Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Education Systems, Growth and Welfare

This paper focuses on the implications of Decentralized Education (DE) and Centralized Public Education (CPE) for growth and welfare in an overlapping generations model. Individuals choose learning time, consumption and human capital. Under DE, there is no government intervention, while in CPE, human capital is augmented by public education expenditures financed by a distortionary income tax, where the latter is chosen by a benevolent fiscal authority. CPE is welfare superior to DE for moderate/strong preferences over human capital bequests and medium/high elacticities of human capital with respect to average public education spending, average and parental human capital. So, even if we abstract from equity considerations, education policy may be supported on welfare grounds
Examining the Effect of Improved Context Sensitive Morphology on Arabic Information Retrieval

This paper explores the effect of improved morphological analysis, particularly context sensitive morphology, on monolingual Arabic Information Retrieval (IR). It also compares the effect of context sensitive morphology to non-context sensitive morphology. The results show that better coverage and improved correctness have a dramatic effect on IR effectiveness and that context sensitive morphology further improves retrieval effectiveness, but the improvement is not statistically significant. Furthermore, the improvement obtained by the use of context sensitive morphology over the use of light stemming was not significantly significant.
Scroto-perineal hidradenitis suppurativa complicated by giant scrotal elephantiasis

Scrotal elephantiasis has been a recognized complication of inguinal node irradiation, filarial infection, tumor involvement and surgical lymphatic destruction, but has rarely been reported in association with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). HS, also known as acne inversa, is a chronic and often debilitating disease primarily affecting the axillae, inframammary regions and perineum. The location of the lesions may lead to social embarrassment and failure to seek medical treatment. Scroto-preineal HS complicated by scrotal elephantiasis is a distressing disease. Excisional surgery with reconstruction is the recommended treatment with a high likelihood of good outcome. We present a 38-year-old male patient with long-standing scroto-perineal HS complicated by giant scrotal elephantiasis.
Cooperativity, connectivity, and folding pathways of multidomain proteins

Multidomain proteins are ubiquitous in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic proteomes. Study on protein folding, however, has concentrated more on the isolated single domains of proteins, and there have been relatively few systematic studies on the effects of domain–domain interactions on folding. We here discuss this issue by examining human γD-crystallin, spore coat protein S, and a tandem array of the R16 and R17 domains of spectrin as example proteins by using a structure-based model of folding. The calculated results consistently explain the experimental data on folding pathways and effects of mutational perturbations, supporting the view that the connectivity of two domains and the distribution of domain–domain interactions in the native conformation are factors to determine kinetic and equilibrium properties of cooperative folding.
.1 Motivation for This Work 1.2 Parallel Computations, Computers and Programming Models 1.3 Matrix Computations in Cacsd and Periodic Systems Introduction 1.4 Standard and Periodic Eigenvalue Problems

Introduction This chapter motivates and introduces the work presented in this Thesis and gives some background to the topics considered. The growing demand for high-quality and high-performance library software is driven by the technical development of new computer architectures as well as the increasing need from industry, research facilities and communities to be able to solve larger and more complex problems faster than ever before. Often the problems considered are so complex that they cannot be solved by ordinary desktop computers in a reasonable amount of time. Scientists and engineers are more and more forced to utilize high-end computational devices, like specialized high performance computational units from vendor-constructed shared or distributed memory parallel computers or self-made so called cluster-based systems consisting of high-end commodity PC processors connected with high-speed networks. High performance computing clusters, even with a relatively small number of processor nodes, are getting very common due to their good scalability properties and high cost-effectiveness, i.e., a relatively low cost per performance unit compared to the more specialized and highly complex supercomputer systems. In fact, any local area network (LAN) connecting a number of workstations can be considered to be a cluster-based system. However, the latter systems are mainly used for high-throughput computing applications (see, e.g., the Condor project [29]), while clusters with specialized high-speed networks are used for challenging parallel computations. To solve a problem in a reliable and efficient way, a lot of out-of-application considerations must be made regarding solution method, discretization, data distribution and granularity, expected and achieved accuracy of computed results, how to utilize the available computer power in the best way, e.g., would it be beneficial to use a parallel computer or not, does the state-of-the-art algorithm at hand match the memory 1 Chapter 1 hierarchy of the target computer system well enough, etc. Typically, an appropriate and efficient usage of high performance computing (HPC) systems, like parallel computers , calls for non-trivial reformulations of the problem settings and development of novel and improved, highly efficient and scalable algorithms which are able to match the properties of a wide range of target computer platforms. Therefore, scientists and researchers, engineers and programmers can save a lot of time and efforts by utilizing extensively tested, highly efficient, robust and reliable high-quality software libraries as basic building blocks in solving their computational problems. By this procedure, a lot more attention can be focused on the applications and …
ective Capacity and Delay Optimization in Cognitive Radio Networks

In this paper, we study the fundamental trade-o↵ between delay-constrained primary and secondary users in cognitive radio networks. In particular, we characterize and optimize the trade-o↵ between the secondary user (SU) e↵ective capacity and the primary user (PU) average packet delay. Towards this objective, we employ Markov chain models to quantify the SU e↵ective capacity and average packet delay in the PU queue. Afterwards, we formulate two constrained optimization problems to maximize the SU e↵ective capacity subject to an average PU delay constraint. In the first problem, we use the spectrum sensing energy detection threshold as the optimization variable. In the second problem, we extend the problem and optimize also over the transmission powers of the SU. Interestingly, these complex non-linear problems are proven to be quasi-convex and, hence, can be solved e ciently using standard optimization tools. The numerical results reveal interesting insights about the optimal performance compared to the unconstrained PU delay baseline system.
Searching in metric spaces

The problem of searching the elements of a set that are close to a given query element under some similarity criterion has a vast number of applications in many branches of computer science, from pattern recognition to textual and multimedia information retrieval. We are interested in the rather general case where the similarity criterion defines a metric space, instead of the more restricted case of a vector space. Many solutions have been proposed in different areas, in many cases without cross-knowledge. Because of this, the same ideas have been reconceived several times, and very different presentations have been given for the same approaches. We present some basic results that explain the intrinsic difficulty of the search problem. This includes a quantitative definition of the elusive concept of "intrinsic dimensionality. " We also present a unified view of all the known proposals to organize metric spaces, so as to be able to understand them under a common framework. Most approaches turn out to be variations on a few different concepts. We organize those works in a taxonomy that allows us to devise new algorithms from combinations of concepts not noticed before because of the lack of communication between different communities. We present experiments validating our results and comparing the existing approaches. We finish with recommendations for practitioners and open questions for future development.
A Comparative Study of Adaptive Lifting based Interactive Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm with Wavelets, Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm and Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Image Compression

Image compression techniques are essential to reduce computational storage or transmittal costs of digital images and multimedia files without degrading the quality of the image/file to an unacceptable level. In this paper, adaptive update lifting scheme with Interactive artificial bee colony algorithm is presented for image compression. Approximation and detail coefficients are extracted from the signal by filtering it in wavelet transform. To increase frequency resolution both approximation and detail coefficients are decomposed further. Artificial bee colony algorithm by local search determines different update coefficients to improve the quality of compressed image by optimally choosing the best update coefficient. Using Artificial Bee Colony algorithm, a considerable size best directional window is determined. Interactive Artificial Bee Colony algorithm (IABC) tool is used to find out the directional window size to give the finest compressed image in terms of both compression ratio and PSNR. The method is compared with existing methods in terms of PSNR.
Prevalence, detection, and management of cardiovascular risk factors in different ethnic groups in south London

Objective To assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and their level of detection and management in three ethnic groups. Design Population based survey during 1994 to 1996. Setting Former Wandsworth Health Authority in South London. Subjects 1578 men and women, aged 40 to 59 years; 524 white, 549 of African descent, and 505 of South Asian origin. Main outcome measures Age adjusted prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, raised serum cholesterol, and smoking. Results Ethnic minorities of both sexes had raised prevalence rates of hypertension and diabetes compared to white people. Age and sex standardised prevalence ratios for hypertension were 2.6 (95% confidence interval 2.1 to 3.2) in people of African descent and 1.8 (1.4 to 2.3) in those of South Asian origin. For diabetes, the ratios were 2.7 (1.8 to 4.0) in people of African descent and 3.8 (2.6 to 5.6) in those of South Asian origin. Hypertension and diabetes were equally common among Caribbeans and West Africans and among South Asian Hindus and Muslims. Prevalence of severe obesity was high overall, but particularly among women of African descent (40% (35% to 45%)). In contrast, raised serum cholesterol and smoking rates were higher among white people. Of hypertensives, 49% (216 of 442) had adequate blood pressure control. Overall, 18% (80 of 442) of hypertensives and 33% (62 of 188) of diabetics were undetected before our survey. Hypertensive subjects of African descent appeared more likely to have been detected (p = 0.034) but less likely to be adequately managed (p = 0.085). Conclusions Hypertension and diabetes are raised two- to threefold in South Asians, Caribbeans, and West Africans in Britain. Detection, management, and control of hypertension has improved, but there are still differences between ethnic groups. Obesity is above the Health of the Nation targets in all ethnic groups, particularly in women of African descent. Preventive and treatment strategies for different ethnic groups in Britain need to consider both cultural differences and underlying susceptibility to different vascular diseases.
Taylor-Rule Exit Policies for the Zero Lower Bound

The monetary authority loses the ability to implement the Taylor Rule at the zero lower bound. However, the promise to implement a Taylor Rule upon exit remains an effective policy instrument. We present two Taylor-Rule exit policies, each with different commitment requirements, as alternatives to a truncated Taylor Rule. A Taylor Rule with an optimally-chosen exit date and time varying inflation target delivers fully optimal policy, but requires a negative inflation target, possibly threatening the ability to commit. A Taylor Rule with only an optimally-chosen exit date delivers almost all the gains of fully optimal policy with no need to commit to the negative inflation target.
New layout generator for analog CMOS circuits

A new analog layout design automation tool, ALGv3, is presented in this work. The main target of the tool is increasing the productivity of analog layout design and improving the layout quality. ALG is mainly composed of three functional blocks: module generator [2], placer and router. There are also some specialized blocks interacting with the main blocks in order the increase to quality of the layout.
Heme oxygenase‐1–mediated autophagy protects against hepatocyte cell death and hepatic injury from infection/sepsis in mice

Adaptive responses to sepsis are necessary to prevent organ failure and death. Cellular signaling responses that limit cell death and structural damage allow a cell to withstand insult from sepsis to prevent irreversible organ dysfunction. One such protective pathway to reduce hepatocellular injury is the up‐regulation of heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) signaling. HO‐1 is up‐regulated in the liver in response to multiple stressors, including sepsis and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and has been shown to limit cell death. Another recently recognized rudimentary cellular response to injury is autophagy. The aim of these investigations was to test the hypothesis that HO‐1 protects against hepatocyte cell death in experimental sepsis in vivo or LPS in vitro via induction of autophagy. These data demonstrate that both HO‐1 and autophagy are up‐regulated in the liver after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in C57BL/6 mice or in primary mouse hepatocytes after treatment with LPS (100 ng/mL). CLP or LPS results in minimal hepatocyte cell death. Pharmacological inhibition of HO‐1 activity using tin protoporphyrin or knockdown of HO‐1 prevents the induction of autophagic signaling in these models and results in increased hepatocellular injury, apoptosis, and death. Furthermore, inhibition of autophagy using 3‐methyladenine or small interfering RNA specific to VPS34, a class III phosphoinositide 3‐kinase that is an upstream regulator of autophagy, resulted in hepatocyte apoptosis in vivo or in vitro. LPS induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), in part, via HO‐dependent signaling. Moreover, inhibition of p38 MAPK prevented CLP‐ or LPS‐induced autophagy. Conclusion: Sepsis or LPS‐induced autophagy protects against hepatocellular death, in part via an HO‐1 p38 MAPK‐dependent signaling. Further investigations are needed to elucidate how autophagic signaling prevents apoptosis and cell death. (HEPATOLOGY 2011;)
Lack of Effects of a Single High-Fat Meal Enriched with Vegetable n-3 or a Combination of Vegetable and Marine n-3 Fatty Acids on Intestinal Peptide Release and Adipokines in Healthy Female Subjects

Peptides released from the small intestine and colon regulate short-term food intake by suppressing appetite and inducing satiety. Intake of marine omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids (FAs) from fish and fish oils is associated with beneficial health effects, whereas the relation between intake of the vegetable n-3 fatty acid α-linolenic acid and diseases is less clear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the postprandial effects of a single high-fat meal enriched with vegetable n-3 or a combination of vegetable and marine n-3 FAs with their different unsaturated fatty acid composition on intestinal peptide release and the adipose tissue. Fourteen healthy lean females consumed three test meals with different fat quality in a fixed order. The test meal consisted of three cakes enriched with coconut fat, linseed oil, and a combination of linseed and cod liver oil. The test days were separated by 2 weeks. Fasting and postprandial blood samples at 3 and 6 h after intake were analyzed. A significant postprandial effect was observed for cholecystokinin, peptide YY, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, amylin and insulin, which increased, while leptin decreased postprandially independent of the fat composition in the high-fat meal. In conclusion, in healthy, young, lean females, an intake of a high-fat meal enriched with n-3 FAs from different origin stimulates intestinal peptide release without any difference between the different fat compositions.
Developing 3D human-computer interfaces and serious games for health education in the Brazilian countryside using participatory design and popular education

The basic health care level in Brazil's Unified Health System consists of a community-based attention model composed by small teams of health professionals dedicated to deal with low-complexity problems. Despite the social and economic advances experimented in the last two decades, social inequalities still persist in Brazilian countryside. However, smartphones and tablets are becoming more widespread among rural population. According to Popular Education, teaching-learning processes are specially put forward when educators assume the role of facilitators, taking into account the prior knowledge of learners, their cultural and historical background, and the real problems in which they are immersed. Popular Education claims that the interaction between educators and educands should be mediated by affection, a dimension that can be easily reached by using games. Herein this work we discuss the use of Popular Education to promote Participatory Design in order to build Ilera-Ayie, a 3D virtual world to support serious games for food and nutritional education and health promotion, and a puzzle-based minigame inserted in this virtual world, focused on the communitary health agents and the young population of rural settlements at Brazil's northeastern countryside.
Using Frequency-Matched Numerical Integration Methods for the Simulation of Dynamic Phasor Models in Power Systems

In this paper the use of frequency-matched linear numerical integration techniques for the simulation of systems modelled by the dynamic phasors approach (DPA) is proposed and investigated. Such methods show an increased accuracy and computational efficiency around the matched frequency. Such frequency matched methods are derived by analyzing the local truncation error in the frequency domain and determining the coefficients of the method in such a way so that the error is minimized around the matched frequencies. The aim in this way is to increase the accuracy and the efficiency of the numerical calculation, during the inherent fast oscillations featured in such systems modelled with dynamic phasors approach.
Effect of Special Layers Shaping on Stress Distribution in Dental Restoration

One of the most popular materials used for restorations in dentistry are the resin-based composites reinforced by ceramic particles. In contrary to amalgam, the composites are mercuryfree, do not require special cavity shaping and are esthetical. Photo-cured composites are one of the types of the resin-based composites. Typical features of the photo-polymerization process are: high speed of the polymerization, room temperature process, and limitation of the polymerization depth due to light absorption. Typical polymerization time of the photo-cured composite is 20 seconds for 2 mm thick layer. Fillings are made layer by layer. One of the main disadvantages of these materials is volumetric shrinkage that occurs during polymerization. It results in high residual stress in tooth and restoration, which can cause gaps between the tooth tissue and the filling. It may leads to microleakage and tooth decay. To ensure strong bonding between the tooth tissue and the composite restoration, bonding agents are used. The bonding agent is a photo-cured polymer with small viscosity. This material creates thin, approximately 0.01 mm layer on the tooth tissue and penetrates into it, and this creates kind of mechanical bonding. Adhesives bond with composite restoration chemically. For modern systems the bonding strength is 15 – 35 MPa [1]. Experiments reveal that the bonding strength of adhesives depends of cavity preparation before coating it with bonding agent. Existing of thin layer of bonding agent causes stresses reduction between composite filling and tooth tissue [2]. Most recently the effect of bonding agent is assumed to be negligible. Ausiello and coauthors had modeled the tooth under load with adhesive layer modeled with springs [3]. The tooth filling was assumed to be strain free, without polymerization shrinkage and residual stress. Clinical practice reveals that shape of layers and method of layering are important [4]. In this study restoration of Class I is modeled with existing adhesive layer. Different shapes of composite layers and its influence on stress distribution in dental filling are taken into account.
Caregiving, perceptions of maternal favoritism, and tension among siblings.

PURPOSE Studies of later-life families have revealed that sibling tension often increases in response to parents' need for care. Both theory and research on within-family differences suggest that when parents' health declines, sibling relations may be affected by which children assume care and whether siblings perceive that the parent favors some offspring over others. In the present study, we explore the ways in which these factors shape sibling tension both independently and in combination during caregiving. DESIGN AND METHODS In this article, we use data collected from 450 adult children nested within 214 later-life families in which the offspring reported that their mothers needed care within 2 years prior to the interview. RESULTS Multilevel analyses demonstrated that providing care and perceiving favoritism regarding future caregiving were associated with sibling tension following mothers' major health events. Further, the effects of caregiving on sibling tension were greater when perceptions of favoritism were also present. IMPLICATIONS These findings shed new light on the conditions under which adult children are likely to experience high levels of sibling tension during caregiving. Understanding these processes is important because siblings are typically the individuals to whom caregivers are most likely to turn for support when assuming care of older parents, yet these relationships are often a major source of interpersonal stress.