Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detection of delay times in the estimation of temperature changes in water using the wavelet transform

The objective of this work is to detect delay times between two ultrasonic signals, one of them considered as a reference and the other signal as the signal to be evaluated, using the wavelet transform, to indirectly estimate temperature changes. In this work the evaluation of 3 types of wavelets (Morlet, Mexican Hat and Daubechies 5) was made to detect the delay time in echo ultrasonic signals which are the result of a numerical simulation in which a 35 mm long (distance traveled) measuring setup was simulated.
Wearable finger exoskeleton using flexible actuator for rehabilitation

This paper proposes a new design of a one actuated degree of freedom wearable finger exoskeleton for rehabilitation. The purpose of this device is to assist patients during their rehabilitation process, after neurological trauma such as a stroke. To increase the wearability and adaptability of this system, a flexible actuator, using wire mechanism, has been integrated. Moreover, 3D printers have been used to get a device as light as possible. Position and force control have been implemented. Some tests have been conducted to verify the wearability and the adaptability of the proposed system. Furthermore, measurements to get the range of motion of the rotational movement around the metacarpophalangeal joint, which is actuated, have been conducted. The maximum range of motion of this device is high enough to be considered for using it in rehabilitation process and small enough to ensure the safety of the patient. Moreover, position control and force control can be achieved in limited angular and force range.
Improving models of forest nutrient export with equations that predict the nutrient concentration of tree compartments

Abstract• The objective of this study was to explore the distribution of major nutrients (N, P, K, Ca and Mg) in the aboveground compartments of an intensively managed tree species (Pinus pinaster Ait.). A total of 53 trees were cut down in even-aged stands respectively 8, 16, 26, 32 and 40 years old. The nutrient concentrations of the aboveground compartments were analysed. • Nutrient concentrations of foliage did not vary with any of the variables used, except needle age. Nutrient concentrations of living branches, stem bark, stem sapwood, stem heartwood, stemwood and stem decreased with increasing branch diameter, bark thickness, sapwood thickness and heartwood thickness, respectively. Beyond a certain value of the predictive variable (stem diameter ≈ 15 cm; branch diameter ≈ 2.5 cm), the concentration of all the nutrients stabilised. • A 50 year-old pine stand was used to obtain a validation dataset for nitrogen concentration. For this nutrient, the regression relationships gave satisfactory estimates for most compartments (mean error = 12–25%) and particularly for the stem. • A procedure is proposed to estimate the nutrient exports associated with harvests of Pinus pinaster biomass. Résumé• L’objectif de cette étude est d’explorer la distribution des éléments majeurs (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) dans les compartiments aériens d’une essence gérée de manière intensive. Au total, 53 pins maritimes (Pinus pinaster Ait.) ont été abattus parmi des peuplements équiennes de 8, 16, 26, 32 et 40 ans. • Les concentrations en nutriments du feuillage ne varient pas pour une classe d’âge d’aiguilles donnée. Les concentrations des branches vivantes, de l’écorce, de l’aubier et du duramen décroissent lorsque le diamètre ou l’épaisseur du compartiment considéré augmente. La concentration de l’ensemble des nutriments devient constante lorsque la variable prédictive (diamètre ou épaisseur) atteint une valeur plateau. • Un jeu de données de validation pour les concentrations en azote, provenant d’un peuplement équienne de pins de 50 ans, permet de confirmer les performances satisfaisantes des modèles construits (erreur moyenne = 12–25 %) et en particulier pour le tronc. • Une procédure d’estimation des exportations de nutriments associées aux récoltes de biomasse de Pinus pinaster est présentée.
Relationship between occlusal force and mandibular condyle morphology. Evaluated by limited cone-beam computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the relationship between occlusal force and mandibular condyle morphology using clinical data. MATERIALS AND METHODS The subjects were 40 female patients with malocclusion. The mandibular condyle morphology was assessed by using limited cone-beam CT imaging. The maximum occlusal force was calculated by using pressure-sensitive films. Maxillofacial morphologies were analyzed by using data from lateral cephalograms. RESULTS Correlation analysis showed that the occlusal force was correlated with the lateral and posterior radii of the condyles, and with the mandibular plane angle to the Frankfort horizontal plane (FH). Moreover, condylar length was significantly correlated with the occlusal plane angle to the FH, the mandibular plane angle to the FH, the ramus inclination, and the posterior facial height (S-Go). Low-occlusal-force patients tended to have smaller mandibular condyles. This size-related difference was more remarkable on the lateral and posterior side. CONCLUSIONS Occlusal force influences not only maxillofacial morphology but also mandibular condyle morphology.
Utility Misperception in a Vertically Differentiated Duopoly

Abstract When choosing between two goods, consumers anticipate the utility they expect to derive from each product. However, such anticipations are subject to several sources of error, such as quality or price misperception and overoptimism about one’s capacity to use a product. The present paper studies the effect of inaccurate utility anticipations on consumer choice and ultimately on the market outcome in a vertically differentiated duopoly. I come to the conclusion that utility misperception can lead consumers to make suboptimal decisions ex post, although the choice seemed rational at the time of purchase. I show that in a vertically differentiated duopoly, firms are subject to two opposite incentives regarding consumer education. Moreover, the firms’ incentives to educate consumers are not necessarily aligned with the socially efficient outcome. Therefore, this paper also explores several policies aimed at mitigating the negative consequences of consumer misperception.
The Grass is Greener, But Why? Evidence of Employees’ Perceived Sector Mismatch from the US, New Zealand, and Taiwan

ABSTRACT To answer the question of who wants to work for the government, scholars have relied on a few approaches, including sector preference, sector-based comparison of work motives, and sector-switching patterns of job mobility. The present study offers a related but distinct approach: perceived sector mismatch. The attractiveness of public sector jobs differs greatly across countries; thus, in order to present a more comprehensive study, we examine data from the U.S., New Zealand, and Taiwan, where attitudes towards public sector jobs differ significantly as a result of different public service laws and traditions. Across all three samples, we find that, among private sector employees, the preference for a public service job is related to socio-economic disadvantage. Among public sector workers, reasons for perceived sector mismatch vary, but often suggesting job dissatisfaction in current public sector jobs, rather than perceived advantages of the private sector (including compensation). These findings are followed by theoretical and practical implications from this comparative study.
[Helicobacter pylori and chronic gastritis: relationship between infection and inflammatory activity in a high risk population for gastric cancer].

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori has been involved in gastric epithelial cell damage and gastric gland loss or atrophy. AIMS To evaluate role of Helicobacter pylori infection in acute and chronic changes of chronic gastritis in a high gastric cancer-risk population. MATERIAL AND METHODS 200 patients with chronic gastritis were selected from pathological files of Temuco Hospital. A complete histopathological protocol was fulfilled considering the presence of infection by Helicobacter pylori-like-organism (HLO), acute and chronic inflammatory infiltrate, epithelial cell damage and epithelial cell regeneration. RESULTS 82% of patients showed infection by HLO. Moreover, this infection reached a frequency of 92.7% in gastric ulcer patients and 94.4% in duodenal ulcer patients. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between HLO infection and polymorphonuclear infiltrate, lymphocytic infiltrate, mucus depletion and epithelial regenerative activity. There was not a statistical correlation between HLO infection and atrophy. Finally, 90% of patients with multifocal atrophic gastritis and 100% of patients with diffuse antral gastritis had HLO infection. CONCLUSIONS HLO gastric infection frequently caused acute inflammatory changes in gastric mucosa with chronic gastritis. Sometimes these changes were severe, with marked polymorphonuclear migration throughout epithelium and severe epithelial cell damage. Recovery of these changes could be considered as a goal in Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy decision.
Rural transformation, cereals and youth in Africa: What role for international agricultural research?

Young people are increasingly linked to targeted agriculture and food security interventions. In Africa, the argument is that the combination of agricultural value chains, technology and entrepreneurship will unlock a sweet spot for youth employment. This article examines this argument from a rural transformations perspective. A framework is proposed with which to analyse young people’s economic room to manoeuvre in different rural contexts and the differential abilities of young people to exploit associated opportunities. Using cereal agri-food systems as an example, the article identifies two new research areas that address important knowledge gaps: how young rural people in Africa engage with these systems and what pathways they use to become engaged. To address these questions, we propose an analytical framework built around key contextual factors that constrain or enable young people’s economic activity. By pursuing the proposed research agenda, international agricultural research could make important contributions to both agricultural policy debates and development-oriented interventions.
Retention of Basic Science Information by Senior Medical Students

Background Studies of retention of basic science information have commonly demonstrated a knowledge decline as students progress through medical education. This study examined item characteristics influencing patterns of retention. Method A large content and statistically representative sample of basic science items from 2004–2005 forms of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 was included in unscored sections of 2004–2005 USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) test forms, and the performance of 15,000+ first-time examinees from U.S. and Canadian schools was analyzed to identify item characteristics affecting retention. Results Across the 502 study items, the mean item difficulty on Step 1 was 76.1%; on Step 2 CK, this value declined to 69.7%. Performance declines were largest in Biochemistry (17.5%) and Microbiology (12.6%). Improvement was only observed for Behavioral Sciences items (8.7%). Conclusions Shifts in examinee performance in this study were similar to those observed in previous research, although the magnitude of the overall decline was somewhat larger.
The Relationship between Foreign Direct Investment, Economic Growth and Environmental Pollution in Vietnam: An Autoregressive Distributed Lags Approach

The nexus between economic growth, environmental pollution, and foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows has been intensively analyzed by a number of studies, but the empirical evidence more often than not remains controversial and ambiguous. This paper investigates the causal relationship between CO2 emissions, FDI and economic growth for Vietnam over the period 1986–2015. The empirical results provide a strong statistical evidence that overall there is the relationship, which has inverse U-shape between income per capita and environmental degradation in Vietnam. The turning point’s GDP per capita is about 3,145 US Dollar/year. This study suggests that policy-makers should control the environmental standards in the projects to improve environmental pollution and has attracted FDI of stability to achieve sustainable economic development for the long-run.
Cellular localization and expression patterns of interleukin‐10, interleukin‐4, and their receptors in multiple sclerosis lesions

Cytokines have been shown to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, still limited data are available on the expression of anti‐inflammatory cytokines within the central nervous system (CNS) during MS lesion development. Therefore, we have examined the expression of the anti‐inflammatory cytokines, interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) and IL‐4, and their specific receptors, IL‐10R and IL‐4R, in postmortem human brain tissue obtained from MS patients. Specific patterns of protein localization and expression for both proteins could be observed within active and chronic MS lesions. Strongest IL‐10 immunoreactivity was observed in reactive astrocytes within active demyelinating lesions and the hypercellular rim of chronic active MS lesions. Moreover, perivascular macrophages were immunoreactive for IL‐10 in (chronic) active MS lesions. Most intense IL‐4 immunoreactivity was detected in reactive fibrillary astrocytes within the hypocellular regions of chronic active and chronic inactive MS lesions. Strong immunoreactivity for IL‐10R and IL‐4R was detected on macrophages in both parenchymal and perivascular areas and on reactive astrocytes in active and chronic MS lesions. Our results indicate that IL‐10 and IL‐4 have an active role in CNS immune responses. The specific patterns of protein localization and protein expression for both IL‐10 and IL‐4 in MS lesions at different stages of development suggest that these anti‐inflammatory cytokines and their receptors participate in processes leading to the formation of chronic MS lesions. GLIA 38:24–35, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cross-linking with ultraviolet-a and riboflavin reduces corneal permeability.

PURPOSE To investigate the effect of cross-linking treatment on corneal permeability in a live animal model. METHODS Rabbit eyes were selected at random to be left unoperated or to undergo epithelial debridement with or without treatment consisting of cross-linking (CXL) with riboflavin and ultraviolet-A. Nine eyes received a total dose of 3.6 J/cm² and after epithelial healing the corneas were placed in a two-chamber system for quantification of the diffusion of fluorescein compared with controls. Thirty eyes received a total dose of 5.4 J/cm² and, after epithelial healing, in vivo corneal permeability was quantified as the pupillary response over a 30-minute period to a dose of topical pilocarpine compared with controls. RESULTS In the ex vivo assay, the mean permeability coefficient in the CXL group (2.42 × 10⁻⁷) was reduced when compared with the unoperated controls (3.73 × 10⁻⁷; P = 0.007) and to the eyes that received epithelial debridement alone (3.74 × 10⁻⁷; P = 0.01). In the in vivo permeability assay, the change in pupillary diameter at 30 minutes after pilocarpine administration was smaller in the CXL group (-1.9 mm), compared with the epithelial debridement group (-2.6 mm; P < 0.001) and with the unoperated controls (-2.7 mm; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS Corneal cross-linking with ultraviolet-A and riboflavin results in a statistically significant reduction in corneal permeability. These findings suggest that dosing of topical medications may need to be increased in eyes with a history of CXL to achieve expected therapeutic effects, and they may have implications for the long-term health of the cornea.
A coiled‐coil related protein specific for synapsed regions of meiotic prophase chromosomes.

Synaptonemal complexes (SCs) are structures that are formed between homologous chromosomes during meiotic prophase. They are probably involved in chromosome pairing and recombination. Using a monoclonal anti‐SC antibody we isolated cDNAs encoding a major component of SCs which is localized specifically in synapsed segments of meiotic prophase chromosomes. The protein predicted from the nucleotide sequence of a full‐length cDNA, named SCP1, consists of 946 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 111 kDa. It shares several features with nuclear lamins and some recently identified nuclear matrix proteins. The major part of SCP1 consists of long stretches capable of forming amphipathic alpha‐helices. This region shows amino acid sequence similarity to the coiled‐coil region of myosin heavy chain. A leucine zipper is included in this region. The carboxy‐terminus has two small basic domains and several S/T‐P‐X‐X motifs, which are characteristic of DNA‐binding proteins. One of these motifs is a potential target site for p34cdc2 protein kinase. The amino‐terminus is acidic and relatively proline‐rich, but does not contain the S/T‐P‐X‐X motif. The transcription of the gene encoding SCP1 is restricted to zygotene‐diplotene spermatocytes. A polyclonal antiserum raised against the fusion protein of one of the cDNA clones recognizes a single protein on Western blots of isolated SCs, with an electrophoretic mobility identical to that of the antigen recognized by the original monoclonal antibody (mAb), IX5B2. From a detailed comparison of the immunogold labelling of rat SCs by mAb IX5B2 and the polyclonal anti‐fusion protein antiserum respectively, we tentatively infer that the carboxy‐terminus of SCP1 is orientated towards the lateral elements and that the other domains of the protein extend towards the central region between the lateral elements. We conclude that SCP1 is the major component of the transverse filaments of SCs, and speculate that it has evolved by specialization of a nuclear matrix protein.
Receptor potentials of lizard cochlear hair cells with free‐standing stereocilia in response to tones.

Intracellular potentials were recorded with micropipettes from hair cells with free‐standing stereocilia in the cochleae of anaesthetized alligator lizards. Wave forms of intracellular responses to click stimuli were classified into three types: hair cells, supporting cells, and untuned cells. We studied primarily the responses of hair cells to tonal stimuli. For most frequencies, f, and levels, P, of tone‐burst stimuli, the response envelope of the receptor potential increases monotonically at the tone‐burst onset, and decreases monotonically at tone‐burst offset. Overshoot in the envelope of the response at the onset and offset of tone bursts is observed only for tone bursts of low f, high P, and short (approximately equal to 1 msec) rise/fall time. The steady‐state response to tones consists of a positive (depolarizing) d.c. component, V0, plus a.c. components (e.g. a fundamental component, V1, second harmonic, V2, and third harmonic, V3). The magnitudes of a.c. and d.c. components are functions of f and P, and show three characteristics: frequency selectivity, non‐linearity, and low‐pass filtering. The receptor potential is frequency selective. The frequency selectivity of V0 and V1 components was measured by means of iso‐voltage (iso‐V0 and iso‐V1) contours. Iso‐V0 and iso‐V1 contours are V‐shaped: the maximum sensitivity occurs at a characteristic frequency (c.f.). The shapes of these contours near the c.f. depend on the values of V0 and V1 at which the contours were measured and are sharper for lower values of V0 and V1. The mean slopes of the low‐ and high‐frequency sides of these contours are: ‐45.0 and +85.1 dB/decade for iso‐V0 contours (n = 26), and ‐33.6 and +103.8 dB/decade for iso‐V1 contours (n = 28). The receptor potential has non‐linear properties. The magnitudes and phase angles of V0, V1, V2, and V3 receptor‐potential components were measured as a function of P for different f. The slopes of level functions (the dependence of log V0 and log magnitude of V1 on log P) were measured at low levels for different f. For values of f differing from c.f. by more than a half‐octave, the slope for V0 is between 1 and 2 with a mean of 1.3; the slope for V1 is about 1, i.e. magnitude of V1 increases approximately linearly with P. For frequencies near c.f. , the slopes for V0 and V1 are approximately 0.8 and 0.5, respectively, indicating the presence of a compressive non‐linearity. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Maternal mRNA encoding the orphan steroid receptor SpCOUP-TF is localized in sea urchin eggs.

The SpCOUP-TF gene is a highly conserved sea urchin homologue of the vertebrate COUP-TFs and the Drosophila seven up subfamily of transcription factors, which are members of the orphan steroid hormone receptors. Whole-mount in situ hybridization experiments, using three sea urchin species, detect the maternal SpCOUP-TF mRNA deposited unevenly in the oocytes, mature eggs and the blastomeres of the early embryo. The localization pattern indicates that, in all three sea urchin species, the maternal SpCOUP-TF mRNA is placed in the egg in a fixed position relative to the embryonic axes, i.e. lateral to the animal-vegetal and at 45 degree angle to the oral-aboral (ventral-dorsal) axis. The embryonic expression of the SpCOUP-TF gene is spatially restricted in the oral ectoderm of the early embryo and, at later stages, in the cells of the ciliated band, the neurogenic cell lineage of the sea urchin embryo. The SpCOUP-TF mRNA, the first sea urchin maternal mRNA encoding a transcription factor that is specifically localized with respect to both embryonic axes in the egg, could be involved in early specification events in the sea urchin embryo.
Predicción de opinión going concern en clubes de fútbol: evidencia para la liga española

El principio contable de gestión continuada (going concern) ha sido foco de atención de la investigación financiera en las últimas décadas, y ha dado lugar al desarrollo de modelos de predicción de opiniones de auditoría calificadas por going concern que ayudan a evaluar la continuidad de las empresas. Dichos modelos se han centrado exclusivamente en empresas industriales y financieras. Sin embargo, no se ha creado un modelo específico que recoja las especiales características de la industria del fútbol. Dado que recientemente los órganos de gobierno de la industria del fútbol han aumentado el control financiero de los clubes, como es el caso de la UEFA con la aprobación del Reglamento de Fair Play Financiero, y exigen un pronunciamiento sobre going concern en las cuentas anuales de los clubes, parece necesario disponer de un modelo adaptado a las características propias de esta industria. El presente trabajo proporciona un modelo exclusivo de predicción de opiniones de auditoría calificadas por going concern en la industria del fútbol con una precisión que supera el 95%. También ofrece una visión de los desafíos a los que se enfrenta la industria del fútbol en materia financiera, ayudando a los distintos grupos de interés a evaluar las expectativas de continuidad de los clubes.