Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wasting and Stunting—Similarities and Differences: Policy and Programmatic Implications

Wasting and stunting are often presented as two separate forms of malnutrition requiring different interventions for prevention and/or treatment. These two forms of malnutrition, however, are closely related and often occur together in the same populations and often in the same children. Wasting and stunting are both associated with increased mortality, especially when both are present in the same child. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of these two different forms of malnutrition is needed to design efficient programs. A greatly reduced muscle mass is characteristic of severe wasting, but there is indirect evidence that it also occurs in stunting. A reduced muscle mass increases the risk of death during infections and also in many other different pathological situations. Reduced muscle mass may represent a common mechanism linking wasting and stunting with increased mortality. This suggests that to decrease malnutrition-related mortality, interventions should aim at preventing both wasting and stunting, which often share common causes. Also, this suggests that treatment interventions should focus on children who are both wasted and stunted and therefore have the greatest deficits in muscle mass, instead of focusing on one or the other form of malnutrition. Interventions should also focus on young infants and children, who have a low muscle mass in relation to body weight to start with. Using mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) to select children in need of treatment may represent a simple way to target young wasted and stunted children efficiently in situations where these two conditions are present. Wasting is also associated with decreased fat mass. A decreased fat mass is frequent but inconsistent in stunting. Fat secretes multiple hormones, including leptin, which may have a stimulating effect on the immune system. Depressed immunity resulting from low fat stores may also contribute to the increased mortality observed in wasting. This may represent another common mechanism linking wasting and stunting with increased mortality in situations where stunting is associated with reduced fat mass. Leptin may also have an effect on bone growth. This may explain why wasted children with low fat stores have reduced linear growth when their weight-for-height remains low. It may also explain the frequent association of stunting with previous episodes of wasting. Stunting, however, can occur in the absence of wasting and even in overweight children. Thus, food supplementation should be used with caution in populations where stunting is not associated with wasting and low fat stores.
Performance Evaluation of Decode-and-Forward Satellite Relaying

In this paper, we consider decode-and-forward (DF) relaying of the data of a multiple-antenna-based source Earth station, via a single-antenna-based satellite, to a multiple-antenna-based destination Earth station. The source uses beamforming for transmission of the data, and the destination utilizes the maximal ratio combining for demodulating the transmitted signal. The uplink and downlink satellite channels are assumed to be shadowed-Rician (SR) fading. First, we consider independent and identically distributed SR fading and derive the closed-form expressions of the approximate bit error rate (BER) and probability of outage for the considered scheme. By using the BER expression, the analytical diversity order of the scheme is obtained. It is deduced on the basis of the diversity order analysis that the diversity of the considered DF scheme linearly depends upon the minimum number of antennas at the source and destination nodes. Next, we consider correlated SR fading links and derive power-series-based expression of the approximate BER of the DF satellite relay system. For the correlated SR fading, the diversity order is analytically obtained; it is shown by analysis and simulation that the diversity order of the scheme with correlated channels does not depend upon the antenna correlation matrices of the source and destination nodes.
Ear manipulations reveal a critical period for survival and dendritic development at the single‐cell level in Mauthner neurons

Second‐order sensory neurons are dependent on afferents from the sense organs during a critical period in development for their survival and differentiation. Past research has mostly focused on whole populations of neurons, hampering progress in understanding the mechanisms underlying these critical phases. To move toward a better understanding of the molecular and cellular basis of afferent‐dependent neuronal development, we developed a new model to study the effects of ear removal on a single identifiable cell in the hindbrain of a frog, the Mauthner cell. Ear extirpation at various stages of Xenopus laevis development defines a critical period of progressively‐reduced dependency of Mauthner cell survival/differentiation on the ear afferents. Furthermore, ear removal results in a progressively decreased reduction in the number of dendritic branches. Conversely, addition of an ear results in an increase in the number of dendritic branches. These results suggest that the duration of innervation and the number of inner ear afferents play a quantitative role in Mauthner cell survival/differentiation, including dendritic development. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 75: 1339–1351, 2015
Contemporary Concepts of Root System Architecture of Urban Trees

Knowledge of the extent and distribution of tree root systems is essential for managing trees in the built environment. Despite recent advances in root detection tools, published research on tree root architecture in urban settings has been limited and only partially synthesized. Root growth patterns of urban trees may differ considerably from similar species in forested or agricultural environments. This paper reviews literature documenting tree root growth in urban settings as well as literature addressing root architecture in nonurban settings that may contribute to present understanding of tree roots in built environments. Although tree species may have the genetic potential for generating deep root systems (>2 m), rooting depth in urban situations is frequently restricted by impenetrable or inhospitable soil layers or by underground infrastructure. Lateral root extent is likewise subject to restriction by dense soils under hardscape or by absence of irrigation in dry areas. By combining results of numerous studies, the authors of this paper estimated the radius of an unrestricted root system initially increases at a rate of approximately 38 to 1, compared to trunk diameter; however, this ratio likely considerably declines as trees mature. Roots are often irregularly distributed around the tree and may be influenced by cardinal direction, terrain, tree lean, or obstacles in the built environment. Buttress roots, tap roots, and other root types are also discussed.
The diffusion of alternative dispute resolution practices in Ireland

Recently, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) practices have gained increased exposure as a superior way of addressing workplace conflict. Several studies suggest that organizations in the USA have widely diffused some form of ADR. But uncertainty remains about whether this development is peculiar to the USA or whether it marks a more systemic shift in the way workplace conflict is addressed in organizations. The purpose of this article is to contribute to the debate about the importance of workplace ADR by examining the extent to which organizations based in Ireland have adopted ADR practices to address individual and group-based work problems. It also assesses the factors that influence the diffusion of ADR. The article finds that the diffusion of ADR practices has not been widespread in Ireland, with more innovation occurring in relation to ADR practices aimed at addressing group-based rather than individual-based workplace problems. US-ownership and high commitment HRM practices are found to be significant influences on the diffusion of ADR.
Study of the IEC 61850 protocol on multiagent systems for power system applications

Multiagent system (MAS) applications on power systems are justified by their inherent properties of flexible autonomy, reactivity, pro-activeness, social ability and the distributed nature of agents. The design methodology of MAS applications has different stages, of which the choice of the agent communication protocol is essential. Therefore, in this paper, the adoption of the IEC 61850 standard as agent communication protocol is investigated using a set of basic requirements like network scheme, information format and agency coordination. The performed study reveals the potentialities of the IEC 61850 protocol once there is not a specification of the communication among agents.
Evaporation of Salt Water in a Mist Coflowing With Propane and Air

In this paper, we explore the concept of the creation and propagation of a repetitively pulsed or reignited plasma in a mist of coflowing salt water, propane, and air. We were able to create a large volume plasma of Na(g), Cl(g), H2O(vapor), and combusted propane and their ionic and radical products using a minimal quantity of propane. The concept is to aid in the evaporation of large volumes of polluted water. This plasma is spatially compact and has the potential for being easily superheated to a very high temperature ~6000 K or higher using microwaves or RF. This approach may have applications in treating highly polluted water.
Immigration on Twitter: understanding public attitudes online

Examines the potential of listening to conversations taking place about immigration on Twitter. Summary Over the last fifteen years, immigration has become an increasingly important political issue in the United Kingdom – with growing concern among the settled population about its economic and cultural impact. In 2012, 60 per cent of citizens viewed the rate of settlement of migrants in the United Kingdom negatively, and three quarters wanted an overall reduction in immigration levels – scores which are consistently among the most negative in Europe. Over the same period, there has been a change in the way people access, consume and produce media: a shift away from mainstream media and toward internet- based content and social media. Social media is a new, dynamic and less hierarchical space which has opened up the public portrayal of immigration. It also presents a novel way to research and understand attitudes, trends and media consumption. The report focussed on: the frequency and type of conversations taking place on Twitter relating to immigration; the traffic flows of those conversations, such as what sort of stories get picked up by Twitter users and shared; the demographic and topographic features of these conversations; the effectiveness of automated data collection and analysis; and the ethical and methodological considerations in doing work of this nature. Concludes by setting out the strengths and weaknesses of using Twitter data as a source of insight and research, and where it might be usefully employed by research and campaign groups.
The Relative Importance of Working Capital Management and Its Components to SMEs Profitability

Purpose – This paper reports the results of an investigation of the relative importance of working capital management, measured by the cash conversion cycle (CCC), and its components (inventory, accounts receivable and accounts payable) to the profitability of SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs panel data regression analysis and a questionnaire survey on a sample of 133 Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listed SMEs. The panel data analysis utilises financial data for the period 2005 to 2009. The questionnaire survey results are based on 19 SMEs that responded. Findings – Panel data analysis results show that the management of accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR) is important for SMEs profitability. However, AP management is relatively more important than AR management. Inventory (INV) and CCC management is not important for SMEs profitability. Questionnaire results suggest that management of CCC and all its components is perceived as important for SMEs profitability. In terms of relative importance, AR management is most important, followed by AP, INV and CCC respectively.Research limitations/implications – The sample is limited to AIM listed SMEs, and therefore the findings cannot be generalised to all companies.Practical implications – Overall the results imply that the SMEs need to concentrate their limited resources on managing AR and AP in order to be more profitable.Originality/value – The study is the first to investigate the relative importance of WCM and its components to SMEs profitability and use both regression analysis and questionnaire survey.
Sequence Relationships, Conserved Domains, and Expression Patterns for Maize Homologs of the Polycomb Group GenesE(z), esc, andE(Pc) 1

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins play an important role in developmental and epigenetic regulation of gene expression in fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and mammals. Recent evidence has shown that Arabidopsis homologs of PcG proteins are also important for the regulation of plant development. The objective of this study was to characterize the PcG homologs in maize (Zea mays). The 11 cloned PcG proteins from fruit fly and the Enhancer of zeste[E(z)], extra sex combs(esc), and Enhancer of Polycomb[E(Pc)] homologs from Arabidopsis were used as queries to perform TBLASTN searches against the public maize expressed sequence tag database and the Pioneer Hi-Bred database. Maize homologs were found for E(z), esc, and E(Pc), but not for Polycomb, pleiohomeotic,Posterior sex combs, Polycomblike,Additional sex combs, Sex combs on midleg, polyhometoic, or multi sex combs. Transcripts of the three maize Enhancer of zeste-like genes, Mez1, Mez2, andMez3, were detected in all tissues tested, and theMez2 transcript is alternatively spliced in a tissue-dependent pattern. Zea mays fertilization independent endosperm1 (ZmFie1) expression was limited to developing embryos and endosperms, whereas ZmFie2expression was found throughout plant development. The conservation ofE(z) and esc homologs across kingdoms indicates that these genes likely play a conserved role in repressing gene expression.
The influence of parental history of diabetes and offspring birthweight on offspring glucose metabolism in adulthood

Background. Links are well established between both family history of diabetes and reduced birthweight and increased risk of diabetes in adulthood. Objectives. 1) To investigate the influence of parental history of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on offspring birthweight and adult offspring glucose tolerance status in non‐diabetic offspring of patients with T2DM and 2) to study the associations of birthweight with measures of pancreatic beta‐cell function and insulin sensitivity. Design. Family cohort study. Population. Offspring of patients with verified T2DM diagnosed after age 40 years with a spouse without known diabetes. Methods. Oral glucose tolerance tests and frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests (FSIGT) in non‐diabetic offspring. Birthweight and length obtained from birth records. Results. Among 122 offspring with maternal history of T2DM, 14.8% had diabetes compared to 8.0% in 137 offspring with paternal history of diabetes, p=0.09. Offspring with maternal history of T2DM had a mean birthweight 196g higher than offspring with paternal T2DM (3 651±640g (mean±SD) vs. 3 456±472g (p=0.01)). Non‐diabetic offspring with birthweights in the lowest tertile had significantly higher plasma glucose levels after an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) [Area under the curveglucOGTT, mean (95%CI), 1 795 (1 725–1 866) vs. 1 683 (1 613–1 753) mmol/L/min, p=0.02], and lower insulin sensitivity index calculated from a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test – Si 9.60 [10–5(min*pmol/L)–1] (8.23–10.97) vs. 11.79 (10.41–13.18), p=0.02 – in adulthood compared to offspring with birthweights in the upper tertile. Conclusions. Offspring with a family history of maternal T2DM have higher birthweights than those with paternal T2DM. Low birthweight associates with elevated plasma glucose levels after an oral glucose load and decreased insulin sensitivity in adulthood.
Cancer Therapy : Preclinical Interleukin-6 Modulates Graft-versus-Host Responses after Experimental Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation

Purpose: The graft-versus-tumor (GVT) effect is a potent form of immunotherapy against many hematologic malignancies and some solid tumors. The beneficial GVT effect after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is tightly linked to its most significant complication, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The role of interleukin-6 (IL-6) after allogeneic BMT is not well understood. This study used a series of complementary knockout and antibody blockade strategies to analyze the impact of IL-6 in multiple clinically relevant murine models of GVHD and GVT. Experimental Design:We examined the effect of the source of IL-6 by analyzing the role IL-6 deficiency in donor T cells, donor bone marrow or in host tissues. We confirmed and extended the relevance of IL-6 deficiency on GVHD and GVT by treating BMT recipients with anti-mouse IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), MR16-1. Results: Deficiency of IL-6 in donor T cells led to prolongation of survival. Total inhibition of IL-6 with MR16-1 caused an even greater reduction in GVHD-induced mortality. The reduction in GVHD was independent of the direct effects on T effector cell expansion or donor regulatory T cells. GVT responses were preserved after treatment with MR16-1. Conclusion: MR16-1 treatment reduced GVHD and preserved sufficient GVT. Tocilizumab, a humanized anti–IL-6Rmonoclonal antibody (mAb), is approved in several countries including the United States and European Union for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory diseases. Blockade of IL-6 with anti–IL-6R mAb therapy may be testable in clinical trials as an adjunct to prevent GVHD in BMT patients without a significant loss of GVT. Clin Cancer Res; 17(1); 77–88. 2010 AACR.
Design and Implementation of Two-Layer Compact Wideband Butler Matrices in SIW Technology for Ku-Band Applications

The design and realization of a novel wideband two-layer 4 × 4 Butler matrix in substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology are addressed. The two-layer SIW design is exploited through a two-fold enhancement approach. The two-layer topology is first explored in a simple matrix layout with minimum number of components. A space saving design is then proposed making optimum use of the two-layer topology and the SIW technology leading to a significant size reduction. A two-level, low-loss, wideband SIW transition is designed and optimized using its equivalent circuit model. The two corresponding Butler matrix prototypes are optimized, fabricated and measured. Measured and simulated results are in good agreement. Isolation characteristics better than -15 dB with input reflection levels lower than - 12 dB are experimentally validated over 24% frequency bandwidth centered at 12.5 GHz. Measured transmission magnitudes and phases exhibit good dispersive characteristics of 1 dB, around an average value of -6.8 dB, and 10° with respect to the theoretical phase values, respectively, over the entire frequency band. The impact of the measured transmission phases and magnitudes on the radiation pattern of a 4-element antenna array is also investigated.
Plaintext Related Image Encryption Scheme Using Chaotic Map

A plaintext related image blocking encryption algorithm is proposed in this paper, which includes two kinds of operations on inner-block confusion and inter-block diffusion. Firstly, a float-point lookup table need to be generated by iterating chaotic system; Secondly, choose one of the entries in the look-up table as initial value of chaotic system, and iterate it to produce one secret code sequence for inner-block confusion; Thirdly, by using one pixel value of the former block to locate another entry in the look-up table, iterate it to yield another secret code sequence for inter-block diffusion; Finally, through two rounds of the block-by-block processes, the plain-image will be transformed into the cipher-image. The simulation results show that the proposed method has many good characters. DOI : http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v12i1. 3482
Volatility in Indian Stock Markets

This article attempts to identify, from among the family of Generalised Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) models, the model that best describes the Indian stock market volatility by (a) building volatility models using the traditional GARCH models that accounts for asymmetry; (b) selecting a suitable model by nesting through Box-Cox transformation, a family of GARCH models. Our results confirm the stylised fact of the presence of leverage effects in the stock market. But contrary to popular belief, our results show that (a) it is the smaller shocks that affect the returns in the Indian stock market and dominate the news impact curve than the larger shocks; (b) nesting exercise has narrowed down to two entirely different sets of models that could describe equally well the returns data of the Indian stock market; but overall results indicate that a non-linear model that uses the conditional standard deviation with an exponent that accounts for smaller shocks may be preferable to explaining time-varying volatility in Indian stock returns data. (c) Another feature typical of the Indian stock market but unexplored so far, the non-trading days, has been found to be accounting for a sizable portion of the return variance, contributing almost one-fourth as much to volatility as any trading day.
Improved Model for Predicting Axillary Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Clinically Node-Positive Breast Cancer

Purpose Pathological complete response (pCR) of axillary lymph node (LN) is frequently achieved in patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Treatment of the axilla after NAC is not well established and the value of sentinel LN biopsy following NAC remains unclear. This study investigated the predictive value of axillary response following NAC and evaluated the predictive value of a model based on axillary response. Methods Data prospectively collected on 201 patients with clinically node-positive breast cancer who were treated with NAC and underwent axillary LN dissection (ALND) were retrieved. A model predictive of axillary pCR was developed based on clinicopathologic variables. The overall predictive ability between models was compared by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Results Of 201 patients who underwent ALND after NAC, 68 (33.8%) achieved axillary pCR. Multivariate analysis using axillary LN pCR after NAC as the dependent variable showed that higher histologic grade (p=0.031; odds ratio [OR], 2.537; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.087–5.925) and tumor response rate ≥47.1% (p=0.001; OR, 3.212; 95% CI, 1.584–6.515) were significantly associated with an increased probability of achieving axillary pCR. The area under the ROC curve for estimating axillary pCR was significantly higher in the model that included tumor response rate than in the model that excluded this rate (0.732 vs. 0.649, p=0.022). Conclusion Tumor response rate was the most significant independent predictor of axillary pCR in response to NAC. The model that included tumor response rate was a significantly better predictor of axillary pCR than the model that excluded tumor response rate.