Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
“Contact A Family”: professionals and parents in partnership

This paper considers the evidence base on the role of parent organisations in meeting the needs of parents of disabled children for information and support. Having a disabled child is a major cause of stress and has an impact on the health and wellbeing of the entire family. Current concepts of stress and coping are used to consider coping strategies, including the search for information, the desire to stay in control, and the quest for social support. How and when information and support are provided will impact on how well the family adjust and cope.
Accuracy of predicting stages of bovine estrous cycle by gross appearance of the corpus luteum.

Four readily identifiable changes in appearance of corpora lutea (Stages I to IV) occur during a bovine estrous cycle. Accuracy of estimating the stage of an estrous cycle by appearance of corpora lutea was determined in a double-blind study. One investigator observed estrus in a group of heifers while another with no prior knowledge of reproductive histories of the heifers estimated stage of the estrous cycle by visual inspection of their corpora lutea. Stage of the estrous cycle (Stage I, days 1 to 4; Stage II, days 5 to 10; Stage III, days 11 to 17; Stage IV, days 18 to 20) was estimated correctly in 41 of 48 heifers. The correlation between estimated and actual days of the estrous cycle was . 81. In addition, concentrations of progestins and weights of corpora lutea during estimated stages of the estrous cycle were similar to many other investigations. Stages of the estrous cycle in heifers can be estimated from appearance of corpora lutea.
Understanding Pro-environmental Behaviours at Workplace: Proposal of a Model

Majority of the research on pro-environmental behaviours is concerned with household setting. Growing importance of pro-environmental behaviours has made it imperative to study the same in organisational settings. The purpose of the present article is to present a framework to explain pro-environmental behaviours at workplace. Authors reviewed employee-centric sustainability literature in the management discipline and pro-environmental behaviours related literature from psychology and social psychology. Based on the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory, corporate environmentalism framework and literature on norm theory, a conceptual framework for explaining pro-environmental behaviours at workplace was proposed. Authors argue that individual characteristics such as values and environmental belief, and organisational environmentalism will influence the employees’ pro-environmental behaviours through personal and social norm, respectively.
Feasibility study of the simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) method for malignant gliomas using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

BACKGROUND Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using the simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) method was designed for treating malignant gliomas. The purpose of this study was to investigate feasibility of this treatment. METHODS Between December 2000 and November 2002, six patients with malignant gliomas were enrolled in this study. IMRT delivered 70 Gy/28 fractions (fr)/daily 2.5 Gy to the gross tumor volume (GTV) and 56 Gy/28 fr/daily 2.0 Gy to the surrounding edema defined as the clinical target volume annulus (CTV-a). The feasibility of the treatment was assessed from both physical and clinical points of view. RESULTS No delay due to acute radiation toxicity was observed in any of the patients. The tumor recurred locoregionally in five of the six patients. The glioblastoma (GBM) recurred in two patients during the radiotherapy and in three patients at 5.4, 4.0 and 7.0 months after the start of radiotherapy. The sites of recurrence or progression were local in the GTV in four patients and in one patient subependymal dissemination was observed. Three patients, two with GBMs and one with anaplastic astrocytoma, died of the disease at 4, 16 and 7 months after the start of radiotherapy, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of 70 Gy/28 fr/daily 2.5 Gy to the GTV and 56 Gy/28 fr/daily 2.0 Gy to the CTV-a was feasible both physically and clinically.
The Deep Physics Behind the Second Law: Information and Energy As Independent Forms of Bookkeeping

Abstract: Even after over 150 years of discussion, the interpretation of the second law ofthermodynamics continues to be a source of confusion and controversy in physics. Thisconfusion has been accentuated by recent challenges to the second law and by thedifficulty in many cases of clarifying which formulation is threatened and how serious theimplications of a successful challenge would be. To help bring clarity and consistency tothe analysis of these challenges, the aim of this paper is to suggest a simple formulation ofthe deep physics of the second law, and to point out how such a statement might help usorganize the challenges by level of seriousness. We pursue the notion that the second lawis ultimately a restriction operating directly on the dynamics of information, so theexistence of this law can be traced to the need for a system of “information bookkeeping”that is independent of the bookkeeping for energy. Energy and information are related butindependent, so the dynamical restrictions for one cannot be derived from those for theother. From this perspective, we also suggest the possibility that the foundation of thesecond law may be linked to the finite capacity of nature to store information about its ownstate.
Underwater object reconstruction method for target recognition in an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

We consider the problem of reconstructing 3D models of underwater objects from multiview images and propose a low complexity algorithm to achieve this without loss in accuracy as compared to existing work. We utilize bicubic interpolation as a substitute for Gaussian decomposition to arrive at multiresolution images. We use Kolmogorov modeling to generate disparity maps from various views and hence obtain surface terrains which are combined to construct a complete 3D model. We demonstrate that the proposed algorithm entails significant time saving while retaining the structural integrity necessary for the recognition system in an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV).
Effect of tensile uniaxial stress on the electron transport properties of deeply scaled FD-SOI n-type MOSFETs

In this letter, the effect of longitudinal uniaxial mechanical stress on electron mobility in high-performance fully depleted ultrathin silicon-on-insulator nFETs with a raised source/drain (RSD) architecture and channel lengths ranging from 1 /spl mu/m (long channel) to 30 nm (deeply scaled) is reported. Longitudinal uniaxial stress in the channel was achieved using a stressed nitride contact liner technique. A dR/dL method was used to minimize errors in the mobility extraction due to uncertainties in external resistance and channel length. Significant mobility enhancement of 1.6-1.8 times was achieved despite the use of an RSD and strong channel doping of roughly 5/spl times/10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/, required for short-channel effect control.
Genetic ablation of soluble tumor necrosis factor with preservation of membrane tumor necrosis factor is associated with neuroprotection after focal cerebral ischemia

Microglia respond to focal cerebral ischemia by increasing their production of the neuromodulatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor, which exists both as membrane-anchored tumor necrosis factor and as cleaved soluble tumor necrosis factor forms. We previously demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor knockout mice display increased lesion volume after focal cerebral ischemia, suggesting that tumor necrosis factor is neuroprotective in experimental stroke. Here, we extend our studies to show that mice with intact membrane-anchored tumor necrosis factor, but no soluble tumor necrosis factor, display reduced infarct volumes at one and five days after stroke. This was associated with improved functional outcome after experimental stroke. No changes were found in the mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor and tumor necrosis factor-related genes (TNFR1, TNFR2, TACE), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6) or chemokines (CXCL1, CXCL10, CCL2); however, protein expression of TNF, IL-1β, IL-6 and CXCL1 was reduced in membrane-anchored tumor necrosis factorΔ/Δ compared to membrane-anchored tumor necrosis factorwt/wt mice one day after experimental stroke. This was paralleled by reduced MHCII expression and a reduction in macrophage infiltration in the ipsilateral cortex of membrane-anchored tumor necrosis factorΔ/Δ mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that membrane-anchored tumor necrosis factor mediates the protective effects of tumor necrosis factor signaling in experimental stroke, and therapeutic strategies specifically targeting soluble tumor necrosis factor could be beneficial in clinical stroke therapy.
Risks analyses update based on maintenance events

Abstract This paper will focus on the management and improvement of equipment availability with better prevention of failures. It is focused on one of process control tasks: preliminary risks analysis. The result from this study is a method which empowered engineers and managers decision about actions to implement regarding negative events in their manufacture. The article proposes a risk based maintenance method, which relies on the regular and automatic update of equipments’ risk analyses including equipment failure history. The associated aided decision tool is presented. The article is structured in four parts. After a risk management domain literature overview, the paper presents the new risk based maintenance method. A case study in semiconductor industry shows that FMECA can be employed in a dynamic way for managing maintenance activities. The alternative model simplifies and makes more reliable risks identification and estimation. Results and a short discussion end the article
The Nonuniform Distribution of Instruction-Level and Machine Parallelism and Its Effect on Performance

A methodology for quickly estimating machine performance is developed. A first-order estimate is based on the average degree of machine parallelism. A second-order model corrects for the effects of nonuniformities in instruction-level and machine parallelism and is shown to be accurate to within 15% for three widely different machine pipelines: the CRAY-1, the MultiTitan, and a dual-issue superscalar machine. >
Self‐curing acrylic formulations with applications in intervertebral disk restoration: drug release and biological behaviour

New injectable acrylic formulations have been prepared to be applied in restoration processes for intervertebral disks (IVDs). The solid phase of the formulations is composed of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), incorporating in some cases chondroitin sulphate (CS) as a regenerative bioactive molecule, whereas the liquid phase is constituted by an amphiphilic macromonomer (MT), 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and, in some formulations, acrylic acid (AA). The curing parameters and the mechanical properties of the IVD formulations make them excellent candidates for intervertebral application. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the prepared IVD formulations is described in terms of CS release, surface analysis after immersion in SBF solutions, and biocompatibility studies based on MTT assay and Alamar blue test, as well as in vivo implantation in female Wistar rats, by injection of the IVD formulations followed by histological evaluations to assess tissue response. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct nonlinear control for individual DC voltage balancing in cascaded multilevel DSTATCOM

The need for improving the performance of the Distribution Static Compensator (DSTATCOM) is sensed more and more due to the importance of the system power quality. Hence, in this paper, one of the nonlinear control methods which is named Exact Linearization via Feedback in DSTATCOM application is developed. In this new Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) control method, Vdc and iq are controlled and the capacitor voltage, unlike the other control methods, is directly regulated. The result will be a fixed Vdc equal to the reference value and there is possibility of controlling all capacitors in multilevel inverters independently and removing the PI controller from the system. Thus, operating point can be simply changed without regulating Kp and kI again. To compare the proposed control scheme with the conventional methods, implemented in multilevel DSTATCOM, different reasons causing unbalanced voltages in the capacitors, such as different capacitor's initial charges, different reference voltage values, different capacitances and a combination of the mentioned reasons are studied. Averaged model method is used for simulation of the system, using MATLAB/Simulink software. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed method in controlling individual capacitor voltages.
Intraluminal plugs in idiopathic and secondary organizing pneumonia: repair or remodelling?

Aims: Organizing pneumonia (OP) is an inflammatory lung disease characterized histologically by intraluminal plugs involving alveolar ducts and alveoli. The aim was to examine extracellular matrix repair and remodelling in 12 cases of idiopathic OP and compare these with 11 cases of secondary OP.
The Induction of Antioxidant Enzyme Activities in Cabbage Seedlings by Heavy Metal Stress

Cabbage seedlings grown in vitro were exposed to excess levels of heavy metals, including Cd, Mo, and Zn. High metal levels affected plant growth at cotyledonary stage. Seedlings under Cd, Mo, and Zn treatments could not produce root hairs and true leaves. Under stress conditions, seedlings accumulated a higher amount of anthocyanins in their cotyledons than those in the control. The pigments isolated from Cd and Zn stressed seedling cotyledons appeared as pink, while under Mo stress, was dark pink or purple. Moreover, excess Mo stress increased antioxidant enzyme activities of APX, CAT, SOD. These results suggest that, under excess Mo stress, the induced antioxidant enzyme activity of cabbage seedlings may function as a protective mechanism to shield the plants from toxicity and exacerbated growth.
Size-dependent dextran transport across rat alveolar epithelial cell monolayers.

The transport of dextrans (approximately 4 to approximately 150 kDa) across an in vitro model of the alveolar epithelial barrier was studied to determine the effects of molecular size on pulmonary absorption of macromolecular drugs. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextrans (FDs) with average molecular weights (all in kDa) of 3.86 (FD4), 9 (FD10), 19.8 (FD20), 40.5 (FD40), 71.6 (FD70), and 156.9 (FD150) were utilized as model macromolecular drugs. Unidirectional fluxes of FDs at 37 and 4 degrees C were measured from the appearance rates of FD in the receiver fluid of open-circuited monolayers (>2000 omega-cm2) of rat alveolar epithelial cells. Apparent permeability coefficients (P(app)) were estimated from the observed flux and the corresponding concentration gradient of FD. Results showed that FD fluxes were the same in both apical-to-basolateral (AB) and opposite (BA) directions at each molecular weight studied. The P(app) was not significantly different at 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL FD40 donor concentrations. The FD P(app) (x 10(-8)cm/s) decreased gradually from 1.35 for FD4 to 0.32 for FD40, indicating an apparent inverse relationship between P(app) and molecular weight of FD. By contrast, P(app) was about the same at 0.13 for both FD70 and FD150. When experimental temperature was lowered to 4 degrees C, P(app) decreased by approximately 40% for FDs of 4 through 40 kDa, whereas the decrease in P(app) was by approximately 80% for larger FDs of both 70 and 150 kDa. Moreover, these FDs were found to be relatively intact (approximately 90%) in either receiver fluid after 5-h flux experiments without detectable levels of metabolites in the respective donor fluid, suggesting that alveolar epithelial cells allow translocation of FDs intact across the barrier. Equivalent pore analysis, assuming restricted diffusion of FDs of 4-40 kDa via cylindrical, water-filled pores across the cell monolayer revealed a population of large equivalent pores with approximately 5.6 nm radius. These data suggest that smaller macromolecules (radius <5 nm) traverse the alveolar epithelial barrier via paracellular pathways, and that larger (i.e., radius > or = 6 nm) macromolecules likely cross the barrier via other pathways (e.g., pinocytosis).
Aberrant Methylation of the E-Cadherin Gene Promoter Region in the Endometrium of Women With Uterine Fibroids

A uterine fibroid is a leiomyoma that originates from the smooth muscle layer of the uterus. A variety of endometrial abnormalities are associated with uterine fibroids. This study aims to investigate the methylation status of the E-cadherin gene (CDH1) promoter region in the endometrium of patients with uterine fibroids. The methylation of CDH1 was studied using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in the endometrial tissue of 102 patients with uterine fibroids and 50 control patients. The E-cadherin expression was examined by flow cytometry. The methylation rate of CDH1 promoter region was 33.3% in the endometrium of patients with uterine fibroids and 8% in the endometrium of women without fibroids. The frequency of CDH1 promoter methylation in the endometrium of patients with fibroids was significantly higher than that in the endometrium of women without fibroids (P = .001). Furthermore, the E-cadherin expression level in methylation-positive tissues was significantly lower than that in methylation-negative tissues (P = .017). These results suggest that epigenetic aberration of CDH1 may occur in the endometrium of patients with fibroids, which may be associated with E-cadherin protein expression in endometrial tissue.
Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Regulates Pseudohyphal Differentiation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT In response to nitrogen starvation, diploid cells of the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae differentiate to a filamentous growth form known as pseudohyphal differentiation. Filamentous growth is regulated by elements of the pheromone mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade and a second signaling cascade involving the receptor Gpr1, the Gα protein Gpa2, Ras2, and cyclic AMP (cAMP). We show here that the Gpr1-Gpa2-cAMP pathway signals via the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, protein kinase A (PKA), to regulate pseudohyphal differentiation. Activation of PKA by mutation of the regulatory subunit Bcy1 enhances filamentous growth. Mutation and overexpression of the PKA catalytic subunits reveal that the Tpk2 catalytic subunit activates filamentous growth, whereas the Tpk1 and Tpk3 catalytic subunits inhibit filamentous growth. The PKA pathway regulates unipolar budding and agar invasion, whereas the MAP kinase cascade regulates cell elongation and invasion. Epistasis analysis supports a model in which PKA functions downstream of the Gpr1 receptor and the Gpa2 and Ras2 G proteins. Activation of filamentous growth by PKA does not require the transcription factors Ste12 and Tec1 of the MAP kinase cascade, Phd1, or the PKA targets Msn2 and Msn4. PKA signals pseudohyphal growth, in part, by regulating Flo8-dependent expression of the cell surface flocculin Flo11. In summary, the cAMP-dependent protein kinase plays an intimate positive and negative role in regulating filamentous growth, and these findings may provide insight into the roles of PKA in mating, morphogenesis, and virulence in other yeasts and pathogenic fungi.
Quantification of phnAc andnahAc in Contaminated New Zealand Soils by Competitive PCR

ABSTRACT Unculturable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-degrading bacteria are a significant reservoir of the microbial potential to catabolize low-molecular-weight PAHs. The population of these bacteria is larger than the population of nah-like bacteria that are the dominant organisms in culture-based studies. We used the recently described phn genes of Burkholderia sp. strain RP007, which feature only rarely in culture-based studies, as an alternative genotype for naphthalene and phenanthrene degradation and compared this genotype with the genotypically distinct but ubiquitousnah-like class in different soils. Competitive PCR quantification of phnAc and nahAc, which encode the iron sulfur protein large (α) subunits of PAH dioxygenases innah-like and phn catabolic operons, revealed that the phn genotype can have a greater ecological significance than the nah-like genotype.
Drive Theory and Home Run Milestones in Baseball: An Historical Analysis

The purpose of this investigation was to test whether the performance of the home run hitters in Major League Baseball adhered to predictions of Drive Theory. 24 baseball players who have hit at least 505 home runs were included in the sample. Their performance was assessed around the time in which they reached a significant home run career milestone, operationalized as either 500 or 600 home runs, or surpassing the league's home run record. As predicted, the players were found to require significantly more at-bats to complete the 5 home runs before the milestone, when stress was assumed to be mounting, than the 5 home runs after the milestone. In contrast, those players who reached the personal landmark from 1988 (the suspected commencement of the so-called “Steroid Era”) onwards required the same number of at-bats before and after the milestone.
Geometry‐Aware Volume‐of‐Fluid Method

We present a new framework to simulate moving interfaces in viscous incompressible two phase flows. The goal is to achieve both conservation of the fluid volume and a detailed reconstruction of the fluid surface. To these ends, we incorporate sub‐grid refinement of the level set with the volume‐of‐fluid method. In the context of this refined level set grid we propose the algorithms needed for the coupling of the level set and the volume‐of‐fluid, which include techniques for computing volume, redistancing the level set, and handling surface tension. We report the experimental results produced with the proposed method via simulations of the two phase fluid phenomena such as air‐cushioning and deforming large bubbles.
Analytical approach to tuning of model predictive control for first-order plus dead time models

Model predictive control (MPC) is an effective control strategy in the presence of system constraints. The successful implementation of MPC in practical applications requires appropriate tuning of the controller parameters. An analytical tuning strategy for MPC of first-order plus dead time (FOPDT) systems is presented when the constraints are inactive. The available tuning methods are generally based on the user's experience and experimental results. Some tuning methods lead to a complex optimisation problem that provides numerical results for the controller parameters. On the other hand, many industrial plants can be effectively described by FOPDT models, and this model is therefore used to derive analytical results for the MPC tuning in a pole placement framework. Then, the issues of closed-loop stability and possible achievable performance are addressed. In the case of no active constraints, it is shown that for the FOPDT models, control horizons subsequent to two do not improve the achievable performance and control horizon of two provides the maximum achievable performance. Then, MPC tuning for higher order plants approximated by FOPDT models is considered. Finally, simulation results are employed to show the effectiveness of the proposed tuning formulas.