Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Refining the fundamental plane of accreting black holes

Context: . The idea of a unified description of supermassive and stellar black holes has been supported by the extension of the empirical radio/X-ray correlation from X-ray binaries to active galactic nuclei through the inclusion of a mass term. This has lead to the so-called fundamental plane of black hole activity in the black hole mass, radio and X-ray luminosity space. Two incarnations of this fundamental plane have so far been suggested using different underlying models and using two different samples of accreting black holes. Aims: . We improve the parameter estimates of the fundamental plane and estimate the scatter of the sources around the plane in both samples. This is used to look for possible constraints on the proposed theoretical models. Furthermore, we search for selection effects due to the inclusion of different classes of AGN or distance effects. Methods: . We present revised samples for both studies together with a refined statistical analysis using measured errors of the observables. This method is used to compare the two samples and infer parameters for the fundamental plane in a homogeneous way. Results: . We show that strongly sub-Eddington objects in a state equivalent to the low/hard state of X-ray binaries follow the fundamental plane very tightly; the scatter is comparable to the measurement errors. However, we find that the estimated parameters depend strongly on the assumptions made on the sources of scatter and the relative weight of the different AGN classes in the sample. Using only hard state objects, the fundamental plane is in agreement with the prediction of a simple uncooled synchrotron/jet model for the emitted radiation. Inclusion of high-state objects increases the scatter and moves the correlation closer to a disk/jet model. This is qualitatively consistent with a picture where low-state objects are largely dominated by jet emission while high-state objects have a strong contribution from an accretion disk.
Cardiovascular adaptations to physical training.

The role of physical activity in cardiovascular health has received increasing atten­ tion in recent years. A large number of reports have indicated that populations or individuals with high levels of physical activity tend to have a lower prevalence of symptomatic coronary artery disease and lesser death rates from cardiovascular diseases (69, 139). Although no single report provides complete proof that physical activity has a protective effect, the evidence heavily favors that conclusion. The extent of physical training or detraining also obviously has profound implica­ tions with regard to the ability of normal persons to participate comfortably, safely, and successfully in recreational or competitive athletic activities. This matter as­ sumes more importance with increased participation in sports and physical exer­ tional activity by middle-aged and older male and female populations. Thus an understanding of the adaptations that the cardiovascular system un­ dergoes during chronic exercise programs and the effects of different types and intensities of such programs upon cardiovascular responses have been of consider­ able interest to physiologists, clinicians, public health workers, and sports profes­ sionals. This article reviews the cardiovascular adaptations that occur during exercise in experimental animals and in man and how they contribute to the trained state. Whenever possible, the mechanisms underlying these adaptations are discussed.
A search for O VI in the winds of B-type stars

We have conducted a survey of FUSE spectra of 235 Galactic B-type stars in order to determine the boundaries in the H-R diagram for the production of the superion $\ion{O}{vi}$ in their winds. By comparing the locations and morphology of otherwise unidentified absorption features in the vicinity of the $\ion{O}{vi}$ resonance doublet with the bona fide wind profiles seen in archival IUE spectra of the resonance lines of $\ion{N}{v}$, $\ion{Si}{iv}$ and $\ion{C}{iv}$, we were able to detect blueshifted $\ion{O}{vi}$ lines in the spectra of giant and supergiant stars with temperature classes as late as B1. No features attributable to $\ion{O}{vi}$ were detected in dwarfs later than B0, or in stars of any luminosity class later than B1, although our ability to recognize weak absorption features in these stars is severely restricted by blending with photospheric and interstellar features. We discuss evidence that the ratio of the ion fractions of $\ion{O}{vi}$ and $\ion{N}{v}$ is substantially different in the winds of early B-type stars than O-type stars.
Ciliary Muscle Thickness in Anisometropia

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between ciliary muscle thickness (CMT), refractive error, and axial length both across subjects and between the more and less myopic eyes of adults with anisometropia. Methods Both eyes of 29 adult subjects with at least 1.00 D of anisometropia were measured. Ciliary muscle thickness was measured at the maximum thickness (CMTMAX) and at 1.0 (CMT1), 2.0 (CMT2), and 3.0 mm (CMT3) posterior to the scleral spur, and also at the apical region (Apical CMTMAX = CMTMAX − CMT2, and Apical CMT1 = CMT1 − CMT2). Multilevel regression models were used to determine the relationship between the various CMT measures and cycloplegic refractive error or axial length, and to assess whether there are CMT differences between the more and less myopic eyes of an anisometropic adult. Results CMTMAX, CMT1, CMT2, and CMT3 were negatively associated with mean refractive error (all p ⩽ 0.03), and the strongest association was in the posterior region (CMT2 and CMT3). Apical CMTMAX and Apical CMT1, however, were positively associated with mean refractive error (both p < 0.0001) across subjects. Within a subject, i.e., comparing the two anisometropic eyes, there was no statistically significant difference in CMT in any region. Conclusions Similar to previous studies, across anisometropic subjects, a thicker posterior region of the ciliary muscle (CMT2 and CMT3) was associated with increased myopic refractive error. Conversely, shorter, more hyperopic eyes tended to have thicker anterior, apical fiber portions of their ciliary muscle (Apical CMTMAX and Apical CMT1). There was no difference between the two eyes for any CMT measurement, indicating that in anisometropia, an eye can grow longer and more myopic than its fellow eye without resulting in an increase in CMT.
International Investment Positions and Exchange Rate Dynamics: A Dynamic Panel Analysis

We revisit medium- to long-run exchange rate determination, focusing on the role of international investment positions. To do so, we make use of a new econometric framework accounting for conditional long-run homogeneity in heterogeneous dynamic panel data models. In particular, in our model the long-run relationship between effective exchange rates and domestic as well as weighted foreign prices is a homogeneous function of a country's international investment position. We find rather strong support for purchasing power parity in environments of limited negative net foreign asset to GDP positions; furthermore, long-run exchange rate equilibria may have little relation to purchasing power parity outside such environments. We thus argue that the purchasing power parity hypothesis holds conditionally, but not unconditionally, and that international investment positions are an essential component to characterizing this conditionality.
Constructing module maps for integrated analysis of heterogeneous biological networks

Improved methods for integrated analysis of heterogeneous large-scale omic data are direly needed. Here, we take a network-based approach to this challenge. Given two networks, representing different types of gene interactions, we construct a map of linked modules, where modules are genes strongly connected in the first network and links represent strong inter-module connections in the second. We develop novel algorithms that considerably outperform prior art on simulated and real data from three distinct domains. First, by analyzing protein–protein interactions and negative genetic interactions in yeast, we discover epistatic relations among protein complexes. Second, we analyze protein–protein interactions and DNA damage-specific positive genetic interactions in yeast and reveal functional rewiring among protein complexes, suggesting novel mechanisms of DNA damage response. Finally, using transcriptomes of non–small-cell lung cancer patients, we analyze networks of global co-expression and disease-dependent differential co-expression and identify a sharp drop in correlation between two modules of immune activation processes, with possible microRNA control. Our study demonstrates that module maps are a powerful tool for deeper analysis of heterogeneous high-throughput omic data.
Spatial memory impairment in patients after tumour resection: evidence for a double dissociation

Human spatial memory can be divided into multiple, partly separate cognitive processes. In this study, object location memory was studied using a set of tasks that assessed three different spatial memory aspects: positional memory, object location binding, and a combined process. Also, maze learning and spatial span memory were measured. Ten patients who had undergone intracranial tumour resection participated, and their individual results were compared with control data from 24 healthy subjects. Four patients showed selective spatial memory impairments; two patients were impaired at positional memory, and two other patients were impaired on object location binding and the combined process. This double dissociation provides further evidence for the notion that object location memory is not a unitary system, but consists of at least two separate mechanisms. In addition, spatial memory problems were predominantly present in the patients with lesions in either the right hemisphere or in the parietal lobe. These results are in agreement with previous findings on the involvement of the right hemisphere and the posterior parietal cortices in spatial processing.
MicroRNA signature helps distinguish early from late biochemical failure in prostate cancer.

PURPOSE Prostate-specific antigen testing has led to overtreatment of prostate cancer (PCa). Only a small subset of PCa patients will have an aggressive disease that requires intensive therapy, and there is currently no biomarker to predict disease aggressiveness at the time of surgery. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are reported to be involved in PCa pathogenesis. METHODS This study involved 105 participants. For the discovery phase, prostatectomy samples were dichotomized to high-risk (n = 27, biochemical failure <36 months after prostatectomy) and low-risk groups (n = 14, ≥ 36 months without biochemical failure). Expression of 754 mature miRNAs was compared between the 2 groups. Linear regression models were built to accurately predict biochemical failure risk. miRNA mimics were transfected into PCa model cell lines to test effects on proliferation and to deduce responding signaling pathways. RESULTS We identified 25 differentially expressed miRNAs between the biochemical failure risk groups. Based on the expression of 2-3 miRNAs, 3 logistic regression models were developed, each with a high positive predictive value. Candidate miRNAs and the best-performing model were also verified on an independent PCa set. miRNA-152, featured in the models, was further investigated by using cell line models and was shown to affect cell proliferation. Predicted interaction between miR-152 and (mRNA)ERBB3 (erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 3) was experimentally validated in vitro. CONCLUSIONS miRNAs can help to predict biochemical failure risk at the time of prostatectomy.
Efficient Identification of Formal Analogies

Analogical learning is a lazy learning mechanism which maps input forms (e.g. strings) to output ones, thanks to analogies identified in a training material. It has proven effective in a number of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tasks such as machine translation. One challenge with this approach is the identification of analogies in the training material. In this study, we revisit an offline algorithm that has been proposed for enumerating analogies in a corpus. We extend it in order to scale to larger datasets, as well as to deal with new forms. On a task of translating unfrequent words of Wikipedia, we observe that our approach is much more efficient at identifying analogies than previously published methods, and that the resulting engine competes with a state-of-the-art phrase-based statistical machine translation (SMT) system.
Overexpression of Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase-1 in Skeletal Muscle Is Sufficient to Enhance Fatty Acid Oxidation and Improve High-Fat Diet–Induced Insulin Resistance

OBJECTIVE—Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is associated with lipid accumulation, but whether insulin resistance is due to reduced or enhanced flux of long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria is both controversial and unclear. We hypothesized that skeletal muscle–specific overexpression of the muscle isoform of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT1), the enzyme that controls the entry of long-chain fatty acyl CoA into mitochondria, would enhance rates of fatty acid oxidation and improve insulin action in muscle in high-fat diet insulin-resistant rats. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Rats were fed a standard (chow) or high-fat diet for 4 weeks. After 3 weeks, in vivo electrotransfer was used to overexpress the muscle isoform of CPT1 in the distal hindlimb muscles (tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus [EDL]). Skeletal muscle insulin action was examined in vivo during a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. RESULTS—In vivo electrotransfer produced a physiologically relevant increase of ∼20% in enzyme activity; and although the high-fat diet produced insulin resistance in the sham-treated muscle, insulin action was improved in the CPT1-overexpressing muscle. This improvement was associated with a reduction in triacylglycerol content, the membrane-to-cytosolic ratio of diacylglycerol, and protein kinase C θ activity. Importantly, overexpression of CPT1 did not affect markers of mitochondrial capacity or function, nor did it alter skeletal muscle acylcarnitine profiles irrespective of diet. CONCLUSIONS—Our data provide clear evidence that a physiological increase in the capacity of long-chain fatty acyl CoA entry into mitochondria is sufficient to ameliorate lipid-induced insulin resistance in muscle.
Patterns of Social Skill Difficulties in Young Children with Reduced Social Competence: Parent and Teacher Perceptions

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore social skills of young children with reduced social competence, from the perspective of parents and teachers. The study adopted a descriptive, quantitative design using secondary data from occupational therapy assessment information on 241 children. The data were collected using a parent and teacher questionnaire based on the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis. Factor analysis techniques were used to explore conceptual groupings amongst 24 social skill items. Social skills of children with reduced social competence were categorized into four behavioral constructs: emotion and resilience, pro-social behavior, intrapersonal capacities and friendship-making skills.
Good News for Buyers and Sellers

In the last two decades of the twentieth century the lodging industry experienced an unprecedented level of consolidation. In particular, mergers and acquisitions among lodging companies took place at record levels in the late 1990s. From 1982 through 2000 the industry saw a total of 57 acquisitions with an aggregate market value in the target companies’ stocks of over $53 billion dollars. Exhibit 1 (overleaf ) reports the annual number and annual market value of target stocks for all lodging acquisitions completed during that 1982–2000 period. The sample, supplied by Securities Data Corporation (SDC), includes mergers of both public and private companies in which at least one of the companies involved operates in the lodging industry. A noticeable trend
A Study of Soft Neurological Signs and Its Correlates in Drug-Naive Patients with First Episode Psychosis

Background: Soft neurological signs are minor, non localizing, objective abnormalities, thought to reflect damage in cortical and sub-cortical connections or connections within different cortical regions. Regional structural grey matter anomalies have already been observed and correlated with the presence of cognitive deficits and presence of soft neurological signs in schizophrenic patients. Materials and Methods: Drug naive patients presenting with first episode of psychosis (FEP)were clinically evaluated for soft neurological signs using the Cambridge Neurological Inventory. The soft neurological signs scores were compared with scores in healthy volunteers. In the patient group, this score was also correlated with demographic and disorder variables. Results: Of the 30 patients with FEP, 60% were women. The average age of the participant was 36.2 years. The average duration of illness was 1.55 years. More than 50% of the patients had schizophrenia. 93.3% of patients with FEP had atleast one soft neurological sign compared to 16.6% of controls. The average score on BPRS was 25.86 and on PANSS was 39.29, and BPRS, PANSS scores had a significant correlation with total soft neurological signs score. Conclusion: There is a significantly higher incidence of soft neurological signs in patients with FEP, particularly schizophrenia. The presence of soft signs correlated with the severity of psychosis.
Quantum Computation by Adiabatic Evolution

We give a quantum algorithm for solving instances of the satisfiability problem, based on adiabatic evolution. The evolution of the quantum state is governed by a time-dependent Hamiltonian that interpolates between an initial Hamiltonian, whose ground state is easy to construct, and a final Hamiltonian, whose ground state encodes the satisfying assignment. To ensure that the system evolves to the desired final ground state, the evolution time must be big enough. The time required depends on the minimum energy difference between the two lowest states of the interpolating Hamiltonian. We are unable to estimate this gap in general. We give some special symmetric cases of the satisfiability problem where the symmetry allows us to estimate the gap and we show that, in these cases, our algorithm runs in polynomial time.
Usefulness of the LigaSure vessel sealing system during superficial lobectomy of the parotid gland.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the usefulness of the LigaSure Precise instrument in superficial lobectomy of the parotid gland. DESIGN Prospective study of the surgical procedures in the LigaSure Vessel Sealing System and comparison with a conventionally treated control group. SETTING Secondary care academic referral center. Patients Thirty-five patients with a parotid gland benign tumor were randomly allocated to 2 superficial lobe parotidectomy groups: 17 using the LigaSure procedure (group A) and 18 using the conventional method (group B). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES During the past few years, different methods of achieving hemostasis in parotid gland surgery have been tested as means of decreasing operative time and facial nerve injuries by controlling bleeding. With the whole LigaSure Vessel Sealing System, we experienced the usefulness of the LigaSure Precise instrument in superficial lobectomy of the parotid gland. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were noted between the 2 groups in mean age, tumor diameter, length of hospital stay, time to return to work, or number of adverse events during or after surgery. Operative time was significantly shorter in group A than in group B (P < .001). Total operative time for conservative partial parotidectomy with traditional excision ranged from 115 to 235 minutes (mean, 155.8 minutes). Using the LigaSure system, the mean operative time was 136.4 minutes. Salivary fistulas were more common in group A (3 of 17 patients), with no cases in group B. CONCLUSIONS The LigaSure method is comparable with but not superior to the conventional method. The main advantages of the LigaSure system are its "sutureless technique" and operative time savings; however, the cost is considerably higher.
Replication Origins and Timing of Temporal Replication in Budding Yeast: How to Solve the Conundrum?

Similarly to metazoans, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cereviasiae replicates its genome with a defined timing. In this organism, well-defined, site-specific origins, are efficient and fire in almost every round of DNA replication. However, this strategy is neither conserved in the fission yeast Saccharomyces pombe, nor in Xenopus or Drosophila embryos, nor in higher eukaryotes, in which DNA replication initiates asynchronously throughout S phase at random sites. Temporal and spatial controls can contribute to the timing of replication such as Cdk activity, origin localization, epigenetic status or gene expression. However, a debate is going on to answer the question how individual origins are selected to fire in budding yeast. Two opposing theories were proposed: the “replicon paradigm” or “temporal program” vs. the “stochastic firing”. Recent data support the temporal regulation of origin activation, clustering origins into temporal blocks of early and late replication. Contrarily, strong evidences suggest that stochastic processes acting on origins can generate the observed kinetics of replication without requiring a temporal order. In mammalian cells, a spatiotemporal model that accounts for a partially deterministic and partially stochastic order of DNA replication has been proposed. Is this strategy the solution to reconcile the conundrum of having both organized replication timing and stochastic origin firing also for budding yeast? In this review we discuss this possibility in the light of our recent study on the origin activation, suggesting that there might be a stochastic component in the temporal activation of the replication origins, especially under perturbed conditions.
The process and outcomes of participatory budgeting in a decentralised local government framework: a case in Uganda

The study was carried out against a background of a general perception that participatory budgeting (PB) in developing countries is an annual ritual exercise to comply with pressure from supranational agencies to adopt New Public Management (NPM) reforms, rather than a practical process that involves citizens in formulating and developing local government plans and budgets that incorporate their needs and priorities. The study adopts a qualitative interpretive approach and a case study design, using Uganda and Wamala District Local Government as country and study sites respectively, to explore how PB is implemented in practice and whether the desired outcomes are achieved. It further explores the underlying factors that restrict or enhance PB in a decentralised LG framework. The study argues that adapting NPM reforms to the local environment, and citizens exercising their rights and responsibilities, are critical to the achievement of desires, goals and outcomes. The findings of the study demonstrate that owing to power relations, inadequate locally raised revenues, citizens’ lack of knowledge, skills and competencies in public sector financial management, and inherent cultural norms and values, PB may not achieve the desired goals and outcomes in developing countries under a decentralized local governance system. The contribution to accounting theory from this study is that institutional pressures (coercive, mimetic and normative) can be mitigated by empowering citizens to exercise their civil, social, political and economic/financial citizenship rights and responsibilities effectively. This could lead to strengthening management accounting systems, and result in policy reforms (that are donor driven) achieving desired outcomes.