Rapid Formation from Turbulent Initial Conditions

In this paper we present results from a large set of numerical simulations that demonstrate that H2 formation occurs rapidly in turbulent gas. Starting with purely atomic hydrogen, large quantities of molecular hydrogen can be produced on timescales of 1-2 Myr, given turbulent velocity dispersions and magnetic field strengths consistent with observations. Moreover, as our simulations underestimate the effectiveness of H2 self-shielding and dust absorption, we can be confident that the molecular fractions that we compute are strong lower limits on the true values. The formation of large quantities of molecular gas on the timescale required by rapid cloud formation models therefore appears to be entirely plausible. We also investigate the density and temperature distributions of gas in our model clouds. We show that the density probability distribution function is approximately lognormal, with a dispersion that agrees well with the prediction of Padoan and coworkers. The temperature distribution is similar to that of a polytrope, with an effective polytropic index γeff ≃ 0.8, although at low gas densities, the scatter of the actual gas temperature around this mean value is considerable, and the polytropic approximation does not capture the full range of behavior of the gas.
Is PROGRESA Working? Summary of the Results of an Evaluation by IFPRI

he Programa Nacional de Educacion, Salud y Alimentacion (PROGRESA) is one of the major programs of the Mexican government aimed at developing the human capital of poor households. Targeting its benefits directly to the population in extreme poverty in rural areas, it aims to alleviate current poverty through monetary and inkind benefits, as well as reduce future levels of poverty by encouraging investments in education, health, and nutrition. This document summarizes 24 months of extensive research by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) designed to evaluate whether PROGRESA has been successful at achieving its goals. The evaluation analyzes what has been the impact of PROGRESA on education, health, and nutrition as well as in other areas, such as women's status and work incentives.
Critical factors affecting students’ satisfaction with higher education in Sri Lanka

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explain critical factors affecting student satisfaction levels in selected state universities in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach The study has applied an quantitative survey design guided by six hypotheses. A conceptual framework has been developed to address the research questions on the basis of a literature review. The study is based on an undergraduate sample from four state universities, and it presents results of factor analytics and correlational and regression analyses. Findings Evidence to support construct validity and reliability of all survey-based scales measuring the key variables has been found. The quality of the academic staff, university facilities, degree program, administrative staff, university location and university image have been correlated significantly with student satisfaction levels measured at 0.45, 0.47, 0.51, 0.31, 0.39 and 0.66, respectively. The statistically significant predictors are: the quality of university facilities, the quality of the degree program and the university image, with the image being the strongest predictor. Practical implications The study offers a conceptual framework to guide future research and validated scales for measuring student satisfaction levels in a national higher education system in a developing region that is aspiring toward a knowledge-based economy where tertiary education is free. Five recommendations are provided for policymakers. Originality/value Research shows high variabilities in the models used and the findings of studies on factors affecting student satisfaction levels in universities. The study is among the first large-scale studies of student satisfaction levels in the Sri Lankan state university system, where little data exist on why students are dissatisfied and fail to complete their degrees.
Job characteristics and psychological states of football referees: implications for job enrichment

ABSTRACT A professional football referee performs their job under the public’s gaze and their performance is open to both employer and media critique. This study investigated football referee job design and its relationship to employee performance and well-being. Key job elements of football referees (n = 157) were measured using the Job Characteristics Model. Specialization and information processing were found to be central job elements. Attitudinal and behavioral outcomes of football referees were mainly achieved through skill variety and task significance. The psychological state of meaningfulness of the work was related to growth satisfaction, internal work motivation and efficiency. This research suggests that job enlargement (horizontal development) could be explored as a way to improve referees’ work satisfaction and commitment through job redesign or job crafting. The practical and theoretical significance of these results is discussed.
TGFβ-Induced Smad Signaling Remains Intact in Primary Human Ovarian Cancer Cells.

Disruptions in TGFβ signaling have been implicated in various human cancers, including ovarian cancer. Our goal was to determine whether ovarian cancer cells isolated from patient ascites fluid were growth inhibited by TGFβ1 treatment and further characterize the expression and activity profile of TGFβ/Smad signaling components in human ovarian cancer cells. We found that 9 of 10 primary cultures of ovarian cancer cells (OC2–10) were growth inhibited by 16 pm TGFβ1. One primary ovarian cancer sample (OC1) and the established ovarian cancer cell lines CaOV3 and SkOV3 continued to grow in the presence of TGFβ1. All cells expressed components of the TGFβ/Smad signaling pathway including TGFβ1, TβRI, TβRII, Smad2, -3, -4, and Smad anchor for receptor activation. Although OC1, CaOV3, and SkOV3 are not growth inhibited by TGFβ1, they can transmit the TGFβ1 signal to turn on a transfected TGFβ/Smad reporter gene, p3TP.lux. In addition, all cells up-regulate the endogenous TGFβ target genes Smad7 and PAI-1. p15In.