Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D Insufficiency : A Significant Risk Factor in Chronic Diseases and Potential Disease-Specific Biomarkers of Vitamin D Sufficiency Vitamin D and Calcium in the Prevention of Prostate and Colon Cancer : New Approaches for the Identification of Needs 1

Identification of the mechanisms involved in the pathology of nutrient deficiency provides an understanding of nutrient functions, their role in metabolism, and interactions between nutrients. However, evidence has emerged in recent years that low (suboptimal) intakes of micronutrients are associated with an elevated risk of chronic diseases. The description of micronutrient associations with chronic disease as a deficiency disease does not capture the complexity of these relations. It implies a significant oversimplification of this relation and detracts from the need for development of new approaches to this area of study. Epidemiologic study designs are essential for progress in understanding the micronutrient–chronic-disease relations, and these are described. Two areas wherein epidemiological tools could be incorporated into experimental designs have been vitamin D and prostate cancer, and vitamin D and colon cancer. In each case, biomarkers of exposure, intermediary markers, and mechanisms have been identified and could be implemented in new experimental designs. Measures of exposure would be improved by incorporation of measurements of vitamin D status such as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurements. Several intermediary markers are discussed and may be useful in the characterization of responses. Such developments should aid in the interpretation of studies and identify vitamin D, as well as calcium intakes, that will aid in the prevention of prostate and colon cancer. J. Nutr. 135: 326–331, 2005.
A Delaunay Meshing Algorithm with “ Built-in ” Concurrency [ Extended

Most Delaunay refinement-based meshing algorithms maintain a vertex-free “buffer zone” enclosing the edges and faces in the mesh boundary to guarantee a lower bound on edge lengths. To maintain this buffer zone, vertex insertions on or near the domain boundary must be strictly ordered—it is this ordering requirement that makes parallelization difficult. In this paper, we show that it is possible to enforce a minimum edge length condition locally and without strict ordering by searching the circumball conflict set for boundary edges and faces that are too close to a new vertex. We use the circumball conflict set as the basis of a new algorithm that can provably generate meshes whose tetrahedra have a maximum circumradius to shortest edge ratio of 2 when meshing polyhedral domains without acute boundary angles. The algorithm does not impose an order on vertex insertions, so we can prove correctness even in the case of concurrently inserted vertices. The result is a guaranteedquality Delaunay meshing algorithm that is specifically designed for parallelization; i.e. concurrency is “built-in”.
Beyond the “gentry aesthetic”: elites, Received Pronunciation and the dialectological gaze

ABSTRACT I argue here that sociolinguistic studies of elite accents have largely been trapped in a methodological and theoretical cul-de-sac, isolated from other work in dialectology, blinkered by outdated concepts of elite status, and entangled with ideologies about standard accents. I begin by presenting the hurdles that face scholars of elite accents in English. There have, firstly, been few robust empirical investigations of English elite accents and our understanding of them has not been integrated into theorisations of language variation and change. Secondly, there has been a consistent but problematic “gentry aesthetic” in work on such accents – a concentration on the aristocratic, landed, private school-educated elite. Thirdly, a cycle of ideological linkages between phonetic descriptions of English, elites and accent standards has led to an overpowering dominance of “Received Pronunciation” (RP) in debate about upper-class accents, preventing us from examining the everyday accents of elites independent both of century-old descriptions of RP and of the assumption that elite accents are standard accents. I conclude by outlining what a dialectology of elites might look like, freed from overpowering orientations to RP and the standard, and enabling elite accents to be integrated into sociolinguistic models of language variation.
Compact Triple-Mode Filter Based on Quarter-Mode Substrate Integrated Waveguide

An isosceles right triangular waveguide with one electric wall and two magnetic walls is proposed to design a triple-mode filter implemented in a substrate integrated waveguide. The complete closed-form modal solutions are presented for both transverse electric and transverse magnetic modes in the isosceles right triangular waveguide. The resonant frequencies of a resonator made of a short isosceles right triangular waveguide can then be calculated. A structure called a quarter-mode substrate integrated waveguide (QMSIW) is introduced to realize the proposed triangular waveguide resonator in a compact and planar form. Simulated electric field distributions of modes excited in the QMSIW are in good agreement with theoretical predictions for the solid waveguide structure, demonstrating the feasibility of QMSIW resonators. Finally, a compact triple-mode filter is designed and fabricated based on the discussed QMSIW. The frequency responses and group delay of the filter are tested, and measured results agree very well with simulated ones. This demonstrates that the proposed QMSIW structure is an excellent candidate for compact triple-mode filters.
Learning Illumination-and Orientation-invariant Representations of Objects through Temporal Association General Methods Experiment Ii

As the orientation or illumination of an object changes so does its appearance. This paper considers how observers are nonetheless able to recognize objects that have undergone such changes. In particular the paper tests the hypothesis that observers rely on temporal correlations between different object views to decide whether they are views of the same object or not. In a series of experiments subjects were shown a sequence of views representing a slowly transforming object. Testing revealed that subjects had formed object representations which were directly influenced by the temporal characteristics of the training views. In particular, introducing spurious correlations between views of different people's heads caused subjects to regard those views as being of a single person. This rapid and robust overriding of basic generalization processes supports the view that our recognition system tracks the correlated appearance of views of objects across time. Such view associations appear to allow the visual system to solve the view invariance problem without recourse to complex illumination models for extracting 3D form, or the use of the image plane transformations required to make appearance-based comparisons.invariant representations of objects through temporal association. Introduction Classical approaches to object recognition focus on deconstructing the retinal image into cues relating to 3D shape such as depth and edge junctions (Biederman, 1987; Marr & Hildreth, 1980). An alternative model proposes that recognition is based upon image matching (Bülthoff & Edelman, 1992) and more recently, abstract feature In its simplest form, the image-based approach can be thought of as gathering snapshots of an object taken under varying viewing conditions. Recognition simply requires matching new images to any one of the stored images. A challenge for such a model is explaining how the system knows which views are views of a particular object. Associating object views according to the similarity of spatial characteristics can, at best, only provide limited tolerance to variations in an object's appearance. Alternatively, the visual system could associate views on the basis of their temporal proximity Temporal proximity is informative because successive views are likely to come from a single (possibly transforming) object. As we turn a box in our hand, for example, it produces a stream of reproducible, temporally correlated views. Associating views in this way has the advantage that it is useful for invariance learning across all manner of naturally occurring transformations including rotation in depth, spatial shifts and in-plane rotations, size changes, illumination …
Examples of ferroresonance in a high voltage power system

Catastrophic equipment failures continue to occur today due to ferroresonance even though this phenomenon has been extensively studied over the past ninety years. This paper is concerned with describing practical examples of ferroresonance in a high voltage transmission system. Methods of mitigating ferroresonance are discussed.
Data Use Practices for Improved Mathematics Teaching and Learning: The Importance of Productive Dissonance and Recurring Feedback Cycles

Background A growing number of studies argue that data use practices in schools have not sufficiently attended to teachers’ learning about students, subject matter, and instruction. The result has been changes in instructional management (e.g., student grouping, assignment of students to tutoring) rather than instructional improvement. Further, there is a paucity of research on how teachers make sense of data and their ensuing instructional actions. Purpose We report findings from qualitative research on an intervention designed to put teacher learning about mathematics instruction center stage in data use practices. The research sought to understand what happened as teachers made sense of data in their professional learning communities (PLCs), what changes they made in their mathematics instruction, and why they made the changes. Research Design The theoretical foundation for the research is situative theory, which conceptualizes teacher growth as “a process of increasing participation in the practice of teaching, and through this participation a process of becoming knowledgeable in and about teaching. ” A case study approach was chosen to illuminate the complex interrelationships among intervention components and their influence on teachers: (1) between individual teacher sensemaking about data and collective sensemaking in PLCs and (2) between sensemaking and instructional changes. Additionally, case study methodology facilitates theory building grounded directly in data by providing nuanced accounts of the phenomena under study that uncover concepts and coherently relate them to one another. Teacher interpretation of data is ripe for theory building. Findings The case study of Ms. Walker illustrates in rich detail the developmental nature of her growth and the important roles of dissonance, collegial discussion, and productive dissonance in that process. Due to considerable progress in both her questioning strategies and her ability to build on student thinking to focus on important mathematical ideas, Ms. Walker was able to move beyond surface instructional adjustments to demonstrate substantial instructional improvement. Conclusion/Recommendations We argue that a fuller understanding of how teachers experience dissonance, and the supports necessary to make that dissonance productive, can enrich the design and implementation of data use practices. The research also offers an example of the contribution that microprocess studies can make to research on data use practices. We encourage researchers to attend carefully to teacher sensemaking and interrogate the concepts of dissonance and productive dissonance in future theory building about data use practices.
Resampling methods for spatial regression models under a class of stochastic designs

In this paper we consider the problem of bootstrapping a class of spatial regression models when the sampling sites are generated by a (possibly nonuniform) stochastic design and are irregularly spaced. It is shown that the natural extension of the existing block bootstrap methods for grid spatial data does not work for irregularly spaced spatial data under nonuniform stochastic designs. A variant of the blocking mechanism is proposed. It is shown that the proposed block bootstrap method provides a valid approximation to the distribution of a class of M-estimators of the spatial regression parameters. Finite sample properties of the method are investigated through a moderately large simulation study and a real data example is given to illustrate the methodology.
Teaching Children With Language-Learning Disabilities to Plan and Revise Compare–Contrast Texts

This study used a multiple-probe, multiple-baseline single-case design to investigate the efficacy of planning, and then revising strategy instruction using self-regulated strategy development on the compare–contrast writing performance of three late elementary students with language-learning disabilities. After receiving the planning instruction, all three students spent more time planning and generated quality written plans. Their essays were longer, included more text structure elements, and demonstrated better overall quality. After receiving the subsequent revising instruction, further increases in writing accuracy were found, but planning time, quality of written plans, text length, and text structure elements somewhat decreased. Also, overall essay quality did not further improve following revising instruction. Positive gains were maintained for 4 weeks and generalized to writing explanatory essays.
Preliminary linkage studies in sheep of keratin and keratin-associated protein genes with fleece weight , wool fibre diameter and fibre curvature

A linkage study was conducted to detect variations in the genes for keratins and keratin-associated proteins (KRTAP) that might affect wool traits. To date 93 such genes have been identified in sheep: 85 of them (~91%) are clustered in three chromosomal regions. Twenty-one genes are grouped within a 4-Mbp region on sheep chromosome 1 (OAR1), 28 within a 1-Mbp segment on chromosome 3 (OAR3), and 36 are clustered within a 1.3-Mbp site on chromosome 11 (OAR11). The DNA markers used in this work were single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) dispersed throughout these keratin and KRTAP gene clusters. Markers were designed as three SNP-multiplexes: a 25-SNP, a 15-SNP and a 19-SNP multiplex for keratins/KRTAP regions on OAR1, OAR3 and OAR11, respectively. Resource animals came from eleven sire families whose progeny had been phenotyped for greasy fleece weight, washing yield, fibre curvature and diameter. Between 29 and 45 progeny per sire were genotyped with the three SNPmultiplexes. Linkage analyses on co-segregation of SNP alleles from sires with wool phenotypes of progeny were done across all the sires and within sire groups. Based on theoretical genome-wide threshold (F-value 10.13 and nominal P = 0.0016 for withinsire suggestive level), one family showed suggestive quantitative trait loci for greasy fleece weight on OAR1 and fibre diameter variability on OAR3. For these experimental animals, the results show no strong evidence of involvement of keratin and KRTAP genes in the wool characteristics analysed.
Growth signaling promotes chronological aging in budding yeast by inducing superoxide anions that inhibit quiescence

Inhibition of growth signaling pathways protects against aging and age-related diseases in parallel with reduced oxidative stress. The relationships between growth signaling, oxidative stress and aging remain unclear. Here we report that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, alterations in growth signaling pathways impact levels of superoxide anions that promote chronological aging and inhibit growth arrest of stationary phase cells in G0/G1. Factors that decrease intracellular superoxide anions in parallel with enhanced longevity and more efficient G0/G1 arrest include genetic inactivation of growth signaling pathways that inhibit Rim15p, which activates oxidative stress responses, and downregulation of these pathways by caloric restriction. Caloric restriction also reduces superoxide anions independently of Rim15p by elevating levels of H2O2, which activates superoxide dismutases. In contrast, high glucose or mutations that activate growth signaling accelerate chronological aging in parallel with increased superoxide anions and reduced efficiency of stationary phase G0/G1 arrest. High glucose also activates DNA damage responses and preferentially kills stationary phase cells that fail to arrest growth in G0/G1. These findings suggest that growth signaling promotes chronological aging in budding yeast by elevating superoxide anions that inhibit quiescence and induce DNA replication stress. A similar mechanism likely contributes to aging and age-related diseases in complex eukaryotes.
Auctions with Limited Commitment

We study the role of limited commitment in a standard auction environment. In each period, the seller can commit to an auction with a reserve price but not to future reserve prices. We characterize the set of equilibrium profits attainable for the seller as the period length vanishes. An immediate sale by efficient auction is optimal when there are at least three buyers. For many natural distributions two buyers is enough. Otherwise, we give conditions under which the maximal profit is attained through continuously declining reserve prices. (JEL D44, D82)
Left ventricular filling characteristics in pulmonary hypertension: a new mode of ventricular interaction

Objective—To examine the effects of pulmonary hypertension on left ventricular diastolic function and to relate the findings to possible mechanisms of interdependence between the right and left sides of the heart in ventricular disease. Design—A retrospective and prospective analysis of echocardiographic and Doppler studies. Setting—A tertiary referral centre for both cardiac and pulmonary disease. Patients—29 patients with pulmonary hypertension (12 primary pulmonary hypertension, 10 pulmonary fibrosis, five atrial septal defect (ASD), and two scleroderma) were compared with a control group of 10 patients with an enlarged right ventricle but normal pulmonary artery pressure (six ASD, one after ASD closure, one ASD and pulmonary valvotomy, one tricuspid valve endocarditis and repair, and one pulmonary fibrosis). None had clinical or echocardiographic evidence of intrinsic left ventricular disease. Main Outcome measures—M mode echocardiographic measurements were made of septal thickness, and left and right ventricular internal cavity dimensions. Doppler derived right ventricular to right atrial pressure drop, and time intervals were measured, as were isovolumic relaxation time, and Doppler left ventricular filling characteristics. Results—The peak right ventricular to right atrial pressure gradient was (mean (SD)) 60 (16) mm Hg in pulmonary hypertensive patients, and 18 (5) mm Hg in controls. The time intervals P2 to the end of the tricuspid regurgitation, and P2 to the start of tricuspid flow were both prolonged in patients with pulmonary hypertension compared with controls (115 (60) and 120 (40) ν 40 (15) and 45 (10) ms, p values <0·001). Pulmonary hypertensive patients commonly had a dominant A wave on the transmitral Doppler (23/29); however, all the controls had a dominant E wave. Isovolumic relaxation time of the left ventricle was prolonged in pulmonary hypertensive patients compared with controls, measured as both A2 to mitral valve opening (80 (25) ν 50 (15) ms) and as A2 to the start of mitral flow (105 (30) ν 60 (15) ms, p values <0·001). The delay from mitral valve opening to the start of transmitral flow was longer in patients with pulmonary hypertension (30 (15) ms) compared with controls (10 (10) ms, p < 0·001). At the time of mitral opening there was a right ventricular to right atrial gradient of 12 (10) mm Hg in pulmonary hypertensive patients, but this was negligible in controls (0·4 (0·3) mm Hg, p < 0·001). Conclusions—Prolonged decline of right ventricular tension, the direct result of severe pulmonary hypertension, may appear as prolonged tricuspid regurgitation. It persists until after mitral valve opening on the left side of the heart, where events during isovolumic relaxation are disorganised, and subsequent filling is impaired. These effects are likely to be mediated through the interventricular septum, and this right-left ventricular asynchrony may represent a hitherto unrecognised mode of ventricular interaction.
Biomaterial Studies on AISI 316L Stainless Steel after Magnetoelectropolishing

The polarisation characteristics of the electropolishing process in a magnetic field (MEP – magnetoelectropolishing), in comparison with those obtained under standard/conventional process (EP) conditions, have been obtained. The occurrence of an EP plateau has been observed in view of the optimization of MEP process. Up-to-date stainless steel surface studies always indicated some amount of free-metal atoms apart from the detected oxides and hydroxides. Such a morphology of the surface film usually affects the thermodynamic stability and corrosion resistance of surface oxide layer and is one of the most important features of stainless steels. With this new MEP process we can improve metal surface properties by making the stainless steel more resistant to halides encountered in a variety of environments. Furthermore, in this paper the stainless steel surface film study results have been presented. The results of the corrosion research carried out by the authors on the behaviour of the most commonly used material − medical grade AISI 316L stainless steel both in Ringer’s body fluid and in aqueous 3% NaCl solution have been investigated and presented earlier elsewhere, though some of these results, concerning the EIS Nyquist plots and polarization curves are also revealed herein. In this paper an attempt to explain this peculiar performance of 316L stainless steel has been undertaken. The SEM studies, Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were performed on 316L samples after three treatments: MP – abrasive polishing (800 grit size), EP – conventional electrolytic polishing, and MEP – magnetoelectropolishing. It has been found that the proposed magnetoelectropolishing (MEP) process considerably modifies the morphology and the composition of the surface film, thus leading to improved corrosion resistance of the studied 316L SS.
Adaptation of Harvard Trauma questionnaire for working with refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia

The number of refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia is significantly increasing. Many have experienced traumatic events and suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. In order to provide them with adequate assistance, caregivers need adjusted assessment tools. The main goal of this research was the adaptation of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire for working with refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia. A total of 16 focus groups were interviewed in two phases in order to create an adequate list of traumatic events for this population. The adapted list was subsequently administered to 226 persons seeking asylum in Serbia, along with the remaining parts of HTQ, HSCL-25 and BDI-II. Results show that the adapted list of traumatic events, as well as a shorter version, has good validity and other metric properties. The adaptation of the first assessment tool for working with refugees and asylum seekers in Serbia has significant practical implications.