Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Establishment of a Switched-Reluctance Generator-Based Common DC Microgrid System

This paper presents a dc microgrid including a switched-reluctance generator (SRG) with isolated boost dc-dc converter, a battery energy storage system, and a single-phase three-wire (1P3W) load inverter for generating ac 220/110 V 60-Hz outputs. The 400-V dc grid is established by the SRG with dc 48-V output followed by a current-fed push-pull (CFPP) dc-dc converter. The robust commutation and dynamic control schemes are developed for the SRG to have excellent output performances. For providing the domestic load power sources, a 1P3W transformerless 220/110 V inverter is established. A master and slave robust control schemes are proposed to yield balanced sinusoidal output voltage waveforms in both voltage outputs under varying load conditions. To improve the dc grid power supporting reliability, a battery energy storage system with bidirectional buck-boost interfacing converter is established. It can support the common dc bus voltage immediately when the main power source fault occurs. Conversely, the battery bank can be charged from the common dc bus through the same converter. Particularly, an auxiliary charger formed by a flyback switch-mode rectifier is equipped to allow the battery to be charged from the plug-in utility power as the long duration of microgrid fault occurs. Normal operation and good operating performance of the established microgrid are verified experimentally.
Human Development Index: Revisiting Well-Being Transform of Income Component

United Nations Development Programme has been preparing Human Development Reports (HDRs) for 25 years and through them has proposed a particular notion of Human Development and produced a particular kind of Human Development Index (HDI) along with other indices. Within broad framework, the concept and index have evolved over these years. Human Development index (HDI) has witnessed several changes in its construction methodology both in formulation of aggregation of component indicators and in choice of variants of component variables and/or choice of minimum and maximum values for use in normalization of indicators. Income component is unique as it requires conversion of per capita income measured in PPP$ into well-being.The paper proposes to examine various proposals with respect to transformation of income into well-being made by the team in UNDP HDR Office and other scholars so long they belonged to the same genre. It examines these proposals against a set of six plausible axioms, including the one by the present author and some of its variants and extensions. It is found that the original proposal made by the author (Chaubey, 1998) passes all of them while UNDP proposals fail in at least two of them.
Modulation of the delayed rectifier K+ current by isoprenaline in bull‐frog atrial myocytes.

1. The effects of isoprenaline (ISO) on the calcium current (ICa) and delayed rectifier K+ current (IK) were examined using a tight‐seal whole‐cell voltage‐clamp technique in single cells from bull‐frog atrium to examine the ionic mechanism(s) of catecholamine‐induced action potential shape changes. 2. The effects of ISO on the action potential were dose‐dependent. Very low doses (5 x 10(‐9) M) prolonged the action potential. Higher doses (10(‐6) M) of ISO increased the plateau height, but shortened the action potential by accelerating the early repolarization phase. 3. ISO increased IK and ICa in a dose‐dependent fashion. Both of these effects were blocked by a beta‐receptor antagonist, propranolol (3 x 10(‐7) M). In contrast IK1, the inwardly rectifying K+ current, was not changed significantly by ISO. 4. The ISO‐induced increase in IK was observed in the presence of CdCl2 (3 x 10(‐4) M), indicating that this effect is not due to a Ca2(+)‐activated potassium current. 5. The reversal potential of IK in normal Ringer solution (‐83 +/‐ 2 mV) was not significantly changed by ISO. Thus, stimulation of the Na(+)‐K+ pump and a consequent hyperpolarizing shift in EK are not responsible for the increase in IK. 6. In the presence of ISO (10(‐6) M) the steady‐state activation curve (n infinity) for IK was consistently shifted to more negative values (by approximately 10 mV). The activation and deactivation kinetics of IK were also changed by ISO: activation was accelerated, deactivation was slowed. These ISO‐induced changes in IK result in an increase in IK at voltages corresponding to the plateau of the action potential. 7. ISO (10(‐6) M) increased ICa dramatically, approximately 6‐fold at 0 mV. At the same time, the time constant of ICa inactivation decreased significantly (34 +/‐ 4 ms control; 23 +/‐ 4 ms ISO). 8. These results confirm that low doses of sympathetic agonists acting via beta‐receptors increase ICa. Relatively high doses of beta‐receptor agonists increase both ICa and IK, but these two effects appear to be generated by different biophysical mechanisms. 9. These dose‐dependent changes in ICa and IK can explain the observed ISO‐induced changes in action potential shape. At doses of approximately 10(‐8) M ICa is increased, resulting in a more depolarized plateau and small lengthening of the action potential. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Impulsivity, Self-Regulation,and Pathological Video Gaming Among Youth

Given the potential negative mental health consequences of pathological video gaming, understanding its etiology may lead to useful treatment developments. The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of impulsive and regulatory processes on pathological video gaming. Study 1 involved 2154 students from 6 primary and 4 secondary schools in Singapore. Study 2 involved 191 students from 2 secondary schools. The results of study 1 and study 2 supported the hypothesis that self-regulation is a mediator between impulsivity and pathological video gaming. Specifically, higher levels of impulsivity was related to lower levels of self-regulation, which in turn was related to higher levels of pathological video gaming. The use of impulsivity and self-regulation in predicting pathological video gaming supports the dual-system model of incorporating both impulsive and reflective systems in the prediction of self-control outcomes. The study highlights the development of self-regulatory resources as a possible avenue for future prevention and treatment research.
Prediction of octanol–water partition coefficients of organic compounds by multiple linear regression, partial least squares, and artificial neural network

A quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) study was performed to develop models those relate the structure of 141 organic compounds to their octanol–water partition coefficients (log Po/w). A genetic algorithm was applied as a variable selection tool. Modeling of log Po/w of these compounds as a function of theoretically derived descriptors was established by multiple linear regression (MLR), partial least squares (PLS), and artificial neural network (ANN). The best selected descriptors that appear in the models are: atomic charge weighted partial positively charged surface area (PPSA‐3), fractional atomic charge weighted partial positive surface area (FPSA‐3), minimum atomic partial charge (Qmin), molecular volume (MV), total dipole moment of molecule (μ), maximum antibonding contribution of a molecule orbital in the molecule (MAC), and maximum free valency of a C atom in the molecule (MFV). The result obtained showed the ability of developed artificial neural network to prediction of partition coefficients of organic compounds. Also, the results revealed the superiority of ANN over the MLR and PLS models. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009
Status of the transcription factors database (TFD)

The Transcription Factors Database is a specialized database focusing on transcription factors and their properties. This report describes the present status of this database and developments during the past year. Within this time, the size of this database has increased by a 2799 total records, and has become accessible through a number of new mechanisms.
Realistic Expectations: Investing in Organizational Capacity Building for Chronic Disease Prevention

Purpose. This article presents findings that explore investment in organizational capacity building for chronic disease prevention. Specifically, this analysis examines variation in investment inputs, intervention outputs, and capacity changes to inform expectations of health-promotion capacity-building investment. Design/Setting. This multiple case study involving both qualitative and quantitative data is based on seven provincial dissemination projects involved in the Canadian Heart Health Initiative. Methods. Data on investment, number, and type of capacity-building activities and capacity changes come from a questionnaire, key informant interviews, and project report analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively and for trends, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Results. Per capita investments in capacity building ranged from a low of $0.21 in Ontario to $167.41 in Prince Edward Island. Multiple, tailored capacity-building interventions were used in each project. Mostly positive but modest changes were observed in at least five dimensions of capacity in all but one project. Conclusion. These findings reveal that capacity building for chronic disease prevention requires a long-term investment and is context specific. Even limited investment can produce interventions that appear to positively influence capacity for chronic disease prevention. The findings also suggest an urgent need to expand surveillance to include indicators of capacity-building investments and interventions to allow policy makers to make more informed decisions about investments in public health.
Acute hormonal changes following intravenous glucose challenge in lean and obese human subjects

Abstract Objective. To study the effects of rapid i.v. glucose bolus on insulin, leptin, ghrelin, peptide YY (PYY), free fatty acids (FFA), glucagon and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations together with self-reported satiety ratings in lean and obese human subjects. Methods. Twenty-five healthy subjects were recruited, 12 were lean (mean age = 26 years, BMI range = 19.8–23.9 kg/m2) and 13 were obese (mean age = 27 years, BMI range = 27.7–42.2 kg/m2). In two separate 55 min counter-balanced blinded sessions (separate days), subjects were administered an i.v. dose of 300 mg/kg glucose or saline. Blood concentrations of several feeding-related hormones were recorded at multiple time points, together with ratings of satiety and euphoria. Results. Greater increases in glucose concentrations were observed in the obese group compared to the lean group (p < 0.0001). In both lean and obese subjects, glucose injection induced a clear fall in the concentrations of FFA, ghrelin, glucagon and PYY (p < 0.0001) but not in the concentrations of leptin or GLP-1. Obese subjects showed positive correlations between satiety and glucose, but only at time points 30 min (r = 0.73, p = 0.005) and 55 min (r = 0.82, p = 0.0005). Conclusions. The directions and the magnitudes of short-term hormonal changes after i.v. glucose challenge are the same in lean and moderately obese subjects. Possible short-term regulatory effects of leptin and GLP-1 can not be induced by acute energy load bypassing the GI-tract.
Transitions in Digital Personhood: Online Activity in Early Retirement

We present findings from a qualitative study about how Internet use supports self-functioning following the life transition of retirement from work. This study recruited six recent retirees and included the deployment of OnLines, a design research artifact that logged and visualized key online services used by participants at home over four-weeks. The deployment was supported by pre- and post-deployment interviews. OnLines prompted participants' reflection on their patterns of Internet use. Position Exchange Theory was used to understand retirees' sense making from a lifespan perspective, informing the design of supportive online services. This paper delivers a three-fold contribution to the field of human-computer interaction, advancing a lifespan-oriented approach by conceptualizing the self as a dialogical phenomenon that develops over time, advancing the ageing discourse by reporting on retirees' complex identities in the context of their life histories, and advancing discourse on research through design by developing OnLines to foster participant-researcher reflection informed by Self Psychology.
In situ analysis of nucleic acids in cold-induced nonculturable Vibrio vulnificus

Low-temperature-induced nonculturable cells of the human pathogenic bacterium Vibrio vulnificus retained significant amounts of nucleic acids for more than 5 months. Upon permeabilization of fixed cells, however, an increasing number of cold-incubated cells released the nucleic acids. This indicates substantial degradation of DNA and RNA in nonculturable cells prior to fixation. Treatment of permeabilized cells with DNase and RNase allowed differential staining of DNA and RNA with the nucleic acid dye 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). Epifluorescence microscopy revealed that the could-induced nonculturable populations of V. vulnificus are highly heterogeneous with regard to their nucleic acid content. The fraction of nonculturable cells which maintained DNA and RNA structures decreased gradually during cold incubation. After 5 months at 5 degrees C, less than 0.05% of the cells could be observed to retain DNA and RNA. In parallel with the loss of nucleic acids, an increase in the concentrations of UV-absorbing material in the culture supernatants was observed in nonculturable-cell suspensions. It is hypothesized that there are two phases of the formation of nonculturable cells of V. vulnificus: the first involves a loss of culturability with maintenance of cellular integrity and intact RNA and DNA (and thus possibly viability), and the second is typified by a gradual degradation of nucleic acids, the products of which partly remain inside the cells and partly diffuse into the extracellular space. A small number of nonculturable cells, however, retain DNA and RNA, and thus may be viable despite having reduced culturability.
Localization and function of pre‐ and postsynaptic kainate receptors in the rat globus pallidus

Kainate receptors (KARs) are widely expressed the basal ganglia. In this study, we used electron microscopic immunocytochemistry and whole‐cell recording techniques to examine the localization and function of KARs in the rat globus pallidus (GP). Dendrites were the most common immunoreactive elements, while terminals forming symmetric or asymmetric synapses and unmyelinated axons comprised most of the presynaptic labeling. To determine whether synaptically released glutamate activates KARs, we recorded excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in the GP following single‐pulse stimulation of the internal capsule. 4‐(8‐Methyl‐9H‐1,3‐dioxolo[4,5 h]{2,3}benzodiazepine‐5‐yl)‐benzenamine hydrochloride (GYKI 52466, 100 µm), an α‐amino‐3‐hydroxyl‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist, reduced but did not completely block evoked EPSCs. The remaining EPSC component was mediated through activation of KARs because it was abolished by 6‐cyano‐7‐nitroquinoxaline‐2, 3‐dione (CNQX), an AMPA/KAR antagonist. The rise time (10–90%) and decay time constant (τ) for those EPSCs were longer than those of AMPA‐mediated EPSCs recorded before GYKI 52466 application. KAR activation inhibited EPSCs. This inhibition was associated with a significant increase in paired‐pulse facilitation ratio, suggesting a presynaptic action of KAR. KAR inhibition of EPSCs was blocked by the G‐protein inhibitor, N‐ethylmaleimide (NEM), or the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor calphostin C. Our results demonstrate that KAR activation has dual effects on glutamatergic transmission in the rat GP: (1) it mediates small‐amplitude EPSCs; and (2) it reduces glutamatergic synaptic transmission through a presynaptic G‐protein coupled, PKC‐dependent, metabotropic mechanism. These findings provide evidence for the multifarious functions of KARs in regulating synaptic transmission, and open up the possibility for the development of pharmacotherapies to reduce the hyperactive subthalamofugal projection in Parkinson's disease.
Nonphysiological Left Heart AV Intervals as a Result of DDD and AAI “Physiological” Pacing

DDD and AAI pacemakers are considered physiological, since they preserve atrioventricular (AV) synchrony. Artificial pacing, however, is performed largely from right heart chambers, causing aberrant depolarization pathways. Pacing at the right atrial appendage (RAP) is known to delay left atrial contraction due to interatrial conduction time (IACT), and right ventricular (RV) apical pacing (RVP) delays left ventricular (LV) contraction due to interventricular conduction time (TVCT). These delays may render the left heart AV intervals (LAV) either too short or too Jong, thus affecting LV systolic function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the actual LAV intervals during conventional, right heart AAI and DDD pacing. Resulting LAV intervals were compared to programmed AV values during all DDD pacing modalities. Ten patients with DDD and six patients with AAI pacemakers were studied. IACT was measured from the atrial spike to the onset of left P wave, as recorded by an esophageal lead. Systolic time intervals were measured using either a carotid pulse tracing or a densitogram (photoplethysmography). LV function was appraised by measuring rate‐corrected LV ejection time (LVETc). IVCT was measured indirectly as the lengthening of LV preelection period (PEPJ caused by RV pacing, as compared to normal depolarization pathway. Intrinsic‘ACT and IVCT were considered zero. Right heart AV intervals (RAV) were measured from surface ECG and LAVs were calculated according to the following equations: Sinus Rhythm: LAV = RAV; Atrial Pace 4‐ Ventricular Sense: LAV= RAV − IACT; Atrial Sense + Ventricular Pace: LAV = RAV + IVCT; Sequential AV Pace: LAV = RAV − IACT + IVCT, Results: 1. IACT: mean = 73 msec, range: 35–130; IVCT: mean = 50 msec, range: 44–100. 2. Compared to RAVs, LAVs were either too short or too long (−130 to + 300 msec: P < 0.001 J in RAP 4‐ RVS and RAS + RVP. Conclusions: 1. LAV differed significantly from RAV during AP + VS and AS + VP. 2. “Physiological” RAV intervals in DDD and AAI may cause nonphysiological LAV, possibly affecting LV function. 3. IACT and IVCT should be accounted for when programming DDD PM to provide physiological LAV.
Participatory Communication Strategies for Enhancement of Development in Kenya: Migori County Constituency Development Fund (CDF) Projects

In Kenya, the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is a devolved system established by an Act of parliament in 2003 to help achieve socio-economic development at the constituency level. The CDF Act 2003 stipulates that Members of Parliament (MP) and local citizens jointly collaborate in prioritization and implementation of local development projects in their constituencies. Research has shown that while the general public awareness of CDF projects is high, community participation in CDF projects is minimal. The Literature reviewed shows that minimal research has been done to assess communication strategies used to disseminate CDF information among stakeholders at the grass root levels. This paper describes the communication strategies used to disseminate CDF information in Rongo and Uriri Constituencies in Kenya and analyzes how these strategies impacts on community participation in CDF projects in these constituencies. The study was based on the Multiplicity approach to development communication in which communication is shifted from persuasion to participation through dialogue. It was developed through the pragmatic philosophical paradigm using convergent mixed parallel design. The study involved a total of 104 adult participants in Rongo and Uriri Constituencies of Migori County in Kenya. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected roughly at the same time and were merged in the interpretation of the overall results. Quantitative and qualitative data were displayed jointly using tables and charts. The study carried out in August 2013 found that CDF systems in Rongo and Uriri constituencies lack established communication strategies. Dissemination of CDF information to community members is done in public gatherings and functions where communication is mainly for creating awareness. As a result, participation of community members in CDF projects is minimal. The study therefore recommends the use of participatory communication strategies to enhance community participation in CDF projects. Key words: development, participatory communication, devolved system
Estimation of Survival with a Combination of Prevalent and Incident Cases in the Presence of Length Bias

In studying natural history of a disease, incident studies provide the best quality estimates; in contrast, prevalent studies introduce a sampling bias, which, if the onset time of the disease follows a stationary Poisson process, is called length bias. When both types of data are available, combining the samples under the assumption that failure times in incident and prevalent cohorts come from the same distribution function, could improve the estimation process from a prevalent sample. We verify this assumption using a Smirnov type of test and construct a likelihood function from a combined sample to parametrically estimate the survival through maximum likelihood approach. Finally, we use Accelerated Failure Time models to compare the effect of covariates on survival in incident, prevalent, and combined populations. Properties of the proposed test and the combined estimator are assessed using simulations, and illustrated with data from the Canadian Study of Health and Aging. The CSHA is detailed in the following 3 papers Canadian Study of Health and Aging: study methods and prevalence of dementia (1994), The Canadian Study of Health and Aging: risk factors for Alzheimers disease in Canada (1994), The Canadian Study of Health and Aging: patterns of caring for people with dementia in Canada (1994).
EEING THROUGH THE BODY : T HE EFFECTS OF VISUAL AND SENSORIMOTOR EXPERIENCE ON THE ANALYSIS OF HANDS

The processes implicated in the mental rotation of hand stimuli argue strongly for reference to one's own body schema in the visual analysis of hands and, potentially, other body parts. Prolific work by Cooper and Shepard (1975) and by Parsons (1994; 1987) suggests that the motor action of rotating a hand is simulated mentally in these tasks, while more recent studies, especially with left-handed participants, have pointed to the role of stored visual representations in analysing hands (Gentilucci et al., 1998a; 1998b; Ionta & Blanke, 2009). This review assesses the evidence for the use of visual and sensorimotor experience with one's own hands in the mental rotation of hands, as well as exploring how sensorimotor and visual strategies are used in conjunction with one another to analyse hand stimuli effectively. INTRODUCTION: VISUAL HAND ANALYSIS AND THE LATERALITY