Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optical properties and orientation in polyethylene blown films

We report structural factors affecting the optical properties of blown polyethylene films. Two types of blown polyethylene films of similar degrees of crystallinity were made from (1) single-site-catalyst high-density polyethylene (HDPE; STAR α) and (2) Ziegler–Natta-catalyst HDPE (ZN) resins. The STAR α film exhibited high clarity and gloss, whereas the ZN film was turbid. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), small-angle light scattering (SALS), and optical microscopy gave quantitative and qualitative information regarding structure and orientation in the films. A new approach is described for determining the three-dimensional lamellar normal orientation from SAXS. Both the clear STAR α and turbid ZN films had similar lamellar crystalline structures and long periods but displayed different degrees of orientation. It is demonstrated that optical haze is related to surface features that seem to be linked to the bulk morphology. The relationship between haze and structural orientation is described. The lamellar orientation is linked to rodlike structures seen in optical microscopy and SALS through a stacked lamellar or cylindrite morphology on a nanometer scale and through a fiberlike morphology on a micrometer scale. The micrometer-scale, rodlike structures seem directly related to surface roughness in a comparison of index-matched immersion and surface micrographs. The higher haze and lower gloss of the ZN film was caused by extensive surface roughness not observed in the STAR α film. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2923–2936, 2001
Development of the brachial lateral motor column in the wingless mutant chick embryo: Motoneuron survival under varying degrees of peripheral load

Survival of motoneurons in the lateral motor column (LMC) of the chick embryo is known to depend on the periphery. How this dependence relates to the normally occurring death of motoneurons is unknown. Analysis of the time course of LMC cell loss in the absence of varying amounts of limb musculature could help bring about an understanding of this relationship. We undertook this analysis by studying LMC development in wingless chick embryos. Grossly these embryos lack wings, but we have reported that some of them possess more than 40% of the normal volume of wing bud‐derived muscles (M.E. Lanser and J.F. Fallon, Anat. Rec. 217:61–78, 1987). In the present work we compared the time course of LMC development in wingless embryos that possessed varying amounts of wing bud‐derived musculature with that in normal embryos. In normal embryos little cell loss occurs from the brachial LMC prior to day 8 (15% of the: total cell loss). Most of the normal cell loss occurs between 8 and 10 days (62% of the total cell loss). In the wingless LMC, anywhere from 55% to 70% of the total cell loss occurs before day 8. The death of motoneurons prior to day 8 is proportional to the amount of wing bud musculature eliminated by the mutation. Cell loss after day Bis proportional to the amount of wing bud musculature spared by the mutation. Therefore, when the limb is missing, most motoneurons die before the major period of cell loss even begins in the normal LMC. Counts of dead cells in the LMC also support this conclusion. In addition, curves plotting the rates at which cells are lost from the brachial LMC provide a suggestion that normal cell loss is biphasic and that limb removal enhances primarily the first phase of cell loss. These data suggest that the majority of motoneurons may die for different reasons in the normal and the limb‐deprived LMCs. Overall, the number of motoneurons surviving in the brachial LMC is proportional to the volume of wing bud‐derived muscle present. However, as the muscle volume approaches zero, motoneuron number does not. This suggests that most, but not all, motoneurons depend on limb bud‐derived muscles for survival. Finally, the decreased motoneuron number in the wingless LMC, when compared to normal after the cell death period, cannot be totally accounted for by the additional loss of cells that occurred during the cell death period in the wingless LMC. This raises the possibility that limb absence influences the initial formation of the LMC, a possibility that deserves further investigation.
Bovine tuberculosis in Northern Ireland: a case-control study of herd risk factors

This paper presents the results of the first formal epidemiological study in Northern Ireland of risk factors for bovine tuberculosis (TB) associated with farm boundaries, neighbours and wildlife. The study was designed as a case-control study and 427 dairy herds were investigated between December 1993 and January 1995. The case herds had more than 30 cattle, and herds in which the source of infection had been ascribed to purchased cattle were avoided. Data on the Department of Agriculture Animal Health Computer were used in conjunction with data collected through a questionnaire to examine a range of possible risk factors, including the number and nature of the farm boundaries, the number of neighbours and their TB history, the number of hedgerows, the presence of badger setts, whether badger carcases had been found on the land, and the possible presence of deer. A follow-up telephone survey was conducted to minimise bias. The results highlighted two main associations with TB breakdowns, the presence of badgers, and contiguous neighbours who had had confirmed TB breakdowns. The estimated aetiological fraction for both associations was approximately 40 per cent, suggesting that although infected cattle may have a significant role in the transmission of TB their importance relative to the badger may have been over-estimated in the Northern Ireland TB scheme. The contribution of the badger is possibly one of several main reasons for the lack of significant progress in TB eradication despite strenuous efforts associated with all aspects of the scheme.
DESARROLLO DE UN BALANCED SCORECARD DE PRIMER Y SEGUNDA GENERACIÓN PARA UNA PYME EN EL SUR DE GUANAJUATO

Las pequenas y medianas empresas carecen de desarrollos tecnologicos y de estrategias que les permitan se competitivos en forma global. Esta investigacion propone el desarrollo de un balanced scorecard de primer y segunda generacion. Se identifica una estrategia como elemento diferencial para posicionar a la empresa y lograr las metas establecidas. Se determinan objetivos en cada una de las cuatro perspectivas; financiera, clientes, procesos internos y aprendizaje y crecimiento. Se establecen las metas para cada objetivo, el indicador y las iniciativas correspondientes, para la elaboracion del BSC primera generacion. Posteriormente se identifican los objetivos estrategicos y se desarrolla un BSC de segunda generacion, vinculando las diferentes perspectivas para lograr el cumplimiento de cada uno de los objetivos y estrategia empresarial. Se realiza El BSC primer y segunda generacion con datos reales en un caso de estudio para una PyME en el sur de Guanajuato y se obtiene una herramienta estrategica que impulsara la competitividad de la empresa.
The role of conserved water molecules in the catalytic domain of protein kinases

Protein kinases are essential signaling molecules with a characteristic bilobal shape that has been studied for over 15 years. Despite the number of crystal structures available, little study has been directed away from the prototypical functional elements of the kinase domain. We have performed a structural alignment of 13 active‐conformation kinases and discovered the presence of six water molecules that occur in conserved locations across this group of diverse kinases. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that these waters confer a great deal of stability to their local environment and to a key catalytic residue. Our results highlight the importance of novel elements within the greater kinase family and suggest that conserved water molecules are necessary for efficient kinase function. Proteins 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Discovering Action-Dependent Relevance : Learning from Logged Data

In many learning problems, the decision maker is provided with various (types of) context information that she might utilize to select actions in order to maximize performance/rewards. But not all information is equally relevant: some context information may be more relevant to the decision problem at hand. Discovering and exploiting the most relevant context information speeds up learning, reduces costs and eliminates noise introduced by irrelevant context information. In many settings, discovering and exploiting the most relevant context information converts intractable problems into tractable problems. This paper develops methods to discover the relevant context information and learn the best actions to take on the basis of a logged bandit dataset and establishes performance bounds for these methods. These methods deal effectively with the two central challenges. The first is that only the rewards of actions actually taken will be observed; counterfactual reward observations are not available. The second is that the relevant context information can be different for different actions. Applications of these methods include clinical decision support systems, smart cities, recommender systems.
Inhibition of gonadotrophin release in mares during the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle by endogenous opioids.

Effects of the opioid antagonist naloxone on concentrations of LH and FSH in plasma were measured in mares during different stages of the oestrous cycle. During the follicular phase of the cycle, naloxone (300 mg i.v.) had no discernible effects on basal concentrations of LH and FSH. A significant increase in plasma LH (P < 0.01) and FSH (P < 0.05) concentrations was observed after naloxone in mares during the luteal phase. This response was not different between suckled and non-suckled mares. The gonadotrophin-releasing hormone analogue buserelin (0.02 mg i.v.) caused a significant (P < 0.05) LH and FSH release irrespective of the stage of the oestrous cycle and a previous naloxone treatment. The results of this study indicate that endogenous opioid peptides are involved in the inhibition of LH and FSH release during the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle in mares and may partially mediate the suppressive influence of progesterone on gonadotrophin secretion. The opioid-mediated suppression of LH and FSH release does not seem to be affected by suckling.
Elevated plasma levels of Mac-2 binding protein predict poor cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Background Mac-2 binding protein (M2BP) is an inflammatory glycoprotein associated with carotid atherosclerosis and all-cause mortality in patients with suspected coronary artery diseases. We aimed to explore the potential association of plasma M2BP levels with unstable plaque morphology and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Patients and methods We compared plasma M2BP levels among three groups: 216 patients with ACS, 82 patients with stable angina pectoris, and 50 controls. Angiographic analyses of complex lesions were carried out in patients with ACS and they were followed up prospectively for 12 months for the occurrence of major adverse cardiovascular outcomes (MACEs). Results Patients with ACS showed significantly higher plasma levels of M2BP than patients with stable angina pectoris (P<0.001) and controls (P<0.001). M2BP levels correlated positively with the presence (P<0.001) and extent (P=0.005) of complex lesions. During follow-up, 45 (20.8%) cases of MACEs occurred. Survival analysis indicated that high M2BP levels were associated with a poor prognosis (log-rank P=0.008). After Cox multivariate adjustment, plasma M2BP levels remained an independent predictor of MACEs either as a continuous variable (hazard ratio: 1.178, 95% confidence interval: 1.093–1.270, P<0.001) or as a categorical variable (hazard ratio: 2.783, 95% confidence interval: 1.433–5.404, P=0.002). Conclusion Plasma M2BP levels might be predictive of unstable plaque and were associated independently with poor cardiovascular outcomes in patients with ACS.
Correlação de métodos de estimativa de evapotranspiração por temperatura com o método combinado padrão da FAO

The validity of different methods to estimate pot ential evapotranspiration at a specific region can be evaluated comparing their re sults with FAO’s combined standard method, based on radiation and mass balance. The ai m of this work was to analyze the correlation of different methods to estimate potent ial evapotranspiration using temperature with the FAO-Penman-Monteith standard method for th e central region of the State of São Paulo. The climatologic data were collected in the Climatologic Station of the Center for Water Resources and Applied Ecology, of the Univers ty of São Paulo, located at Itirapina/SP. The daily and monthly potential evapo transpiration was calculated for each method and compared to the results given by the FAO standard method. We considered the running days from January to December 2008. The res ults indicated the following decreasing correlation with the FAO-Penman-Monteith standard m ethod: Hargreaves-Samani (1982), Romanenko (1961), Linacre (1977), Kharrufa (1985), Blaney-Criddle (1950), Thorntwaite (1948) e Hamon (1961).
Prophylactic administration of interleukin-2 protects mice from lethal challenge with gram-negative bacteria

Prophylactic administration of recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2) in mice enhanced survival and produced complete recovery from an otherwise lethal acute bacterial infection. IL-2 was administered as a single intraperitoneal or intravenous bolus dose to CDI mice 18 h before challenge with a lethal dose of a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli type O2 (minimal 100% lethal dose, 6 X 10(7) CFU per mouse). At IL-2 dosages of 7 X 10(6) U/kg, 90% of treated CDI mice survived as compared to 0% for the excipient buffer control animals (P less than 0.001). This protective effect was also demonstrable in immune-deficient beige mice. The IL-2 effect was dose dependent; protection was consistently observed in mice pretreated with IL-2 at doses ranging from 1.8 X 10(6) to 7 X 10(6) U/kg. However, at 3.5 X 10(5) U/kg the protective effect was more variable. The route of administration of IL-2 was shown to play an important role; when IL-2 and challenge bacteria were given by the same route (either intravenously or intraperitoneally), protection was readily observable, but when IL-2 and challenge bacteria were given by different routes, little or no protective effect was observed. The protective effect was fully inducible as early as 1 h after IL-2 administration and was effective against various strains of gram-negative bacteria, indicating that the probable mode of action represents control of the establishment of infection by increased activity of the nonspecific host defense mechanisms. The IL-2 effect was abrogated by the administration of carrageenan, suggesting a possible role of macrophages. These data demonstrate that IL-2 may be a potentially useful adjunct for the prophylaxis of bacterial infections in both clinical and veterinary medicine.
Treatment of severe, disabling spasticity with continuous intrathecal baclofen therapy following acquired brain injury: the experience of a tertiary institution in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION Intrathecal baclofen (ITB) therapy is a proven, effective treatment for disabling cortical spasticity. We describe the first local series of five patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) who received ITB and were followed up for 63.8 months. METHODS A retrospective review of medical and rehabilitation records of patients who received ITB therapy was carried out. Data studied included baseline demographic and injury variables, implantation data, spasticity and function, ITB dosage over time and complications. RESULTS From 2006 to 2010, a total of five patients received ITB therapy via implanted pumps about 39.4 months after ABI. Four out of five patients experienced significant reductions in their lower limb spasticity scores and improvements in global function and dependency. One patient had minor adverse events associated with baclofen-related sedation. The mean ITB dose at one year was 182.7 ± 65.6 mcg/day. CONCLUSION Our preliminary study showed encouraging long-term outcomes and safety for ITB therapy after ABI-related intractable spasticity. Individual ITB responses over time were variable, with gender differences. The outcomes experienced by our centre were comparable to those in the general ABI population, supporting the efficacy of ITB therapy for chronic disabling spasticity.
3D Radar Imaging of Comet Interiors by Wavefield Migration and Tomography

Introduction: Wavefield imaging comprises a body of techniques used in medicine, nondestructive testing, and seismic exploration to reconstruct the inaccessible interior structure of a target. Migration [1] is the reconstruction of 3D internal reflecting boundaries, and it requires prior knowledge of the velocity distribution. Tomography [2] uses separate receivers or reflections from the known exterior contour of the imaged object to evaluate the 3D propagation velocity. Joint (iterative) migration and tomography are required for accurate radar imaging inside objects with strong velocity heterogeneity likely present in asteroids [3,4], but migration assuming uniform or smooth velocity has proven sufficient for the martian polar caps [5]. Here we explore application of wavefield imaging methods to radar sounding of comets, using a realistic acquisition geometry, the actual shape of 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko [6], and an assumed internal structure. We compute point spread functions, analogous to optical imaging, for migration and tomography in order to characterize their resolution under realistic acquisition assumptions. Because large quantities of data are treated simultaneously by these methods, we find that 3D migration resolution at 15 MHz of a few tens of meters and 3D tomography resolution at 5 MHz on the order of 100m can be achieved. This analysis shows that 3D wavefield imaging can be applied directly to large comets, e.g. Tempel 2 [7]. Resolution analysis: Both migration and tomography can be described as linear processes: Lm=d. We can associate with any linear operator L a resolution measure through the so-called resolution matrix consisting of point spread functions estimated for any point in the model. For example, L can be the wavefield modeling operator (m represents the migrated image and d represents the observed radargrams), or the wavefield tomography operator (m represents a velocity model perturbation, and d represents the observed wavefield perturbations. The point spread functions of both problems depends on all elements comprising the imaging system: (1) the source wavelet defined by predefined peak frequency and bandwidth; (2) the comet exterior shape obtained using observations using the navigation cameras, (3) the image point location inside the comet; (4) the velocity inside the comet; (5) the acquisition geometry. All factors are important in characterizing the point spread function of the imaging system; some factors are given (e.g. the wavelength and the acquisition geometry), others can be known through observations during the mission (i.e. the exterior shape), but others are unknown (i.e. the velocity) and remain to be determined through tomography. Here we seek to evaluate the PSFs for an object with the complexity of comet 67P/CG (Fig 1), and a plausible polar acquisition geometry [8] (Fig 2). The acquisition tracks are represented in a coordinate system fixed relative to the comet, and take into consideration both the orbiter and the comet movement.
Transepithelial HCO3- absorption is defective in renal thick ascending limbs from Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1 null mutant mice.

In the medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL) of rat kidney, inhibiting basolateral Na(+)/H(+) exchange with either amiloride or nerve growth factor (NGF) results secondarily in inhibition of apical Na(+)/H(+) exchange, thereby decreasing transepithelial HCO(3)(-) absorption. To assess the possible role of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE1 in this regulatory process, MTALs from wild-type and NHE1 knockout (NHE1(-/-)) mice were studied using in vitro microperfusion. The rate of HCO(3)(-) absorption was decreased 60% in NHE1(-/-) MTALs (15.4 +/- 0.5 pmol.min(-1). mm(-1) wild-type vs. 6.0 +/- 0.5 pmol.min(-1). mm(-1) NHE1(-/-)). Transepithelial voltage, an index of the NaCl absorption rate, did not differ in wild-type and NHE1(-/-) MTALs. Basolateral addition of 10 microM amiloride or 0.7 nM NGF decreased HCO(3)(-) absorption by 45-49% in wild-type MTALs but had no effect on HCO(3)(-) absorption in NHE1(-/-) MTALs. Inhibition of HCO(3)(-) absorption by vasopressin and stimulation by hyposmolality, both of which regulate MTAL HCO(3)(-) absorption through primary effects on apical Na(+)/H(+) exchange, were similar in wild-type and NHE1(-/-) MTALs. Thus the regulatory defect in NHE1(-/-) MTALs is specific for factors (bath amiloride and NGF) shown previously to inhibit HCO(3)(-) absorption through primary effects on basolateral Na(+)/H(+) exchange. These findings demonstrate a novel role for NHE1 in transepithelial HCO(3)(-) absorption in the MTAL, in which basolateral NHE1 controls the activity of apical NHE3. Paradoxically, a reduction in NHE1-mediated H(+) extrusion across the basolateral membrane leads to a decrease in apical Na(+)/H(+) exchange activity that reduces HCO(3)(-) absorption.
Knowledge Shift Model of Strategic Alliance Based on Prisoner's Dilemma and Snowdrift Game

According to the development trend of the act of China's current strategic alliance, this paper elaborates the reason why the success rate of strategic alliance is not high from game theory. The mathematical model based on prisoner's dilemma game and snowdrifts game; synthesize the relevant factors of impacting the revenue sharing of enterprise knowledge alliance. Through analysis, it finds that the strategic alliance is a dynamic process of growth. In each stage of the process, because internal and external environment, business processes, customers, the market reaction and other external conditions as well as internal conditions, such as bearing and sharing mechanisms of the risks and benefits between alliance partners change, which brings enormous difficulties to maintain and develop strategic alliance . Due to the different strategic objectives, work efficiency, learning ability and other conditions, the alliance partners need to pay attention to coordination to make flexible and creative reforms. DOI : http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/telkomnika.v12i3. 4504 Full Text: PDF
Optimal Tax Design and Enforcement with an Informal Sector

An optimal commodity tax approach is taken to compare trade taxes and VATs when some commodities are produced informally. Trade taxes apply to all imports and exports, including intermediate goods, while the VAT applies only to sales by the formal sector and imports. The VAT achieves production efficiency within the formal sector, but, unlike trade taxes, cannot indirectly tax profits. Making the size of the informal sector endogenous in each regime is potentially decisive. The ability of the government to change the size of the informal sector through costly enforcement may also tip the balance in favor of the VAT. (JEL E26, H21, H25)