Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of soiling on solar mirrors and techniques used to maintain high reflectivity

Solar mirrors are used to concentrate low-level solar radiation to power levels which are practical and efficient for consumption. Any interference with the collection of that energy not only decreases the power level but also increases the cost of the energy available from a solar power system. One of the most immediate and drastic effects of outdoor exposure is the reflectance loss due to the accumulation of foreign particles on the mirror surface. Specular reflectance losses as great as 25% have been observed for mirrors exposed for only a few weeks. The effect of the deposited particles is to reduce the reflected energy by both absorbing and scattering light. The degree to which the particles reduce the collection of reflected energy depends on their composition, number and size distribution. An additional factor is the optics of the collection system. The angular acceptance aperture of the system, defined as the angle subtended by the receiver at the concentrator surface, determines the relative importance of the scattering due to dust accumulation. For flat plate thermal and photovoltaic collectors which have essentially a 180/sup 0/ angular acceptance aperture, scattering of the incident light is not critical but absorption can be an important factor more » in the loss of energy. For concentrating collection systems, such as line focus collectors and central receivers, angular acceptance apertures of a few degrees make scattering at the concentrator surface much more important and can result in severe energy losses. Results of a study of each of these areas are presented and discussed. (WHK) « less
Theory of privacy and anonymity

3 k-Anonymity with hierarchy-based generalization 12 3.1 Problem complexity . 17 3.2 Algorithms for k-anonymity . 20 3.2. 1 Samarati’s Algorithm . 20 3.2. 2 Incognito . 25 3.2. 3 Approximation algorithms . 28
Investigating the properties of metal-SWNT interfaces for SWNT-based nanodevices

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) exhibit unique properties making them an attractive material for high-performance and highly energy efficient nanoelectronics, e.g. carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNFETs) and sensors. The quality of metal-SWNT contacts is still one of limiting factors for the CNFET performance. The improvement of the electrical properties of the contacts is one of the major challenges for the successful integration of SWNTs in electronics applications. One important issue related to the device fabrication is contamination of resist residues in the electrical contact region. These residues remain on the SWNTs and cannot be completely removed by conventional and mild cleaning techniques. Harsher cleaning techniques, such as oxygen plasma ashing which is commonly used in Si-based semiconductor technology, can remove the residues but damage or even destroy the exposed nanotubes. In this work, the development and evaluation of a novel approach to fabricate clean metal-SWNT contacts with low resistances in SWNT-based devices is presented: application of an alumina protective layer. The scalability of this approach to wafer-level process was demonstrated. Oxygen plasma ashing of resist residues on the protective layer was also studied as an optional method to improve the contact resistance. Additionally, the impact of a Cr adhesion layer on the device performance was explored. The long-term stability of the electrical contacts was also investigated. An alumina protective layer was deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) after nanotube synthesis in order to avoid direct contact between the SWNTs and the lithography resists. This layer also prevents the SWNTs from other possible physical and chemical impacts during device fabrication. Prior to the deposition of the metal contacts on the nanotubes, this protective layer was selectively removed from the contact areas by wet etching with phosphoric acid. As confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, no detectable defects in SWNT structure were caused either by the alumina deposition, or by alumina etching. The cleanliness at both the metal-SWNT interfaces and the device channels was significantly improved. Consequently, the performance of Cr/Au-contacted (Cr/Au: 2/60 nm) and passivated CNFETs was largely enhanced as proven by comparing the onresistances. The median value of the device on-resistance was reduced to 134 kΩ, which is 45% lower than the one determined for the devices fabricated without the protective layer. The hysteresis width of CNFETs was also substantially re-
The gram-negative outer membrane: structure, biochemistry and vaccine potential.

Introduction For Gram-negative bacteria, the region of the cell interfacing directly with the host/environment is the outer membrane. This membrane system is about 10 nm in diameter and is structurally, compositionally and functionally quite distinct from the cell’s cytoplasmic or inner membrane. Its main role is a protective one. It is composed of outer membrane proteins (OMPs; % 44%), some phospholipids ( z 13%) and carbohydrate polymers ( % 43%), and is unusual in as much as it is a fully asymmetric bilayer. The inner monolayer is composed largely of phospholipid and the acyl chains of lipoproteins, whereas the outer monolayer contains lipopolysaccharide (LPS) [ 1,21. Outer membranes generally contain a restricted number (three to eight) of major OMPs present in high copy number (50 000-750 000 copiedcell). In the model Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli, several of these (e.g. Braun lipoprotein, peptidoglycan-associated lipoprotein, and the ompA gene product) appear to play a structural role in anchoring the outer membrane to the underlying peptidoglycan layer [3, 41. Another major and important class of proteins is characterized by the OmpF, OmpC, PhoE and LamB porins which facilitate the passive diffusion of small hydrophilic solutes through the outer membrane [ S , 61. Other proteins, such as the iron-regulated OMPs, are involved in TonB-dependent uptake of more specific solutes [7, 81. Royal Irish Academy Medal Lectuit-e
Associations between circulating adiponectin and selected plasma biochemical variables in physically active young men and women

Associations between circulating adiponectin and selected plasma biochemical variables in physically active young men and women Study aim: To evaluate the relationships between circulating adiponectin and FFA, and other biochemical variables (glycerol, glucose and insulin) in young, healthy non-obese men and women. Material and methods: A group of 53 male and 54 female students participated in the study. The following compounds were determined in plasma: free fatty acids (FFA), glucose and glycerol (colorimetrically), and insulin and adiponectin (by immunoassay). Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) was calculated from fasting insulin and glucose concentrations. Results: Mean plasma glucose was slightly lower (p<0.01), and plasma insulin and HOMA-IR markedly higher (p<0.01 - 0.001) in female than in male subjects. Percent body fat was positively correlated with plasma FFA in both groups (p<0.01), but with plasma glycerol (p<0.001) in female students only. Plasma adiponectin was negatively correlated with percent body fat (p<0.02), plasma glycerol (p<0.001) and FFA (p<0.05) in female subjects only. Conclusions: Gender-related differences in body fat may affect the relationship between adiponectin and indices of lipid metabolism.
Monochromatic and Bichromatic Reverse Top-k Queries

Nowadays, most applications return to the user a limited set of ranked results based on the individual user's preferences, which are commonly expressed through top-k queries. From the perspective of a manufacturer, it is imperative that her products appear in the highest ranked positions for many different user preferences, otherwise the product is not visible to potential customers. In this paper, we define a novel query type, namely the reverse top-k query, that covers this requirement: “Given a potential product, which are the user preferences that make this product belong to the top-k query result set? ” Reverse top-k queries are essential for manufacturers to assess the impact of their products in the market based on the competition. We formally define reverse top-k queries and introduce two versions of the query, monochromatic and bichromatic. First, we provide a geometric interpretation of the monochromatic reverse top-k query to acquire an intuition of the solution space. Then, we study in detail the case of bichromatic reverse top-k query, and we propose two techniques for query processing, namely an efficient threshold-based algorithm and an algorithm based on materialized reverse top-k views. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates the efficiency of our techniques.
Review of 30 Years of Longitudinal Studies on the Association Between Job Insecurity and Health and Well‐Being: Is There Causal Evidence?

Objective In this review article, we present an overview of the results of longitudinal studies on the consequences of job insecurity for health and well‐being. We discuss the evidence for normal causation (“Does job insecurity influence outcomes? ”), reversed causation (“Do specific outcomes predict job insecurity? ”), and reciprocal causation. We also review the various theories used to develop the hypotheses and whether theory has been used at all. Method Scientific and scholarly databases were searched to find all existing articles. We found 57 longitudinal studies published since 1987 in a variety of countries throughout the world. All articles were summarised in an encompassing table. Results The results show strong evidence for normal causation, in which job insecurity influences both psychological well‐being and somatic health over time. The results were somewhat dependent on the type of outcome variable analysed, with clear evidence regarding exhaustion (burnout), general mental/psychological well‐being, self‐rated health, and a variety of somatic complaints. For aspects such as job satisfaction, work engagement, and psychosomatic complaints, the results suggested normal causation in one half to two thirds of the studies only. Reversed or reciprocal causation was rarely studied, and when studied, rarely found. Conclusions Job insecurity influences health and well‐being over time, rather than the other way round. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Interconversion of the cis-5R,6S- and trans-5R,6R-Thymine Glycol Lesions in Duplex DNA

Thymine glycol (Tg), 5,6-dihydroxy-5,6-dihydrothymine, is formed in DNA by the reaction of thymine with reactive oxygen species. The 5R Tg lesion was incorporated site-specifically into 5′-d(G1T2G3C4G5Tg6G7T8T9T10G11T12)-3′; Tg = 5R Tg. The Tg-modified oligodeoxynucleotide was annealed with either 5′-d(A13C14A15A16A17C18A19C20G21C22A23C24)-3′, forming the Tg6•A19 base pair, corresponding to the oxidative damage of thymine in DNA, or 5′-d(A13C14A15A16A17C18G19C20G21C22A23C24)-3′, forming the mismatched Tg6•G19 base pair, corresponding to the formation of Tg following oxidative damage and deamination of 5-methylcytosine in DNA. At 30 °C, the equilibrium ratio of cis-5R,6S:trans-5R,6R epimers was 7:3 for the duplex containing the Tg6•A19 base pair. In contrast, for the duplex containing the Tg6•G19 base pair, the cis-5R,6S:trans-5R,6R equilibrium favored the cis-5R,6S epimer; the level of the trans-5R,6R epimer remained below the level of detection by NMR. The data suggested that Tg disrupted hydrogen bonding interactions, either when placed opposite to A19 or G19. Thermodynamic measurements indicated a 13 °C reduction of Tm regardless of whether Tg was placed opposite dG or dA in the complementary strand. Although both pairings increased the free energy of melting by 3 kcal/mol, the melting of the Tg•G pair was more enthalpically favored than was the melting of the Tg•A pair. The observation that the position of the equilibrium between the cis-5R,6S and trans-5R,6R thymine glycol epimers in duplex DNA was affected by the identity of the complementary base extends upon observations that this equilibrium modulates the base excision repair of Tg [Ocampo-HafallaM. T. ; AltamiranoA. ; BasuA. K. ; ChanM. K. ; OcampoJ. E. ; CummingsA.Jr.; BoorsteinR. J.; CunninghamR. P.; TeeborG. W.DNA Repair (Amst)2006, 5, 444−454].
Missing links in key sector analysis

Abstract In general terms, key sectors analysis aims at identifying and quantifying the economic impact of a sector in a given economy. For a sector, we mean here either an industry or a region, or even a cluster of them. Quite a few measures and methodologies of varied complexity have been proposed in the literature, from multiplier sums to extraction methods, but not without debate about their properties and information content. All of them, to our knowledge, focus exclusively on the interdependence effects that result from an input–output structure of the economy. By so doing the approach misses critical links beyond the interindustry ones. A productive sector's role is that of producing but also that of generating and distributing income among primary factors and households as a result of production. Thus, when measuring a sector's role, the income generating process should not be omitted if we want to elucidate the sector's true economic impact. A simple way to make the missing income links explicit is to use the SAM (Social Accounting Matrix) facility. Extending an extraction methodology to the SAM we compare lost output with and without the missing links. We observe that substantial differences in sectoral lost gross output arise but, even more important, we capture the implied shifting in the rank ordering of sectors.
Factors Affecting Survival of Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer in El-Minia Governorate, Egypt

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine breast cancer survival time and the association between breast cancer survival and socio-demographic and pathologic factors among women, in El-Minia, Egypt. While there has been much researches regarding prognostic factors for breast cancer but the majority of these studies were from developed countries. El-Minia has a population of approximately 4 million. To date, no research has been performed to determine breast cancer survival and the factors affecting it in El-minia. Methods: This retrospective study used data obtained from the cancer registry in the National Institute of Oncology in El-Minia and included 1207 women diagnosed with first primary breast cancer between 1st January 2005 and 31st December 2009 and followed to 30th June 2010. The association between survival and sociodemographic and pathological factors and distant metastasis at diagnosis, and treatment options was investigated using unifactorial chi-square test and multi-factorial (Cox regression) analyses. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare survival time among different groups. Results: Median survival time was 83.8 ± 3.2. Cox regression showed that high vs low educational level (Hazard ratio (HR)= 0.35, 95% CI; 0.27–0.46), metastases to bone (HR = 3.22, 95% CI: 1.71-6.05), metastases to lung (HR= 2.314, 95% CI: 1.225-4.373), tumor size (≤ 2 cm vs ≥ 5 cm: HR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.8) and number of involved nodes (1 vs > 10 HR = 5.21, 95%CI: 3.1-9.01) were significantly related to survival. Conclusions: The results showed the need to develop screening programs and standardized treatment regimens in a tax-funded health care system.
NAPDS Trends and Themes: Data from the National Association of Professional Development Schools Annual Meetings, 2002-2014.

The concept of a Professional Development School (PDS) is not recent phenomenon. While stemming from the work of the Holmes Partnership and National Network of Educational Renewal in the 1980s and 1990s, many of the concepts of the PDS may be traced back to the work of John Dewey’s Lab School in Chicago and later the creation of university lab schools for teacher education (Colburn 1993; Holmes Group 1993; Zenkov, Shiveley & Clark 2016). A recent themed special issue of SchoolUniversity Partnerships focused on the question, ‘‘What is a PDS? ’’ indicating that the answer to this question is far from universally held and calls for more discussion to help frame PDS work within a more commonly held set of criteria (Zenkov et al., 2016). While there is no single definition of a PDS, it is typically a K-12 school that has entered into some form of agreement with a university to better prepare future teachers, promote the professional development of practicing teachers, and serve as sites for educational research (Sykes, 1997). Over a quarter of a century ago the Holmes Group articulated four primary objectives of PDSs: to improve the training of pre-service teachers, to enhance the achievement of PK-12 students, to conduct research on and by school and university educators on PK-12 and teacher education curricula and practices, and to provide professional development for of all of the constituents of these partnerships (Holmes Group, 1990). A more recent outgrowth of the Professional Development School movement has been an annual national conference dedicated to sharing and showcasing the work of various schools and universities engaged in PDS work. The University of South Carolina in Columbia originated and sponsored the National Professional Development School Conference from 2000 until 2015. During this time the membership of the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS), a national organization for schools and universities engaged school-university partnerships, would meet annually at this conference and participate as co-hosts. In 2016, NAPDS held its first conference as a separate event. This paper examines the presentations given at the National Professional Development School Conference over a 13-year period from 2002 through 2014. It was during this time that the conference was firmly established as a national outlet for sharing the work and research being conducted in PDS settings throughout the country.
Coping With Breast Cancer Survivorship in Chinese Women: The Role of Fatalism or Fatalistic Voluntarism

Background: The existing knowledge on fatalism in the field of cancer has arisen largely from the cancer prevention and screening literature. Little is known about the role of fatalism in cancer survivorship, particularly within Chinese population. Objective: This study aimed to explore the role of fatalism in coping with breast cancer survivorship in Chinese women. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted on 29 participants selected from those who attended a local cancer self-help organization in China. Interview transcripts were transcribed and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Although they actively engaged in emotional regulation and self-care management to cope with survivorship, participants believed in fatalism and accepted their inability to change the final outcome of cancer. Such contradictory behavioral and cognitive aspects of coping reported by participants highlighted the role of a complex belief system involving Ming in positively influencing the interpretation of fatalism and the actual coping efforts taken. Conclusions: Findings suggest that fatalism related to coping in the Chinese context combined 2 elements: fatalistic belief in and acceptance of the way things are as well as the exertion of personal efforts over the situation. As such, it seems more effectively depicted in terms of the emerging concept “fatalistic voluntarism. ” Implications for Practice: When planning intervention for Chinese population, incorporating fatalistic voluntarism as a cognitive belief system in the process of adaptation to survivorship may be more culturally relevant for facilitating their coping behaviors.
Naproxen Inhibits UVB‐induced Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Development in Ptch1+/−/SKH‐1 Hairless Mice

Naproxen possesses anti‐proliferative and pro‐apoptotic effects besides its known anti‐inflammatory functions. Here, we demonstrate the anticancer effects of naproxen against UVB‐induced basal cell carcinoma (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCCs) in a highly susceptible murine model of UVB carcinogenesis. Naproxen significantly inhibited UVB‐induced BCCs and SCCs in this model. Tumor number and volume were significantly decreased (P < 0.005 and P < 0.05, respectively). Inhibition in UVB‐induced SCCs and BCCs was 77% and 86%, respectively, which was associated with reduced PCNA and cyclin D1 and increased apoptosis. As expected, inflammation‐related iNOS, COX‐2 and nuclear NFκBp65 were also diminished by naproxen treatment. Residual tumors excised from naproxen‐treated animal were less invasive and showed reduced expression of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers N‐cadherin, Vimentin, Snail and Twist with increased expression of E‐cadherin. In BCC and SCC cells, naproxen‐induced apoptosis and activated unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling with increased expression of ATF4, p‐eIF2α and CHOP. Employing iRNA‐based approaches, we found that naproxen‐induced apoptosis was regulated by CHOP as sensitivity of these cutaneous neoplastic cells for apoptosis was significantly diminished by ablating CHOP. In summary, these data show that naproxen is a potent inhibitor of UVB‐induced skin carcinogenesis. ER stress pathway protein CHOP may play an important role in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells.
Steroid 5 alpha-reductase: two genes/two enzymes.

BIOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF STEROID Sa-REDUCTASE . 30 Protein Structure . 30 pH Optima . 31 Kinetic Constants . 35 Overexpression and Purification . 35 Intracellular Turnover and Subcellular Localization . 36
In defense of Nearest-Neighbor based image classification

State-of-the-art image classification methods require an intensive learning/training stage (using SVM, Boosting, etc.) In contrast, non-parametric nearest-neighbor (NN) based image classifiers require no training time and have other favorable properties. However, the large performance gap between these two families of approaches rendered NN-based image classifiers useless. We claim that the effectiveness of non-parametric NN-based image classification has been considerably undervalued. We argue that two practices commonly used in image classification methods, have led to the inferior performance of NN-based image classifiers: (i) Quantization of local image descriptors (used to generate "bags-of-words ", codebooks). (ii) Computation of 'image-to-image' distance, instead of 'image-to-class' distance. We propose a trivial NN-based classifier - NBNN, (Naive-Bayes nearest-neighbor), which employs NN- distances in the space of the local image descriptors (and not in the space of images). NBNN computes direct 'image- to-class' distances without descriptor quantization. We further show that under the Naive-Bayes assumption, the theoretically optimal image classifier can be accurately approximated by NBNN. Although NBNN is extremely simple, efficient, and requires no learning/training phase, its performance ranks among the top leading learning-based image classifiers. Empirical comparisons are shown on several challenging databases (Caltech-101 ,Caltech-256 and Graz-01).