Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation of cytokine responses by seasonality of vitamin D status in healthy individuals

The immune modulating capacity of vitamin D3 is well‐recognized. Ultra‐violet (UV) exposure determines production of vitamin D3in vivo and varies through the course of the year, especially in temperate regions. However, it is not known whether the human innate immune response differs due to seasonality. To validate the seasonal effects of vitamin D3, the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cytokine response was first determined in vitro. 1,25(OH)2D3 decreased interleukin (IL)‐6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α release by PBMC stimulated with tripalmitoyl‐S‐glycerylcysteine (Pam3Cys) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Subsequently, ex‐vivo stimulation studies were performed in 15 healthy volunteers through the course of the four seasons of the year. PBMC were isolated and stimulated with Toll‐like receptor (TLR)‐2 and TLR‐4 ligands Pam3Cys and LPS, respectively. Circulating concentrations of 25(OH)D3 and 1,25(OH)2D3 were higher during summer (P < 0·05) and a down‐regulation of TLR‐4‐mediated IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, interferon (IFN)‐γ and IL‐10 production in summer was observed compared to winter (P < 0·05). The variation in cytokine response upon TLR‐2 (Pam3Cys) stimulation was moderate throughout the four seasons. The repressed cytokine production during the summer months could be explained partly by the reduced cell‐membrane expression of TLRs. Physiological variation in vitamin D3 status through the four seasons of the year can lead to alteration in the innate immune responses. Elevated vitamin D3 level in vivo is associated with down‐regulation of cytokine response through diminished surface expression of pattern recognition receptors.
A review on nozzle wear in abrasive water jet machining application

This paper discusses a review on nozzle wear in abrasive water jet machining application. Wear of the nozzle becomes a major problem since it may affect the water jet machining performance. Design, materials, and life of the nozzle give significance effect to the nozzle wear. There are various parameters that may influence the wear rate of the nozzle such as nozzle length, nozzle inlet angle, nozzle diameter, orifice diameter, abrasive flow rate and water pressure. The wear rate of the nozzle can be minimized by controlling these parameters. The mechanism of wear in the nozzle is similar to other traditional machining processes which uses a cutting tool. The high pressure of the water and hard abrasive particles may erode the nozzle wall. A new nozzle using a tungsten carbide-based material has been developed to reduce the wear rate and improve the nozzle life. Apart from that, prevention of the nozzle wear has been achieved using porous lubricated nozzle. This paper presents a comprehensive review about the wear of abrasive water jet nozzle.
P2P traffic identification and optimization using fuzzy c-means clustering

Accurate identification of P2P traffic is critical for efficient network management and reasonable utilization of network resources, as P2P applications have been growing dramatically. Fuzzy clustering is more flexible than hard clustering and is practical for P2P traffic identification because of the natural treatment of data using fuzzy clustering. Fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) is an iteratively optimal algorithm normally based on the least square method to partition data sets, which has high computational overhead. This paper proposes modifications to the objective function and the distance function that greatly reduces the computational complexity of FCM while keeping the clustering accurate. The proposed FCM clustering technology can be incorporated into a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) to implement real-time network traffic classification by updating the training data set continuously and efficiently.
Strategic analysis : credit union wealth management offering

This paper is a strategic analysis of VanCity's wealth management business. VanCity, Canada's largest credit union is known for its corporate leadership and high service standards. The Credit Union has traditionally focused on core banking products but one of VanCity's business objectives is to grow its wealth management business. VanCity is pursuing a differentiated business strategy for its wealth management business based primarily on the positive member experience. Although, VanCity is positioned well as an organization to grow this business, it still faces some challenges. This paper starts with the background of VanCity and its wealth management business. This is followed by an analysis of the industry, and an internal analysis of VanCity's wealth management business. Through this analysis, the success factors and issues, which are key to the successful implementation of a differentiation strategy, are identified. Finally, the paper ends with a series of recommendations to address the key issues identified.
HRM and Firm Productivity: Does Industry Matter?

Abstract Recent years have witnessed burgeoning interest in the degree to which human resource systems contribute to organizational effectiveness. We argue that extant research has not fully considered important contextual conditions which moderate the efficacy of these practices. Specifically, we invoke a contingency perspective in proposing that industry characteristics affect the relative importance and value of high performance work practices (HPWPs). We test this proposition on a sample of non-diversified manufacturing firms. After controlling for the influence of a number of other factors, study findings support the argument that industry characteristics moderate the influence of HPWPs on firm productivity. Specifically, the impact of a system of HPWPs on firm productivity is significantly influenced by the industry conditions of capital intensity, growth and differentiation. Submitted to the Human Resources Division of the 2003 Academy of Management Meetings, Seattle, WA. This research was partially supported by grants from the Society for Human Resource Management (the SHRM Foundation) and the General Research Fund of the University of Kansas.
Interferons alpha and lambda inhibit hepatitis C virus replication with distinct signal transduction and gene regulation kinetics.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current therapy with pegylated interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) in combination with ribavirin is associated with adverse effects and often fails to induce a sustained response. IFN-lambdas, recently discovered IFN gene family members, exhibit antiviral and cell stimulatory activities similar to IFN-alpha. We aimed to determine whether IFN-lambda exhibits antiviral activity toward HCV and to compare the signal transduction and effector gene pathways with those of IFN-alpha. METHODS Using the HCV replicon system and cell culture infectious reporter virus, we compared IFN-alpha and IFN-lambda effects on HCV RNA replication and protein expression, as measured by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, luciferase expression, and Western blot. Receptor expression and signaling pathways were explored using flow cytometry and Western blot. IFN-alpha- and IFN-lambda-mediated gene expression changes were compared using microarray analyses. RESULTS IFN-lambda exhibited dose- and time-dependent HCV inhibition, independent of types I and II IFN receptors. The kinetics of IFN-lambda-mediated signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) activation and induction of potential effector genes were distinct from those of IFN-alpha. IFN-lambda induced steady increases in levels of known interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), whereas IFN-alpha ISGs peaked early and declined rapidly. IFN-lambda inhibited replication of HCV genotypes 1 and 2 and enhanced the antiviral efficacy of subsaturating levels of IFN-alpha. CONCLUSIONS These results demonstrate distinct differences in IFN-lambda- and IFN-alpha-induced antiviral states. Understanding these differences may prove useful for developing new HCV treatment strategies.
A Review of the Role and Impact of Export Processing Zones

Traditional export processing zones are fenced-in industrial estates specializing in manufacturing for exports. Modern ones have more flexible rules, such as permitting more liberal domestic sales. They provide a free-trade and liberal regulatory environment for the firms involved. Their primary goals: to provide foreignexchange earnings by promoting non-traditional exports, to provide jobs and create income, and to attract foreign direct investment and attendant technology transfer and knowledge spillover. Domestic, international, or joint venture firms operating in export processing zones typically benefit from reduced red tape, flexible labor laws, generous long-term tax holidays and concessions, above-average communications services and infrastructure (and often subsidized utilities and rental rates), and unlimited duty-free imports of raw and intermediate inputs and capital goods needed for production. In this review of experience, the author concludes that export processing zones have limited applications; the better policy choice is to liberalize a country's entire economy. Under certain conditions - including appropriate setup and good management - export processing zones can play a dynamic role in a country's development, but only as a transitional step in an integrated movement toward general liberalization of the economy (with revisions as national economic conditions change). The world Bank, writes the author, should be cautious about supporting export processing zone projects, doing so only on a case-by-case basis, only with expert guidance, and only as part of a general reform package. It should not support isolated export processing zone projects in unreformed or post-reform economies (in the last case they might encourage backsliding on trade policy). In general, if a policy is good for the economy as a whole, it is likely to be good for an export processing zone. Sound policy will encourage: 1) Sound, stable monetary and fiscal policies, clear private property and investment laws, and a business-friendly economic environment. 2) Moderate, simplified (but not"over-friendly") corporate tax schedules, and generally liberal tariffs and other trade taxes. 3) Private development and management of export processing zones and their infrastructure and unsubsidized utilities. 4) Labor laws that are business-friendly but do not abuse workers'safety and labor rights. 5) A better understanding of the impact of industrial refuse on the quality of air, soil, water, and human health.
The role of temperature in the variability and extremes of electricity and gas demand in Great Britain

The daily relationship of electricity and gas demandwith temperature inGreat Britain is analysed from1975 to 2013 and 1996 to 2013 respectively. The annualmean and annual cycle amplitude of electricity demand exhibit low frequency variability. This low frequency variability is thought to be predominantly driven by socio-economic changes rather than temperature variation.Once this variability is removed, both daily electricity and gas demand have a strong anti-correlationwith temperature (relec=−0.90 , rgas=−0.94). However these correlations are inflated by the changing demand–temperature relationship during spring and autumn.Once the annual cycles of temperature and demand are removed, the correlations are = r 0.60 elec and = r 0.83 gas . Winter then has the strongest demand–temperature relationship, duringwhich a 1 °C reduction in daily temperature typically gives a∼1% increase in daily electricity demand and a 3%–4% increase in gas demand. Extreme demand periods are assessed using detrended daily temperature observations from1772. The 1 in 20 year peak day electricity and gas demand estimates are, respectively, 15% (range 14%–16%) and 46% (range 44%–49%) above their average winter day demand during the last decade. The risk of demand exceeding recent extreme events, such as during thewinter of 2009/2010, is also quantified.
Pico-second optical switch using micromachined total internal reflection prism

A pico-second optical switch using micromachined total internal reflection (TIR) prism via phonon-assisted nonlinear two-photon absorption (TPA) is reported in this paper. The incident light is switched to various outputs by changing the refractive index at the interface of the prism using illumination and the prism is finely tuned by a rotational microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) thermal actuator. This switch has multifold advantages over the other techniques. Firstly, the pico-second switching speed is much faster than other mechanical switches. Secondly, the critical angle of TIR for switching is innovative. Thirdly, there is no mechanical instability issue to be addressed. Fourth, the switch is adaptive to silicon substrate variation due to the finely tuning by MEMS actuator. Lastly, the effective volume is small, avoiding the absorption problem of long propagation distance.
Pathogenesis of Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) and Triple-Reassortant Swine Influenza A (H1) Viruses in Mice

ABSTRACT The pandemic H1N1 virus of 2009 (2009 H1N1) continues to cause illness worldwide, primarily in younger age groups. To better understand the pathogenesis of these viruses in mammals, we used a mouse model to evaluate the relative virulence of selected 2009 H1N1 viruses and compared them to a representative human triple-reassortant swine influenza virus that has circulated in pigs in the United States for over a decade preceding the current pandemic. Additional comparisons were made with the reconstructed 1918 virus, a 1976 H1N1 swine influenza virus, and a highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. Mice were inoculated intranasally with each virus and monitored for morbidity, mortality, viral replication, hemostatic parameters, cytokine production, and lung histology. All 2009 H1N1 viruses replicated efficiently in the lungs of mice and possessed a high degree of infectivity but did not cause lethal disease or exhibit extrapulmonary virus spread. Transient weight loss, lymphopenia, and proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine production were present following 2009 H1N1 virus infection, but these levels were generally muted compared with a triple-reassortant swine virus and the 1918 virus. 2009 H1N1 viruses isolated from fatal cases did not demonstrate enhanced virulence in this model compared with isolates from mild human cases. Histologically, infection with the 2009 viruses resulted in lesions in the lung varying from mild to moderate bronchiolitis with occasional necrosis of bronchiolar epithelium and mild to moderate peribronchiolar alveolitis. Taken together, these studies demonstrate that the 2009 H1N1 viruses exhibited mild to moderate virulence in mice compared with highly pathogenic viruses.
Effects and mechanisms of action of the ergopeptides ergotamine and ergovaline and the effects of peramine on reticulum motility of sheep.

OBJECTIVE To investigate effects and mechanisms of ergotamine and ergovaline and effects of peramine on reticulum motility of sheep. SAMPLE POPULATION 3 sheep with indwelling electrodes in the reticulum and samples of reticulum collected from 126 sheep at an abattoir. PROCEDURES In conscious sheep, motility was recorded as integrated electromyograms from the reticulum. Ergotamine was administered IV alone or in combination with the cholinergic muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine to sheep, and motility of the reticulum was assessed. In vitro, whole wall strips of the reticulum, cut in a direction to record longitudinal muscle activity via force transducers, were placed in 10-mL organ baths and superfused with Tyrode Ringer's solution at 37 degrees C and oxygenated with 95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide. Testing involved incubation of reticulum strips with ergotamine, ergovaline, and peramine and measurement of motility of the reticulum tissues. RESULTS Administration of ergotamine to sheep reduced the frequency of reticulum contractions and increased baseline electromyographic activity (tonus). Frequency was unaffected by atropine, whereas tonus was significantly reduced. In vitro, ergotamine and ergovaline increased tonic contractions and stimulated phasic contractions of reticulum tissues and potentiated electrically stimulated contractions. Atropine and tetrodotoxin reduced tonic contractions, but stimulation of large-amplitude phasic contractions remained. Peramine had no effect on motility of reticulum tissues. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results of the study indicated that peripheral excitatory effects of the ergopeptides on motility of the reticulum appear to be mediated partly through myenteric neurons and muscarinic receptors and also through direct effects on the muscles.
A Content Analysis of Registration Processes on Websites

ABSTRACT The proper implementation and design of registration pages is a crucial consideration in the development of websites for two reasons: First, users often navigate through them to receive future marketing communications. Second, advertisers can gain valuable contact information through registration processes that allow them to customize marketing communications. This content analysis investigates the implementation and design of such processes by comparing the registration processes established by large and small websites, as well as websites of pure play companies versus click-and-mortar companies. Differences emerge across several variables. The results have implications for advertising researchers and practitioners and suggest some registration process best practices.
Estrogen-regulated developmental neuronal apoptosis is determined by estrogen receptor subtype and the Fas/Fas ligand system.

Adult sexual dimorphism in neuronal cell number is controlled by estrogen exposure during a tightly defined period of rat brain development. The mechanisms of estrogen's effect are unknown; one possibility is regulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis). In this study we have shown that estradiol can function as a neuroprotective agent or an inducer of apoptosis, depending on the estrogen receptor-subtype present in the cell. Thus, ERalpha has a neuroprotective effect, while ERbeta mediates the induction of apoptosis in neuronal cells. Moreover, we show that estrogen-induced apoptosis through ER-beta requires the expression of Fas- and Fas ligand (FasL) proteins, since the absence of FasL in neurons prevents this effect. Furthermore, we demonstrate that microglia-secreted products induce the expression of FasL necessary to mediate estradiol-ERbeta apoptotic effect. These findings may explain the dichotomous effect of fetal estradiol on the adult neuronal number.
Uncertainty and Value Premium: Evidence from the U.S. Agriculture Industry

We test the efficiency of the financial market for the stocks of publicly traded firms related to the largely subsidized U.S. agriculture industry. We study how the anomalous value premium appears in the stocks of participating firms. Our study of the value and growth anomalies of these stocks utilizes the sorting and the beta-premium regressions methods. The firm level data are obtained from merging the Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) data from NYSE, Amex, NASDAQ exchanges with the financial statements data from the Compustat database of Standard & Poor’s. The results show that the beta of the lower deciles of the agriculture industry related firms are in the same volatility direction as the market but at a lesser degree. The "cash-flow-to-price trading" strategy in agriculture-related stocks appears to be profitable as a riskless hedge portfolio that longs high CF/P agriculture-related stocks and short low CF/P agriculture-related stocks generates, on average and all else equal, a positive and statistically significant abnormal return of 0.23% per year. Perhaps, these U.S. agriculture industry firms benefit some spill-over from farm Bills subsidies.
OPTIMAL HARMONIC METER PLACEMENT FOR ESTIMATION OF HARMONIC SOURCES USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNIQUES

This paper presents the solving of optimal harmonic meter placement problem. This problem involves determining the locations and number of meters to be installed in any system to achieve a full observability depth and minimize total cost of the devices. The results obtained are utilized to perform harmonic state estimation on power system network. Several algorithms are applied to the problem of optimal harmonic meter placement such as complete enumeration (CE), sequential method (SM), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle swarm optimization (PSO) and Linearized biogeography optimization technique (LBBO). Those algorithms are applied on two test systems to investigate their effectiveness in solving the harmonic meter placement problem.
International Conference on Knowledge Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering Systems , KES 2017 , 6-8 September 2017 , Marseille , France Tracking with Extraction of Moving Object under Moving Camera Environment

This paper proposes a new approach to archive the robust tracking of moving objects under moving camera environment where the similar moving objects cross each other. Tracking with moving camera sometimes fails to track the object with similar color objects or similar background. Proposed approach is a particle filter based approach. It introduces the likelihood calculated by probabilistic background model which is constructed using dense optical flow and fast density estimation. Proposed approach introduces SVM (Support Vector Machine) 1 to judge the scene where it is difficult to construct the probabilistic background model with non-uniform optical flow. This SVM uses the degree histogram of optical flow. Usefulness of proposed approach is evaluated in the experiments using actual video and the performance is compared with recent tracking approaches by quantitative evaluations. c ⃝ 2017 he uthors. Published by Elsevier B.
An Incremental Process for Software Implementation

Innovation researchers and software experts have long advocated incremental approaches to technology implementation. Fichman and Moses offer a strategy for guiding the implementation of advanced software technologies based on the principle of results-driven incrementalism (RDI), or self-contained implementation sequences ? each of which achieves a specific business result. The authors present an explicit process model and describe their experiences using the RDI strategy at Herman Miller, a large manufacturer of office furniture systems, which implemented supply-chain planning and scheduling software at six sites on time and within budget. No longer only a tool to automate or speed up ways of working, advanced software enables fundamentally new policies and work organizations. As a result, implementing technological process innovations involves learning and adjustment costs, which may exceed the raw purchase cost of the technology itself. The RDI approach benefits firms by promoting organizational learning via multiple, short-horizon goals; maintaining implementation focus and momentum by providing recurring visible results; and negating the common tendency to overengineer technology solutions ? all of which speed the realization of business results and reduce the risk of implementation failure. Consultants using the RDI approach found that some managers do not understand the benefits of self-contained implementation sequences and may consider such a process marginally valuable or impossible to use in their contexts. The authors cite five reasons for resistance and discuss ways to overcome it. The three critical success factors of the RDI approach are technology divisibility, technology and methodology fit, and technology and organization fit. Determining the most effective delivery process for a particular software technology requires ongoing R&D by someone. The authors advocate that technology vendors view effective implementation processes as crucial to success and worthy of their R&D efforts.