Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Single-Stage Three-Phase Differential-Mode Buck-Boost Inverters With Continuous Input Current for PV Applications

Differential-mode buck-boost inverters have merits such as reduced switch number, ability to provide voltages higher or lower than the input voltage magnitude, improved efficiency, reduced cost and size, and increased power density, especially in low-power applications. There are five buck-boost inverters that can provide flexible output voltage without the need of a large electrolytic input side capacitor, which degrades the reliability of inverters. The continuous input current of these inverters is appropriate for maximum power point tracking operation in photovoltaic and fuel cells applications. Three of the five inverters can be isolated with high-frequency-link transformers where the common-mode leakage current can be mitigated. However, the performance and control of such converters have not been discussed in detail. In this paper, the five possible single-stage three-phase differential-mode buck-boost inverters with continuous input current are investigated and compared in terms of total losses, maximum ripple current, total harmonic distortion, and device and passive element ratings. In addition, the possible methods are presented for eliminating the input third-order harmonic current, resulting from the stored energy in the passive elements, as well as the output second-order harmonic currents. The ability for isolating the input and output sides of the inverters with a small-high frequency transformers is discussed. A changeable-terminal 2.5-kW bidirectional inverter is used to validate the design flexibility of the inverter topologies, when digital signal processor-controlled.
Podocytic degeneration and regeneration in puromycin aminonucleoside nephropathy in the rat

In various types of chronic glomerulonephritis, proliferation of mesangial and endothelial cells is often seen together with extracellular matrix accumulation. In contrast, the proliferation of visceral glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) has not been detected in any disease in which these cells are the principal target of injury. To examine whether proliferation of podocytes occurs, puromycin aminonucleoside nephropathy was induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneal injection of puromycin aminonucleoside (15mg/100g of bodyweight). In this nephropathy model of nephrotic syndrome with minimal change, the main lesions consisted of vacuolation and flattened foot processes of podocytes, which are the primary target of puromycin aminonucleoside. Urine protein excretion and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) positive cells were examined. The PCNA+ podocytic count reached its maximum on day 3, indicating that the most marked podocytic proliferation occurs just after the injection of PAN. Twenty‐four hour urinary excretion in this nephropathy model supported the hypothesis that mitosis of podocytes occurs in association with recovery on day 13.
Nile Journal of Business and Economics

The objective of this paper had been to shed light on the importance of infrastructure and human capital on industrialization in Nigeria using time series data from 1970 to 2014. The methodology adopted in this paper was first to trace the historical background of the data using such tests as mean, minimum and maximum values, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis and Jarque-Bera tests. Second, in order to smoothen the data and reduce white noise, the paper adopted Augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron tests for unit root and for co-integration, the paper used Engle-Granger two-step procedure and Johansen method. The paper captured the interrelationship among the variables with Pairwise Granger causality test. Thirdly, the paper proceeded to use Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation technique. The co-integration tests using Engle-Granger two-step and Johansen methods showed that the series are co-integrated, thus, the use of OLS satisfies the Best Linear Unbiased Estimator (BLUE) with minimum variance property. The parsimonious results suggest that gross domestic investment, electricity supply and trade openness are the required elements to accelerate the pace of industrialization in Nigeria. This implied that providing adequate and stable supply of electricity, deepening public and private investments as well as opening the economy to the vagaries of international trade has short and long-termed lasting effect on industrial development. The policy perspective is that government should prioritize the generation and distribution of electricity, increase the quantum of investments in road infrastructure and opening of the economy in order to accelerate the pace of industrialization.
The p56lck SH2 domain mediates recruitment of CD8/p56lck to the activated T cell receptor/CD3/ζ complex

The CD4 or CD8 co‐receptors and the T cell receptor (TCR) are thought to interact with the same antigen‐presenting major histocompatibility complex molecule in a stable ternary complex. Therefore, the TCR and its co‐receptor need to come into close proximity on the surface of the T cell. We have previously shown that the interaction of the p56lck SH2 domain with ζ‐associated, tyrosine phosphorylated ZAP‐70 and Syk kinases leads to an enhanced association of CD4 with TCR/CD3/ζ complex after CD3 stimulation of Jurkat cells. In this report, we analyzed whether a similar mechanism can mediate recruitment of the CD8αβ and CD8αβ isoforms to the TCR. We demonstrate in vivo in association of CD8αα/p56lck with the tyrosine kinase ZAP‐70 after CD3 stimulation of Jurkat cells. A phosphopeptide competing in vitro for the binding of tyrosine phosphorylated proteins to the SH2 domain of p56lck specifically impedes the association of ZAP‐70 with CD8αα/p56lck without affecting the ζ/ZAP‐70 interaction. The same peptide is able to compete for the activation‐dependent association of the CD8αα or CD8αβ isoform with the TCR/CD3/ζ complex. Moreover, co‐precipitation of the TCR with both CD8 isoforms was observed after CD3 stimulation. These findings strongly suggest that the p56lck SH2 domain mediates recruitment of CD8/p56lck to the activated TCR/CD3/ζ complex.
Resolution of ST-segment depression: A new prognostic marker in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

AIMS To evaluate the prognostic impact of ST depression resolution among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary PCI in the Assessment of Pexelizumab in Acute Myocardial Infarction (APEX-AMI) trial. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, 4729 of 5745 patients had analysable ECGs demonstrating concomitant ST-segment depression. Resolution of summation operatorST elevation (STE-R) and summation operatorST depression (STD-R) on 30 min post-PCI ECGs was dichotomized into those with > or =50 vs. <50% ST-segment resolution. Overall, 1143 patients (24%) had STD-R<50%. These patients had higher risk characteristics including older age, female sex, diabetes, hypertension, prior CHF/MI, Killip class >I, triple vessel disease, and less frequent TIMI 3 flow in the culprit coronary vessel post-PCI. After multivariable adjustment and accounting for STE-R, STD-R<50% remained an independent predictor for 90 day death and the composite of death, cardiogenic shock, or CHF. When compared with patients with both STE-R and STD-R> or =50%, patients with both STE-R and STD-R<50% had the worst outcomes [hazard ratios (HR) 90 day death: 2.54; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.71-3.77; HR 90 day composite: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.63-2.91]. CONCLUSION When ST depression is present in STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI, STD-R<50% provides independent prognostic value that is incremental to STE-R.
Schooling for Digital Citizens

This study explored the Lebanese teachers’ perceptions regarding their knowledge, practice and self-efficacy pertaining to digital citizenship. Data were collected from 378 teacher participants from public schools in Beirut, Lebanon. The study used mixed methods employing an adapted form of Rible’s (2015) survey on digital citizenship, alongside a structured focus group interview with 8 teachers drawn randomly from the pool of participant schools. Findings suggest that Lebanese teachers have dispersed and unbalanced perceptions of the concept of digital citizenship, limited practice, and recessive self-efficacy. The study recommends that successful endeavours towards establishing efficient digital citizenship should start with the reconstruction of teachers’ knowledge and level of awareness pertaining to digital citizenship.
Latanoprost-Induced Prostaglandin-Associated Periorbitopathy

Purpose To report, with supporting photo-documentation, cases of latanoprost-induced prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy (PAP). Case Series Retrospective small case series with three cases. Chart review with photo-documentation of clinical features of prostaglandin-associated periorbitopathy resulting from latanoprost use. Patients developed involution of dermatochalasia, blepharoptosis, deepening of orbital sulci, and flattening of lower eyelid bags after a mean usage period of 6 years (3 to 8 years). Conclusions Latanoprost can cause PAP, although it has a lower risk and longer latency of onset than those with bimatoprost and travoprost. Clinicians should be aware of this side effect and monitor for signs periodically. Chronic unilateral prostaglandin use may cause unfavorable asymmetry in the appearance of the periorbital area.
Disruption of the G1/S Transition in Human Papillomavirus Type 16 E7-Expressing Human Cells Is Associated with Altered Regulation of Cyclin E

ABSTRACT The development of neoplasia frequently involves inactivation of the p53 and retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor pathways and disruption of cell cycle checkpoints that monitor the integrity of replication and cell division. The human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) oncoproteins, E6 and E7, have been shown to bind p53 and Rb, respectively. To further delineate the mechanisms by which E6 and E7 affect cell cycle control, we examined various aspects of the cell cycle machinery. The low-risk HPV-6 E6 and E7 proteins did not cause any significant change in the levels of cell cycle proteins analyzed. HPV-16 E6 resulted in very low levels of p53 and p21 and globally elevated cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity. In contrast, HPV-16 E7 had a profound effect on several aspects of the cell cycle machinery. A number of cyclins and CDKs were elevated, and despite the elevation of the levels of at least two CDK inhibitors, p21 and p16, CDK activity was globally increased. Most strikingly, cyclin E expression was deregulated both transcriptionally and posttranscriptionally and persisted at high levels in S and G2/M. Transit through G1 was shortened by the premature activation of cyclin E-associated kinase activity. Elevation of cyclin E levels required both the CR1 and CR2 domains of E7. These data suggest that cyclin E may be a critical target of HPV-16 E7 in the disruption of G1/S cell cycle progression and that the ability of E7 to regulate cyclin E involves activities in addition to the release of E2F.
Activation of neurons projecting to the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus by intravenous lipopolysaccharide

The central nervous system interacts with the immune system to coordinate several components of the acute phase response, although the specific neuroanatomical pathways that mediate these responses are still uncharacterized. However, neurons in both the autonomic and endocrine components of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) are characteristically activated in different models of immune stimulation. In the current study, we have used intravenous administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 5 or 125 μg/kg) to induce the acute phase response. We subsequently coupled immunohistochemistry for Fos (as a marker of neuronal activation) with retrograde transport of the neuroanatomical tracer cholera toxin‐b from the PVH. Several of the activated cell groups directly projected to the paraventricular nucleus, including the visceromotor (infralimbic) cortex, median preoptic nucleus, ventrome‐dial preoptic area, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, parabrachial nucleus, ventrolateral medulla, and nucleus of the solitary tract. These findings indicate that immune system stimulation activates cell groups from multiple nervous system levels that project to the paraventricular nucleus. We hypothesize that the activation of specific autonomic and endocrine elements of the PVH may be due to the activity of distinct afferents that converge on the PVH from multiple components of the central autonomic control system. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that the PVH plays a key role in integrating diverse physiological cues into the varied manifestations that constitute the cerebral component of the acute phase response. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Selection of optimal narrowband multispectral images for face recognition. (Sélection des bandes spectrales optimales pour la reconnaissance des visages)

Face recognition systems based on ’conventional’ images have reached a significant level of maturity with some practical successes. However, their performance may degrade under poor and/or changing illumination. Multispectral imagery represents a viable alternative to conventional imaging in the search for a robust and practical identification system. Multi- spectral imaging (MI) can be defined as a ’collection of several monochrome images of the same scene, each of them taken with additional receptors sensitive to other frequencies of the visible light or to frequencies beyond the visible light like the infrared region of electro- magnetic continuum. Each image is referred to as a band or a channel. However, one weakness of MI is that they may significantly increase the system processing time because of the huge quantity of data to be mined; in some cases, hundreds of MI are taken for each subject. In this thesis, we propose to solve this problem by developing new approaches to select the set of best visible spectral bands for face matching. For this purpose, the problem of best spectral bands selection is formulated as an optimization problem where spectral bands are constrained to maximize the recognition accuracy under challenging imaging conditions. We reduce the redundancy of both spectral and spatial information without losing valuable details needed for the object recognition, discrimination and classification. We have investigated several mathematic and optimization tools widely used in the field of image processing. One of the approaches we have proposed formulated the problem of best spectral bands selection as a pursuit problem where weights of importance were affected to each spectral band and the vector of all weights was constrained to be sparse with most of its elements are zeros. In another work, we have assigned to each spectral band a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based weak classifier. Then, all weak classifiers were boosted together using an Adaboost process. From this later, each weak classifier obtained a weight that characterizes its importance and hence the quality of the corresponding spectral band. Several other techniques were also used for best spectral bands selection including but not limited to mixture of Gaussian based modeling, multilinear sparse decomposition, image quality factors, local descriptors like SURF and HGPP, likelihood ratio and so on. These different techniques enabled to build systems for best spectral bands selection that are either static with the same bands are selected for all the subjects or dynamic with each new subject get its own set of best bands. This latter category, dynamic systems, is an original component of our work that, to the best of our knowledge, has not been proposed before; all existing systems are only static. Finally, the proposed algorithms were compared to state-of-the-art algorithms developed for face recognition purposes in general and specifically for best spectral bands selection.
How different advertising formats and calls to action on videos affect advertising recognition and consequent behaviours

ABSTRACT With theoretical foundations grounded on the Persuasion Knowledge Model, we conducted an online experiment to examine how the formats and calls to action (CTA) of Facebook’s native advertising impact consumers’ recognition in a specific advertisement. A 3 × 3 factorial between-subjects design was employed. We found that presenting an advertisement in a video format and a CTA using a ‘shop now’ function can increase advertising recognition when compared to other approaches. Additionally, we also found that different levels of advertising recognition generally lead to different levels of perceived entertainment, credibility, irritation, and behavioural share intention, and to different levels of understanding of persuasive intention.
Neuroprotective effects of hydrogen sulfide and the underlying signaling pathways

Abstract Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is an endogenously produced gas that represents a novel third gaseous signaling molecule, neurotransmitter and cytoprotectant. Cystathionine β-synthase (CBS), cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase with cysteine aminotransferase (3-MST/CAT) and 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfur transferase with d-amino acid oxidase (3-MST/DAO) pathways are involved in the generation of endogenous H2S despite the ubiquitous or restricted distribution of those enzymes. CBS, 3-MST/CAT and 3-MST/DAO can be found in the brain, while CSE is widely located in other organs. There also exist up-taking or recycling and scavenging mechanisms in H2S metabolism to maintain its persistence for physiological function. In recent years, investigating the role that H2S plays in the central nervous system and cardiovascular system has always been a hotspot. To date, effects of H2S are at least partially verified in multiple animal models or neuron cell lines of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral ischemia, major depression disorders and febrile seizure, although subsequent studies are still badly needed. This article presents an overview of current knowledge of H2S focusing on its neuroprotective effects and corresponding signaling pathways, together with connections to potential therapeutic strategies in the clinic.
Eukaryotic Translational Coupling in UAAUG Stop-Start Codons for the Bicistronic RNA Translation of the Non-Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposon SART1

ABSTRACT Most eukaryotic cellular mRNAs are monocistronic; however, many retroviruses and long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons encode multiple proteins on a single RNA transcript using ribosomal frameshifting. Non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposons are considered the ancestor of LTR retrotransposons and retroviruses, but their translational mechanism of bicistronic RNA remains unknown. We used a baculovirus expression system to produce a large amount of the bicistronic RNA of SART1, a non-LTR retrotransposon of the silkworm, and were able to detect the second open reading frame protein (ORF2) by Western blotting. The ORF2 protein was translated as an independent protein, not as an ORF1-ORF2 fusion protein. We revealed by mutagenesis that the UAAUG overlapping stop-start codon and the downstream RNA secondary structure are necessary for efficient ORF2 translation. Increasing the distance between the ORF1 stop codon and the ORF2 start codon decreased translation efficiency. These results are different from the eukaryotic translation reinitiation mechanism represented by the yeast GCN4 gene, in which the probability of reinitiation increases as the distance between the two ORFs increases. The translational mechanism of SART1 ORF2 is analogous to translational coupling observed in prokaryotes and viruses. Our results indicate that translational coupling is a general mechanism for bicistronic RNA translation.
Children's views of communication and speech-language pathology

Children have the right to express their views and influence decisions in matters that affect them. Yet decisions regarding speech-language pathology are often made on their behalf, and research into the perspectives of children who receive speech-language pathology intervention is currently limited. This paper reports a qualitative study which explored experiences of communication and of speech-language pathology from the perspectives of children with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN). The aim was to explore their perspectives of communication, communication impairment, and assistance. Eleven school-children participated in the study, aged between 7–10 years. They were recruited through a speech-language pathology service in south west England, to include a range of ages and severity of difficulties. The study used open-ended interviews within which non-verbal activities such as drawing, taking photographs, and compiling a scrapbook were used to create a context for supported conversations. Findings were analysed according to the principles of grounded theory. Three ways of talking about communication emerged. These were in terms of impairment, learning, and behaviour. Findings offer insight into dialogue between children with SLCN and adults; the way communication is talked about has implications for children's view of themselves, their skills, and their participation.
Influence of Chronic Renal Failure on Stereoselective Metoprolol Metabolism in Hypertensive Patients

The influence of chronic renal failure on the stereoselective metabolism of rac‐metoprolol was investigated in 15 hypertensive patients, 7 of them with chronic renal failure and 8 with normal renal function. They were treated with rac‐metoprolol (200 mg) for 7 days. The patients of both groups presented stereoselectivity in metoprolol metabolism, favoring the formation of 1'R‐α‐hydroxymetoprolol (AUC0–241'R/1'S ≅ 2.5) and (R)‐metoprolol acidic metabolite (AUC(S)/(R)0–24 ≅ 0.8), the latter resulting in the plasma accumulation of (S)‐metoprolol (AUC(S)/(R)0–24 ≅ 1.2). Patients with chronic renal failure presented plasma accumulation of the 4 α‐hydroxymetoprolol isomers and of both metoprolol acidic metabolite enantiomers. A 50% reduction in ClR does not explain the 3‐ to 4‐fold plasma accumulation of metoprolol acidic metabolite in this group, suggesting that other pathways of metoprolol elimination are affected in chronic renal failure in addition to renal excretion. Chronic renal failure does not change the stereoselective kinetic disposition of metoprolol but modifies its stereoselective metabolism, inducing some of the CYP enzymes involved in the formation of the metoprolol acid metabolite.
Advocacy for women migrant workers in Malaysia through an intersectionality lens

Analysing labour migration through the lens of intersectionality provides valuable insights into the complex identities of women migrant workers and the multiple discriminations they struggle with. Intersectionality advocates argue that only through adopting such an approach can women’s multiple discriminations be challenged. Drawing on a case study of seven non-governmental organisations and one focus group of women migrant workers in a non-Western context, Malaysia, we explore how advocacy organisations understand, interpret and adopt an intersectional approach in advancing the rights of its women migrant workers. We show that there are challenges, specific to the local context, which reduce the likelihood of organisations doing so. The Malaysian experience likely has significance for similar advocacy in other Asian countries.