Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pressure effect on the polymer electret films

Polypropylene (PP), poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) samples, charged in a positive or in a negative corona were studied. The charging of the samples in a corona discharge was carried out by means of a conventional corona triode system. After charging the surface potentials were measured using the method of the vibrating electrode with compensation and then the electrets were placed into a vacuum chamber under different low pressures from 10 Pa to 105 Pa for 30 minutes. The effect of lower pressure on the surface potential of charged samples was investigated. It was established that the reduced pressure led to the surface potential decay of the electrets. The results obtained of polypropylene, poly(ethylene terephthalate) and poly(lactic acid) electrets show that charge decay is different for different polarity of the corona voltage and for different materials. The same effect was earlier observed for other polymer films. Processes of desorption from the electrets surface accompanied with surface diffusion are supposed to occur.
The origin and age of haplochromine fishes in Lake Victoria, East Africa

According to a widely held view, the more than 300 species of haplochromine cichlid fishes in Lake Victoria (LV), East Africa, originated from a single founder species in less than 12 000 years. This view, however, does not follow from the published geological and molecular evidence. The former does indeed suggest that the LV basin dried out less than 15 000 years ago, but it does not provide any information about the species that re–colonized the new lake or that remained in the rivers draining the area. The molecular evidence is inconclusive with respect to the origin of the LV haplochromines because cichlids from critical regions around LV were not adequately sampled; and as far as the age of the LV haplochromines is concerned, it in fact led to an estimate of 250 000–750 000 years old. In the present study, mitochondrial DNA (control region) variation was determined by heteroduplex and sequencing analyses of more than 670 specimens collected at widely distributed East African riverine and lacustrine localities. The analyses revealed the existence of seven haplogroups (I–VII) distinguishable by characteristic substitutions. All endemic LV samples tested fell into one of these haplogroups (V) which, however, was also found to be present at various other localities, both riverine and lacustrine, outside LV . Within this haplogroup, four subgroups (VA through VD) could be distinguished, two of which (VB and VC) were represented in LV and at other localities. The great majority of the LV haplochromine species could be classified as belonging to the VC subgroup, which was found only in LVand in the rivers draining into it. Hence, while the endemic haplochromine species of LVcould not have originated from a single founding population, the lake does harbour a large species flock which probably arose in situ.
Modeling the factors affecting individuals' use of community networks: A theoretical explanation of community-based information and communication technology use

Understanding users' attitudes and perceptions and their influence on behavior is crucial to predict the use of community information and communication technology. In this study, the authors attempt to uncover this process by elaborating on I. Ajzen's (1985, 1991) theory of planned behavior (TPB), a widely applied social behavior model. The developed structural equation model (SEM) was tested using a sample of 417 users of a community network. The final selected model, which was called the community network use model, included seven predictors of use: three behavioral beliefs (i.e., Learning, Social Interactions, and Community Connection), Normative Beliefs Individuals, Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Intention. In particular, Intention moderated the relationships between Use and the other six variables. Further, beliefs in both Community Connection and Social Interactions were directly related to community network use, as was Attitude. Belief in Community Connection was indirectly and positively related to community network use via Intention; Belief in Community Connection was directly and negatively related to Use. These latter two findings suggest that Belief in Community Connection serves as both a facilitator and inhibitor of community network use depending on whether belief is followed by intention. Implications are discussed.
Regulation of Casein Kinase 2 by Direct Interaction with Cell Surface Receptor CD5*

The transmembrane protein CD5, expressed on all T cells and the B1 subset of B cells, modulates antigen receptor-mediated activation. We used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify proteins that interact with its cytoplasmic domain and play a role in CD5 proximal signaling events. We found that the β subunit of the serine/threonine kinase casein kinase 2 (CK2) interacts specifically with the cytoplasmic domain of CD5. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments showed activation-independent association of CK2 with CD5 in human and murine B and T cell lines and murine splenocytes. The interaction of CK2 holoenzyme with CD5 is mediated by the amino terminus of the regulatory subunit β. CK2 binds and phosphorylates CD5 at the CK2 motifs flanked by Ser459 and Ser461. Cross-linking of CD5 leads to the activation of CD5-associated CK2 in a murine B-lymphoma cell line and a human T-leukemia cell line and is independent of net recruitment of CK2 to CD5. In contrast, CK2 is not activated following cross-linking of the B cell receptor complex or the T cell receptor complex. This direct regulation of CK2 by a cell surface receptor provides a novel pathway for control of cell activation that could play a significant role in regulation of CD5-dependent antigen receptor activation in T and B cells.
Design and Analysis of Crowdsourcing Mechanisms

Crowdsourcing is a paradigm for utilizing crowd intelligence to help solve problems that computers alone can not yet solve. In recent years, crowdsourcing has gained great success as the Internet makes it easy to engage the crowd to work together. For instance, Wikipedia, the largest encyclopedia in the world, is created with the help of online users. Games with A Purpose, crowdsourcing markets, and online reviewing sites are also platforms that rely on human contributions to accomplish various tasks. However, despite the great success of these platforms, how to better design crowdsourcing mechanisms is still not well understood. Most of the crowdsourcing mechanisms suffer from the prevalence of low quality work generated by humans.In this dissertation, we explore the design and analysis of crowdsourcing mechanisms, with the goal of understanding how to obtain high-quality information from participating users. We approach the design problem from three interleaving directions. First, we study how to assign tasks to workers with suitable skills using techniques from machine learning and online optimization. Second, we explore how to design incentives to motivate users to provide high quality contribution. Finally, we run behavioral experiments to understand how users behave in real systems with the goal of developing more realistic user behavioral models.
A voltage stability index for radial distribution networks

This paper presents a voltage stability index for identifying the most sensitive bus to the voltage collapse in the radial distribution networks. The developed index is based on the transferred active and reactive power of the distribution line. The performance of the index is tested on different loading conditions for different load models and different substation voltage levels. Results suggest that the proposed index is reliable and can easily be applied to the radial distribution networks.
Thrombotic complications in patients infected with HIV in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy: a case series.

BACKGROUND Recent reports suggest that patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may have an increased risk of developing thrombosis, but the etiology, risk factors, and clinical course remain largely undefined, with few descriptive case series. METHODS We identified 30 patients from an HIV outpatient clinic (treatment population, 650 persons) who had had a total of 43 venous or arterial thromboses during 1996-2002. Data pertaining to demographic characteristics, medical history, thrombosis presentation, and clinical outcomes were abstracted from patient medical records. RESULTS The median patient age at the time of thrombosis was 43 years. Although the presence of persistent antibody to phospholipids was the most common abnormal finding in the laboratory, evaluation of thrombophilia, cases of low levels of proteins C and S and antithrombin III, and elevated levels of factor VIII and homocysteine were also identified. Seventy-seven percent of the patients smoked cigarettes, 57% had dyslipidemia, and 43% had a malignancy (most commonly Kaposi sarcoma). Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classification for 16 patients (53%) was C3, most showed evidence of immune reconstitution (median CD4 cell count, 290 cells/ mu L) and control of the virus (median HIV load, 2290 copies/mL). Lower extremity, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli accounted for 66% of all thrombotic events. The median time to diagnosis of thrombosis was 1 day (range, 3 h to 3 weeks). CONCLUSIONS Patients in this series were characterized by a relatively young age at the time of thrombosis, a predominance of elevated levels of lipids, a history of malignancy, and an advanced CDC HIV classification but not by a low CD4 cell count or an elevated HIV load.
Blood glucose self-monitoring in non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes: a qualitative study of patients' perspectives.

BACKGROUND Self-monitoring of blood glucose is controversial in the management of type 2 diabetes. Some research suggests that self-monitoring improves glycaemic control, whereas other research is sceptical about its value for people with type 2 diabetes who are not on insulin. Although blood glucose meters are widely available and used by this group, patients' own views are absent from the debate. AIM To explore the pros and cons of glucose monitoring from the patients' perspectives. DESIGN OF STUDY Qualitative repeat-interview study. SETTING Patients were recruited from 16 general practices and three hospital clinics within four local healthcare cooperatives in Lothian, Scotland. METHOD Interview data from 40 patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes within the previous 6 months were analysed using thematic analysis informed by grounded theory. We report findings from round 1 and round 2 interviews. RESULTS Glucose monitoring can heighten patients' awareness of the impact of lifestyle; for example, dietary choices, on blood glucose levels. Glucose monitoring amplifies a sense of 'success' or 'failure' about self-management, often resulting in anxiety and self-blame if glucose readings remain consistently high. Moreover, monitoring can negatively effect patients' self-management when readings are counter-intuitive. CONCLUSION Our analysis highlights the importance of understanding the meanings that newly diagnosed patients attach to glucose self-monitoring. To maximise the positive effects of self-monitoring, health professionals should ensure that patients understand the purpose of monitoring and should clarify with patients how readings should be interpreted.
Bounding Parameter Estimates with Nonclassical Measurement Error

Abstract The bias introduced by errors in the measurement of independent variables has increasingly been a topic of interest among researchers estimating economic parameters. However, studies typically use the assumption of classical measurement error; that is, the variable of interest and its measurement error are uncorrelated, and the expected value of the mismeasured variable is equal to the expected value of the true measure. These assumptions often arise from convenience rather than conviction. When a variable is bounded, it is likely that the measurement error and the true value of the variable are negatively correlated. We consider the case of a noisily measured variable with a negative covariance between the measurement error and the true value of the variable. We show that, asymptotically, the parameter in a univariate regression is bounded between the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator and an instrumental variables (IV) estimator. Further, we demonstrate that the OLS bound can be improved in the case where there are two noisy reports on the variable of interest. In the case of continuous variables, this lower-bound estimate is a consistent estimate of the parameter. In the case of binary or discrete noisily measured variables, we also identify point estimates using a method-of-moments framework. We then extend our bounding results to simple multivariate models with measurement error. We provide empirical applications of our analytical results using employer and employee reports on health insurance coverage and wage growth, and reports of identical twins on the level of schooling and wages. Using OLS, health insurance coverage is associated with a reduction in wage growth of 6.5–7.4%, whereas IV estimates suggest a 11.2–11.8% reduction associated with health insurance coverage. We are able to improve the lower bound estimate to 8.2% using our bounding strategy and obtain a point estimate of 8.8% using the method-of-moments framework. The estimates using the data for identical twins, though not correcting for problems such as endogenous determination of the level of schooling, do illustrate the potential usefulness of correcting for measurement error as a complement to other approaches. Using the multiple reports on the level of schooling and the our proposed estimators, we are able to tighten the spread between the upper- and lower-bound estimates of the returns to schooling from 7–10 percentage points to approximately 4 percentage points.
Activation of normal rabbit macrophage monolayers by supernatants of antigen-stimulated lymphocytes.

Tuberculin- or HSA-sensitized rabbit lymph node cells, harvested at 10 to 14 days, and normal rabbit lymph node cells were incubated for 24 hr alone or in the presence of specific or heterologous antigen. The supernatants prepared from these lymph node cell cultures were added to duplicate or triplicate monolayer cultures of peritoneal macrophages from normal rabbits, each macrophage being exposed to soluble products released in vitro by 10 lymph node cells. After 24 and 48 hr of continuous exposure to the undiluted supernatants, 150 to 300 cells in each flask were scored for adherence and ameboid activity. Macrophages exposed to supernatants from mixtures of sensitized cells with specific antigen had two to five times greater numbers of ameboid cells at 24 and 48 hr than did monolayers of the same macrophages exposed to control supernatants, and twice as many cells remained adherent at 48 hr. Thus, factors released by sensitized lymphocytes cause activation of normal macrophages. It is suggested that a similar mechanism may be responsible for cell-mediated immunity in systems involving microbial antigens.
High Fat Mixed Lipid Diet Modifies Protective Effects of Exercise on 1,2 Dimethylhydrazine Induced Colon Cancer in Rats

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of long-term swimming exercise in conjunction with a high fat mixed lipid (HFML) diet on colon cancer (CC) development and lipid peroxidation in the large bowel. We used forty male Wistar rats, which were randomly divided into one control group and four cancer groups: sedentary and swimming groups fed a standard diet (LFCO) and sedentary and swimming groups fed an HFML diet. Corticosterone was determined during the experiment. After 6 months of swimming, the rats were sacrificed and blood, heart, liver, muscle and large bowel were taken for determining the activity of serum enzymes, antioxidant capacity and CC development. The results demonstrate that exercise has a protective role in CC development. Attenuated development of CC and increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the large bowel of exercised rats show that one of the protective effects of exercise on developing CC is induction of oxidative stress. However, in terms of the combined effects of dietary fat and exercise, our results indicate that the protective role of exercise on CC development is significantly depressed by an HFML diet. An HFML diet significantly reduced the protective influence of exercise on colon carcinogenesis in rats and affected the degree of peroxidation in the large bowel during exercise, as well as concentrations of serum enzymes (LDH, α-HBDH, CK, ALT and AST). Our results indicate that an HFML diet, which reflects the composition of a Western style diet, is a significant modifier of the protective effects of exercise on CC development in rats.
Improvement of darts performance following lucid dream practice depends on the number of distractions while rehearsing within the dream – a sleep laboratory pilot study

ABSTRACT In a lucid dream, the dreamer is aware of the dream state and can deliberately practice motor skills. Two field studies indicated that lucid dream practice can improve waking performance in simple motor tasks. The present pilot study investigated the effect of lucid dream practice in a controlled sleep laboratory setting, using a pre-post design with dart throwing in the evening and morning. The experimental group practiced darts in lucid dreams. Because some participants were distracted during lucid dream practice, the group was divided into lucid dreamers with few (n = 4) and many distractions (n = 5). Change of performance was compared to a physical practice group (n = 9) and a control group (n = 9), showing a significant interaction (P = .013, η2 = .368). Only the lucid dreamers with few distractions improved (18%) significantly over time (P = .005, d = 3.84). Even though these results have to be considered preliminary, the present study indicates that lucid dream practice can be an effective tool in sports practice if lucid dreamers find ways to minimise distractions during lucid dream practice. Moreover, the study emphasises the necessity to investigate lucid dream practice experiences on a qualitative level.
Demographic Disparities in Patterns of Care and Survival Outcomes for Patients with Resected Gastric Adenocarcinoma

Background: Several reports showed incomplete adoption of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) for resectable gastric cancer since the publication of Intergroup 0116 trial results. The aims of this study were to identify demographic factors associated with omission of adjuvant RT and assess the impact of this omission on survival. Methods: SEER database was queried for cases of resected gastric cancer. Multivariate analyses with logistic and Cox regressions were used to examine (a) likelihood of receiving adjuvant RT for different patient and county demographics and (b) effect of demographics on survival outcomes. Results: A total of 7,348 patients met the study criteria. Adjuvant RT was used in 33.1% of cases diagnosed in 1998–2001 and in 45.3% of cases in 2002–2007 (P < 0.001). Controlling for independent covariates, African Americans were 8.9% less likely to receive adjuvant RT than Caucasians or Asians (P < 0.001). Correspondingly, overall survival rates were significantly lower for African Americans than other races (HR = 1.38, P < 0.001). Furthermore, both the likelihood of receiving RT and the survival rates were significantly affected by county demographics: percent of population without high school education, percent of households below the poverty line, and median household income. Survival rates were highest among Asians, but this finding did not reflect more frequent use of RT. Conclusions: Race and socioeconomic factors are significant predictors of treatment and survival outcomes for patients with resectable gastric cancer. Impact: The findings of this and similar studies may aide the medical community in designing more effective strategies to ameliorate the standards of care nationwide. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 20(2); 223–33. ©2011 AACR.
Signal Propagation Over Polarization-Maintaining Fibers: Problem and Solutions

Polarization-maintaining (PM) fibers are able to preserve the state of polarization (SOP) of a signal in the fiber reference frame. The SOP follows one of the axes of the fiber defined by the mechanical constraint that has been inserted during manufacturing. This ability is characterized by the polarization extinction ratio, which should be as high as possible. It is known to be very high (often above 50 dB) for the fiber itself. However, the somewhat low polarization extinction ratios (often between 20 and 30 dB) of connections (connectors, splices, .) induce strong distortions of the signal. The authors first explain why for one PM patch cord, i.e., a fiber and its connectors, with numerical and analytical models. They then extend these models to a patch-cord concatenation. Finally, they show and compare analytically and numerically different solutions to this problem: fiber length reduction, polarizer insertion, high-performing connectors, and axis alternation. The latest solution consisting in alternating the slow and the fast axes from one fiber to the next one is particularly efficient. They have implemented these solutions for the purpose of the source of the "Laser MegaJoule", and it exhibits far better performance
Neuroticism in familial depression

Synopsis This study examined the relationship between personality factors and depression in subjects who may have a familial vulnerability to depression (i.e. first-degree relatives of depressed patients). Four groups comprised our study sample: relatives who had never experienced a psychiatric episode of depression; relatives who had experienced a psychiatric episode of depression but were currently well; relatives who had never experienced a psychiatric episode of depression but were currently depressed; and relatives who had experienced a past history of depression and were currently depressed. Of the four personality characteristics measured (Psychoticism, Extraversion, Neuroticism and Lie), the only significant effects between groups appeared to be attributable to Neuroticism (N). The strongest association was between current illness and N. There was also a tendency for subjects with a past history of depression to have an inflated N score. However, this appeared to be associated with the presence of current depressive symptomatology. Our findings indicate that when current symptomatology is taken into account Neuroticism does not seem to reflect the trait of liability to depression, but is strongly associated with the state of being depressed.
Explaining Agricultural Productivity Levels and Growth: An International Perspective

With persistent population growth, a dwindling supply of arable land per capita, and the relatively high income elasticity of demand for food in developing countries, there is a growing need for food supply increases to originate from growth in productivity rather than expansions in inputs. In this paper the authors construct levels of total factor productivity in agriculture for 111 countries covering the years 1970 to 2000. Employing this data in panel and cross-sectional regressions, the authors seek to explain levels and trends in total factor productivity (TFP) in world agriculture, examining the relative roles of environmental and geographical factors, human capital, macroeconomic factors, technological processes resulting from globalization and the Green Revolution, and institutional factors such as measures of land inequality and proxies for urban biases in public and private expenditure. The authors conclude that, in addition to standard explanations of productivity improvements such as human capital, openness and environmental factors, both urban biases and inequality have been major impediments to successful rural development.