Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pattern Recognition of Power Systems Voltage Stability Using Real Time Simulations

The basic idea deals with detecting the voltage collapse ahead of time to provide the operators a lead time for remedial actions and for possible prevention of blackouts. To detect cases of voltage collapse, we shall create methods using pattern recognition in conjunction with real time simulation of case studies and shall develop heuristic methods for separating voltage stable cases from voltage unstable cases that result in response to system contingencies and faults. Using Real Time Simulator in Entergy-UNO Power & Energy Research Laboratory, we shall simulate several contingencies on IEEE 39-Bus Test System and compile the results in two categories of stable and unstable voltage cases. The second stage of the proposed work mainly deals with the study of different patterns of voltage using artificial neural networks. The final stage deals with the training of the controllers in order to detect stability of power system in advance.
Adverse Balance of Nitric Oxide/Peroxynitrite in the Dysfunctional Endothelium Can be Reversed by Statins

Vascular endothelial dysfunction is a complex phenomenon that might be caused by a deficiency of nitric oxide (NO) and an overproduction of peroxynitrite (ONOO−). This study used a nanotechnological approach to monitor the in vitro effect of statins on the [NO]/[ONOO−] balance in normal and dysfunctional endothelial cells. NO and ONOO− were measured by electrochemical nanosensors in a single human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) treated with atorvastatin or simvastatin for 24 hours in the presence or absence of 50 μg/mL oxidized-LDL. An imbalance between [NO]/[ONOO−] concentrations was used as an indicator of endothelial dysfunction and correlated with endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression. Ox-LDL induced dysfunction of the endothelium by uncoupling eNOS. NO concentration decreased from 300 ± 12 to 146 ± 8 nmol/L and ONOO− increased from 200 ± 9 to 360 ± 13 nmol/L. The [NO]/[ONOO−] balance decreased from 1.50 ± 0.04 (control) to 0.40 ± 0.03 for cells co-incubated with ox-LDL. Treatment with statins reversed eNOS uncoupling, induced by oxidized-LDL and significantly increased the [NO]/[ONOO−] balance to 1.2 ± 0.1. These results demonstrate that statins can restore endothelial function by increasing eNOS expression, decreasing eNOS uncoupling, reducing the ONOO− level (nitroxidative stress), and shifting the [NO]/[ONOO−] balance towards NO.
The nonlinear theory of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE Nonlinear properties exist within the brain across a hierarchy of scales and within a variety of critical neural processes. Only a few studies of brain activity in schizophrenia, however, have used nonlinear methods. This review paper evaluates the contribution of the nonlinear sciences towards understanding schizophrenia. METHOD Applications of nonlinear methods to the study of schizophrenia symptoms and to healthy and schizophrenia functional neuroscience data are reviewed. The main flaws of nonlinear algorithms and recent methods to correct these are also appraised. RESULTS Initial research methods utilized in the study of nonlinearity in schizophrenia have fundamental methodological limitations. In the last decade, many of these problems have been addressed, facilitating future progress. Research incorporating these improvements has been applied to normal electroencephalogram (EEG) data and to the symptoms of schizophrenia, but not systematically to brain imaging data collected from patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSION There is strong statistical evidence for weak nonlinearity in normal EEG and in the fluctuations of the symptoms of schizophrenia. However, the contribution of nonlinear processes to brain dysfunction in schizophrenia is yet to be properly established or accurately quantified. Despite this, recent methodological advances suggest that a 'nonlinear theory' of schizophrenia may be helpful in understanding this disorder.
Corporate Political Strategy in Contested Regulatory Environments

We examine how firms strategically manage opposition from organized stakeholders who participate in regulatory agency policy-making processes. As stakeholder opposition in regulatory agency hearings increases, we argue that firms invest more in developing counter-balancing support from elected politicians who oversee regulators, and more so when regulators are less experienced or are closer to reappointment dates. We find robust statistical support for our predictions in a statistical analysis of financial campaign contributions to state politicians by firms in the U.S. electric utility industry during the period 1999–2010. Our findings contribute to nonmarket strategy research by providing evidence that firms respond to contested regulatory environments by cultivating support from elected political institutions, contingent on the degree of regulator sensitivity to political and stakeholder pressures.
Performance Criteria of DNA Fingerprinting Methods for Typing of Helicobacter pylori Isolates: Experimental Results and Meta-Analysis

ABSTRACT Typing systems are used to discriminate between isolates ofHelicobacter pylori for epidemiological and clinical purposes. Discriminatory power and typeability are important performance criteria of typing systems. Discriminatory power refers to the ability to differentiate among unrelated isolates; it is quantitatively expressed by the discriminatory index (DI). Typeability refers to the ability of the method to provide an unambiguous result for each isolate analyzed; it is quantitatively expressed by the percentage of typeable isolates. We evaluated the discriminatory power and the typeability of the most currently used DNA fingerprinting methods for the typing of H. pyloriisolates: ribotyping, PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, and random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD) analysis. Forty epidemiologically unrelated clinical isolates were selected to constitute a test population adapted to the evaluation of these performance criteria. A meta-analysis of typeability and discriminatory power was conducted retrospectively with raw data from published studies in which ribotyping, PCR-RFLP, RAPD, repetitive extragenic palindromic DNA sequence-based PCR (REP-PCR), or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used. Experimental results and the meta-analysis demonstrated the optimal typeability (100%) and the excellent discriminatory powers of PCR-based typing methods: RAPD analysis, DIs, 0.99 to 1; REP-PCR, DI, 0.99; and PCR-RFLP analysis, DIs, 0.70 to 0.97). Chromosome restriction-based typing methods (ribotyping and PFGE) are limited by a low typeability (12.5 to 75%) that strongly decreases their discriminatory powers: ribotyping, DI, 0.92; PFGE, DIs, 0.24 to 0.88. We do not recommend the use of ribotyping and PFGE for the typing of H. pylori isolates. We recommend the use of PCR-based methods.
EXACT TRAVELLING WAVE SOLUTIONS OF A BEAM EQUATION

In this paper we make a full analysis of the symmetry reductions of a beam equation by using the classical Lie method of infinitesimals and the nonclassical method. We consider travelling wave reductions depending on the form of an arbitrary function. We have found several new classes of solutions that have not been considered before: solutions expressed in terms of Jacobi elliptic functions, Wadati solitons and compactons. Several classes of coherent structures are displayed by some of the solutions: kinks, solitons, two humps compactons.
Anal cancers among HIV-infected persons: HAART is not slowing rising incidence

Objective:To evaluate the incidence rates of anal cancer over the HIV epidemic and assess the impact of HAART use on anal cancer events. Methods:We evaluated the incidence of and factors associated with anal cancer using longitudinal data from the prospective U.S. Military Natural History Study (1985–2008). Poisson regression and Cox proportional hazard models were utilized. Results:Among 4506 HIV-infected men with 37 806 person-years of follow-up, anal cancer rates (per 100 000 person-years) increased five-fold, from 11 in the pre-HAART to 55 in the HAART era (P = 0.02). Rates continued to increase, reaching 128 in 2006–2008. Persons with HIV infection for more than 15 years had a 12-fold higher rate than those with less than 5 years (348 vs. 28, P < 0.01). At cancer diagnosis (n = 19), median age was 42 years, median CD4 cell count was 432 cells/μl, 74% had a CD4 nadir cell count less than 200 cells/μl, 42% had a prior AIDS event, and 74% had received HAART. From separate models, prior AIDS event (hazard ratio 3.88, P = 0.01) and lower CD4 nadir (hazard ratio 0.85 per 50 cell, P = 0.03) were associated with anal cancer, with a trend for a history of gonorrhea (hazard ratio 2.43, P = 0.07). Duration of HAART use was not associated with a reduced risk of anal cancer (hazard ratio 0.94, P = 0.42). Conclusion:Incidence rates of anal cancer have progressively increased during the HIV epidemic. Persons with a longer duration of HIV infection have a substantially higher rate of anal cancer. As HIV-infected persons are experiencing longer life expectancies and HAART does not appear protective of anal cancer, studies on preventive strategies are needed.
The modelling of positron emitter production and PET imaging during carbon ion therapy

At the carbon ion therapy facility of GSI Darmstadt in-beam positron emission tomography (PET) is used for imaging the β+-activity distributions which are produced via nuclear fragmentation reactions between the carbon ions and the atomic nuclei of the irradiated tissue. On the basis of these PET images the quality of the irradiation, i.e. the position of the field, the particle range in vivo and even local deviations between the planned and the applied dose distribution, can be evaluated. However, for such an evaluation the measured β+-activity distributions have to be compared with those predicted from the treatment plan. The predictions are calculated as follows: a Monte Carlo event generator produces list mode data files of the same format as the PET scanner in order to be processed like the measured ones for tomographic reconstruction. The event generator models the whole chain from the interaction of the projectiles with the target, i.e. their stopping and nuclear reactions, the production and the decay of positron emitters, the motion of the positrons as well as the propagation and the detection of the annihilation photons. The steps of the modelling, the experimental validation and clinical implementation are presented.
Inter-relationships of haplosporidians deduced from ultrastructural studies.

We reviewed papers reporting haplosporidian ultrastructure to compare inter-relationships based on ultrastructure with those based on molecular data, to identify features that may be important in haplosporidian taxonomy, and to consider parasite taxonomy in relation to host taxonomy. There were links between the following: (1) the plasmodia of an abalone parasite, Haplosporidium nelsoni and Urosporidium crescens in the release of haplosporosomes; (2) H. costale and H. armoricanum in haplosporosome shape and presence and shape of Golgi in spores; (3) basal asporous crustacean haplosporidians which form haplosporosomes from formative bodies (FBs) in vegetative stages--H. nelsoni, which forms haplosporosomes from FBs in plasmodial cytoplasm, and H. louisiana, Minchinia spp. and Bonamia perspora, which form haplosporosomes from FBs in spores; (4) crustacean haplosporidians, Bonamia spp. and M. occulta in the predominance of uni- and binucleate stages; and (5) lipid-like vesicles in sporoplasms of H. costale, H. armoricanum, H. lusitanicum, H. pickfordi, H. montforti, and B. perspora. In general, these relationships reflect phylogenies based on molecular studies. As well as spore form and ornamentation, haplosporogenesis in spores appears to be taxonomically important. Parasite and host taxonomy were linked in the infection of lower invertebrates by Urosporidium spp. , the infection of oysters by Bonamia spp. , and of molluscs by Minchinia spp. Haplosporidium spp. are patently an artificial, paraphyletic group probably comprising many taxa. Consequently, the taxonomy of haplosporidians needs a thorough revision.
Linkage and Association Study of Late‐Onset Alzheimer Disease Families Linked to 9p21.3

A chromosomal locus for late‐onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD) has previously been mapped to 9p21.3. The most significant results were reported in a sample of autopsy‐confirmed families. Linkage to this locus has been independently confirmed in AD families from a consanguineous Israeli‐Arab community. In the present study we analyzed an expanded clinical sample of 674 late‐onset AD families, independently ascertained by three different consortia. Sample subsets were stratified by site and autopsy‐confirmation. Linkage analysis of a dense array of SNPs across the chromosomal locus revealed the most significant results in the 166 autopsy‐confirmed families of the NIMH sample. Peak HLOD scores of 4.95 at D9S741 and 2.81 at the nearby SNP rs2772677 were obtained in a dominant model. The linked region included the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2A gene (CDKN2A), which has been suggested as an AD candidate gene. By re‐sequencing all exons in the vicinity of CDKN2A in 48 AD cases, we identified and genotyped four novel SNPs, including a non‐synonymous, a synonymous, and two variations located in untranslated RNA sequences. Family‐based allelic and genotypic association analysis yielded significant results in CDKN2A (rs11515: PDT p = 0.003, genotype‐PDT p = 0.014). We conclude that CDKN2A is a promising new candidate gene potentially contributing to AD susceptibility on chromosome 9p.
Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (cid:1) Regulates Post–Myocardial Infarction Remodeling and Stress-Induced Cardiomyocyte Proliferation In Vivo

Rationale: Numerous studies have proposed that glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3 (cid:1) is a central regulator of the hypertrophic response of cardiomyocytes. However, all of this work has relied on overexpression of GSK-3 (cid:1) , expression of constitutively active mutants, or small molecule inhibitors with documented off-target effects. Genetic loss of function approaches have not been used in the adult mouse because germ-line deletion of GSK-3 (cid:1) is embryonic-lethal. Objective: This study was designed to define the role played by GSK-3 (cid:1) in pressure overload (PO)-induced hypertrophy and remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI). Methods and Results: We used a mouse model that allows inducible, cardiomyocyte-specific deletion of GSK-3 (cid:1) in the adult knockout. Surprisingly, we find that knockout mice exposed to PO induced by thoracic aortic constriction exhibit a normal hypertrophic response. Thus, in contrast to virtually all prior published studies, GSK-3 (cid:1) appears to play at most a minor role in the hypertrophic response to PO stress. However, GSK-3 (cid:1) does regulate post-MI remodeling because the GSK-3 (cid:1) knockouts had less left ventricular dilatation and better-preserved left ventricular function at up to 8 weeks post-MI despite demonstrating significantly more hypertrophy in the remote myocardium. Deletion of GSK-3 (cid:1) also led to increased cardiomyocyte proliferation following PO and MI. Conclusions: Deletion of GSK-3 (cid:1) protects against post-MI remodeling and promotes stress-induced cardiomyocyte proliferation in the adult heart. These studies suggest that inhibition of GSK-3 (cid:1) could be a strategy to both prevent remodeling and to promote cardiac regeneration in pathological states. ( Circ Res . 2010;106:1635-1645.)
Assessment of the usefulness of pipelle biopsy in gynecological diagnostics.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of pipelle in sampling diagnostic material from the uterine cavity and determining clinical factors, which may affect its effectiveness. MATERIAL AND METHODS The retrospective analysis included 312 patients who underwent pipelle biopsy because of various indications. Evaluated factors which may affect the effectiveness of this method were: types of indications for the procedure, age, BMI, anteflexion or retroflexion of the uterus, presence of uterine fibroids, miscarriages, natural deliveries, deliveries in general. RESULTS In 259 (83.01%) cases sampled material allowed for a histopathological diagnosis. In 53 (16.99%) of the women we failed to sample tissue material from the uterine cavity. Indications for the procedure, BMI, age and menopausal status were factors of potential impact on the diagnostic effectiveness (p < 0.05). The diagnostic value of pipelle was found to be the lowest in women with overweight and obesity (BMI > 28), post-menopausal women, women over 55 years of age and where biopsy was performed for indications other than abnormal uterine bleeding. On the other hand, pipelle shows clearly the highest effectiveness in sampling diagnostic material from the uterine cavity in young women (< 45 years of age), menstruating women, women with normal body weight or underweight (BMI < 23) and abnormal uterine bleeding. CONCLUSIONS Choosing a pipelle as an endometrial biopsy method should consider the indications, BMI, age and menopausal status. Omission of these factors can increase non-diagnostic outcomes resulting in necessity of repeated biopsies, the risk of complications and increases the costs of health care system.
Does institutional knowledge attract new firms in tourist districts?

This article focuses on the tourism sector, analysing the extent to which the degree of firm concentration in industry is higher or lower among the tourist districts located along the Spanish Mediterranean coastline depending on the knowledge resources generated by the institutions located at each destination (universities, vocational training centres (VTCs) and technological centres). Certain factors, such as the technical characteristics of the generated knowledge and the absorptive capacity of firms, influence the power of attraction that such institutions may exert for new firms to join the tourist district. For that reason, a U-shaped relationship between agglomeration and institutional knowledge is proposed. The empirical evidence supports this hypothesis for the knowledge generated by universities and higher-level VTCs, though not for the knowledge generated by medium-level VTCs and technological centres.
Minimal Clinically Important Difference for Three Quality of Recovery Scales

Background:Several quality of recovery (QoR) health status scales have been developed to quantify the patient’s experience after anesthesia and surgery, but to date, it is unclear what constitutes the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). That is, what minimal change in score would indicate a meaningful change in a patient’s health status? Methods:The authors enrolled a sequential, unselected cohort of patients recovering from surgery and used three QoR scales (the 9-item QoR score, the 15-item QoR-15, and the 40-item QoR-40) to quantify a patient’s recovery after surgery and anesthesia. The authors compared changes in patient QoR scores with a global rating of change questionnaire using an anchor-based method and three distribution-based methods (0.3 SD, standard error of the measurement, and 5% range). The authors then averaged the change estimates to determine the MCID for each QoR scale. Results:The authors enrolled 204 patients at the first postoperative visit, and 199 were available for a second interview; a further 24 patients were available at the third interview. The QoR scores improved significantly between the first two interviews. Triangulation of distribution- and anchor-based methods results in an MCID of 0.92, 8.0, and 6.3 for the QoR score, QoR-15, and QoR-40, respectively. Conclusion:Perioperative interventions that result in a change of 0.9 for the QoR score, 8.0 for the QoR-15, or 6.3 for the QoR-40 signify a clinically important improvement or deterioration.
Partnering based on coopetition in the interorganizational networks of tourism: a comparison between Curitiba and Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil

Purpose – This paper presents a model to analyze the context and critical behavior of interorganizational partnering based on the coopetition strategy. Design/methodology/approach – This research is exploratory, and makes use of descriptive statistical methodology. Data collection was based on an entrepreneurial perception survey applied to 545 tourism firms and 49 local business associations in two Brazilian cities. Findings – The main theoretical approach of this research was to introduce a partnering model, and its variables, based on coopetition – whereas its main empirical finding was to prove that the high internal competition among participants, within the tourism sector, is a greater source of coopetition behavior than external competition itself. Shared values, mutual trust, complementarity and awareness of the competitive advantages that result from partnering co-exist with the internal competition between firms belonging to this sector. Originality/value – Coopetition in the tourism sector has been little explored, but this study confirms that coopetition is a hybrid behavior which is very suitable to explain current market relationships; it also represents the interorganizational networks generated by business associations. The value of this research was to provide a scale to measure cooperative and competitive contexts on partnering based on the coopetition strategy, which can be applied to other industries or sectors.
A Unique Sequence of the Laminin α3 G Domain Binds to Heparin and Promotes Cell Adhesion through Syndecan-2 and -4*

Laminin-5, consisting of the α3, β3, and γ2 chains, is localized in the skin basement membrane and supports the structural stability of the epidermo-dermal linkage and regulates various cellular functions. The α chains of laminins have been shown to have various biological activities. In this study, we identified a sequence of the α3 chain C-terminal globular domain (LG1-LG5 modules) required for both heparin binding and cell adhesion using recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides. We found that the LG3 and LG4 modules have activity for heparin binding and that LG4 has activity for cell adhesion. Studies with synthetic peptides delineated the A3G75aR sequence (NSFMALYLSKGR, residues 1412–1423) within LG4 as a major site for both heparin and cell binding. Substitution mutations in LG4 and A3G75aR identified the Lys and Arg of the A3G75aR sequence as critical for these activities. Cell adhesion to LG4 and A3G75aR was inhibited by heparitinase I treatment of cells, suggesting that cell binding to the A3G75aR site was mediated by cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. We showed by affinity chromatography that syndecan-2 from fibroblasts bound to LG4. Solid-phase assays confirmed that syndecan-2 interacted with the A3G75aR peptide sequence. Stably transfected 293T cells with expression vectors for syndecan-2 and -4, but not glypican-1, specifically adhered to LG4 and A3G75aR. These results indicate that the A3G75aR sequence within the laminin α3 LG4 module is responsible for cell adhesion and suggest that syndecan-2 and -4 mediate this activity.