Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Identification of MiR-205 As a MicroRNA That Is Highly Expressed in Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cells

Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) support T cell development in the thymus. Cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) facilitate positive selection of developing thymocytes whereas medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) facilitate the deletion of self-reactive thymocytes in order to prevent autoimmunity. The mTEC compartment is highly dynamic with continuous maturation and turnover, but the genetic regulation of these processes remains poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of TEC genetic programs since miRNA-deficient TECs are severely defective. However, the individual miRNAs important for TEC maintenance and function and their mechanisms of action remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that miR-205 is highly and preferentially expressed in mTECs during both thymic ontogeny and in the postnatal thymus. This distinct expression is suggestive of functional importance for TEC biology. Genetic ablation of miR-205 in TECs, however, neither revealed a role for miR-205 in TEC function during homeostatic conditions nor during recovery from thymic stress conditions. Thus, despite its distinct expression, miR-205 on its own is largely dispensable for mTEC biology.
1 Mirroring , Mindreading , and Simulation

What is the connection between mirror processes and mindreading? The paper begins with definitions of mindreading and of mirroring processes. It then advances four theses: (T1) mirroring processes in themselves do not constitute mindreading; (T2) some types of mindreading (“low-level” mindreading) are based on mirroring processes; (T3) not all types of mindreading are based on mirroring (“high-level” mindreading); and (T4) simulation-based mindreading includes but is broader than mirroring-based mindreading. Evidence for the causal role of mirroring in mindreading is drawn from intention attribution, emotion attribution, and pain attribution. Arguments for the limits of mirroring-based mindreading are drawn from neuroanatomy, from the lesser liability to error of mirror-based mindreading, from the role of imagination in some types of mindreading, and from the restricted range of mental states involved in mirroring. “High-level” simulational mindreading is based on enactment imagination, perspective shifts, or self-projection, which are found in activities like prospection and memory as well as theory of mind. The role of cortical midline structures in executing these activities is examined.
Properties of Average Score Distributions of SEQUEST

High throughput identification of peptides in databases from tandem mass spectrometry data is a key technique in modern proteomics. Common approaches to interpret large scale peptide identification results are based on the statistical analysis of average score distributions, which are constructed from the set of best scores produced by large collections of MS/MS spectra by using searching engines such as SEQUEST. Other approaches calculate individual peptide identification probabilities on the basis of theoretical models or from single-spectrum score distributions constructed by the set of scores produced by each MS/MS spectrum. In this work, we study the mathematical properties of average SEQUEST score distributions by introducing the concept of spectrum quality and expressing these average distributions as compositions of single-spectrum distributions. We predict and demonstrate in the practice that average score distributions are dominated by the quality distribution in the spectra collection, except in the low probability region, where it is possible to predict the dependence of average probability on database size. Our analysis leads to a novel indicator, the probability ratio, which takes optimally into account the statistical information provided by the first and second best scores. The probability ratio is a non-parametric and robust indicator that makes spectra classification according to parameters such as charge state unnecessary and allows a peptide identification performance, on the basis of false discovery rates, that is better than that obtained by other empirical statistical approaches. The probability ratio also compares favorably with statistical probability indicators obtained by the construction of single-spectrum SEQUEST score distributions. These results make the robustness, conceptual simplicity, and ease of automation of the probability ratio algorithm a very attractive alternative to determine peptide identification confidences and error rates in high throughput experiments.
Recovery of Ophthalmoplegia after Endovascular Treatment of Intracranial Aneurysms

Do patients with a cranial nerve palsy induced by the presence of a neighboring aneurysm recover after coiling? This is, of course, handy information to have when talking to patients. These authors assessed the parameters of aneurysms and their treatments that influence recovery of ophthalmoplegia. Ten of the patients studied had bled whereas 20 patients had unruptured aneurysms. The mean interval between onset of symptoms and coiling was 48 days. Fifty percent of patients recovered clinically but the others had some residual cranial nerve deficits. Patient age, neck size, and time of treatment did not influence prognosis but those with smaller aneurysms had a better outcome. Only the initial degree of symptoms was a significant prognostic factor. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recovery of aneurysm induced CNP after endosaccular coiling has been reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess in detail the parameters that affect the outcome after endovascular treatment of ophthalmoplegic aneurysms due CNP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between November 1999 and March 2008, 30 consecutive patients (8 men, 22 women; mean age, 54.9 years) presenting with CNP underwent endosaccular coiling with or without additional use of stents in the parent artery. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was present in 10 patients, whereas 20 patients had unruptured aneurysms. The mean size of the aneurysms was 10 mm. Initial CNP was complete in 11 patients and partial in 19. Mean follow-up after coiling was 19 months. RESULTS: The mean interval between the onset of CNP and aneurysm embolization was 48 days. Fifteen patients (50%) had complete recovery of oculomotor function, 12 had incomplete recovery (40%), and 3 (10%) remained unchanged after treatment. In 4 aneurysms (13.3%), 1 additional embolization was performed, whereas in 4 other aneurysms, 2 additional embolization procedures were necessary. Procedure-related permanent morbidity occurred in 2 patients (6.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Endosaccular coiling is an effective and safe method for the treatment of ophthalmoplegic aneurysms. Age, neck size, and time of treatment do not seem to constitute prognostic factors with respect to CNP recovery, though patients with small aneurysms, unruptured status, and/or location in the posterior circulation showed a tendency for better outcome. The degree of initial CNP was the only statistically significant prognostic factor concerning the final outcome, resulting in better recovery, in case of incomplete initial CNP.
Stochastic modeling of financing longevity risk in pension insurance

This work studies and develops tools to quantify and manage the risks and uncertainty relating to the pricing of annuities in the long run. To this end, an idealized Monte-Carlo simulation model is formulated, estimated and implemented, which enables one to investigate some typical pension and life insurance products. The main risks in pension insurance relate to investment performance and mortality/longevity development. We first develop stochastic models for equity and bond returns. The S&P 500 yearly total return is modeled by an uncorrelated and Normally distributed process to which exogenous Gamma distributed negative shocks arrive with Geometrically distributed interarrival times. This regime switching jump model takes into account the empirical observations of infrequent exceptionally large losses. The 5-year US government bond yearly total return is modeled as an ARMA(1,1) process after suitably log-transforming the returns. This model is able to generate long term interest rate cycles and allows rapid year-to-year corrections in the returns. We also address the parameter uncertainty in these models. We then develop a stochastic model for mortality. The chosen mortality forecasting model is the well-known model of Lee and Carter (1992), in which we use the Bayesian MCMC methods in the inference concerning the time index. Our analysis with a local version of the model showed that the assumptions of the Lee-Carter model are not fully compatible with Finnish mortality data. In particular we found that mortality has been lower than average for the cohort born in wartime. However, because the forecasts of these two models were not significantly different, we chose the more parsimonious Lee-Carter model. Although our main focus is on the total population data, we also analysed the data for males and females separately. Finally we build a flexible model for the dependence structure that allows us to generate stochastic scenarios in which mortality and economic processes are either uncorrelated, correlated or shock-correlated. By using the simulation model to generate stochastic pension cash-flows, we are then able to analyse the financing of longevity risk in pension insurance and the resulting risk management issues. This is accomplished via three case studies. Two of these concentrate on the pricing and solvency questions of a pension portfolio. The first study covers a single cohort of different sizes, and the second allows for multiple cohorts of annuitants. The final case study discusses individual pension insurance from the customer and long-term points of view. Realistic statistical long-term risk measurement is the key theme of this work, and so we compare our simulation results with the Value-at-Risk or VaR approach. The results show that the limitations of basic VaR approach must be carefully accounted for in applications. The VaR approach is the most commonly used risk measurement methodology in insurance and finance applications. For instance, it underlies the solvency capital requirement in Solvency II, which we also discuss in this work.
Impact of wastewater fouling on contact angle

Capillary dependent systems are highly influenced by surface fouling and may degrade as material surface properties change. In anticipation of a spacecraft microgravity fluids management system exposed to highly variable wetting conditions, the impact of urine wastewater fouling on capillary contact angle was examined. The results indicate that, in general, surface fouling can decrease the contact angle when crystalline structures or biofilms form. Small crystalline growth on the order of 10 μm can lower advancing contact angles θadv by approximately 30°, while biofilm growth can lower it by approximately 15°. Vacuum drying of fouled surfaces increased θadv by about 8°, and defects greater in height than 5% of the capillary length increased θadv by approximately 30°. These trends may indicate that promotion of wastewater fouling may improve the performance of capillary dependent fluids management systems. These results may also influence terrestrial technologies, including medical catheters and sustainable wastewater treatment systems exposed to wastewater fouling.
Private School Participation in Pakistan

Private schooling is an important feature of the educational landscape in Pakistan and is increasingly a topic of public and government discourse. This study uses multiple rounds of national household sample surveys to examine the extent and nature of private school participation at the primary and secondary levels in Pakistan. Today, one-fifth of children -- or one-third of all students -- go to private school in Pakistan. Private school students tend to come from urban, wealthier, and more educated households than do government school students and especially out-of-school children. Important differences exist across Pakistans four provinces with respect to the characteristics of private school students relative to government school students, as well as in the composition of private school students. Private schooling is highly concentrated, with a few districts (situated mainly in northern Punjab province) accounting for most of the private school students. Private school participation among children varies largely from one household to another, rather than within households, and to a greater extent than does government school participation. The spatial patterns of private school supply are often strongly correlated with the spatial patterns of private school participation. In the 2000s, private school participation rates grew in Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces and across socioeconomic subgroups, contributing in particular to the growth in overall school participation rates for boys, children from urban households, and children from households in the highest wealth quintile. Nevertheless, the composition of private school students has become less unequal over time. This trend has been driven mainly by Punjab province, which has seen declines in the shares of private school students from urban households and households in the highest wealth quintile.
Active Galactic Nuclei in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. I. Sample Selection

We have compiled a large sample of low-redshift active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified via their emission-line characteristics from the spectroscopic data of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Since emission lines are often contaminated by stellar absorption lines, we developed an objective and efficient method of subtracting the stellar continuum from every galaxy spectrum before making emission-line measurements. The distribution of the measured Hα FWHM values of emission-line galaxies is strongly bimodal, with two populations separated at about 1200 km s-1. This feature provides a natural separation between narrow-line and broad-line AGNs. The narrow-line AGNs are identified using standard emission-line ratio diagnostic diagrams. There are 1317 broad-line and 3074 narrow-line AGNs identified from about 100,000 galaxy spectra selected over 1151 deg2. This sample is used in a companion paper to determine the emission-line luminosity function of AGNs.
Positional changes of a pluripotency marker gene during structural reorganization of fibroblast nuclei in cloned early bovine embryos

Cloned bovine preimplantation embryos were generated by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) of bovine fetal fibroblasts with a silent copy of the pluripotency reporter gene GOF, integrated at a single site of a chromosome 13. GOF combines the regulatory Oct4/Pou5f1 sequence with the coding sequence for EGFP. EGFP expression served as a marker for pluripotency gene activation and was consistently detected in preimplantation embryos with 9 and more cells. Three-dimensional radial nuclear positions of GOF, its carrier chromosome territory and non-carrier homolog were measured in nuclei of fibroblasts, and of day 2 and day 4 embryos, carrying 2 to 9 and 15 to 22 cells, respectively. We tested, whether transcriptional activation was correlated with repositioning of GOF toward the nuclear interior either with a corresponding movement of its carrier chromosome territory 13 or via the formation of a giant chromatin loop. A significant shift of GOF away from the nuclear periphery was observed in day 2 embryos together with both carrier and non-carrier chromosome territories. At day 4, GOF, its carrier chromosome territory 13 and the non-carrier homolog had moved back toward the nuclear periphery. Similar movements of both chromosome territories ruled out a specific GOF effect. Pluripotency gene activation was preceded by a transient, radial shift of GOF toward the nuclear interior. The persistent co-localization of GOF with its carrier chromosome territory rules out the formation of a giant chromatin loop during GOF activation.
Short-Term Vertical Market Price Interrelationships of Beef and Pork

Monitoring short-term monthly farm to retail meat price margins requires knowing how rapidly price changes at the farm level are reflected at the wholesale and retail levels. Studies that have addressed this issue on a short-term basis have had varied conclusions. This study uses time series transfer functions and Granger causality to evaluate these intertemporal weekly price changes over the 1983 through 1985 period. The transfer functions indicated that live and wholesale beef prices were usually determined within the same week and live pork prices led wholesale pork prices by 2 to 3 weeks. Granger causality analyses indicated that farm beef and pork price changes led wholesale price changes by 4 weeks. Retail beef price changes lagged wholesale beef price changes by 3 weeks. Retail pork price changes lagged wholesale pork price changes by 3 to 5 weeks.
Distortion and Risk in Optimal Incentive Contracts

Performance measurement is an essential part of the design of any incentive system. The strength and value of incentives in organizations are strongly affected by the performance measures available. Yet, the characteristics of valuable performance measures have not been well explored in the agency literature. In this paper, I use a multitask model to develop a two-parameter characterization of performance measures and show how these two parameters-distortion and risk-affect the value and use of performance measures in incentive contracts. I show that many complex issues in the design of real-world incentive contracts can be fruitfully viewed as tradeoffs between these two features of performance measures. I also use this framework to analyze the provision of incentives in several specific environments, including R&D labs and nonprofit organizations.
Perceived effectiveness of fraud detection audit procedures in a stock and warehousing cycle

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore perceptions of fraud detection techniques in the stock and warehouse cycle in Barbados. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses a self-administered questionnaire, adapted and modified from Owusu-Ansah Findings - The study indicates that there is a moderate to high perceived effectiveness of standard audit procedures in the detection of fraud in the stock and warehousing cycle in Barbados and that the majority of the “more effective” audit procedures can be classified as field research techniques that are more direct in obtaining evidence. It is found that auditors from larger firms reported higher means for audit procedures. There are mixed findings with respect to the significant relationship between level of auditing experience of auditors and perceived effectiveness of fraud detection techniques. The study also indicates that males consistently rated the level of effectiveness of audit procedures higher than females. Research limitations/implications - Due to the relatively small sample size, these findings should be interpreted with caution. Nonetheless, the findings of this study do indicate that auditing procedures in this developing country are on par with those of developed countries. Practical implications - This paper serves to inform audit-related policies and regulation on the potential threats within the stock and warehouse cycle. Originality/value - This paper contributes to the limited body of research on fraud detection within the stock and warehouse cycle in small developing countries.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: emerging targeted therapies to optimize treatment options

Diet and lifestyle changes have led to worldwide increases in the prevalences of obesity and metabolic syndrome, resulting in substantially greater incidence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD is considered a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome and is related to diabetes, insulin resistance, central obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an entity that describes liver inflammation due to NAFLD. Growing evidence suggests that NAFLD is a multisystem disease with a clinical burden that is not only confined to liver-related morbidity and mortality, but that also affects several extra-hepatic organs and regulatory pathways. Thus, NAFLD is considered an important public health issue, but there is currently no effective therapy for all NAFLD patients in the general population. Studies seeking optimal therapy for NAFLD and NASH have not yet led to development of a universal protocol for treating this growing problem. Several pharmacological agents have been studied in an effort to improve insulin resistance and the proinflammatory mediators that may be responsible for NASH progression. Cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent among NASH patients, and the backbone of treatment regimens for these patients still comprises general lifestyle interventions, including dietary changes and increased physical activity. Vitamin E and thiazolidinedione derivatives are currently the most evidence-based therapeutic options, but only limited clinical evidence is available regarding their long-term efficacy and safety. Vitamin D and renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system blockers are promising drugs that are currently being intensively investigated for use in NAFLD/NASH patients.
Invariance of the distributions of normalized Gram matrices

Normalized Gram matrices formed from multiple vectors of sensor data, and functions of the eigenvalues of such matrices in particular, have a long history in connection with multiple-channel detection. The determinant and various other functions of the eigenvalues of these matrices arise as detection statistics in a variety of multichannel problems, and knowledge of their distributions under the H0 assumption that the sensor channels are independent and contain only white gaussian noise is consequently important for determining false-alarm probabilities for multi-channel detectors. Invariance of the H0 distribution of the eigenvalues to one data channel is significant in some applications. This paper derives the H0 distribution of a normalized Gram matrix and, as corollaries, obtains the distribution of the determinant as well as invariance results for the matrix that carry over to its spectrum. The essential symmetry property of white gaussian noise on which these results depend is also noted.
Attitude Matters: Exploring The Knowledge Sharing Behavior Of Academics In Ethiopian Public Higher Education Institutions

Abs trac t This study examines the knowledge sharing practices of academics in Higher Education Institutions(HEI) in Ethiopia in the process of conducting research and disseminating their research outputs. Based on the understanding that Knowledge Sharing is a key enabler of Knowledge Management, the study analyses how individual based variables determine knowledge sharing practices. The relevant variables are drawn from the Theory of Planned Behavior where knowledge sharing is predicted by faculty’s intention towards knowledge sharing which in turn would be predicted by attitude towards knowledge sharing, the subjective norm about sharing and the perceived behavioral control over sharing knowledge. A survey instrument that has employed the conceptual framework was developed mainly from the extant literature in order to collect data from faculty of the selected HEIs in Ethiopia. A quantitative approach of study Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data obtained from the survey. The data was analyzed using the Smart-PLS statistical tool. And based on the findings, the study concluded that sharing of knowledge was significantly predicted by the level of inter-organizational trust among colleagues which impacted on attitude to share knowledge.