Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Discussion of “Scheduling of spinning reserve considering customer choice on reliability”

The authors proposed a market model in which the energy and spinning reserve are cleared sequentially. The experience has shown that this kind of market model can lead to quite undesirable situations such as price reversal problem. The case of the pre-2001 California electricity market is the best example. Moreover, by using sequential market clearing, enough capacity may not be brought into the reserve market. As a result, post clearing market ad hoc manipulations would be required to turn on enough extra units to meet reliability targets. Lastly, ignoring the coupling that exists between the energy and the reserve scheduling can lead to suboptimal or infeasible results.
The Impact of Nutrition on the Development and Prognosis of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequent type of cancer in women. Recent data suggest that lifestyle factors including dietary factors play a significant role in the development of and survival from breast cancer. In particular, there is convincing evidence that obesity is a potent risk factor for both cancer development and prognosis, increasing the risk for overall and breast cancer mortality by approximately 30%. In contrast, there is still only limited evidence that specific dietary patterns or dietary components affect breast cancer outcomes. However, current knowledge suggests that a healthy/Mediterranean-like diet characterized by high intake of fruit, vegetables, fiber, fish and unsaturated oils, particularly n-3 fatty acids, has a modest protective effect on breast cancer, whereas a typical Western diet characterized by high intake of total/saturated fat, refined carbohydrates, processed and red meat and low fiber intake is associated with modestly poorer outcome. Based on this evidence, weight control is a key recommendation for primary and secondary prevention of breast cancer. Adherence to a healthy/Mediterranean-like diet and avoidance of a Western diet may confer additional, although still unproven, benefit.
Role of interleukin‐13 in fibrosis, particularly systemic sclerosis

Chronic inflammation can lead to altered extracellular matrix deposition and ultimately fibrosis. Interleukin‐13 (IL‐13) is a cytokine that was found to promote IgE class switching and inhibit proinflammatory cytokines. However, it is now recognized as an important mediator in allergy and most importantly fibrosis. Indeed, animal studies with genetically deleted mice have demonstrated its critical role in fibrosis and although it shares over lapping functions with IL‐4 it is the dominant cytokine in fibrosis. Systemic sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which there is chronic inflammation and fibrosis. The disease is associated with a Th2 polarization and IL‐13 levels are elevated both in the blood and in the skin of patients. This review will examine the role of IL‐13 in driving fibrosis with a particular emphasis on systemic sclerosis as a prototypical fibrotic disease. It will highlight recent research into the role of IL‐13 and how this cytokine may be targeted in systemic sclerosis. © 2013 BioFactors, 39(6):593–596, 2013
Research on the Relationship between Returns and Volume of the Shanghai Composite Index

Over the years, research on the relationship between stock returns and trading volume has been the focus of concern in the financial sector. As a theoretical basis for stock technical analysis, it can provide the necessary theoretical support for the stock market speculators and investors in practice, but also forecast for the economics clues for market researchers. This paper selects the Shanghai Composite Index daily closing price and trading volume from January 5, 2009 to 26 April 26, 2013 as the study sample. And we construct VAR model for an empirical analysis of the relationship between the returns and volume. Through granger causality testing, impulse response and variance decomposition analysis, the results show that: the relationship between returns and volume of Shanghai Composite Index is asymmetrical. And stock price volatility can be used to predict changes in volume.
Heart rate variability as predictor of mortality in sepsis: A prospective cohort study

Background Sepsis is a serious medical condition with increasing prevalence and high mortality. The role of the autonomic nervous system in pathophysiology of sepsis has been increasingly researched. The objective of this study is to evaluate the Heart rate variability (HRV) as a predictor of mortality in septic patients. Methods This was a prospective cohort of patients diagnosed with sepsis. Patient recruitment was carried out at ICU in tertiary university hospital between March 2012 and February 2014. Clinical data and laboratory exams were collected at admission. Each patient underwent a 20-minute Holter and a 24-hour Holter on the first day of enrollment. The primary outcome was the 28-day all-cause mortality. Results A total of 63 patients were included. Patients were categorized into nonsurvivor group (n = 16) or survivor group (n = 47) depending on this endpoint. Survivors were younger (48.6 years vs. 63.0 years), had better renal function and lower values in severity scores (APACHE II and SOFA) compared to nonsurvivors. In the 20-minute Holter, SDNN, Total Power, VLF Power, LF Power and LF/HF of nonsurvivors were significantly lower than those of survivors (p = <0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.002, p = 0.006, p = 0.009 respectively). ROC curve of SDNN was built, showing area under the curve of 0.772 (0.638–0.906) for mortality. The value of 17ms was chosen as best SDNN cutoff to discriminate survivors and nonsurvivors. In the Cox proportional regression, adjusted for SOFA score and for APACHE II, a SDNN ≤ 17ms was associated with a greater risk of death, with hazard ratios of 6.3 (1.4–28.0; p = 0.015) and 5.5 (1,2–24,8; p = 0.027), respectively. The addition of the dichotomized SDNN to the SOFA model reduced AIC and increased the concordance statistic and the R2, indicating that predictive power of the SDNN + SOFA model is better than predictive power of SOFA only. Conclusions Several HRV parameters are reduced in nonsurviving septic patients. SDNN ≤17 is a risk factor for death in septic patients, even after adjusting for severity scores.
Making climate policy efficient : Implementing a model for environmental policy efficiency

We propose a framework for studies of efficiency in environmental policies in the form of a conceptual policy cycle. The policy cycle’s six major elements are goal-setting, choice of policy instruments, enforcement, changes in behaviour of public and private agents, effects of policy measures and, finally, evaluation. Through iterating the policy cycle (or parts of it), efficiency in environmental policies can be improved. We apply the policy cycle to climate policies, both mitigation and adaptation, and identify important areas for future research.
Histone H1‐like protein and a testis‐specific variant in the reproductive tracts of Octopus vulgaris

In this study, we have identified a 28‐kDa protein resembling the linker H1 in the testis and prostate of the reproductive system of Octopus vulgaris. This protein, OvH1, was partially purified by reverse phase high‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the perchloric acid extract from testis nuclei. It showed electrophoretic mobility, CD spectrum and amino acid composition highly comparable with those of the mammalian histone. Moreover, it was microheterogeneous, as resulted from prostate and testis HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses. Such analysis showed that in testis there are two H1 subfractions, which do not appear in the prostate. Amino acid composition of the major testis specific variant (OvH1t) showed high similarity with rat testis specific H1t. The histone‐like nature of OvH1 was confirmed by its ability to bind DNA as tested both by circular dichroism and protection of the nucleic acid toward deoxyribonuclease I activity. The circular dichroism spectra of Octopus DNA in the absence and presence of increasing amounts of the protein showed a dose‐dependent effect, leading to a progressive compactness of the polynucleotide. OvH1/DNA complexes were also resistant to nuclease digestion. The presence of H1 in the testis and prostate of the reproductive system of Octopus is discussed in light of the fact that there is a similarity between its behavior and that of vertebrates. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 63: 355–365, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Left Ventricular Performance and Dimensions in Patients with Severe Emphysema

BACKGROUND:Concomitant heart dysfunction during the course of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is well recognized. The prevailing view is that mainly the right side of the heart is involved. We evaluated left ventricular (LV) function and dimensions in patients with severe emphysema. METHODS:Patients with severe emphysema undergoing lung volume reduction surgery were studied after anesthesia induction (n = 10). Non-emphysematous patients scheduled for lobectomy served as controls (n = 10). LV dimensions were measured with patients in the supine position by transesophageal two-dimensional echocardiography and systemic hemodynamics by a pulmonary artery thermodilution catheter, before and during central blood volume expansion by passive leg elevation. RESULTS:Baseline cardiac index (−25%), stroke volume index (SVI, −32%) stroke work index (−34%) and LV end-diastolic area index (EDAI, −33%) were significantly (P < 0.001) lower in the emphysema group. Passive leg elevation increased SVI and LV area ejection fraction more in the emphysema group than in controls (P < 0.05). The &Dgr;SVI/&Dgr; pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and the &Dgr;SVI/&Dgr;EDAI relationships were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the emphysema group compared to controls (2.2 ± 0.71 vs 0.6 ± 0.2 mL/mm Hg × m2 and 5.8 ± 0.89 vs 2.8 ± 0.8 mL/cm2 × m2, respectively). Preload-recruitable stroke work (&Dgr;stroke work index/&Dgr;EDAI), a load-independent index of systolic LV function, did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSION:The LV in patients with severe emphysema is hypovolemic, and operates on a steeper portion of the LV function curve, while indices of systolic function are not significantly impaired compared to non-emphysematous controls.
What Is the role of Financial Development and Energy Consumption on Economic Growth? New Evidence from North African Countries

This paper aims to test the validity of the causality between financial development and economic growth on energy consumption in three of North African countries. The study employs error coreection model and Granger causaility test to analyza a dataset for three North African countries covering a period from 1980 to 2010. The applied model is based on demand function for energy to assess the existing of causal relationship of energy with financial development, and economic growth, in Algeria, Egypt, and Tunisia. Empirical results provide a positive significant relating financial development and energy consumption in Algeria, and Tunisia. On the other hand, Egypt’s results show a negative significant relationship relating energy consumption and financial development. The paper is valuable to policy makers in North African countries in their pursuit for achieving economic growth as it clarifies the urge for the financial development reforms to stimulate investment and growth.
Goal-directed concept acquisition in requirements elicitation

Requirements analysis includes an acquisition step where a global model for the specification of the system and its environment is elaborated. This model involves concepts that are usually not found in the final formal specification, such as goals to be achieved, agents and their responsibilities, etc. The authors present an approach for model acquisition which is driven by such goals. They describe a conceptual meta-model in terms of which requirements models are acquired. The acquisition strategy can be viewed as a systematic way to traversing this meta-model backwards from the goals. The goal-directed acquisition strategy and the use of the meta-model are illustrated with a case study, the specification of a simple elevator system. <<ETX>>
MRI white matter hyperintensities

Objective: To determine the rate, clinical predictors, and cognitive consequences of MRI white matter hyperintensity evolution over 3 years. Methods: In the setting of the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study, 1.5-T MRI was performed at baseline and at a 3-year follow-up in 273 community-dwelling elderly (mean age, 60 ± 6.1 years) without neuropsychiatric disease. At each visit individuals underwent a structured clinical interview and examination, EKG, echocardiography, extensive laboratory workup, and demanding neuropsychological testing. MR images were read by three independent raters, and the change of white matter hyperintensities from baseline was assessed by direct image comparison. The change was graded as absent, minor, or marked. Minor change was defined as a difference of no more than one to four punctate lesions between both scans. A change was considered to be marked if there was a difference of more than four abnormalities or a transition to early-confluent and confluent lesions. Results: Combined ratings indicated lesion progression in 49 individuals (17.9%). Lesion progression was minor in 27 participants (9.9%) and was marked in 22 (8.1%). Regression of white matter hyperintensities did not occur. Diastolic blood pressure (odds ratio, 1.07/mm Hg) and early-confluent or confluent white matter hyperintensities at baseline (odds ratio, 2.62) were the only significant predictors of white matter hyperintensity progression. Lesion progression had no influence on the course of neuropsychological test performance over the observational period. Conclusions: White matter hyperintensities progress in elderly normal subjects. Our data may be used as a reference for future observational and interventional studies on white matter hyperintensity progression in various CNS diseases. The lack of an association between lesion progression and cognitive functioning needs to be explored further.
SORL1 genetic variants modulate risk of amnestic mild cognitive impairment in northern Han Chinese

The neuronal sortilin-related receptor (SORL1) has been reported to modulate the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a variety of populations, but replication studies have been inconsistent. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is characterized by episodic memory impairment and represents the prodromal stage of AD. However, the relationship between SORL1 and aMCI remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SORL1 genetic variation and aMCI in the Han Chinese population. We conducted a case-control study using a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs668387 (SNP8), in the 5′ region of SORL1, and three SNPs [rs2070045 (SNP19), rs3824968 (SNP23), rs2282649 (SNP24)] in the 3′ region of SORL1, along with a haplotype analysis, in 139 aMCI patients and 213 cognitively-healthy controls from a northern Han Chinese population. We observed that SNP19 had a significantly different allele frequency between aMCI patients and controls (p = 0.006). Moreover, the GAT haplotype at SNPs 19–23–24 was associated with an increased risk of aMCI [odds ratio (OR) 1.377], while the TTC haplotype at SNPs 19–23–24 was associated with a decreased risk (OR 0.708). These results indicated that the SNPs in the 3′ region of SORL1 are associated with aMCI in northern Han Chinese.
Neural Network-Based Accuracy Enhancement Method for WLAN Indoor Positioning

As the need for location-based services (LBS) in indoor environments increases, high accuracy positioning technologies are required, which makes fingerprinting-based positioning methods using wireless local area network (WLAN) develop from single fingerprinting algorithm into multi-algorithm integration. A neural network-based accuracy enhancement (NNAE) method for indoor positioning using WLAN is proposed in this paper. The method takes the advantages of the fingerprinting algorithms based on pattern matching and distance dependence. It uses a neural network-based pattern matching algorithm to estimate the positioning errors and then the estimated positioning errors are used to correct the positioning results calculated by a distance dependent algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed NNAE method outperforms classical fingerprinting algorithms and effectively enhances the positioning accuracy.
SYSTEMATIC RISK IN A PURELY RANDOM MARKET MODEL: SOME EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FOR INDIVIDUAL PUBLIC UTILITIES

A minimum norm quadratic (MINQU-) type of OLS estimator is derived. The estimator is used to test if the betas of the single factor market (SFM) model are random for a sample of utilities for two contiguous periods. The estimated betas for individual utilities vary considerably over time. The statistical significance of such nonstationarity depends on both the utilities and period studied. The relative reduction in the mean square error (MSE) from using a GLS (and not OLS) estimator of beta, when beta is purely random, can be substantial for some utilities but is modest on average.
An Evaluation of the Layering and Legacy of Area-based Regeneration Initiatives in England: The Case of Wolverhampton

In England, there have been 40 years of area-based initiatives (ABIs) involving strategic national government intervention in local authority areas with significant regeneration needs. Whilst they have been examined individually, less consideration has been given to the layering and legacy of ABIs. Uncertainties include whether local authorities have institutionalised new ways of operating or whether layering complexities have acted as significant barriers. Focusing on Wolverhampton, in the West Midlands, this paper examines recent ABI experiences and discusses why support for City Challenge (1992–98) appeared stronger than the more recent New Deal for Communities programme (2001–11). Important ABI legacies include greater diversity of neighbourhood structures, anxiety towards ABIs where property markets are depressed and the realisation that, whilst partnership working has intensified, traditional exclusionary aspects remain. Achieving the most effective governance structures to facilitate urban regeneration remains an on-going challenge, including within emerging Coalition government policy frameworks.
Caregivers in Crisis: Moving a Relative with Alzheimer's to Assisted Living

The experience of moving a relative with Alzheimer's disease (AD) to an assisted living facility (ALF) was examined in this secondary data analysis of 20 interviews with family caregivers. Crisis theory was used as guiding framework for the analysis. Findings indicate that all elements of a crisis were evident among caregivers in the process of moving their relatives to ALFs. Dangerous behaviors resulting from the relative' s cognitive decline led to caregiver fear and anxiety, which served as crisis precipitants. Perceived lack of family support in conjunction with physical and psychological exhaustion were crisis mediators. These factors, along with the caregiver's failed attempts to keep their relative at home, caused the crisis process to move toward the outcome of ALF placement. A better understanding of the crises that surround placement issues will assist nurses in planning interventions for the growing number of families faced with this issue.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Surfactant Protein A, B, and D Concentrations in Preterm Infants Ventilated for Respiratory Distress Syndrome Receiving Natural and Synthetic Surfactants

Surfactant proteins (SPs) play an important role in surfactant metabolism and function. Understanding their relative contribution to clinical outcome remains incomplete. Exogenous surfactants differ in their SP content and physiologic effects. The aims of this study were to measure bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) SP concentrations from preterm infants ventilated for respiratory distress syndrome and to assess their association with clinical outcome. Fifty preterm infants randomized to receive a natural or synthetic surfactant were lavaged each day for the first week and twice weekly thereafter using a standardized nonbronchoscopic technique. BAL SP-A, SP-B, and SP-D concentrations were measured using ELISA. Median BAL SP-A, SP-B, and SP-D concentrations for the whole cohort rose significantly during the first postnatal week (p < 0.05). SP-A concentration did not differ between outcome groups. BAL SP-B concentration rose significantly in lungs that were not supplemented with SP-B. Infants dying had significantly lower BAL SP-B concentrations on d 2 and 6 compared with survivors. BAL SP-D concentrations were significantly lower on d 2 and 3 among infants in supplemental oxygen on d 28 compared with those in air. BAL SP-A and SP-D concentrations did not differ significantly between infants randomized to receive a natural or synthetic surfactant. Lower BAL SP-B and SP-D but not SP-A concentrations were associated with worse clinical prognosis.
Science and Technology as Predictors of Stock Performance

Innovation and technological change are the main drivers of companies' productivity and growth. But public information on companies' efforts to innovate (namely, their investment in science and technology and the consequences of that investment) is generally scant and not timely. To alleviate this impediment to the valuation of companies' performance and prospects, we examined the ability of a new set of publicly available patent-related measures to reflect science- and technology-based companies' potential and growth. We tested the ability of the patent-related measures to predict stock returns and market-to-book ratios. Our empirical results indicate that patent measures reflecting the volume of companies' research activity, the impact of companies' research on subsequent innovations, and the closeness of research and development to science are reliably associated with the future performance of R&D-intensive companies in capital markets.
Cloning and expression in Escherichia coli of the Azospirillum brasilense Sp7 gene encoding ampicillin resistance

The Azospirillum brasilense ATCC 29145 gene coding for beta-lactamase was cloned in Escherichia coli. The gene was expressed in E. coli from its own promoter as a 30-kilodalton protein, conferring resistance to high levels of beta-lactam antibiotics. The DNA sequence containing the beta-lactamase gene was found to be highly amplified in the Azospirillum genome, scattered in the chromosomal as well as in the plasmidic DNA.