Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Ultraviolet B and DNA Methylation in Skin Cancers

Ultraviolet B is regarded as an important factor in many skin diseases, especially skin cancers. Increasingly more evidence is showing that changes in DNA methylation occur in patients with skin cancers. Changes in DNA methylation have also been observed in ultraviolet B-irradiated cells and mouse models. DNA methylation modifier enzymes are simultaneously affected. We herein review the evidence to date showing that Ultraviolet B affects changes in DNA methylation modifier enzymes in skin cancers. However, the mechanism of how ultraviolet B regulates the changes in DNA methylation modifier enzymes remains to be further elucidated. Understanding the mechanism by which ultraviolet B modulates DNA methylation modifier enzymes can help to identify potential therapeutic markers or targets and develop novel strategies for preventing or treating ultraviolet B-induced skin damage.
A critical review of strategies for optimal allocation of Distributed Generations units in Electrical Power Systems

Recent research has shown that installation of distributed generation (DG) units in the utility’s distribution system of a power network would lead to attainment of numerous potential benefits. To maximise these benefits, it is crucial to find the optimal number or size of DG units and their appropriate locations in power distribution systems, since siting DG units in improper locations could jeopardise the system operation. However, the task to determine the optimal size and sites of DG sources in power systems is not an easy one, due to a number of factors. In tackling this problem, many approaches have been proposed by various researchers in recent years. This paper presents a critical review of different methodologies employed in solving this optimisation problem. For ease of reference, and to facilitate understanding, this literature categorises and discusses the various existing approaches into five different major headings. They are: the analytical approaches, the meta-heuristics, the genetic algorithms (GAs) approach, the GA-hybrids, and finally those that are categorised as other approaches. The benefits, as well as the drawbacks of each approach are thoroughly examined in the paper.
Pacemaker and Atrioventricular Junction Ablation in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation—A Systematic Review of Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) could be considered for heart failure (HF) patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) unless a potent ventricular capture strategy is conducted. However, the benefit of a pacemaker (PM; as part of CRT) in patients with AF and whether atrioventricular junction (or nodal) ablation (AVAB) can improve the prognosis of these patients compared with those treated medically to support ventricular capture are unclear. Methods and Results Systematic reviews and meta-analyses investigating the roles of PMs and AVAB in patients with AF were obtained in a search of the PubMed, Embase, and Medline databases and then analyzed with respect to the following outcomes: mortality, left ventricular ejection fraction, and clinical findings including the New York Heart Association class, 6-min walk distance (6MWD), quality of life as assessed in a specific questionnaire, and response to CRT. The quality of the included reviews was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 tool, which includes 16 items. This study was finally based on 13 systematic reviews or meta-analyses. The results showed that patients with AF have higher all-cause mortality rates compared with patients with sinus rhythm and that AVAB can reduce all-cause mortality in patients with AF. Although the functional improvement was better in sinus rhythm than in patients with AF, in the latter, AVAB increased the 6MWD and reduced the CRT nonresponse rate in patients with AF. Conclusion Atrial fibrillation is associated with a higher all-cause mortality rate in patients with CRT implantation. AVAB, by increasing the 6MWD and survival, can improve the prognosis of these patients.
Effect of UPFC on protection of transmission lines with infeed current

SUMMARY The increasing penetration of flexible AC transmission system devices and renewable generation resources within existing conventional power system networks has necessitated the relook into protective relaying schemes for ensuring grid security and integrity. This paper investigates the impact of a unified power flow controller (UPFC) on Zones 1 and 2 (with infeed current) of the conventional distance relay and pilot protection schemes. Using both analytical and detailed simulation techniques, these schemes have been very thoroughly assessed. The protection impacts for four functions of UPFC are compared with each other comprehensively. The infeed current effect for existing distance relay, as represented by standard MHO characteristics, has been adapted to factor the effect of source and line impedances. In addition, a proposed modification procedure highlights the main reasons for the impedance trajectory changes during faults at Zones 1 and 2 resulting due to the presence of the UPFC. A detailed model of UPFC and six measuring units of distance protection have been developed in the MATLAB/Simulink environment. The accuracy of compensated network and impedance measuring units are verified using Opal-RT's RT-LAB real-time engineering emulator.
Generations in Family Business: A Multifield Review and Future Research Agenda

The concept of generations has become increasingly important in the social science fields to explain diverse phenomena affecting organizations. This is especially true in the family business field where generations are considered a constitutive element. Nevertheless, there is still a limited understanding of generations and the implications of their involvement in family business. We review prior studies on generations by considering different social science fields, which we analyze according to a novel theoretical framework. Building on this framework, and placing particular emphasis on family firms, we identify important knowledge gaps that serve as a springboard for future research.
Technology Transfer Effectiveness in Knowledge-Based Centers Providing a Model Based on Knowledge Management

The Present paper attempts to identify factors and variables affecting designing technology in knowledgebased centers in order to study their relations and; ultimately, to provide a model based on research data. To achieve this aim, technology transfer process capabilities, knowledge management, technology transfer effectiveness and constituting variables/indicators should be preliminarily and separately identified , and then the impact of knowledge management on capability of technology transfer process and its effectiveness should be measured in Iranian universities. The research method is descriptive of correlation type. In this research, using a simple stochastic method, 151 active people in technology transfer were selected from among Iranian knowledge-based centers . The data for the research were collected through questionnaires. Confirmed construct and factorial analysis were used to determine the validity, and for reliability, Chronbach alpha was employed. In order to study the relationship between research variables and to study hypotheses, the modeling of structural equations has been used with the help of SPSS and AMOS software. Findings indicate that knowledge management impacts on technology transfer effectiveness in knowledge-based centers. Likewise, knowledge management relates to technology transfer effectiveness via technology transfer capabilities. Studying the impact of each variable on technology transfer effectiveness indicates that knowledge capability followed by knowledge management and technological capabilities are the key factors and facilitators, and as a mitigating factor, organizational capability has the highest impact on technology transfer effectiveness.
Evaluating Potential Stem Cell Therapies For Age-Related Macular Degeneration

The purpose of this review is to synthesize the existing literature on the intriguing research and development of stem cell treatments for age-related macular degeneration, AMD. AMD is the leading cause of vision loss for older adults across the world, and while it does not cause complete blindness, it does impact central vision, making it harder to see faces, read, drive, or do close-up work like cooking or fixing things around the house. AMD is a progressive disease that occurs in three stages, and it is subcategorized as either wet (neovascular) or dry (atrophic). There is no treatment for late-stage dry AMD, but there is a treatment for the much less common wet AMD. Pluripotent stem cells, which include human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), have been used to study the development of disease processes and as potential therapies in multiple organ systems. This review focuses on the etiology of both forms of AMD, the stem cells being investigated for treatment, and the completed and ongoing clinical trials evaluating AMD stem cell treatments.
Ca

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is defined as the myocardial dysfunction that suffers patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) in the absence of hypertension and structural heart diseases such as valvular or coronary artery dysfunctions. Since the impact of DM on cardiac function is rather silent and slow, early stages of diabetic cardiomyopathy, known as prediabetes, are poorly recognized, and, on many occasions, cardiac illness is diagnosed only after a severe degree of dysfunction was reached. Therefore, exploration and recognition of the initial pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to cardiac dysfunction in diabetic cardiomyopathy are of vital importance for an on-time diagnosis and treatment of the malady. Among the complex and intricate mechanisms involved in diabetic cardiomyopathy, Ca2+ mishandling and mitochondrial dysfunction have been described as pivotal early processes. In the present review, we will focus on these two processes and the molecular pathway that relates these two alterations to the earlier stages and the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy.
Women in engineering at the undergraduate level

Women in Engineering at the Undergraduate Level. (December 2009) Natasha Christina Lagoudas Department of Aerospace Engineering Texas A&M University Research Advisor: Dr. Joan Wolf Department of Liberal Arts Only 18.1 percent of engineering bachelor degrees in the nation are awarded to women, which represents a two percent increase over the past two decades. The purpose of this research is to explore the experiences of men and women in undergraduate engineering in attempt to explain the continuing gender gap. I held an in-depth interview with one male and one female senior student from selected departments of the Dwight College of Engineering at Texas A&M University. Participants discussed the far-reaching perception of engineering as masculine, which created a gendered undergraduate experience. Male and female participants were found to have similar high school preparation and reasons for studying engineering; however, women received significantly less support from peers. Both sexes cited the overload of work as the cause for many students leaving engineering, but women additionally complained about the impersonal attitude of professors and lack of practical examples in the classroom. Moreover, participants revealed experiences of sexist treatment by male professors and peers towards female students along with a more subtle form of sexism through gender
Spherical near-field antenna measurements

From the material presented here, it is clear that the theory underlying the SNF approach is complex and involved to implement. However, it is also very elegant and provides one with many measurement options and powerful capabilities. The numerical implementation of the theory can be efficiently deployed through the use of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) enabling transforms of even electrically large antennas to be accomplished in a matter of a few seconds on a modern powerful digital computer. With the advent of commercially available SNF test systems, the user can exploit these techniques, largely unimpeded by the burden of the theory or the implementation thereof. The material presented here highlighted some of the fundamental concepts and limitations the user needs to be aware of in order to use these test systems with confidence.
Bayesian methods in the selection of farm animals for breeding

The purpose of this thesis is to implement Bayesian methods to solve theoretical and practical statistical problems inthe selection of animals for breeding. The thesis is therefore focused mainly on the calculation of posterior distributions of variance components and functions of them, and the construction of optimum Bayesian selection methods for a single quantitative trait and multiple traits. Half-sib family structures are considered throughout, although the theory considered is more general in its application. Conventional and Bayesian methods for variance components estimation are reviewed from an animal breeding point of view, with emphasis on balanced data, but unbalanced data are also discussed. In Bayesian statistics the necessary integrations in several dimensions are usually difficult to perform by analytical means. A Gibbs sampling approach, which yields output readily translated into required inference summaries, is applied to integrations using suitable families of prior distributions. Gibbs sampling output is then used to develop appropriate graphical methods for summarizing posterior distributions of genetic and phenotypic parameters, and to calculate the posterior expectations of breeding values and the expected progress using different selection procedures. The selection of farm animals for breeding is treated as a decision problem in which the utility of choosing a given number of individuals is assumed to be proportional to the sum of the corresponding breeding values. The Bayesian selection procedure in this case is contrasted with conventional procedures based on point estimates of parameters, including a method based on modified parameter estimates known as bonding. Point estimates can be poor and frequently nonsensical even when breeding data on hundreds of animals are used. It is shown that Bayesian procedures give improved selection decisions as they make use of all the information on parameters rather than just providing point estimates. Finally, the restricted maximum likelihood method (REML) and the Gibbs sampling procedure are appliedto single trait and multiple-trait sire models for test day milkyields obtained on 23,873 British Holstein-Friesian heifers in 7,973 herds, these being progeny of 40 proven and 649 young sires. Inferences and selection procedures based on REML estimates and posterior expectations are compared.
SPOT GNSS in Emergency and Location Based Services

Location Based Systems (LBS) market has emerged exponentially since early 2000 in the wake of growing need for Emergency Relief Applications. The argument of course outstanding is which device outperforms all other in diverse scenarios without failure. While many purpose built LBS are in use, SPOT satellite messenger gained attention for its reliability. This paper summates the system architecture and experimental tests results with those of competing Assisted and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (A/GNSS). Our test bed comprised of 26 test points with pre-established database of GNSS difficulty levels in diverse environments in UNSW. Parameters of interest are availability, accuracy and Time to First Fix (TTFF). Relative benchmarking proves SPOT’s higher TTFF and higher failure rate in general. While High Sensitivity GNSS and Assisted GNSS (MSBased and MS-Assisted) had higher availability, higher accuracy and lower TTFF. Altogether fewer failure scenarios, trustworthy coverage with cost effectiveness were observed for MS-Based AGNSS which is vital for LBS applications. However reliance on wired or wireless IP network potentially limits the performance in nonexistent underlying infrastructure in remote applications. SPOT demonstrated higher TTFF and failure rates in test scenario. On the contrary Assisted GNSS (MS-Based or MS-Assisted) can provide a reliable, cost effective and open source alternative to SPOT satellite messenger with better TTFF, availability and accuracy for consumer and research applications.
Evaluating and Improving the Predictive Performance of Risk Equalization Models in Health Insurance Markets

markdownabstractSeveral countries world-wide, including Belgium, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and the U.S., use a risk equalization (RE) model to provide risk-adjusted payments to health insurers. The goal of RE is to mitigate financial incentives for risk selection and thereby to achieve a level playing field for health insurers. The extent to which an RE-model achieves this goal depends on the predictive performance of this model. In contrast to the vast amount of literature paying attention to improving the predictive performance of RE-models, evaluating model’s performance has been understudied. The first part of this thesis formulates general principles on how to evaluate model’s performance. These principles may assist researchers and policymakers by performing empirical evaluations and interpreting the results of these evaluations for decision-making. Despite RE-models have been developed over the past decades, a critical question for policymakers in all countries with RE is still how to further improve model’s predictive performance. The second part of this thesis examines three potentially relevant methods to improve the predictive performance of sophisticated morbidity-based RE-models.
Measure of Physical Activity for Health Promotion and Education Research

Objectives: Accurate and reliable measurement of physical activity (PA) is critical for accuracy of health education and promotion research and evaluation. In terms of research, PA measurement allows researchers to model the correlates and determinants of PA. From an evaluation perspective, measurement allows researchers to gauge the efficacy of interventions designed to increase or sustain PA. A variety of direct and indirect PA monitoring methods are available to researchers and practitioners. The purpose of this research was to review methods of measuring physical activity over time and identify best practices for application. Methods: A total of 21 articles were extracted from Medline, CINHAL, and ERIC databases for this review. Monitoring techniques analyzed included doubly labeled water, indirect calorimetry, motion sensors, global positioning system, global geographic information systems, heart rate monitors, direct observation, activity logs, and self-report questionnaires. Strengths and limitations, application, cost of the data collection, and the accuracy of the resulting data was elucidated. Results: PA is an important domain of health promotion and health education research. Accurate and reliable measurement of PA is critical to increasing the internal validity of health education interventions. Conclusions: Ultimately, the research questions that underlie a research project should determine the measurement tool researchers apply. In making a final decision, expertise, resources, and funding of the program must be considered. Even the most advanced monitoring tools have limitations. Researchers must be cognizant of the limitations of the measurement techniques they apply and make efforts to reduce biases associated with their selected measurement method.
Note on the revision and significance of the composite lagging business cycle indicator

The identification of new economic indicators, the discontinuation of existing indicators, as well as changes in the size and structure of the economy, necessitate revisions to the composite business cycle indicators from time to time. In March 2004 the South African Reserve Bank revised its composite leading and coincident business cycle indicators (Venter and Pretorius, 2004). As indicated at the time, the composite lagging business cycle indicator was revised separately and the results are published in this note. The composite lagging business cycle indicator was last revised in 1994 (Van der Walt and Pretorius, 1994).
Dexmedetomidine versus fentanyl on stress response and pain control in adult patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic procedures are widely indicated; however, the ideal approach for pain control remains debatable. This trial compared between the effects of dexmedetomidine and fentanyl infusion on stress response and pain control in patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgeries. A prospective randomized double-blinded comparative study included 82 adult participants randomly allocated into two equal-sized groups. Group D received 1 µg/kg of intravenous (IV) dexmedetomidine over 10 min as a loading dose just before induction of anesthesia, then 0.2–0.7 µg/kg/h till 10 min before the surgery ends. Group F received 1 µg/kg of IV fentanyl as a loading dose, then 0.2–0.7 µg/kg/h. Primary objective was postoperative analgesic consumption in 24 h. Collected data were heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), blood glucose and serum cortisol levels, visual analogue score (VAS), and the perioperative analgesic consumption. Group D consumed significantly less postoperative morphine doses in 24 h (p = 0.003), and 41.5% of Group D patients did not need any postoperative morphine. Group D had better-controlled hemodynamic changes 5 min post-extubation (HR and MAP p = 0.021 and p = 0.022 respectively), showed significantly less postoperative stress response as manifested in the blood glucose and serum cortisol levels 4 h postoperatively (p = 0.006 and p = 0.001 respectively), and less VAS pain scores at early and late postoperative periods. Intraoperative IV dexmedetomidine administration as a sole analgesic agent for patients undergoing elective laparoscopic surgeries serves as a convenient anesthetic approach, since it provided a good postoperative pain control, and reduced the surgical stress response and the perioperative analgesic consumption.
A team performance measurement model for continuous improvement

Abstract We propose a performance measurement model for providing feedback to total quality teams with the purpose of improvement. This model empowers the teams for their own performance measurement. The management should provide necessary training and facilitation to the teams for effective use of the model. The model has four components: team structure, inputs, processes, and outputs. It suggests methods for developing measures in each component, as well as use of radar charts for presenting measurement results. Teams should work together for developing the measures and necessary data collection mechanisms. The management should validate the appropriateness of the measurement systems developed with regard to organizational policies, goals and objectives. The model has been applied to a health care team for a measurement period. Results are discussed, and suggestions are made for implementing the model in other environments far from a total quality setting.
Análise das estruturas de dados verificáveis nas blockchains Ethereum e Neo

Estruturas de dados tem sido um dos principais objetos de estudo da computação. Alguns cenários de aplicação dessas estruturas possuem requisitos relacionados à segurança e integridade dos dados nelas contidos. Deste modo, no decorrer da história da computação foram propostas estruturas de dados verificáveis, que apresentam características que visam atender a alguns requisitos de segurança como a garantia de imutabilidade e a verificação de um item de dado pertencente a estas estruturas. Este artigo analisa duas estruturas de dados verificáveis, a saber, a Mekle Tree e a Merkle PATRICIA Trie, descrevendo seus conceitos, características e cenários de aplicação no contexto das blockchains Ethereum e Neo.