Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and inhaled steroids alter surfactant protein D ( SPD ) levels : a cross-sectional study

Background: Surfactant protein D (SP-D), an innate immune molecule, plays an important protective role during airway inflammation. Deficiency of this molecule induces emphysematous changes in murine lungs, but its significance in human COPD remains unclear. Methods: We collected bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 20 subjects with varying degrees of COPD (8 former smokers and 12 current smokers) and 15 asymptomatic healthy control subjects (5 never smokers, 3 remote former smokers, and 7 current smokers). All subjects underwent a complete medical history and pulmonary function testing. SP-D was measured by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric methods and multivariable linear regression for control of confounding. The effect of corticosteroid treatment on SP-D synthesis was studied in vitro using an established model of isolated type II alveolar epithelial cell culture. Results: Among former smokers, those with COPD had significantly lower SP-D levels than healthy subjects (median 502 and 1067 ng/mL, respectively, p = 0.01). In a multivariable linear regression model controlling for age, sex, race, and pack-years of tobacco, COPD was independently associated with lower SP-D levels (model coefficient -539, p = 0.04) and inhaled corticosteroid use was independently associated with higher SP-D levels (398, p = 0.046). To support the hypothesis that corticosteroids increase SP-D production we used type II alveolar epithelial cells isolated from adult rat lungs. These cells responded to dexamethasone treatment by a significant increase of SP-D mRNA (p = 0.041) and protein (p = 0.037) production after 4 days of culture. Conclusion: Among former smokers, COPD is associated with lower levels of SP-D and inhaled corticosteroid use is associated with higher levels of SP-D in the lung. Dexamethasone induced SP-D mRNA and protein expression in isolated epithelial cells in vitro. Given the importance of this molecule as a modulator of innate immunity and inflammation in the lung, low levels may play a role in the pathogenesis and/or progression of COPD. Further, we speculate that inhaled steroids may induce SP-D expression and that this mechanism may contribute to their beneficial effects in COPD. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to further elucidate the role of surfactant protein D in modulating pulmonary inflammation and COPD pathogenesis. Published: 28 January 2008 Respiratory Research 2008, 9:13 doi:10.1186/1465-9921-9-13 Received: 6 August 2007 Accepted: 28 January 2008 This article is available from: http://respiratory-research.com/content/9/1/13 © 2008 Sims et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Use of the Family Interaction Macro-coding System with families of adolescents: psychometric properties among pediatric and healthy populations.

OBJECTIVE To examine reliability and validity data for the Family Interaction Macro-coding System (FIMS) with adolescents with spina bifida (SB), adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and healthy adolescents and their families. METHODS Sixty-eight families of children with SB, 58 families of adolescents with T1DM, and 68 families in a healthy comparison group completed family interaction tasks and self-report questionnaires. Trained coders rated family interactions using the FIMS. RESULTS Acceptable interrater and scale reliabilities were obtained for FIMS items and subscales. Observed FIMS parental acceptance, parental behavioral control, parental psychological control, family cohesion, and family conflict scores demonstrated convergent validity with conceptually similar self-report measures. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary evidence supports the use of the FIMS with families of youths with SB and T1DM and healthy youths. Future research on overall family functioning may be enhanced by use of the FIMS.
A Neural Network Based MPPT Technique Controller for Photovoltaic Pumping System

The article proposes a novel method using the artificial neural network (ANN) for the improvement of the performances of a photovoltaic system composed of a photovoltaic (PV) array, an inverter, a motor asynchronous and a centrifugal pump. For this type of system, different optimization strategies have been proposed to improve the over of the PV system efficiency, i.e. the PV generator is forced to operate at its maximum power point “MPPT”, generally, by the insertion of DC/DC boost converter between the photovoltaic array and the inverter. In this work we propose an approach, where optimization is realized without need adding a DC/DC converter to the chain, using field-oriented control through the monitoring of the voltage-fed inverter frequency. The motor is also ensured in all insolation conditions. A multilayer feed forward perception type NN is proposed for MPPT control, and the back-propagation algorithm is used for training. The performances of the drive with ANN-based MPPT are excellent. The maximum power point (MPP) can be easily obtained to frequency-controlled drive.
A Tableau for Bundled CTL

We present a sound, complete and relatively straightforward tableau method for deciding valid formulas in the propositional version of the bundled (or suffix and fusion closed) computation tree logic BCTL*. This proves that BCTL* is decidable. It is also moderately useful to have a tableau available for a reasonably expressive branchingtime temporal logic. However, the main interest in this should be that it leads us closer to being able to devise a tableau-based technique for theorem-proving in the important full computational tree logic CTL*.
The Cost of Private Equity

Private equity (PE) has developed into a well-established asset class with strong growth in capital commitments over the last decades. Consequently, fund returns have decreased over time and investors have become more cost conscious. Based on a unique data set of 358 PE buyout funds with vintage years between 1983 and 2007, we analyze whether the maturing PE asset class has become less costly over time. We define costs as the difference between gross and net returns (return spread) and provide a spread benchmark useful for investors to evaluate a fund’s costliness. Next, we show that, in line with our expectations, return spreads have decreased over time. However, when we control for falling gross returns causing lower performance-based fees, surprisingly, the cost of PE investing has increased. We relate the higher costs to increased levels of dry powder due to swelling capital flows into the industry. We conclude that the PE industry is a victim of its own success, suggesting that investors in the asset class should consider a more anti-cyclical investment approach.
International marketing relationships : an alternative view

This study began with the observation that international marketing research (IMR) lacked a human face. A literature search. confirmed this view. The review " was thus widened to include international marketing (IM) studies of culture, cognition, and communication, since they were thought to underpin all human interactions. This step, it was believed, would help clarify marketing scholars' understanding ofthese encounters. Analysis established that not only were there few studies in these areas. , but they also focused on dyads, prediction; and control. To establish how this research had evolved in this way and how it could b~st be extended, an exploration of how knowledge is created followed. This culminated in my understanding that the culture in mainstream marketing circles was responsible for the lack of development ofIM relationship research. A decision was therefore made to study this area from an alternCl;tive perspective to the positivist approach . typically adopted. An interpretive study of small business· in a.developing country and their overseas buyer was undertaken to that end. In total, more than eleven months fieldwork was conducted in Indonesia. The resulting interpretation was compared to the existing IM relationship research. The literature was then again extended to examine non~marketing studies that may help explain field findings that could not be explained by existing IMR. It was suggested that IM scholars needed to question whether the values and assumptions underlying their research, are appropriate in a global context.
Application of OFDM in the second generation DVB digital cable standard (DVB-C2)

Cable network operators provide a variety of different services, which include analogue and digital TV, Video on Demand (VoD) and also Internet access. The increasing number of these broadband services will require higher data rates that are not achievable in many of today's cable networks. The development of DVB-C2 has been finalized recently, providing an opportunity to upgrade these networks. One main reason for the increased spectral efficiency of DVB-C2 in comparison to DVB-C is the application of OFDM. Besides the higher spectral efficiency OFDM provides further advantages in terms of flexibility and robustness, which makes it an interesting choice for the second generation DVB cable transmission system.
Impacts of the Stock Market Liberalization in China: Evidence from the Foreign Institutional Investor Scheme

The aim of this paper is to analyze the influence of the Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors (QFII) scheme announcement on the Chinese A- and B-share markets, using an event study method with the GARCH (Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity) process. The results indicate that the announcement of the QFII system did cause a rapid drop in stock prices and trading volumes for both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets. The abnormal returns in the Shanghai A-share market are influenced the most by the QFII scheme and both stock markets experienced a sustained decline in the trading volumes. The results of cross-sectional variation further reveal that the number of board members, the shareholding ratio of block shareholders, the market capitalization of firm equity, and SOEs are all positively related to the abnormal trading activities. It is worth pointing out that stock listings in the overall Shanghai stock market and the both A-share markets exhibit a negative relationship with the abnormal trading behavior, implying that A-share stocks might be overvalued after the opening up of the B-share market.
cot‐1, a gene required for hyphal elongation in Neurospora crassa, encodes a protein kinase.

Neurospora crassa is a filamentous fungus that grows on semisolid media by forming spreading colonies. Mutations at several loci prevent this spreading growth. cot‐1 is a temperature sensitive mutant of N.crassa that exhibits restricted colonial growth. At temperatures above 32 degrees C colonies are compact while at lower temperatures growth is indistinguishable from that of the wild type. Restricted colonial growth is due to a defect in hyphal tip elongation and a concomitant increase in hyphal branching. We have isolated a genomic cosmid clone containing the wild type allele of cot‐1 by complementation. Sequence analyses suggested that cot‐1 encodes a member of the cAMP‐dependent protein kinase family. Strains in which we disrupted cot‐1 are viable but display restricted colonial growth. Duplication, by ectopic integration of a promoter‐containing fragment which includes the first one‐third (209 codons) of the structural gene, unexpectedly resulted in restricted colonial growth. Our results suggest that an active COT1 kinase is required for one or more events essential for hyphal elongation.
M1 Susceptibility Vessel Sign and Hyperdense Middle Cerebral Artery Sign in Hyperacute Stroke Patients

Background and Purpose: Vessel signs, such as the susceptibility vessel sign (SVS) on T2*-gradient echo imaging (T2*) and the hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS) on CT, are well-known markers of arterial occlusion. However, the relationship between the signs is not fully known. Methods: Patients suspected of having hyperacute (<3 h from symptom onset) stroke were prospectively enrolled. MRI including T2* and MR angiography, and thin-section CT were performed on admission. The consistency between SVS and HMCAS were evaluated. Results: A total of 67 patients [38 males, median age: 76 (interquartile range: 67–82) years, median NIHSS score: 12 (4–21)] were enrolled. SVS was observed in 6 patients (9%), and HMCAS was present in 8 (12%). Sixteen patients (24%) had middle cerebral artery proximal (M1) occlusion on MR angiography. The presence or absence of SVS was highly consistent with that of HMCAS when all cases were evaluated (ĸ = 0.841), as well as when only patients with M1 occlusion were assessed (ĸ = 0.750). Conclusion: SVS and HMCAS were highly consistent with each other in suspected hyperacute stroke patients. SVS and HMCAS may represent the same thrombus.
Simultaneous Attacks by Terrorist Organisations

While terror attacks that are a part of a coordinated effort receive attention in the popular media, they have not received much attention in the academic literature. The decision to carry out simultaneous attacks should be examined as one of the choices a terrorist organisation makes about the method of attack. Determining the impact of simultaneous attacks vis-a-vis a single attack can explain why groups would use this method. Up to one quarter of all attacks coded in two major databases, GTD and ITERATE, may be part of a simultaneous campaign. Empirical analysis shows simultaneous attacks are more likely to be successful and cause more fatalities, though not in a one-to-one fashion. These results underline the importance of considering simultaneous attacks in empirical analysis.
Integration of Membranes in 3-D Biodegradable and Biocompatible Microfluidic Bioreactors

In the last two decades, a multidisciplinary approach on the delivery of cells to the body and the development of neo-tissue has advanced. On the one hand, the science of polymers focuses on the development of biocompatible materials for cell culturing and tissue engineering applications, while on the other hand (micro-) engineering has an important part in providing a specific topography that directs the cells and provides a more similar architecture to that of tissues. Soft and flexible elastomers have gained more and more interest, especially due to their biodegradability and tunable mechanical properties that can mimic the natural tissue. The class of aliphatic polyester elastomers, amongst which poly (glycerol sebacate) is a very representative material, has grown considerably. Herein, we report the design of novel polyester elastomers that are synthesized from monomers found within the human metabolism. The thermoset properties of these polymers as well as their optical transparency make them ideal materials for microsystems technology. Therefore, microfluidic devices were developed out of these polymers in order to facilitate the design of a tissue-engineered organ. A porous membrane was inserted in the microfluidic device to enable co-culture and distribution of nutrients to the cells. Furthermore, the reported polymers and microfluidic structure can serve a multitude of applications, from tissue engineering to point-of-care diagnostics or compound screening.
From compact model to innovative circuit design of Ag-GeS2 conductive bridge memories

CBRAMs are a kind of RRAMs fabricated in the BEOL. They are a promising breakthrough for including permanent retention mechanisms (non-volatility) in embedded systems at low cost. Thus, they are becoming very interesting for the design community. For using this device in innovative circuits, a compact model is mandatory. In this paper, we propose a continuous physical compact model, implemented in Verilog-A and integrated in standard CMOS design. The model is calibrated to device characterization results. Statistical dispersions are taken into account to allow robust design. Comparisons between the model and measurements prove its accuracy and model robustness is validated by circuit design. Finally, the model is used to show the impact of the variability of the switching time in a Non-Volatile Flip-Flop based on CBRAM cells.
Dynamic Entry and Exit Linkages in the Brazilian Manufacturing Industry: An Econometric Investigation

Abstract The paper investigates dynamic linkages between entry and exit rates in Brazilian manufacturing in the context of 231 (four-digit) industries during the 1996–2005 period. The empirical analysis focuses on the estimation of a dynamic panel data model for entry and exit rates, and controls for the business cycle and structural characteristics, such as industrial concentration and suboptimal scale. The empirical evidence is partially consistent with a multiplier effect where synergetic factors prevail by exit inducing exit. Evidence partially supports a competition effect that could be related to a selection process favoring efficiency, as exit induces entry. The business cycle control variable and the aforementioned structural variables appear to play no role in delineating entry and exit linkages. The results are similar, although not identical, to previous evidence for developed countries.
Understanding the Determinants of the Reputation of Information Systems Departments

How well information systems are governed in an organization depends critically on the relationship between the IS department and other business units. Infrequent communication and a lack of shared knowledge between these groups have shown, for example, to lead to failed and abandoned projects. While IS-business relationships have been extensively studied at the individual level of analysis, little work has been done on group-level relationships. This is a significant issue, because relationships between individuals are influenced by the quality of the interaction between and within the organizational units they belong to. In addition, most studies have examined how these relationships affect the performance of the IS unit, but not the reputation of this unit in the organization. The reputation of the IS unit in an organization is worth studying because reputation is an indicator of its success in executing and supporting the organization’s strategy. Cognitive judgments of the IS unit’s influence also determine to some extent the level of resources provided to it for its operations. This study uses the concepts of leader-member exchange and team-member exchange to examine how relationships between IS and business units, and within IS units, can affect the performance and reputation of the IS unit. We develop a theoretical multi-level model and propose hypotheses which will be tested in the future.
OFFICE MARKET AND LABOUR MARKET: THE CASE OF GERMANY

Using a panel data approach the relevance of labour market fluctuations for rents and vacancy rates in the German office property market are investigated. Based on occupational labour market data the number of office workers in Germany and in the 20 biggest cities is thereby calculated. For the office market, two different datasets have been used: Quartely data for the main six German metropolises and annual data for 20 cities. As it turns out, changes in office employment have a significant impact on the office market. Additionally, the office market is lagging behind the labour market. Thus, labour market developments are an helpful early indicator for property market investors.
Social Media in Quality Management: An Empirical Statistical Research on Hotel Online Review

Hotel Online review is becoming a more and more popular topic in the hotel industry nowadays. Lots of research has been done and many interesting implications have been investigated. But very little research has been conducted from the different customer group perspective. In my thesis, I conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis mainly from the different customer group perspective and found out some very meaningful implications for the hotel industry. Some key contributions have been summarized as below: First, there exist significant mean differences in terms of six individual ratings and overall rating among different customer groups (Family, Business, Friend, Solo, and Couple). Second, the six different individual review items account for different weights in the overall rating scale. Third, there is a significant positive relationship between six individual review items and overall rating. Fourth, independent hotels are making better performance than chain hotels except for some certain customer group in terms of rooms and sleep quality rating. Also, among the five different customer groups, the ratings of individual and overall given by business customer group are the lowest compared with the other groups. These implications will help hotels allocate their resources more flexible and efficient rather than focus on every single aspect. Especially for those small and medium sized hotels, they may be able to run better business since they now learn where to allocate more resources according to the rank of the importance.
Time Series classification through transformation and ensembles

The problem of time series classification (TSC), where we consider any real-valued ordered data a time series, offers a specific challenge. Unlike traditional classification problems, the ordering of attributes is often crucial for identifying discriminatory features between classes. TSC problems arise across a diverse range of domains, and this variety has meant that no single approach outperforms all others. The general consensus is that the benchmark for TSC is nearest neighbour (NN) classifiers using Euclidean distance or Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). Though conceptually simple, many have reported that NN classifiers are very diffi�cult to beat and new work is often compared to NN classifiers. The majority of approaches have focused on classification in the time domain, typically proposing alternative elastic similarity measures for NN classification. Other work has investigated more specialised approaches, such as building support vector machines on variable intervals and creating tree-based ensembles with summary measures. We wish to answer a specific research question: given a new TSC problem without any prior, specialised knowledge, what is the best way to approach the problem? Our thesis is that the best methodology is to first transform data into alternative representations where discriminatory features are more easily detected, and then build ensemble classifiers on each representation. In support of our thesis, we propose an elastic ensemble classifier that we believe is the first ever to significantly outperform DTW on the widely used UCR datasets. Next, we propose the shapelet-transform, a new data transformation that allows complex classifiers to be coupled with shapelets, which outperforms the original algorithm and is competitive with DTW. Finally, we combine these two works with with heterogeneous ensembles built on autocorrelation and spectral-transformed data to propose a collective of transformation-based ensembles (COTE). The results of COTE are, we believe, the best ever published on the UCR datasets.