Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oil Prices and Exchange Rates in Brazil, India and Turkey: Time and Frequency Domain Causality Analysis

This study investigates causal dynamics between crude oil prices and exchange rates in Brazil, India and Turkey by employing monthly data from the beginning of floating exchange regime to July 2011. The study benefits from the recent developments in the time series econometric analysis and carries out time domain causality tests (linear causality, non-linear causality, volatility spillover) and frequency domain causality test. Findings show that results from frequency domain causality test are slightly different from than those from time domain causality methods. The frequency domain analysis provides evidence on bi-directional causality in India and uni-directional causality from real exchange rates to real oil price in Turkey and Brazil.
XMM-Newton spectra of hard spectrum Rosat AGN: X-ray absorption and optical reddening

We present the XMM-Newton spectra of three low-redshift intermediate Seyferts (one S y1.5, and two Sy1.8), from our survey of hard spectrum Rosat sources. The three AGN are well fitted by absorbed powerlaws, with intrinsic nuclear photo- electric absorption from column densities between 1.3 and 4.0×10 21 cm −2 . In the brightest object the X-ray spectrum is good enough to show that the absorber is not significantly ionized . For all three objects the powerlaw slopes appear to be somewhat flatter ( ∼ 1.3− 1.6) than those found in typical unabsorbed Seyferts. The constraints from optical and X-ray emission lines imply that all three objects are Compton-thin. For the two fainter objects, the reddening deduced from the optical broad emis- sion lines in one of them, and the optical continuum in the other, are similar to those expected from the X-ray absorption, if we assume a Galactic gas-to-dust ratio and reddening curve. The broad line region Balmer decrement of our brightest object is larger than expected from its X-ray absorption, which can be explained either by an intrinsic Balmer decrement with standard gas-to-dust ratio, or by a>Galactic gas-to-dust ratio. These≥ Galactic ratios of extinction to photoelectric absorption cannot ex- tend to the high redshift, high luminosity, broad line AGN in our sample, because they have column densities> 10 22 cm −2 , and so their broad line regions would be totally obscured. This means that some effect (e.g., luminosity dependence, or evolution) needs to be present in order to explain the whole population of absorbed AGN.
Correctly identifying responses is critical for understanding homeostatic and allostatic regulation

Homeostasis stabilizes critical biological variables within appropriate limits via corrective regulatory effector responses that adequately counter disturbing effects. Identifying individual effects and responses, and distinguishing their individual influences on a regulated state, is challenging. Studying effector responses can reveal regulatory phenomena that depart from homeostasis into the realm of allostasis.
Pre-Clinical Assessment of Novel Multivalent MSP3 Malaria Vaccine Constructs

Background MSP3 has been shown to induce protection against malaria in African children. The characterization of a family of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 3 (MSP3) antigens sharing a similar structural organization, simultaneously expressed on the merozoite surface and targeted by a cross-reactive network of protective antibodies, is intriguing and offers new perspectives for the development of subunit vaccines against malaria. Methods Eight recombinant polyproteins containing carefully selected regions of this family covalently linked in different combinations were all efficiently produced in Escherichia coli. The polyproteins consisted of one monovalent, one bivalent, one trivalent, two tetravalents, one hexavalent construct, and two tetravalents incorporating coiled-coil repeats regions from LSA3 and p27 vaccine candidates. Results All eight polyproteins induced a strong and homogeneous antibody response in mice of three distinct genotypes, with a dominance of cytophilic IgG subclasses, lasting up to six months after the last immunization. Vaccine-induced antibodies exerted a strong monocyte-mediated in vitro inhibition of P. falciparum growth. Naturally acquired antibodies from individuals living in an endemic area of Senegal recognized the polyproteins with a reactivity mainly constituted of cytophilic IgG subclasses. Conclusions Combination of genetically conserved and antigenically related MSP3 proteins provides promising subunit vaccine constructs, with improved features as compared to the first generation construct employed in clinical trials (MSP3-LSP). These multivalent MSP3 vaccine constructs expand the epitope display of MSP3 family proteins, and lead to the efficient induction of a wider range of antibody subclasses, even in genetically different mice. These findings are promising for future immunization of genetically diverse human populations.
Mobile object markers in Moro: The role of tone

Object markers alternate between a prefix and a suffix position in the Thetogovela dialect of Moro, an underdocumented Kordofanian language of Sudan. Although the alternation appears to depend on the morphosyntactic category of verb forms, we show that it actually follows from the tonal properties of these verb forms. Verb stems that are usually marked with a default, phonologically predictable leftmost high tone select prefix object markers. The high-toned prefix object marker appears inside the stem, and its high tone serves as the default tone of the stem, obviating the need for inserted high tone. Verb stems that impose other tone patterns, either all high or all low, select suffix object markers, a fact that we attribute to the incompatibility of high-toned prefix object markers with all-high and all-low tone patterns. The data are analyzed as a case of phonology conditioning prefix placement and overriding standard suffix position. Although such phonologically determined mobile affixes are rare in the world's languages, the Moro case provides a new example of affix mobility based on a novel property, tone, and it underscores the need to incorporate such cases into the architecture of grammatical systems.
Posttreatment human papillomavirus testing for residual or recurrent high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a pooled analysis

Objective We conducted a pooled analysis of published studies to compare the performance of human papillomavirus (HPV) testing and cytology in detecting residual or recurrent diseases after treatment for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or 3 (CIN 2/3). Methods Source articles presenting data on posttreatment HPV testing were identified from the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) database. We included 5,319 cases from 33 articles published between 1996 and 2013. Results The pooled sensitivity of high-risk HPV testing (0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90 to 0.94) for detecting posttreatment CIN 2 or worse (CIN 2+) was much higher than that of cytology (0.76; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.80). Co-testing of HPV testing and cytology maximized the sensitivity (0.93; 95% CI, 0.87 to 0.96), while HPV genotyping (detection of the same genotype between pre- and posttreatments) did not improve the sensitivity (0.89; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.94) compared with high-risk HPV testing alone. The specificity of high-risk HPV testing (0.83; 95% CI, 0.82 to 0.84) was similar to that of cytology (0.85; 95% CI, 0.84 to 0.87) and HPV genotyping (0.83; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.85), while co-testing had reduced specificity (0.76; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.78). For women with positive surgical margins, high-risk HPV testing provided remarkable risk discrimination between test-positives and test-negatives (absolute risk of residual CIN 2+ 74.4% [95% CI, 64.0 to 82.6] vs. 0.8% [95% CI, 0.15 to 4.6]; p<0.001). Conclusion Our findings recommend the addition of high-risk HPV testing, either alone or in conjunction with cytology, to posttreatment surveillance strategies. HPV testing can identify populations at greatest risk of posttreatment CIN 2+ lesions, especially among women with positive section margins.
Integrative Cognitive Style in Middle Eastern and Western Groups

Integrative cognitive style among Middle Eastern immigrants to Canada and native-born Euro-Canadians was assessed by looking at their performance on a multidimensional classification task and an object sorting task. Results showed high levels of integrative thinking in Middle Eastern immigrants compared with Euro-Canadians. The contrasting differentiative cognitive style was avoided by the Middle Eastern group, whereas a higher level of differentiation was observed in the Euro-Canadian groups. These results are congruent with previous studies showing higher levels of integrative style in Middle Eastern groups than in Euro-Canadian groups. A secondary finding revealed higher levels of integrative thinking among Middle Easterners with comparatively low levels of Western education. In sum, findings show preferences for integrative thinking in Middle Eastern groups, and through new measures of cognitive style, qualitative aspects of integrative thinking, which have traditionally been viewed indirectly as the opposite of differentiative thinking, are revealed.
The electronic band structure of GaBiAs/GaAs layers: Influence of strain and band anti-crossing

The GaBixAs1−x bismide III-V semiconductor system remains a relatively underexplored alloy particularly with regards to its detailed electronic band structure. Of particular importance to understanding the physics of this system is how the bandgap energy Eg and spin-orbit splitting energy Δo vary relative to one another as a function of Bi content, since in this alloy it becomes possible for Δo to exceed Eg for higher Bi fractions, which occurrence would have important implications for minimising non-radiative Auger recombination losses in such structures. However, this situation had not so far been realised in this system. Here, we study a set of epitaxial layers of GaBixAs1−x (2.3% ≤ x ≤ 10.4%), of thickness 30–40 nm, grown compressively strained onto GaAs (100) substrates. Using room temperature photomodulated reflectance, we observe a reduction in Eg, together with an increase in Δo, with increasing Bi content. In these strained samples, it is found that the transition energy between the conduction an.
Future Europe: democracy or technocracy?: the role of European democratization in creating European identity - four future scenarios

The financial crisis in Europe is providing grounds for changing the political union within the EU. However, it is not clear how this political union will be governed: whether it will be a democracy or a form of technocracy. This paper assesses the prospects of this political union on the basis of current efforts of European stakeholders to influence the democratization process. The model that I constructed is based on the two primary processes that are caused by the political union and that influence the democratization process. The first is institutionalization: institutional reforms – e.g. new electoral rules, an instituted European government that is democratically accountable. The second is network strengthening and embedding of EU policies on a democratic basis – e.g. European regulations at the level of regional governments or societal organizations. These two processes are modelled around the theoretical framework of “liberal cosmopolitan democratization”. The data collection was based on sources from institutional, political and societal actors that are concerned with the European democratization process. By means of a theory confirming case study that is based on the comparative politics method of Arend Lijphart, the data analysis was conducted by means of examining the presence of the aspects of liberal cosmopolitan democratization. Through the analysis, it became clear that the structures in the EU especially contribute to democratic institutionalization and network strengthening by means of the European parliament and the Citizens’ Initiative (ECI). However, the EP is argued to suffer a lack of representation and competition and the ECI’s bureaucratic threshold is argued to be too high to be truly democratic. Within the framework of the political union, current societal and institutional efforts seem to be focussing on the context of the political union – changing the financial, social and political order (network strengthening). The political efforts seem to be focussed on the content – the institutional setting in which the political union will be shaped (institutionalization). However, these efforts are being contradicted by current non-democratic policies of the European Commission and the lack of public and traditional political support. Regarding the impact of the democratization process on the level of European identity, I constructed four scenarios: democratic European identity, hollow European democracy, technocratic European identity and hollow European technocracy. The key uncertainties of these scenarios are the shaping of the political union and the democratization process within the EU. The prospect of the scenarios are especially depending two main issues: whether the EU institutions are taking a democratic or technocratic stance in solving the financial crisis and whether the democratization process is backed up by political forces at the European level.
Toward Optimal Data Aggregation in Random Wireless Sensor Networks

Data gathering is one of the most important services provided by wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Since the predominant traffic pattern in data gathering services is many-to-one communication, it is critical to understand the limitations of many-to-one information flows and devise efficient data aggregation protocols to support prolonged operations in WSNs. In this paper, we provide a theoretical characterization of data aggregation processes under different communication modalities in WSNs. We demonstrate that data aggregation rates of Theta(log(n)/n) and Theta(1) are optimal when operating in fading environments with power path-loss exponents that satisfy 2 < alpha < 4 and alpha > 4, respectively. Furthermore, the optimal rate can be achieved using a generalization of cooperative beam-forming called cooperative time-reversal communication. In contrast, the non-cooperative multihop relay strategies widely adopted in literature are shown to be suboptimal in the low-to-medium attenuation regime (for 2 < alpha < 4).
Analysis and Management of Periodic Review, Order‐Up‐To Level Inventory Systems with Order Crossover

In this article, we investigate the (R, S) periodic review, order‐up‐to level inventory control system with stochastic demand and variable leadtimes. Variable leadtimes can lead to order crossover, in which some orders arrive out of sequence. Most theoretical studies of order‐up‐to inventory systems under variable leadtimes assume that crossovers do not occur and, in so doing, overestimate the standard deviation of the realized leadtime distribution and prescribe policies that can inflate inventory costs. We develop a new analytic model of the expected costs associated with this system, making use of a novel approximation of the realized (reduced) leadtime standard deviation resulting from order crossovers. Extensive experimentation through simulation shows that our model closely approximates the true expected cost and can be used to find values of R and S that provide an expected cost close to the minimum cost. Taking account of, as opposed to ignoring, crossovers leads, on average, to substantial improvements in accuracy and significant cost reductions. Our results are particularly useful for managers seeking to reduce inventory costs in supply chains with variable leadtimes.
The Importance of HbA1c Control in Patients with Subclinical Hypothyroidism

Goal: To investigate the correlation between TSH and HbA1c in the treatment of L-thyroxine in the process of glycemic control in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. Patients and methods: The sample consisted of 100 patients, mean age 51.75±3.23 years, BMI=27.97±4.52 kg/m2, with SH (TSH>4.2 mU/L and normal serum T3 and T4). Laboratory diagnosis included the determination of free T3, free T4, thyroid antibodies, Tg, insulin, C-peptide and glucose during the OGTT, HbA1c, CRP and lipid levels. 20 patients with SH had prediabetes and 38 patients had DM. All patients were treated with low doses of L-thyroxine (25-50ug) and all were physically active. Results: After 6 months of treatment with L-thyroxine, the patients had normal or decreased TSH (5.85±0.92 vs. 3.54±0.55 mU/L), insulin levels (114.64±24.11 vs. 96.44±17.26 pmol/L) significantly reduced HbA1c (6.74±1.01 vs. 6.26±1.12) is reduced. Conclusion: The correlation between TSH and HbA1c was positive and significant (r=0.46). This indicates a significant effect of treatment with L-thyroxine on glycemic control in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.
Prediction and pattern matching algorithms for RNA multi-structures. (Algorithmes de prédiction et de recherche de multi-structures d'ARN)

RNA (ribonucleic acid) molecules have various functions in cells. Just as they can store and deliver the DNA message for the protein synthesis (messenger RNAs), they can also directly catalyze chemical reactions or act as a regulator (functional RNAs, also called non-coding RNAs). Nowadays, recent sequencing technologies yield billions of genomic sequences - DNA, RNA - at a very small cost. However, sequencing is only the first step: The function of the sequence remains open for investigation. The objective of the thesis is to define new computational methods to help sequence and structure analysis of non-coding RNAs. In this perspective, the "secondary structure" of an RNA,made with base pairs, provides useful hints to further study its function. Our work is focused on sets of all possible RNA structures for a given sequence, introducing the concept of "RNA multi-structures". The thesis details how such sets can be constructed systematically to generate all locally optimal secondary structures, and how they can be used as a pattern to identify non-coding RNAs in genomic sequences. We provide efficient algorithms for these two problems. These algorithms have been implementated in the software tools Alterna and Regliss and tested on real data, providing new insight into RNA structures
Identifying Causal Genes and Dysregulated Pathways in Complex Diseases

In complex diseases, various combinations of genomic perturbations often lead to the same phenotype. On a molecular level, combinations of genomic perturbations are assumed to dys-regulate the same cellular pathways. Such a pathway-centric perspective is fundamental to understanding the mechanisms of complex diseases and the identification of potential drug targets. In order to provide an integrated perspective on complex disease mechanisms, we developed a novel computational method to simultaneously identify causal genes and dys-regulated pathways. First, we identified a representative set of genes that are differentially expressed in cancer compared to non-tumor control cases. Assuming that disease-associated gene expression changes are caused by genomic alterations, we determined potential paths from such genomic causes to target genes through a network of molecular interactions. Applying our method to sets of genomic alterations and gene expression profiles of 158 Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients we uncovered candidate causal genes and causal paths that are potentially responsible for the altered expression of disease genes. We discovered a set of putative causal genes that potentially play a role in the disease. Combining an expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) analysis with pathway information, our approach allowed us not only to identify potential causal genes but also to find intermediate nodes and pathways mediating the information flow between causal and target genes. Our results indicate that different genomic perturbations indeed dys-regulate the same functional pathways, supporting a pathway-centric perspective of cancer. While copy number alterations and gene expression data of glioblastoma patients provided opportunities to test our approach, our method can be applied to any disease system where genetic variations play a fundamental causal role.
High gain patch antenna for CubeSat

A design of high gain patch antenna system suited for inter-satellite and earth observatory is presented. The antenna consists of four patch antenna array designed for maximum gain, this antenna is suitable for CubeSat structure. A 96mm square antenna substrate is designed and fixed to one of the faces of CubeSat. The design of antenna array is executed using CST software, simulation results shows that antenna has maximum gain 9.6 dB, directivity 10.06 dBi, beam width 54.8° and antenna achieves good impedance matching in the S-band at 2.46 GHz.
Dynamics of prisoner's dilemma and the evolution of cooperation on networks

We study the evolution of cooperation in populations where individuals play prisoner's dilemma on a network. Every node of the network corresponds to an individual choosing whether to cooperate or defect in a repeated game. The players revise their actions by imitating those neighbors who have higher payoffs. We show that when the interactions take place on graphs with large girth, cooperation is more likely to emerge. On the flip side, in graphs with many cycles of length 3 and 4, defection spreads more rapidly. One of the key ideas of our analysis is that our dynamics can be seen as a perturbation of the voter model. We write the transition kernel of the corresponding Markov chain in terms of the pairwise correlations in the voter model. We analyze the pairwise correlation and show that in graphs with relatively large girth, cooperators cluster and help each other.
Augmenting Web Services Composition with Transactional Requirements

Current Web services composition approaches do not take into account transactional requirements defined by designers. The transactional challenges raised by the composition of Web services are twofold: relaxed atomicity and dynamicity. In this paper, we propose a new process to automate the design of transactional composite Web services. Our solution enables the composition of Web services not only according to functional requirements but also to transactional ones defined using the acceptable termination states model. The resulting composite Web service is compliant with the consistency requirements expressed by designers and its execution can easily be coordinated using the coordination rules provided as an outcome of our approach