Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Astragalus membranaceus Enhances Myotube Hypertrophy through PI3K-Mediated Akt/mTOR Signaling Phosphorylation

Astragalus membranaceus (AM) is classified as a high-class traditional herbal medicine, which has strengthened vitality and multifunctional pharmacological activities, but limited empirical evidence is available to support its effects in muscular hypertrophy. It evokes skeletal muscle hypertrophy by increasing anabolic pathway, which is essential to prevent sarcopenia in elderly population. In this study, we examined the effects of AM on skeletal muscle hypertrophy by focusing on the molecular mechanism. We employed an in vitro model to investigate whether AM-treated skeletal muscle, as represented by myotube C2C12 cells, was hypertrophic, and to further investigate the efficacy of AM-activated phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling that must occur prior to myotube hypertrophy. The results showed that the myotubes formed larger multinucleated myotubes with increased diameter and thickness (1.16-fold relative to control group, p < 0.05). Administration of PI3K and mTOR inhibitors abolished AM-induced muscular hypertrophy. Moreover, AM-induced PI3K-mediated myotube hypertrophy was accompanied by the activation of Akt and mTOR signaling. We concluded that the AM is a nutritional activator to enhance muscular hypertrophy by increasing PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling phosphorylation. As the AM is effective in myotube hypertrophy, AM and its derivatives may be promising candidates for ergogenic aid to prevent sarcopenia.
Effects of corporate lobbying on Chief Executive Officer remuneration and corporate performance

According to the Theory of Economic Regulation, corporate lobbying is a productive investment for firms looking to influence legislation and public policy. Corporate political activity can generate benefits for the organization; however, in the presence of agency conflicts the advantage is often offset by agency costs borne by the shareholders. Sometimes excess remuneration is offered by the principal in exchange for the agent’s commitment to shareholder wealth creation. In this study we evaluated the association between corporate lobbying, chief executive officer remuneration and corporate performance in 238 firms traded on the New York Stock Exchange, covering the period 2014-2017. Our regression analyses reveal that corporate lobbying is positively associated with chief executive officer remuneration and negatively associated with corporate performance, suggesting the existence of agency costs resulting from corporate lobbying. In such scenarios, based on our sample, corporate lobbying does not improve performance or generate benefits for shareholders, but serves as a personal and political tool for executive self-promotion. Abstract The results contribute to facilitate the evaluation of lobbying practices and their effects to organizations, support investors assessing the investment attractiveness of politically engaged firms, subsidize regulating bodies in their efforts to identify firms in need of closer monitoring, and inform the public on the monitoring of lobbying firms.
Approach To Evaluate Complexity In New Product Development Projects

Manufacturing companies respond to the customers’ demand for more individualized products and enhanced functionality by increasing product variety and integrating multiple technologies in their products. Conse- quently, complexity in new product development (NPD) projects increases as more and more interdependencies and framework conditions have to be considered. A systematic evaluation of the parameters that drive the com- plexity of an NPD project prior to project kick-off would enable project management to identify critical issues up-front and adjust the project setup accordingly. There are several recent studies that analyze project com- plexity and identify complexity drivers. However, there is still a lack of a holistic approach that helps project managers to analyze the complexity of NPD projects and at the same time derive specific measures in order to adjust project complexity. This paper presents an approach for complexity evaluation of NPD projects during project preparation. The approach is based on complexity drivers that have been determined through literature research, classified according to their impact on the complexity of NPD projects and influenceability by project management as well as on the analysis in terms of their interdependencies. Through individual assessment of the complexity drivers and through portfolio analysis, the focal points of complexity in an NPD project can be identified. Mea- sures to level complexity according to the company’s positioning can be derived from studying the portfolio of complexity drivers taking into account their impact on first order interactions between complexity drivers.
Recurrent Models for Lane Change Prediction and Situation Assessment

Predicting future events accurately is a task of great importance for autonomous vehicles. In this work we focus on lane change events. For this, we propose a novel attention mechanism on top of recurrent neural networks for the prediction task, which improves performance and yields more interpretable models. As critical corner cases are often not considered and reflected in traditional prediction metrics, we additionally introduce a new scenario-based evaluation scheme, which we posit be considered for further maneuver prediction works. Prediction and planning tasks often are correlated, usually sharing input representations and differing in expected outputs and their subsequent consideration. Here, we detail a supporting layer for planning tasks, which analyzes situations w.r. t. their suitability for lane changes and can serve as decision-making support for any planning algorithm. Exploitation of similarities between this task and the aforementioned prediction problem further improves performance of the prediction task, as well as labelling quality of the assessment task. Additionally, we extend our evaluation to urban scenarios, showcasing the generalizability of our proposed prediction models.
A Comparative Analysis of Photon versus Proton Beam Therapy in Neoadjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Intrathoracic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Esophagus at a Single Institute

Simple Summary Radiotherapy for an esophageal malignancy results in undesired radiation exposure to nearby critical organs such as the heart, lungs, and spinal cord, leading to unfavorable clinical outcomes. Although only utilized at a few centers, proton beam radiotherapy spares adjacent organs from radiation exposure more effectively than conventional photon radiotherapy. We confirmed that, in terms of sparing adjacent organs from radiation, proton beam radiotherapy, as a modality of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy, was significantly superior to conventional photon radiotherapy for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with an even distribution of intrathoracic locations, and may lead to improved clinical outcomes. Abstract Background: Proton beam therapy (PBT), as a neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) modality, is expected to result in better outcomes than photon-based radiotherapy (RT) for esophageal cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma. This study reports the results of nCRT for locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) using both modalities. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent nCRT for ESCC between 2001 and 2020. A median of 41.4 Gy or cobalt gray equivalents of radiation was delivered using either photons or protons, with concurrent chemotherapy. Dosimetric and clinical parameters were compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 31 patients, the lungs and heart of the proton group (n = 15) were exposed to significantly less radiation compared to the photon group (n = 16). No significant differences in short-term postoperative outcomes or lymphocyte count were observed between the groups, and there were no significant differences between the photon and proton groups in 2-year overall survival (67.8% vs. 68.6%, p = 0.867) or 2-year disease-free survival (33.3% vs. 34.5%, p = 0.749), with a median follow-up of 17 months. Conclusions: PBT provided a significant dosimetric benefit over photon-based RT during nCRT for ESCC; however, it did not improve clinical outcomes.
A Solar Power Generation System with a Seven-Level Inverter

Abstract: This paper proposes a new solar power generation system, which is composed of a DC/DC power converter and a new seven-level inverter. The DC/DC power converter integrates a DC-DC boost converter and a transformer to convert the output voltage of the solar cell array into two independent voltage sources with multiple relationships. This new seven-level inverter is configured using a capacitor selection circuit and a full-bridge power converter, connected in cascade. The capacitor selection circuit converts the two output voltage sources of DC-DC power converter into a three-level DC voltage and the full-bridge power converter further converts this three-level DC voltage into a seven-level AC voltage. In this way, the proposed solar power generation system generates a sinusoidal output current that is in phase with the utility voltage and is fed into the utility. The salient features of the proposed seven-level inverter are that only six power electronic switches are used and only one power electronic switch is switched at high frequency at any time. A prototype is developed and tested to verify the performance of this proposed solar power generation system.
Switching to flipped classrooms – one and the same training challenged by practitioners and students

ABSTRACT By inverting the knowledge transfer process, flipped classroom trainings promise a richer learning experience and, ultimately, an enhanced learning process. The objective of this article is to present design guidelines that help lecturers make their flipped classroom trainings more user-centric. We take an accounting information system (AIS)-related lecture at a university as our case example and consider two types of learners for the same training, that is practitioners and students. Significant differences emerged. For example, practitioners cherished self-contained learning at their own pace, whereas most of the students asked for a motivated lecturer to give direction. Our results are clustered threefold: (1) User perception – getting the method right is as important as the content; (2) Lecturer – developing soft skills beyond mere knowledge transfer; (3) Technology – setting the scene properly when switching to flipped classroom trainings.
Preparing to age in place: attitudes, approaches, and actions

ABSTRACT Aging in place (AIP) implies an ability to live in one’s own home, preferably to the end of life, to avoid institutionalization. AIP can be approached in a number of ways; however, the goal of remaining in a personal home with the ability to physically navigate through its design is paramount. Preparing to age in place during one’s younger years can mitigate house design needs that may occur later in life and under more challenging circumstances which may affect such implementation. The purpose of this research was to characterize those who had purposefully undertaken efforts to age in place for the remainder of their lives through either house modifications or relocation to more appropriate housing. In an anonymous online survey of 225 participants, 24% of boomers (aged 50–64) and 38% of non-boomers (aged 65+) had made modifications, and 12% had relocated. The strongest motivators for home modifications were to stay independent (81%) and in the community (70%), whereas anticipating declining health was the least (35%). This study contributes to the literature by examining the concept of AIP through attitudes and approaches to accommodating future needs. Suggestions for design and related industry professionals are made to be creative to accommodate aging clients while emphasizing independent living.
The effect of modern office technology on management performance: Durban Westville

It is difficult to think of a situation where businesses can do well without the use of modern office technology, in particular, items like computers and telephones. It is extremely difficult to determine if businesses depend on technology or if technology creates business opportunities. Modern office technology is correlated with positive change in management performance. Using a quantitative approach, 67 questionnaires were sent to middle and upper-level business managers in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Modern office technology makes significant difference in a workplace. Office technologies enhance performance and this can only be seen if the office is equipped with relevant and needed technologies. There is a strong correlation between the right use of office technologies and positive change in management performance. It is recommended that office managers still procure modern office technology to increase performance. The challenge is to harness this newly emerging technology for the benefit of the business. This study concludes that technological advancement has a positive effect on our quality of life and the way we do business, and this trend is expected to keep escalating.
Exploring how older women want to be portrayed in advertisements

Abstract Previous research has demonstrated that older women carry a stigmatized identity in society and are severely underrepresented in advertisements in all types of media around the world. Brands have been admonished to increase the presence of older women in their ads. However, it is unclear how older women wish to be depicted in ads. This study used an interpretative phenomenology analysis (IPA) approach to explore older women’s preferences regarding model appearance and roles in ads targeted toward them. Interviews were conducted with twenty women aged 53 to 71; all were white, none were severely disabled, and none were in financial distress. Participants expressed a preference for belonging: to see models that represent their actual age shown in groups of older women or with women of different ages. In addition, common advertising stereotypes were reframed using participants’ preferences to portray authentic identities: from ageless beauty to age-appropriate and attractive, and from traditional granny to woman of purpose. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Abnormal Longitudinal Strain in Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report

In recent years, the prognostic utility of global longitudinal strain (GLS) has evolved significantly in the evaluation and management of a wide array of cardiac conditions. Various studies have described the use of GLS in the evaluation of various cardiac pathologies, including heart failure, aortic stenosis, and acute myocardial infarction. Evaluation utilizing speckle-tracking echocardiography (Echo) has been shown to be sensitive in the assessment of global and regional myocardial function. In that context, GLS can be used as a surrogate marker of myocardial function, especially in cases of acute myocardial infarction. Although GLS has been shown as a sensitive marker for myocardial ischemia, it has been a significantly underutilized modality in the evaluation of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TC); an acute myocardial stress reaction, which can mimic acute coronary syndrome on presentation. With this case report, we present a case of left ventricular TC with abnormal longitudinal strain affecting the entirety of the apex and all three major coronary artery distribution territories. Our case report illustrates how GLS can be a sensitive marker for myocardial dysfunction in cases of TC. The extent of abnormality and distribution of strain has a pathognomonic ‘evil eye’ appearance, which was described in previous studies and is consistent with TC. GLS may help identify patients with TC prior to proceeding with left heart catheterization and would be significantly beneficial in TC and may have further implications on the overall prognosis and management of TC in the future.
Effect of Physical Exercise on Sleep Quality in Elderly Adults: A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis of Controlled and Randomized Studies

Introduction: Aging is directly related to sleep problems. Primary insomnia has a negative impact on the lives of elderly adults, altering cognitive and metabolic functions. Physical activity is positively related to improvement in sleep quality. The objective of this systematic review was to analyze the effects of physical activity programs in healthy elderly individuals aged 60 years or older, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) as a tool. Methods: The search was performed in the PubMed and Scielo databases, July 2021. Only randomized clinical trials that evaluated the role of physical exercise in the sleep quality of elderly patients were selected by two independent reviewers. Results: The result of the PSQI analysis showed that compared with the control condition, the exercise intervention was beneficial for the groups with insomnia (SMD: −0.57; 95% CI: −0.73 to −0.4; p < 0.00001; I2 = 53%) and without insomnia (SMD: −0.61; 95% CI: −0.75 to −0.47; p < 0.00001; I2 = 73%) and for the two groups combined (SMD: −0.59; 95% CI: −0.70 to −0.49; p < 0.0001, I2 = 68%). Conclusion: The systematic and continuous practice of physical exercise significantly improves perceived sleep quality in elderly individuals. Therefore, physical activities can be used as a tool to prevent sleep disorders and improve health in general. Future studies may clarify the comparison between aerobic and resistance exercises, evaluate the dose–response relationship and include more participants.
Assumptions made in the measurement of zeta-potential by streaming current/potential detectors

The best method of obtaining good data on the zeta potential of the papermaking furnish is by microelectrophoresis. But, at the moment there is no on-line instrument based on this method. The on-line instruments which do exist need to be treated with caution. The piston-type streaming current detector has a dubious theoretical basis ; the pad forming streaming potential detector is based on the HS equation which is of unlikely validity according to the evidence examined in this paper.
Defect Detection for Mechanical Design Products with Faster R-CNN Network

The emergence of machine vision has promoted the automation of defect detection (DD) in the industrial field. Therefore, scholars at home and abroad have carried out a lot of research and exploration on the traditional visual DD method of mechanical design products. At the same time, this method has been widely used in the field of modern manufacturing due to its noncontact and fast detection speed. The traditional visual detection method is to use cameras, computers, and other equipment instead of people to detect the detected objects, although this method improves the production efficiency to a certain extent. However, this detection method is greatly affected by light, has a certain false detection rate, and has poor adaptability. The intelligent detection method based on deep learning developed on the basis of traditional vision is a further optimization of traditional visual detection methods. The rapid development of deep learning makes the advantages of visual DD more obvious.
Descriptions of Two New Species, Sillago muktijoddhai sp. nov. and Sillago mengjialensis sp. nov. (Perciformes: Sillaginidae) from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Due to difficulty in recognition, many true species have been covered under the synonyms of wide-spread species. To justify the identification of a widely distributed species, Sillago sihama from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, an integrated approach including morphology and DNA barcoding was used. Two unrecognized species of Sillago, i.e., Sillagomuktijoddhai sp. nov. and S. mengjialensis sp. nov., were identified from the coastal area of Bangladesh. S. muktijoddhai sp. nov. has marked differences in the body color, anal fin color, number of gill rakers, snout length, and swimbladder. S. mengjialensis sp. nov. has notable differences in the anal fin color, snout length, and swimbladder and is distinguished from S. muktijoddhai sp. nov. by the body color and swimbladder. The morphological characters of 14 documented Sillago species with two posterior extensions of the swimbladder were referenced and distinguished to accredit the two new species. Genetic analyses of partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and 16S ribosomal RNA also supported the validity of the new species. This study has increased the number of recognized species of Sillago in the world and confirmed the prevailing misidentification of these two new species in Bangladesh as so-called S. sihama. Moreover, the study confirmed the misidentification of S. mengjialensis sp. nov. in Indonesia as S. sihama and the identification of unknown Sillago sp.1 in India.
Improved Understanding of How Catchment Properties Control Hydrological Partitioning Through Machine Learning

Long‐term hydrological partitioning of catchments can be well described by the Budyko framework with a parameter (e.g., Fu's equations with parameter ω). The Budyko framework considers aridity index as the dominant control on hydrological partitioning, while the parameter represents integrated influences of catchment properties. Our understanding regarding the controls of catchment properties on the parameter is still limited. In this study, two machine learning methods, that is, boosted regression tree (BRT) and CUBIST, were used to model ω. Interpretable machine learning methods were adopted for better physical understanding including feature importance, accumulated local effects (ALE), and local interpretable model‐agnostic explanations. Among the 15 properties of 443 Australian catchments, analysis of feature importance showed that root zone storage capacity (SR), vapor pressure, vegetation coverage (M), precipitation depth, climate seasonality and asynchrony index (SAI), and water use efficiency (WUE) were the six primary control factors on ω. ALE showed that ω varied nonlinearly with all factors, and varied non‐monotonically with M, SAI, and WUE. LIME showed that the importance of the six dominant factors on ω varied between regions. CUBIST was further used to build regionally varying relationships between ω and the primary factors. Continental scale ω and evapotranspiration were further mapped across Australia based on the most robust BRT‐trained parameterization scheme with a resolution of 0.05°. Instead of using the machine learning method as a black box, we employed interpretability approaches to identify the controls. Our findings not only improved the capability of the Budyko method for hydrological partitioning across Australia, but also demonstrated that the controls of catchment properties on hydrological partitioning vary in different regions.
New bore pipe connection for Slotborer

Slotborer ar benamningen pa en ny maskinprototyp som skall anvandas for att i gruvor borra och utvinna platina. For att erhalla ett visst borrdjup skarvas borrpipor vilket astadkoms med en gangkopp .
Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm for Designing and Controlling a Three-level Inverter without Balancing DC Bus Bar Voltages

This work deals with a Neutral Point Clamped multilevel inverter without balancing the voltage boundaries of DC bank capacitors and without dedicated EMC filters. To achieve this goal, a control over Modulated Hysteresis Current and a specific low-pass passive filter are implemented. The control strategy is associated with low and constant frequency mono carrier signal. The different components of the filter and the ones of the control are simultaneously designed by a genetic algorithm. The simulated and experimented values of voltage THD, current THD, and load power factor, underline the improvements brought by the present approach.