Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Robust consensus-based droop control for multiple power converters in isolated micro-grids

In order to provide autonomous power sharing of the conventional droop-control scheme for multiple power converters in isolated micro-grids, two consensus-based droop-control schemes will be examined. Since the conventional uniform droop gain ratio scheme requires identical droop gain ratio settings among all converters, applications to large-scale systems are restricted. An alternative scheme with the non-uniform droop gain ratio is proposed in this paper to simplify the droop gain setting while maintaining the perfect power sharing. Also, this new scheme is more robust since it is independent of particular gain settings. Real-time simulations of a micro-grid system are conducted to validate the effectiveness of this robust consensus-based droop control method.
From Decent Work to Decent Lives: Positive Self and Relational Management (PS&RM) in the Twenty-First Century

The aim of the present study is to empirically test the theoretical model, Positive Self and Relational Management (PS&RM), for a sample of 184 Italian university students. The PS&RM model specifies the development of individuals' strengths, potentials, and talents across the lifespan and with regard to the dialect of self in relationship. PS&RM is defined theoretically by three constructs: Positive Lifelong Life Management, Positive Lifelong Self-Management, Positive Lifelong Relational Management. The three constructs are operationalized as follows: Positive Lifelong Life Management is measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), the Meaningful Life Measure (MLM), and the Authenticity Scale (AS); Positive Lifelong Self-Management is measured by the Intrapreneurial Self-Capital Scale (ISC), the Career Adapt-Abilities Scale (CAAS), and the Life Project Reflexivity Scale (LPRS); and Positive Lifelong Relational Management is measured by the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue), the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Positive Relational Management Scale (PRMS). Confirmatory factor analysis of the PS&RM model was completed using structural equation modeling. The theoretical PS&RM model was empirically tested as defined by the three hypothesized constructs. Empirical support for this model offers a framework for further research and the design of preventive interventions to promote decent work and decent lives in the twenty-first century.
Quantitative studies on the polarization optical properties of living cells II. The role of microtubules in birefringence of the spindle of the sea urchin egg

Birefringence of the mitotic apparatus (MA) and its change during mitosis in sea urchin eggs were quantitatively determined using the birefringence detection apparatus reported in the preceding paper (Hiramoto el al., 1981, J. Cell Biol. 89:115-120). The birefringence and the form of the MA are represented by five parameters: peak retardation (delta p), through retardation (delta t), interpolar distance (D1), the distance (D2) between chromosome groups moving toward poles, and the distance (D3) between two retardation peaks. Distributions of birefringence retardation and the coefficient of birefringence in the spindle were quantitatively determined in MAs isolated during metaphase and anaphase. The distribution of microtubules (MTs) contained in the spindle is attributable to the form birefringence caused by regularly arranged MTs. The distribution coincided fairly well with the distribution of MTs in isolated MAs determined by electron microscopy. Under the same assumption, the distribution of MTS in the spindle in living cells during mitosis was determined. The results show that the distribution of MTs and the total amount of polymerized tubulin (MTs) in the spindle change during mitosis, suggesting the assembly and disassembly of MTs as well as the dislocation of MTs during mitosis.
The Mere Categorization Effect: How the Presence of Categories Increases Choosers' Perceptions of Assortment Variety and Outcome Satisfaction

What is the effect of option categorization on choosers’ satisfaction? A combination of field and laboratory experiments reveals that the mere presence of categories, irrespective of their content, positively influences the satisfaction of choosers who are unfamiliar with the choice domain. This “mere categorization effect” is driven by a greater number of categories signaling greater variety amongst the available options, which allows for a sense of self-determination from choice. This effect, however, is attenuated among choosers who are familiar with the choice domain, who do not rely on the presence of categories to perceive the variety available.
Transgender HIV Prevention: Qualitative Evaluation of a Model Prevention Education Program

This study employed focus group methodology to evaluate the impact of the first HIV prevention education workshop targeting the transgender community. The impact on AIDS awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and risk reduction; participant satisfaction; and suggestions for program improvement were assessed. Qualitative analysis of the discussion transcript indicated the following: a panel of transgender persons with HIV/AIDS enhanced AIDS awareness and perceived susceptibility to HIV infection, sexual negotiation role-plays facilitated risk reduction by helping participants put knowledge into practice in a transgender-specific context, and assessment of personal risk and the development of an individualized prevention plan appeared effective. Participants suggested paying more attention to the context in which HIV risk occurs, integrating HIV prevention into transgender-specific sexuality education, and diversifying recruitment and intervention strategies to target hard-to-reach subgroups of the transgender po.
Oral health promotion in early childhood: age of joining preventive program and behavioral aspects

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the interference of age in the entrance into a public dental care program for infants as well as family behavioral aspects about tooth decay experience in children 0 to 4 years old. Methods: Cross-sectional study involving 465 children who were divided into 3 groups: infants whose mothers joined the program during pregnancy (n=50); infants enrolled in the program during the first year of life (n=230); and infants enrolled in the program between 13 and 18 months old (n=185). The χ2 and Kruskal-Walis tests (95% confidence interval) were used to assess the relationship among variables. Results: There was an association between the age of entrance in the programs and dental caries (p<0.001). A lower prevalence was seen in infants whose mothers joined the program during pregnancy, and among those infants enrolled in the program during the first year of life. The same low prevalence occurred in relation to mothers' commitment to attend follow-up visits with their infants, cariogenic diet, nighttime oral care, duration of night feeding and parents' educational level (p<0.001). Unfavorable socioeconomic conditions (p>0.05) and daily oral care (p=0.214) were common variables in the groups with 99% of occurrence. Commitment to attend follow-up visits, nighttime oral care and parents' educational level (p>0.05) were considered protective factors for dental caries. Cariogenic diet and night feeding were determinant factors to the appearance of dental caries. Conclusion: To promote children oral health it is essential to enroll children in oral health programs and adopt healthy habits as early as possible, besides the adherence of the child to their parents' advice.
Problems experienced by informal caregivers with older care recipients with and without cognitive impairment

ABSTRACT The care of older persons can have negative impact on the caregiver. The objective of this population-based observational study is to identify problems experienced by informal caregivers, and the extent of related difficulties, in their care of older care-dependent recipients with and without cognitive impairment. Caregivers (n = 2,704) caring for a home-dwelling person aged ≥ 75 years responded to a questionnaire with 23 questions on problems and related difficulties by mail. Prevalence of self-reported problems and related difficulties was calculated. The impact of the problem was estimated by weighing the percentage of problems reported as being difficult against the prevalence of problems. The median number of problems was 12 (range 0–23), with 5 (range 0–23) reported as difficult. Informal caregivers experience a variety of problems, with the impossibility to engage in joint social activities having the highest impact. The impact of problems increased when the care recipient had a cognitive problem.
Metastat ic Castrat ion-res is tant Prostate Cancer 2011 : Exci t ing Advances , New Chal lenges

Overview: Although metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains the second leading cause of cancerrelated deaths for men in the United States, effective treatment options have been limited. Recently, the therapeutic armamentarium for mCRPC has expanded. Sipuleucel-T, abiraterone, and cabazitaxel have all shown improvements in overall survival in phase III trials, and several other agents are currently being explored. Advances have also occurred in the management of skeletal metastases. Denosumab was shown in a phase III trial to delay the time to a skeletal-related event relative to zoledronic acid for men with mCRPC who have osseous metastases. With these recent advances come additional challenges for oncologists, including how to choose and sequence therapies appropriately for individual patients.
The Value of Yolk Sac Diameter at Vaginal Ultrasonography as a Predictor of the First Trimester Pregnancy Outcome

Objective: The aim of this work was to determine the value of using ultrasonographic measurement of both yolk sac diameter and gestational sac diameter in the first trimester for prediction of pregnancy outcome. Subjects and Methods: This prospective observational study included 100 pregnant females in their first trimester of singleton pregnancy with no medical diseases. All women were examined by vaginal ultrasound during the 6 week of gestation to measure yolk sac diameter (YSD) and gestational sac diameter (GSD). During the 13 week of gestation, abdominal ultrasound was done to remeasure the sacs and confirm fetal well-being. This examination was the cutoff point of success of pregnancy. Results: The YS was measurable in 72 cases, absent in 16 cases and bandshaped in 2 cases. The latter 2 cases are combined with cases of absent YS in one group. YSD had good positive correlation with GSD (r = 0.709, p< 0.001) and GA (r = 0.646, p< 0.001). The outcome at the 13 week was normal in 74 women and abnormal in 26. Absence of the yolk sac was significantly associated with abnormal outcome (Odds Ratio (OR): 10.3, 95% CI: 5.3-19.8). Cases with abnormal outcome had significantly smaller yolk sacs and YSD/GSD ratio. YSD ≤ 3.1 mm predicts abnormal outcome with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 63.5%, while YSD/GSD ratio ≤ 0.2 shows the absolute sensitivity and specificity (100%). YSD/GA ≤ 0.065 predicts abnormal outcome with 100% sensitivity and specificity.Conclusion: Measurement of yolk sac diameter is a good predictor of bad neonatal outcome especially as a ratio to gestational sac diameter. [khaled S. Mousa, Amr Mohamed ElHelaly and Mahmoud Abd El-Aziz. The Value of Yolk Sac Diameter at Vaginal Ultrasonography as a Predictor of the First Trimester Pregnancy Outcome. Life Sci J 2014;11(1):236240]. (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com. 35
Salicylic acid modulates arsenic toxicity by reducing its root to shoot translocation in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Arsenic (As) is posing serious health concerns in South East Asia where rice, an efficient accumulator of As, is prominent crop. Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signaling molecule and plays a crucial role in resistance against biotic and abiotic stress in plants. In present study, ameliorative effect of SA against arsenate (AsV) toxicity has been investigated in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Arsenate stress hampered the plant growth in terms of root, shoots length, and biomass as well as it enhanced the level of H2O2 and MDA in dose dependent manner in shoot. Exogenous application of SA, reverted the growth, and oxidative stress caused by AsV and significantly decreased As translocation to the shoots. Level of As in shoot was positively correlated with the expression of OsLsi2, eﬄux transporter responsible for root to shoot translocation of As in the form of arsenite (AsIII). SA also overcame AsV induced oxidative stress and modulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes in a differential manner in shoots. As treatment hampered the translocation of Fe in the shoot which was compensated by the SA treatment. The level of Fe in root and shoot was positively correlated with the transcript level of transporters responsible for the accumulation of Fe, OsNRAMP5, and OsFRDL1, in the root and shoot, respectively. Co-application of SA was more effective than pre-treatment for reducing As accumulation as well as imposed toxicity.
Motivating Park and Recreation Professionals: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

This paperviews the differences and similarities between park and recreation professionals in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, and the United States, using Frederick Herzberg's two-factor motivation hygiene theory. This cross-cultural study analyzes the responses of professionals in these four geographic areas to aquestionnaireranking twenty motivation statements. The rankings were compared with one another to determine whether the differences or similarities of professionals' responses were more pronounced. In all geographic areas studied, "doing important, worthwhile work," "doing interesting work," and "job growth" were ranked extremely high. Conversely, in all geographic areas, "being appointed leader of a group" and having the "opportunity for raises and other rewards" were ranked extremely low. Statements were more similarly ranked between Australia, Canada, and the United States than between these three countries and Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, a greater emphasis was placed on suchhygienefactors as "good wages," "job security," and "chance for promotion. "?
Selective expansion of T cells expressing V beta 2 in toxic shock syndrome

Infection with Staphylococcus aureus and the production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome. Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that TSST-1 is a powerful but selective stimulator of human T cells, and that the majority of activated cells express the TCR V beta 2 gene segment. We therefore studied patients with toxic shock syndrome using a modification of the PCR to determine if expansion of V beta 2+ T cells is a marker of the in vivo disease process. Five of eight patients studied demonstrated markedly elevated levels of circulating V beta 2+ T cells, whereas none showed significantly elevated levels of T cells expressing other V beta gene segments. The results suggest that toxin-mediated T cell activation, which involves a large fraction of the human T cell repertoire, may be critical in the pathogenesis of this disease.
Machos, Maricones, and Gays: Cuba and Homosexuality

Acknowledgments Introduction 1. An Introduction to Contemporary Cuba 2. Machismo and Homosexuality before the Revolution 3. Institutionalized Homophobia 4. Homosexuality and the Law 5. Homosexuality and Sexual Education in the 1980s 6. The Erosion of Traditional Machismo 7. Gay Life in Havana Today 8. The Impact of AIDS 9. An Imperfect Revolution in an Imperfect World Appendix A: Cuban Sexual Values and African Religious Beliefs Tomas Fernandez Robaina Appendix B: El Pecado Original Pablo Milanes Appendix C: Manifesto of the Gay and Lesbian Association of Cuba Notes Select Bibliography Index
Office hysteroscopy in an in vitro fertilization program

Objective. In the present paper we evaluate the incidence of intrauterine pathologies in a population undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Moreover, we compare the IVF outcome between patients with normal and abnormal uterine findings to determine if office hysteroscopy (OH) is of any clinical significance. Methods. The hysteroscopic findings in 866 consecutive patients were analyzed. The study group included 555 patients at the first IVF attempt and 311 patients with two or more failed IVF cycles. Results. All hysteroscopic parameters were considered normal in 514 cases (59.4%); in 352 cases (40.6%) various pathological conditions were found. Patients were divided into two groups according to the hysteroscopic findings. The implantation and pregnancy rates were similar between the groups. Comparing the clinical outcomes in patients with repeated IVF failure who had hysteroscopy with no pathology and with pathology, we did not find any statistical differences. Conclusions. This study suggests that hysteroscopy as a routine infertility examination should be performed in all patients, owing to the elevated incidence of hysteroscopic pathological findings (59.4%); hysteroscopy also seems to be the best way to repair the uterine cavity when pathological conditions are present. However, performing OH before IVF–embryo transfer is of no significant value in improving pregnancy outcomes.
The epidemiology of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in South African children.

OBJECTIVES To review the incidence, outcomes and risk factors associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection in South African children. DESIGN Review of published literature and laboratory records. METHODS Review of the published literature. Articles listed on MEDLINE with 'South African' or 'children' and 'respiratory syncytial virus' or 'acute respiratory tract infections' as text words were retrieved. We analysed the data on respiratory virus activity from January 1990 to June 1996. Data were obtained from the National Institute for Virology database, which includes information on viral respiratory infections from the seven academic virology departments in South Africa. RESULTS Acute respiratory tract infections cause approximately 8% of all deaths in the under-5 age group in South Africa. The published hospital-based incidence of RSV infection varies from 3% to 18%. Mortality rates in these studies were between 12% and 43%. Risk factors identified for severe RSV infection requiring hospitalisation were malnutrition, prematurity, age < 6 months, vitamin A deficiency, environmental pollution and congenital heart disease. There is a seasonal peak in RSV cases, with the majority occurring in winter. CONCLUSIONS Acute respiratory tract infections and RSV infections are an important cause of mortality and morbidity in young children in South Africa. However, currently available information from laboratory records and published South African literature is not sufficient to assess the impact of this infection. Age-specific incidence data in the 0-5-year age group are essential for the rational planning and implementation of future vaccine strategies, public health interventions and treatment of RSV infections.
Acute exacerbated COPD: room for improvement in key elements of care

Introduction Hospitalizations because of acute exacerbated COPD (AECOPD) are a major burden to patients and the health care system. Interventions during acute and post-acute hospital care exist not only to improve short-term outcomes but also to prevent future exacerbations and disease progression. We aimed at measuring the implementation rates of acute and post-acute hospital care interventions for AECOPD. Methods We performed 24 months (January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2013) retrospective medical chart review of consecutive cases hospitalized to one of three public hospitals in the canton of Zurich due to AECOPD. Implementation rates of five acute care and seven post-acute care interventions were assessed. Results Data from 263 hospitalizations (61% male, mean age 68.5 years, 47% active smokers) were analyzed. The median length of stay was 9 days (interquartile range [IQR] 6–12 days). In all, 32% of hospitalizations were caused by individuals with previous hospitalizations because of AECOPD. Implementation rates of four acute care interventions were >75% (lowest was appropriate antibiotic therapy with 56%). Compared to this, implementation rates of five post-acute care interventions were <25% (lowest was patient education and self-management advice with 2%). Conclusion The results of this audit revealed room for improvement mainly in post-acute care interventions for AECOPD.
The Parkinson Disease Protein Leucine-Rich Repeat Kinase 2 Transduces Death Signals via Fas-Associated Protein with Death Domain and Caspase-8 in a Cellular Model of Neurodegeneration

Neurodegenerative illnesses such as Parkinson and Alzheimer disease are an increasingly prevalent problem in aging societies, yet no therapies exist that retard or prevent neurodegeneration. Dominant missense mutations in leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) are the most common genetic cause of Parkinson disease (PD), but the mechanisms by which mutant forms of LRRK2 disrupt neuronal function and cause cell death remain poorly understood. We report that LRRK2 interacts with the death adaptor Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), and that in primary neuronal culture LRRK2-mediated neurodegeneration is prevented by the functional inhibition of FADD or depletion of caspase-8, two key elements of the extrinsic cell death pathway. This pathway is activated by disease-triggering mutations, which enhance the LRRK2-FADD association and the consequent recruitment and activation of caspase-8. These results establish a direct molecular link between a mutant PD gene and the activation of programmed cell death signaling, and suggest that FADD/caspase-8 signaling contributes to LRRK2-induced neuronal death.
Comparison of oxidant-antioxidant status in patients with vitiligo and healthy population.

BACKGROUND Vitiligo is a well-recognized pigmentary disorder of the skin and /or mucous membrane characterized by circumscribed ivory or chalky white macules devoid of identifiable melanocytes. The pathogenesis of vitiligo is complex and still not well understood. According to autocytotoxic hypothesis, oxidative stress has been suggested to be the initial pathogenic event in melanocyte degeneration. The role of free radicals and oxidative damage in the pathophysiology of vitiligo has been documented in recent studies. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of oxidative stress in patients with vitiligo and of healthy controls by measuring levels of the oxidant malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidants vitamin C and vitamin E in serum and catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes. METHOD A total of 80 clinically diagnosed cases of vitiligo and 80 control subjects were included in the study to assess the activity of MDA, vitamin C and vitamin E in serum and CAT in erythrocytes of patients and controls by using the spectrophotometric assay. RESULT There was statistically significant increase in the levels of MDA in patients with vitiligo compared to the control group (p<0.001). No significant difference was found in the levels of vitamin C (p=0.411) and vitamin E (p=0.771) between the patients with vitiligo and control group. The levels of CAT in the vitiligo patients were found to be significantly lower than those of controls (p<0.001). CONCLUSION Increased oxidative stress and decreased catalase have been observed in vitiligo patients and the data suggesting that the free radicals may be involved in the destruction of melanocytes or dysregulation of melanogenesis.