Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Renewable Energy Sustainability by Composite Index

Renewable energy is a global interest area in achieving sustainable development. Renewable energy sustainability has been assessed using the most commonly used dimensions of this concept: economic, environmental, social, and institutional dimensions. In this paper, we designed a composite index named the Renewable Energy Sustainability Index. The proposed index may represent a national monitoring mechanism that points out the strengths and weaknesses of a state in terms of renewable energy. The data were normalized by calculating the z-score. We tested the proposed index on a selection of 15 European countries ranked by final energy consumption and with different levels of development. The Kayser-Mayer-Olkin values were above the 0.700 limit, which indicates the robustness of each dimension. The proposed index reveals the development stages of renewable energy sustainability and can provide solutions to increase the sustainability of a country by improving positive impact indicators and mitigating negative impact indicators.
Performance analysis of hybrid scheme for semi-blind channel estimation in MIMO systems

The hybrid schemes for channel estimation are considered as the flexible structure satisfying demand of high data rate transmission in the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. Generally, the training-based least square (LS) algorithm is chosen in wide applications from the first generation wireless network to the newest one of MIMO. For resolving the bandwidth efficiency problem, we can combine the LS estimation with the pure blind techniques such as second-order statistics (SOS). In this paper, we attempt to find the hybrid scheme which is so-called semi-blind channel estimation and outperforms than the conventional LS based approaches. Simulation results confirm our modified scheme and illustrate that the subspace based new semi-blind channel estimation is capable of improving the performance of the overall system.
Trophoblast–Macrophage Interactions: a Regulatory Network for the Protection of Pregnancy

Problem Macrophages are one of the first immune cells observed at the implantation site. Their presence has been explained as the result of an immune response toward paternal antigens. The mechanisms regulating monocyte migration and differentiation at the implantation site are largely unknown. In the present study, we demonstrate that trophoblast cells regulate monocyte migration and differentiation. We propose that trophoblast cells ‘educate’ monocytes/macrophages to create an adequate environment that promote trophoblast survival.
L‐DOPA‐induced activation of striatal p38MAPK and CREB in neonatal dopaminergic denervated rat: Relevance to self‐injurious behavior

The destruction of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons with 6‐hydroxydopamine (6OHDA) during the neonatal period results in dopamine (DA) loss and susceptibility for self‐injurious behavior (SIB) when challenged with L‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA), via a supersensitive D1 receptor‐mediated mechanism. However, there are no changes in D1 receptor binding or mRNA levels, suggesting a potential postreceptor signaling mechanism(s). Here, we examined whether L‐DOPA‐induced SIB is associated with altered MAPK signaling (p38MAPK, ERK1/2, and JNK) and their nuclear target, CREB. Neonatal dopaminergic lesioned animals were challenged, as adults, with L‐DOPA, observed for SIB for 6 hr, and then sacrificed. The data were grouped as follows: control, lesioned rats without SIB (SIB–), and lesioned rats that were positive for SIB (SIB+). HPLC analysis of striatal extracts revealed a more significant loss of DA and an increase of serotonin in the SIB+ than in the SIB– group. The striatal levels of TH protein were severely decreased, but D1 receptor levels were unaltered in the lesioned groups. These results confirm and extend previous studies indicating that SIB is associated with a near‐total loss of DA and TH, an increase in serotonin, and no change in D1 receptor levels. The present studies further revealed that the levels of active phosphorylated forms of p38MAPK and CREB were significantly higher in the SIB+ group than in the SIB– group in the striatum, but not in cortex or olfactory tubercle. The results indicate an induction of striatal p38MAPK and an activation of its nuclear target, CREB, as additional mechanisms in the genesis of L‐DOPA‐induced SIB. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cardiac ischemia during weaning from mechanical ventilation.

In this prospective study, we measured the ST segments, heart rate-systolic BP product (RPP), respiratory rate to tidal volume ratio (RVR), and pulse oximetry saturations of patients in our medical/cardiac ICUs before and during weaning from mechanical ventilation. Ninety-three patients were enrolled with a mean age of 66.5 +/- 15.0 years (mean +/- SD), mean acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) II score of 16.0 +/- 6.9, and mean duration of mechanical ventilation of 5.2 +/- 8.6 days. Forty-nine patients had coronary artery disease (CAD). Six of 93 patients (6.4%) experienced ECG evidence of ischemia during weaning. Five of these six had a precedent history of CAD and four failed initial weaning attempts (22% of patients with CAD who failed weaning). The RPP, for the group as a whole, increased significantly during weaning from 12.0 +/- 3.1 to 13.4 +/- 4.0 mm Hg.bpm. 10(3) (p<0.01). The rate to volume ratio did not change significantly during weaning, except in the subgroup of patients who failed to wean, in whom it increased from 98.4 +/- 45.2 to 124.9 +/- 54.9 bpm/L (p<0.05). Oxygenation also decreased significantly from 0.98 +/- 0.02 to 0.96 +/- 0.03 and was significantly associated with weaning failure (risk ratio [RR]=3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.7 to 9.0). Thirty-seven patients failed the initial weaning attempt. Cardiac ischemia (RR= 1.8; 95% CI=1.0 to 3.4) and an increased RVR (RR=1.7; 95% CI=0.9 to 3.4) tended to increase the risk of weaning failure. Cardiac ischemia, although infrequent (6%) in the general population of weaning medical/cardiac ICU patients, should be considered in patients with CAD who fail to wean.
Rituximab versus azathioprine for maintenance in ANCA-associated vasculitis.

BACKGROUND The combination of cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoids leads to remission in most patients with antineutrophil cytoplasm antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides. However, even when patients receive maintenance treatment with azathioprine or methotrexate, the relapse rate remains high. Rituximab may help to maintain remission. METHODS Patients with newly diagnosed or relapsing granulomatosis with polyangiitis, microscopic polyangiitis, or renal-limited ANCA-associated vasculitis in complete remission after a cyclophosphamide-glucocorticoid regimen were randomly assigned to receive either 500 mg of rituximab on days 0 and 14 and at months 6, 12, and 18 after study entry or daily azathioprine until month 22. The primary end point at month 28 was the rate of major relapse (the reappearance of disease activity or worsening, with a Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score >0, and involvement of one or more major organs, disease-related life-threatening events, or both). RESULTS The 115 enrolled patients (87 with granulomatosis with polyangiitis, 23 with microscopic polyangiitis, and 5 with renal-limited ANCA-associated vasculitis) received azathioprine (58 patients) or rituximab (57 patients). At month 28, major relapse had occurred in 17 patients in the azathioprine group (29%) and in 3 patients in the rituximab group (5%) (hazard ratio for relapse, 6.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.56 to 27.96; P=0.002). The frequencies of severe adverse events were similar in the two groups. Twenty-five patients in each group (P=0.92) had severe adverse events; there were 44 events in the azathioprine group and 45 in the rituximab group. Eight patients in the azathioprine group and 11 in the rituximab group had severe infections, and cancer developed in 2 patients in the azathioprine group and 1 in the rituximab group. Two patients in the azathioprine group died (1 from sepsis and 1 from pancreatic cancer). CONCLUSIONS More patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides had sustained remission at month 28 with rituximab than with azathioprine. (Funded by the French Ministry of Health; MAINRITSAN ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00748644; EudraCT number, 2008-002846-51.).
Impact of trade cost on China-EU agri-food trade

ABSTRACT In this research, we investigate trade costs in relation to China-EU trade in agri-food products during 2001–2015. Major components of trade cost include transportation costs, border-related policy barriers such as tariffs, and local distribution costs. Our results indicate that trade costs between China and EU involving agri-food products, although falling, remain abnormally high. Consequently, we find that trade cost reductions contribute to over half of the overall China-EU trade growth. Our decomposition technique demonstrates that economic growth and trade cost reductions are the key drivers of China-EU trade expansion. Implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) would reduce high trade costs to increase EU-China bilateral agricultural trade significantly. This is not fully captured in the gravity models where a static distance is usually used as a proxy to trade cost. The BRI will not reduce the distance, but it will cut transportation and other components of trade cost for China-EU trade.
Simulations of the contractile cycle in cell migration using a bio-chemical–mechanical model

Cell migration relies on traction forces in order to propel a cell. Several computational models have been developed that help explain the trajectory that cells take during migration, but little attention has been placed on traction forces during this process. Here, we investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of cell migration by using a bio-chemical–mechanical contractility model that incorporates the first steps of cell migration on an array of posts. In the model, formation of a new adhesion causes a reactivation of stress fibre assembly within a cell. The model was able to predict the spatial distribution of traction forces observed with previous experiments. Moreover, the model found that the strain energy exerted by the traction forces of a migrating cell underwent a cyclic relationship that rose with the formation of a new adhesion and fell with the release of an adhesion at its rear.
Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Without Comorbid Psychiatric Conditions: A Systematic Review of Therapeutic Options

ObjectivesPremenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a disabling condition affecting approximately 2% to 8% of women during reproductive age. It has been recently included in the mood disorder section of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, but its treatment as a primary psychiatric illness is still debated, because of the high prevalence of other mental disturbances in PMDD patients. On the other hand, clear clinical guidelines for PMDD patients not suffering from comorbid mental conditions are not yet available. The aim of the present study was therefore to systematically review the original articles pertaining to the treatment of PMDD in adult women free of any current or previous psychiatric comorbidity. MethodsWe searched PubMed to identify published studies on PMDD, including randomized controlled trials, open-label trials, and case series or case reports involving adult women with no history of comorbid mental conditions. The search was conducted in April 2015. ResultsWe found 55 studies fulfilling our inclusion criteria, 49 of them focused on pharmacological/chemical agents and the remaining 6 on nonpharmacological interventions. ConclusionsBased on the results of our qualitative synthesis, the best therapeutic option in the treatment of adult PMDD patients free of other mental disorders are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (especially paroxetine and fluoxetine) and low doses of oral estroprogestins. Other interventions, such as light therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, food supplements, and herbal medicines, showed promising effects, but other investigations are needed to confirm their efficacy.
Effects of Nicorandil on Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Rats

We investigated whether nicorandil might prevent and reverse monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension. Rats were injected with 50 mg/kg of MCT subcutaneously and randomized to either 7.5 mg/kg/d of nicorandil in drinking water or placebo for 3 weeks. Animals that were treated with MCT and survived for 3 weeks were assigned to either nicorandil or placebo. Nicorandil markedly attenuated pulmonary arterial hypertension with severe structural remodeling of the pulmonary vessels. The survival rate at 3 weeks after treatment was significantly increased in the nicorandil group compared with the placebo group (73% versus 39%, P < 0.05). In the placebo group, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein was significantly decreased, the numbers of the CD45-positive cells and those of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells were increased in the lung tissue, and P-selectin was intensely expressed on the endothelium of the pulmonary arteries. These features were prevented by nicorandil. Late treatment with nicorandil did not palliate established pulmonary arterial hypertension nor improved survival. Thus, nicorandil inhibited development of MCT-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension but failed to reverse it. These effects were associated with marked up-regulation of diminished lung eNOS protein along with improvement of pulmonary vascular endothelial activation and anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects in the lung tissue.
Recognition of nonverbal communication of emotion after traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND Individuals who have had a traumatic brain injury (TBI) often have difficulty processing nonverbal communication (Ekman, 1976) The published research in this area has focused on a TBI patient's ability to recognize facial expression, vocal intonation, and postural expression (Croker, 2005; Hopkins, Dywan & Segalowitz, 2002). OBJECTIVE This study compared the non-verbal processing skills of brain-injured patients versus non-injured controls in all three domains. METHODS The stimuli were photographs of facial and postural expressions and audio recordings of intonational expressions. RESULTS The results indicated that persons with TBI have particular difficulty recognizing non-verbal communication resulting from vocal intonations. CONCLUSIONS The TBI patients had difficulty processing tonality, therefore, it is reasonable to suggest that clinicians, friends, and family members should emphasize the explicit verbal content of spoken language when speaking to a person with TBI.
Sex and nitric oxide bioavailability interact to modulate interstitial Po2 in healthy rat skeletal muscle.

Premenopausal women express reduced blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease relative to age-matched men. This purportedly relates to elevated estrogen levels increasing nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity and NO-mediated vasorelaxation. We tested the hypotheses that female rat skeletal muscle would: 1) evince a higher O2 delivery-to-utilization ratio (Q̇o2/V̇o2) during contractions; and 2) express greater modulation of Q̇o2/V̇o2 with changes to NO bioavailability compared with male rats. The spinotrapezius muscle of Sprague-Dawley rats (females = 8, males = 8) was surgically exposed and electrically-stimulated (180 s, 1 Hz, 6 V). OxyphorG4 was injected into the muscle and phosphorescence quenching employed to determine the temporal profile of interstitial Po2 (Po2is, determined by Q̇o2/V̇o2). This was performed under three conditions: control (CON), 300 µM sodium nitroprusside (SNP; NO donor), and 1.5 mM Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME; NOS blockade) superfusion. No sex differences were found for the Po2is kinetics parameters in CON or l-NAME ( P > 0.05), but females elicited a lower baseline following SNP (males 42 ± 3 vs. females 36 ± 2 mmHg, P < 0.05). Females had a lower ΔPo2is during contractions following SNP (males 22 ± 3 vs. females 17 ± 2 mmHg, P < 0.05), but there were no sex differences for the temporal response to contractions ( P > 0.05). The total NO effect (SNP minus l-NAME) on Po2is was not different between sexes. However, the spread across both conditions was shifted to a lower absolute range for females (reduced SNP baseline and greater reduction following l-NAME). These data support that females have a greater reliance on basal NO bioavailability and males have a greater responsiveness to exogenous NO and less responsiveness to reduced endogenous NO. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Interstitial Po2 (Po2is; determined by O2 delivery-to-utilization matching) plays an important role for O2 flux into skeletal muscle. We show that both sexes regulate Po2is at similar levels at rest and during skeletal muscle contractions. However, modulating NO bioavailability exposes sex differences in this regulation with females potentially having a greater reliance on basal NO bioavailability and males having a greater responsiveness to exogenous NO and less responsiveness to reduced endogenous NO.
Studying Work in Theory and Practice: Insights for a Globalising Academia from the IR Trajectory in Italy

This article investigates the relevance of context to the study of industrial relations by analysing the trajectory of an under-researched case outside the Anglo-Saxon hotspots, Italy. Three phases are put under the spotlight revealing a trajectory anchored to the pluralist fulcrum, but with influence first from radical perspectives and then from unitarist ones.
Lung function development in the first 2 yr of life is independent of allergic diseases by 2 yr

The aim of the study was to assess if lung function at birth predicts lung function at 2 yr and secondly, if lung function development was influenced by the common phenotypes of recurrent bronchial obstruction (rBO) or atopic eczema (AE) by 2 yr. Lung function was assessed at birth (n = 802) and at 2 yr within the prospective birth cohort study ‘the Environment and Childhood Asthma Study’ in Oslo. The 135 children with lung function measured at birth by tidal flow volume (TFV) loops and passive respiratory mechanics, who were included in a nested case–control study were reinvestigated at 2 yr with clinical examination, TFV loops (n = 90) (mean age 26.6 (3.7 s.d.) months), skin prick test and parental interview. Children were categorized into quartiles (lower, middle two, upper) according to time to peak tidal expiratory flow/total expiratory time (tPTEF/tE) at birth as well as clinical phenotype based on the presence of rBO and/or AE (ever) by 2 yr. The observed reduction in mean tPTEF/tE from birth to 2 yr within the quartiles, were not significantly different after controlling for ‘regression to the mean’. tPTEF/tE at birth correlated significantly with tPTEF/tE at 2 yr, (r = 0.475, p < 0.001). Children with both rBO and AE by 2 yr had significantly lower tPTEF/tE at 2 yr (p = 0.002) and at birth (p = 0.027), compared with children with no rBO or AE. Clinical phenotype at 2 yr did not influence the change in tPTEF/tE from birth to 2 yr. This study demonstrates a clear tracking of lung function from birth, not influenced by rBO or AE by 2 yr.
Delta hepatitis in homosexual men in the united states

To assess the incidence and prevalence of delta hepatitis in homosexual men, we tested serum specimens for delta markers in participants in two previous studies: a hepatitis B vaccine trial among homosexual men conducted in the early 1980′s and the Centers for Disease Control sentinel counties hepatitis study for 1983–1984. In the vaccine trial, men found to be hepatitis B surface antigen positive at the time of enrollment and those men who had serologic evidence of new hepatitis B virus infection during follow‐up were tested. In the sentinel counties study that determined risk factors for viral hepatitis in reported cases, all homosexual men with acute and chronic hepatitis B virus infections were tested for delta markers. Specimens were tested for delta antigen and IgM and total delta antibody. In seven different cities, among 321 men found to be HBsAg positive at the time of screening, eight (2%) were positive for any delta marker. Among 290 men with new hepatitis B virus infections during follow‐up, three (two coinfections, one superinfection) had serologic evidence of delta hepatitis. In the sentinel counties study, 0/63 acute hepatitis B virus infections in homosexual men were associated with delta hepatitis. This study indicates that the delta agent is an infrequent cause of viral hepatitis in homosexual men in the United States.
Using Vulnerability Analysis to Model Attack Scenario for Collaborative Intrusion Detection

Intrusion detection is an important part of network security protection. Traditional intrusion detection systems (IDSs) only focus on low-level attacks and raise alerts independently, though there may be logical connections between them. At the same time, the amount of alerts becomes unmanageable including actual alerts mixed with false alerts. Therefore, improved techniques are needed. The general idea is to introduce collaboration achieved by taking advantage of vulnerability analysis as contextual information and thus enable IDSs to correctly identify successful attacks while simultaneously reducing the number of false positives and providing a stronger validation attack scenario. In particular, with the verification pattern with precondition and effect of successful attack and necessary context (mainly modeled as host and connectivity information), the architecture that proposes in this paper can reduce the false alert rate and identify true alerts corresponding to successful attacks to construct attack scenario. Through the experimental results with DARPA Data Sets 2000 from Lincoln laboratory and the Treasure Hunt Dataset, it demonstrates the potential of the proposed techniques.
Tax Decentralisation, Labour productivity and Employment

Tax decentralisation should improve the efficiency of local governments and ultimately boost output growth. The empirical evidence is however mixed. The current work looks at two channels through which tax decentralisation may affect economic growth: labour productivity and employment rate. The empirical analysis conducted on 20 OECD countries over the period 1980-2010 shows that the ultimate effect of fiscal decentralisation on growth depends on which channel prevails, thus rendering the direct estimation of tax decentralisation on growth ambiguous. Tax decentralisation make the employment rate grow faster, while it has either no effect of reduces labour productivity growth. When the analysis is conducted using an IV approach with instruments based on institutional similarities and geographic distance, the positive and significant effect on employment rate growth is offset by the reduction of labour productivity growth, resulting in the absence of any statistically significant effect on output growth.
Monte Carlo simulation of multilevel switching in hybrid CMOS/memristive nanoelectronic circuits

Conductance variations in nanoelectronic resistive switches seriously affect the performance of hybrid CMOS/memristive circuits. In order to capture cycle-to-cycle variability by circuit simulation a standard model was extended for resistive switches based on the electrochemical metallization effect. The extension incorporates an additional process that simulates the randomness of the filament growth and is prepared to be executable on standard circuit simulation platforms. The results show that the randomness of filament growth significantly affects the conductance variations and needs to be considered for circuit simulation of scaled devices.