Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intakes of Iron and Folate and Hematologic Indices According to the Type of Supplements in Pregnant Women

Adequate amounts of nutrients during pregnancy are essential for maternal, fetal and child health. This study was conducted to investigate the intakes of iron and folate and the effect of supplements on anemia status during pregnancy. One hundred sixty five pregnant women completed questionnaires which included food frequencies and supplement use, and blood tests for hematologic indices. Pregnant women were divided into four groups based on the type of supplements; single nutrient group (S), multivitamins & minerals group (M), Single nutrient + multivitamins & minerals group (S+M), and no supplement group (N). Mean iron intake was 11.1 mg from food (46.3% of Recommended Nutrient Intakes, RNIs) and 66.8 mg from supplements. Mean folate intake was 231.2 µg from food (38.5% of RNI) and 822.7 µg from supplements. In the N group, the subjects who consumed iron and folate less than EAR were 85.7% and 95.2%, respectively. The subjects consumed iron more than UL were 81.0% in the S group, 88.9% in the M group, and 97.4% in the S+M group, and the subjects consumed folate more than UL were 4.8% in the S group, 1.6% in the M group, and 25.6% in the S+M group. The mean values of hemoglobin and hemotocrit in the M group were significantly higher than those in the N group. Despite the relatively high socio-economic status of the participants, overall intakes of iron and folate from food were far below the RNIs, suggesting that a supplement is needed for adequate nutritional status during pregnancy. A multivitamin supplement seems to be more effective than a single nutrient supplement such as iron or folic acid in the prevention of anemia. Further research is required to define the appropriate amount of supplemental iron and folic acid for Korean pregnant women.
AIS Electronic

One key asset of a firm is its knowledge stock comprising different knowledge domains (e.g., market, technological knowledge, etc.). This stock results from firm internal and/or external resources such as exchange partners (e.g. customers and R&D partners). The paper focuses on external partners and explores for which knowledge domain the usage of knowledge management systems (KMS) regarding the management of acquired knowledge from them is beneficial or detrimental to the organization. Further, the importance of each type of partner for knowledge creation is demonstrated. Using data from 154 firms, the results show that (1) each type of partner contributes to most of the knowledge domains, (2) KMS facilitate the management of the knowledge stock of a firm excluding the domain of product knowledge, and (3) the usage of KMS for managing acquired knowledge has two faces depending on the type of knowledge and on the type of exchange partner.
Designing the User Interface of a Handheld Device for Communications in a High-Risk Environment

This paper discusses the process of designing the user interface of a handheld mobile communication device. The purpose of this device is to improve the coordination between parties that are conducting a complex work task by standardizing the communication between them. The discussion is illustrated with examples from the development of a handheld device interface. This interface was designed to improve communication in a high-risk environment between actors involved in the work task that are carried out on board a very large container ship when it arrives at or leaves a harbor. The improvement is achieved by shifting from the existing communication protocol based on radiotransmitted natural language to network-communication of selections from predefined menus. This new design was developed through a systematic combination of design methods, and the result overcomes key problems that are experienced with the existing technology.
Quantitative microbial faecal source tracking with sampling guided by hydrological catchment dynamics

The impairment of water quality by faecal pollution is a global public health concern. Microbial source tracking methods help to identify faecal sources but the few recent quantitative microbial source tracking applications disregarded catchment hydrology and pollution dynamics. This quantitative microbial source tracking study, conducted in a large karstic spring catchment potentially influenced by humans and ruminant animals, was based on a tiered sampling approach: a 31-month water quality monitoring (Monitoring) covering seasonal hydrological dynamics and an investigation of flood events (Events) as periods of the strongest pollution. The detection of a ruminant-specific and a human-specific faecal Bacteroidetes marker by quantitative real-time PCR was complemented by standard microbiological and on-line hydrological parameters. Both quantitative microbial source tracking markers were detected in spring water during Monitoring and Events, with preponderance of the ruminant-specific marker. Applying multiparametric analysis of all data allowed linking the ruminant-specific marker to general faecal pollution indicators, especially during Events. Up to 80% of the variation of faecal indicator levels during Events could be explained by ruminant-specific marker levels proving the dominance of ruminant faecal sources in the catchment. Furthermore, soil was ruled out as a source of quantitative microbial source tracking markers. This study demonstrates the applicability of quantitative microbial source tracking methods and highlights the prerequisite of considering hydrological catchment dynamics in source tracking study design.
Understanding the Causes of Consistency Anomalies in Apache Cassandra

A recent paper on benchmarking eventual consistency showed that when a constant workload is applied against Cassandra, the staleness of values returned by read operations exhibits interesting but unexplained variations when plotted against time. In this paper we reproduce this phenomenon and investigate in greater depth the low-level mechanisms that give rise to stale reads. We show that the staleness spikes exhibited by Cassandra are strongly correlated with garbage collection, particularly the "stop-the-world" phase which pauses all application threads in a Java virtual machine. We show experimentally that the staleness spikes can be virtually eliminated by delaying read operations artificially at servers immediately after a garbage collection pause. In our experiments this yields more than a 98% reduction in the number of consistency anomalies that exceed 5ms, and has negligible impact on throughput and latency.
The vinculin/sarcomeric-alpha-actinin/alpha-actin nexus in cultured cardiac myocytes

Experiments are described supporting the proposition that the assembly of stress fibers in non-muscle cells and the assembly of myofibrils in cardiac cells share conserved mechanisms. Double staining with a battery of labeled antibodies against membrane-associated proteins, myofibrillar proteins, and stress fiber proteins reveals the following: (a) dissociated, cultured cardiac myocytes reconstitute intercalated discs consisting of adherens junctions (AJs) and desmosomes at sites of cell-cell contact and sub-sarcolemmal adhesion plaques (SAPs) at sites of cell-substrate contact; (b) each AJ or SAP associates proximally with a striated myofibril, and conversely every striated myofibril is capped at either end by an AJ or a SAP; (C) the invariant association between a given myofibril and its SAP is especially prominent at the earliest stages of myofibrillogenesis; nascent myofibrils are capped by oppositely oriented SAPs; (d) the insertion of nascent myofibrils into AJs or into SAPs invariably involves vinculin, alpha-actin, and sarcomeric alpha-actinin (s-alpha-actinin); (e) AJs are positive for A- CAM but negative for talin and integrin; SAPs lack A-CAM but are positive for talin and integrin; (f) in cardiac cells all alpha-actinin- containing structures invariably are positive for the sarcomeric isoform, alpha-actin and related sarcomeric proteins; they lack non-s- alpha-actinin, gamma-actin, and caldesmon; (g) in fibroblasts all alpha- actinin-containing structures are positive for the non-sarcomeric isoform, gamma-actin, and related non-sarcomeric proteins, including caldesmon; and (h) myocytes differ from all other types of adherent cultured cells in that they do not assemble authentic stress fibers; instead they assemble stress fiber-like structures of linearly aligned I-Z-I-like complexes consisting exclusively of sarcomeric proteins.
A parallel architecture for adaptive channel equalization based on Kalman filter using MMAlpha

We apply the square-root covariance Kalman filter to solve the ill-posed problem of signal reconstruction specifically for adaptive channel equalization. The computation latency and the throughput of this algorithm are significantly improved with the derivation of a systolic architecture using MMAlpha which is a tool dedicated to automatic synthesis of systolic architectures. The proposed architecture is validated by a VHDL simulation in the case of a time varying channel impulse response. The performance evaluation is based on a 20-bits wordlength and is synthesized in a 0.5 /spl mu/m CMOS technology.
An Alternative Approach to Confidentiality Analysis

Access control mechanisms can't efficiently restrict hidden information flow, and confidential information can stealthily leak out with hidden information flow. We outline a state-based approach to analyzing hidden information flow. The main idea of the approach is to model secure systems as finite automata, and analyze the properties of information flow by studying the characteristic of the finite automata
Dynamic Asset Allocation under Uncertainty

In this paper, we analyze temporal learning eﬀects of the asset allocation decision of an investor, who has along investment horizon. The investor has an uncertainty about the mean return of the risky stock (the state variable). Based on the work of Brennan (1998), it is shown theoreticaly that in the case with only the uncertainty of the mean return of the stock, the investor tends to increase an investment ratio on the risky stock by learning about the real state variable as time passes. The learning eﬀect works in two ways, the reduction of the state variable uncertainty and the improvement of the state variable assessment. That is, the investor tends to decrease the hedge demand from the uncertainty of the state variable. The investor also improves the assessment of the state variable using the observed stock price at the same time.
Atypical/Nor98 Scrapie Infectivity in Sheep Peripheral Tissues

Atypical/Nor98 scrapie was first identified in 1998 in Norway. It is now considered as a worldwide disease of small ruminants and currently represents a significant part of the detected transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) cases in Europe. Atypical/Nor98 scrapie cases were reported in ARR/ARR sheep, which are highly resistant to BSE and other small ruminants TSE agents. The biology and pathogenesis of the Atypical/Nor98 scrapie agent in its natural host is still poorly understood. However, based on the absence of detectable abnormal PrP in peripheral tissues of affected individuals, human and animal exposure risk to this specific TSE agent has been considered low. In this study we demonstrate that infectivity can accumulate, even if no abnormal PrP is detectable, in lymphoid tissues, nerves, and muscles from natural and/or experimental Atypical/Nor98 scrapie cases. Evidence is provided that, in comparison to other TSE agents, samples containing Atypical/Nor98 scrapie infectivity could remain PrPSc negative. This feature will impact detection of Atypical/Nor98 scrapie cases in the field, and highlights the need to review current evaluations of the disease prevalence and potential transmissibility. Finally, an estimate is made of the infectivity loads accumulating in peripheral tissues in both Atypical/Nor98 and classical scrapie cases that currently enter the food chain. The results obtained indicate that dietary exposure risk to small ruminants TSE agents may be higher than commonly believed.
Must Original Sin Bring Macroeconomic Damnation

Original sin, coupled with other Þnancial imperfections, causes macroeconomic penance of two kinds: adverse shocks have larger and more persistent effects and monetary policy becomes less effective as a shock absorber. But macroeconomic damnation is not inevitable: in some cases, suitable changes in money and exchange rates can still partially stabilize output and consumption. ∗ This paper was written for the Conference on Original Sin and its Consequences, InterAmerican Development Bank, November 21-22 2002. We are grateful to the Harvard Center for International Development for generous Þnancial support.  International Monetary Fund. Email: lcespedes@imf.org.  Rutgers University. Email: chang@economics.rutgers. edu. § Harvard University and NBER. Email: andres_velasco@harvard.edu.
Monetary policy under alternative exchange rate regimes in Central and Eastern Europe

Monetary policy in CEE is an important determinant in the wage bargaining process, because trade unions have to predict inflation as one component of future real wages. This paper scrutinizes whether countries in CEE that officially announce an inflation target are tempted to act time-inconsistently and switch from the announced inflation target to an exchange rate target in order to sustain higher output via surprise inflation. If market participants discover the time-inconsistency, they will adjust their inflation expectations, which result in higher average rates of price increases. The time-inconsistent behavior in central bank interest rate setting is modeled by several Taylor rules. An empirical application provides evidence that some monetary authorities in CEE such as the Czech Republic and Slovakia have acted timeinconsistent and have focused on the exchange rate in periods of official inflation targeting, which might have contributed to higher average rates of inflation and welfare losses. Furthermore, uncertainty in wage determination process has risen due to a harder predictability of productivity and inflation as components of future nominal wages.
Using out-of-core techniques to produce exact solutions to the maximum clique problem on extremely large graphs

Practical methods are presented for computing exact solutions to the maximum clique problem on graphs that are too large to fit within core memory. These methods use a combination of in-core and out-of-core techniques, recursively dissecting large graphs into manageable components. A global solution to the maximum clique problem is derived from local solutions generated for each of the individual components. Parallelizing the search within these components is instrumental in improving the running times of the algorithms.
Total Facelift: Forehead Lift, Midface Lift, and Neck Lift

Patients with thick skin mainly exhibit the aging processes of sagging, whereas patients with thin skin develop wrinkles or volume loss. Asian skin is usually thicker than that of Westerners; and thus, the sagging of skin due to aging, rather than wrinkling, is the chief problem to be addressed in Asians. Asian skin is also relatively large in area and thick, implying that the weight of tissue to be lifted is considerably heavier. These factors account for the difficulties in performing a facelift in Asians. Facelifts can be divided into forehead lift, midface lift, and lower face lift. These can be performed individually or with 2-3 procedures combined.
Effects of Redox State on the Efficient Uptake of Cell Permeable Peptide in Mammalian Cells

We investigated whether a cell-penetrating peptide linked via a disulfide bond to a fluorophore-labeled cargo peptide can be used to interrogate changes in cellular redox state. A fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair was constructed so that the cargo peptide was labeled with fluorescein amidite (FAM) and the cell-penetrating peptide was attached to a quencher. Incubation of cells in culture with the FRET construct was visualized using live-cell, time-lapse imaging, which demonstrated earlier cellular uptake of the construct when cells were treated with the reducing agent n-acetylcysteine (NAC). The FRET peptide construct was easily detected in cells cultured in 96-well plates using a plate-reader. Treatment of cells with various classes of reducing or oxidizing agents resulted in an increase or decrease in FAM fluorescence, respectively. Changes in FAM fluorescence correlated significantly with redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein ratios in cells treated with hydrogen peroxide but not NAC. Detection of relative changes in cellular redox state was enhanced by the fact that uptake of the cell-penetrating peptide occurred more quickly in relatively reduced compared with oxidized cells. We conclude that cell-penetrating peptides coupled via disulfide bonds to detectable cargo is a novel and specific approach for assessment of relative changes in cellular thiol redox state.
New method for magnetometers based orientation estimation

Low cost magnetometers can be used for estimating the orientation with respect to the magnetic North. Although magnetometers work very well in clean magnetic environments like in the outdoors, they are strongly influenced by magnetic perturbations produced by manmade infrastructure in the indoors. Calibration techniques exist that can be used to compensate for these perturbations only if they are constant and associated with the navigation platform itself. But in the indoors, these perturbations vary spatially and render the previously available calibration techniques useless. In this paper, we present a new calibration technique that can be used to compensate for the varying magnetic perturbations on the host platform with better accuracy. Based on this new calibration algorithm, magnetic heading is estimated using multiple magnetometers mounted in a special geometric arrangement. Results show that the new calibration technique and heading computation successfully estimate the cumulative effects of perturbations and gives a better orientation estimate as compared with previous work.
An Efficient Virtual Dissection Tool to Create Generic Models for Anatomical Atlases

We have developed an efficient virtual dissection tool to create generic 3D models for anatomical atlases without the need for artistic drawings. Our custom-developed tool can be used to extract 3D models from 2D medical image stacks, cut the models and align the sub-models. Corresponding 2D medical image portions of the sub-models can then be registered and averaged. In the end, a generic model can be obtained from the averaged 2D images of several subjects. The technique optimizes the functionalities of existing toolkits and the resulting software package will allow biologists to build their atlases more quickly and accurately.
The consequences of ‘accounting regulation without accountants’: The case of UK political parties

Concerns about a lack of accountability and transparency often lead to calls for 'more' accounting information and regulation. The process of determining, and changing, the accounting rules normally involves the accounting profession to guide any 'accounting intervention' by state or non-state institutions. But what would happen if a state regulator instead does not rely on the profession to issue accounting guidance? This paper sets out the process and consequences of an ‘accounting regulation without accountants’ in the context of UK political parties. Drawing primarily from published documents and supplemented by interviews, the paper reviews the developments (primarily since 1998) leading to the need for a common set of accounts for political parties and how it was implemented by the UK Electoral Commission (EC). The actual consequences of this accounting regime are analysed from the different perspectives previously used in understanding the forms of, and motivations for, of accounting regulation. The paper’s empirics and analysis form the basis of a broader debate on the potentially uncritical use, and unintended consequences, of ‘accounting logic’ and ‘transparency through accounting’ initiatives by policy-makers.
A Novel Secure and Efficient Policy Management Framework for Software Defined Network

Software Defined Network (SDN) paradigm provides a flexible execution platform for running different Network Control and Management Functions (NF). This provides scope for efficient management and control of traffic flows in the network. The network functions heavily rely on heterogeneous and complex network policies. These network policies can be defined by different administrators and configured (pushed to the controller) through distributed Network Application and Management Servers. Thus, efficient management and correct enforcement of network policies is an important, but a challenging problem. Our proposed policy management framework ensures, the policies are enforced by certified servers as well as focuses on detecting and resolving the potential conflicts among the heterogeneous policy rules. In addition, it maintains consistency between the flow table rules and the on-demand changes in policy rules in the application layer. Our proposed framework comprises of three novel network control functions namely, Trust_Verify, Policy_Conflict_Resolve and Policy_Consistency_Check. These functions combinedly ensure security, correctness and adaptability with the dynamic on-demand changes in heterogeneous policy rules in an SDN environment. We demonstrate our framework with an extended case study of an SDN-based enterprise network.
Instruction merging and specialization in the SICStus Prolog virtual machine

Wanting to improve execution speed and reduce code size of SICStus Prolog programs, we embarked on a project whose aim was to systematically investigate combination and specialization of WAM instructions. Various variants of the SICStus Prolog virtual machine instruction set were designed, implemented, and their performance was evaluated against standard benchmarks and on big Prolog programs. In this paper, we describe our methodology in finding appropriate candicates for instruction merging and specialization, discuss related trade-offs, present detailed statistics and performance measurements that we gathered, and report on our experiences from our involvement in this feat. In short, our experience is positiv e: the speedup of performing instruction merging and specialization in the context of the SICStus emulator is approximately 10%, while the bytecode size reduction is about 15%.
Increasing the Dependability of VLSI Systems through Early Detection of Fugacious Faults

Technology advances provide a myriad of advantages for VLSI systems, but also increase the sensitivity of the combinational logic to different fault profiles. Shorter and shorter faults which up to date had been filtered, named as fugacious faults, require new attention as they are considered a feasible sign of warning prior to potential failures. Despite their increasing impact on modern VLSI systems, such faults are not largely considered today by the safety industry. Their early detection is however critical to enable an early evaluation of potential risks for the system and the subsequent deployment of suitable failure avoidance mechanisms. For instance, the early detection of fugacious faults will provide the necessary means to extend the mission time of a system thanks to the temporal avoidance of aging effects. Because classical detection mechanisms are not suited to cope with such fugacious faults, this paper proposes a method specifically designed to detect and diagnose them. Reported experiments will show the feasibility and interest of the proposal.