Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Standardization of the Life Cycle Environmental Performance in the Energy Sector: ASTM Draft Standard: E067110 Quantifying and Reporting the Environmental Performance of Electric Power Generation Facilities and Infrastructure; Implications to the Electronics Sector

Among the key suppliers to the electronics sector, the power generation sector has been standardizing its approach to reporting environmental performance across the broad portfolio. The draft ASTM Standard, E06710, on the quantification and reporting of environmental performance of the electric power generation facilities contains a technology-neutral, performance based approach to environmental performance reporting. With its emphasis on life cycle impact assessment methodology and comparisons to grid power, the standard provides a mechanism to address system wide improvement and to encourage improvement and efficiencies among all power generation technologies and end users. In addition, by conforming to Clause 9 of ISO 14042 LCIA standard for comparative assertions, the ASTM standard specifies an LCIA framework that requires impact classification/characterization on a spatial, temporal, and effect-intensity basis. This level of LCIA allows for an environmental accounting system with sufficient accuracy to create a quantitative environmental performance rating program. This paper illustrates comparison among various renewable and non-renewable power generation options. This EP-rating system will be useful tool for power customers and planners and will serve as the basis for transparent, accurate reporting of advantages/disadvantages of various generation options/portfolios. The results of these analyses will be useful to energy customers, policy makers, and emergent technology/distributed power generators. This approach can also be used to address engineering approaches to conformance to the restriction on hazardous substances as currently being standardized as part of ASTM F40.4
A new approach for the laboratory culture of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas

Fathead minnows are routinely cultured for use in aquatic toxicology studies. A new mass culture system described in the present study consisted of 6 stainless steel tanks, each containing 68 fish and 20 spawning substrates. Spawning results are compared with a previous system of 22 individual glass aquaria, which contained 16 fish and 4 spawning substrates per tank. During a 19‐mo period, the new system produced an average of 4105 eggs/d, compared with an average of 2465 eggs/d with the previous system. Labor and maintenance were reduced with the new system. The stainless steel tanks eliminated aquaria glass breakage, and daily water use was reduced by 45%. Analysis of reference toxicant data from fish cultured using both systems indicated no change in the sensitivity of the test animals. Analyses of 2009 egg production data determined that a 6:1 to 7:1 female to male ratio had a significantly positive impact on egg production levels and that 6‐mo‐old breeding stock should be introduced to the spawning tanks in mid‐spring for optimal egg production during the rest of the year. Implementing a stainless steel mass culture system significantly increased efficiency of egg production; reduced turnaround delay of mature animal availability for toxicity and molecular testing; and reduced labor time, costs, and inherent safety hazards, compared with glass aquaria systems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:126–133. © 2013 SETAC
Does education enhance productivity in smallholder agriculture? Causal evidence from Malawi

Malawi is a low-income country where the majority of the poor live and work in smallholder agriculture. In settings like these, schooling is believed to be a valuable tool in lifting people out of poverty. Yet, little is known about how schooling affects agricultural productivity. The effect of education on smallholder agricultural production has been estimated before but this paper contributes to the literature by estimating, for the first time, the causal effects of education on agricultural productivity using an instrumental variable approach (IV). The introduction of free primary education (FPE) and the age of paternal orphanhood are used as IV's for education. The instruments are shown to calculate local average treatment effects for individuals who only entered school due to FPE and only left school due to paternal orphanhood. It is found that there are large differences in returns to education between the subgroups. Returns are low and insignificant when FPE is used as an IV but they are larger and there is a significant effect when age of paternal orphanhood is used. Thus, while education can have large effects on agricultural productivity, this is not so for individuals specifically targeted by large scale expansions in educational access.
Improved glycemic control in veterans with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus using a Specialty Care Access Network-Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes model at primary care clinics

Introduction An increasing number of patients with diabetes mellitus has created a need for innovative delivery of specialized care not only by diabetes specialists but also by primary care providers (PCPs) as well. A potential avenue to address this need is training of PCPs by specialists via telehealth. The Veteran Affairs (VA) Specialty Care Access Network-Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (SCAN-ECHO) program includes education and case-based learning for PCPs by a multidisciplinary specialty team utilizing videoconferencing technology. Methods Two PCPs completed a year of SCAN-ECHO diabetes training. These two PCPs set up “diabetes mini-clinics” to treat difficult-to-control high-risk patients with diabetes mellitus from their own panel and from their colleagues in the same community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC). We utilized a retrospective program evaluation by t-test using pre/post glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) lab values after being seen by the two PCPs. Results A total of 39 patients, all with HbA1c > 9.0%, were seen in the two PCP mini-clinics over 15 months. The mean HbA1c improved from 10.2 ± 1.4% to 8.4 ± 1.8% (p < 0.001) over the average follow-up period of five months. This was not explained by system-wide changes or improvements. Discussion Care of veteran patients with poorly controlled diabetes by PCPs who participated in SCAN-ECHO program leads to improvement in glycemic control. This model of health care delivery can be effective in remote or rural areas with limited availability of specialists.
Circulating MELAN‐A/MART‐1 specific cytolytic T lymphocyte precursors in HLA‐A2+ melanoma patients have a memory phenotype

Melan‐A/MART‐1 is a melanoma differentiation antigen that is recognized by a high proportion of cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones derived from human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐A2+ melanoma patients. Whereas peptide Melan‐A/MART‐127–35 was originally defined as the immunodominant CTL epitope, we have previously reported that peptide Melan‐A/MART‐126–35 was recognized more efficiently by the majority of tumor‐reactive CTL clones. As demonstrated here, CTL populations generated from blood lymphocytes of either melanoma patients or healthy individuals after in vitro stimulation with peptide Melan‐A/MART‐126–35 killed specifically HLA‐A2+ Melan‐A+ allogeneic melanoma cells, thus suggesting their potential use in adoptive immunotherapy. We characterized the surface phenotype of the circulating CTL precursors (CTLp), which respond to in vitro stimulation with peptide Melan‐A/MART‐126–35. In melanoma patients, these CTLp predominantly expressed the CD45RO memory marker. In contrast, they were mainly, although not exclusively, found in the CD45RA subpopulation of CD8+ T cells in healthy individuals. The demonstration that Melan‐A/MART‐1‐specific CTLp in peripheral blood lymphocytes from HLA‐A2+ patients with metastatic melanoma express a memory phenotype provides direct evidence that in vivo priming of this antigen may occur during tumor progression. Int. J. Cancer 78:699–706, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A loosely-coupled binding model for Wireless Sensor Networks

Component Based Software Engineering has achieved notable success in supporting the development of wireless sensor network applications. However, contemporary component models provide poor support for modeling distributed interactions: either relying on inappropriate communication primitives or providing no support for distribution. This paper argues that providing support for distribution is a critical requirement for wireless sensor network component models. To address this concern, we contribute a novel event-based binding mechanism and supporting network framework that allows for easy application composition and reconfiguration. We evaluate the proposed binding model and demonstrate that it is a good fit with the requirements of wireless sensor network applications while being sufficiently compact for embedded mote platforms.
ADS-J1 Inhibits Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Entry by Interacting with the gp41 Pocket Region and Blocking Fusion-Active gp41 Core Formation

ABSTRACT We previously identified a small-molecule anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (anti-HIV-1) compound, ADS-J1, using a computer-aided molecular docking technique for primary screening and a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) as a secondary screening method. In the present study, we demonstrated that ADS-J1 is an HIV-1 entry inhibitor, as determined by a time-of-addition assay and an HIV-1-mediated cell fusion assay. Further mechanism studies confirmed that ADS-J1 does not block gp120-CD4 binding and exhibits a marginal interaction with the HIV-1 coreceptor CXCR4. However, ADS-J1 inhibited the fusion-active gp41 core formation mimicked by peptides derived from the viral gp41 N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR) and C-terminal heptad repeat (CHR), as determined by ELISA, native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and circular dichroism analysis. Moreover, using a surface plasmon resonance assay, we found that ADS-J1 could bind directly to IQN17, a trimeric peptide containing the gp41 pocket region, resulting in the conformational change of IQN17 and the blockage of its interaction with a short D peptide, PIE7. The positively charged residue (K574) located in the gp41 pocket region is critical for the binding of ADS-J1 to NHR. These results suggest that ADS-J1 may bind to the viral gp41 NHR region through its hydrophobic and ionic interactions with the hydrophobic and positively charged resides located in the pocket region, subsequently blocking the association between the gp41 NHR and CHR regions to form the fusion-active gp41 core, thereby inhibiting HIV-1-mediated membrane fusion and virus entry.
The Impact of ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreements on Indonesian Export of Manufacturing Goods

Along with an attempt to promote the export performance of manufacturing goods, the number of investigation about the potential benefit or harm of free trade agreements is still weak in Indonesia. This paper highlights the effect of ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA) on Indonesian export of manufacturing products since AKFTA as one of the significant initiatives in Southeast Asia is expected to boost Indonesian export. By using augmented gravity models with panel data, this paper investigates the presence of trade creation and trade diversion effects on Indonesian export with 20 trading partners, covering a 26-year period from 1990-2015. Fixed effects with least square dummy variable (LSDV) models are applied to tackle the endogeneity problems of FTA by controlling the unobserved heterogeneity. The results showed that trade diversion outweighs trade creation effects in almost all categories, confirming a decrease in export from member to non-member countries.DOI: 10.15408/etk.v17i2. 7342
Stratified agent architecture for on-board mission planning and execution for an autonomous spacecraft

In this paper, we propose a stratified agent architecture for an autonomous earth imaging spacecraft to achieve higher levels of autonomy. The autonomous spacecraft should possess the self-adaptation and the self-healing capabilities, in addition to other fundamental autonomy requirements including reflex, awareness and self-regulation. The architecture is configured as stratified agent architecture with two strata. The upper stratum is concerned with the adaptive behaviour, which is achieved through an on-board mission planner. This stratum is in turn configured as hierarchical agent architecture. Hierarchical planning in a Petri net framework involves refinement of a transition in the upper layer using a Petri net model and searching for a valid plan using the reachability analysis technique. The lower stratum deals with the execution aspects and provides the reactive behaviour. It is configured with three peer level agents to achieve the reflex and the awareness properties. These agents follow a generic structure with perception, action, and communication components. The agent achieves the required autonomy capabilities by using an appropriate knowledge model. The uniqueness of the architecture is the utilisation of Petri net models, with varying degree of abstraction, in the various layers to represent the planning knowledge, diagnostic knowledge and the appropriate world model. In this paper, we present how the various capabilities for autonomy are achieved by the agent organisation by exploiting the Petri net models.
Internal carotid arterial stenosis: CT angiography with volume rendering.

PURPOSE To determine the reliability of helical computed tomography (CT) with volume rendering for evaluation of internal carotid arterial stenosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 22 patients, 44 carotid arteries were evaluated with helical CT and selective conventional angiography. CT data were displayed on volume-rendered and maximum intensity projection (MIP) images. Stenoses were measured separately on axial, volume-rendered, and MIP images and on conventional angiograms. Each artery was then graded as having no stenosis, mild (< 30%) stenosis, moderate (30%-70%) stenosis, severe (> 70%) stenosis, near occlusion, or occlusion. RESULTS One case of stenosis was not assessable at axial CT because of an inappropriate scanning plane; four cases were not assessable at MIP CT because of mural calcifications. All carotid arteries were assessable on volume-rendered images despite no depiction of the residual lumen at the site of narrowing in three cases of near occlusion. Correlations between angiography and helical CT were good. Axial, volume-rendered, and MIP images enabled correct classification of stenosis in 88%, 89%, and 90% of arteries, respectively. CT with volume rendering was slightly more sensitive for determining candidates for endarterectomy (i.e., those with > 70% stenosis and near occlusion); sensitivity was 100% and specificity, 92%. CONCLUSION CT angiography with volume rendering enabled accurate evaluation of carotid disease, even when dense calcifications were present. However, no definite advantage over currently available techniques for CT measurement of stenosis severity was found.
A critique of the intraoperative use of jugular venous bulb catheters during neurosurgical procedures.

We examined the intraoperative use of jugular venous bulb catheters in 100 consecutive patients undergoing neurosurgical procedures. The catheters were successfully placed after induction of anesthesia in 99 patients using an aseptic technique. The efforts were abandoned after four attempts in the remaining patient. The mean time of insertion was 94 s (SD 108, range 15-420). Carotid artery puncture on two occasions controlled by firm pressure was the only complication. Arterial blood pressure, PaCO2, PaO2, and jugular venous bulb oxygen saturations (SjVO2) were intermittently measured at set intervals throughout the operation. We defined cerebral venous desaturation as 1) none (SjVO2 > 50%), 2) mild (45% < SjVO2 < 50%), and 3) severe (SjVO2 < 45%). We graded the usefulness of the catheter as 1) not useful (NU), SjVO2 > 50% and PaCO2 > 25 mm Hg; 2) useful (U1), SjVO2 > 50% and PaCO2 < 25 mm Hg; intervention, no increase in PaCO2; 3) useful (U2), SjVO2 < 50% and PaCO2 < 25 mm Hg; intervention, increase PaCO2 to improve SjVO2; 4) useful (U3), SjVO2 < 50% and PaCO2 > 25 mm Hg; intervention, nonventilatory action to increase SjVO2 (e.g., infusion of mannitol). Mild desaturation was detected in 24 patients and severe desaturation was present in 17 patients. We found SjVO2 monitoring to be useful in 60 of 99 patients studied. It was useful for detecting and treating cerebral venous desaturation in 13 of 18 patients with intracranial hematomas (subdural, epidural, and intracerebral hematomas), 9 of 18 patients with intracerebral tumors, 27 of 45 patients with cerebral aneurysms, and 6 of 8 patients with other intracranial pathology. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Can Maximal and Rapid Isometric Torque Characteristics Predict Playing Level in Division I American Collegiate Football Players?

Abstract Thompson, BJ, Ryan, ED, Sobolewski, EJ, Smith, DB, Conchola, EC, Akehi, K, and Buckminster, T. Can maximal and rapid isometric torque characteristics predict playing level in division I American collegiate football players? J Strength Cond Res 27(3): 655–661, 2013—The purpose of this study was to determine if maximal and rapid isometric torque characteristics could discriminate starters from nonstarters in elite Division I American collegiate football players. Sixteen starters (mean ± SD: age = 20.81 ± 1.28 years; height = 184.53 ± 6.58 cm; and mass = 108.69 ± 22.16 kg) and 15 nonstarters (20.40 ± 1.68 years; 182.27 ± 10.52 cm; and 104.60 ± 22.44 kg) performed isometric maximal voluntary contractions (MVCs) of the leg flexor and extensor muscle groups. Peak torque (PT), rate of torque development (RTD), the time to peak RTD (TTRTDpeak), contractile impulse (IMPULSE), and absolute torque values (TORQUE) at specific time intervals were calculated from a torque-time curve. The results indicated significant and nonsignificant differences between starters and nonstarters for the early rapid leg flexion torque characteristics that included RTD, IMPULSE, and TORQUE at 30 and 50 milliseconds, and TTRTDpeak. These variables also demonstrated the largest effect sizes of all the variables examined (0.71–0.82). None of the leg extensor variables, leg flexion PT, or later leg flexion rapid torque variables (≥100 milliseconds) were significant discriminators of playing level. These findings suggest that the early rapid leg flexion torque variables may provide an effective and sensitive muscle performance measurement in the identification of collegiate football talent. Further, coaches and practitioners may use these findings when designing training programs for collegiate football players with the intent to maximize rapid leg flexion characteristics.
[Anatomy of the marginal mandibular branch of the facial nerve].

INTRODUCTION the position of the marginal branch of the mandicular nerve is crucial for the surgical approach to the sub-mandibular region. MATERIAL AND METHOD we performed 54 dissections of 30 fresh cadavers to study the anatomy of this branch. RESULTS we found a unique marginal branch in 43% of the cases, two branches in 44% and three branches in 13%. In the sub-mandibular region the branch ran lateral to the vessel bundle in 51 cases, was medial to the artery but lateral to the vein in two. In one case, the nerve was lateral to the artery and medial to the vein. The lowest marginal branch was situated 17.5 mm from the inferior border of the mandible and crossed the facial vessels at a point situated 24 mm posteroinferiorly from the mandibular angle. DISCUSSION our study demonstrated the wide variability of the marginal branch of the mandibular nerve. We found a variable number of branches, different from earlier reports which have generally described two branches in about 50% of the cases. These differences can be explained by the difficulty in recognizing the marginal branch arising from the inferior buccal branch during dissection. The technique of ligaturing the marginal branch of the facial nerve is not reliable in all cases, since the branch sometimes passes lateral to the artery and vein.
Self‐healing, an intrinsic property of biomineralization processes

The sponge siliceous spicules are formed enzymatically via silicatein, in contrast to other siliceous biominerals. Originally, silicatein had been described as a major structural protein of the spicules that has the property to allow a specific deposition of silica onto their surface. More recently, it had been unequivocally demonstrated that silicatein displays a genuine enzyme activity, initiating and maintaining silica biopolycondensation at low precursor concentrations (<2 mM). Even more, as silicatein becomes embedded into the biosilica polymer, formed by the enzyme, it retains its functionality to enable a controlled biosilica deposition. The protection of silicatein through the biosilica mantel is so strong that it conserves the functionality of the enzyme for thousands of years. The implication of this finding, the preservation of the enzyme function over such long time periods, is that the intrinsic property of silicatein to display its enzymatic activity remains in the biosilica deposits. This self‐healing property of sponge biosilica can be utilized to engineer novel hybrid materials, with silicatein as a functional template, which are more resistant toward physical stress and fracture. Those hybrid materials can even be used for the fabrication of silica dielectrics coupled to optical nanowires. © 2013 IUBMB Life, 65(5):382–396, 2013.
In vivo validation of tissue segmentation based on a 3D feature map using both a hamster brain tumor model and stereotactically guided biopsy of brain tumors in man

The purpose of this study was to validate our MR tissue segmentation technique using a hamster brain tumor model and malignant brain tumors in man. We used a multispectral tissue segmentation analysis. Three sets of MRI data were included: proton density, T2‐weighted fast spin echo, and T1‐weighted spin echo, as inputs. Three image preprocessing steps included correcting image nonuniformity, application of an anisotropic diffusion type filter, and data point selection by a qualified observer. We used the k‐Nearest Neighbor segmentation algorithm, which does not require prior knowledge of the sample distribution. This choice allowed us to optimize the different tissue clusters present in three‐dimensional (3D) feature space. In vivo validation of the technique was performed in hamsters harboring tumors induced with JC virus‐transformed HJC‐15 cells, as compared to three control animals. Human brain tumors obtained by stereotactically guided biopsy in six patients were also included in the study. Finally, brain tumors were removed from two patients who underwent conventional craniotomy using segmentation‐derived images as a guide. In the hamsters, 10 tissues were correctly identified by segmentation and were confirmed histologically (P < .02). In the patients, there was also a strong correlation between our segmentation results and the tissue obtained by stereotactic biopsy (P < .01). In one of the two patients who underwent open craniotomy, segmentation images were useful in revealing tumor spread into vital areas of the brain (motor area). In conclusion, the results of segmentation correlate well with the tissues in vivo and thus warrant further clinical utilization and evaluation.