Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Organization of Open Source Communities

Open source communities are groups of sometimes hundreds if not thousands of individuals with different interests, backgrounds and motives. Many of them are volunteers who are not paid to participate in the communities. Furthermore, many never get to see each other in real life. They meet virtually, on the Internet. Yet they are able to collectively develop software that is highly complex, that has proven to work and that is viewed as a viable alternative. The question is: 'how? ' This PhD thesis provides a detailed account of the organization of open source communities. In the thesis questions are answered like: 'How are the development efforts of sometimes many hundreds of people coordinated? ' How are conflicts between programmers in open source communities resolved? How do they decide whether a piece of source code is included in a software program? One of the important findings in the thesis is that we cannot understand the organization of open source communities based on collective institutions. Throughout the chapters it is shown how the organization of open source communities can be understood based on the behavior of the individual participants in the communities. The behavior of individuals can be described with a limited number of basic individual behavioral rules.
Experimental Study of Batch Reactor Performance for Ethyl Acetate Saponification

Abstract The objective of the current research work is to investigate the performance of batch reactor for saponification of ethyl acetate with sodium hydroxide. Temperature, volume of reaction mixture, rate of agitation, and initial concentration of reactants are the operating conditions considered for analysis. The NaOH concentration decreases from 1.13 × 10−2 mol/L to 0.57 × 10−2 mol/L when reaction temperature increases from 293 K to 313 K after the completion of the reaction. The conversion of NaOH increases with increased reaction temperature under the studied range of reaction temperatures until the stable condition is achieved. Reactant concentration declines with increased volume of reaction mixture from 1.2 L to 1.8 L. Sodium acetate concentration and reaction conversion decrease with increased volume of reaction mixture within the studied range. Concentration of sodium acetate decreases with increased rate of agitation. The conversion of sodium hydroxide declines with increased agitation rate from 70 rpm to 150 rpm. Higher initial reactant concentration leads to decreased reaction conversion. The results obtained may be used to optimize the production of ethanol and sodium acetate using saponification reaction.
Flexible Fourier form for volatility breaks

Abstract This paper proposes a class of models: TRIARCH/TRIGARCH models that account for structural breaks in conditional variance using a variant of the flexible Fourier form. Based on the new model, three likelihood multiplier tests are proposed for the null hypotheses of (1) homoskedasticity in the presence of unknown structural breaks; (2) no structural changes in conditional variance; and (3) Integrated GARCH effect. The in-sample fit and out-of-sample forecasts of the TRIGARCH model and GARCH model are compared by simulations. We apply the new models to the SP500 returns. Our finding indicates level shifts in variance, and therefore, the almost integration indicated by the GARCH(1,1) model may be spurious.
The Statistical Analysis of Pharmacokinetic Parameters in the Context of Bioequivalence Testing of Two Anthelmintic Formulas Based on Ivermectine and Triclabendazole in Sheep

Abstract Conducting bioequivalence studies is an essential step during the market authorization process of generic pharmaceutical formulations, for both human or veterinary use. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of triclabendazole sulphoxide, the main metabolite of triclabendazole, and ivermectin in order to evaluate the bioavailability and bioequivalence of a novel sheep anthelmintic formulation of oral suspension for sheep treatment containing triclabendazole 50 mg/mL and ivermectin 1 mg/mL compared to the reference product. In order to determine relative bioavailability of the test product with respect to the reference product the study was conducted on 36 clinically healthy sheep, following an unicentric, randomized, cross-over, two-sequence, two-treatment and 14-day wash-out study design. For the determination of triclabendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin sheep plasma concentrations, two rapid, selective high performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods were developed and validated. The measured plasma concentrations of triclabendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin were used for the pharmacokinetic analysis and the determination of bioequivalence between the test product with regards to the reference product. The noncompartmental analysis of the pharmacokinetic data for both triclabendazole sulphoxide and ivermectin showed similarities between first-order kinetics of the test and reference product. The relevant pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUClast, AUCtot) were determined and the bioequivalence between the test and reference product could be concluded.
A configuration oriented SPICE model for multiconductor transmission lines in an inhomogeneous medium

A configuration oriented SPICE model for multiple coupled lines in an inhomogeneous medium is presented. The model is useful for modelling general single and multilayer coupled line structure. The system consists of a network of uncoupled transmission lines and is readily modelled with simulation tools like Libra and SPICE and provides an equivalent circuit representation which is simpler and more versatile as compared to the model based on modal decomposition.
A Comparison of Classification and IndexingBased Approaches for Fingerprint Identification

There are two kinds of biometric systems that use fingerprints for the personal identity: verification and identification. In a verification system, the input includes a query fingerprint and a known identity (ID), and the system verifies whether the ID is consistent with the input fingerprint. The output of a verification system is an answer of yes or no. In an identification system, the input only includes a query fingerprint, and the system tries to answer the following question: Are there any fingerprints in the database which resemble the query fingerprint? In this chapter, we are dealing with the identification problem. There are three kinds of approaches to solve the fingerprint identification problem:
Overcoming the Challenges Of African‐American Recruitment In Health Sciences Research: Strategies and Recommendations

293 Despite decreasing incidence and mortality rates for prostate cancer (PrCA) over the past decade, it remains the most common cancer among men (U.S. Department of Health and Hu man Services [DHHS], Centers for Disease Control and Pre ven tion [CDC], & the National Cancer Institute [NCI], 2016). In addition, there is a widening disparity in both the incidence and mortality rates of African-American and European-American men, with African-American men having almost twice the incidence and three times the mortality as European-American men (Siegel, Miller, & Jemal, 2016). More specifically, African-American men have a PrCA incidence rate of 203.5 per 100,000, while the rate for European-American men is 121.9 per 100,000. Data from the NCI (2016) indicate that mortality rates are even more disparate; mortality for AfricanAmerican men is 44.2/100,000, while European-American men have a 19.1/100,000 mortality rate. To reduce this disparity, a number of cancer prevention and control studies have been implemented (Wallner & Jacobsen, 2013). Alarmingly, African Amer icans comprise only 3% of overall cancer clinical trials and have been absent from participation in other clinical trials and medical research (Chen, Lara, Dang, Paterniti, & Kelly, 2014). This lack of participation limits the ability to generalize study results, allowing health disparities to persist (Wallington et al., 2016). For example, Oren, Oren, and Beach (2016), reported that most clinical studies in PrCA (including five of the largest studies ever conducted to study the efficacy of prostatespecific antigen screening) had few to no African-American participants. However, PrCA screening recommendations made by the U.S. Pre ventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) (2016), based partly on these data, have been generalized to this high-risk population (Moyer, 2012).
Insights into the Capabilities of Tactile-Foot Perception

This paper presents a novel wearable interface for the foot: a shoe-integrated tactile display that enables users to obtain information through the sense of touch via their feet. A 16-point array of actuators stimulates the sole of the foot by inducing different vibration frequencies. A series of experiments were conducted with 20 sighted and 5 blind voluntary subjects to evaluate the role of tactile perception by the human foot and the tactile sensitivity of the plantar surface. Tests evaluated the perception of simple shapes, patterns and directional instructions. The results showed that some information is discriminable and that tactile-foot stimulation could be used for a wide number of applications in human-machine interaction. Furthermore, the results also suggested that the blind perform better in some key tasks and support the feasibility of footwear providing tactile feedback for situational awareness, mobility and the navigation assistance of the blind.
Hepatocyte growth factor enhances the clearance of a multidrug‐resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain by high doses of conventional chemotherapy, preserving liver function

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the deadliest infectious diseases in humankind history. Although, drug sensible TB is slowly decreasing, at present the rise of TB cases produced by multidrug‐resistant (MDR) and extensively drug‐resistant strains is a big challenge. Thus, looking for new therapeutic options against these MDR strains is mandatory. In the present work, we studied, in BALB/c mice infected with MDR strain, the therapeutic effect of supra‐pharmacological doses of the conventional primary antibiotics rifampicin and isoniazid (administrated by gavage or intratracheal routes), in combination with recombinant human hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). This high dose of antibiotics administered for 3 months, overcome the resistant threshold of the MDR strain producing a significant reduction of pulmonary bacillary loads but induced liver damage, which was totally prevented by the administration of HGF. To address the long‐term efficiency of this combined treatment, groups of animals after 1 month of treatment termination were immunosuppressed by glucocorticoid administration and, after 1 month, mice were euthanized, and the bacillary load was determined in lungs. In comparison with animals treated only with a high dose of antibiotics, animals that received the combined treatment showed significantly lower bacterial burdens. Thus, treatment of MDR‐TB with very high doses of primary antibiotics particularly administrated by aerial route can produce a very good therapeutic effect, and its hepatic toxicity can be prevented by the administration of HGF, becoming in a new treatment modality for MDR‐TB.
Automated assessment of alcohol-induced impairment of balance in male and female social drinkers.

The acute administration of alcohol reliably impairs the ability to balance when standing. The standardized field sobriety test uses alcohol-induced impairment of body stability to indicate probable alcohol intoxication. Given that body sway is used in the detection of alcohol impairment and intoxication, it is surprising that little research with humans has incorporated new technology that provides automated neuromuscular control assessment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the dose response to the acute effects of alcohol below and at the legal limit for driving in the United States on balance impairments, as measured by the Biosway Portable Balance System (Biodex Medical Systems, Inc.). Fourteen social drinkers attended 3 separate sessions during which they received alcohol (0.0, 0.3, and 0.6 g/kg alcohol). Body sway with eyes open and eyes closed was assessed at 45 min after dose administration when breath alcohol concentration was peaking for both active alcohol doses (.04g% and .08g%). The results indicated that body sway was significantly increased in the 0.6 g/kg alcohol conditions when compared with the placebo and 0.3 g/kg alcohol conditions. Body sway was not significantly elevated in the 0.3 g/kg alcohol condition compared with placebo. The results from this study suggest that this new technology may be of interest to alcohol researchers and the police as a more precise assessment of balance. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Perspectives on intracellular perception of plant viruses

Summary The intracellular nucleotide‐binding domain leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) class of immune receptors plays an important role in plant viral defence. Plant NLRs recognize viruses through direct or indirect association of viral proteins, triggering a downstream defence response to prevent viral proliferation and movement within the plant. This review focuses on current knowledge of intracellular perception of viral pathogens, activation of NLRs and the downstream signalling components involved in plant viral defence.
Pancreatic reconstruction techniques after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a review of the literature

ABSTRACT Introduction: Postoperative pancreatic fistula is the most troublesome complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy, and is an on-going area of concern for pancreatic surgeons. The specific pancreatic reconstruction technique is an important factor influencing the development of postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Areas covered: In this paper, we briefly introduced the definition and relevant influencing factors of postoperative pancreatic fistula. We performed a search of all meta-analyses published in the last 5 years and all published randomized controlled trials comparing different pancreatic anastomotic techniques, and we evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of different techniques. Expert opinion: No individual anastomotic method can completely avoid postoperative pancreatic fistula. Selecting specific techniques tailored to the patient’s situation intraoperatively may be key to reducing the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula.
The role of trace element, mineral, vitamin and total antioxidant status in women with habitual abortion

Abstract Objective In this study, women with habitual abortus (HA) and healthy control groups were determined for zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), selenium (Se), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K), retinol, cholecalciferol, α-tocopherol, phylloquinone, total antioxidant (TAS) and total oxidation status (TOS) levels, also, and the relationships of these variables with HA were evaluated. Material and methods The study included 39 women with HA and 39 healthy control subjects. In this study, trace element and mineral analyses by ICP-OES and vitamin analyses were determined using HPLC method. Results Statistical analysis found that in the HA group was significantly lower than the control group with regarding cholecalciferol, phylloquinone, TAS, Se, Zn, Cu, Mg, K and Na levels (p < .05, p < .01, p < .01, p < .001, p < .05, p < .05, p < .01, p < .01 and p < .05). However, HA group was also significantly higher than control group regards to TOS, OSI and Ca⁄Mg levels (p < .05, p < .001, p < .05). In the HA group, significantly positive correlations were observed between phylloquinone and Ca (r = 0.495; p = .027), also, indicates negative significant correlation between cholecalciferol and Co (r = −0.598; p = .031). Conclusion Our findings indicate that the results could be helpful in the monitoring of women with HA in terms of deficiency. It is important that in terms of the evaluation of phylloquinone, cholecalciferol Se, Zn, Cu, Mg and Ca/Mg ratio is required to consider.
Spaces of Exclusion: Safety, Stigma, and Surveillance of Mothers Experiencing Homelessness

Lack of affordable housing, poverty, and intimate partner violence are among the most common reasons for homelessness among mothers and their children in Canada. Mothers experience social exclusion in compounding and debilitating ways. In the literature on social exclusion and health, rarely is safety recognized as a prominent component of social exclusion. The purpose of this critical narrative study was to better understand the unique narratives of social exclusion for mothers experiencing homelessness in Ontario. A critical narrative methodology with an intersectional lens was used. Twenty-six (N = 26) mothers participated in the study. The overarching finding of unsafe spaces represents the unique forms of exclusion from safety participants experienced in public and private spaces. Emerging out of this overarching category are two intertwined subcategories of (a) exclusion from safety and (b) stigma: public surveillance and discrimination. Participants’ narratives of exclusion from safety signify an ecosystem of unsafe spaces. The findings illuminate and reiterate the imperative for nurses to recognize that safety is a human right and is foundational for health. Nurses can use critical self-reflection and challenge the inherent “nursing gaze” to promote spaces of support rather than surveillance and engage in political advocacy to address structural inequalities, such as gender-based violence.
Brain volume dynamics in multiple sclerosis. A case-control study

ABSTRACT Objectives: In this study, we aimed to explore the extent and clinical relevance of brain volume dynamics in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Methods: Sixty-three patients with RRMS with a disease duration of about 5 years (36 women, mean age 39.9 ± 9.4 years; mean EDSS1.4 ± 1.2, mean relapse rate 0.98 ± 1.17) and 50 healthy control individuals (24 women, mean age 39.1 ± 10.2 years) were recruited and imaged on a MRI scanner by using post-gadolinium high-resolution3D T1W sequences. Cross-sectional and longitudinal volumetric data were obtained by using SIENA(X) and FIRST software. Results: Patients showed significantly lower subcortical volumes compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, the educational level predicted the rate of right thalamus atrophy. The mean annualized percentage of brain volume change (aPBVC) was −0.92% (±1.64%) and was presented in higher rates during the first five years after MS diagnosis. Conclusion: Brain atrophy mainly involved subcortical grey matter structures and was more conspicuous during the first years of MS diagnosis. The buffering role of education in atrophy was also corroborated by this study.
Transactions Papers Implementation Aspects of

Potentially large storage requirements and long initial decoding delays are two practical issues related to the decoding of low-density parity-check (LDPC) convolutional codes using a continuous pipeline decoder architecture. In this paper, we propose several reduced complexity decoding strategies to lessen the storage requirements and the initial decoding delay without significant loss in performance. We also provide bit error rate comparisons of LDPC block and LDPC convolutional codes under equal processor (hardware) complexity and equal decoding delay assumptions. A partial syndrome encoder realization for LDPC convolutional codes is also proposed and analyzed. We construct terminated LDPC convolutional codes that are suitable for block transmission over a wide range of frame lengths. Simulation results show that, for terminated LDPC convolutional codes of sufficiently large memory, performance can be improved by increasing the density of the syndrome former matrix.
The Impact of Vitamin D on Cognitive Dysfunction in Mice with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Background A growing body of evidence suggests that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) may result in reversible cognitive dysfunction. Vitamin D is considered important for neurons. The therapeutic effect of vitamin D was evaluated in a rat model of SLE. Material/Methods There were 20 male MRL/lpr mice randomly divided into the SLE model group and the vitamin D group, in addition, 10 male C57BL 6J mice were used as the control (CON) group. Vitamin D was administered intraperitoneally (2 μg/kg) for 4 weeks. After 4 weeks of continuing intervention, we tested the cognitive function using the Morris water maze. The expression of vitamin D receptor (VDR), amyloid-β, caspase-3, and Bcl-2 were detected by western blot analysis. Results In the present study, we observed that vitamin D treatment alleviated neurobehavioral deficits in the mice with SLE. At the molecular levels, administration of vitamin D activated the expression of VDR and reduced the number of dead cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus as well as regulated caspase-3 and Bcl-2 expression. Conclusions In conclusion, our results indicated that vitamin D played a protective role by suppressing inflammatory cytokines, thereby ultimately inhibiting the progression of apoptosis in a mouse model of SLE. Vitamin D may be promising as a protective intervention in SLE with cognitive dysfunction, and more and more experiments are warranted for its clinical testing in the near future.
Does Aberrant Right Hepatic Artery Influence the Surgical Short- and Long-term Outcome of Pancreatoduodenectomy?

Background: Variations in vascular anatomy in pancreaticoduodenectomy for adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head, aberrant right hepatic artery (αRHA) being the most frequent, may influence oncological outcome, surgical complexity, intra- and postoperative complications, and overall 5-year disease-free and survival rates. Materials and Methods: Between January 1988 and January 2018, 297 consecutive patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy at our Institutions and were divided into two groups: Group 1 patients were affected with αRHA; group 2 were without this vascular anomaly. The groups were retrospectively compared to identify differences in preoperative characteristics and intraoperative course, postoperative morbidity and mortality and long-term disease-free interval and overall survival. Cox regression analysis was used to investigate the role of variables statistically significant at univariate analysis in the short- and long-term outcomes. Results: Overall 44 (15%) patients had αRHA. No differences in patient characteristics were reported. The mean operative time was 451±58 minutes for group 1 and 317±27 minutes for group 2 (p<0.001), whereas mean blood losses were 729±488 ml and 508±119 ml, respectively (p<0.001). Group 1 patients had a longer stay in intensive care when compared to patients of group 2 (mean 5±2 versus 4±2 days, respectively; p<0.001). Furthermore group 1 patients had a significant longer hospitalization when compared to those of group 2 (mean 17±5 versus 15±3 days, respectively; p<0.006). No other significant differences were observed between the two groups. Cox regression analysis showed that independently of the presence of αRHA, the factors negatively affecting the 5-year survival rate were blood loss (p<0.001) and length of stay in intensive care (p<0.001). Discussion: αRHA increases the surgical complexity of pancreatoduodenectomy, negatively affecting intraoperative blood loss, length of operation, length in intensive care and hospitalization, but does not influence long-term survival and disease-free rates.