Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Late Local Radiation Toxicity after Post-Operative Breast Irradiation

Purpose To assess determinants associated with late local radiation toxicity in patients treated for breast cancer. Methods A systematic review was performed. All studies reporting ≥2 variables associated with late local radiation toxicity after treatment with postoperative whole breast irradiation were included. Cohort studies, randomized controlled trials, and cross-sectional studies were eligible designs. Study characteristics and definitions of determinants and outcome measures were extracted. If possible, the measure of association was extracted. Results Twenty-one studies were included in this review. Six out of seven studies focused on the association between radiotherapy (boost) dose or irradiated breast volume and late radiation toxicity found significant results. Tumor bed boost was associated with late radiation toxicity, fibrosis, and/or edema in six out of twelve studies. Lower age was associated with late breast toxicity in one study, while in another study, higher age was significantly associated with breast fibrosis. Also, no association between age and late radiation toxicity was found in eight out of twelve studies. Similar inconsistent results were found in the association between late radiation toxicity and other patient-related factors (i.e., breast size, diabetes mellitus) and surgical and systemic treatment-related factors (i.e., complications after surgery, chemotherapy, and time between surgery and radiotherapy). Conclusion In modern 3D radiotherapy, radiotherapy (boost) dose and volume are—like in 2D radiotherapy—associated with late local radiation toxicity, such as breast fibrosis and edema. Treatment de-escalation, for example, partial breast irradiation in selected patients might be important to decrease late local toxicity without compromising locoregional control and survival.
Rosemary Extracts Improved the Antioxidant Status of Low-Fat Yoghurt Sauces Enriched with Inulin

Yoghurt sauces are considered fatty products which are quite susceptible to oxidation and must be stabilised using antioxidants. Novel formulations for yoghurt sauces often involve replacement of fat with dietary fibres and use of natural preservatives. The aim of the present research was to design healthier formulations for yoghurt sauces based on the replacement of sunflower oil (SO) with chicory inulin (IN) and the use of rosemary extracts (RE) as natural antioxidants. Different sauces were developed by adding IN at 2 and 5% w: w and/or 300 mg/kg lipo- and/or water-soluble rosemary extracts (RLE and/or RWE) containing 120 and 146 mg polyphenols per g extract, respectively. Nutritional value (proximate composition and caloric contribution), some physical properties (pH and CIELab colour) and antioxidant status (deoxyribose, DPPH radical scavenging, Rancimat, lipid peroxidation and linoleic acid assays) were assessed in the sauces. Replacement of SO with IN (5%) reduced fat content by 30%, roughly 15% low calories, thereby obtaining healthier sauces. As expected, the RLE was more effective than the RWE in improving antioxidant activity in lipidic environment. Using RLE enhanced the antioxidant capacity of lipid peroxidation by 44%. In the Rancimat test, this increased the oxidative protection of the sauce made with and without IN (5%) by around 20% or 45%, respectively. Similarly, using RLE doubled protection against linoleic acid oxidation. Application of IN in yoghurt sauce has nutritional (replacement of lipids with dietary fibre) and technological interest (foaming agent) and can be combined with RE of high polyphenol content as a potential functional ingredient capable of stabilising the sauces against oxidation.
Native chicken-derived Lactobacillus spp. strains with high probiotic, cholesterol-assimilation and aflatoxin-degradation capabilities

Background and Objectives: Probiotics are added into the food or feed systems and provide beneficial effects to the human or animal health. This study aimed to isolate the gastrointestinal native Lactobacillus strains with high probiotic, cholesterol-assimilation and aflatoxin-degradation capabilities from native chickens. Materials and Methods: About 70 Lactobacillus isolates were isolated from ileum of the Fars province native chickens and were investigated for their probiotic properties. Results: Of 70 Lactobacillus isolates, 10 showed high probiotic capabilities, including survival at acidic conditions (pH up to 2.5), tolerance of 0.5% bile and 6–10% NaCl salts, growth in a wide range of temperature from 15 to 45°C, antagonistic effects against different important bacterial pathogens (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, Clostridium defficile, Enterococcus hirae, Salmonella enterica and Staphylococcus aureus) and sensitivity to some important antibiotics. The selected strains had an aggregation time less than 120 min. The 16S-rDNA sequencing showed that the selected strains were highly related to Lactobacillus reuteri and L. casei. Finally, the selected strains in this study along with 10 other probiotic strains isolated and characterized in our pervious study were used to evaluate their cholesterol assimilation and aflatoxin B1 degradation capabilities. The potentials of cholesterol assimilation of the selected strains were significantly different (P<0.05) and ranged from 2.3% to 99%. The highest content of cholesterol assimilation was obtained in isolates M20 and M4 with more than 98% absorption. Moreover, four strains 43, OR7, M21 and OR9 were able to absorb AFB1 with 58.6%, 52.33%, 47% and 31.6% efficiency respectively. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the strains 43, M21 and OR7 showed high probiotic potentials for application in the poultry industry.
Spectrum analysis of rectangular pulse in the atmospheric turbulence propagation

Atmospheric turbulence has a great influence on the performance of the atmospheric laser communication system reducing the signal to noise ratio (SNR) and increasing the bit error rate (BER). However, there is rarely study on the effect of atmospheric turbulence on the power spectrum of the rectangular pulse. In this paper, a spectral analyzing method is used to analyze the influence of atmospheric turbulence on the signal. An experiment of laser beam propagation characteristic is carried out on a 6km horizontal atmospheric link, the wavelength is 808 nm. The signal is 100MHz rectangular pulse. The waveform of the rectangular pulse is collected by the oscilloscope, and the power spectral density of the signal is calculated and analyzed by the method of periodogram. Experimental results show that the response and noise characteristics of the laser and photoelectric detector have a great influence on the signal power spectrum distribution which can increase the noise component in the 10^6 Hz frequency range. After the atmospheric turbulence propagation, the signal power decreases in the whole frequency range. However, as the existence of atmospheric turbulence, the signal power increases in the atmospheric turbulence characteristic frequency (tens to hundreds of Hz). The noise power increases in the high frequency range (10^7~10^8 Hz).
Application of active device authentication mechanisms in the human-machine interface of SCADA networks

vi CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND . 1 1.1 SCADA Control System Security . 1 1.2 Current Landscape of SCADA Networks . 3 1.3 Change Management and Patching in SCADA Systems . 8 CHAPTER 2. RELATED WORK . 12 2.1 Human Machine Interface Risk Assessment . 12 2.2 Intrusion Detection Systems in SCADA Networks . 13 CHAPTER 3. ACTIVE DEVICE AUTHENTICATION . 17 3.1 A Solution for Legacy Device Authentication . 17 CHAPTER 4. EVALUATION . 21 4.1 Gatekeeper Implementation . 22 4.2 HMI Application Modifications . 22 4.3 Active Device Authentication Proof-of-Concept . 23 CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION . 28 5.1 Summary . 28 5.2 Discussion and Future Work . 28 BIBLIOGRAPHY . 30
Association of Sirtuin 1 Gene Polymorphisms with the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Chinese Han Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Aims To explore the associations between polymorphisms in SIRT1 and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in Chinese Han patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods This case-controlled study enrolled 492 patients with T2D: 297 with CHD and 195 without CHD. Five SIRT1 haplotype-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3818291, rs12242965, rs3818292, rs4746720, and rs16924934) were selected from Chinese Han data in the GRCh37.p13 phase 3 database and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fraction length polymorphism or sequencing. Results The rs16924934 G allele was associated with a higher risk of CHD than the A allele (odds ratio (OR) = 1.429; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.003–2.037; P = 0.048). Using an additive inheritance model, the rs3818291 G/A genotype was associated with a higher CHD risk than the G/G genotype (OR′ = 1.683; 95%CI = 1.033–2.743; P′ = 0.037 after adjustment for CHD risk factors). Smokers carrying G/A or A/A rs3818291 genotypes had a 3-fold higher CHD risk than those carrying GG (adjusted OR′ = 3.035; P′ = 0.011) and a 2.6-fold higher CHD risk than nonsmokers carrying GG (adjusted OR′ = 2.604; P′ = 0.033). Conclusions Genetic polymorphisms of SIRT1 are associated with the risk of CHD in a Chinese Han population with T2D.
Chitosan-Coated Solid Lipid Nano-Encapsulation Improves the Therapeutic Antiairway Inflammation Effect of Berberine against COPD in Cigarette Smoke-Exposed Rats

Berberine (Ber) is an isoquinoline alkaloid that has shown therapeutic potential in mice with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the therapeutic efficiency of Ber is restricted by its low aqueous solubility and bioavailability. Chitosan and solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have demonstrated great abilities as delivery systems in enhancing the bioavailability of therapeutic compounds. The present study aimed to get together the biological features of SLNs with the advantages of chitosan to formulate an efficient nano-carrier platform for the oral delivery of Ber and evaluate the therapeutic effect of the prepared Ber-encapsulated nanoparticles on airway inflammation in cigarette smoke (CS)-induced COPD rats. The Ber-encapsulated SLE-chitosan formulation was manufactured using a modified solvent-injection method followed by a homogenization process. Physicochemical properties, encapsulation efficiency, in vitro stability and Ber release, and pharmacokinetics of the manufactured formulation were evaluated. The COPD rat model was developed by exposing animals to CS. To study the therapeutic efficiency of Ber-encapsulated SLE-chitosan nanoparticles and pure berberine, the histopathological changes of the lung tissues, levels of inflammatory cells and cytokines, and activities of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes were evaluated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Ber-encapsulated SLE-chitosan showed the particle size in nano-range with high stability and controlled slow-release profile in vitro in simulated gastric (pH 1.5) and intestinal (pH 6.8) fluids. Administration of Ber-loaded SLE-chitosan nanoparticles could significantly ameliorate inflammation scores in lung tissues and reduce levels of inflammatory cells (neutrophils and macrophages) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, Il-6, Il-17, and TNFα) in BALF when compared with the pure Ber. SLE-chitosan-based nanoparticles can strongly improve the therapeutic anti-inflammatory impact of Ber against CS-induced airway inflammation in COPD rats, suggesting the promising application of Ber-encapsulated SLN-chitosan nanoparticles for treating COPD and other inflammation-mediated diseases.
An Extended Finite Element Method for the Elasticity Interface Problem

In this paper, we propose an extended mixed ﬁnite element method for elasticity interface problems based on Mini ﬁnite element space. The stabilization term deﬁned on edges of interface elements and the ghost penalty term are added, which ensures that the discrete inf-sup condition holds independent of how the interface intersects the triangulation. Finally, numerical experiments are carried out to verify the theoretical analysis.
Efecto de cuatro tratamientos silvícolas en la producción maderable en un Bosque de Durango Effect of four silvicultural treatments on timber production in a Forest in Durango

Forest management through the use of the right forestry treatments allows achieving persistence, sustained yield and maximum production of forests. The objective of this work was to assess the increment in stem volume of Pinus durangensis trees, from the analysis of the growth- rings by means of the stem analysis technique in stands subjected to four forestry treatments. The treatments were clear-cutting, regeneration cut with parent trees (applied in 2007), selective cut and thinning, applied in year 2010. A total of sixteen sampling trees of Pinus durangensis collected in sites of 100 m 2 distributed randomly by treatment were used in the study. From each tree sections for ring growth analysis were obtained at the base, at 1.3 m and subsequently each meter until reaching the top. The diameter and height of the trees were estimated every two growth rings and later the volume was estimated, to finally estimate the values of ICA and the IMA growth in two-year intervals. The results of the non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test showed significant differences ( p <0.05 ) of ICA and IMA in most of the forestry treatments. The clear-cutting turned out to be the treatment with the highest ICA and IMA values for all ages studied.
The Resistance Committee - Final Report and recommendations to the 25th ITTC

Dr. Emilio F. Campana (Chairman). Instituto Nazionale per Studi ed Esperienze di Architettura Navale, Italy. Dr. Yoshiaki Kodama (Secretary). National Maritime Research Institute, Japan. Mr. Peter Bull. QinetiQ, United Kingdom. Dr. A. H. (Sandy) Day. Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde, United Kingdom. Dr. Joseph Gorski. Carderock Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, U.S.A. Dr. Yuzo Kusaka. Akishima Laboratories (Mistui Zosen) Inc., Japan. Prof. Seung-Hee Lee. Inha University, Korea. Dr. Juha Schweighofer. Helsinki University of Technology, Finland Dr. Jesus Valle. Canal de Experiencias Hidrodinamicas de El Pardo, Spain. 1.2 Meetings
A Study on Stable Generation of Tsunami in Hydraulic/Numerical Wave Tank

This study considered the existing approximation theories of solitary wave for stable generation of it with different waveforms in a hydraulic/numerical wave tank for coping with the tsunami. Based on the approximation theory equations, two methods were proposed to estimate various waveforms of solitary wave. They estimate different waveforms and flow rates by applying waveform distribution factor and virtual depth factor with the original approximate expressions of solitary wave. Newly proposed estimation methods of solitary wave were applied in the wave generation of hydraulic/numerical wave tank. In the result, it was able to estimate the positional information signal of wave generator in the hydraulic wave tank and to find that the signal was very similar to an input signal of existing hydraulic model experiment. The waveform and velocity of solitary wave was applied to the numerical wave tank in order to generate wave, which enabled generate waveform of tsunami that was not reproduced with existing solitary wave approximation theory and found that the result had high conformity with existing experiment result. Therefore, it was able to validate and verify the two proposed estimation methods to generate stable tsunami in the hydraulic/numerical wave tank.
DRIVERS OF RELATIONSHIP QUALITY AND BUSINESS PERFORMANCE: EVIDENCE FROM A DEVELOPING COUNTRY

Many studies on supply chain collaboration (SCC) have wholly focused attention on developed countries and rarely considered the significance in 3 rd world nations. Although SCC has been well researched, this research attempts to shift the attention to Nigeria, a developing nation with the largest economy in Africa. This paper examines the significance of supply chain collaborative activities and relationship quality in Nigerian beverage manufacturing industry, particularly for superior business performance. Results were collected from a total of 269 wholesalers of the largest beverage manufacturing firms in Nigeria. We examined the effects of collaborative activities and relationship quality between wholesalers and manufactures on the wholesalers’ business performance. Specific collaborative activities and relationship quality measures that impact wholesalers’ performance were revealed through regression analyses. Manufacturers and service providers in Nigeria continually seek knowledge on gaining competitive advantage and improving their organizational performance due to the highly unpredictable business environment that they operate in. Our study offers insights for practitioners both in Africa and the global environment regarding the value of collaborative activities and relationship quality between supply chain members as mechanisms for achieving outstanding business performance
CIRBP-OGFR axis safeguards against cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiotoxicity induced by chemotherapy

Cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP) is documented to be required for maintaining cardiac function, however, its role in chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity remains obscured. Herein, we report that CIRBP decreases cardiomyocyte apoptosis and attenuates cardiotoxicity through disrupting OGF-OGFR signal. CIRBP deficiency is involved in diverse chemotherapeutic agents induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Delivery of exogenous CIRBP to the mouse myocardium significantly mitigated doxorubicin-induced cardiac apoptosis and dysfunction. Specifically, OGFR was identified as a downstream core effector responsible for chemotherapy-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. CIRBP was shown to interact with OGFR mRNA and to repress OGFR expression by reducing mRNA stability. CIRBP-mediated cytoprotection against doxorubicin-induced cardiac apoptosis was demonstrated to largely involve OGFR repression by CIRBP. NTX as a potent antagonist of OGFR successfully rescued CIRBP ablation-rendered susceptibility to cardiac dyshomeostasis upon exposure to doxorubicin, whereas another antagonist ALV acting only on opioid receptors did not. Taken together, our results demonstrate that CIRBP confers myocardium resistance to chemotherapy-induced cardiac apoptosis and dysfunction by dampening OGF/OGFR axis, shedding new light on the mechanisms of chemo-induced cardiotoxicity and providing insights into the development of an efficacious cardioprotective strategy for cancer patients.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a Waste Cooking Oil Biodiesel Blend used in a Compression Ignition Engine direct-injection

It is necessary to meet increasingly stringent emission standards of IC engines, reducing the emission values. While improving engine parameters and combustion chamber geometries can reduce emissions, also the research continues for alternative fuels. Biodiesel production from waste cooking oils has advantages in terms of recycling, environment, and cost. Waste cooking oils can be used as fuel in compression ignition (CI) engines with minor modifications. Biodiesel can be used in neat form or blend with diesel. In this way, there is no need to make any modifications to the existing diesel engines. In this study, diesel was blended with biodiesel at 20% (B20) and it was used as fuel in a CI engine. The performance and emission values of this blend were compared according to neat diesel fuel. As a result of the experimental and CFD simulation studies, it was observed that the use of the B20 fuel blend reduced CO emissions by 22.7% and soot emissions by 15.6%. In addition, the maximum pressure inside the cylinder has decreased by 2.7%. ve yanma odası geometrilerinin iyileştirilmesi emisyonları azaltabileceği gibi, alternatif yakıt arayışları da sürmektedir. Atık yemek yağlarından biyodizel üretimi, hem geri dönüşüm ve çevre duyarlılığı bakımından hem de maliyet bakımından avantajları olmaktadır. Atık yemek yağlar, küçük modifikasyonlarla, yakıt olarak kullanılabilecek duruma gelmektedir. Üretilen biyodizel saf halde kullanılabileceği gibi, dizel ile karıştırılarak kullanılabilmektedir. Bu şekilde, mevcut dizel motorlarda herhangi bir modifikasyon yapmaya gerek kalmamaktadır. Bu çalışmada, %20 oranında biyodizel, dizel ile karıştırılarak, yakıt olarak sıkıştırma ateşlemeli bir motorda kullanılmıştır ve saf dizel yakıt kullanıma göre performans ve emisyon değerleri karşılaştırılmıştır. Deneysel ve CFD simülasyon çalışmaları sonucunda, B20 yakıt karışımı kullanımıyla, CO emisyonlarında %22.6 ve is emisyonlarında %15.6 oranında azalma gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca silindir içi maksimum basınç, %2.7 oranında azalmıştır. atık HAD,
Human detections using Beagle board-XM

In this paper, we describe implementation of human detection system that detects the presence of humans in the static images on DM3730 processor to optimize the algorithms for high performance. The purpose of such a model is to monitor surveillance cameras continuously where it is difficult for human operators. Human bodies are non-rigid and highly articulated hence detecting human bodies based on appearance is more difficult than detecting other objects. Human detector usually includes learning phase and detection phase. In the learning phase, Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning will be done using Histogram of Oriented Gradients (HOG) feature vectors of training data set. Training data set consists of positive (human) and negative (non-human) images. In the detection phase, Human/non-human classification will be done on the test image based on SVM classifier. The algorithms are benchmarked on the BeagleBoard xM based on low-power Texas Instruments (TI) DM3730 ARM Cortex-A8 processor. Functions and library in OpenCV which developed by Intel Corporation was utilized for building the human tracking algorithms.
Unpowered drywall lifting device: Characterization of load reduction while lifting drywall in the construction environment

The drywall trade is the 4th most hazardous in the construction industry, with a worker injury rate 4 times that of the industry average. On a daily basis, workers are exposed to slips, falls, and falling objects, in addition to the large and awkward loads they must carry. Drywall sheets can weigh more than 100 pounds and be catastrophic to the health of the installer’s shoulders and lower back. For this study, an unpowered lift assist device was developed to carry the load of a drywall sheet during the installation process. The device takes the form of a polar robot similar to a camera jib and allows the installer to move sheets effortlessly through the workspace. Initial calculations indicated a nearly 63% reduced weight in the user’s hands. A testing regimen was developed to simulate a drywall installer’s most hazardous lifting motions. These lifting motions were repeated both with and without the device for comparison. During these lifting motions, test subjects were fitted with electromyography (EMG) sensors on 4 lumbar muscles to measure muscle activation. Mean, peak, and effort data for the lifting exercises were extracted and compared to the unassisted lift. Test data revealed overall muscle activation across all 4 muscle groups on both lifting motions was reduced by 69%. These data support the effectiveness of the device and warrant future development of such a device.