Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic and environmental contributions to bone structural strength in postmenopausal women

Mikkola, Tuija Genetic and environmental contributions to bone structural strength in postmenopausal women Jyvaskyla: University of Jyvaskyla, 2010, 77 p. (Studies in Sport, Physical Education, and Health ISSN 0356-1070; 155) ISBN 978-951-39-4058-4 Finnish summary Diss. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic and environmental contributions to estimated bone structural strength in postmenopausal women. Specifically, the association of hip fracture history and postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) to bone strength and its determinants were studied. In addition, the association of loading environment with bone properties was assessed. This study utilized three different datasets comprising bone measurements obtained using peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The participants in the first dataset were 103 monozygotic and 114 dizygotic 63to 76year-old female twin pairs. The participants in the second dataset were 60to 85-year-old women with a hip fracture history (n=38) and control women without hip fracture history (n=22). The participants in the third dataset were 24 monozygotic female twin pairs aged 54 to 72 years and discordant for HT. Genetic effects were found to account for 40 to 60% of the inter-individual differences in the estimated bone strength of the body weight-loaded lower limb and 80% of that of the non weight-loaded upper limb. The association between muscle cross-sectional area and bone strength was explained by both common genetic and common environmental factors. In women with hip fracture history, bone strength was significantly impaired in the tibia of the fractured leg, which impairment was largely explained by reduced muscle crosssectional area and muscle strength. The HT users had significantly higher bone strength in the upper and lower limb than their non-HT-using co-twins. This study shows that while genetic factors are important for bone strength in postmenopausal women environmental factors have considerable influence especially in the lower limbs. Bone strength is negatively influenced by hip fracture and positively by HT. The results also suggest that loading environment modifies the heritability of bone strength but not the influence of HT on bone strength. Muscle-induced loading may preserve bone strength after hip fracture.
Enhanced nitric oxide concentrations and expression of nitric oxide synthase in acupuncture points/meridians.

OBJECTIVES The objectives of this study were to examine the distributions of nitric oxide (NO) in the skin points (acupoints)/meridian regions and determine whether neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) protein levels were associated with NO concentrations in the areas. DESIGN Low skin resistance points (LSRP) on the skin surface in response to electrical stimuli were performed in anesthetized adult rats. The skin together with subcutaneous tissue was isolated in meridian regions from PC 2 to 6, BL 36 to 57, CV 3 to 22, and GV 2 to 14. Control skin tissues were obtained in the areas close to related meridians without containing LSRP. Concentrations of nitrite (NO(2)(-)), nitrate (NO(3)(-)), and total NO(2)(-) plus NO(3)(-) (NO(x)(-)) were quantified in the skin tissues, micropunches of brain nuclei, and blood vessels in a blinded fashion. Western blots were also conducted using polyclonal anti-nNOS and anti-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) antibody in the skin tissues. RESULTS NO(x)(-) and NO(3)(-) concentrations were higher (45 +/- 8% and 43 +/- 7% in the CV, 47 +/- 7% and 51 +/- 9% in the BL, and 47 +/- 8% and 45 +/- 6% in the PC) than those in control regions (p < 0.05, n = 6). NO(x)(-) concentrations are 2- to 3-fold greater in skin tissues than those in brain regions and blood vessels (p < 0.05, n = 6-8). nNOS protein levels were consistently increased in the skin regions of BL, PC, and GV meridians compared with their controls (p < 0.05, n = 5-7) but endothelial NO synthase expression was not changed. CONCLUSION This is the first evidence showing that NO contents and nNOS expression are consistently higher in the skin acupoints/meridians associated with low electric resistance. The results suggest that enhanced NO in the acupoints/meridians is generated from multiple resources including neuronal NOergic system, and NO might be associated with acupoint/meridian functions including low electric resistance.
A Multiobjective Music Recommendation Approach for Aspect-Based Diversification

Many successful recommendation approaches are based on the optimization of some explicit utility function defined in terms of the misfit between the predicted and the actual items of the user. Although effective, this approach may lead to recommendations that are relevant but obvious and uninteresting. Many approaches investigate this problem by trying to avoid recommendation lists in which items are very similar to each other (aka diversification) with respect to some aspect of the item. However, users may have very different preferences concerning what aspects should be diversified and what should match their past/current preferences. In this paper we take this into consideration by proposing a solution based on multiobjective optimization for generating recommendation lists featuring the optimal balance between the aspects that should be held fixed (maximize similarity with users actual items) and the ones that should be diversified (minimize similarity with other items in the recommendation list). We evaluate our proposed approach on real data from Last.fm and demonstrate its effectiveness in contrast to state-of-the-art approaches.
Service Quality in Healthcare Sector: An Exploratory Study on Hospitals

Quality refers to the closeness of an actual outcome to the expected outcome by the observer. In view of the changing scenario of customer needs, lifestyles and technological innovations, the market has become much more quality-conscious. Therefore, in service delivery, quality has become an essential prerequisite even in the healthcare sector. The SERVQUAL model pioneered by Parasuraman et al. (1988) measures service quality and identifies the potential gaps within the service organizations. The present study measures service quality in select hospitals of Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh, and attempts to diagnose service quality gaps. The results of the study confirmed that the demographic factors and socioeconomic status play a vital role in patients’ satisfaction towards service quality.
Computational intelligence based metaheuristic for energy-efficient routing in wireless sensor networks

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) open up a new research horizon, with wide range of data oriented applications. Energy efficient routing is one such area of interest, which require non-conventional paradigm for design and development of protocols. Computational Intelligence (CI) based metaheuristic can be used for optimal routing of data, to deliver events in an energy constraint WSNs environment. In this paper, we present BeeSwarm, a CI based, energy-efficient hierarchical routing protocol for WSNs. Our protocol consists of three phases: 1) Set-up Phase-BeeCluster, 2) Route Discovery Phase-BeeSearch and 3) Data Transmission Phase-BeeCarrier. Integration of three phases for node clustering, data routing and transmission, is the key aspect of our proposed protocol, which ultimately contributes to its robustness. Evaluation of simulation results show that BeeSwarm perform better in terms of packet delivery, energy consumption and throughput with increased network life compared to other CI based hierarchical routing protocols.
The small protein MbiA interacts with MreB and modulates cell shape in Caulobacter crescentus

In Caulobacter crescentus, the actin homologue MreB is critical for cell shape maintenance. Despite the central importance of MreB for cell morphology and viability, very little is known about MreB‐interacting factors. Here, we use an overexpression approach to identify a novel MreB interactor, MbiA. MbiA interacts with MreB in both biochemical and genetic assays, colocalizes with MreB throughout the cell cycle, and relies on MreB for its localization. MbiA overexpression mimics the loss of MreB function, severely perturbing cell morphology, inhibiting growth and inducing cell lysis. Additionally, mbiA deletion shows a synthetic growth phenotype with a hypomorphic allele of the MreB interactor RodZ, suggesting that these two MreB‐interacting proteins either have partially redundant functions or participate in the same functional complex. Our work thus establishes MbiA as a novel cell shape regulator that appears to function through regulating MreB, and opens avenues for discovery of more MreB‐regulating factors by showing that overexpression screens are a valuable tool for uncovering potentially redundant cell shape effectors.
Nonlinear Robust H-Infinity PID Controller for the Multivariable System Quadrotor

This paper presents the methodology of design of a nonlinear robust controller for attitude regulation and its implementation in an experimental platform of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) quadrotor. Details on the kinematic and dynamic modeling based on the Euler-Lagrange formalism are provided, as well as the particulars of the design of a nonlinear robust H-infinity PID controller to regulate the rotational moments. The performance and effectiveness of the proposed controller are tested in a simulation and an experimental platform. The performance of the proposed controller is compared with a conventional PID controller by using the integral square error (ISE) as performance parameter. Experimental results help to demonstrate the correct operation of the system for real-time applications in the presence of unmodeled dynamics and the uncertainties of the parameters.
The Small Firm Anomaly: US and International Evidence

Using an international Thompson Datastream database and standard asset pricing models we encounter pricing errors for the ten percent smallest stocks. We generalize the standard 4-factor model by adding two additional risk factors (one size- and one book-tomarket factor). This generalized 6-factor model is tested both on US and international data (with 39 countries both developed and emerging) and is able to price the entire size spectrum. We discuss the possible economic explanations of these risk premia for the smallest stocks. The fact that pricing errors are resolved by adding factors rather than characteristics, rules out data problems and information asymmetries as an explanation. Thin trading bias in the beta is also rejected as the source of abnormal returns. Liquidity remains a serious possible candidate, as is the hypothesis of additional downside risk for the smallest firms.
Phytotoxicity and accumulation of copper oxide nanoparticles to the Cu-tolerant plant Elsholtzia splendens

Abstract The release of nanoparticles (NPs) to the environment poses an increasing potential threat to biological systems. This study investigated the phytotoxicity and accumulation of copper oxide (CuO) NPs to Elsholtzia splendens (a Cu-tolerant plant) under hydroponic conditions. The 50% effective concentration (EC50) of CuO NPs to E. splendens was about 480 mg/L, implying the tolerance of E. splendens to CuO NPs. The Cu content in the shoots treated with 1000 mg/L CuO NPs was much higher than those exposed to the comparable 0.5 mg/L soluble Cu and CuO bulk particles. CuO NPs-like deposits were found in the root cells and leaf cells. Cu K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis further revealed that the accumulated Cu species existed predominantly as CuO NPs in the plant tissues. All these results suggested that CuO NPs can be absorbed by the roots and translocated to the shoots in E. splendens.
NMOS Compatible Work Function of TaN Metal Gate With Erbium-Oxide-Doped Hafnium Oxide Gate Dielectric

This letter demonstrates reduction in effective work function of tantalum-nitride (TaN) metal gate with erbium-oxide-doped hafnium oxide. We report that TaN effective metal-gate work function can be tuned from Si midgap to the conduction band to meet the work-function requirement of NMOSFETs by incorporating ErO in HfO2 with an equivalent oxide thickness as low as 1.15 nm. Several other lanthanide-oxide doped hafnium oxides show similar characteristics.
High yield bonds : market structure, portfolio management, and credit risk modeling

Part I: Market Structure. The High Yield Market. Changes in the High Yield Market: A Historic Perspective. The Leveraged Loan Market. The Globalization of the High Yield Market. Part II: Security Risk Analysis. Historical Default Rates of Corporate Bond Issuers, 1920-1996. Almost Everything You Wanted to Know About Recoveries on Defaulted Bonds. Moody's Rating Migration and Credit Quality Correlation, 1920-1996. Modeling Bond Rating Changes for Credit Risk Estimation. Real Interest Rates and the Default Rate on High Yield Bonds. Part III: Security Valuation. Valuing Like-Rated Senior and Subordinated Debt. Determinants of Spreads on New High Yield Bond Offerings. Analyzing a High Yield Issue. Valuing Bonds and Options on Bonds Having Correlated Interest Rate and Credit Risk. Part VI: Investing in Distressed Securities. Do Seniority Provisions Protect Bondholder's Investments? Investing in Distressed Situations: A Market Survey. Analyzing the Credit Risk of Distressed Securities. Part VII: Corporate Finance. Strategic Financing Choices for Emerging Firms: Debt versus Equity. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Public versus Private Issuance of High Yield Debt Securities. Managing Default: Some Evidence on How Firms Choose Between Workouts and Chapter 11.
Synovial colony-stimulating factor-1 mRNA expression in diffuse pigmented villonodular synovitis.

OBJECTIVES To delineate the molecular mechanisms underlying the process of the diffuse-type giant cell tumours, also called pigmented villonodular synovitis, a rare, aggressive condition of the synovium, the knee synovial tissue expression of colony-stimulating factor-1 gene, as detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction, was compared between patients affected with pigmented villonodular knee synovitis and knee meniscal tears, or persistent gonoarthitis. METHODS Multiple synovial biopsies of the knee were performed by arthroscopy in five consecutive patients affected by diffuse pigmented villonodular knee synovitis and in 12 patients affected by knee meniscal tears (n. 6) or persistent active gonarthritis (n. 6), recruited from the patients attending the Rheumatology Day Surgery Outpatient Clinic of the University of Padova Hospital. The ethics committee approved the study protocol and the participants signed consent statements after being informed about the content of the study. The diagnosis was made on the basis of a histological examination. The colony-stimulating factor-1 gene expression was assessed by reverse transcription followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS The detection by RT-PCR of synovial colony-stimulating factor-1 mRNA showed a wide spectrum of expression in the three groups of distinct knee joint disease affected patients, with significantly higher level of colony-stimulating factor-1 mRNA expression in synovial tissue of pigmented villonodular synovitis, in comparison to that of knee meniscal injuries and persistent gonoarthritis patients. CONCLUSIONS Our findings point out to an important role of colony-stimulating factor-1 in pigmented villonodular knee synovitis disease process and support the idea that colony-stimulating factor-1/colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor interaction may represent a potential therapeutic target of this disease.
Why medical students should learn how to teach

Background: We reviewed the medical-education literature in order to explore the significance and importance of teaching medical students about education principles and teaching skills. Aims: To discuss reasons why formal initiatives aimed at improving teaching skills should be part of the training of all physicians, and how it could begin at the medical-student level. Description: In this article, we propose several reasons that support formal undergraduate medical training in education principles: (1) medical students are future residents and faculty members and will have teaching roles; (2) medical students may become more effective communicators as a result of such training, as teaching is an essential aspect of physician–patient interaction; and (3) medical students with a better understanding of teaching and learning principles may become better learners. We suggest that exposure to teaching principles, skills, and techniques should be done in a sequential manner during the education of a physician, starting in medical school and continuing through postgraduate education and into practice. We outline learning objectives, teaching strategies, and evaluation methods for medical-education components in an undergraduate curriculum. Conclusion: Medical students’ informal teaching activities accompany, facilitate, and complement many important aspects of their medical education. Formally developing medical students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes in education may further stimulate these aspects.
Family and Non-Family Business Differences in Estonia

This paper seeks to identify differences between family enterprises and non-family enterprises. The concepts of entrepreneurship, entrepreneur and enterprise/business are clarified. The paper contains the results of research conducted by the author among family entrepreneurs in 2007-2012 that can be compared to the research results reached by Wahl (2011). This research demonstrates that there are differences between family entrepreneurs and non-family entrepreneurs, which are primarily caused by that family entrepreneurs value first of all their family members, family traditions and only then profit earning.
CFD optimisation of the thermal design for a vented electrical machine

Optimisation algorithms hold the potential to dramatically reduce computational time whilst ensuring the optimal solution is found. Within this paper, the feasibility of using this novel approach on complex 3-D Computational Fluid Dynamics models, which are required for thermal management of electrical machines, is proven. A model of a simplified generator is parameterised with the aim of minimising the peak stator temperature by varying the axial location of a single stator vent. By generating a single parameterised case, and automating the optimisation, the simulations are run independently after initial setup, hence reducing both computational and user time. Locating a vent in the optimal position reduced the peak stator temperature by 9.4 K. A sensitivity study linking peak temperature to vent position has been carried out developing a polynomial relationship between them for the aforementioned geometry. Mass flow and pressure distribution in the vent have been analysed in detail.
Switching Ripple Characteristics of Space Vector PWM Schemes for Five-Phase Two-Level Voltage Source Inverters—Part 1: Flux Harmonic Distortion Factors

Multiphase variable-speed drives supplied from two-level voltage source inverters (VSIs) are, at present, contenders for numerous industrial applications. Various pulsewidth modulation (PWM) methods for multiphase VSIs, aimed at sinusoidal output voltage generation, have been developed using both carrier-based and space-vector approaches. An increased number of voltage space vectors, available for the synthesis of the output voltage, offer greater flexibility for the PWM scheme development, compared to the three-phase case. This paper presents comprehensive analytical analysis and comparison of switching ripple characteristics of two continuous space vector PWM (SVPWM) methods for a five-phase two-level VSI. Considered SVPWM schemes select a different set of four active space vectors per switching period in order to generate sinusoidal output voltages. This paper also presents the evaluation of the flux harmonic distortion factors of the SVPWM techniques. Correlation with corresponding current ripple and total harmonic distortion is established in Part 2 of this paper, where theoretical considerations are verified by simulations and through experimental investigation on a five-phase VSI-fed induction motor drive.
A Review of Above Ground Necromass in Tropical Forests

Tropical forests are marked by high biological diversity and complex vegetation dynamics that result in a spatially diverse array of forest stand structures (Richards 1952, Denslow 1987, Salati and Vose 1984, Terborgh 1992, Ozanne et al. 2003). Knowledge of the forest structure is vital for estimation of carbon stocks and fluxes (Houghton et al. 2000, 2001), habitat and faunal distributions (Schwarzkopt and Rylands 1989), and interactions between the biosphere and atmosphere (Keller et al. 2004a). With deforestation and land use change occurring throughout the tropics, improved understanding of these dynamic and complex forests are vital for the development of regional and global carbon budgets (Nobre et al. 1991, Werth and Avissar 2002, Houghton et al. 2001, Davidson and Artaxo 2004).
Apathogenic, intestinal, segmented, filamentous bacteria stimulate the mucosal immune system of mice

Segmented filamentous bacteria (SFBs) are apathogenic autochthonous bacteria in the murine small intestine that preferentially attach to Peyer's patch epithelium. SFBs have never been cultured in vitro. We have studied the effects of SFBs on the immune system of the host. Mice monoassociated with SFBs were compared with germ-free mice and with mice without SFBs but with a specific-pathogen-free (SPF) gut flora. SFBs versus no microbial flora raised the number of lymphoid cells in the lamina propria of the ileal and cecal mucosa, raised the number of immunoglobulin A (IgA)-secreting cells in the intestinal mucosa, produced elevated IgA titers in serum and intestinal secretions, and enhanced the concanavalin A-induced proliferative responses of mesenteric lymph node cells. The SPF flora had effects similar to but less pronounced than those mediated by SFBs. The results indicate that SFBs stimulate the mucosal immune system to a greater extent than do other autochthonous gut bacteria.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF KNOWLEDGE BASED ON SPECIFIC ATTRIBUTES OF THE GAME OF BASKETBALL

The purpose of this work was to determine the structure of latent factors, to identify and analyse groups of game tasks under specifi c attributes and variables, to classify the tasks into relatively homogenous groups, and to determine the differences between the acquired groups of tasks. In order to achieve the above mentioned it was necessary to construct a measuring instrument (questionnaire) for the registration of knowledge in the game of basketball. For the characterisation of entities, 16 specifi c attributes were chosen, according to which ten competent experts performed the assessment. Within the research space, factor analysis under component model was used, along with Guttman-Kaiser criterion and OBLIMIN rotation. Three latent dimensions in the space of specifi c game attributes were isolated: information component, energy component (game intensity) and socio-motor interaction. Along with factor analysis, hierarchical method of classifi cation was used, where the tasks in the space of specifi c game attributes were classifi ed into three homogenous groups. In the space of specifi c attributes three groups were acquired and they were interpreted as A, B and C. • Group A – tasks that demand high energy component, low socio-motor interaction and low information component, • Group B – tasks that demand above average information component, a bit lower energy component and below average socio-motor interaction and, • Group C – tasks that demand high level of socio-motor interaction, low energy component and medium information component. Objectively scientifi cally arranged groups of associated data can directly infl uence the creation of curriculum and syllabus for basketball players training, evaluation of players’ performance, and they make the foundation for the realization of further researches in the fi eld of team sports games analysis.