Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring youth and caregiver preferences for asthma education video content

Abstract Objective: This study examines (1) whether youth and their caregivers have different preferences for asthma education video topics and (2) if education topic preferences vary by youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: Youth (n = 83) ages 7–17 years with persistent asthma and their caregivers were recruited at two pediatric practices in North Carolina. Sociodemographic information and youth and caregiver preferences for nine asthma video education topics were collected during in-person interviews. Bonferroni-corrected Chi-square or McNemar tests (α = 0.0056) were used to compare youth and caregivers differences in topic preferences and topic preferences by youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics, including gender, race, ethnicity, and age. Results: Youth were primarily male (52%) and from low-income families (74%; caregiver annual income less than $30 000) and many were Hispanic (45%). Youth and parents expressed the most interest in the following two topics: “how to deal with triggers” (90% and 95%, respectively) and “how to keep asthma under control” (87% and 96%, respectively). Caregivers and children were discordant for two topics: “the difference between a rescue and controller medicine” and “how to [help your child] talk to your [his/her] friends about asthma. ” No differences were found between youth and caregiver sociodemographic characteristics and video topic preferences. Conclusions: Youth with persistent asthma and their caregivers differed in their asthma education topic preferences, but preferences did not vary by caregiver or youth sociodemographic characteristics. Studies examining the effectiveness of interventions tailored to differences in educational preferences of youth with asthma and their caregivers are needed.
Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering BIODECOMPOSITION OF JORDAN PHOSPHORITE BY PHOSPHATE-SOLUBILIZING FUNGI

The bio-solubilization of Jordan phosphorite by the phosphate-solubilizing fungus Aspergillus niger has been investigated. The effect of the phosphate concentration in the liquid medium, the duration of biodecomposition, titratable acidity and the effect of preliminary mechanical activation on the process of dissolution have been studied. The investigations indicate that almost complete extraction of P2O5 from Jordan Phosphorite in a form utilizable by plants can be achieved. A maximum degree of P2O5 extraction 99.10% was obtained on the 15 day in a medium containing 0.5% w/v non-activated Jordan phosphorite. The preliminary mechanical activation of the phosphate facilitates the dissolution until a definite period of the bioconversion. Investigations with mechanically-activated Jordan phosphorite showed that a maximum extent of 92.40% of phosphate solubilization was observed on the 10 day at a phosphorite concentration of 0.5% w/v.
Supplier relationship management as a macro business process

Purpose – Increasingly, supplier relationship management (SRM) is being viewed as strategic, process‐oriented, cross‐functional, and value‐creating for buyer and seller, and a means of achieving superior financial performance. This paper seeks to describe a macro level cross‐functional view of SRM and to provide a structure for managing business‐to‐business relationships to co‐create value and increase shareholder value.Design/methodology/approach – In order to identify the sub‐processes of SRM at the strategic and operational levels as well as the activities that comprise each sub‐process, focus group sessions were conducted with executives from a range of industries. The focus groups were supplemented with visits to companies identified in the focus groups as having the most advanced SRM practices.Findings – The research resulted in a framework that managers can use to implement a cross‐functional, cross‐firm, SRM process in business‐to‐business relationships.Research limitations/implications – The rese.
Detection and Analysis of Rare Events in High-Frequency Financial Data

Abstract We present a methodology to detect unusual trading activity defined as high price movement with relatively little volume traded. The analysis is applied to high-frequency transactions of thousands of equities and the probability of price recovery in the proximity of these rare events is calculated. Similar results are obtained when analyzing commodities with different expiration dates. The propagation of rare events in the commodity structure and the liquidity problems are addressed.
Supply chain coordination in a fashion firm

Supply chain coordination plays a critical role in integrating different actors along the supply chain to enhance performance. This research focuses on supply chain coordination and its three determinants: namely, responsibility interdependence, uncertainty, and interfunctional conflict. Research propositions were developed to conceptualise how supply chain coordination is driven by its determinants. The propositions were tested by a case study in a fashion firm to examine the differences between the theory and the practice of coordination. Findings showed that the firm carried out only piecemeal coordination in defining and fulfilling customer needs.
Identification of Direct Repeat 4 as a Positive Regulatory Element for the Human TR4 Orphan Receptor

While the TR4 orphan receptor (TR4) is able to repress the expression of its target genes via its interaction with the direct repeat 1-hormone response element (DR1-HRE) and DR2-HRE, we now report that TR4 can also induce the transcriptional activity of the reporter gene containing a DR4-HRE via chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and Scatchard analysis reveal a strong binding affinity (dissociation constant = 2 nm) between TR4 and DR4-HRE. The induction mediated by TR4 was detected not only in the synthetic DR4-HRE but also in some genes, such as rat α-myosin heavy-chain and S14 genes, containing the DR4 or DR4-like motif, which have been suggested to be the response elements for a thyroid hormone receptor. Our data also demonstrate this TR4-mediated gene induction is TR4 dose- and DR4 sequence-dependent. Together, our data suggest that DR4-HRE can be a positive regulatory element for TR4, which may be able to induce the transcriptional activity of the genes containing such positive HREs.
An overview of legislative and institutional barriers of Latvia’s renewable energy production

In the paper authors analyze barriers of renewable energy source usage in electricity (RES-e) production in Latvia, and their institutional environment. Legislation and institutions are the two very important components for energy development. The aim of the paper is to give overall analysis of legislation and institutional barriers in RES-e production in Latvia Authors give short inside path-dependency of electricity production of RES-e, yet the current main problems in energy legislation and institutional environment should be taken into account as well. Potential solution is drawn also. Authors conclude that basic barriers are structural and legislation, as well as existing information asymmetry between player in RES-e producers and state. The absence of realization of long-term policy in Cabinet of Ministers level contradicts with already accepted long-term policy programs. Therefore the amount of feed-in tariff (one of the highest in EU) so far had no great impact on promotion of RES-e production increase in Latvia. JEL codes: B520, E650, Q280.
Sodium azide mutagenesis: preferential generation of A.T-->G.C transitions in the barley Ant18 gene.

The molecular basis for the absence of anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins in four independent sodium azide-induced ant18 mutants of barley was examined by sequencing the gene encoding dihydroflavonol 4-reductase in these mutants. Sodium azide generated 21 base substitutions, which corresponds to 0.17% of the 12,704 nucleotides sequenced. Of the substitutions, 86% were nucleotide transitions, and 14% were transversions. A.T-->G.C base pair transitions were about 3 times more frequent than G.C-->A.T transitions. No deletions or mutation hot spots were found. The absence of dihydroflavonol 4-reductase activity in ant18-159, ant18-162, and ant18-164 plants is caused by missense mutations in the respective genes. By using microprojectile bombardment, a plasmid harboring the wild-type Ant18 gene was introduced into ant18-161 mutant cells and resulted in the development of anthocyanin pigmentation, which demonstrates that the mutation is corrected by expression of the introduced gene. On the other hand, a plasmid derivative with the two ant18-161-specific base transitions at the 5' splice site of intron 3 prevented complementation. It is concluded that the absence of detectable mRNA for dihydroflavonol 4-reductase in ant18-161 cells is due to the mutations in the pre-mRNA splice donor site.
[Inhibitory effect of polyethylenimine-mediated transfection of suicide gene HSV-tk with an ovarian-specific promoter on growth of ovarian cancer cell line SKOV3].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Improving the transfection efficiency and targeted delivery of gene vector are 2 critical problems in the field of gene therapy. Polycationic polyethylenimine (PEI), as a new kind of gene vector, provides an effective solution. This study aimed to investigate the antitumor and targeted delivery effects of PEI-mediated transfection of suicide gene HSV-tk regulated by ovarian-specific promoter OSP1 on human ovarian carcinoma cell line SKOV3. METHODS SKOV3 cells were separately transfected with PEI, liposome DOTAP, and naked DNA mediated by plasmid pGL3-Luc; the transfection efficiency was measured by relative luciferase unit (RLU). SKOV3 cells and human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC7721 were transfected with pOSP1-HSVtk mediated by PEI. Cytotoxicity of ganciclovir (GCV) to SKOV3 and SMMC7721 cells was measured by MTT assay; the concentration of GCV in SKOV3 cells was detected by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry (FCM) and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) technique. RESULTS RLU was significantly higher in PEI group than in DOTAP and naked DNA groups (187.35+/-6.48 vs. 45.74+/-5.98, and 0.03+/-0.00,P<0.01). Evident GCV cytotoxicity was observed in SKOV3 cells, but negligible in SMMC7721 cells. The concentration of GCV in SKOV3 cells was gradually decreased with treatment prolonging. FCM showed that the apoptotic rate of pOSP1-HSVtk-transfected SKOV3 cells was increased when exposed to GCV for 24, 48, and 72 h [(8.42+/-0.76)%, (18.50+/-1.78)%, (34.80+/-3.46)%]. A lot of apoptotic SKOV3 cells were detected by TUNEL. CONCLUSION PEI-mediated transfection of suicide gene regulated by ovarian-specific promoter has an in vitro tissue-specific killing effect on ovarian cancer cells, which may improve the efficiency and the targeting of gene therapy.
A security evaluation criteria

Computer security is now recognised as an important consideration in modern business, with a variety of guidelines and standards currently available to enable different business environments to be properly protected. However, financial and operational constraints often exist which influence the practicality of these recommendations. New baseline security methods such as Australian and New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) 4444 and British Standard (BS) 7799 represent minimal standards which organisations can use to improve their security. The aim of the paper is to look at the effectiveness of baseline security standards through the use of an evaluation criteria, which assesses their effectiveness.
Proposing a new model for infrastructure cloud computing

Cloud computing is changing the way industries and enterprises do their businesses in that dynamically scalable and virtualized resources are provided as a service over the Internet. This model creates a brand new opportunity for enterprises. In this paper, some of the essential features of cloud computing are briefly discussed with regard to the end-users, enterprises that use the cloud as a platform, and cloud providers themselves. Cloud computing is emerging as one of the major enablers for the manufacturing industry; it can transform the traditional manufacturing business model, help it to align product in novation with business strategy, and create intelligent factory networks that encourage effective collaboration. Two types of cloud computing adoptions in the manufacturing sector have been suggested, manufacturing with direct adoption of cloud computing technologies and cloud manufacturing—the manufacturing version of cloud computing. Cloud computing has been in some of key areas of manufacturing such as IT, pay as you go business models, production scaling up and down per demand, and flexibility in deploying and customizing solutions. In cloud manufacturing, distributed resources are encapsulated in to cloud services and managed in a centralized way . Clients can use cloud services according to their requirements. Cloud users can request services ranging from product design, manufacturing, testing, management, and all other stages of a product lifecycle.
A Model to Reduce Traffic, Pollution and Costs in Urban Distribution

This paper presents a proposal to help metropolitan areas reduce traffic, pollution and also to cut delivery costs. The use of the collaborative logistics in the networking design for this fine distribution method shall allow the distribution partner to plan and execute deliveries, which will reducing the number of vehicles used in comparison with the regular distribution model (this also allows the use of a clean fleet of small vehicles – like electric minivans). The methodology used to develop the proposal is to simulate two different scenarios, comparing the variables that influence the traffic, the pollution emission and the cost involved with the distribution of goods in urban areas. Further to the variables considered in the study, this new model needs to prove its efficiency at service level. The conclusion of this study will compare those three variables between the regular model, where many different carriers need to reach the retail stores every day, delivering all kinds of products, with the proposed model, where only one carrier will do the deliveries in the urban areas.
A receiver-oriented approach to reliable broadcast in ad hoc networks

We present a reliable broadcast protocol designed for use in ad hoc networks. The protocol ensures reliable, in-order, duplicate-free delivery of objects to a node's one-hop neighbor set. The flexibility and efficiency of the protocol hinges on the fact that the responsibility for reliable delivery rests solely at the receiver. Furthermore, when used on top of an 802.11-like MAC layer, we show that characteristics of an RTS/CTS mechanism can be used to further improve protocol performance.
Getting ready to cope with non-communicable eye diseases

Over the last few decades, the main focus of eye care in low-and middle-income countries has been on the two most common causes of visual impairment: cataract and refractive errors. Although there are certainly challenges involved in providing high quality services at a scale that is able to meet the need, these two conditions are straightforward to manage. Screening is not required (apart from children with refractive errors), as both conditions are associated with a loss of vision. Patients are usually very happy with the outcome (surgery or spectacles) and minimal follow-up is needed. Providing services for non-communi-cable eye diseases (NCEDs), however, is far more challenging and complex. To prevent visual loss from diabetic retin-opathy, glaucoma and retinopathy of prematurity, for example, the disease must be detected before people themselves notice a problem. This requires screening or other approaches to case finding. Treatment to prevent sight loss needs to be given early, which means patients must be counselled (i.e., informed about their options and supported to make the decision that is right for them). Long-term follow-up is essential, for example for glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In order to offer adequate services for NCEDs, the whole health system – as it applies to eye health – must be considered. The World Health Organization says the following about health systems: 'A good health system delivers quality services to all people, when and where they need them. ' All organisations and agencies whose purpose is to improve health are part of the health system in a country; this includes government health services as well as those provided by not-for profit providers and the private, for-profit, sector – whether in the community or at primary, secondary/district or tertiary level. The six building blocks of the health system are: • leadership and governance • the health workforce • technology, equipment, infrastructure, and medicines • health financing • health management information systems • service delivery. In order to cope with NCEDs, the following is required at each of the six building blocks. Leadership and governance • Evidence-based clinical protocols and guidelines. • Good management of resources. • Leadership and team-building (including forging links with other sectors or other health departments, e.g. endocrinology). Health workforce • Staff at every level of service delivery who are competent in comprehensive eye examination, with appropriate treatment or referral to higher levels, thereby providing a continuum of …
Impact of initial trust, involvement, and mood on trusting belief

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to incorporate social exchange theory to elaborate on the antecedents that underlie consumers’ trust of innovative financial product providers. In particular, this study investigates the mediating role of positive moods in stimulating customer trust. Design/methodology/approach – The research model was tested using data collected from 440 elite customers from top-ten financial holding companies in Taiwan. Structure equation modeling was employed to verify and validate the research model. Findings – The findings suggest that initial trust and customer involvement significantly and positively impact customer moods. In addition, customer initial trust, involvement, and positive moods significantly influence customers’ trusting belief of service providers. Research limitations/implications – This study focussed on the financial services industry only. While this industry represents an ideal new product development context, future research is needed to test the theory in .
Short-term Effect of Scleral Lens on the Dry Eye Biomarkers in Keratoconus

Purpose To evaluate the most important signs of dry eye, such as osmolarity, inflammation, and diadenosine tetraphosphate (Ap4A) concentration before and after wearing scleral lenses for 8 h in keratoconus patients. Methods A pilot, experimental, short-term study involved 26 keratoconus patients (average age, 36.95 ± 8.95 years). They voluntarily enrolled in the study at the Optometry Clinic of the Faculty of Optics and Optometry in the University Complutense of Madrid. They were divided into two groups: patients with intrastromal corneal ring, the ICRS group, and patients without ICRS, the keratoconus (KC) group. Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaire, the Schirmer test without anesthesia, tear break-up time, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) concentration, osmolarity, and Ap4A concentration were evaluated before and after wearing a scleral lens for 8 h. Results The patients wore the scleral lenses from 6 to 9 h, with a mean of 7.59 ± 0.73 h. The mean scleral lens sag for all patients was 4310 ± 166.31 &mgr;m, ranging from 4200 &mgr;m to 4800 &mgr;m. No significant changes in the Schirmer test and tear break-up time were found for either group. Ocular Surface Disease Index scores were statistically lower after wearing scleral lenses for both groups (p < 0.05). A significantly lower osmolarity and a significant rise of MMP-9 concentration after wearing scleral lenses were found in both groups (p < 0.05). Diadenosine tetraphosphate concentration was lower after wearing the scleral lens in the KC group (p < 0.05) but no significant difference was found for the ICRS group (p > 0.05). Conclusions Short-term scleral lens wearing improves the symptomatology and some signs of dry eye, such as osmolarity and Ap4A concentration. The increase of MMP-9 concentration could be caused by tear film stagnation and use of preserved saline.
Estimation and compensation of Doppler scale in UAC OFDM systems

Doppler effect causes loss of orthogonality in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM), which in turn may severely degrade receiver performance. In high data rate underwater acoustic communication (UAC), the effect of Doppler shift varies considerably over OFDM frequency band. In the past and current UAC OFDM literature, the frequency domain Doppler shift is presented in terms of path dependent Doppler scale in time domain. This paper proposes and presents two algorithms to estimate Doppler scale induced by time variability of the channel. The performance of these estimation methods is evaluated under varying sampling period, varying number of channel taps, and varying channels.
Apoptosis in Cultured Cells Infected with Feline Calicivirus

Abstract: Caliciviruses are important pathogens of man and animals; feline calicivirus (FCV) is responsible for an acute upper respiratory tract disease in cats. To date, little is known about the mechanism of cell damage induced by these viruses. We set out to determine if apoptosis played any role in cell death in FCV infection of cultured cells. We demonstrate that caspase‐2, ‐3, and ‐7 were activated during FCV infection, as evidenced by pro‐form processing and an increase in acetyl‐Asp‐Glu‐Val‐Asp‐7‐amido‐4‐trifluoromethylcoumarin cleavage activity, as well as cleavage of poly(ADP‐ribose)polymerase. Caspase activation coincided with the condensation of chromatin. At about 8 h post infection we also detected cleavage of the FCV capsid protein; this was prevented by caspase inhibitors. Taken together these results suggest that FCV triggers apoptosis within infected cells and that caspases are involved in the cleavage of the capsid protein.
FX Liquidity Risk and Carry Trade Returns

We study the effects of FX liquidity risk on carry trade returns using a low-frequency market-wide liquidity measure. We show that a liquidity-based ranking of currency pairs can be used to construct a mimicking liquidity risk factor, which helps in explaining the variation of carry trade returns across exchange rate regimes. In a liquidity-adjusted asset pricing framework, we show that the vast majority of variation in carry trade returns during any exchange rate regime can be explained by two risk factors (market and liquidity risk) in the FX market. Our results are further corroborated when the hedge liquidity risk factor is replaced with a non-tradable innovations risk factor.
Leakage and guidance properties of unbalanced insulated NRD-guide for co-layered integrated circuits

The leakage and guidance characteristics of unbalanced insulated NRD-guides (nonradiative dielectric waveguides) were studied by means of a mode-matching technique. Leakage suppressing conditions and single mode operating conditions are investigated for practical applications, and the relations between geometrical parameters of the structure and the guided wave, as well as leakage properties, were obtained. Extensive results and useful guidelines were provided for practical application of this guided-wave structure in co-layered integration circuits.