Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Canine Rabies in Australia: A Review of Preparedness and Research Needs

Australia is unique as a populated continent in that canine rabies is exotic, with only one likely incursion in 1867. This is despite the presence of a widespread free‐ranging dog population, which includes the naturalized dingo, feral domestic dogs and dingo‐dog cross‐breeds. To Australia's immediate north, rabies has recently spread within the Indonesian archipelago, with outbreaks occurring in historically free islands to the east including Bali, Flores, Ambon and the Tanimbar Islands. Australia depends on strict quarantine protocols to prevent importation of a rabid animal, but the risk of illegal animal movements by fishing and recreational vessels circumventing quarantine remains. Predicting where rabies will enter Australia is important, but understanding dog population dynamics and interactions, including contact rates in and around human populations, is essential for rabies preparedness. The interactions among and between Australia's large populations of wild, free‐roaming and restrained domestic dogs require quantification for rabies incursions to be detected and controlled. The imminent risk of rabies breaching Australian borders makes the development of disease spread models that will assist in the deployment of cost‐effective surveillance, improve preventive strategies and guide disease management protocols vitally important. Here, we critically review Australia's preparedness for rabies, discuss prevailing assumptions and models, identify knowledge deficits in free‐roaming dog ecology relating to rabies maintenance and speculate on the likely consequences of endemic rabies for Australia.
Modeling real shim fields for very high degree (and order) B0 shimming of the human brain at 9.4 T

To describe the process of calibrating a B0 shim system using high‐degree (or high order) spherical harmonic models of the measured shim fields, to provide a method that considers amplitude dependency of these models, and to show the advantage of very high‐degree B0 shimming for whole‐brain and single‐slice applications at 9.4 Tesla (T).
Identification of EL2 as the lifetime-limiting defect using temperature-dependent photoluminescence decay with linearization method to decouple effects of diffusion and surface recombination

Surface recombination and diffusion screen measurements of the bulk lifetime in photoluminescence decay experiments. In this work, we introduce a linearization method, derived from our analytical solution to the three-dimensional diffusion problem in cylindrical coordinates, demonstrating that it allows an accurate measurement of the bulk lifetime in GaAs from 77K to 700K. This robust linearization method enables temperature-dependent bulk lifetime measurements on thick, unpassivated, strongly absorbing materials, which allow for characterization and identification of the defects that limit lifetime and photovoltaic efficiency. We apply this linearization technique to perform a temperature-dependent lifetime analysis, and find evidence that the EL2 defect is the dominant nonradiative recombination center.
Contribution à l’étude des Fermions et de leurs angles de mélange en Théorie Quantique des Champs

Cette these est divisee en deux parties. La premiere est consacree a l'etude des angles de melange des fermions en Theorie Quantique des Champs (TQC). Nous montrons que, du fait de la non-orthonormalite de ses etats propres de masse, la matrice de melange d'un systeme non-degenere de fermions couples ne peut pas etre consideree comme unitaire ; puis, dans le cadre du Modele Standard, que les angles de melange des quarks et des leptons se revelent compatibles avec une structure precise des courants neutres, ou universalite et absence des courants changeant la saveur sont violees avec la meme amplitude. Puis nous retrouvons de maniere perturbative la non-unitarite de la matrice de melange par l'annulation des transitions non-diagonales a une boucle entre etats propres de masse. Nous etudions enfin les transformations de saveur pertinentes dans cette demarche, et esquissons un lien entre les courants neutres et la matrice de masse consideree habituellement pour des systemes couples. La deuxieme partie presente les premiers resultats d'une etude generale des contraintes apportees en TQC par les symetries discretes (parite P, conjugaison de charge C et renversement du temps T) sur le Lagrangien et le propagateur fermioniques. Nous montrons, dans le cas d'une generation, que ces derniers, ecrits de la maniere la plus generale compatible avec l'invariance de Lorentz, sont naturellement invariants sous le produit PCT, puis que les etats propres d'un propagateur invariant sous C sont des fermions de Majorana.
Simultaneous Implementation of LVRT Capability and Anti-Islanding Detection in Three-Phase Inverters Connected to Low-Voltage Grids

In the future, the provision of ancillary services in low-voltage grids will become more and more important. Low-voltage ride-through capability has been a requirement in medium- and high-voltage grids but will become mandatory even in low-voltage grids. There may be conflicts with existing requirements such as anti-islanding detection. This paper proposes a method that allows for both low-voltage ride-through capability and anti-islanding protection to be implemented simultaneously in three-phase inverters connected to low-voltage grids. This method uses constant voltage and frequency monitoring and reacts according to the relevant specific requirements. With the proposed method, inverters can contribute to system stability without the risk of unintentional islanding operation. The implementation of low-voltage ride-through capability is shown to even facilitate the detection of islanded grids. To prove the merit of this proposal, a model for a three-phase inverter is developed, which incorporates the proposed method and is successfully tested both in simulation and in experiments in the laboratory.
Mechanism Design of Multi-Attribute Auction Based on Venture Capital

The venture enterprise' value is not fully revealed as a result of asymmetric information in venture capital exiting market. To solve this problem, this paper studies the venture capital equity trading mechanism design under the assumption of the IPV model based on multi-attribute auction theory. To make our research closer to reality, this paper relaxes previous assumption and studies the venture capital equity trading in the case of affiliated values and establishes the corresponding multi-attribute auction model. The study enriches the venture capital exit research content, and provides a theoretical guidance to venture capital exit with the auction approach.
Fabrication of micro/nanometer-channel by Near-Field ElectroSpinning

Direct-written polymer micro/nanofiber from Near-Field ElectroSpinning (NFES) was utilized as shadow-mask to fabricate uniform micro/nanometer-channel. Both Single straight microfiber (line-width 2∼10µm) and nanofiber (diameter 200∼800nm) were direct-written on the substrate with the NFES setup, and then 2-nm-thick titanium adhesive layer and 10-nm-thick gold layer were sputtered on the substrate successively. By the ultrasonication process in acetone and de-ionized water, the polymer fiber was removed and micro/nanometer-channel with gap width ranging from 7µm to 700nm was formed. The fabrication process and related technical issues were also outlined in this work. The experimental results revealed that the micro/nanometer channel had a good uniformity, above 90% of the gap length value lied within the deviation range of ±3%. This simple and facile method can be used to define the uniform micro/nano channel for organic thin film transistors.
Basal NF-κB controls IL-7 responsiveness of quiescent naïve T cells

Significance T lymphocytes are white blood cells that recognize and fight pathogens. Maintenance of sufficient numbers of T cells is essential to prevent susceptibility to infections. Survival of quiescent T cells is maintained, in part, by the interaction between the soluble factor (IL-7 produced by various stromal cells) and the IL-7 receptor (IL-7R) expressed on the surface of T cells. Here, we show that naïve T cells have basal nuclear levels of the transcription factor NF-κB and that is key to maintain IL-7R expression in T cells and for their survival. Our results imply that antiinflammatory therapies targeting NF-κB may affect the pool of naïve T cells required to control infections. T cells are essential for immune defenses against pathogens, such that viability of naïve T cells before antigen encounter is critical to preserve a polyclonal repertoire and prevent immunodeficiencies. The viability of naïve T cells before antigen recognition is ensured by IL-7, which drives expression of the prosurvival factor Bcl-2. Quiescent naïve T cells have low basal activity of the transcription factor NF-κB, which was assumed to have no functional consequences. In contrast to this postulate, our data show that basal nuclear NF-κB activity plays an important role in the transcription of IL-7 receptor α-subunit (CD127), enabling responsiveness of naïve T cells to the prosurvival effects of IL-7 and allowing T-cell persistence in vivo. Moreover, we show that this property of basal NF-κB activity is shared by mouse and human naïve T cells. Thus, NF-κB drives a distinct transcriptional program in T cells before antigen encounter by controlling susceptibility to IL-7. Our results reveal an evolutionarily conserved role of NF-κB in T cells before antigenic stimulation and identify a novel molecular pathway that controls T-cell homeostasis.
Are Mental Health Services for Children Distributed According to Needs?

Objectives: The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to determine whether publicly funded mental health services and resources available in 4 large regions in the province of Quebec were distributed according to the mental health needs of children aged 6 to 14 years and 2) to assess whether the variations in mental health services and resources across the 4 regions had changed over a 5-year period. Methods: Indicators of need according to the child's parent (presence of mental disorder, measure of adaptation, and perception of need for help) from an epidemiologic survey of 2400 noninstitutionalized children were compared with both in-school and community professional resources and with physician and hospital services in 1992–1993. Resource and service data were also collected for 1997–1998. Resource and service data came from professional colleges and government administrative databases. Results: No significant regional differences were found for need indicators, but there were large discrepancies in mental health resources and services in 1992–1993. Differences in professional resources were largest for special education teachers in the school system and for psychiatrists in the community. The regional differences in resources and services were as large in 1997–1998 as they were in 1992–1993. Conclusions: Despite universal health care in Quebec and a government mental health policy stressing equity of access, the available mental health resources for children aged 6 to 14 years are not distributed across regions according to needs. More evidence-based planning is required, specifically using epidemiologic survey data, to match resources to needs and to monitor changes over time.
Genetic and Pathological Follow-Up Study of Goats Experimentally and Naturally Exposed to a Sheep Scrapie Isolate

ABSTRACT Thirty-seven goats carrying different prion protein genotypes (PRNP) were orally infected with a classical scrapie brain homogenate from wild-type (ARQ/ARQ) sheep and then mated to obtain 2 additional generations of offspring, which were kept in the same environment and allowed to be naturally exposed to scrapie. Occurrence of clinical or subclinical scrapie was observed in the experimentally infected goats (F0) and in only one (F1b) of the naturally exposed offspring groups. In both groups (F0 and F1b), goats carrying the R154H, H154H, R211Q, and P168Q-P240P dimorphisms died of scrapie after a longer incubation period than wild-type, G37V, Q168Q-P240P, and S240P goats. In contrast, D145D and Q222K goats were resistant to infection. The immunobiochemical signature of the scrapie isolate and its pathological aspects observed in the sheep donors were substantially maintained over 2 goat generations, i.e., after experimental and natural transmission. This demonstrates that the prion protein gene sequence, which is shared by sheep and goats, is more powerful than any possible but unknown species-related factors in determining scrapie phenotypes. With regard to genetics, our study confirms that the K222 mutation protects goats even against ovine scrapie isolates, and for the first time, a possible association of D145 mutation with scrapie resistance is shown. In addition, it is possible that the sole diverse frequencies of these genetic variants might, at least in part, shape the prevalence of scrapie among naturally exposed progenies in affected herds. IMPORTANCE This study was aimed at investigating the genetic and pathological features characterizing sheep-to-goat transmission of scrapie. We show that in goats with different prion protein gene mutations, the K222 genetic variant is associated with scrapie resistance after natural and experimental exposure to ovine prion infectivity. In addition, we observed for the first time a protective effect of the D145 goat variant against scrapie. Importantly, our results demonstrate that the phenotypic characteristic of the wild-type sheep scrapie isolate is substantially preserved in goats carrying different susceptible PRNP gene variants, thus indicating that the prion protein gene sequence, which is shared by sheep and goats, plays a fundamental role in determining scrapie phenotypes.
An assessment of departmental store service effectiveness using a modified SERVQUAL approach

Retail Industry is likely to be the next big thing for services in this decade. The industry is very diverse, with several sub-segments, each displaying its own unique characteristics. The retail players need to be excellent in every facet of operations as the market is highly competitive at every level and re-defining itself every day. It is mainly service oriented industry so employee’s especially frontline sales people who do have a major role in customers purchasing decision are the key people to its success. Now – a-days the main USP of any industry especially service industry is satisfied customer. The main focus of this research is to determine the department store service effectiveness. This is achieved by means of assessment of the customer expectation and customer perception of the service effectiveness rendered by frontline sales personnel. For the purpose of the conduction of the study both primary and secondary data was used. The questionnaire used for primary data collection was based on a modified fifteen-item, seven –point scale that measures customer expectations and customer perception of service effectiveness developed by Parasuraman et.al. (1988). The secondary data was collected using various published and unpublished paper and electronic sources. For analysis and interpretation of data univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques like factor analysis and reliability analysis were used . The interpretation of the results showed that customer expectations scores are higher than customer perceptions scores, which indicate low level of service effectiveness. The study also identified factors important with respect to customer perceptions and customer expectations. The findings of the study would provide an insight into the customer expectations and customers perception of service effectiveness delivered by the frontline sales personnel along with the gap that exist between the two. This would provide a future scope of research with respect to the reasons for existence of the gap and the means that can be implemented by the management to bridge the gap depending on the reasons for the existence of the gap.
Contribution à la synthèse de commandes référencées vision 2D multi-critères

Cette these concerne la synthese de lois commande referencees vision 2D, multi-criteres, pour le positionnement, par rapport a une cible fixe ou mobile, d'une camera orientable en lacet en mouvement dans le plan horizontal. La frequence et la qualite des informations delivrees par les cameras CCD qui equipent aujourd'hui les robots rend en effet possible l'alimentation directe des boucles de commande a partir des mesures visuelles de l'environnement. Le modele considere est defini dans le cadre du formalisme des fonctions de tâches et s'appuie sur la notion de torseur d'interaction qui permet de relier le mouvement de la camera a la variation des indices visuels. L'objectif de ce travail est de proposer des lois de commandes permettant de stabiliser la camera sur la base des informations bidimensionnelles issues de l'image, en tenant compte de l'incertitude sur la profondeur des points de la cible, des contraintes de visibilite et des limites en amplitude sur la vitesse et l'acceleration de la camera. La methode proposee met en oeuvre des techniques de commande avancees. Elle est basee sur la satisfaction d'une condition de secteur modifiee permettant de prendre en compte la saturation de l'acceleration et la description du systeme en boucle fermee via un modele polytopique des incertitudes. Cette approche permet de formuler des conditions constructives pouvant etre exprimees sous forme d'Inegalites Lineaires Matricielles (LMIs). Sur cette base, la resolution de problemes d'optimisation convexe permet d'une part de maximiser la region de stabilite associee et d'autre part de determiner le gain stabilisant du correcteur. La technique, initialement appliquee au probleme du positionnement de la camera par rapport a une cible fixe, est ensuite etendue au suivi d'une cible mobile en considerant la vitesse inconnue de la cible comme une perturbation bornee en energie. L'interet de ce type de resultat, pour l'elaboration de strategies de navigation d'un robot mobile pa r enchainement de tâches referencees capteurs, est ensuite mis en evidence. Plusieurs exemples d'enchainement de tâches sont tour a tour consideres et simules sur la base d'un modele de robot a roues muni de capteurs de proximite et supportant une camera montee sur une platine orientable en azimut.
Normal p53 Function in Primary Cells Deficient for Siah Genes

ABSTRACT Overexpression studies have suggested that Siah1 proteins may act as effectors of p53-mediated cellular responses and as regulators of mitotic progression. We have tested these hypotheses using Siah gene knockout mice. Siah1a and Siah1b were not induced by activation of endogenous p53 in tissues, primary murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) or thymocytes. Furthermore, primary MEFs lacking Siah1a, Siah1b, Siah2, or both Siah2 and Siah1a displayed normal cell cycle progression, proliferation, p53-mediated senescence, and G1 phase cell cycle arrest. Primary thymocytes deficient for Siah1a, Siah2, or both Siah2 and Siah1a, E1A-transformed MEFs lacking Siah1a, Siah1b, or Siah2, and Siah1b-null ES cells all underwent normal p53-mediated apoptosis. Finally, inhibition of Siah1b expression in Siah2 Siah1a double-mutant cells failed to inhibit cell division, p53-mediated induction of p21 expression, or cell cycle arrest. Our loss-of-function experiments do not support a general role for Siah genes in p53-mediated responses or mitosis.
Monte Carlo analyses of X-ray absorption, noise and detective quantum efficiency considering therapeutic X-ray spectrum in portal imaging detector

The bremsstrahlung spectrum from 6 MV linear accelerator (LINAC) was obtained and used as an input X-ray source in the simulation to estimate several important physical quantities of the detector in therapeutic X-ray portal imaging system, such as quantum and energy absorption efficiencies, Swank factor and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) etc. In addition, the authors have obtained a spatial distribution of energy deposit within the detector, resulting in a spatial-frequency dependent DQE. From the simulation results, it is found that the use of metal plate largely enhances the energy absorption, leading to the large output signal. However, considering the noise properties, the presence of metal plate degrades the DQE at non-zero spatial frequencies because the detector absorption noise is dominated by the quantum absorption. For the verification of their simulation results, the authors have compared with experimental measurements and results of other literatures.
Role of Organizational Commitment to the Factor of Performance of Regional Financial Management

-The objective of the research was to discover and analyze the influence of clarity of budget target, quality of human resources, understanding regional governmental accounting system, and accountability on the performance of Regional Financial Management with organizational commitment as moderating variable in Medan Municipality partially. This is a causal research and its object is all OPDs (Regional Governmental Apparatus Organization) in Medan. The research used primary data which were collected through questionnaires distributed to 56 OPDs. It employed quantitative approach, and SEM model was used for data analysis. Partially, the research results demonstrated that clarity of budget target, quality of human resources, and accountability significantly influenced performance of Regional Financial Management while understanding regional governmental accounting system did not significantly influence the performance of Regional Financial Management. The results of hypothesis test showed moderated effects which indicated that Organizational Commitment could moderate the correlation among clarity of budget target, quality of human resources and understanding regional governmental accounting system with the performance of Regional Financial Management in Medan Municipal.
Influence of three kinds of service quality on customer satisfaction

Because of the theory of two expectation levels, two kinds of service quality are put forth, which are named perceived service superiority (PSS) and perceived service adequacy (PSA) respectively. To find out which kind of service quality has the most significant influence on customer satisfaction in retail service, a survey is conducted and studied in this paper. Three structural equation models are constructed to compare the differences of perceived quality (PQ), perceived service superiority (PSS) and perceived service adequacy (PSA). It is found that all kinds of service quality have significant positive influence on customer satisfaction. Among them, perceived quality has the most significant influence on customer satisfaction. And perceived service adequacy has the least significant influence on customer satisfaction. Accordingly, some service quality management advices are derived for service quality improvement in retail enterprises.