Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding the selfie phenomenon: current insights and future research directions

Purpose This paper aims to define the conceptual boundary of the selfie and to discuss the role of the selfie in the social media marketplace. Design/methodology/approach This paper extensively reviews and draws themes from the extant literature on consumer identities in the social media marketplace to explain the selfie phenomenon and to identify potentially fruitful directions for further research. Findings Current insights into the selfie phenomenon can be understood from socio-historical, technological, social media, marketing and ethical perspectives. Research limitations/implications Despite the limitations of a general review (e.g. absence of empirical data and analysis), this paper identifies multiple avenues to extend existing lines of inquiry on the selfie phenomenon. Thus, this paper should encourage further research on the topic in the academic and scientific community. Practical implications The selfie can be used as a marketing tool to improve marketing performance and accomplish marketing-related goals. Originality/value This paper sheds light on how marketing academics and practitioners can better understand the impact of the selfie in the social media marketplace.
Ethnic minority linguistic ambivalence and the problem of methodological assessment of language shift among the Ogu in Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract This study examines the ambivalent attitude of the Ogu people towards their language. In a recent survey carried out by the researcher to ascertain the extent of shift from Ogu to Yoruba, findings revealed the ambivalent attitude of the Ogu to their language vis-à-vis Yoruba. A total of 121 copies of a questionnaire were administered in three local government areas of Ogun State. Eighty percent of respondents claimed that the Ogu were loyal to their language and wanted it maintained. This was a stark deviation from the reality on the ground as results from participant observation for a period of ten years showed that the people hardly patronized their language or identified with it. The ambivalent attitude of the Ogu is further confirmation of the inadequacy and unreliability of the questionnaire as an instrument for carrying out empirical research.
Analysis of Series-Connected Discrete Josephson Transmission Line

Employing a generalized resistive-capacitive shunted junction model for Josephson junctions (JJs), the nonlinear wave propagation in the series-connected discrete Josephson transmission line (DJTL) is investigated. A DJTL consists of a finite number of unit cells, each including a segment of superconducting transmission line with a single array stack, or generally a block including an N identical lumped JJ element. As the governing nonlinear wave propagation is a system of nonlinear partial differential equations with mixed boundary conditions, the method of the finite difference time domain is used to solve the equations. By this numerical technique, the behavior of wave propagation along the DJTL can be monitored in time and space domains. Cutoff propagation, dispersive behavior, and shock-wave formation through the DJTL is addressed in this paper.
Selection Criteria and Robust Optimization of a Traction PM-Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motor

In the coming years, the electrification and the deployment of the electric motors in the urban transports will become a more and more widespread reality. The optimization stage of the electric motors usually does not consider in detail the real driving conditions of the car in which the motor is installed. It follows that the actual motor performance in operating points, particularly as regards the torque ripple and the efficiency, might be worse than expected. A robust solution is a required target. This paper deals with the design and optimization of a high-speed permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motor for traction applications, taking into account both city and highway driving cycles. A procedure is employed in order to evaluate the most representative operating points, which have to be considered when a global optimization is required. An analysis of the solution robustness has been performed. Both results and advantages of the adopted methodology are highlighted.
Composite nonlinear feedback control for linear systems with input saturation: theory and an application

We study in this paper the theory and applications of a nonlinear control technique, i.e., the so-called composite nonlinear feedback control, for a class of linear systems with actuator nonlinearities. It consists of a linear feedback law and a nonlinear feedback law without any switching element. The linear feedback part is designed to yield a closed-loop system with a small damping ratio for a quick response, while at the same time not exceeding the actuator limits for the desired command input levels. The nonlinear feedback law is used to increase the damping ratio of the closed-loop system as the system output approaches the target reference to reduce the overshoot caused by the linear part. It is shown that the proposed technique is capable of beating the well-known time-optimal control in the asymptotic tracking situations. The application of such a new technique to an actual hard disk drive servo system shows that it outperforms the conventional method by more than 30%. The technique can be applied to design servo systems that deal with "point-and-shoot" fast targeting.
Auguest 1999 Modelling of Phase Separation in Alloys with Coherent Elastic Misfit 1 by

Elastic interactions arising from a difference of lattice spacing between two coherent phases can have a strong influence on the phase separation (coarsening) behaviour of alloys. If the elastic moduli are different in the two phases, the elastic interactions may accelerate, slow down or even stop the phase separation process. If the material is elastically anisotropic, the precipitates can be shaped like plates or needles instead of spheres and can arrange themselves into highly correlated patterns . Tensions or compressions applied externally to the specimen may have a strong effect on the shapes and arrangement of the precipitates. In this paper, we review the main theoretical approaches that have been used to model these effects and we relate them to experimental observations. The theoretical approaches considered are (i) ‘macroscopic’ models treating the two phases as elastic media separated by a sharp interface (ii) ‘mesoscopic’ models in which the concentration varies continuously across the interface (iii) ‘microscopic’ models which use the positions of individual atoms.
ELOVL6 Genetic Variation Is Related to Insulin Sensitivity: A New Candidate Gene in Energy Metabolism

Background The elongase of long chain fatty acids family 6 (ELOVL6) is an enzyme that specifically catalyzes the elongation of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids with 12, 14 and 16 carbons. ELOVL6 is expressed in lipogenic tissues and it is regulated by sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP-1). Objective We investigated whether ELOVL6 genetic variation is associated with insulin sensitivity in a population from southern Spain. Design We undertook a prospective, population-based study collecting phenotypic, metabolic, nutritional and genetic information. Measurements were made of weight and height and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Insulin resistance was measured by homeostasis model assessment. The type of dietary fat was assessed from samples of cooking oil taken from the participants' kitchens and analyzed by gas chromatography. Five SNPs of the ELOVL6 gene were analyzed by SNPlex. Results Carriers of the minor alleles of the SNPs rs9997926 and rs6824447 had a lower risk of having high HOMA_IR, whereas carriers of the minor allele rs17041272 had a higher risk of being insulin resistant. An interaction was detected between the rs6824447 polymorphism and the intake of oil in relation with insulin resistance, such that carriers of this minor allele who consumed sunflower oil had lower HOMA_IR than those who did not have this allele (P = 0.001). Conclusions Genetic variations in the ELOVL6 gene were associated with insulin sensitivity in this population-based study.
Frequency and cost of chemotherapy-related serious adverse effects in a population sample of women with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND The number, nature, and costs of serious adverse effects experienced by younger women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer outside of clinical trials are unknown. METHODS From a database of medical claims made by individuals with employer-provided health insurance between January 1998 and December 2002, we identified 12,239 women 63 years of age or younger with newly diagnosed breast cancer, of whom 4075 received chemotherapy during the 12 months after the initial breast cancer diagnosis and 8164 did not. Diagnostic codes for eight chemotherapy-related adverse effects were identified. Total hospitalizations for all causes, hospitalizations or emergency room visits for adverse effects that are typically related to chemotherapy, and health care expenditures were compared between the two groups of women. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Women who received chemotherapy were more likely than those who did not to be hospitalized or to visit the emergency room for all causes (61% versus 42%; mean difference = 19%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 16.7% to 21.3%, P<.001) and for chemotherapy-related serious adverse effects (16% versus 5%, mean difference = 11%, 95% CI = 9.6% to 12.4%, P<.001). The percentages of chemotherapy recipients who were hospitalized or visited the emergency room during the year after their breast cancer diagnosis were 8.4% for fever or infection; 5.5% for neutropenia or thrombocytopenia; 2.5% for dehydration or electrolyte disorders; 2.4% for nausea, emesis, or diarrhea; 2.2% for anemia; 2% for constitutional symptoms; 1.2% for deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolus; and 0.9% for malnutrition. Chemotherapy recipients incurred large incremental expenditures for chemotherapy-related serious adverse effects (1271 dollars per person per year) and ambulatory encounters (17,617 dollars per person per year). CONCLUSIONS Chemotherapy-related serious adverse effects among younger, commercially insured women with breast cancer may be more common than reported by large clinical trials and lead to more patient suffering and health care expenditures than previously estimated.
CARIES PREVALENCE OF CHILDREN ATTENDING SPECIAL NEEDS SCHOOLS IN JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG PROVINCE, SOUTH AFRICA

It has not been submitted for any other degree or examination at this university or any other university. ABSTRACT Anecdotal evidence in Johannesburg suggests that the burden of oral health disease, especially dental caries, is significantly higher in children with special health needs than in healthy children. This study sought to determine the dental caries prevalence of children attending special needs schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. The objectives of the study were to determine: (1) demographic characteristics of children attending special needs schools in Johannesburg, (2) the dental caries status of children attending special needs schools in Johannesburg, and (3) treatment needs of children attending special needs schools in Johannesburg; to (4) compare dental caries status and treatment needs of children attending special needs schools in Johannesburg with those revealed by the National Children's Oral Health Survey (NCOHS); and to (5) To determine the association between type of disability and dental caries status. Results: The mean age was 10.5 years of age, with the majority being males (64.97%). The dental caries prevalence was 27.55% in the primary dentition and 33.56% in the permanent dentition. Cerebral palsy and Hearing impaired groups had higher dental caries prevalence. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that children with special health care needs as a group have lower caries prevalence in both the primary and permanent dentition compared to the general population in the NCOHS. They also have high unmet treatment needs regardless of the type of disability.
Rejuvenation of spiral bulges

Abstract We seek to understand whether the stellar populations of galactic bulges show evidence of secular evolution triggered by the presence of the disc. To this end we re-analyse the sample of Proctor & Sansom (2002), deriving stellar population ages and element abundances from absorption line indices as functions of central velocity dispersion and Hubble type. In agreement with other studies in the literature, we find that bulges have relatively low luminosity weighted ages, the lowest age derived being 1.3 Gyr. Hence bulges are not generally old, but actually rejuvenated systems. We discuss evidence that this might be true also for the bulge of the Milky Way. The smallest bulges are the youngest with the lowest α/Fe ratios indicating the presence of significant star formation events involving 10 − 30 per cent of their total mass in the past 1 − 2 Gyr. No significant correlations of the stellar population parameters with Hubble Type are found. We show that the above relationships with σ coincide perfectly with those of early-type galaxies. At a given velocity dispersion, bulges and elliptical galaxies are indistinguishable as far as their stellar populations are concerned. These results favour an inside-out formation scenario and indicate that the discs in spiral galaxies of Hubble types Sbc and earlier cannot have a significant influence on the evolution of the stellar populations in the bulge component. The phenomenon of pseudobulge formation must be restricted to spirals of types later than Sbc.
Genetic programming: the ratio of crossover to mutation as a function of time

This article studies the sub-tree operators: mutation and crossover, within the context of Genetic Programming. Two standard problems, symbolic linear regression and a non-linear tree, were presented to the algorithm at each stage. The behaviour of the operators in regard to fitness is first established, followed by an analysis of the most optimal ratio between crossover and mutation. Subsequently, three algorithms are presented as candidates to dynamically learn the most optimal level of this ratio. The results of each algorithm are then compared to each other and the traditional constant ratio.
Economic evaluation and government regulation of technogenic (Man-Made) damage in the national economy

In order to study the technogenic (man-made) damage in the national economy, regressive economic-mathematical models for disease levels of the population of Ukraine, due to the destructive influence factors (emissions, discharges, waste), have been built in this paper. The economic evaluation and prediction of the man-made losses - cost of treating patients with tumors due to environmental pollution have been conducted. In order to prepare the conditions for achieving "almost zero" man-made damage due to rapid reduction of technogenic pollution (emissions, discharges, waste) and the use of "closed" technologies for collecting, processing, utilizing technogenic waste, the technosoliton model has been proposed. This will increase the effectiveness of state regulation of the phenomenon, provide appropriate allocations for their eradication and compensation.
Study of Perceptions on Cultural Events’ Sustainability

Cultural events and festivals can have a significant and important influence on the development of local communities. Their utilization of the endogenous resources of an area means that these events, most often, have a positive impact on the local economy. Quite consequentially, they may also extend the socio-cultural opportunities of local citizens. However, their utilization of time and space does raise concerns regarding environmental impact. Therefore, it is imperative that stakeholders study their net impact on a region. This present paper examines the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impact of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF). With a history of 15 editions, the festival gathers, year by year, an increasing number of people in Cluj-Napoca. The growth of the event has had unmistakable and important effects on the city. The purpose of the paper is to analyze resident participants’ perceptions on economic, socio-cultural, and environmental effects. To reach this goal, an exploratory and descriptive research was conducted. Both primary and secondary data were used in the analysis, the questionnaire being the main tool used for collecting data about participants’ perceptions. The results emphasize the positive effects at the socio-cultural level. The festival provides multiple possibilities to spend free time in a pleasant way, it sustains the development of cultural life, and it improves the educational and the cultural level of community. Moreover, the festival does not influence, in a negative manner, the moral principles of the society and it does not generate an increase in crime rate. From the economic point of view, the festival has the capacity to attract investments and additional revenues for the local government, it sustains the development of the city infrastructure, and it creates opportunities for residents to develop new economic activities. Lastly, from the environmental point of view, the festival sustains the improvement of environmental issues, it does not generate important traffic problems, and it does not deteriorate touristic resources.
How the global structure of protein interaction networks evolves

Two processes can influence the evolution of protein interaction networks: addition and elimination of interactions between proteins, and gene duplications increasing the number of proteins and interactions. The rates of these processes can be estimated from available Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome data and are sufficiently high to affect network structure on short time-scales. For instance, more than 100 interactions may be added to the yeast network every million years, a fraction of which adds previously unconnected proteins to the network. Highly connected proteins show a greater rate of interaction turnover than proteins with few interactions. From these observations one can explain (without natural selection on global network structure) the evolutionary sustenance of the most prominent network feature, the distribution of the frequency P(d) of proteins with d neighbours, which is broad-tailed and consistent with a power law, that is: P(d) α d -γ.
Numerical simulation study on the heat transfer characteristics of a double pipe heat exchanger

A finite volume method model on the double-pipe heat exchanger with constant thermal flux in inner tube was established. The film convective heat transfer coefficient was obtained under the conditions of laminar flow, transitional flow and turbulent flow. The two-dimensional axial symmetry model was adopted, and the implicit format was used in discrete equations. In comparison with classic empirical formula of film convective heat transfer coefficient, the error of results in this paper was within 15%, and the model could serve the engineering practice as a reference.
A set of miRNAs that involve in the pathways of drug resistance and leukemic stem-cell differentiation is associated with the risk of relapse and glucocorticoid response in childhood ALL

Relapse is a major challenge in the successful treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Despite intensive research efforts, the mechanisms of ALL relapse are still not fully understood. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying treatment outcome, therapy response and the biology of relapse is required. In this study, we carried out a genome-wide microRNA (miRNA) microarray analysis to determine the miRNA expression profiles and relapse-associated miRNA patterns in a panel of matched diagnosis–relapse or diagnosis–complete remission (CR) childhood ALL samples. A set of miRNAs differentially expressed either in relapsed patients or at diagnosis compared with CR was further validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in an independent sample set. Analysis of the predicted functions of target genes based on gene ontology ‘biological process’ categories revealed that the abnormally expressed miRNAs are associated with oncogenesis, classical multidrug resistance pathways and leukemic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation pathways. Several targets of the miRNAs associated with ALL relapse were experimentally validated, including FOXO3, BMI1 and E2F1. We further investigated the association of these dysregulated miRNAs with clinical outcome and confirmed significant associations for miR-708, miR-223 and miR-27a with individual relapse-free survival. Notably, miR-708 was also found to be associated with the in vivo glucocorticoid therapy response and with disease risk stratification. These miRNAs and their targets might be used to optimize anti-leukemic therapy, and serve as novel targets for development of new countermeasures of leukemia. This fundamental study may also contribute to establish the mechanisms of relapse in other cancers.
Retinal Vein Occlusion and Pregnancy, Pre-Eclampsia, and Eclampsia: The Results from a Nationwide, Population-Based Study Using the National Claim Database

Objective To investigate the incidence of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) in pregnant women and in the subpopulation of pregnant women with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia compared to that in the age-matched general female population to determine if there is increased risk of RVO in pregnancy. Design Nationwide population-based retrospective study using data entered into the Korean national health claims database from 2007 to 2011. Setting and Participants Of the incident RVO cases in the database, RVO cases that occurred during the pregnancy-associated period, which spanned a 52-week period from 40-weeks-before to 12-weeks-after childbirth, were identified. Of these cases, the presence of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia was determined. Main Outcome and Measure The standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of RVO in the general pregnant population and in the pregnant population with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia were determined with respect to the age-matched general female population. Results Pregnancy-related RVO was identified in 33 cases from the 1.8 million women who experience childbirth during the study period, while the expected number of cases calculated by the direct standardization to the age-matched general population was 113. Of the 33 patients, 12 patients (36.4%) had pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. The SIR for the general pregnant population in reference to the age-matched general female population was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.20–0.41). In contrast, the SIR for the pregnant population with pre-eclampsia/eclampsia in reference to the age-matched general female population and the age-matched general pregnant population was 67.50 (95% CI, 34.88–117.92) and 246.50 (95% CI, 127.37–430.59), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance The results suggest that pre-eclampsia/eclampsia is a risk factor for RVO, while pregnancy itself may not be a risk factor for RVO.