Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Home energy monitors: impact over the medium-term

Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS), e.g. energy monitors, are intermediary products that can visualize, manage, and/or monitor the energy use of other products or whole households. HEMS increasingly receive attention for their role in energy conservation in households. A literature review and a case study examine the mid-term effectiveness (more than 4 months) of HEMS. The case study presents the results of a 15-month pilot with a domestic energy monitor in the Netherlands. It explores the extent to which participants manage to sustain their initial electricity savings over time, with a special focus on the development of habitual energy-saving behaviour. The results show that the initial savings in electricity consumption of 7.8% after 4 months could not be sustained in the medium- to long-term. A second finding is that certain groups of people seem more receptive to energy-saving interventions than others. These participants quickly develop new habits and exhibit larger savings than other participants. Obviously, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach for home energy monitors cannot be justified. For HEMS to be effective, a deeper understanding is needed that embraces social science, contextual factors, usability, and interaction design research. Les Systèmes de Gestion Domotique de l'Energie (HEMS), par ex. les contrôleurs d'énergie, sont des produits intermédiaires qui sont capables de visualiser, gérer et/ou suivre l'énergie consommée par d'autres produits ou un ménage dans son ensemble. Les HEMS bénéficient d'un intérêt croissant en raison de leur rôle en matière d'économies d'énergie dans les ménages. Une analyse bibliographique et une étude de cas examinent l'efficacité des HEMS à moyen terme (au-delà de 4 mois). L'étude de cas présente les résultats d'un projet pilote sur 15 mois utilisant un contrôleur d'énergie domestique aux Pays-Bas. Elle examine dans quelle mesure les participants parviennent à maintenir leurs économies d'électricité initiales au fil du temps, en mettant un accent particulier sur le développement de comportements habituels économes en énergie. Les résultats montrent que les économies initiales réalisées sur la consommation électrique, de 7,8% après quatre mois, ne pouvaient pas être maintenues sur le moyen et le long terme. Une seconde constatation est que certains groupes de personnes semblent plus réceptives que d'autres aux opérations d'économie d'énergie. Ces participants développent rapidement de nouvelles habitudes et affichent des économies plus importantes que les autres participants. A l'évidence, une approche unique pour tous concernant les contrôleurs d'énergie domestique ne peut se justifier. Pour que les HEMS soient efficaces, il est nécessaire d'avoir une compréhension plus profonde, englobant les sciences sociales, les facteurs contextuels, l'utilisabilité et les recherches en conception centrée utilisateurs (interaction design). Mots clés: Captologie, demande énergétique, gestion de l'énergie, contrôleur d'énergie, Système de Gestion Domotique de l'Energie (HEMS), logement, comportement des occupants, comptage intelligent
Effects of Herpes Simplex Virus on Structure and Function of Nectin-1/HveC

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus (HSV) entry requires the interaction between the envelope glycoprotein D (gD) and a cellular receptor such as nectin-1 (also named herpesvirus entry mediator C [HveC]) or HveA/HVEM. Nectin-1 is a cell adhesion molecule found at adherens junctions associated with the cytoplasmic actin-binding protein afadin. Nectin-1 can act as its own ligand in a homotypic interaction to bridge cells together. We used a cell aggregation assay to map an adhesive functional site on nectin-1 and identify the effects of gD binding and HSV early infection on nectin-1 function. Soluble forms of nectin-1 and anti-nectin-1 monoclonal antibodies were used to map a functional adhesive site within the first immunoglobulin-like domain (V domain) of nectin-1. This domain also contains the gD-binding site, which appeared to overlap the adhesive site. Thus, soluble forms of gD were able to prevent nectin-1-mediated cell aggregation and to disrupt cell clumps in an affinity-dependent manner. HSV also prevented nectin-1-mediated cell aggregation by occupying the receptor. Early in infection, nectin-1 was not downregulated from the cell surface. Rather, detection of nectin-1 changed gradually over a 30-min period of infection, as reflected by a decrease in the CK41 epitope and an increase in the CK35 epitope. The level of detection of virion gD on the cell surface increased within 5 min of infection in a receptor-dependent manner. These observations suggest that cell surface nectin-1 and gD may undergo conformational changes during HSV entry as part of an evolving interaction between the viral envelope and the cell plasma membrane.
The impact of capital structure and financial media on mergers & acquisitions

This thesis explores the impact of capital structure and financial media on Mergers and Acquisitions. The empirical evidence on this thesis demonstrates that firm’s capital structure and financial media are both significantly related to the M&A success and M&A performances. Chapter 3 empirically investigates the interaction between a bidder’s capital structure and the probability of M&A success. It suggests that bidders with great leverage deficit are less likely to be successful in M&A. The potential explanation is that overleveraged bidders are unable to provide attractive takeover offers with high premiums and thus reducing the probability of success. Chapter 4 further studies the implications of capital structure theory for M&A. The empirical evidence shows that bidder’s leverage deficit is negatively related to the probability of using pure cash payment. This implies that firms may actively rebalance their financial leverage to optimal level through M&A. Overleveraged bidders are less likely to use cash payment since they are willing to reduce their deficit level by acquiring targets with equity. By contrast, underleveraged bidders have more incentive to use cash payment because they tend to increase their debt level. Chapter 4 also shows that bidder’s capital structure has large impact on the merging firms’ stock performances in both short term and long term. Therefore bidder’s capital structure is considered as an important determinant for M&A performance. In addition, Chapter 5 further examines the relation between M&A performance and financial media. It reports that bidders with positive media attitude in pre-merger period are significantly outperformance than those with negative media attitude. It concludes that the pre-merger news released by influential financial media has large impact on market reactions to M&A announcements. Furthermore, the empirical evidence suggests that financial media is able to partially predict merging firm’s long term stock performance. Overall, our research in this thesis contributes to the literature with conclusive evidence that the considerations of capital structure and financial media provide further understandings with M&A performances.
Banking and Central Banking in Pre-WWII Greece: Money and Currency Developments

This paper aims to trace the history of central banking in pre-WWII Greece. To this end, we first study the country’s financial structure and its process of financial development. Several indices of financial development have been assessed and their evolvement has been studied. The country’s financial development had passed through different stages. Financial depth had increased in the turn of the 19th century and expanded further in the 1920s. However, on the basis of behavioural indices, banks were shown to be poorly asset-liability managed. They were also suffered by capital adequacy and were highly leveraged. The analysis of the composition of money supply and its long run behaviour suggests that monetary base variations were the proximate determinants of money supply movements, whereas money multiplier had a minimum impact. Central banking in pre-WWII Greece is viewed with regard to the monetary policy strategy, the monetary policy implementation framework and state interventions. The balance sheet of the Bank of Greece reveals an excessive focus on the chosen monetary policy strategy of a currency peg. Domestic credit was controlled via liquidity-providing standing facilities, either discounts or advances. Moreover, Bank’s considerable involvement in government re-financing might indicate that state interventions were considerable.
Combat and peacekeeping operations in relation to prevalence of mental disorders and perceived need for mental health care: findings from a large representative sample of military personnel.

CONTEXT Although military personnel are trained for combat and peacekeeping operations, accumulating evidence indicates that deployment-related exposure to traumatic events is associated with mental health problems and mental health service use. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationships between combat and peacekeeping operations and the prevalence of mental disorders, self-perceived need for mental health care, mental health service use, and suicidality. DESIGN Cross-sectional, population-based survey. SETTING Canadian military. PARTICIPANTS A total of 8441 currently active military personnel (aged 16-54 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The DSM-IV mental disorders (major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, and alcohol dependence) were assessed using the World Mental Health version of the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview, a fully structured lay-administered psychiatric interview. The survey included validated measures of self-perceived need for mental health treatment, mental health service use, and suicidal ideation. Lifetime exposure to peacekeeping and combat operations and witnessing atrocities or massacres (ie, mutilated bodies or mass killings) were assessed. RESULTS The prevalences of any past-year mental disorder assessed in the survey and self-perceived need for care were 14.9% and 23.2%, respectively. Most individuals meeting the criteria for a mental disorder diagnosis did not use any mental health services. Deployment to combat operations and witnessing atrocities were associated with increased prevalence of mental disorders and perceived need for care. After adjusting for the effects of exposure to combat and witnessing atrocities, deployment to peacekeeping operations was not associated with increased prevalence of mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study to use a representative sample of active military personnel to examine the relationship between deployment-related experiences and mental health problems. It provides evidence of a positive association between combat exposure and witnessing atrocities and mental disorders and self-perceived need for treatment.
Time-series and cross-sectional momentum strategies under alternative implementation strategies

The study compares the performance of alternative implementations of both time-series and cross-sectional momentum strategies across 24 markets. We find that over our sample period, both types of momentum strategies generate positive returns under the majority of implementations evaluated but that time-series momentum is clearly superior. An important difference between the two momentum strategies is that with time-series momentum, the number of stocks included in the winner and loser portfolios vary with the state of the market. As a consequence, cross-sectional momentum digs deeper to select winning stocks when markets are weak and deeper to select losing stocks when markets are strong. As the information in the momentum signals is concentrated in the tails of the return distribution, it is not that surprising that momentum is best implemented using time-series momentum.
Leptin Indirectly Affects Estrous Cycles by Increasing Metabolic Fuel Oxidation

In previous experiments, lean Syrian hamsters fasted on days 1 and 2 of the estrous cycle failed to show sex behavior and ovulation normally expected to occur on the evening of day 4. The first goal of the present experiment was to determine whether systemic treatment with the ob (obese) protein leptin could reverse the effects of fasting on estrous cyclicity, social behaviors, and ovulation rate. Fasting-induced anestrus was reversed and normal sex and social behavior and ovulation rate were restored in hamsters injected intraperitoneally with 5 mg/kg leptin every 12 h during fasting on days 1 and 2 of the estrous cycle. A second goal was to test whether the effects of leptin could be prevented by treatment with pharmacological agents that block the oxidation of metabolic fuels. Glucose oxidation was blocked by treatment with 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG) and fatty acid oxidation was blocked by treatment with methyl palmoxirate (MP). 2DG (1000 mg/kg) or MP (20 mg/kg) was administered at doses that did not induce anestrus in hamsters fed ad libitum. As in the first experiment, fasting-induced anestrus was reversed by leptin treatment. However, when each injection of leptin was preceded by an injection of 2DG or MP, leptin treatment did not reverse fasting-induced anestrus. In summary, estrous cyclicity was not restored when oxidation of metabolic fuels was blocked, despite high endogenous levels of leptin. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that leptin acts indirectly on the reproductive system by increasing fuel oxidation.
Effects of labetalol and propranolol on the peripheral circulation in hypertensive patients.

Eleven patients with essential hypertension participated in a double-blind cross-over comparison of labetalol (L) and propranolol (P). Each drug was given for 5--8 weeks. The dose reducing the supine diastolic blood pressure when given b.d. to or below 90 mm Hg was titrated out. At the end of each period, isometric exercise (sustained handgrip) and calf plethysmography were performed. L (mean daily dose 636 mg) was slightly more effective in lowering supine and standing blood pressure than P (mean dose 276 mg). There was no significant difference between the drugs in their effect on the blood-pressure response to handgrip. However, compared with no treatment, L attenuated the blood-pressure rise at near-maximal handgrip; this has not been reported with other beta-blockers. Resting vascular resistance and basal vascular tone were significantly lower (20%, p less than 0.05) during treatment with labetalol than when the patients were taking propranolol. - The differences may be explained by the alpha-receptorblocking action of labetalol.
Ageing and its influence on wound healing

Given the constantly rising percentage of older people in the population and the huge cost of treating wounds in this patient group, the importance of examining the relationship between ageing and wound healing cannot be underestimated. This article will examine current thinking in this area. Despite early reports of delays in wound healing associated with age and changes in cutaneous structure, it is now thought that wound healing in healthy older people is essentially normal but factors commonly associated with old age, such as ischaemia may account for any differences observed.
Building Self-Empowered Teams for Improving Safety in Postoperative Pain Management

Objective: The objective of this project was to test, in a residency training context, a novel methodology based on failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) to improve postoperative pain management in older adults. The methodology forms adaptive self-empowered learning teams that prioritize and address the threats to quality they face in their own unique setting. Methods: On a postoperative floor at a teaching hospital, an Error Reduction Intervention Cycle was implemented, including an FMEA-based survey that elicits perceptions of frequency and severity of various types/causes of pain management errors, followed by meetings to reach consensus regarding priorities and feasible solutions. Results: The floor team developed a common set of priorities for improvement. Team members jointly developed solutions that are currently being implemented, including both system changes and educational interventions. Conclusion: This proactive methodology actively engaged surgical residents in quality improvement as part of an interdisciplinary team and has the potential to foster a culture of safety.
Bacterial Penetration of Bladder Epithelium through Lipid Rafts*

Type 1 fimbriated Escherichia coli represents the most common human uropathogen, owing much of its virulence to invasion of the uroepithelium, which is highly impermeable due to the preponderance of uroplakins and highly ordered lipid components. We sought to elucidate the molecular basis for E. coli invasion of the bladder epithelium by employing human 5637 bladder epithelial cells, and we found the following: (i) intracellular E. coli associated with caveolae and lipid raft components; (ii) RNAi reduction of caveolin-1 expression inhibited bacterial invasion; (iii) a signaling molecule required for E. coli invasion was located in lipid rafts and physically associated with caveolin-1; (iv) bacterial invasion was inhibited by lipid raft disrupting/usurping agents. In the mouse bladder, the E. coli type 1 fimbrial receptor, uroplakin Ia, was located in lipid rafts, and lipid raft disruptors inhibited E. coli invasion. Cumulatively, E. coli uroepithelial invasion occurs through lipid rafts, which, paradoxically, contribute to bladder impermeability.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Employee Recruiting in the Tourism Industry

One of the most discussed issues in contemporary literature is corporate social responsibility (CSR). Although the concept of modern day CSR can be traced to the early 1920’s (Asongu, 2007), debates about its definition, implementation, measurement, and outcomes persist as of this writing. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (2000) defines CSR as “the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as the local community and society at large” (as cited in Dahlsrud, 2008).
Meat quality traits and muscle composition of cows differing in lactation performance

Beef and dairy cows differ in the way in which they utilise nutrients and in accretion or mobilisation of body reserves during lactation. Thus far, little is known about the impact of lactation performance on body composition, meat quality, and the related muscle structure of cows with a defined, combined beef and dairy genetic background. In the described experiment, 50 F 2 cows, originating from mating Charolais bulls to German Holstein cows and a following intercross of F 1 individuals, were slaughtered during the second lactation, 30 days after calving. Cows were assigned to 3 groups, each containing representatives of 3 families, according to lactation performance. Standard carcass and meat quality traits were determined. Additionally, samples from longissimus muscle were investigated by histology and computer image analysis for muscle fibre profile, intramuscular fat cell size, and marbling traits. Subcutaneous fat cell size was measured to estimate the impact of lactation on body fat reserves. The results suggest no influence of the duration of the first lactation on body composition, meat quality or muscle structure. However, the amount of milk per day influenced body weight, body composition, and marbling traits. Relationships between traits were low, but showed consistently that increasing milk yield was negatively correlated with tissue accretion. Changes of muscle fibre and fat cell profile, indicating protein or fat mobilisation by lactation, could not be detected. In the presented study, lactation had only minor consequences for meat quality.
Warfarin and antiplatelet combination use among commercially insured patients enrolled in an anticoagulation management service.

BACKGROUND Although warfarin and antiplatelet medications have documented efficacy for prevention of primary and secondary cardiovascular events, the appropriateness of warfarin and antiplatelet combination therapy is not well described in national consensus guidelines. METHODS AND RESULTS Cross-sectional data from 4,557 Kaiser Permanente Colorado members > or = 18 years old who were receiving warfarin anticoagulation therapy were used to quantify the prevalence of warfarin and antiplatelet agent (ie, aspirin, clopidogrel, dipyridamole, and/or dipyridamole/aspirin) combination therapy as of September 30, 2005, and to identify characteristics of patients receiving combination therapy. The prevalence of warfarin and any antiplatelet combination therapy was 385/1,000 (95% confidence interval [CI], 371/1,000 to 399/1,000). The majority of combination therapy was warfarin and aspirin (prevalence, 378/1,000) with a daily dose of aspirin, 81 mg, being the most reported dose (prevalence, 328/1,000). Patients receiving combination therapy were more likely to be male (63.6% vs 46.4%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.3 to 1.7) and have a comorbidity of heart failure (29.0% vs 15.6%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.5), coronary artery disease (62.4% vs 17.5%; adjusted odds ratio, 7.6; 95% CI, 6.5 to 8.8), and/or stroke/transient ischemic attack (5.2% vs 1.6%; adjusted odds ratio, 3.5; 95% CI, 2.3 to 5.3). CONCLUSION Nearly 4 of 10 patients receiving warfarin management care were receiving warfarin and antiplatelet combination therapy. The findings suggest that this practice is widespread, especially among patients with established cardiovascular disease, and involves a substantially higher number of patients than previously reported. The clinical outcomes associated with this practice require further investigation.
Study on Direct Kinematic Solution for Parallel Robots with 6 Freedoms Based on Interval Analysis

A new numerical method based on interval analysis is presented for direct kinematic solution for parallel robots. After the interval function is built, the initial search box can be gained through interval analysis, which will be tested and bisected until all of the convergent intervals are obtained. Then, the classical iterate method is employed to get all the point solution in each interval.