Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The next contraceptive revolution.

The availability of modern birth control methods has wrought a veritable contraceptive revolution in both developed and developing countries over the past two decades. But concerns about safety, costly lawsuits involving current methods, as well as diverse and changing life-styles, have left the current array of contraceptives grossly inadequate to meet growing world-wide needs. Steroid implants and improved injectables, IUDs, barrier methods and sterilization devices should be widely available in the next few years. But the long-sought-after radically new methods that will constitute the next contraceptive revolution--like vaccines, a male contraceptive and a once-a-month pill--will not be developed in the foreseeable future without a massive infusion of new funds. The eight contraceptive research and development (R&D) programs that are responsible for more than half of all current product development efforts now spend about $30 million a year on contraceptive research. With an additional $23 million annually, they could considerably accelerate current research efforts and begin new ones on products that have become possible only as the result of recent scientific discoveries. Even this level of investment--representing a 75 percent increase over current expenditures by the eight groups--would probably not be sufficient to make optimum progress in the development of radically new methods. Since the pharmaceutical industry can no longer be depended upon to take the leading role that it did 20 years ago, current public-sector R&D organizations may need to expand their efforts to include most aspects of the process of contraceptive development and introduction, and new dedicated R&D centers will probably have to be established. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Distribution network tariff design and active consumers : a regulatory impact analysis

La diffusion des panneaux solaires photovoltaiques a prix abordables nous amene a repenser a la maniere avec laquelle les couts des reseaux de distribution sont recuperes aupres des consommateurs. Historiquement, les consommateurs etaient factures pour l'utilisation du reseau de distribution principalement sur la base de leur volume (net) d'electricite consomme. Avec tel type de tarif de reseau, les consommateurs qui installent des panneaux photovoltaiques contribuent beaucoup moins a la recuperation du cout d’investissement reseau. Cependant, ces consommateurs (prosummeurs) dependent autant du reseau qu’avant. La question examinee dans cette these est de savoir comment definir le tarif du reseau de distribution dans ce contexte changeant. Des differents modeles de theorie des jeux sont developpes pour faire cette analyse. Dans ces modeles, en plus des investissements dans l’energie solaire photovoltaique, des investissements dans les batteries du cote des consommateurs sont aussi consideres. Ce rapport de these consiste en un bref apercu suivi de quatre chapitres independants et d'une conclusion.
Benefits from hearing aids in relation to the interaction between the user and the environment

It is becoming increasingly recognized that, in addition to the influence of audiometric variables and associated psychoacoustic abilities, the benefits from and candidature for various signal-processing schemes in hearing aids are strongly influenced by listeners' characteristics (such as motivations, expectations, and personality), and also the auditory environments in which those listeners are required to function (i.e. their auditory ecology). We will report elsewhere an experiment on a group of 50 listeners in a within-subject, randomized, blind, crossover design of five different hearing aid rationales, of which two contained linear amplification and three contained non-linear amplification which differed only in release-time constant. This article reports the interaction between the audiometric and cognitive characteristics of listeners, and the test conditions under which speech identification procedures are conducted (presentation level, signal-to-noise ratio, and temporal characteristics of interfering noise). The analyses show significant interactions between hearing impairment and cognitive ability, and the extent to which, when tested unaided, listeners can derive advantage from temporal structure in a background noise. The analysis then addresses the benefits of amplification (defined as the difference between performance in the amplified and unaided conditions) and shows significant interactions between cognitive ability, the temporal characteristics of interfering noise, and the time constants of non-linear amplification rationales. The direction of the interaction is that listeners with greater cognitive ability derive greater benefit from temporal structure in background noise when listening via fast time constants, one of whose effects is to facilitate ‘listening in the gaps’.
Plantar pressures in children with and without sever's disease.

BACKGROUND a case-control study was conducted to compare static plantar pressures and distribution of body weight across the two lower limbs, as well as the prevalence of gastrocnemius soleus equinus, in children with and without calcaneal apophysitis (Sever's disease). METHODS the participants were 54 boys enrolled in a soccer academy, of which eight were lost to follow-up. Twenty-two boys with unilateral Sever's disease comprised the Sever's disease group and 24 healthy boys constituted a control group. Plantar pressure data were collected using pedobarography, and gastrocnemius soleus equinus was assessed. RESULTS peak pressure and percentage of body weight supported were significantly higher in the symptomatic feet of the Sever's disease group than in the asymptomatic feet of the Sever's disease group and the control group. Every child in the Sever's disease group had bilateral gastrocnemius equinus, while nearly all children in the control group had no equinus. CONCLUSIONS high plantar foot pressures are associated with Sever's disease, although it is unclear whether they are a predisposing factor or a result of the condition. Gastrocnemius equinus may be a predisposing factor for Sever's disease. Further research is needed to identify other factors involved in the disease and to better understand the factors that contribute to abnormal distribution of body weight in the lower limbs.
Risk measures and the distribution of damage curves for 600 European coastal cities

A good understanding of climate change damages is vital to design effective adaptation policies and measures. Using a dataset of probabilistic sea-level rise and other of flood damages and protection cost curves for the 600 largest European coastal cities we generate stochastic damage curves and their distributions with and without adaptation. We apply the Generalized Extreme Value distribution to characterize the distributions and calculate two risk measures: the Value at Risk and the Expected Shortfall, which contribute to understanding the magnitude and probability of high-end sea-level rise represented by the upper tail of the distribution. This allows the costs of sea-level rise to be estimated (that is, in addition to other costs related to coastal extreme events) and supports decision-makers in integrating the high uncertainty related to future projections. This knowledge is necessary for an adequate risk management that does not underestimate risk. Furthermore, it allows city planners to tailor their risk tolerance. A great number of cities in Europe are currently undertaking adaptation plans or have already done so. Making these findings available should therefore be of great priority value to inform these processes.
Solid lipid nanoparticles-loaded topical gel containing combination drugs: an approach to offset psoriasis

Aim: The primary aim of present work was to develop effective combination drug therapy for topical treatment of psoriasis. Methods: Betamethasone dipropionate and calcipotriol loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (CT-BD-SLNs) were prepared by hot melt high shear homogenization technique, which were then incorporated in Carbopol gel matrix. The anti-psoriatic potential was tested by sequential in vitro (skin permeation and dermal distribution, anti-proliferative effect in HaCaT cells) and in vivo (Draize patch irritation, transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and anti-psoriatic mouse tail studies) experiments. Results: A negligible amount in receptor compartment, yet confined distribution of drugs to epidermal and dermal region of skin was observed in case of SLNs, which is essential for safe and effective anti-psoriatic therapy. Draize patch test and TEWL demonstrated negligible skin irritation and better skin tolerability of SLNs. The in vitro HaCaT cell line study demonstrated that SLNs delayed the abrupt growth of keratinocytes, while in vivo mouse tail model showed that SLNs gel significantly decreased the epidermal thickness and increased melanocyte count in comparison to commercial Daivobet® ointment. Conclusions: The developed SLNs gel is expected to be potential strategies for treatment of psoriasis and other topical diseases.
Tourism & Quality of Life in Greenland: Exploration through farm stays in South Greenlandic settlements

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Communication in the autonomous and decentralized robot system ACTRESS

The new concept for an advanced robot system, ACTRESS (ACTor-based robots and equipments synthetic system), has been designed for the automation of high level tasks. The system assumes that multiple robots and equipments, which are called robotors in general, work independently or cooperatively by communicating each other, depending on the task requirements. The paper discusses the distributed robot system architecture. The basic design of protocol is shown for the communication between robotors in order to achieve various tasks. The message protocol is extended and the concept of negotiation is introduced as the framework for the cooperative work of the task allocation problem. The message protocol has been applied to object-pushing problem as an example. <<ETX>>
Management of Digitization of Theses and Dissertations in Federal University Libraries in Nigeria

Federal university libraries in Nigeria are into digitization of theses and dissertations for accessibility and visibility of these unique information resources. This calls for management of the project to enhance sustainability. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent in which the management functions of planning, organizing, staffing and budgeting enhance digitization of theses and dissertations in federal university libraries in Nigeria. Ex post facto research design was used in the study. Four federal university libraries from four geo-political zones in Nigeria that are engaged in digitization of theses and dissertations were surveyed. All 139 professional librarians in these four federal university libraries were studied. Mean and standard deviation was used to analyze the research questions while one way ANOVA was used to test the hypotheses. The result showed that these management functions highly enhance the digitization of theses and dissertations in federal university libraries in Nigeria. Recommendations were made on the management of digitization of theses anddissertations in federal university libraries in Nigeria.
Analysis of the Component-Based Reliability in Computer Networks

Desempeno en terminos de fiabilidad de redes de computador notiva este articulo. Teoremas limite sobre la duracion extrema de cola y el tiempo de espera virtual extremo en redes de cola abierta en trafico pesado sao derivados y aplicados a un modelo de fiabilidad para redes de computador donde relacionamos el tiempo de falha de una red de computador al sistema de parametros.
Longitudinal study of neurological soft signs in first-episode early-onset psychosis.

BACKGROUND In recent decades, the assessment of neurological soft signs (NSS) in patients with psychosis has become a subject of special interest. The study of the progression of NSS during adolescence will provide valuable information about the role of NSS as endophenotypes or biomarkers and about brain development at a stage in which brain maturation has not yet been completed. METHODS Neurological soft signs were assessed in a sample of 110 first episodes of early-onset psychosis (EOP) and 98 healthy children and adolescents at two different times in a 2-year follow-up period. RESULTS Patients with EOP showed more NSS than controls both at baseline (p < .001) and the 2-year follow-up (p < .001). No differences were found in the number of signs among the different diagnostic subgroups (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other psychoses). When we examined the changes in NSS over the follow-up, the reduction of NSS in the patients was greater than the controls for 'Motor coordination' (p = .032), 'Others' (p < .001), and 'Total score' (p < .001) of the NES. CONCLUSION Despite the greater reduction of NSS in patients than in controls along the follow-up, patients still have more neurological signs than healthy controls; therefore, these signs may be considered a trait marker. NSS do not seem to be specific to schizophrenia as they are present in different EOPs.
A Highly Linear and Efficient CMOS Power Amplifier With Cascode–Cascade Configuration

This letter proposes a highly efficient CMOS linear power amplifier (PA) with cascode–cascade configuration. The proposed configuration improves AM–PM distortion through a capacitance variation compensation of the input capacitance of a common-gate stage in the main amplifier and a common-source stage of an auxiliary amplifier. In addition, the current consumption in the low-power region is significantly reduced structurally because the auxiliary amplifier is turned off. The PA is implemented in 0.18-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> CMOS process with an output combining network in printed circuit board. It provides an average power of 24.5 dBm with a PAE of 45.6% for a long-term-evolution 10-MHz up-link signal with the ACLR<sub>E–UTRA</sub> of −30 dBc at 2 GHz.
URINARY PROSTAGLANDINS FOLLOWING FRUSEMIDE TREATMENT AND SALT DEPLETION IN NORMAL SUBJECTS AND SUBJECTS WITH DIABETIC HYPORENINAEMIC HYPOALDOSTERONISM

Urinary immunoreactive PGA and PGE, plasma and urinary aldosterone, and plasma renin activity (PRA) were determined in eleven control subjects and four patients with diabetic hyporeninaemic hypoaldosteronism (HH) before and during 4 days of sodium chloride restriction and frusemide administration. Aldosterone and PRA increased steadily in control subjects, but not in patients with HH. Increases in urinary PGA and PGE were observed during volume depletion. The basal levels and increases observed were comparable in both groups. The apparently normal stimulation of PGA and PGE in subjects with diabetic HH suggests that this syndrome is not associated with abnormal prostaglandin metabolism, despite the fact that drug‐induced abnormalities of the latter may precipitate or aggravate the clinical syndrome in susceptible individuals. The increase in PGA and PGE following frusemide treatment and salt depletion supports the possibility of a relationship between renal prostaglandin metabolism, frusemide‐induced natriuresis and/or renin secretion. While the nature of this relationship remains obscure, the increases in PGA and PGE in the absence of increases in renin‐angiotensin levels in subjects with HH suggests that these changes are not due to activation of the renin‐angiotensin system.
Nature and extent of left/right axis defects in TWis/TWis mutant mouse embryos

Background: Mutations in the T‐box gene Brachyury have well known effects on invagination of the endomesodermal layer during gastrulation, but the gene also plays a role in the determination of left/right axis determination that is less well studied. Previous work has implicated node morphology in this effect. We use the TWis allele of Brachyury to investigate the molecular and morphological effects of the T locus on axis determination in the mouse. Results: Similar to embryos mutant for the T allele, TWis/TWis embryos have a high incidence of ventral and/or reversed heart looping. In addition, heterotaxia between the direction of heart looping and the direction of embryo turning is common. Scanning electron microscopy reveals defects in node morphology including irregularity, smaller size, and a decreased number of cilia, although the cilia appear morphologically normal. Molecular analysis shows a loss of perinodal expression of genes involved in Nodal signaling, namely Cer2, Gdf1, and Nodal itself. There is also loss of Dll1 expression, a key component of the Notch signaling pathway, in the presomitic mesoderm. Conclusions: Morphological abnormalities of the node as well as disruptions of the molecular cascade of left/right axis determination characterize TWis/TWis mutants. Decreased Notch signaling may account for both the morphological defects and the absence of expression of genes in the Nodal signaling pathway. Developmental Dynamics 243:1046–1053, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Charge storage in mesoscopic graphitic islands fabricated using AFM bias lithography

Electrochemical oxidation and etching of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) has been achieved using biased atomic force microscopy (AFM) lithography, allowing patterns of varying complexity to be written into the top layers of HOPG. The graphitic oxidation process and the trench geometry after writing were monitored using intermittent contact mode AFM. Electrostatic force microscopy reveals that the isolated mesoscopic islands formed during the AFM lithography process become positively charged, suggesting that they are laterally isolated from the surrounding HOPG substrate. The electrical transport studies of these laterally isolated finite-layer graphitic islands enable detailed characterization of electrical conduction along the c-direction and reveal an unexpected stability of the charged state. Utilizing conducting-atomic force microscopy, the measured I(V) characteristics revealed significant non-linearities. Micro-Raman studies confirm the presence of oxy functional groups formed during the lithography process.
Neuropsychiatric symptom clusters of Alzheimer's disease in Hong Kong Chinese: prevalence and confirmatory factor analysis of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory

ABSTRACT Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the clustering of symptoms on the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and the relative prevalence of symptom clusters in mild and moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed on the polychoric correlation matrix of 12 NPI items (scored yes or no) using the weighted least squares with mean and variance adjustment (WLSMV) estimator in Mplus (N = 224 community-dwelling Chinese persons with mild/moderate AD). Severity of AD was determined by Clinical Dementia Rating scores. The relative model fit of three competing measurement models (also known as factor structures) was tested using a modified χ2 difference test. Prevalence rates across mild and moderate stages were compared using χ2 tests. Furthermore, the measurement model of choice was cross-validated in an independent sample of 181 community-dwelling persons with dementia. Results: CFA supported a four-factor model, namely behavioral problems (agitation/aggressiveness, disinhibition, irritability, and aberrant motor behavior), psychosis (delusions and hallucinations), mood disturbance (depression, anxiety, sleep, appetite, and apathy), and euphoria (a stand-alone item that is equivalent to the factor). The most prevalent symptom clusters were behavioral (72%) and mood (69%) disturbances, followed by psychosis (45%). Euphoria was rare (6%). All syndromes were more prevalent in moderate than in mild stage, except for euphoria. In addition, the four-factor model was replicated in the cross-validation sample. Conclusions: The four syndromes provide a parsimonious conceptualization of neuropsychiatric symptoms corresponding to clinical observations and neurochemical changes of the disease. The independent replication in the second sample supports generalization of the four-factor model in Chinese persons with AD.
United Nations Sanctions on North Korea's Luxury Goods Imports: Impact and Implications

This article examines the impacts of UN Security Council sanctions on North Korea's banned luxury goods imports from 2004 to 2017 by investigating the bilateral trade flows between North Korea and its 71 trading partner countries. This analysis provides some evidence that the sanctions were effective only for those countries that implemented the sanctions. Overall, it is difficult to conclude that United Nations Resolution 1718, which was mainly targeted to ban luxury goods exports to North Korea, was effective in curtailing North Korea's import of luxury goods for the time period from 2006 to 2007. The article argues that the lack of a clearly defined list of luxury goods and the lack of enforcement are important reasons for the ineffectiveness of the sanctions.
Separation of early steps in endocytic membrane transport

We describe a simple subcellular fractionation scheme aimed at separating early endosomes from the plasma membrane in view of studying the possible arrival of plasma membrane‐bound toxins, proteins or other extracellular ligands in endosomes. Plasma membrane proteins were labeled with the impermeable reagent sulfosuccinimidyl‐6‐(biotinamido)hexanoate (NHS‐LC) biotin at 4°C. In a separate set of cells, early endosomes were labeled by internalization of horseradish peroxidase from the medium for 5 min. The first step of the purification, which consists of a step sucrose gradient, led to three fractions, respectively: enriched in biosynthetic membranes (interface 3), in plasma membrane and early endosomes (interface 2), and in late endosomes (interface 1). The second step, in which interface 2 was loaded at the bottom of a 17% Percoll gradient, led to the separation of the plasma membrane, including caveolae and cholesterol‐glycolipid rafts, from early endosomes. Western blot analysis of the fractions from the Percoll gradient showed that the transferrin receptor, the small GTPases rab5 and Arf6, as well as annexin II were present both at the plasma membrane and in early endosomes, whereas the caveolar marker caveolin, 1co, migrated only with the biotinylated plasma membrane proteins. We used this fractionation procedure to show that the pore‐forming toxin aerolysin does not reach the endocytic compartments of baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells. The procedure should be generally useful in rapidly determining whether extracellular proteins or ligands reach endosomes.