Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synthèse de biocarburants de deuxième génération : étude de la pyrolyse à haute température de particules de bois centimétriques.

La pyrolyse est une etape cle des procedes de synthese thermochimique des biocarburants de deuxieme generation. Notre objectif a ete d'ameliorer la comprehension des mecanismes impliques a l'echelle d'une particule. Il apparait necessaire en premier lieu d'acquerir de nouvelles donnees experimentales en maitrisant les conditions operatoires, pour dans un second temps valider des modeles. Un dispositif experimental a ete developpe pour etudier la pyrolyse d'une particule de bois de taille centimetrique entre 450 et 1050°C. La temperature interne, la masse et les dimensions de la particule ainsi que les rendements instantanes en gaz ont ete suivis en temps reel. Les produits de pyrolyse ont ete caracterises. Le modele developpe dans un systeme a deux dimensions par l'Universite Catholique de Louvain a ete utilise pour decrire les conditions experimentales et simuler les resultats. Des ecarts significatifs entre modele et experience ont ete observes. La comparaison des donnees simulees et experimentales ainsi que l'analyse des resultats d'une etude parametrique permettent d'identifier des pistes d'amelioration du modele. Les proprietes thermiques de la particule ont ete determinees experimentalement. Des correlations sont proposees pour decrire les variations des chaleurs massiques et des conductivites thermiques du bois et du residu carbone en fonction de la temperature de pyrolyse, jusqu'a 1050°C.
Bivariate Archimedean copulas: an application to two stock market indices

In order to be able to capture the asymmetry and the non-linearity’s in the dependence structure between two vectors, the copula approach was applied. The focused is on the Clayton, the Gumbel and the Frank copula from the Archimedean class. These Archimedean copulas were fitted to a portfolio that consists from two major stock indices from the Eurozone, namely to the German DAX-30 and to the French CAC40 index. As a result it was found that the copula that best fit the dependence structure between the two indices is characterized by a relatively strong upper tail dependence described by the Gumbel (3.84) copula.
Nickel inhibits binding of alpha2-macroglobulin-methylamine to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein/alpha2-macroglobulin receptor but not the alpha2-macroglobulin signaling receptor.

A previous study demonstrated that activated alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M*) binding to the low-density receptor-related protein/alpha2-macroglobulin receptor (LRP/alpha2MR) is blocked by Ni2+ [Hussain, M. M. , et al. (1995) Biochemistry 34, 16074-16081]. We now report that the effect of Ni2+ is on a region of the alpha2M molecule upstream of the carboxyl terminal receptor recognition domain. This observation is consistent with previous observations from this laboratory suggesting that alpha2M* binding to LRP/alpha2MR involves a region of the alpha2M molecule immediately upstream of the receptor recognition domain [Enghild, J. J., et al. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 1406-1412]. We further demonstrate that Ni2+ has no effect on the binding of alpha2M* or a cloned and expressed receptor binding fragment (RBF) to the recently described alpha2M signaling receptor as assessed by direct binding and signal transduction studies.
Normal Zone Propagation in a  ${\rm MgB}_{2}$ Conduction Cooled Test Magnet

In order to investigate the quench behavior of conduction cooled MgB2 magnets, a 100 mm inner bore diameter, 0.84 T at 20 K magnet has been built and tested. The test magnet consists of 4 double pancakes wound with the MgB2/Ni -Cu-Fe tape produced by Columbus. Each coil is cooled by means of a 2 mm thick copper disk placed during winding at the middle of the double pancake; after winding the double pancakes have been separately epoxy impregnated. Several experiments have been performed inducing a local transition in the coil by means of a controlled heater placed on the double pancake surface. The propagation of the normal zone has been monitored by means of 8 voltage probes positioned along the tape during coil manufacturing. Each voltage probe detects the voltage drop across a tape length of 30 mm. The experiments have been performed at different temperatures while keeping the magnet current constant during quench. In the paper we report an analysis of the quench propagation velocity measurements and a numerical investigation of the thermal and electrical behavior of the magnet.
Vascular anomalies in Proteus syndrome

Proteus syndrome (PS) is a complex hamartomatous disorder defined by local overgrowth (macrodactyly or hemihypertrophy), subcutaneous tumours and various bone, cutaneous and/or vascular anomalies (VA). VA are manifold in PS, but their prevalence is unknown so far. In order to further characterize PS, we studied the prevalence of VA in 22 PS patients presenting to our outpatient clinic and reviewed 100 PS patients previously reported between 1983 and 2001. The diagnosis of vascular abnormalities was made on clinical grounds and supported with imaging studies and/or histology in 12 and seven patients out of 22, respectively. Thirty‐five VA were identified in 22/22 (100%) of our patients, and more than one type of VA were present in 10 of them. Vascular tumours, portwine stains (PWS), and venous anomalies (varicosities, prominent veins) were equally common. A total of 118 VA were previously reported in 70/100 (70%) PS patients; vascular hamartomas were more prevalent (56/118 = 47.5%), whilst PWS (21.2%) and venous anomalies (22.9%) were slightly less common than in our series, but there is the possibility of under‐reporting. Unlike Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome, where VA are mostly confined to the hypertrophic limb, major arteriovenous anomalies are rare, and – similar to the other hamartomas and naevi observed in PS (pigmentary naevi, epidermal naevi, subcutaneous tumours, exostoses) − VA appear to be distributed at random sites on the body. We conclude that VA are among the most common findings in PS. Their varying type and distribution lend further support to the concept of somatic mosaicism.
Bloated balance sheets and stock returns: Asymmetries between profit and loss firms

We study return predictability attributable to bloated balance sheets in European capital markets and find that the NOA anomaly is more severe across loss firms and is significantly attenuated across profit firms. A hedge trading strategy on NOA for loss firms generate large raw and abnormal returns that are almost three times higher than the respective returns for profit firms. Our evidence is more likely to be consistent with the hypothesis that low NOA firms may have superior returns relative to high NOA firms due to investors’ inability to make full use of information reported in financial statements.
Incidence, Morbidity, and Costs of Human Metapneumovirus Infection in Hospitalized Children.

BACKGROUND Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) causes acute respiratory tract infections in infants and children. We sought to measure the clinical and economic burden of HMPV infection in hospitalized children. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study from 2007 to 2013 at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Children <18 years of age with laboratory-confirmed HMPV infection were included. Demographic, clinical, and financial data were abstracted from the electronic medical record. RESULTS During the study period, 815 children were hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed HMPV infection: 16% <6 months, 50% 6-23 months, 23% 2-4 years, and 11% 5-17 years of age. A complex chronic condition was identified in 453 (56%) children hospitalized with HMPV infection; this proportion increased with increasing age (P < .001). There was marked variation in annual HMPV hospitalization rates, ranging from 9 of 100 000 person-years in 2012-2013 to 79 of 100 000 in 2009-2010. Hospitalization rates were highest among children <2 years (200 of 100 000 person-years) and lowest among children 5-17 years of age (5 of 100 000). Of hospitalized children, 18% were treated in the intensive care unit and 6% required mechanical ventilation. The median length of stay was 2.8 days (interquartile range [IQR], 1.8-4.6) and did not vary by age. The median total hospital cost per patient was $5513 (IQR, $3850-$9946) with significantly higher costs for patients with chronic medical conditions (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Human metapneumovirus infection results in a large number of hospitalizations with substantial morbidity, resource utilization, and costs. The development of a safe and effective vaccine could reduce the clinical and economic burden of HMPV.
Outdoor secret key agreement scenarios using wireless MIMO fadingchannels

The method of key sharing between a mobile unit and a base station through a wirelessMIMO-based fading channel is investigated. The expressions to estimate the correct keybit agreement based on a quantization with the use of guard interval are proved. Thegenerated key sequences are tested on pseudo randomness and improved by applicationof some transforms. It provides that these key sequences pass all NIST tests. A leakageof information on the key to eavesdropper is estimated in terms of correlation betweensignals received by legal users and eavesdropper. The parameters of key distributionprotocol are optimized in order to maximized the key rate under the conditions of given probability key string agreement for legal users.
Ascending and descending projections of the lateral vestibular nucleus in the frog Rana esculenta

The lectin Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin was injected into the frog lateral vestibular nucleus (LVN) to study its antero‐ and retrograde projections. The following new observations were made. 1) In the diencephalon, vestibular efferents innervate the thalamus in a manner similar to that of mammalian species. The projections show a preference for the anterior, central, and ventromedial thalamic nuclei. 2) In the mesencephalon, vestibular fibers terminate in the tegmental nuclei and the nucleus of medial longitudinal fascicle. 3) In the rhombencephalon, commissural and internuclear projections interconnect the vestibular nuclei. Some of the termination areas in the reticular formation can be homologized with the mammalian inferior olive and the nucleus prepositus hypoglossi. Another part of the vestibuloreticular projection may transmit vestibular impulses toward the vegetative centers of the brainstem. A relatively weak projection is detected in the spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve, dorsal column nuclei, and nucleus of the solitary tract. 4) In the spinal cord, vestibular terminals are most numerous in the ipsilateral ventral horn and in the triangular area of the dorsal horn. 5) The coincidence of retrogradely labeled cells with vestibular receptive areas suggests reciprocal interconnections between these structures and the LVN. 6) In seven places, the LVN projections overlap the receptive areas of proprioceptive fibers, suggesting a convergence of sensory modalities involved in the sense of balance. J. Comp. Neurol. 444:115–128, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ANALISIS DIMENSI KESUKSESAN IMPLEMENTASI SISTEM APLIKASI KEUANGAN TINGKAT INSTANSI (SAKTI) PADA SATUAN KERJA WILAYAH PROVINSI JAWA TIMUR DENGAN PENDEKATAN DELONE AND MCLEAN INFORMATION SYSTEM SUCCESS MODEL

The objectives of this study are to measure how successful the implementation of Institution Financial Application System (SAKTI) is in the early piloting phase and to investigate factors that influence the success using DeLone and McLean system information success model (2003). The data of this causal-explanatory study were collected from questionnaires distributed to 61 users working in vertical offices of Directorate General of Treasury in East Java, who were selected through purposive sampling method. The results from the analysis using Partial Least Square (PLS), an alternative method of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), show that system quality, information quality and service quality of SAKTI positively influence user satisfaction. The results also show that user satisfaction positively influences SAKTI’s net benefits. Keywords: DeLone and McLean Information System Success Model, system quality, information quality, service quality, user satisfaction, net benefit, SAKTI, partial least square (PLS)
Knowledge and access to information on recruitment of underrepresented populations to cancer clinical trials.

The burden of cancer falls disproportionately upon the medically underserved, and research studies are essential to improving health care in general, including for medically underserved populations. Clinical trials are used to evaluate efficacious prevention and treatment interventions; however, studies often fail to recruit the planned number of participants. Trials often do not include an adequately diverse population to ensure broad generalizability of results. Recent studies of patients enrolled in cancer treatment trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have demonstrated that the following populations are underrepresented in terms of their participation in cancer treatment trials: the elderly, those of low socio-economic status, those living in rural areas and Latino/Hispanic, Asian /Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska native men and women, as well as AfricanAmerican men. Since the 1980s cancer prevention trials have been conducted with participants at highest risk for disease to reduce the cancer burden, and as in treatment trials, adequate representation of underserved populations in prevention trials is desirable. Questions remain regarding the appropriate level of inclusion, i.e., whether it might depend on the prevalence of the condition/disease studied in the overall population. This issue has not been addressed adequately in the literature. Moreover, there is substantial uncertainty about what are important barriers and promoters of recruitment of underrepresented populations, and what evidence-based interventions would address them. At the request of and with the financial support of NCI, AHRQ commissioned a systematic review of the existing evidence on the recruitment of underrepresented populations into cancer clinical trials, to be performed by the Johns Hopkins University EPC. Specifically, the EPC investigators were asked to consider six key questions: • Key Question 1: What methods (e.g., survey studies, focus groups) have been used to study strategies to recruit underrepresented populations into cancer prevention and treatment trials? We defined underrepresented populations as including the elderly, adolescents, those of low socioeconomic status, those living in rural areas, African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans, and American Indians. • Key Question 2: What measures of success (e.g., proportional representation relative to the U.S. population; proportional representation relative to incidence in a specified population) have been used to evaluate the efficacy and/or effectiveness of strategies for recruitment of underrepresented populations into cancer prevention and treatment trials? • Key Questions 3 and 4: Which recruitment strategies (e.g., media appeals, incentives, etc.) have been shown to be efficacious and/or effective in increasing participation of Evidence Report/Technology Assessment Number 122
Three Spliced mRNAs of TT Virus Transcribed from a Plasmid Containing the Entire Genome in COS1 Cells

ABSTRACT A permuted whole-genome construct of a TT virus (TTV), named VT416, had 3,852 nucleotides (nt) 98.2% similar to the prototype TA278 genome. To allow the transcription of TTV from the internal promoter, pBK*VT416(1.3G), carrying 1.3 units of VT416, was constructed. The poly(A)+ RNAs expressed in COS1 cells 48 h posttransfection contained three TTV mRNA species 3.0, 1.2, and 1.0 kb in length, which were recovered in the 13 DNA clones from a λ phage cDNA library. These mRNAs in the antigenomic orientation possessed in common the 3′ terminus downstream of a poly(A) signal (A3073ATAAA) and the 5′ terminus downstream of a cap site (C98ACTTC). A common splicing to join nt 185 with nt 277 was detected in all mRNAs. The coding region of the largest open reading frame (ORF) was maintained in 3.0-kb mRNA, because this splicing was located upstream of its initiation codon (A589TG). The second splicing was detected in 1.2-kb mRNA to join nt 711 with nt 2374 and in 1.0-kb mRNA to bind nt 711 to nt 2567. They linked a proposed ORF2 to another ORF for creating new ORFs over nt 2374 to 2872 in frame 2 and nt 2567 to 3074 in frame 3. The donor and acceptor sites of all three splicings matched the consensus sequence and were conserved in most of the 16 TTVs of distinct genotypes retrieved from the database. The observed transcription profile is unique to TTV among known members in the familyCircoviridae.
Employee Capitalism or Corporate Socialism? Broad-Based Employee Stock Ownership

How employee share ownership plans (ESOPs) affect employee compensation and shareholder value depends on the size. Small ESOPs, defined as those controlling less than 5% of outstanding shares, benefit both workers and shareholders, implying positive productivity gains. However, the effects of large ESOPs on worker compensation and shareholder value are more or less neutral, suggesting little productivity gains. These differential effects appear to be due to two non-value-creating motives specific to large ESOPS: (1) To form management-worker alliances ala Pagano and Volpin (2005), wherein management bribes workers to garner worker support in thwarting hostile takeover threats and (2) To substitute wages with ESOP shares by cash constrained firms. Worker compensation increases when firms under takeover threats adopt large ESOPs, but only if the firm operates in a non-competitive industry. The effects on firm valuation also depend on the strength of product market competition: When the competition is strong (weak), most of the productivity gains accrue to employees (shareholders). Competitive industry also implies greater job mobility within the industry, enabling workers to take a greater portion of productivity gains.
Inbreeding effects on fetal growth and development *

The effects of inbreeding on the incidence of congenital anomalies and measurement at birth of offspring were explored on the basis of a prospective survey done during 1969 to 1974. The pregnancies of over 20 000 married women from rural and urban samples in North Arcot District were identified and followed up through routine home visiting once every 5 weeks by qualified women investigators. Of all marriages, 47% in the rural areas and 29% in the urban were consanguineous. The average inbreeding coefficients in the rural and urban areas were 0·0371 and 0·0204, respectively; these are significantly higher than those prevalent in most parts of the world. For purposes of statistical analysis, marriages were classified into four groups based on degree of consanguinity. Women in these four marriage groups were similar in terms of major social, economic, and other demographic factors, and in maternal variables, such as the time since the last pregnancy, place of delivery, and attendant at delivery. No significant differences existed in the incidence of congenital anomalies among offspring between the consanguineous and non-consanguineous marriages in the rural or in the urban area. Neither were any significant trends seen by degree of consanguinity, or by birth order, or by the different age groups. The types of malformations and their frequency seen in the consanguineous and non-consanguineous groups were similar. There were also no significant differences observed by type of marriage in both areas in gestational age, birthweight, body length, head circumference, or chest circumference. The fitting of exponential curves relating inbreeding coefficients to these indices led to regressions that do not attain statistical significance. It is suggested that long term inbreeding does not lead to appreciable effects on fetal growth and development.
Endothelial cells in culture: a model for studying vascular functions.

Vascular endothelium - lining the inner side of blood bessels - is one of the largest secretory tissues of the body. Therefore, understanding the cellular and molecular biology of the endothelial cells is essential for the development of new approaches for both the prevention and therapy of cardiovascular diseases. To this aim, in vitro cultures of endothelial cells provide a valuable technical resource. This review focuses on some of the critical phases of the endothelial cells culturing methodology such as: i) isolation and growing of endothelial cells; ii) identification of endothelial cells by morphological, biochemical and cellular markers; iii) studying endothelial cells in function of vascular pharmacology, vasomotor tone, vessel remodelling (angiogenesis/apoptosis), blood haemostasis, inflammatory reactions, and molecular engineering. Practical suggestions for culturing endothelial cells are presented while pros and cons of each method are discussed.
Six-month stability and outcome of a prepubertal and early adolescent bipolar disorder phenotype.

OBJECTIVE Six-month follow-up data are provided on a prepubertal and early adolescent bipolar disorder phenotype (PEA-BP). Stabilities were defined as continuous presence of PEA-BP and of individual mania criteria between baseline and 6 months. METHOD Baseline and 6-month assessments of consecutively ascertained PEA-BP outpatients (n = 91) included comprehensive instruments given to mothers and children, separately, by research nurses; consensus conferences; and offsite blind best estimates of both diagnoses and mania items. To fit the study phenotype, subjects needed to have current DSM-IV mania or hypomania with elated mood and/or grandiosity as one mania criterion and to be definite cases by severity ratings. RESULTS Of the 93 baseline subjects, 91 completed the 6-month assessment, for a retention rate of 97.8%. Baseline age was 10.9 +/- 2.7 years, and age of onset of current episode was 7.3 +/- 3.5 years. At 6 months, 85.7% still had full criteria and severity for mania or hypomania, and only 14.3% had recovered. Six-month stabilities of elated mood and grandiosity were high. Cox modeling and logistic regression did not show any significant effect of multiple covariates (e.g., gender, puberty, psychosis, mixed mania, rapid cycling, or naturalistic treatment). CONCLUSIONS These longitudinal stability findings provide validation of a PEA-BP phenotype. Poor outcome was consistent with similarity of PEA-BP baseline characteristics to those of treatment-resistant adult-onset mania.