Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Environmental and life cycle cost analysis of a synchronous reluctance machine

This paper presents an analysis of the environmental and life cycle costs of a synchronous reluctance machine (SynRM). Focusing exceptionally on consumption is no longer sufficient, energy savings initiatives must now account for all life cycle assessment (LCA), including construction, use and end-of-life. The analysis was carried out according to the Energy-Using Product Directive (EuP 2005/32/EC) and following the Methodology for the Eco-Design of Energy-Using Products (MEEUP methodology).
Production and Health Parameters of N ’ Dama Village Cattle in Relation to Parasitism in the Guinea Savannah of Côte d ’ Ivoire

In contrast with the more arid savannah areas of West Africa, the central Guinea savannah (or V-Baoulé) of Côte d’Ivoire does not suffer from important forage shortage during the dry season. Since the 1970s the Ivorian government has made considerable efforts to increase local cattle-breeding activities in the area, which is suitable for trypanotolerant livestock production. Trypanosomosis control programs have been run since the 1970s (SODEPRA and later on various local and international NGOs). In this area the tsetse fly pressure is variable and rather low, 0-2.2 flies per trap per day (LANADA, 1998).
Traditional and discretionary HRM practices and social networks and their associations with team learning behaviors

To cater to the growing importance of teamwork, organizations have started to target their Human Resource Management (HRM) practices toward teams. The present study distinguished traditional from discretionary HRM practices and used the Resource Based View and Exchange Theory to propose that both types of HRM practices and social networks will be important to explain team learning behaviors. The study sample consisted of 233 teachers in 34 teams and 14 school management representatives from 14 secondary schools in The Netherlands. The results showed that discretionary HRM practices and breadth of the networks had a positive direct effect on team learning behaviors. Further, two moderating effects of HRM practices on the associations between advice networks and the breadth of social networks with team learning behaviors were found. We discuss potential limitations of the study and offer directions for future research.
Amyloid precursor protein and endosomal‐lysosomal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease: inseparable partners in a multifactorial disease

Abnormalities of the endosomal–lysosomal network (ELN) are a signature feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). These include the earliest known cytopathology that is specific to AD and that affects endosomes and induces the progressive failure of lysosomes, each of which are directly linked by distinct mechanisms to neurodegeneration. The origins of ELN dysfunction and β‐amyloidogenesis closely overlap, which reflects their common genetic basis, the established early involvement of endosomes and lysosomes in amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and clearance, and the pathologic effect of certain APP metabolites on ELN functions. Genes that promote β‐amyloidogenesis in AD (APP, PSEN1/2, and APOE4) have primary effects on ELN function. The importance of primary ELN dysfunction to pathogenesis is underscored by the mutations in more than 35 ELN‐related genes that, thus far, are known to cause familial neurodegenerative diseases even though different pathogenic proteins may be involved. In this article, I discuss growing evidence that implicates AD gene–driven ELN disruptions as not only the antecedent pathobiology that underlies β‐amyloidogenesis but also as the essential partner with APP and its metabolites that drive the development of AD, including tauopathy, synaptic dysfunction, and neurodegeneration. The striking amelioration of diverse deficits in animal AD models by remediating ELN dysfunction further supports a need to integrate APP and ELN relationships, including the role of amyloid‐β, into a broader conceptual framework of how AD arises, progresses, and may be effectively therapeutically targeted. —Nixon, R. A. Amyloid precursor protein and endosomal–lysosomal dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease: inseparable partners in a multifactorial disease. FASEB J. 31, 2729–2743 (2017). www.fasebj. org
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES

South African companies face uncertainty about whether they should commit resources to mitigate vulnerabilities and exploit opportunities arising from climate change. There is ambiguity over whether responding to climate change materially affects the financial sustainability of South African companies. The study sought to establish the extent to which responding to climate change impacts financial performance. Secondary analysis of historic data was used to compare the climate-change performance of 70 Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed companies to indicators of their financial performance. The research concluded that there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between climate-change performance and financial performance.
Stable Return-Based Fund Classification

A number of studies document that return-based fund classifications explain the cross-sectional variation in past and future fund returns better than existing industry classifications that are based on portfolio holdings or investment objectives. The present paper illustrates that return-based fund classifications are highly sensitive to the time-varying commonalities in fund returns. For a practical implementation, however, fund classifications should show an appropriate degree of stability over time. This paper also demonstrates that anchoring the classification procedure (K-means clustering) to the partition of the previous month significantly increases the stability without lowering accuracy of the resulting fund classification.
Homologous 2′,5′-phosphodiesterases from disparate RNA viruses antagonize antiviral innate immunity

Efficient and productive virus infection often requires viral countermeasures that block innate immunity. The IFN-inducible 2′,5′-oligoadenylate (2-5A) synthetases (OASs) and ribonuclease (RNase) L are components of a potent host antiviral pathway. We previously showed that murine coronavirus (MHV) accessory protein ns2, a 2H phosphoesterase superfamily member, is a phosphodiesterase (PDE) that cleaves 2-5A, thereby preventing activation of RNase L. The PDE activity of ns2 is required for MHV replication in macrophages and for hepatitis. Here, we show that group A rotavirus (RVA), an important cause of acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide, encodes a similar PDE. The RVA PDE forms the carboxy-terminal domain of the minor core protein VP3 (VP3-CTD) and shares sequence and predicted structural homology with ns2, including two catalytic HxT/S motifs. Bacterially expressed VP3-CTD exhibited 2′,5′-PDE activity, which cleaved 2-5A in vitro. In addition, VP3-CTD expressed transiently in mammalian cells depleted 2-5A levels induced by OAS activation with poly(rI):poly(rC), preventing RNase L activation. In the context of recombinant chimeric MHV expressing inactive ns2, VP3-CTD restored the ability of the virus to replicate efficiently in macrophages or in the livers of infected mice, whereas mutant viruses expressing inactive VP3-CTD (H718A or H798R) were attenuated. In addition, chimeric viruses expressing either active ns2 or VP3-CTD, but not nonfunctional equivalents, were able to protect ribosomal RNA from RNase L–mediated degradation. Thus, VP3-CTD is a 2′,5′-PDE able to functionally substitute for ns2 in MHV infection. Remarkably, therefore, two disparate RNA viruses encode proteins with homologous 2′,5′-PDEs that antagonize activation of innate immunity.
Presence of CD4 and CD8 determinants on CD4−CD8− murine thymocytes: passive acquisition of CD8 accessory molecules

In the present study we have examined the possibility that CD4 and CD8 accessory molecules can be passively acquired by thymocytes. We initially observed that most thymocytes contained within the CD4−CD8− subset actually possess low levels of CD4 and CD8 on their cell surface. However, the detection of CD4 and CD8 on CD4−CD8− cells was dependent on the presence of other CD4+/CD8+ thymocytes which were actively synthesizing CD4 and CD8. These initial findings suggested that the appearance of CD4/CD8 on “double‐negative” thymocytes was due to the passive acquisition of these accessory molecules from CD4+/CD8+ cells present within the thymus. To investigate this possibility directly, we made both in vivo and in vitro mixes of thymocytes possessing different alleles of CD8 (Ly‐2.1 and Ly‐2.2). Under these experimental conditions, we detected Ly‐2.2 on the surface of thymocytes that were genetically Ly‐2.1+ and incapable of synthesizing Ly‐2.2. These data indicate that thymocytes can express cell surface CD8 molecules which they have not produced but have acquired from other cells in their environment. Thus, the present study indicates that low‐level surface expression of cell surface CD4/CD8 differentiation molecules does not necessarily identify distinct thymocyte subpopulations.
In Vitro Radiosensitivity of Adamantinomatous Craniopharyngiomas

Craniopharyngioma is a benign neoplasm of epithelial origin located in the sellar and suprasellar region. The adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma represents around 2/3 of all craniopharyngiomas and is the most common pathology in this region in children [1,2]. Other histological subtypes are the squamous papillary and the xanthogranulomatous type [3]. The former occurs almost exclusively in adults. The main treatment options are surgery and conventional radiotherapy (CRT). Surgical cure is hampered by the eloquent surrounding structures and is accomplished in few cases. The acknowledgement of the devastating effect of hypothalamus damage on quality of life has led to more conservative surgery and increased use of adjuvant RT in children [4,5]. CRT has proved its value in controlling craniopharyngiomas; however considerable irradiation to the surrounding tissues is unavoidable by this technique and not without sacrifices.
The prevalence of optometric anomalies and symptoms in children receiving special tuition

A case‐control study was performed where 9 pupils receiving special tuition (ST‐group) were compared with 36 controls. Six (66,7%) of the pupils in the ST‐group were diagnosed as dyslexic. No significant correlation was revealed between receiving special tuition and having reduced visual function, nor between reduced visual function and number of visually related symptoms. Although the number of symptoms was not significantly greater in the ST‐group, some of the symptoms were significantly more common in the ST‐group, and none were significantly more common in the control group.
Chemical Respiratory Allergy: Opportunities for Hazard Identification and Characterisation

Kimber, Ian Agius, Raymond Basketter, David A Corsini, Emanuela Cullinan, Paul Dearman, Rebecca J Gimenez-Arnau, Elena Greenwell, Leona Hartung, Thomas Kuper, Frieke Maestrelli, Piero Roggen, Erwin Rovida, Costanza European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods Consensus Development Conference England Alternatives to laboratory animals : ATLA Altern Lab Anim. 2007 May;35(2):243-65.
Larvicidal activities of some bark and wood extracts against wood-damaging insects

This study investigates the larvicidal activities of plant extracts and tannins against wood-damaging insects. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), beech (Fagus orientalis), and poplar wood (Populus tremula) were subjected to larvae of Spondylis buprestoides (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) by impregnating them with mimosa (Acacia mollissima), quebracho (Schinopsis lorentzii) and redpine bark (Pinus brutia) extracts. At the end of the 6-month experiment, the numbers of dead and live larvae as well as the mean mass losses of woods were determined. In terms of wood species, the lowest larva resistance was observed in Scots pine wood, while the highest larva resistance was achieved by beech wood. The lowest mass losses and the highest dead termite rates in all tree species were observed when the concentration of mimosa and quebracho extracts was 12%. On the other hand, the pine bark extract showed a lower larvicide effect than the other two extracts.
Urinary corticosterone and normetanephrine levels after voluntary wheel and forced treadmill running in the db/db mouse

Exercise is recommended for the treatment of type 2 diabetes because of its benefits on body weight and glycemic control. Our recent work using the db/db mouse, a model that mimics the phenotype of type 2 diabetes, demonstrated that forced treadmill training exerted detrimental effects on obesity, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. We investigated whether this response is explained by increased corticosterone and norepinephrine secretion, measured as urinary byproducts, since these hormones are known to alter glucose homeostasis. Male db/db mice and lean littermates serving as controls, were assigned to sedentary, voluntary wheel, and forced treadmill training groups for a period of 5 weeks. After 5 weeks of treadmill running, db/db mice remained hyperglycemic compared to sedentary db/db mice and were hyperinsulinemic compared to db/db voluntary runners. Urine glucose and corticosterone levels were also highest in db/db treadmill runners compared to all groups. Urine normetanephrine levels, although lower in db/db mice compared to control mice, were increased after treadmill running. Our results indicate that treadmill running leads to perturbations in plasma levels of hormones associated with glucose homeostasis. A greater stress response may be invoked by treadmill training, worsening glycemic control in this model of type 2 diabetes.
Optimal PID Controller Design Based on PSO-RBFNN for Wind Turbine Systems

A strategy was proposed to determine the optimal operating point for the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller of a wind turbine, and identify the stability regions in the parameter space. The proposed approach combined particle swarm optimization (PSO) and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) algorithms. These intelligent algorithms are artificial learning mechanisms that can determine the optimal operating points, and were used to generate the function representing the most favorable operating parameters from each parameter of for the stability region of the PID controller. A graphical method was used to determine the 2D or 3D vision boundaries of the PID-type controller space in closed-loop wind turbine systems. The proposed techniques were demonstrated using simulations of a drive train model without time delay and a pitch control model with time delay. Finally, the 3D stability boundaries were determined the proposed graphical approach with and without time delay systems.
Foreclosure Externalities and Individual Well-being : Evidence from the Great Recession

Using microdata from CoreLogic and Gallup between 2008 and 2014, we study the impact of foreclosures on individual well-being. We identify the causal effect of foreclosures by instrumenting them using variation in interest rate spikes associated with different types of adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), conditional on controls and zipcode and time fixed effects. We find that a 10% rise in foreclosures is associated with a 0.53% and 0.23% decline in current and expected future life satisfaction. These effects are driven by a combination of lower local amenities (e.g., neighborhood quality) and greater uncertainty (e.g., income risk).
The Effects of Major Customer Networks on Supplier Profitability

Whereas extant research on supply chain networks focuses mainly on the networks of major suppliers, this study fills a gap in the literature by exploring the relational and structural characteristics of networks of major customers and their impact on the financial performance of suppliers. Based on the major customer disclosure of the Statements of Financial Accounting Standards 131, this study identifies three dimensions of the major customer networks of U.S. public firmsâ€”customer concentration, mutual dependence and customer interconnectionâ€”and investigates how they affect the supplier's return on assets (ROAt+1) and return on sales (ROSt+1). Drawing on 717 suppliers and their major customer networks from the Compustat database, the study shows that customer concentration and interconnection negatively affect the supplier's ROAt+1 and ROSt+1, whereas mutual dependence enhances them and reduces the negative impact of customer concentration on the supplier's profitability. This positive interaction between customer concentration and mutual dependence demonstrates how two governance principles, power and embeddedness, simultaneously affect concentrated relationships with major customers.
Nonprofit-Government Contracts and Grants

Despite some signs of recovery, California nonprofits continue to face post–Great Recession challenges. Though decreased revenues may reflect broad trends facing the nonprofit sector, many challenges are rooted in nonprofit–government contract and grant administration processes. Drawing on a national survey of public charity nonprofits, this study finds that California nonprofits widely reported dissatisfaction with the complexity of reporting and application requirements, the limits on program and organizational overhead expenses that restrict the recovery of the full costs of services, and late reimbursements for services rendered.
Unique ER Cistromes Control Cell Type-Specific Gene Regulation

Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology (S.A.K., M.L., J.E., M.B.), Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Biological Chemistry (G.A.M.-C.), David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095; and Cancer Research UK (J.S.C.), Cambridge Research Institute, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, United Kingdom
Improved Adhesion and Proliferation of Human Endothelial Cells on Polyethylene Precoated with Monoclonal Antibodies Directed against Cell Membrane Antigens and Extracellular Matrix Proteins

Summary Endothelial cell seeding may improve the patency of synthetic vascular grafts provided that platelet reactivity of non-endothelialized sites is not increased. We have investigated if surface-adsorbed monoclonal antibodies directed against endothelial cell membrane proteins and against extracellular matrix proteins promote the adhesion and proliferation of cultured human endothelial cells, without causing platelet deposition at non-endothelialized sites. Adhesion of endothelial cells onto polyethylene coated with monoclonal antibodies directed against endothelial cell-specific membrane antigens, integrin receptors and glycoprotein CD31 was equal to or higher than adhesion onto fibronectin-coated polyethylene. Endothelial cells did not proliferate on these surface-adsorbed antibodies. However, pre-coating of polyethylene with mixtures of endothelial cell-specific monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibodies directed against fibronectin or von Willebrand factor, resulted in relatively high adhesion and optimal proliferation. Platelet reactivity of the polyethylene surface was found to significantly increase after adsorption of fibronectin, endothelial cell-specific monoclonal antibody or its Fc fragments. In contrast, adsorption of F(ab')2 fragments of endothelial cell-specific monoclonal antibody did not promote platelet deposition. Therefore, it is concluded that coating of vascular graft materials with mixtures of F(ab')2 fragments of monoclonal antibodies specifically directed against endothelial cells and against extracellular matrix proteins may be an effective way to both promote the growth of seeded endothelial cells and limit platelet-graft interaction.
Passive inhalation of marijuana, phencyclidine, and freebase cocaine ("crack") by infants.

Sir . —Infants and toddlers appear to be highly susceptible to the toxic effects of smoke from pyrolyzed marijuana, phencyclidine, and freebase cocaine ("crack"). In the January 1989 issue of AJDC , Bateman and Heagarty 1 described the hospital course of four children who developed neurologic symptoms following passive inhalation of vaporized crack. Two of the four infants developed seizures. Accidental or deliberate exposure of infants to ambient marijuana or phencyclidine smoke in small smoke-filled rooms or in automobiles has been previously reported. 2,3 When irresponsible adolescents or young adults are intoxicated, they may, as a kind of sadistic "amusement," deliberately blow puffs of marijuana smoke into the noses or open mouths of crying irritable infants to sedate them. 2 Infants who ride in poorly ventilated automobiles with phencyclidine-smoking adults have developed frighteningly serious neurologic symptoms, such as coma or seizures. 3 It seems that urine toxicologic screening tests for drugs
Interplay between Physical and Virtual Settings for Online Interpersonal Trust Formation in Knowledge-Sharing Practice

This qualitative study investigated online interpersonal trust formation in knowledge-sharing (KS) practice, with emphasis on the interplay between the physical and virtual social contexts. Data were collected during a 6-month period from phenomenological interviews of 49 elementary and junior high school teachers who used a Web-based knowledge management system (KMS) to share their knowledge. Interpretive analysis revealed three important facets of the interpersonal trust formation process in using Web-based KMS: (a) the social role of the teachers, (b) the rigid and tight professional community, and (c) the keys to breaking through. Results of this study can lead to a better understanding of how an individual's perception is shaped and to what extent social factors affect knowledge-sharing practice in virtual communities. In addition to the practical implications to those who intend to manage knowledge-intensive activities, our study demonstrates the relevance of phenomenology for trust in KS research and provides a new way of viewing knowledge management problems in terms of human consciousness.
A Potential Role of SDF-1/CXCR4 Chemotactic Pathway in Wound Healing and Hypertrophic Scar Formation

Fibroproliferative disorders are an ongoing clinical issue that is prevalent within society today. These disorders generally manifest themselves by an overproduction of fibrotic tissue with unknown provocation resulting in numerous detrimental defects. Cellular migration of blood-borne cells via the chemotactic pathway, consisting of stromal cell-derived factor 1 and its receptor, CXCR4, has been strongly implicated in post-burn hypertrophic scar formation. Evidence has shown this pathway has potential as a therapeutic target in the formation of hypertrophic scar and likely in other fibroproliferative disorders.
Short-term dynamics of a density interface following an impact

A tube filled with a perfectly wetting liquid falls axially under its own weight. In its gravity-free reference frame, the liquid interface is deformed by surface tension into a hemispherical shape. On impact of the tube on a rigid floor, the interface curvature reverses violently, forming a concentrated jet. If the contact angle at the tube wall is such that the interface is flat, the liquid rebounds as a whole with the tube, with no deformation. We analyse this phenomenon using an impulse pressure description, providing an exact description of the initial liquid velocity field at the impact, supported by high-speed image velocimetry measurements. This initial dynamics is insensitive to liquid surface tension and viscosity.