Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Etude du comportement dynamique et du transfert de matière et de chaleur entre des particules sphériques et un écoulement laminaire ou turbulent

A caracterisation de l’ecoulement, du transfert de chaleur et de masse lors du deplacement de gouttelettes de diametre inferieur au millimetre dans un milieu exterieur font l’objet de notre etude. La premiere partie presente l’etat de l’art des connaissances theoriques et experimentales des comportements aerodynamiques ainsi que les mecanismes de transfert thermiques et massiques intervenant entre une phase dispersee et une phase continue. La deuxieme partie est consacree a l’etude du phenomene d’evaporation d’une gouttelette mono-dispersee en chute libre dans l’air. Pour cela, nous avons realise un dispositif experimental. Les mesures, nous permettent de predire l’evaporation de la gouttelette en fonction des caracteristiques physico-chimiques et de l’hygrometrie du milieu exterieur. Pour la modelisation du transfert de chaleur et de masse nous avons utilise un modele simple qui tient en compte du couplage entre le mouvement et les phenomenes de transferts, valide dans une precedente etude au sein du laboratoire. Un bon accord est observe. La troisieme partie traite de la simulation numerique de l’interaction entre les particules spheriques dans un regime laminaire. Tout d’abord, nous avons propose et valide un modele simple qui ne tient pas en compte des phenomenes d’interaction. Les resultats obtenus sont en concordance avec la litterature. Par la suite, nous avons etudie l’interaction entre trois particules identiques et co-alignees. Ce modele tient compte de la nature de la particule, du nombre du Reynolds et de la distance de separation. Nous avons valide ce travail par une comparaison avec une etude precedente que nous avons generalise. La derniere partie est cernee sur l’etude de la dispersion des gouttelettes dans un ecoulement turbulent homogene et isotrope. Pour cela, nous avons propose un modele Lagrangien de suivi des trajectoires. La production de la turbulence est assuree par une condition de turbulence de grille. Nous avons considere que les caracteristiques moyennes de l’ecoulement fluide sont connues. La selection des fluctuations de vitesse turbulente est assuree par une methode probabiliste gaussienne que nous avons developpee. La fluctuation est conservee durant un certain temps lie a turbulence, elle est renouvelee au cours du calcul. Ce renouvellement est donne par le temps caracteristique de turbulence.
A Study on Factors Influencing Wedding Quality by Using Model Developed by Haywood Farmer’s Evaluation of Service Quality

The article major focus is to identify the factors affecting service quality in wedding event services from the customers’ point of view. Research has been carried out with the help of primary data and secondary data. Data collected through questionnaire is entered into software CSPro and anlaysed in various tools like SPSS and Excel. Based on present research the model can be altered by adding influence of price as a dominant factor to the model. Most of the wedding quality can be improved by increasing the budget of wedding so there is a strong influence of price on wedding quality around weddings of north Karnataka region.
Crosstalking between Androgen and PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathways in Prostate Cancer Cells*

Background: An interaction between androgen and PI3K/AKT pathways has been implicated in prostate cancer cells. Results: Conditional expression of AR transgene represses PI3K/Akt activation, and Pten loss results in reduced AR expression and transcriptional activity. Conclusion: Both androgen and PI3K/AKT pathways inversely regulate each other in prostate cancer cells. Significance: Interplay between androgen and PI3K/AKT pathways may directly contribute to prostate tumorigenesis. Both androgen action and PI3K medicated signaling pathways have been implicated in prostate tumorigenesis. Our androgen receptor (AR) conditional transgenic mice developed murine prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mPIN) and prostatic adenocarcinoma lesions recapitulating human prostate cancer development and progression. Role of transgenic AR contributing to malignancy was demonstrated by high degree of transgenic AR expression in atypical and tumor cells in mPIN as well as prostatic adenocarcinoma lesions of the transgenic mice, but not in adjacent normal tissue. Interestingly, reduced PI3K/Akt activation also appeared in these mouse atypical and tumor cells, suggesting an interaction between androgen and PI3K/AKT pathways. In this study, we further investigated this interaction. We showed that the androgen depletion or knockdown of AR expression results in elevated levels of active phosphorylated AKT in prostate cancer cells. Castration of conditional Pten knock-out mice showed increased Akt, phosphorylated Akt, and pS6 expression in the mouse prostate. Using a series of newly generated Ar reporter and Pten knock-out compound mice, we showed that Pten loss directly represses endogenous Ar expression in prostatic epithelial cells. Moreover, Pten loss and PI3K/Akt activation reduced Ar-mediated transcription in purified Pten-null cells. This study provides novel evidence demonstrating interplay between androgen and PI3K pathways, as well as introduces unique and relevant mouse models for further studies of PI3K and AR pathways in the context of prostate tumorigenesis.
The Influence of Perceived Risk on the uptake of Mobile Money Services by SMEs Operations in Karagwe District, Tanzania

Mobile money services (MMS) USAge through mobile phones and other ICT tools has increased with time and dramatically pave the way in business communication among Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Tanzania. Some of SME operators in Karagwe District are escaping from MMS USAge due to perceived risk associated with financial communication and hence pulls down its USAge. The growth of MMS and perceived risk embodied in it is taking a crucial part in business communication. A study sought to analyse the influences of perceived risk on MMS USAge to support SME business undertaking. Perceived risk theory was reviewed and become a corners stone for this study. It can be recalled that, risk is the stake in use and individual feeling which is subjected in certainty. Variables in mobile MMS USAge including financial risk, performance risk and SME business operation were identified and measured using quantitative techniques. Questionnaires were designed to collect data from all respondent. Data were collected from 154 runners of micro, small and medium enterprises using simple random sampling method. Data were analysed by sing SPSS version 22 in which descriptive analysis were used to analyses demographic data while factor analysis were used to test the study hypothesis. The study found that financial and operational risks are negatively and significantly influences MMS USAge in business operation. This study highlights remedial action for players of MMS in business operation which will facilitate to mitigate perceived risk and enhance smooth running SME business orientation. Furthermore, the study recommends that the Government should institute the developed ICT policies and other legislation to enforce MMS USAge security and regulate its uptakes.
Statistical Methods for Identifying Wolf Kill Sites Using Global Positioning System Locations

Abstract Accurate estimates of kill rates remain a key limitation to addressing many predator–prey questions. Past approaches for identifying kill sites of large predators, such as wolves (Canis lupus), have been limited primarily to areas with abundant winter snowfall and have required intensive ground-tracking or aerial monitoring. More recently, attempts have been made to identify clusters of locations obtained using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars on predators to identify kill sites. However, because decision rules used in determining clusters have not been consistent across studies, results are not necessarily comparable. We illustrate a space–time clustering approach to statistically define clusters of wolf GPS locations that might be wolf kill sites, and we then use binary and multinomial logistic regression to model the probability of a cluster being a non–kill site, kill site of small-bodied prey species, or kill site of a large-bodied prey species. We evaluated our approach using field visits of kills and assessed the accuracy of the models using an independent dataset. The cluster-scan approach identified 42–100% of wolf-killed prey, and top logistic regression models correctly classified 100% of kills of large-bodied prey species, but 40% of small-bodied prey species were classified as nonkills. Although knowledge of prey distribution and vulnerability may help refine this approach, identifying small-bodied prey species will likely remain problematic without intensive field efforts. We recommend that our approach be utilized with the understanding that variation in prey body size and handling time by wolves will likely have implications for the success of both the cluster scan and logistic regression components of the technique.
Passive Investors and Corporate Social Responsibility: a Risk-Management Perspective

This paper develops a risk-management view of CSR by arguing that CSR provides insurance-like effects in adverse corporate events. Since passive investors have diversified away most idiosyncratic risks, we predict that they demand less CSR as a strategic approach to manage risks. Using the annual Russell 1000/2000 index reconstitution as an instrument for passive investor ownership, we find that firms with higher passive fund ownership exhibit significantly lower CSR engagement. The effects are more pronounced among better-diversified passive investors and firms that are not in CSR-sensitive industries. We also find that passive investors hold back CSR activities through the channel of "voice" by reducing the number of socially responsible investment (SRI) proposals. Overall, the findings shed light on the risk-management function of CSR and provide original evidence that passive investors imprint their preference on firm policy.
Sleep Architecture in Stroke and Relation to Outcome

The aim of this study was to investigate sleep architecture in stroke patients, and correlate possible disturbances with the topography, severity and outcome of stroke and the presence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). In total, 62 acute stroke patients and 16 age- and gender-matched hospitalised controls underwent polysomnographic studies. Sleep architecture was analysed according to the topography of lesion, severity (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) and outcome (Barthel Index) of stroke. We found that sleep architecture is disturbed in stroke patients, regardless of SDB. Stroke patients (without SDB) have reductions in total sleep time and sleep efficiency, reduced stage II and slow wave sleep, increased wakefulness during sleep and increased sleep latency. Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is reduced when SDB is also present. REM sleep is relatively preserved in cerebellar strokes, as opposed to other topographies. Sleep stages I and REM are negatively associated with stroke severity, and the latency to REM sleep is positively correlated with a good outcome. Sleep architecture is impaired in stroke patients (with fragmentation, increased wakefulness and reduced slow wave sleep), and this correlates with severity and outcome. Sleep disturbances should be investigated and addressed in these patients. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and assess the clinical and therapeutic implications.
Mécanismes d'interaction cellules-microbulles et ultrasons

L’objectif de ce projet est d’etudier une nouvelle voie de therapie basee sur l’echographie de contraste. Les agents de contraste utilises sont capables de vectoriser differentes molecules chimiques et de les liberer lorsqu’ils sont detruits par le biais des ultrasons. Cette methode permet donc un traitement cible et controle ce qui a pour avantages de reduire la quantite de principe actif (donc des effets de secondaires). De plus, les microbulles augmentent la permeabilite cellulaire ou tissulaire donc ameliore leur incorporation cellulaire. Cependant le mecanisme n’est pas connu. In vitro, nous avons utilise un ensemble de techniques dont le patch clamp pour visualiser les echanges trans-membranaires et la TEER pour les modifications de la permeabilite trans-endotheliales. In vivo, nous avons effectue des ECG pour observer et comprendre les effets secondaires afin de mieux les prevenir. Le but de la these est d’aboutir a la connaissance du phenomene d’augmentation de la permeabilite induite par les ultrasons et les microbulles afin de pouvoir l’optimiser.
Financial Capability: What Is It, and How Can It Be Created?

Financial literacy has been proposed widely as an effective approach to preparing people to manage their finances. This paper proposes an alternative concept, financial capability. Financial capability includes both the ability to act (knowledge, skills, confidence, and motivation) and the opportunity to act (through access to quality financial products and services). Low-income households, who face lack of financial knowledge and institutional barriers to participation in quality financial services, require both financial literacy and financial inclusion. The paper begins by addressing how people acquire financial knowledge and skills through financial socialization, financial education and guidance, and financial advice and counseling. Next, it addresses how financial inclusion can be achieved through financial services that are accessible, affordable, financially attractive, easy to use, secure, and reliable. Then it illustrates how financial knowledge and skills and financial inclusion are linked. The paper concludes with a call for more research.
Exploring the Sustainable Shareholder Value of Corporate Social Responsibility Activities

This research aims to explore the long-term benefit of the consistent implementation of CSR activities in creating sustainable value for shareholders, based on the argumentation of a sustainability approach. The measurement of sustainable shareholder value uses an accounting-based and market-based approach. Since the benefit of CSR cannot be expected in the short-term but in the longer-term, this study requires that the companies should have implemented CSR for at least five years to be included in this research sample. These results support the argumentation of sustainability in which CSR has a positive association with the sustainable shareholder value using both accounting-based and market-based measurement. In addition, this research also uncovers that there is a difference association model of CSR and sustainable shareholder value between firms that have high social and environmental risk (high-profile companies) and firms that have low social and environmental risk (low-profile companies).
Effects of iterative reconstruction on image contrast and lesion detection in gamma camera coincidence imaging in lung and breast cancers

To investigate the effects of iterative reconstruction in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) gamma camera coincidence imaging (GCI), image contrast and visual detection obtained by using the iterative ordered-subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) reconstruction, in a phantom and in patients with lung cancer and breast cancer, were compared with those obtained by using the conventional filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction. Images of a cylindrical phantom containing hot spheres of various sizes (10-38 mm) were acquired by positron emission tomography (PET) and GCI at various sphere-to-background activity ratios. Forty-one consecutive patients with biopsy-proven cancer of lung (n = 20) and breast (n = 21) underwent PET and GCI on the same day after intravenous injection of 370 MBq of FDG. GCI images reconstructed by the OSEM and the FBP were compared. FDG PET was considered as the standard of reference. In GCI phantom images, OSEM yielded better contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than FBP over the range of sphere sizes. Attenuation correction improved both the image measures and sphere detection obtained by the OSEM in GCI. In the study involving patients, FDG PET depicted 41 primary tumours and 25 metastatic lymph nodes. All of the tumours >2 cm in diameter (n = 25), six of the nine tumours 1.5-2.0 cm in diameter (67%), two of seven tumours <1.5 cm in diameter (29%), and 20 metastatic lymph nodes (80%) were detected in attenuation uncorrected GCI reconstructed by the OSEM as well as the FBP. The undetected lesions in GCI were identical between the OSEM and the FBP reconstructions. OSEM yielded significantly greater tumour-to-background (T/B) ratios and lower noise than FBP in GCI (T/B ratios, 4.1±3.2 vs 3.7±2.7, P = 0.02; noise, 0.09±0.04 vs 0.14±0.05, P<0.0001). In conclusion, OSEM yielded better image contrast and less noise than the FBP in GCI, but the lesion detection obtained by the OSEM and the FBP in attenuation uncorrected GCI in patients with lung cancer and breast cancer were similar. Phantom data suggest the potential of OSEM for improving lesion detection in GCI after attenuation correction.
Depression in patients with lung cancer: prevalence and risk factors derived from quality-of-life data.

PURPOSE To evaluate self-reported depression rates in patients with inoperable lung cancer and to explore demographic, clinical, and quality-of-life (QOL) factors associated with depression and thus identify patients at risk. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nine hundred eighty-seven patients from three palliative treatment trials conducted by the Medical Research Council Lung Cancer Working Party formed the study sample. 526 patients (53%) had poor prognosis small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and 461 patients (47%) had good prognosis non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale data and QOL items from the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist were analyzed, together with relevant demographic and clinical factors. RESULTS Depression was self-rated in 322 patients (33%) before treatment and persisted in more than 50% of patients. SCLC patients had a three-fold greater prevalence of case depression than those with NSCLC (25% v 9%; P <.0001). An increased rate for women was found for good performance status (PS) patients (PS of 0 or 1) but the sex difference reduced for poor PS patients (PS of 3 or 4) because of increased depression rates for men (chi(2) for trend, P <. 0001). Multivariate analysis showed that functional impairment was the most important risk factor; depression increased by 41% for each increment on the impairment scale. Pretreatment physical symptom burden, fatigue, and clinician-rated PS were also independent predictors, but cell type was not. CONCLUSION Depression is common and persistent in lung cancer patients, especially those with more severe symptoms or functional limitations. Psychologic screening and appropriate intervention is an essential part of palliative care.
Toxoplasma gondii Tic20 is essential for apicoplast protein import

Apicomplexan parasites harbor a secondary plastid that has lost the ability to photosynthesize yet is essential for the parasite to multiply and cause disease. Bioinformatic analyses predict that 5–10% of all proteins encoded in the parasite genome function within this organelle. However, the mechanisms and molecules that mediate import of such large numbers of cargo proteins across the four membranes surrounding the plastid remain elusive. In this work, we identify a highly diverged member of the Tic20 protein family in Apicomplexa. We demonstrate that Tic20 of Toxoplasma gondii is an integral protein of the innermost plastid membrane. We engineer a conditional null-mutant and show that TgTic20 is essential for parasite growth. To characterize this mutant functionally, we develop several independent biochemical import assays to reveal that loss of TgTic20 leads to severe impairment of apicoplast protein import followed by organelle loss and parasite death. TgTic20 is the first experimentally validated protein import factor identified in apicoplasts. Our studies provide experimental evidence for a common evolutionary origin of import mechanisms across the innermost membranes of primary and secondary plastids.
Conception et réalisation d'un convertisseur électro-thermique à grande constante de temps en technologie microsystème pour un disjoncteur thermique

Les microsystemes connaissent depuis une dizaine annees un developpement important grace a leur pouvoir de miniaturisation des systemes complexes. A l'heure actuelle un grand nombre d'entreprises etudie la possibilite de faire passer leurs produits de l'echelle macroscopique a l'echelle microscopique. Cette translation d'echelle a pour but de reduire les couts de production et d'augmenter les performances. Dans cette optique, ce travail de these a etudie une solution de disjoncteur thermique en technologie microsysteme. Le disjoncteur thermique protege les reseaux electriques contre des surcharges de courant en mesurant l'energie qui s'ecoule dans les fils pendant une duree. Au dela d'une energie seuile, le reseau est ouvert. Le composant microsysteme realisant cette fonction est un convertisseur electro-thermique a grande constante de temps. Le principe de fonctionnement est le suivant : le courant issu du reseau est converti en tension via la chaleur avec un effet d'integration. La premiere conversion est assuree par une resistance, tandis que la deuxieme est effectuee par un capteur de temperature. Enfin le signal produit est compare a une tension de declenchement. Le composant est une masse en silicium suspendue dans un vide absolu par quatre bras d'oxyde. Le bloc de silicium sert de capacite thermique (stockage de la chaleur), tandis que les bras d'oxyde servent de resistance thermique. La combinaison des deux determine la constante de temps du dispositif (). Une caracterisation mecanique du composant a montre une certaine fragilite de la structure. Pour remedier a ce probleme un convertisseur a barrieres thermique a ete mis au point. Les deux composants ont ete realises en technologie cmos suivie d'une gravure anisotropique du substrat. Une solution de gravure du silicium a ete developpee et caracterisee au cour de ce travail. Cette solution est du tmah 10%.
Post-Irradiation Annealing Mechanisms of Defects Generated in Hydrogenated Bipolar Oxides

Bipolar test structures were irradiated and annealed with various combinations of molecular hydrogen gas ambients, bias, and thermal conditions. The results show that the buildup and annealing behavior of defects in bipolar base oxides depend strongly on hydrogen concentration. Differences observed in trapped oxide charge annealing rates suggest that the charged defects created in hydrogen-rich environments may be attributed to different types of positive charge in addition to trapped holes.