Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of the weakest buses in unbalanced multiphase smart grids with Plug-in Electric Vehicle charging stations

Charging stations will be increasing in popularity as they can promote and support the increasing number of Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) entering into smart grid to reduce emissions and fuel consumptions. However, the locations, relatively large ratings and unpredictable charging characteristics of these stations can have a significant impact on the performance of smart grid. This paper proposes identification of the weakest buses over 24 hours in order to study and compensate the detrimental impacts of PEV charging stations on voltage profiles and voltage stability of smart grid. Assuming a smart grid communication infrastructure, the positive sequence voltage ranking index V/Vo is utilized in hourly bases to identify the weakest buses in unbalanced multiphase distribution networks without/with PEV charging stations. Simulation results are performed and compared for an unbalanced multiphase 13 node test feeder with different locations of PEV charging stations using DIgSILENT PowerFactory software.
MiR-148a Attenuates Paclitaxel Resistance of Hormone-refractory, Drug-resistant Prostate Cancer PC3 Cells by Regulating MSK1 Expression*

MicroRNAs are involved in cancer pathogenesis and act as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. It has been recently reported that miR-148a expression is down-regulated in several types of cancer. The functional roles and target genes of miR-148a in prostate cancer, however, remain unknown. In this report, we showed that miR-148a expression levels were lower in PC3 and DU145 hormone-refractory prostate cancer cells in comparison to PrEC normal human prostate epithelial cells and LNCaP hormone-sensitive prostate cancer cells. Transfection with miR-148a precursor inhibited cell growth, and cell migration and invasion, and increased the sensitivity to anti-cancer drug paclitaxel in PC3 cells. Computer-aided algorithms predicted mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase, MSK1, as a potential target of miR-148a. Indeed, miR-148a overexpression decreased expression of MSK1. Using luciferase reporter assays, we identified MSK1 as a direct target of miR-148a. Suppression of MSK1 expression by siRNA, however, showed little or no effects on malignant phenotypes of PC3 cells. In PC3PR cells, a paclitaxel-resistant cell line established from PC3 cells, miR-148a inhibited cell growth, and cell migration and invasion, and also attenuated the resistance to paclitaxel. MiR-148a reduced MSK1 expression by directly targeting its 3′-UTR in PC3PR cells. Furthermore, MSK1 knockdown reduced paclitaxel-resistance of PC3PR cells, indicating that miR-148a attenuates paclitaxel-resistance of hormone-refractory, drug-resistant PC3PR cells in part by regulating MSK1 expression. Our findings suggest that miR-148a plays multiple roles as a tumor suppressor and can be a promising therapeutic target for hormone-refractory prostate cancer especially for drug-resistant prostate cancer.
Development of more efficient and effective DNA vaccines

DNA delivery in vivo was first reported in the mid-1980s when Dobensky et al. reported that the delivery of plasmidencoded insulin could be expressed for some period of time [1]. By 1990, Felgner et al. reported that the intramuscular injection of purified plasmid (p)DNA encoding the enzyme b-galactosidase could transfect muscle cells in vivo, and result in the expression of the plasmid’s marker genes in muscle [2]. However, it was not until 1992 that the field of DNA vaccines emerged. Tang and Johnson were to report that antibodies could be elicited by introducing pDNA encoding human growth hormone into mice [3]. However, that same year at the prestigious Cold Spring Harbor Vaccine Meeting, three reports on inducing immune responses against pathogens and tumors created a stir in the world of vaccines [4–6]. A report by Margaret Liu [4] (then at Merck) and a second by Harriet Robinson [5] (then at the University of Massachusetts) showed that mice injected intramuscularly with purified plasmids incorporating genes from inf luenza induced anti-inf luenza immune responses and protection from lethal challenge in mice. A third report by the lab oratory of David Weiner demonstrated that plasmids encoding HIV or lymphoma antigens could induce immune responses that were protective in vitro and in small animal challenge systems [6]. These early experiments indicated that using a vector encoding a viral protein injected in vivo offered a simple means of inducing protective immunity without the need for self-replicating agents or traditional chemical adjuvants. These early successes did not translate into similar success in the clinic, and by 1998 DNA vaccines were relegated to use as priming approaches to enhance the immune potency and specificity for recombinant viral vectors such as Ad5 or poxviruses. Researchers went back to the bench to re-examine their understanding of basic DNA vaccine technology. It was determined that the technology needed considerable attention to become competitive with recombinant platforms. Among the most significant challenges to the DNA platform were the lack of a delivery system for DNA, codon bias and the RNA structure of the gene inserts, the lack of strong adjuvanting activity of plasmids outside of the mouse model, the antigen design of the insert, and limits on the production of plasmid limiting in vivo delivery. This issue brings together an important group of investigators who have focused on these important issues and retooled the DNA vaccines area to make it become a more effective and useful tool for immunization.
Efficient Memory-Addressing Algorithms for FFT Processor Design

This paper explores efficient memory management schemes for memory-based architectures of the fast Fourier transform (FFT). A data relocation scheme that merges multiple banks to lower the area requirement and power dissipation of memory-based FFT architectures is proposed. The proposed memory-addressing method can effectively deal with single-port, merged-bank memory with high-radix processing elements. Compared with conventional memory-based FFT designs using dual-port memory, the derived architecture has better performance in terms of area and power consumption. The proposed scheme is extended to a cached-memory FFT architecture to further reduce power dissipation. An 8192-point cached-memory FFT processor is implemented for digital video broadcasting-terrestrial/handheld applications by using 0.18-μm 1P6M CMOS technology. Experimental results show that the proposed memory scheme consumes 10.1%-29.3% less area and 9.6%-67.9% less power compared with those of the multibank design.
An Evaluation of the Asthma Intervention of the New York State Healthy Neighborhoods Program

Background. The Healthy Neighborhoods Programs (HNP) are funded by the Federal Preventive Health and Health Services block grants and administered by the New State Department of Health (NYSDOH). Eight county and local health departments are funded for 3 years for a total of $1.25 million per year to target households at risk for environmental health and safety hazards. The HNP asthma intervention uses home visits to identify asthmatics, assess asthma morbidity and management, and identify environmental asthma triggers. Outreach workers provide education about asthma, referrals, and controls for asthma triggers. The purpose of this evaluation was to assess the impact of the HNP asthma intervention for the 1997–1999 funding cycle and for the first year of the 2000–2002 funding cycle. Because of changes in reporting requirements across the funding cycles, the findings for 1997–1999 and 2000 were analyzed separately. Methods. We analyzed one final outcome measure, the rate of self‐reported hospitalizations (admissions and emergency room visits), and three intermediate outcome measures (the percent of homes with cockroaches, the percent of asthmatics with a written management plan, and the percent of asthmatics using a peak flow meter). We also estimated the net savings resulting from a reduction in hospital admissions due to asthma. Results. For the 1997–1999 funding cycle, the average hospitalization rate was 86 hospitalizations per 100 asthmatics per year at the intervention visit (i.e., the baseline rate) and 44.5 at the 1‐year follow‐up, a decrease of 48%. This was a larger decrease than the 24% average annual decrease in the baseline rates during the 3 years. In 2000, there were 96 hospitalizations per 100 asthmatics per year at the intervention visit and 25 at the 1‐year follow‐up, a decrease of 74%. In 2000 there were about 110 fewer hospital admissions thought to be due to the net effects of the HNP intervention, resulting in an estimated gross savings of $905,300 (110 × $8,230). After subtracting the estimated cost of the asthma intervention ($624,683), the net savings were $280,617. Conclusion. New York's HNP seems to be succeeding in reducing asthma morbidity as measured by the hospitalization rates among asthmatics who have received the intervention. The HNP was successful in decreasing cockroach infestation in HNP homes. A standardized evaluation methodology and instrument are necessary to conduct a more rigorous evaluation of the HNP.
Cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter employing bidirectional switches

It presents a cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter employing bidirectional switches to design an effective circuit to increase the number of output voltage levels. In the proposed circuit configuration, each inverter produces five output voltage levels. Because the output terminals of both inverters are connected in series, the final output voltage becomes nine levels including a zero. Different switching patterns are given and analyzed with their operational principles. To verify the performance of the proposed multilevel inverter, we implemented computer-aided simulation and experiments using a prototype.
Oral infection of turkeys with in vitro-cultured Histomonas meleagridis results in high mortality

In the present study a well-defined clonal culture of Histomonas meleagridis was used to investigate whether turkeys can be infected orally with in vitro-propagated parasites in the absence of any vector. Therefore, two subsequent experiments were arranged to study the morbidity and mortality of a virulent strain of histomonads in turkeys following crop instillation of protozoa and a feed restriction for 5 h. Soon after infection, the parasites triggered total morbidity and mortality in a group of 14 turkeys, of which 10 birds were orally infected and the others were kept as in-contact birds. Administration of the same number of histomonads into either the cloaca or the crop of individually housed birds was investigated subsequently, to avoid any bird-to-bird transmission. All eight cloacally infected turkeys and six out of eight orally infected turkeys contracted severe histomonosis, with only two birds surviving the infection expressing no clinical signs. During pathological investigations, all birds showed pathognomonic lesions in the livers and caeca indicative for histomonosis, except the two turkeys that survived the infection. The results of the experiments verify for the first time the effective oral infection of 1-day-old turkeys with clonal in vitro-cultured H. meleagridis.
Fiber-dependent amyloid formation as catalysis of an existing reaction pathway

A central component of a number of degenerative diseases is the deposition of protein as amyloid fibers. Self-assembly of amyloid occurs by a nucleation-dependent mechanism that gives rise to a characteristic sigmoidal reaction profile. The abruptness of this transition is a variable characteristic of different proteins with implications to both chemical mechanism and the aggressiveness of disease. Because nucleation is defined as the rate-limiting step, we have sought to determine the nature of this step for a model system derived from islet amyloid polypeptide. We show that nucleation occurs by two pathways: a fiber-independent (primary) pathway and a fiber-dependent (secondary) pathway. We first show that the balance between primary and secondary contributions can be manipulated by an external interface. Specifically, in the presence of this interface, the primary mechanism dominates, whereas in its absence, the secondary mechanism dominates. Intriguingly, we determine that both the reaction order and the enthalpy of activation of the two nucleation processes are identical. We interrogate this coincidence by global analysis using a simplified model generally applicable to protein polymerization. A physically reasonable set of parameters can be found to satisfy the coincidence. We conclude that primary and secondary nucleation need not represent different processes for amyloid formation. Rather, they are alternative manifestations of the same, surface-catalyzed nucleation event.
The Hawthorne experiments.

In the opinion of many observers the most serious malady from which the social sciences suffer at the present stage of their development, is their compartmentalism. At the theoretical level, most social scientists would agree that the subject-matter of all the specialized social disciplines is the same, namely human behaviour: in practice most specialists deal with some aspect or department or area of human behaviour, or human behaviour viewed from some “viewpoint. ” This separation, however, into areas or aspects, convenient as it may be, or at least as it is asserted to be, for research purposes, is a somewhat arbitrary proceeding and it has resulted, among other things, in a breakdown of communication between the different social science compartments. Another result has been a less, not a greater, understanding of man. There is a strong case to be made, as Robert Lynd, for example, has made it, for the view that the social scientist is the worst example extant of the person who knows more and more about less and less. This is particularly sad when it is noted that less and less in such a context is the human animal, who is clearly a complicated and many faceted piece of work on any viewpoint or from any aspect.
A 2-4 GHz fast-locking frequency multiplying delay-locked loop

A fast-locking fractional-ratio multiplying DLL (FMDLL) for de-skewed on-chip clock frequency multiplication is presented. A new phase detecting controller (PDC) and a dual-path charge pump (CP) have been adopted to achieve shorter locking time and eliminate lock-in fail problems. The proposed fast-locking FMDLL was implemented in a 65-nm CMOS process and occupies an active area of 0.015mm2. It operates over a frequency range of 2.0–4.0GHz with a programmable frequency multiplication factor of N/M, where N = 4, 5, 8, 10 and M = 1, 2, 3. It achieves a peak-to-peak output clock jitter of 13.5 ps at 4GHz while consuming 6.7mW at 2GHz from a 1.2V supply. Compared with the conventional architecture, the locking time has been reduced about 80%.
A DEEP HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE SEARCH FOR ESCAPING LYMAN CONTINUUM FLUX AT z ∼ 1.3: EVIDENCE FOR AN EVOLVING IONIZING EMISSIVITY

We have obtained deep Hubble Space Telescope far-UV images of 15 starburst galaxies at z ∼ 1.3 in the GOODS fields to search for escaping Lyman continuum (LyC) photons. These are the deepest far-UV images (mAB = 28.7, 3σ, 1″ diameter) over this large an area (4.83 arcmin2) and provide some of the best escape fraction constraints for any galaxies at any redshift. We do not detect any individual galaxies, with 3σ limits to the LyC (∼700 Å) flux 50–149 times fainter (in fν) than the rest-frame UV (1500 Å) continuum fluxes. Correcting for the mean intergalactic medium (IGM) attenuation (factor ∼2), as well as an intrinsic stellar Lyman break (factor ∼3), these limits translate to relative escape fraction limits of fesc,rel < [0.03, 0.21]. The stacked limit is fesc,rel(3σ) < 0.02. We use a Monte Carlo simulation to properly account for the expected distribution of line-of-sight IGM opacities. When including constraints from previous surveys at z ∼ 1.3 we find that, at the 95% confidence level, no more than 8% of star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 1.3 can have relative escape fractions greater than 0.50. Alternatively, if the majority of galaxies have low, but non-zero, escaping LyC, the escape fraction cannot be more than 0.04. In light of some evidence for strong LyC emission from UV-faint regions of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z ∼ 3, we also stack sub-regions of our galaxies with different surface brightnesses and detect no significant LyC flux at the fesc,rel < 0.03 level. Both the stacked limits and the limits from the Monte Carlo simulation suggest that the average ionizing emissivity (relative to non-ionizing UV emissivity) at z ∼ 1.3 is significantly lower than has been observed in LBGs at z ∼ 3. If the ionizing emissivity of star-forming galaxies is in fact increasing with redshift, it would help to explain the high photoionization rates seen in the IGM at z>4 and reionization of the IGM at z>6.
Diversin, from Ferula diversivittata protects human lymphocytes against oxidative stress induced by H2O2

In this study, the antigenotoxic effects of diversin, a prenylated coumarin obtained from Ferula diversivittata roots were evaluated using comet assay. Isolated lymphocytes from healthy volunteers’ blood samples were incubated with diversin (10, 25, 50, 100, 200 and 400 µM) alone, or in the presence of H2O2 (25 µM). DNA break was measured based on the %tail DNA and compared with different concentrations of curcumin (10, 25 and 50 µM) as the positive control. It was shown that all concentrations of diversin significantly reduce DNA damage caused by H2O2.
Optically Modulated MEMS scanning endoscope

This letter presents a novel configuration of a microelectrical-mechanical system (MEMS) scanning endoscope that is actuated by external optical modulation. Light at a wavelength in the 1550-nm range is used to modulate a scanning MEMS mirror. The instrument also provides for the delivery of a second beam at a wavelength of 1310 nm, commonly used for medical diagnostic applications such as optical coherence tomography. The two wavelengths are combined with using a wavelength-division multiplexing filter and launched into a single-mode fiber. This novel approach provides for the operation of a scanning endoscope without the need for directly powering up the scanning element. In this way a less hazardous apparatus for in vivo diagnosis is possible. The design of the module and MEMS scanning mirror is discussed. A fabricated module is demonstrated in which a MEMS mirror scans at the resonant frequency of 350 Hz, generating an optical scanning angle of 8/spl deg/.
Production of nickel bio‐ore from hyperaccumulator plant biomass: Applications in phytomining

An important step in phytomining operations is the recovery of metal from harvested plant material. In this work, a laboratory‐scale horizontal tube furnace was used to generate Ni‐enriched bio‐ore from the dried biomass of Ni hyperaccumulator plants. Prior to furnace treatment, hairy roots of Alyssum bertolonii were exposed to Ni in liquid medium to give biomass Ni concentrations of 1.9% to 7.7% dry weight; whole plants of Berkheya coddii were grown in Ni‐containing soil to produce above‐ground Ni levels of up to 0.49% dry weight. The concentration of Ca in the Ni‐treated B. coddii biomass was about 15 times greater than in A. bertolonii. After furnace treatment at 1200°C under air, Ni‐bearing residues with crystalline morphology and containing up to 82% Ni were generated from A. bertolonii. The net weight loss in the furnace and the degree of concentration of Ni were significantly reduced when the furnace was purged with nitrogen, reflecting the importance of oxidative processes in Ni enrichment. Ni in the B. coddii biomass was concentrated by a factor of about 17 to yield a residue containing 8.6% Ni; this bio‐ore Ni content is substantially higher than the 1% to 2% Ni typically found in mined ore. However, the B. coddii samples after furnace treatment also contained about 34% Ca, mainly in the form of hydroxyapatite Ca5(PO4)3OH. Such high Ca levels may present significant challenges for further metallurgical processing. This work demonstrates the feasibility of furnace treatment for generating Ni‐rich bio‐ore from hyperaccumulator plants. The results also suggest that minimizing the uptake of Ca and/or reducing the Ca content of the biomass prior to furnace treatment would be a worthwhile strategy for improving the quality of Ni bio‐ore produced in phytomining operations. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Biosynthesis of Branched Polylactosaminoglycans

Two types of β1,6-GlcNAc transferases (IGnT6) are involved in in vitro branching of polylactosamines: dIGnT6 (distally acting), transferring to the penultimate galactose residue in acceptors like GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1-R, and cIGnT6 (centrally acting), transferring to the midchain galactoses in acceptors of the type (GlcNAcβ1–3)Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1-R. The roles of the two transferases in the biosynthesis of branched polylactosamine backbones have not been clearly elucidated. We report here that cIGnT6 activity is expressed in human (PA1) and murine (PC13) embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, both of which contain branched polylactosamines in large amounts. In the presence of exogenous UDP-GlcNAc, lysates from both EC cells catalyzed the formation of the branched pentasaccharide Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3(GlcNAcβ1–6)Galβ1–4GlcNAc from the linear tetrasaccharide Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAc. The PA1 cell lysates were shown to also catalyze the formation of the branched heptasaccharides Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3(GlcNAcβ1–6)Galβ1–4GlcNAc and Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3(GlcNAcβ1–6)Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAc from the linear hexasaccharide Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAc in reactions characteristic to cIGnT6. By contrast, dIGnT6 activity was not detected in the lysates of the two EC cells that were incubated with UDP-GlcNAc and the acceptor trisaccharide GlcNAcβ1–3Galβ1–4GlcNAc. Hence, it appears likely that cIGnT6, rather than dIGnT6 is responsible for the synthesis of the branched polylactosamine chains in these cells.
Selection criteria predictive of academic success in the first two years of the integrated diploma in nursing.

Student wastage during basic nursing programmes has been estimated at between 20% and 47% per annum over the last 10 years (Kotze, 1987; SANA, 1983). The training of every student costs the state approximately R13 500 per annum according to an investigation done by the SA Nursing Association in 1987. The economic loss due to the student wastage is therefore significant. At the same time student numbers are declining at a time during which many more nurses are necessary to maintain the ratio of registered nurses to the population (Kotze, 1987). The student wastage therefore also has serious implications for the health services. Since training schools usually receive more applications than can be accommodated as students, the process of selection becomes a key factor in selecting students who will complete the programme and join the professional nursing cadre.