Balanced Groups Research Articles

The Role Of Business Diversification, Education And Development Activities On Business Performance Of Construction Companies Listed In Indonesian Stock Exchange

The aim of this research is to analyze the development of companies in the capital market, especially in the accounting aspect. The companies in this study consist of a large number of subsidiaries, associated companies, and multi-group companies. This is an applied study that uses developments in accounting doctrine, particularly those that influence balance sheet analysis, comparison of financial statements over time, and ratios. The analysis results indicate an increase in stock prices, followed by a general decline the following year, likely due to changes in the economic cycle. Regarding the debt situation, there has been a significant increase. Despite this, increases continued, reaching figures that would be difficult to maintain in the future. The following year, the figure decreased due to the crisis and the disinvestment process mentioned earlier. From this analysis, it appears that the construction group experienced significant challenges in managing their debt and assets over the period, which is reflected in their share price movements, turnover, and results. The composition and variations of the group's balance sheet showed major changes during the period, mainly due to the expansion of lines of activity that required large investments in permanent structures. This situation is unsustainable and requires significant disinvestment. This shows that the capital and financial management of these groups play a very important role in maintaining the stability and growth of their companies. Additionally, we must carefully make investment decisions and manage debt to avoid creating unwanted risks in the future.

Bone mineral density after exercise training in patients with chronic kidney disease stages 3 to 5: a sub-study of RENEXC-a randomized controlled trial.

We evaluated the effects of 12 months of exercise training on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stages 3-5 not on kidney replacement therapy (KRT). A total of 151 patients were randomized to 12 months of either balance or strength training, both together with endurance training. Some 112 patients completed and 107 (69 men, 38 women) were analysed, with a mean age 66±13.5 years and 31% having diabetes. The exercise training was self-administered, prescribed and monitored by a physiotherapist. Total body, hip and lumbar BMD, T score and Z score were measured at baseline and after 12 months using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Both groups showed increased physical performance. The prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia was unchanged. The strength group (SG) decreased total body BMD (P<.001), the balance group (BG) increased total body T score (P<.05) and total body Z score (P<.005). Total body ΔT score was negative in the SG and unchanged in the BG (P<.005). Total body ΔZ score was negative in the SG and positive in the BG (P<.001). The proportion of progressors measured by ΔT (P<.05) and ΔZ scores (P<.05) was significantly lower in the BG compared with the SG. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, belonging to the BG was the only factor with a lower risk of deterioration of total body BMD, T and Z scores. Twelve months of balance training together with endurance training seemed to be superior to strength training in maintaining and improving BMD in patients with CKD not on KRT.

A Study on the Operation of a Balancing Group Consisting of PVs and On-site Storage Batteries

The renewable energy resources, such as photovoltaic generation and wind turbine, are rapidly being integrated. In order to compensate for the variable output and imbalance between actual and scheduled outputs, introduction of a battery storage would be one of the promising solutions. In this paper, we focus on the scheduled operation of a balancing group (BG) consisting of the widely distributed photovoltaic generation with storage battery. BG forming would bring reduction of total imbalance due to cancellation of forecast errors among PV stations, and could enable cooperative usage of battery storages for imbalance compensation. This paper proposes a new battery storages operation scheduling for the BG considering the imbalance risk, which are assumed based on the confidence interval forecast for PV output. Effectiveness of the proposed scheduling method is ascertained through year-basis computational simulation of the BG. Advantages of BG forming is also discussed.

Combined effects of virtual reality techniques and motor imagery on balance, motor function and activities of daily living in patients with Parkinson\u2019s disease: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundParkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, impairing balance and motor function. Virtual reality (VR) and motor imagery (MI) are emerging techniques for rehabilitating people with PD. VR and MI combination have not been studied in PD patients. This study was conducted to investigate the combined effects of VR and MI techniques on the balance, motor function, and activities of daily living (ADLs) of patients with PD.MethodsThis study was a single-centered, two-armed, parallel-designed randomized controlled trial. A total of 44 patients of either gender who had idiopathic PD were randomly allocated into two groups using lottery methods. Both groups received Physical therapy (PT) treatment, while the experimental group (N: 20) received VR and MI in addition to PT. Both groups received assigned treatment for three days a week on alternate days for 12 weeks. The Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) (parts II and III), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale were used as outcome measures for motor function, balance, and ADLs. The baseline, 6th, and 12th weeks of treatment were assessed, with a 16th week follow-up to measure retention. The data was analysed using SPSS 24.ResultsThe experimental group showed significant improvement in motor function than the control group on the UPDRS part III, with 32.45±3.98 vs. 31.86±4.62 before and 15.05±7.16 vs. 25.52±7.36 at 12-weeks, and a p-value < 0.001. At 12 weeks, the experimental group's BBS scores improved from 38.95±3.23 to 51.36±2.83, with p-value < 0.001. At 12 weeks, the experimental group's balance confidence improved considerably, from 59.26±5.87to 81.01±6.14, with a p-value of < 0.001. The experimental group's ADL scores improved as well, going from 22.00±4.64 to 13.07±4.005 after 12 weeks, with a p-value of < 0.001.ConclusionVR with MI techniques in addition to routine PT significantly improved motor function, balance, and ADLs in PD patients compared to PT alone.Trial registrationIRCT20200221046567N1. Date of registration: 01/04/2020

Scheduling of Pumped-Storage Hydro Generator Operation in Balancing Group with Wind Farms

To utilize renewable energy systems (RES) as main generators in power system, power system operators need to maintain reserve power to compensate the uncertain output of RES, such as wind farms (WF). This paper focuses on the balancing group (BG) composed of WF and a pumped-storage hydro generator (PSHG). In the BG operation, power system operators need to schedule the operation of PSHG to minimize the imbalance risk caused by the prediction error of WF output while considering the system specific constraints of PSHG, e. g. the mechanical constraint on pump-up/down switching. This paper proposes a method to schedule the PSHG operation using the interval prediction results of the WF output for alleviating the imbalance risk the proposed scheduling scheme is formulated based on the linear programming. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, the amount of imbalance and the net generation of the BG were evaluated based on numerical experiments under two types of situations with different characteristics in WF output. The experimental results reveal the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Genome-wide association for metabolic clusters in early-lactation Holstein dairy cows

The aim of this study was to detect the genomic region or regions associated with metabolic clusters in early-lactation Holstein cows. This study was carried out in 2 experiments. In experiment I, which was carried out on 105 multiparous Holstein cows, animals were classified through k-means clustering on log-transformed and standardized concentrations of blood glucose, insulin-like growth factor I, free fatty acids, and β-hydroxybutyrate at 14 and 35 d in milk (DIM), into metabolic clusters, either balanced (BAL) or other (OTR). Forty percent of the animals were categorized in the BAL group, and the remainder were categorized as OTR. The cows were genotyped for a total of 777,962 SNP. A genome-wide association study was performed, using a case-control approach through the GEMMA software, accounting for population structure. We found 8 SNP (BTA11, BTA23, and BTAX) associated with the predicted metabolic clusters. In experiment II, carried out on 4,267 second-parity Holstein cows, milk samples collected starting from the first week until 50 DIM were used to determine Fourier-transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectra and subsequently to classify the animals into the same metabolic clusters (BAL vs. OTR). Twenty-eight percent of the animals were categorized in the BAL group, and the remainder were classified in the OTR category. Although daily milk yield was lower in BAL cows, we found no difference in daily fat- and protein-corrected milk yield in cows from the BAL metabolic cluster compared with those in the OTR metabolic cluster. In the next step, a single-step genomic BLUP was used to identify the genomic region(s) associated with the predicted metabolic clusters. The results revealed that prediction of metabolic clusters is a highly polygenic trait regulated by many small-sized effects. The region of 36,258 to 36,295 kb on BTA27 was the highly associated region for the predicted metabolic clusters, with the closest genes to this region (ANK1 and miR-486) being related to hematopoiesis, erythropoiesis, and mammary gland development. The heritability for metabolic clustering was 0.17 (SD 0.03), indicating that the use of FT-MIR spectra in milk to predict metabolic clusters in early-lactation across a large number of cows has satisfactory potential to be included in genetic selection programs for modern dairy cows.

Balancing management of strategic aggregators using non-cooperative game theory

The aggregators are intermediary players at the distribution system level. They manage the financial transactions of resources such as micro-turbines (MTs), photo-voltaic (PV) production systems, flexible demands (FDs), and must-run demands (MDs) in the energy market. Based on the regulation of many transmission system operators (TSOs) in European countries, an aggregator is obliged to be assigned to a balancing group (BG) represented by a balancing group manager (BGM). The TSO measures the energy imbalances at the BG level. Meanwhile, the BGM is responsible for the management of financial transactions between the aggregators and the TSO. The strategic aggregators can establish a common BG instead of individual BGs. Then, they gain more payoffs since their energy imbalances are compensated more efficiently. However, the BGM should have the complete knowledge of the aggregators’ confidential information, which includes the evaluation of aggregators concerning the cost/utility functions of associated resources. The aggregators have no incentive to disclose this valuable information. To solve this challenge, an iterative distributed algorithm based on non-cooperative game theory is proposed. In the numerical results, the performance of proposed common BG has been evaluated thanks to the comparison with a benchmark case where the aggregators establish their own individual BGs.

Association between body-constitution type and vascular endothelial dysfunction: A cross-sectional study in an adult obese/overweight population

Abstract Objective To measure vascular endothelial function (VED) in obese/overweight people grouped according to the constitutional theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). We wished to predict the risk of VED and cardiovascular diseases in obese/overweight populations. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Eighty-six obese/overweight volunteers from Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital were enrolled and divided into four groups based on body-constitution type: phlegm dampness (PD); phlegm dampness with blood stasis (PDBS); qi-deficiency (QD); balance (BA). Height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference were measured, and percent body fat and reactive hyperemia index (RHI) calculated. Levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), von Willebrand factor (vWF) and plasma endothelial-1 (ET-1) were detected by immunohistochemistry. Results The RHI and vWF levels in the PDBS group were significantly lower than those in the BA group and QD group (P .05). These two indicators displayed no significant differences among BA, QD, and PD groups (P > .05). There was no significant difference among the four groups in level of ET-1 or VEGF (P > .05). Conclusion Of the four indicators selected, the RHI and vWF displayed significant differences between the PDBS group and BA group, and between the PDBS group and QD group. Hence, in an obese/overweight population with different constitutional types, compared with BA and QD groups, a relatively higher risk of suffering from VED was detected in the PDBS group. Meanwhile, this study provides the experimental basis for confirming the feasibility of constitutional classification in obese/overweight population.

Balance and Coordination Capacities of Male Children and Adolescents With Intellectual Disability.

Children and adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) exhibit a mixture of cognitive, motor, and psychosocial limitation. Identifying specific inadequacies in motor proficiency in youth with ID would improve therapeutic management to enhance functional capacity and health-related physical activity. The purpose of this study was to initiate descriptive data collection of gross motor skills of youth with ID and compare those skills with competency norms. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) was used to measure 6 items for balance (BAL), 5 items for upper limb coordination (ULC), and 6 items for bilateral coordination (BLC) of 123 males (ages 8-18) with ID but without Down syndrome. The authors performed 2,840 assessments (10-32 for each item); 944, 985, and 913 for BAL, ULC, and BLC, respectively. Mean scores for all age groups for BAL, ULC, and BLC were consistently below BOT-2 criteria. Overall motor skills of males with ID are below the competence expected for children and adolescents without disabilities.

Task- and Context-Specific Balance Training Program Enhances Dynamic Balance and Functional Performance in Parkinsonian Nonfallers: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Six-Month Follow-Up

ObjectivesTo investigate the short- and long-term effects of a task- and context-specific balance training program on dynamic balance and functional performance, and to explore the effects on preventing total and injurious falls in parkinsonian nonfallers. DesignA randomized controlled trial with group allocation single-blinded to the assessor. SettingCommunity centers, malls, and outdoor parks. ParticipantsNonfallers with Parkinson disease (PD) (N=70; mean age ± SD, 61.2±8.8y) randomly assigned to either a balance (BAL) group (n=32) or a control (CON) group (n=38). InterventionsThe BAL group received 4 weeks of indoor and 4 weeks of outdoor balance training (with a 2-h session per week). The CON group received 8 weeks of upper limb training at the same dosage. Both groups were instructed to perform 3 hours of home exercise weekly posttraining. Main Outcome Measures(1) Dynamic balance performance: Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest); (2) Functional performance: functional reach (FR), 5 times sit-to-stand (FTSTS), 1-leg-stance (OLS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and dual-task TUG tests; (3) Fall-related outcomes: ratios of total nonfallers to fallers and noninjurious fallers to injurious fallers, total and injurious fall rates, times to first falls and injurious falls. ResultsSixty-eight participants completed training. A total of 7 patients (10%) withdrew before the 6-month follow-up, but not because of any adverse effects. At immediate and 6 months posttraining, the BAL group showed significantly greater improvements (from baseline) than the CON group in Mini-BESTest total scores, FR distances, and OLS times, together with greater time reductions in FTSTS, TUG, and dual-task TUG tests (all P<.05). The number of injurious fallers was significantly lower in the BAL group at 6-month follow-up. ConclusionsThis task- and context-specific balance training program improved the dynamic balance and fall-prone functional performance of PD nonfallers for up to 6 months after training. The BAL group showed a reduction in injurious fallers.

뇌졸중 환자의 균형능력 회복을 위한 가정운동프로그램 효과

본 연구는 가정운동프로그램이 뇌졸중 환자의 균형능력회복에 미치는 효과를 알아보기 위하여 실시하였다. 본 연구는 2013년 9월에서 2013년 12월까지 실시하였으며, 대상자는 총 20명으로 일반적인 통원 물리치료를 실시한 조군 10명, 일반적인 통원 물리치료를 실시하고 추가적으로 가정운동프로그램을 실시한 운동군 10명으로 나누어 배정하였다. 가정운동프로그램은 신경계 물리치료사가 대상자 집을 방문하여 8주동안 주 2회씩 매회 30분간 시행하였으며 체중이동훈련, 지구력훈련, 운동재훈련, 감각재훈련, 하지운동으로 구성되었다. 균형능력을 평가하기 위하여 Biorescu를 이용하여 족저압, 안정성한계, 동요속도를 측정하였고 임상적인 측정방법 중 하나인 기능적 팔뻗기 검사를 실시하였다. 연구결과 대조군과 운동군은 안정성한계, 동요속도, 기능적 팔뻗기 검사에서 유의한 차이가 나타났다. 본 연구는 가정운동프로그램이 뇌졸중 환자의 균형회복을 회복하는데 효과적인 치료전략 중 하나라는 것을 나타낸다. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of home based exercise program on balance recovery of stroke patients. In total, 20 participants were assigned to a control group(n=10) or exercise group(n=10) between September 2013 and December 2013. In addition to existing physiotherapy, the exercise group received home based exercise program consisting of weight transfer, training endurance, mobility, sensory retraining, lower limb exercise for 30 minutes, 2 times a week, for 8 weeks, every time for 30 minutes. Balance ability was assessed by measuring foot pressure(FP), limit of stability(LOS) and velocity sway(VS) by using Biorescue and by using the functional reaching test(FRT). To compare the improvement level of each group's balance ability, examination of independent sample T was done. Significant differences between control group and exercise group in LOS, VS of affect side and FRT were observed. This study showed that home based exercise program application was effective strategy on balance recovery in a post stroke population.

The effect of energy substrate manipulation on tumor growth and metastasis and intermediary metabolism in the parenterally fed mouse

The effect of N-free energy substrate manipulation on tumor growth and metastasis, host maintenance, and intermediary metabolism was studied in parenterally fed Swiss mice bearing subcutaneously implanted Lewis lung carcinoma. Non-N energy was provided from dextrose (CHO), lipid emulsion (FAT), or a 75:25 balanced (BAL) solution, infused from day 14 through day 22 postimplant. Control mice were offered equivalent energy and N from a balanced, casein-based solid diet (CAS). Tumor-doubling time was significantly prolonged in the CHO group compared to FAT and CAS. Pulmonary metastatic nodules were decreased in number in all parenterally fed mice compared to CAS, suggesting that the route of administration altered pulmonary physiology in such a way that the transmissability and/or growth of the tumor cells was inhibited. Tumor-free body weight was maintained in the CHO (+ 1.3%) and BAL (+ 0.3%) groups. However, significant weight loss occurred, despite equal intake, in the FAT (-4.7%) and CAS (-7.5%) groups. The energy appeared to be channeled into nonoxidative pathways, reflected by an increase in hepatic and adipose tissue lipogenesis and hepatic glycogen content. During the period studied, parenteral dextrose/amino acid infusion in this host-tumor system resulted in a decrease in primary tumor growth and optimal host maintenance compared to fat-based TPN and enteral feeding of a balanced, solid diet. Tumor metastasis was decreased in all parenterally fed mice, a phenomenon related to the route of administration and apparently independent of energy substrate.