Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis, treatment, and management of echinococcosis

#### Summary points Echinococcosis (hydatid disease) is caused by the larvae of dog and fox tapeworms (cestodes) of the genus Echinococcus (family Taeniidae). 1 2 3 This zoonosis is characterised by long term growth of metacestode (hydatid) cysts in humans and mammalian intermediate hosts. The two major species that infect humans are E granulosus and E multilocularis , which cause cystic echinococcosis (CE) and alveolar echinococcosis (AE). A few reported cases of polycystic echinococcosis in Central and South America are caused by E vogeli and E oligarthrus . 2 w1 w2 The clinical potential of two other Echinococcus species ( E shiquicus and E felidis ) is unknown.1 2 #### Sources and selection criteria We obtained information from personal reference archives, personal experience, and extensive literature searches of the PubMed and Cochrane databases. We sourced English language papers that were fully published mainly between 2000 and March 2012 using appropriate index terms. …
Adaptive-critic-based event-driven nonlinear robust state feedback

In this paper, we study the adaptive-critic-based event-driven robust state feedback stabilization for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems. The novel idea lies in bringing adaptive dynamic programming, a self-learning optimization approach, into nonlinear robust control area under uncertain environment and event-triggering framework. Through theoretical analysis, the nonlinear robust stabilization is achieved by deriving an event-driven optimal controller of the nominal system. The adaptive-critic-based technique is adopted to facilitate the optimal control design, with a critic neural network being constructed to serve as the learning approximator. The control performance is also verified via simulation study. Significantly, combining the adaptive-critic-based design method with event-triggering formulation is a potential and promising direction of intelligent control since it can make better use of advanced learning behavior and limited computation resources.
Candidate Genes in Hypertension

Essential hypertension (EH) is a polygenic and multifactorial disorder that results from genetic and/or environmental factors (Lifton et al., 2001). This disease has no identifiable origin, but results from a disturbance of systems regulating blood pressure (BP) such as several circulating and local neurohumoral and vasoactive factors. Genetic variations of these factors could play a role in the genesis of EH which represents a major risk factor for ischemic heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and progressive renal damage (Mesrati, 2007). EH rises with age, and it aggregates with other cardiovascular risk factors, such as dyslipidaemia, glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinaemia, abdominal obesity, and hyperuricaemia. Other environmental factors influence this disease like high dietary intake of sodium, alcohol, and stress. Family history, appears to play a major role because EH is more likely to develop in individuals when there is a strong family history. Several studies have identified a variety of candidate genes in EH as well as their interaction with one another and with the environment. Among these hypertension-predisposition genes investigated, genes involved in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, catecholaminergic/adrenergic function, genes of signal transduction system as G protein ┚3subunit, sodium channel system, ┙ adducin and atrial natriuretic peptides. Several other biomarkers have been reported to increase the ability to predict EH such as hormone receptors like glucagon receptor and insulin like growth factor 1 (O’Shaughnessy, 2001, Timberlake et al., 2001) and other systems as endothelin, apolipoprotein and cytokine systems. In this chapter, we expose the genetic markers of EH and their expression related to lifestyle through several strategies such as investigation of specific candidate genes, genome-wide searches, use of intermediate phenotypes, comparative genomics and a combination of these methods (Timberlake et al., 2001)
Cognitive Functioning as a Predictor of Ischemic Stroke Incidence

Background: Some studies have suggested that cognitive impairment is related to subsequent stroke incidence. The present study investigated the role of cognitive impairment as a predictor of ischemic stroke incidence in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort. Methods: The study population consisted of 11,958 men and women 48-67 years of age in 4 U.S. communities, followed from January 1, 1990 through December 31, 1997. Cognitive performance was evaluated at the second (1990–1992) visit of the ARIC Study using 3 instruments. We identified incident strokes by means of hospital record and death certificate reviews, as well as annual telephone follow up. Results: We found no consistent associations or trends between any of the cognitive test results and ischemic stroke incidence after multiple adjustment for confounding variables. Hazard ratios for the lowest compared with the highest quartiles were 1.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.9–2.6), 1.1 (95% CI = 0.6–2.1), and 1.0 (95% CI = 0.6-1.8) for the Delayed Word Recall Test, Digit Symbol Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale–Revised, and Word Fluency Test, respectively. Conclusions: The findings of the present study of relatively young subjects did not replicate the association between cognitive impairment and stroke incidence found in studies in older populations. This could be the result of the younger ages of our cohort members or the differences in cognitive tests.
Entrepreneurship and Credit Constraints: Evidence from a French Loan Guarantee Program

We use information on a French loan guarantee program in order to assess the consequences of credit constraints for new ventures. Loan Guarantee Programs, as implemented in France, are an effective instrument to help young firms grow faster, both in terms of employment and capital. These effects are quite persistent, since they are still significant four years after obtaining the guarantee. Loan guarantees also allow firms to pay cheaper interest rate, but a potential drawback of this policy consists in guaranteed ventures adopting riskier strategies and thus filing more often for bankruptcy. Last, we find no effect, at the industry level, on creation rates.
Alternative approach to Power Line Communication (PLC) channel modelling and multipath characterization.

Modelling and characterization of the Power Line Communication (PLC) channel is an active research area. The research mainly focuses on ways of fully exploiting the existing and massive power line network for communications. In order to exploit the PLC channel for effective communication solutions, physical properties of the PLC channel need to be studied, especially for high bandwidth signals. In this dissertation, extensive simulations and measurement campaigns for the channel transfer characteristics are carried out at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in selected offices, laboratories and workshops within the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering. Firstly, we employ the Parallel Resonant Circuit (PRC) approach to model the power line channel in chapter 4, which is based on two-wire transmission line theory. The model is developed, simulated and measurements done for validation in the PLC laboratory for different network topologies in the frequency domain. From the results, it is found that the PRC model produces similar results to the Series Resonant Circuit (SRC) model, and hence the model is considered for PLC channel modelling and characterization. Secondly, due to the time variant nature of the power line network, this study also presents the multipath characteristics of the power line communication (PLC) channel in chapter 5. We analyse the effects of the network characteristics on the received signal and derive the multipath characteristics of the PLC channel from measured channel transfer functions by evaluating the channel impulse responses (CIR). The results obtained are compared with results from other parts of the world employing similar approach based on the Root Mean Square (RMS) delay spread and are found to be comparable. Based on the CIR and extracted multipath characteristics, further research in PLC and related topics shall be inspired.
Misrepresenting Communities : The Politics of Community-Based Rural Ecotourism in Gales Point Manatee , Belize 1

While the celebration of community in conservation provides legitimization to contest centrist and coercive protected area management strategies, representations of community in resource management writings and in particular strategies such as ecotourism, are often based on simplistic images and generic models that ignore politics. Based on research in a community-based rural ecotourism project in Gales Point Manatee, Belize, from 1992-1998, the paper provides concrete examples of how the politics of class, gender, and patronage inequities limit the co-management of ecotourism associations, equitable distribution of ecotourism income, and support for conservation regulations across the community. Attention to multiple interests and identities within the rural community and their relationships to external actors, political institutions, and national policies are critical to understanding the challenges facing community-based conservation in Belize and demonstrated the relevance of such attention elsewhere.
The terminalization of supply chains: reassessing the role of terminals in port/hinterland logistical relationships

The paper discusses how logistics service providers are using terminals in their supply chains. It argues that an increasing ‘terminalization’ of supply chains is unfolding, whereby seaport and inland terminals are taking up a more active role in supply chains by increasingly confronting market players with operational considerations such as imposing berthing windows, dwell time charges, truck slots, all this to increase throughput, optimize terminal capacity and make the best use of available land. With the development of inland terminals, a new dimension is being added: logistics players are now making best use of the free time available in seaports terminals and inland terminals, thereby optimizing the terminal buffer function. As a result, transport terminals are achieving an additional level of integration within supply chains that goes beyond their conventional transshipment role. Given increasing levels of vertical integration in the market and an increasing pressure on port capacity, a further terminalization of supply chains is likely to occur, which will strengthen the active role of terminals in logistics.
Review and Comparison of Step-Up Transformerless Topologies for Photovoltaic AC-Module Application

This paper presents a comprehensive review of step-up single-phase non-isolated inverters suitable for ac-module applications. In order to compare the most feasible solutions of the reviewed topologies, a benchmark is set. This benchmark is based on a typical ac-module application considering the requirements for the solar panels and the grid. The selected solutions are designed and simulated complying with the benchmark obtaining passive and semiconductor components ratings in order to perform a comparison in terms of size and cost. A discussion of the analyzed topologies regarding the obtained ratings as well as ground currents is presented. Recommendations for topological solutions complying with the application benchmark are provided.
The circadian nature of melatonin secretion in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Abstract: Plasma melatonin concentrations were measured in Japanese quail held under different photoperiods and constant darkness (<1 lux). When subjected to LD6:18 (6 hr light: 18 hr darkness), levels rose ∼2 hr after lights‐off, attained a peak level 8 hr after lights off, and subsequently declined to low daytime levels before the next lights‐on signal. This generated a distinct daily rhythm in melatonin secretion with a duration of ∼13 h. On exposing quail to a range of photoperiods, containing 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, or 20 hr of light per day, the onset of melatonin secretion remained essentially similar with the rise occurring soon after lights‐off. However, the offset of melatonin secretion was suppressed by the light of the next day and thus a much truncated rhythm was produced under long (> 12 hr) photoperiods. Importantly, between night lengths of 4 to 18 hr (i.e., LD 20:4 to LD 6:18) a linear relationship existed between the duration of night‐length and secretion of melatonin with the duration increasing by about 0.8 hr for each additional hour of darkness. If quail were released into darkness following a short (LD 6:18) or long (LD 20:4) day schedule, the rhythm persisted for at least two cycles with peaks occurring at about 24 hr intervals. In those quail coming into darkness from long days (LD 20:4), the rhythm of melatonin secretion decompressed rapidly on both sides of the peak, indicating that both the onset and offset of melatonin secretion were suppressed under long days. The endogenous nature of melatonin secretion was tested further by exposing birds to LD 6:30 for 4 cycles and then releasing into darkness. The rhythm in melatonin secretion persisted for at least three cycles before beginning to damp‐out. The circadian nature of the rhythm in melatonin secretion was also examined by subjecting quail to T‐cycles and then releasing into darkness. Both under the T‐cycles and darkness following T‐cycle treatments, the phase of the melatonin rhythm was advanced by > 3 hr under T = 27 hr cycles (LD 3:24) compared with T = 24 hr cycles (LD 3:21). This property is consistent with the melatonin oscillator being a circadian rhythm.
The Single European Market, Swedish Investment Liberalisation, and Horizontal and Vertical Multinationals

This paper analyses the effects of the Single European Market and Swedish Investment liberalisation on the structure of Swedish multinationals with their EU affiliates. The empirical results suggest that the determinants associated with horizontal and vertical multinationals have become increasingly relevant between 1974 and 1994. Horizontal multinationals are increasingly deterred by large plant-level economies of scale, increasingly associated with large trade costs and relative factor endowment similarities, while vertical multinationals are increasingly associated with relative factor endowment differences. This suggests that integration has increased competitive pressures to increase efficiency in exploiting economies of scale, and specialisation according to comparative advantages.
A framework of deep Web crawler

As an ever-increasing amount of information on the Web today is available through search interfaces, users have to key in a set of keywords in order to access the pages from certain Web sites, which are often referred to as the hidden Web or the deep Web. Since there is no static links to the hidden Web pages, search engines cannot discover and index such pages. However, according to recent studies, the content provided by many hidden Web sites is often of very high quality and can be extremely valuable to many users. How to build an effective hidden Web crawler that can autonomously discover and download pages from the hidden Web is studied. A framework of deep Web crawler is provided and we propose novel techniques to handle the actual mechanics of crawling the deep Web. Experiment shows that these policies are effective.
How Reproducibly Can Human Ear Ossicles Be Measured? A Study of Inter‐Observer Error

Ear ossicles have thus far received little attention in biological anthropology. For the use of these bones as a source of biological information, it is important to know how reproducibly they can be measured. We determined inter‐observer errors for measurements recorded by two observers on mallei (N = 119) and incudes (N = 124) obtained from human skeletons recovered from an early medieval cemetery in southern Germany. Measurements were taken on‐screen on images of the bones obtained with a digital microscope. In the case of separately acquired images, mean inter‐observer error ranged between 0.50 and 9.59% (average: 2.63%) for malleus measurements and between 0.67 and 7.11% (average: 2.01%) for incus measurements. Coefficients of reliability ranged between 0.72 and 0.99 for the malleus measurements and between 0.61 and 0.98 for those of the incus. Except for one incus measurement, readings performed by the two observers on the same set of photographs produced lower inter‐observer errors and higher coefficients of reliability than the method involving separate acquisition of images by the observers. Across all linear measurements, absolute inter‐observer error was independent of the mean size of the measured variable for both bones. So far, studies on human ear ossicles have largely neglected the issue of measurement error and its potential implication for the interpretation of the data. Knowledge of measurement error is of special importance if results obtained by different researchers are combined into a single database. It is, therefore, suggested that the reproducibility of measurements should be addressed in all future studies of ear ossicles. Anat Rec, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Relation of Arterial Blood Pressure to Successive Pregnancies among a Rural Population in Ceylon

The present study was undertaken to ascertain the influence of successive pregnancies on arterial blood pressure. The investigation was carried out m a hospital in the ' low country ' of Ceylon, the inmates of which were chiefly composed ot people from the rural areas. The occupation of the women in these areas is chiefly agricultural (paddy and chena cultivation, and tapping rubber) . J Their resources are very few, most of them being daily wage earners. Their diet is mainly vegetarian, though a few have sufficient means to eat fish and meat about foiu' times a month. Blood pressures of 247 consecutive cases of expectant mothers in the last three months Oi pregnancy between the ages of 16 and 45 were recorded. The blood pressure in each case was estimated by the author, using the auscultatory method in the arm, with the patient in the recumbent position, as advocated by Hutchison and Hunter (1940). A comparison was made between the mean blood pressure of primigravidse and multigravid? in various age groups (table I).
Is Higher Market Integration Associated with Improved Market Efficiency?

This study addresses the question of whether a more integrated stock market is associated with a higher degree of informational efficiency. Generally, our measures for market integration and market efficiency both shows improvement over time and emerging markets are less integrated and less efficient as compared to their developed counterparts. Our empirical results based on panel regression show that there is a positive association between market integration and informational efficiency, even after controlling for standard determinants of price delay.
Small Business Management

PART 1: Key Issues in Small Business Studies. The Nature of Small Business Studies. Small Business Start-up. PART 2: Financing Small Business. Small Firms and the Banks. David Perryman's Business Plan. David Perryman: Business Plan Analysis. J & D (Newcastle): Business Plan. J & D (Newcastle): Business Plan Analysis. PART 3: Marketing. Marketing and the Small Firm. An Investigation into the Survival of a Small Business (Jenny Gee News): a Student's Approach to Case Illustration. PART 4: Strategic Issues. Small Firms and the Focused Factory Concept. The Focused Factory Concept: a Case Illustration. Using the Focused Factory Concept. Research and the Focused Factory Concept. A Study in the Life Cycle of a Company: Jackson & Kinross Ltd. A Case for Business Advisers: School Clothing Supplies (SCS). Small Public Sector Organisations and the Concept of Focus. The School as a Small Business: a Case Illustration.
On the Performance Indexes for Robot Manipulators

The estimation of the performance of manipulators is important to manipulators application and design. Dexterity, manipulability, accuracy and some others determine the performance characteristics of robot manipulators. One of the performance characteristics is so called service angle, a concept first introduced by V i n o g r ad o v et al [7]. The service angle is defined as the total range of the approach angle of a manipulator around a point of the workspace. A similar approach was used by Y a n g and L a i [8]. They studied the service angle to a given point and introduced service sphere and free service regions. K u m a r and W a l d r o n [4] introduced the concept of dextrous workspace, defined as a volume within which every point can be reached by the manipulator end-effector with any desired orientation. As another measure for manipulator performance can be used the evaluation of the determinant of the Jacobian. On this base Y o s h i k a w a [9] introduced the term manipulability, which involves the Jacobian and its transpose. P a u l and S t e v e n s o n [5] estimated the kinematic performance of a spherical wrist by using the absolute value of the determinant of the Jacobian. Another performance index was proposed by S al i s b u r y and C r a i g [6], i.e., the condition number of the Jacobian. A n g e l e s [1] discussed manipulability and conditioning number and on this base considered the isotropy in machines. K l e i n and B l a h o [3] consider four measures for dexterity: determinant, condition number, minimum singular value and joint range availability. In the present paper, the dexterity index, manipulability, condition number and minimum singular value are considered. The indexes are applied to a SCARA type robot (Fig.1) and the results are graphically presented. БЪЛГАРСКА АКАДЕМИЯ НА НАУКИТЕ . BULGARIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
Application of battery auxiliary substations in 3kV railway systems

In the paper is presented an auxiliary substation equipped with battery based energy storage system (Auxiliary Battery Substation - ABS) and the benefits for railway applications are shown. The proposed solution is able to reduce the effect of the peak current and voltage drops on weak traditional 3 kV feeding line during high performance trains traction. The ABS also increase the system efficiency by recovering energy during train braking phase and making it available again at the next starting time, minimizing the energy required to the main substation. An extensive simulation framework is performed on a real Italian 3 kV DC railway system feeding a new generation high speed train where the ABS supports conventional supply system. The simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the ABS in terms of peak current reduction and voltage drops compensation. Finally, The ABS allows reducing losses and increasing the energy saving in the railway feeding line.
Interferon‐gamma and resistance to bacterial infections

Since its initial description as an antiviral, it has become clear that Interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) has potent immunoregulatory and cell growth regulatory activities. As a result of these additional activities, it is now apparent that IFN‐γ plays a major role in regulation of bacterial infections. IFN‐γ can be both induced by bacteria and bacterial products; endogenous IFN‐γ production has been shown to play a protective role in the natural host response to several bacterial infections; and administration of exogenous IFN‐γ is effective in the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections in numerous animal model systems. Although it is now clear that IFN‐γ plays a role in regulation of bacterial infections, the mechanisms of its anti‐bacterial effects in vivo remain to be established due to the pleiotropic nature of IFN‐γ activity.