Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perturbation factors for cylindrical ionization chambers in proton beams. Part I: corrections for gradients

An analytical model is presented to calculate the effective depth in water of cylindrical ionization chambers in clinical proton or heavy ion beams in the presence of modest and linear gradients. This model is compared with Monte Carlo simulations and recommendations in IAEA TRS-398 for all ionization chambers listed in that report. A refinement of the analytical model allows its application for depth–dose curves even in the nonlinear gradient region of the Bragg peak. Combined with information from the Monte Carlo simulations it also allows one to solve the inverse problem of deriving a depth–dose curve in homogeneous water from the depth–dose response obtained with a cylindrical ionization chamber. The results show that the effective depth in water calculated analytically, calculated by Monte Carlo, and derived from experimental literature are in good agreement. The agreement with the IAEA TRS-398 recommendation is good for most ionization chambers but can be wrong by up to 1.5 mm for some ionization chamber types. The agreement between the refined analytical model and Monte Carlo simulations of depth–dose response curves is shown to be good (even in extreme situations of large ionization chambers in low-energy beams). An indication is given of situations in which a simple shift of the entire depth–dose curve is sufficiently accurate. It is demonstrated that it is possible to solve the inverse problem with this method, even for rather noisy data. This is illustrated by successfully applying it to depth–dose measurements with cylindrical ionization chambers taken from the literature.
Effects of Peg-Interferon-Alpha-2A on Schistosoma mansoni Infection in Mice

Abstract In some regions of the world, co-existence of schistosomiasis and hepatitis C (HCV) infection is common. Because the morbidity in human schistosomiasis is primarily due to host cell-mediated immune response, it was of interest to determine the effects on Schistosoma mansoni infection of an immune stimulator used in the standard treatment of HCV infection. Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice were treated with PEG-interferon-α-2a (PEG-IFN-α) by subcutaneous injection. Groups 1, 2, and 3 received 0.2 µg, 0.6 µg, and 1 µg PEG-IFN-α/wk, respectively, while group 4 received saline. The total worm burden was lower in all treated groups, with a maximal reduction of 35% after 9 wk of treatment with 1 µg PEG-IFN-α. Interferon treatment also increased the proportion of single worms over pairs. Ova counts in intestine and liver, as well as the number of liver granulomas, were greatly decreased at all time points for all treated groups. PEG-IFN-α also had inhibitory effects on the size of granulomas after 4 wk of treatment. The results suggest that PEG-IFN-α may be worth investigating for the treatment of human schistosomiasis when standard oral agents cannot be used, or when rapid inhibition of granuloma formation may be a priority.
Is prioritisation of funding in elite sport effective? An analysis of the investment strategies in 16 countries

ABSTRACT Research question: This paper explores the extent to which nations prioritise elite sport funding; whether such nations are more successful than those whose funding is more diversified; and, if the sports that receive the most funding are also the most successful. Research methods: Data on public expenditure for elite sport programmes (2011/2012) were collected on a sport-specific basis in 16 nations (n = 445 funded sports). The Herfindahl index and concentration ratios of the four/eight most funded sports (CR4/CR8) are used as proxies for prioritisation. Success was measured using top three and top eight places during the Olympic Games and World Championships. Descriptive analysis and linear regression are applied to identify the relationship between the distribution of funding and success. Results and findings: Generally, all sample nations are prioritisers. Nations with smaller total elite sport budgets tended to prioritise more. There is a slight negative association between the distribution of funding within a country and subsequent success, indicating that the sample countries that prioritise more tended to be less successful. Sample nations that diversify their funding more, are found to be successful in a wider range of sports. In addition, the data illustrated only low allocative efficiency for some nations. Implications: The study produced ambiguous conclusions that prioritisation as a deliberate strategic choice is an efficient way to invest funding. The findings have important implications for high-performance managers and suggest that a more diverse resource allocation policy may help to avoid unintended negative consequences.
Role of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ISA1and ISA2 in Iron Homeostasis

ABSTRACT The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains two homologues of bacterial IscA proteins, designated Isa1p and Isa2p. Bacterial IscA is a product of the isc (iron-sulfur cluster) operon and has been suggested to participate in Fe-S cluster formation or repair. To test the function of yeast Isa1p and Isa2p, single or combinatorial disruptions were introduced in ISA1and ISA2. The resultant isaΔ mutants were viable but exhibited a dependency on lysine and glutamate for growth and a respiratory deficiency due to an accumulation of mutations in mitochondrial DNA. As with other yeast genes proposed to function in Fe-S cluster assembly, mitochondrial iron concentration was significantly elevated in the isa mutants, and the activities of the Fe-S cluster-containing enzymes aconitase and succinate dehydrogenase were dramatically reduced. An inspection of Isa-like proteins from bacteria to mammals revealed three invariant cysteine residues, which in the case of Isa1p and Isa2p are essential for function and may be involved in iron binding. As predicted, Isa1p is targeted to the mitochondrial matrix. However, Isa2p is present within the intermembrane space of the mitochondria. Our deletion analyses revealed that Isa2p harbors a bipartite N-terminal leader sequence containing a mitochondrial import signal linked to a second sequence that targets Isa2p to the intermembrane space. Both signals are needed for Isa2p function. A model for the nonredundant roles of Isa1p and Isa2p in delivering iron to sites of the Fe-S cluster assembly is discussed.
Ageing well: using action research in a parish church setting

This dissertation reports a research project conducted as part of the Doctor of Practical Theology professional doctorate programme at the University of Birmingham. The research explored how the perceived needs of older people in an Anglican Parish Church might be more adequately understood and addressed through an Action Research strategy. Initial investigation by means of focus groups led to the design and implementation of a short course for people over 55 through which they could share their practical wisdom about how to age well. The course is described and reflected on in detail as the key action within this Participative Action Research process. The research adopted a strengths-based philosophy and was influenced by the approach of Asset Based Community Development. Emergent theory from reflection on practice include non-essentialist, general and specific experiences of ageing which are related back to pastoral ministry. The findings suggest some ordinary ways in which older people can be enabled to adopt a positive attitude, overcome obstacles and challenge a deficit model of ageing. Theological reflections explore issues of normalizing ageing, the ethic of abundance, fullness of life, and a Christian theological anthropology which holds ageing to be a Creation good.
[Luteolin excretion after oral administration of Elsholtzia blanda benth extracts in rats].

OBJECTIVE To observe the excretion of luteolin after oral administration of Elsholtzia blanda benth extracts in rats. METHODS Samples of urine, feces and bile were collected after oral administration of Elsholtzia blanda benth extracts in rate. After deconjugation with beta-glucuronidase/sulfatase, the levels of luteolin in urine, feces and bile were measured by RP-HPLC. RESULT The recovery rate of luteolin was 98.0 %-106.0 % and the extract recoveries were 85.0 %-108.0%. Relative standard deviation (RSD) of intra-and inter-day assay was less than 10.0 %. The total accumulative excretion was 37 % (11 % in urine, 26 % in feces and bile). CONCLUSION The established RP-HPLC method is sensitive, specific, accurate, and is applicable for determination of luteolin in rat urine,feces and bile.
Structure of d(CCGGGACCGG)4 as a four-way junction at 1.6 Å resolution: new insights into solvent interactions.

The crystal structure of the decamer sequence d(CCGGGACCGG)(4) has previously been reported at 2.16 Å resolution as a four-way junction. Here, the structure of this sequence is reported at the significantly higher resolution of 1.6 Å, which is the highest resolution reported for a four-way junction. This allowed the unambiguous identification of an extensive hydration network with distinct patterns and solvent-mediated interactions that shed new light on the role of water in the formation and stabilization of junction structures.
Anti‐Corruption and Corporate Tax Burden: Evidence from China

We examine whether the Chinese government's anti‐corruption enforcement reduces corporate tax burdens. Using a difference‐in‐difference approach, we find tax burdens of firms located in corrupt political leaders’ jurisdictions are lower after these leaders were deposed. An analysis of two tax policy changes shows that the reduction in tax burden is more pronounced when corrupt politicians had more power in levying taxes.
Family members' lived experiences of everyday life after intensive care treatment of a loved one: a phenomenological hermeneutical study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To illuminate relatives' experiences of everyday life after a loved one's stay in an intensive care unit. BACKGROUND Relatives of intensive care patients experience considerable stress that can have a long-lasting effect on their everyday lives. Relatives frequently report anxiety, depression and complicated grief as a result of their experiences in the intensive care unit. DESIGN A qualitative design was chosen. METHODS Thirteen relatives were interviewed 3 months to 1 year after the discharge or death of an intensive care unit patient. A phenomenological hermeneutical method was used to explore family members' lived experiences upon returning home after their loved ones' stay in the intensive care unit. RESULTS Two themes emerged from the analysis of the data: (1) changes in everyday life and emotional reactions, and (2) managing changes and need of support and follow-up from the ICU. CONCLUSIONS Family members experience changes in emotions, roles and responsibilities after returning home. They must maintain control of themselves and adapt to the changes to face the future. They cope by using their personal resources and support from others. Some are in further need of follow-up from the intensive care unit staff. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Nursing education could focus increasingly more on the significance of communication and personal support, which helps family members cope during patients' stay and experience a sense of personal strength when returning home. Further research should address how to identify and support those with special needs after the intensive care unit stay.
DISENTANGLING THE SIGNIFICANT OF IMPROVISATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS’ BUSINESS SUCCESS

Previous research indicates that improvisation as deliberate extemporaneous composition and execution of novel actionis an important matter for any business to be successful. The present article seeks to advance the theoretical knowledge on the influence of improvisation behavior on business success, particularly among women entrepreneur by reviewing and synthesizing available research into a conceptual framework that the relationship of the selected variables. Based on the arguments in this article, a proposition was developed to refine our understanding of the relationship between improvisation and business success. Finally, theoretical and practical implication were discussed.
A Conceptual Framework for the Mining and Analysis of the Social Media Data

Social media data possess the characteristics of Big Data such as volume, veracity, velocity, variability and value. These characteristics make its analysis a bit more challenging than conventional data. Manual analysis approaches are unable to cope with the fast pace at which data is being generated. Processing data manually is also time consuming and requires a lot of effort as compared to using computational methods. However, computational analysis methods usually cannot capture in-depth meanings (semantics) within data. On their individual capacity, each approach is insufficient. As a solution, we propose a Conceptual Framework, which integrates both the traditional approaches and computational approaches to the mining and analysis of social media data. This allows us to leverage the strengths of traditional content analysis, with its regular meticulousness and relative understanding, whilst exploiting the extensive capacity of Big Data analytics and accuracy of computational methods. The proposed Conceptual Framework was evaluated in two stages using an example case of the political landscape of Botswana data collected from Facebook and Twitter platforms. Firstly, a user study was carried through the Inductive Content Analysis (ICA) process using the collected data. Additionally, a questionnaire was conducted to evaluate the usability of ICA as perceived by the participants. Secondly, an experimental study was conducted to evaluate the performance of data mining algorithms on the data from the ICA process. The results, from the user study, showed that the ICA process is flexible and systematic in terms of allowing the users to analyse social media data, hence reducing the time and effort required to manually analyse data. The users’ perception in terms of ease of use and usefulness of the ICA on analysing social media data is positive. The results from the experimental study show that data mining algorithms produced higher accurate results in classifying data when supplied with data from the ICA process. That is, when data mining algorithms are integrated with the ICA process, they are able to overcome the difficulty they face to capture semantics within data. Overall, the results of this study, including the Proposed Conceptual Framework are useful to scholars and practitioners who wish to do some researches on social media data mining and analysis. The Framework serves as a guide to the mining and analysis of the social media data in a systematic manner.
Tonic vibration reflexes elicited during fatigue from maximal voluntary contractions in man.

1. In the present study on human foot dorsiflexor muscles we have examined the effects of high‐frequency (150 Hz) muscle vibration on weak or moderate voluntary contractions (maintained by constant effort) and on maximal voluntary contractions (MCVs) of (i) non‐fatigued muscles, (ii) muscles fatigued by sustained MVCs and (iii) muscles deprived of gamma‐fibre innervation by partial anaesthetic nerve block. The motor outcome of the voluntary dorsiflexion efforts was assessed by measuring the firing rates of single motor units in the anterior tibial (TA) muscle, the mean voltage EMG activity from the pretibial muscles and foot dorsiflexion force. 2. With the subject instructed to exert constant effort in maintaining a weak or moderate contraction, superimposed vibration caused an enhancement of EMG activity and contraction force. 3. Previous claims that muscle vibration has no facilitatory effect on motor output in MVCs were found to hold true for non‐fatigued but not for fatigued muscles. Thus, the fatigue‐induced decline in EMG activity and motor unit firing rates was counteracted by short periods (less than 10‐20 s) of superimposed vibration. However, with longer vibration periods it seemed as if the initial facilitation converted into an opposite effect which accentuated the fatigue‐induced decline in motor output and contraction force. 4. Like muscle fatigue, a partial anesthetic block of the deep peroneal nerve, supposedly interrupting transmission in gamma‐motor fibres, caused a reduction of MVC motor unit firing rates which could be counteracted by muscle vibration. In prolonged MVCs performed during the block, motor unit firing rates did not show the normal progressive decline from an initially high level, but stayed at a relatively constant low level throughout the contraction period. 5. Even though alternative interpretations are possible, the results agree with the hypotheses (i) that in sustained MVCs, fatigue processes occur not only in extrafusal but also in intrafusal muscle fibres, (ii) that the intrafusal fatigue leads to a reduction of the voluntary drive conveyed to the alpha‐motoneurones via the gamma‐loop and (iii) that vibration‐induced activity in group Ia afferents can act as a substitute for the diminished fusimotor drive.
A Collaborative Paradigm for Improving Management of Sleep Disorders in Primary Care: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVES To test a collaborative care model for interfacing sleep specialists with primary care providers to enhance patients' sleep disorders management. METHODS This study used a randomized, parallel group, clinical intervention trial design. A total of 137 adult (29 women) VA outpatients with sleep complaints were enrolled and randomly assigned to (1) an intervention (INT) consisting of a one-time consultation with a sleep specialist who provided diagnostic feedback and treatment recommendations to the patient and the patient's primary care provider; or (2) a control condition consisting of their usual primary care (UPC). Provider-focused outcomes included rates of adherence to recommended diagnostic procedures and sleep-focused interventions. Patient-focused outcomes included measures taken from sleep diaries and actigraphy; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores; and self-report measures of sleepiness, fatigue, mood, quality of life, and satisfaction with health care. RESULTS The proportions of provider-initiated sleep-focused interventions were significantly higher in the INT group than in the UPC group for polysomnography referrals (49% versus 6%; P < 0.001) and mental health clinic referrals (19% versus 6%; P = 0.02). At the 10-mo follow up, INT recipients showed greater estimated mean reductions in diary total wake time (-17.0 min; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -30.9, -3.1; P = 0.02) and greater increases in sleep efficiency (+3.7%; 95% CI: 0.8, 6.5; P = 0.01) than did UPC participants. A greater proportion of the INT group showed ≥ 1 standard deviation decline on the PSQI from baseline to the 10-mo follow-up (41% versus 21%; P = 0.02). Moreover, 69% of the INT group had normal (≤ 10) Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores at the 10-mo follow-up, whereas only 50% of the UPC group fell below this clinical cutoff (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS A one-time sleep consultation significantly increased healthcare providers' attention to sleep problems and resulted in benefits to patients' sleep/wake symptoms. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION This study is registered with clinicaltrials.gov with identifier # NCT00390572.
Relationship between the Traditional Buddhist Culture and the Fluctuations of Corporate Performance

After the financial crisis and stock price crash, more stakeholders are concerned about the performance of the company. With the rise of religious economics in recent years, the paper selected data from 2006-2016 for listed companies on the A-share main board. The study found that: 1) The stronger the traditional Buddhist culture of listed companies is, the smaller the fluctuation of corporate performance is; 2) Compared with state-owned enterprises, the negative impact of traditional Buddhist culture on fluctuations in corporate performance is stronger among non-state-owned enterprises; 3) When the company is in a mature period, the Buddhist tradition has a stronger inhibitory effect on corporate performance fluctuations.
Free Covalent Aggregates of Therapeutic Insulin in Blood of Insulin-Dependent Diabetics

Immunoreactive insulin (IRI) in the circulation of diabetics using insulin includes a 12,000-Mr covalent aggregate of insulin. In this study, both free and bound IRI were measured in nine type I diabetics who were treated sequentially for 3 wk with constant doses of conventional beef-pork, biosynthetic human, and beefpork insulins (phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively). The aggregate accounted for 19 ± 5.7, 38 ± 7.7, and 26 ± 7% of bound IRI, and 19 ± 8.3, 35 ± 7.3, and 31 ± 5.0% of free IRI during phases 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Taken as concentrations (μU/ml), the absolute amounts of aggregate in the bound fraction were significantly (P < .001) greater than those that were free, whereas the ratios of aggregate to monomer within each pool were similar (P > .1). The relative and absolute amounts of the insulin aggregate during each of the three treatment phases (compared by analysis of variance) were indistinguishable (P > 0.5). However, the aggregate was overestimated by a factor of ∼2 when measurements were made on the basis of an insulin- monomer standard. We conclude that both the bound and free fractions of IRI contain insulin aggregate. Overreactivity of the aggregate in the radioimmunoassay contributes to the so-called hyperinsulinism of type I diabetes. As with insulin monomer, most of the 12,000-Mr aggregate is bound to antibodies. Because some of the aggregate is free, its biologic consequences must be assessed.
Identification of Metabolites of Ganoderic Acid D by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography/Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Ganoderic acid D (GD) is the major active triterpenoid in Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal fungus used daily. However, the metabolic fate of GD remains unknown. To know whether GD is extensively metabolized, we first investigated the metabolism of GD in vitro and in vivo. The metabolic profiles of the bile samples obtained from rats in vivo were almost the same as those obtained in vitro. Using ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry, a total of 25 metabolites were identified from the bile sample. Few metabolites were found in the urine samples. These results indicated that biliary rather than renal clearance was the major route of excretion. The major metabolites were identified by comparison with the standard reference compounds. Metabolites at low concentrations were identified by interpreting the mass spectra. Both phase I and phase II metabolites were observed. The metabolic transformation included reduction, monohydroxylation, dihydroxylation, trihydroxylation, oxidation, desaturation, sulfation, and glucuronidation. The main metabolic soft spots in the chemical structure of GD were the 3-carbonyl group, angular methyl groups, the 7-hydroxy group, and the 26-carboxylic acid moiety. Overall, this study gives us an insight into the metabolism of GD, an active oxygenated tetracyclic triterpenoid.