Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beyond Socially Responsible Investing: Effects of Mission-Driven Portfolio Selection

In their pursuit of value creation, charitable foundations are mission- rather than profit-driven. Therefore, foundations are also mission-driven investors. We explore the effects of mission-driven portfolio selection based on three model foundations, representing common fields of activity in Switzerland. Employing a moving block bootstrap approach, we simulate time series. Based on these model foundations and under the integration of qualitative company rating data, such as environmental, social, and governance-related characteristics (ESG), we find both negative and no significant financial effects of portfolio screening. However, screening portfolios substantially increases mission-driven portfolio quality. Additionally, screening reduces reputational risks and even leptokurtic return characteristics under special consideration of governance issues. After a joint analysis of financial and qualitative factors for portfolios with equity shares of 25% and 50%, we did find strong enough evidence to encourage foundations to implement negative and positive screening criteria. Additionally, we argue that without the integration of mission-based qualitative criteria, for instance, the involvement in business activities contradicting the foundation’s mission, an adequate evaluation of investment opportunities’ desirability is not feasible.
Participatory Monitoring of Community-Based Rehabilitation and other Disability- Inclusive Development Programmes: the Development of a Manual and Menu

Purpose: This paper describes a three-year research project leading to the development of the CBR Monitoring Manual and Menu (MMM 2) participatory action research with CBR stakeholders; 3) analysis and refinement of validity of concepts and structures; 4) consultation and review; and 5) synthesis of results. This article documents the method and key results of each of the five workstreams, and the lessons learned along the way. Results: The MM&M is now freely available on-line at http://sydney.edu. au/health-sciences/cdrp/projects/cbr-monitoring.shtml . Collaboration among members of the development team continues, chiefly via an on-line group to which new members have been welcomed. Conclusion and Implications: At the time of writing, the MM&M is the only international monitoring product, known to the authors, that consciously sets out to reflect both a ‘bottom- up’ and ‘top-down’ perspective of monitoring information and data. To achieve this for a complex programme such as CBR, and to align with its principles, it was essential to use a multi-component and multi-stage strategy for tool development, involving a diverse multidisciplinary team includingcollaboration with CBR stakeholders.
Ginseng Gintonin Enhances Hyaluronic Acid and Collagen Release from Human Dermal Fibroblasts Through Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor Interaction

Gintonin is a newly discovered component of ginseng and acts as a ligand for G protein-coupled lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptors. It is currently unclear whether gintonin has skin-related effects. Here, we examined the effects of a gintonin-enriched fraction (GEF) on [Ca2+]i transient induction in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). We found that GEF treatment transiently induced [Ca2+]i in a dose-dependent manner. GEF also increased cell viability and proliferation, which could be blocked by Ki16425, an LPA1/3 receptor antagonist, or 1,2-Bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid tetrakis(acetoxymethyl ester) (BAPTA-AM), a calcium chelator. We further found that GEF stimulated hyaluronic acid (HA) release from HDFs in a dose- and time-dependent manner, which could be attenuated by Ki16425, U73122, a phospholipase C inhibitor, 2-Aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB), an IP3 receptor antagonist, and BAPTA-AM. Moreover, we found that GEF increased HA synthase 1 (HAS1) expression in a time-dependent manner. We also found that GEF stimulates collagen release and the expression of collagen 1, 3, and 7 synthases in a time-dependent manner. GEF-mediated collagen synthesis could be blocked by Ki16425, U73122, 2-APB, and BAPTA-AM. GEF treatment also increased the mRNA levels of LPA1-6 receptor subtypes at 8 h and increased the protein levels of LPA1-6 receptor subtypes at 8 h. Overall, these results indicate that the GEF-mediated transient induction of [Ca2+]i is coupled to HA and collagen release from HDFs via LPA receptor regulations. We can, thus, conclude that GEF might exert a beneficial effect on human skin physiology via LPA receptors.
Assessments of Facial Muscle Thickness by Ultrasound in Younger Adults: Absolute and Relative Reliability

The absolute reliability (i.e., standard error of measurement and minimal difference) of a measurement is important to consider when assessing training effects. However, the absolute reliability for ultrasound measured facial muscle thickness had not been investigated. In order to examine the absolute and relative reliability of measuring facial muscles, 98 healthy, young, and middle-aged adults (18–40 years) had ultrasound measurements taken twice, separated by an average of three days. Six facial muscles were selected to determine the reliability of facial muscle thickness. The relative reliability (ICC3,1) ranged from 0.425 for the orbicularis oris (inferior) to 0.943 for the frontalis muscle. The absolute reliability (minimal difference) ranged from 0.25 mm for the orbicularis oculi to 1.82 mm for the masseter. The percentage minimal difference was 22%, 25%, 26%, 29%, 21%, and 10% for the frontalis, orbicularis oculi, orbicularis oris (superior), orbicularis oris (inferior), depressor anguli oris, and masseter, respectively. Our results indicated that the relative reliability was similar to that observed previously. The absolute reliability indicated that the measurement error associated with measuring muscle thickness of the face may be greater than that of the trunk/limb muscles. This may be related to the difficulty of accurately determining the borders of each muscle.
Economic inequality and subjective well-being: is inequality good for the rich?

I investigate the role of income inequality in accounting for differences in subjective well-being (“happiness”) across countries, using Gallup’s annual global household survey, the World Poll. First, in order to motivate a focus on (ordinal) income quantile rather than cardinal income, I show that, globally, income quantile within countries (and even amongst) is a more powerful predictor of individual subjective well-being than cardinal income. Secondly, I calculate for each country the “economic gradient of well-being,” the strength of the relationship between income quantile and subjective well-being, as a reduced form regression coefficient. Thirdly, I use rolling regressions carried out by domestic income quantile, but pooled across nations, to explain subjective well-being in terms of national income and the aforementioned national economic gradient coefficient. The main finding is that in countries where subjective well-being depends more strongly on one’s rank in the income distribution, people are less happy across the entire income distribution. This finding differs from what one would expect if the deleterious effects (or productive incentives) of inequality played out solely through relatively impoverished households. Robustness tests and possible interpretations are supplied. ∗Department of Economics, UBC. For helpful comments I am most grateful to George Akerlof, Roland Benabou, Nicole Fortin, Alex Haslam, John Helliwell, and seminar participants at UBC and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR)’s program on Social Interactions, Identity, and Well-being. I am funded through a Junior Fellowship Award from CIFAR. I am also grateful to the Gallup Corporation for access to the World Poll data. Please ensure that you have the latest version of this paper by clicking http://cpbl.econ.ubc.ca.
Service Quality Assessment in Public Hospital in Bangkok using SERVQUAL Model

The objective of this study is to assess service quality of public hospital by using SERVQUALmodel. The results can be used to develop guideline to improve service quality of the hospital. TheSERVQUAL model evaluates service quality from the difference between customers’ expectation andcustomers’ perception in five different dimension, which are tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance,and empathy. Data collection is conducted with nonprobability sampling by convenience sampling. 421data sets were collected and analyzed by factor analysis and paired t-test. Results show that patientsreported higher average expectation score than average perception score indicating that patients do notsatisfy with service received. In the other words, service quality of this public hospital does not meettheir needs. Considering each dimension of service quality, patients reported higher perception score thanexpectation score in term of “tangible” meaning that patients experienced good service quality with regardto tangible dimension. For the remaining dimensions involving reliability, responsiveness, assurance, andempathy, patients reported less perception score than expectation score meaning that they do not satisfiedwith these service quality dimensions. In summary, these findings suggested that this public hospitalcurrently cannot deliver service quality in all five dimensions. Top management can benefit from this study by reducing the gap between customers’ perception and customers’ expectation in selected dimensions toimprove service quality of the hospital. Keywords : Service Quality Assessment / Service Quality / Hospitals / Public Hospitals /SERVQUAL
Pressure Hull Design Methods for Unmanned Underwater Vehicles

This paper describes design methods for the plastic hull of an Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV), with a particular focus on its cylindrical body and nearly spherical domes at the ends. With the proposed approach, the methodologies reported in the literature were compared, and suitable modifications and improvements were investigated and implemented to extend the classical theories and data to this case study. The investigated underwater vehicle, named FeelHippo, was designed and assembled by the Department of Industrial Engineering of the University of Florence. Its main hull is composed of an extruded PMMA (PolyMethyl MethAcrylate) cylinder and two thermoformed PMMA domes. Breakage of the hull results in destructive phenomena, namely, yielding and buckling. An experimental campaign and FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis were carried out to complete the theoretical study, and the collapse pressures were compared with the derived design values. In conclusion, the proposed innovative method is a lean and effective technique for designing underwater hull domes and predicting the collapse pressures.
Technology portfolio options for NASA missions using decision trees

The portfolio allocation problem is pervasive to all R&D endeavors (i.e. all basic research sponsors need to be able to justify the anticipated incremental benefit/cost/ratios). The approach suggested is to utilize decision trees that capitalize on past experience of probabilistic fault/event tree analysis developed in the nuclear industry. A mission concept is formalized in terms of a sequence of event tree linkages and alternatives with probabilities/figures of merit of success and associated R&D costs ascribed at each link. For example, a search for life mission on Europa would involve site reconnaissance, site selection, landing, deep drilling through ice, small autonomous submersibles traversing the purported sea under ice, and in-situ life detection. Many advanced technologies not currently available would be required including long duration survivable systems (power, thermal, radiation), minimal mass autonomous systems (systems-on-a-chip, autonomous safe precision landing), life detection (including planetary protection) and communication of science data (ocean/ice/surface/orbiter/earth). For the Europa case, as an example, an event tree has been prepared in software (which means it is easily manipulated) with a variety of alternative technologies expressed. Mission objectives have been iterated with science teams; technology probabilities and costs at each link have been deduced and documented using information from Office of Space Science databases. These numbers are assumed to be the best estimates at present, which need to be reviewed and updated by NASA domain experts. The decision tree approach described, developed for an example long term (e.g. 2025) mission, is amenable to the introduction of time dependence if one is to consider investment strategies for nearer term endeavors, or programs comprised of time sequences of several projects.
Design of a 2DOF parallel mechanism to assist therapies for knee rehabilitation

This paper presents a knee rehabilitation device to reproduce four exercises generally used in the rehabilitation therapies. The device consists of a mechanical structure based on a 2 DOF parallel mechanism, a controller with PIC-SERVO motion control boards, and a GUI that commands the device to reproduce the rehabilitation exercises. The position kinematic analysis of the mechanism is developed as well as its dimensioning synthesis to cover various leg sizes. This work proposes a technological alternative with significant advantages that responds to the global need for improving physical knee rehabilitation process. A prototype was manufactured and its mobility was validated using a mannequin.
Advances and Applications of DSmT for Information Fusion

This book is devoted to an emerging branch of Information Fusion based on new approach for modelling the fusion problematic when the information provided by the sources is both uncertain and (highly) conflicting. This approach, known in literature as DSmT (standing for Dezert-Smarandache Theory), proposes new useful rules of combinations.
Association of Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase with Tuberculosis Susceptibility Using Genomic Data in Portugal

Leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) is a key enzyme in the eicosanoid pathway. lta4h locus polymorphisms have previously been linked to tuberculosis (TB) susceptibility and disease outcome in a Vietnamese dataset, but further studies suggested that those results were poorly reproducible. We, therefore, compared the full set of variants (113 SNPs) within the gene in a Portuguese dataset of 112 TB patients and 120 controls, using both the frequency of SNPs and haplotypes, in order to assess their association with TB susceptibility. Although we obtained no significant differences between the TB patients and the control group, linkage analysis showed that an extensively typed polymorphism, rs17525495, was associated with 21 other SNPs, all displaying evidence of association to lower LTA4H expression. While the derived alleles of these SNPs showed a moderately higher frequency in the TB group, differences were not significant. In contrast to Asian populations, where these SNPs are much more frequent, the low frequencies of candidate SNPs in Europeans render them less pertinent in a public health context. Consequently, the typing of specific polymorphisms as a strategy to establish preventive measures and differential TB drug treatments is important but needs to take into consideration that haplotypic background and structure can be substantially different in distinct geographic regions.
Classic Discrete Control Technique and 3D-SVPWM Applied to a Dual Unified Power Quality Conditioner

The unified power quality conditioners (UPQCs) are useful to correct distortions in voltage and current waveforms in case of problems related to harmonics, flicker, and power factor. The dual topology of the UPQC allows a loop control in the inverters less demanding in terms of switching functions; however, the control techniques proposed in the literature have some disadvantages as large computation time and some calculation delays. Therefore, this paper presents the application of a classic discrete-time control model for a three-dimensional space vector pulse width modulation (3D-SVPWM) to be used with the dual UPQC, obtaining a fixed commutation frequency and a low computation cost. The results show that the applied method helps to reduce the harmonics in the source, voltage sags and load current and improve the power factor of the electrical circuit tested. Furthermore, the high frequency created by the switching of elements in the UPQC is filtered by the impedance of the power source and it does not represent a problem for the circuit. Due to the simplicity of the model, simulations demonstrate that the application of this classical control technique is enough to achieve good results to compensate harmonics and power factor with the dual UPQC. The development of the controllers is carried out by discretization of the transfer functions of the control in continuous time and their application with the three-dimensional space vector pulse width modulation (3D-SVPWM) technique.
Management of swine flu (H1N1 Flu) outbreak and its treatment guidelines

In its strongest resurgence since the pandemic of 2009, the influenza type A virus, known as H1N1, has broken out in different parts of India with deaths surpassing 1000 mark and number of affected cases exceeding 18,000 by the end of February 2015. Swine influenza spreads from person to person, either by inhaling the virus or by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus, then touching the mouth or nose. Symptoms occurring in infected human by H1N1 are like any other flu symptoms. Treatment is largely supportive and consists of bed rest, increased fluid consumption, cough suppressants, antipyretics and analgesics for fever and myalgias. Management largely includes the potential use of antiviral agents for patients presenting with illness due to influenza virus infection. If the illness is known or suspected to be due to a zoonotic influenza A virus, oseltamivir or zanamivir are treatment options. For known or suspected infection with avian influenza H5N1 virus, antiviral treatment should follow the World Health Organization (WHO) rapid advice guidelines on pharmacological management of humans infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. WHO also recommends vaccination of the high-risk group with seasonal influenza vaccine. Vaccination is recommended for health care workers working in close proximity to influenza patients are at higher risk of acquiring the disease. Since swine flu can directly be transmitted from one person to another through air droplets, people who fail to follow proper hygiene, especially in crowded places are at a high risk of contracting the virus. Proper preventive and control measures thus must be ensured. We have only limited treatment options, so rational use of the antiviral agent is very essential to avoid resistance and future complications. Health education and awareness among citizens should be transferred by proper mechanism.
Interactive Visual Analysis Supporting Design, Tuning, and Optimization of Diesel Engine Injection

Design and optimization of modern, complex systems is unimaginable without simulation. Although the design goals are known in advance, finding an optimal combination of input parameters is a long and tedious task. Simulation of car engine injection systems is a relatively short process. It is possible to run many simulations and then to explore the parameter space. Efficient tools and techniques for parameter space exploration and optimization are needed. We have developed an interactive visual analysis tool, ComVis, and related techniques. We illustrate how ComVis is used to explore the parameter space and to tune and optimize car engine injection systems. The collaboration between domain experts and visualization experts resulted in a new workflow for injection system design, and in development of new, commercially available tools.
Photophysical Studies of Ruthenium-Based Complexes and the Performance of Nanostructured TiO2 Based Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted enormous attention in the last couple of decades due to their relatively small size, low cost and minimal environmental impact. DSSCs convert solar energy to electrical energy with the aid of a sensitizing dye. In this work, two ruthenium-based dyes, tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II) chloride (Rubpy) and ruthenium(II)2,2’-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)-4,4’-bipyridine (RubbbpyH2), were synthesized, characterized, and investigated for use as dye sensitizers in the fabrication of DSSCs. The photovoltaic performance of the ruthenium-based DSSCs was assessed. The solar-to-electric power efficiency of the RubbbpyH2 DSSC was 0.2% and that of the Rubpy was 0.03%. The RubbbpyH2 was also deprotonated and analyzed to study the effect of deprotonation on the efficiency of the solar cell. The deprotonated species, Rubbbpy, recorded an average efficiency of 0.12%. Thus, a change in pH did not enhance the efficiency of the solar cell. The cells were further characterized by impedance measurements. The photocurrent-photovoltage results were not consistent with the absorption spectra since Rubbbpy showed a more prominent band than RubbbpyH2 but had a lower efficiency.
Long Term Care Nurses' Knowledge and Perceived Competency of Palliative Care

Background: Palliative care is considered a right for human beings. By 2040, it is estimated that 40% of the 65 years of age and older population in the United States will die in long term care (LTC) facilities. Because of the chronicity of the geriatric population’s medical conditions, the patients may require end-of-life (EOL) care. Numerous LTC facilities are located in rural areas which may create a disparity in the provision of quality EOL care. Methods: A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized. The purpose of this study was to examine rural and urban nurses’ knowledge of palliative care and confidence/competency to provide palliative care for EOL patients in LTC facilities. Data collection occurred at three rural and three urban LTC facilities which consisted of a convenience sample of 74 nurses in south-central Kentucky. Analysis of data was performed with SAS software utilizing descriptive, ANOVA, and t-test statistics. Results: The study subjects responded below 50% on the Palliative Care Knowledge Test (PCKT). A statistically significant difference was found between the PCKT subset of gastrointestinal and age. Registered nurses had more total knowledge of palliative care on the PCKT than the licensed practical nurses. No statistical significant difference was noted on the Self-Efficacy in Palliative Care (SEPC) Survey between the rural and urban subjects. Conclusions: The primary conclusion of this study was that rural and urban nurse study subjects lacked knowledge of palliative care, but had a perceived confidence/competency to provide palliative care.
A new mixed integer linear programming model for flexible job shop scheduling problem

In this paper, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model is presented to solve the flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSP). This problem is one of the hardest combinatorial problems. The objective considered is the minimization of the makespan. To the best of our knowledge, the MILP model presented by Ozguven et al. [Appl. Math. Model. 34 (2010) 1539] is the best model in the literature and obtains best results for the problem. The computational results show that the mathematical model proposed in this paper is superior to the one presented by Ozguven.