Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TESTING HYPOTHESES ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FACTORS IN LARGE FACTOR MODELS

In this paper we study high-dimensional time series that have the generalized dynamic factor structure. We develop a test of the null of k 0 factors against the alternative that the number of factors is larger than k 0 but no larger than k 1 >k 0 . Our test statistic equals max k 0 >klk 1 (Gamma k - Gamma k+1 )(Gamma k+1 - Gamma k+2 ), where Gamma i is the ith largest eigenvalue of the smoothed periodogram estimate of the spectral density matrix of data at a prespecified frequency. We describe the asymptotic distribution of the statistic, as the dimensionality and the number of observations rise, as a function of the Tracy-Widom distribution and tabulate the critical values of the test. As an application, we test different hypotheses about the number of dynamic factors in macroeconomic time series and about the number of dynamic factors driving excess stock returns. Copyright 2009 The Econometric Society.
Involvement of CD1 in Peripheral Deletion of T Lymphocytes Is Independent of NK T Cells1

During peripheral T cell deletion, lymphocytes accumulate in nonlymphoid organs including the liver, a tissue that expresses the nonclassical, MHC-like molecule, CD1. Injection of anti-CD3 Ab results in T cell activation, which in normal mice is followed by peripheral T cell deletion. However, in CD1-deficient mice, the deletion of the activated T cells from the lymph nodes was impaired. This defect in peripheral T cell deletion was accompanied by attenuated accumulation of CD8+ T cells in the liver. In tetra-parental bone marrow chimeras, expression of CD1 on the T cells themselves was not required for T cell deletion, suggesting a role for CD1 on other cells with which the T cells interact. We tested whether this role was dependent on the Ag receptor-invariant, CD1-reactive subset of NK T cells using two other mutant mouse lines that lack most NK T cells, due to deletion of the genes encoding either β2-microglobulin or the TCR element Jα281. However, these mice had no abnormality of peripheral T cell deletion. These findings indicate a novel role for CD1 in T cell deletion, and show that CD1 functions in this process through mechanisms that does not involve the major, TCR-invariant set of NK T cells.
Risk Factors for Severe Hemorrhagic Transformation in Ischemic Stroke Patients Treated With Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator: A Secondary Analysis of the European-Australasian Acute Stroke Study (ECASS II)

Background and Purpose — Intravenous thrombolysis with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) improves the outcome for ischemic stroke patients who can be treated within 3 hours of symptom onset. The efficacy of thrombolysis has been demonstrated despite an increased risk of severe hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in patients treated with rtPA. We performed an analysis of risk factors for severe HT in the second European-Australasian Acute Stroke Study (ECASS II). Methods — HTs were classified by using clinical and radiological criteria as follows: hemorrhagic infarction (HI), parenchymal hemorrhage (PH), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH). Potential risk factors for HT were tested by stepwise logistic regression analysis, including rtPA-by-variable interactions. In addition, the distribution of bad outcome (modified Rankin score 5 to 6) at day 90 was stratified according to each category of HT. Results — PH and SICH but not HI were associated with rtPA. Also, PH and SICH but not HI were more severe in rtPA-treated patients than in those receiving placebo. Risk factors for PH were rtPA, extent of parenchymal hypoattenuation on baseline CT, congestive heart failure, increasing age, and baseline systolic blood pressure. The risk of PH on rtPA was increased in older patients and in those who were treated with aspirin before thrombolysis. Risk factors for SICH were rtPA, congestive heart failure, extent of parenchymal hypoattenuation, and increasing age. The risk of SICH on rtPA was increased in patients who were treated with aspirin before thrombolysis. Conclusions — This secondary analysis of ECASS II has confirmed the importance of the extent of hypoattenuation as a risk factor for severe HT. The findings also suggest that older patients and those who have used aspirin before stroke are at higher risk of a severe HT on rtPA.
Preoperative BRAF mutation is predictive of occult contralateral carcinoma in patients with unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The optimal resection extent for clinically unilateral papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) remains controversial. The objective was to investigate risk factors associated with occult contralateral carcinoma, and put emphasis on the predictive value of preoperative BRAF mutation. MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 clinically unilateral PTMC patients all newly diagnosed, previously untreated were analyzed in a prospective cohort study. We assessed the T1799A BRAF mutation status in FNAB specimens obtained from all PTMC patients before undergoing total thyroidectomy (TT) and central lymph node dissection (CLND) for PTMC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to reveal the incidence of contralateral occult cancer, difference of risk factors and predictive value, with respect to the following variables: preoperative BRAF mutation status, age, gender, tumor size, multifocality of primary tumor, capsular invasion, presence of Hashimoto thyroiditis and central lymph node metastasis. RESULTS 20 of 100 patients (20%) had occult contralateral lobe carcinoma. On multi-variate analysis, preoperative BRAF mutation (p = 0.030, OR = 3.439) and multifocality of the primary tumor (p = 0.004, OR = 9.570) were independent predictive factors for occult contralateral PTMC presence. However, there were no significant differences between the presence of occult contralateral carcinomas and age, gender, tumor size, capsular invasion, Hashimoto thyroiditis and central lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSIONS Total thyroidectomy, including the contralateral lobe, should be considered for the treatment of unilateral PTMC if preoperative BRAF mutation is positive and/or if the observed lesion presents as a multifocal tumor in the unilateral lobe.
Change‐Point Detection on Solar Panel Performance Using Thresholded LASSO

Solar energy is a fast growing energy source and has allowed the development of efficient, affordable, and easy‐to‐install photovoltaic systems over the years. Solar energy stakeholders are, however, concerned with sudden deterioration of photovoltaic systems' performance. Thus, effective change‐point detection in solar panel performance analysis is essential for better harnessing solar energy and making photovoltaic systems more efficient. In particular, this study focuses on retrospectively identifying the time points of abrupt changes. Because the power generations from the solar panels are affected by a wide variety of factors, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to find a parametric model to detect abrupt changes in the power generation. We present a nonparametric detection method based on thresholded least absolute shrinkage and selection operator. The proposed method has low computational complexity and is able to accurately detect performance changes while being robust against false detection under noisy signals. The performance of the proposed method in detection of abrupt changes is evaluated and compared with state‐of‐the‐art methods through extensive simulations and a case study using data collected from four solar energy facilities. We demonstrate that the proposed method is superior to benchmark methods. The proposed method will help solar energy stakeholders in several aspects including operations planning, maintenance scheduling, warranty underwriting, and cost–benefit analysis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The miR-17/106–p38 axis is a key regulator of the neurogenic-to-gliogenic transition in developing neural stem/progenitor cells

Significance Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) restrict their differentiation potential by developmental stage-dependent temporal specification. Thereby, specific and efficient induction of homogeneous target cell populations remains a challenge in stem cell biology. Here, we provided a potential solution by identifying the molecular machinery responsible for neurogenic-to-gliogenic transition of NSPCs, a process we termed “competence change. ” We identified the microRNA-17/106–p38 axis as a critical regulator of the competence change, although epigenetic regulation seemed to be the regulatory program behind it, by our previous Coup-tf study. NSPCs sustained and restored neurogenic potential by competence regulation. Moreover, at least a part of neuron-subtype specification was regulated independent of it. Control of these multilayered regulatory programs seems promising for rigorous manipulation of cytogenesis from NSPCs. Neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPC) multipotency is highly regulated so that specific neural networks form during development. NSPCs cannot respond to gliogenic signals without acquiring gliogenic competence and decreasing their neurogenic competence as development proceeds. Coup-tfI and Coup-tfII are triggers of these temporal NSPC competence changes. However, the downstream effectors of Coup-tfs that mediate the neurogenic-to-gliogenic competence transition remain unknown. Here, we identified the microRNA-17/106 (miR-17/106)–p38 axis as a critical regulator of this transition. Overexpression of miR-17 inhibited the acquisition of gliogenic competence and forced stage-progressed NSPCs to regain neurogenic competence without altering the methylation status of a glial gene promoter. We also identified Mapk14 (also known as p38) as a target of miR-17/106 and found that Mapk14 inhibition restored neurogenic competence after the neurogenic phase. These results demonstrate that the miR-17/106–p38 axis is a key regulator of the neurogenic-to-gliogenic NSPC competence transition and that manipulation of this axis permits bidirectional control of NSPC multipotency.
Differential Roles of MAPK Kinases MKK3 and MKK6 in Osteoclastogenesis and Bone Loss

Bone mass is maintained by osteoclasts that resorb bone and osteoblasts that promote matrix deposition and mineralization. Bone homeostasis is altered in chronic inflammation as well as in post-menopausal loss of estrogen, which favors osteoclast activity that leads to osteoporosis. The MAPK p38α is a key regulator of bone loss and p38 inhibitors preserve bone mass by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. p38 function is regulated by two upstream MAPK kinases, namely MKK3 and MKK6. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of MKK3- or MKK6-deficiency on osteoclastogenesis in vitro and on bone loss in ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in mice. We demonstrated that MKK3 but not MKK6, regulates osteoclast differentiation from bone marrow cells in vitro. Expression of NFATc1, a master transcription factor in osteoclastogenesis, is decreased in cells lacking MKK3 but not MKK6. Expression of osteoclast-specific genes Cathepsin K, osteoclast-associated receptor and MMP9, was inhibited in MKK3−/− cells. The effect of MKK-deficiency on ovariectomy-induced bone loss was then evaluated in female WT, MKK3−/− and MKK6−/− mice by micro-CT analysis. Bone loss was partially inhibited in MKK3−/− as well as MKK6−/− mice, despite normal osteoclastogenesis in MKK6−/− cells. This correlated with the lower osteoclast numbers in the MKK-deficient ovariectomized mice. These studies suggest that MKK3 and MKK6 differentially regulate bone loss due to estrogen withdrawal. MKK3 directly mediates osteoclastogenesis while MKK6 likely contributes to pro-inflammatory cytokine production that promotes osteoclast formation.
Law's Progressive Potential: The Value of Engagement with the Law for Domestic Violence

Can the law be usefully employed to help women who experience domestic violence achieve 'justice'? This question has been at the heart of debates about domestic violence over the last few decades. In this paper, we review the positions of those who cautiously welcome engagement with the law - 'feminist realists', arrest studies researchers, 'sceptical reformers' and rehabilitation proponents - and those who see no value in legal intervention - 'abstentionists' and 'community justice' proponents. We argue that such pessimism is both theoretically misguided and empirically unsubstantiated and reflects the lack of cross-fertilization amongst writers from these various positions. In contrast to traditional research in this area, we argue that effective contributions to debates should address both women's and men's experiences of the justice system, should examine the process as well as outcome of legal intervention and should recognise women as survivors engaged in a process of 'active negotiation and strategic resistance' rather than as passive victim's of men's violence. These elements will enable research which better reveals the experiences of engaging with the justice system and which can make more useful contributions to a programme of social and legal change.
Stability of convective flows in cavities: solution of benchmark problems by a low‐order finite volume method

A problem of stability of steady convective flows in rectangular cavities is revisited and studied by a second‐order finite volume method. The study is motivated by further applications of the finite volume‐based stability solver to more complicated applied problems, which needs an estimate of convergence of critical parameters. It is shown that for low‐order methods the quantitatively correct stability results for the problems considered can be obtained only on grids having more than 100 nodes in the shortest direction, and that the results of calculations using uniform grids can be significantly improved by the Richardson's extrapolation. It is shown also that grid stretching can significantly improve the convergence, however sometimes can lead to its slowdown. It is argued that due to the sparseness of the Jacobian matrix and its large dimension it can be effective to combine Arnoldi iteration with direct sparse solvers instead of traditional Krylov‐subspace‐based iteration techniques. The same replacement in the Newton steady‐state solver also yields a robust numerical process, however, it cannot be as effective as modern preconditioned Krylov‐subspace‐based iterative solvers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sum-Rate Maximization for Energy Harvesting Nodes With a Generalized Power Consumption Model

This paper considers a network of energy harvesting wireless nodes transmitting simultaneously in a Gaussian interference channel and investigates a distributed power allocation algorithm that maximizes the sum-rate. The power consumption model is based on a series of step functions that allow to model, among others, radio frequency circuits being on/off and the startup power consumption of the transmitter. After showing that the sum-rate maximization problem is nonsmooth, nonconvex, and NP-hard, the Iterative Smooth and Convex approximation Algorithm (ISCA) is proposed, which successively approximates the step functions by proper smooth functions to obtain a sequence of smooth nonconvex problems that can be solved by means of the successive convex approximation method. It is demonstrated that the ISCA distributedly converges to a stationary solution of the sum-rate maximization problem. For the particular case of point to point communications, the numerical results show that the ISCA is able to avoid bad stationary solutions, performing close to the globally optimal solution. The performance of the ISCA is also evaluated in the interference channel and with real solar energy harvesting data.
POLFAR - Polish incarnation of the LOFAR. Scientific objectives and system realization

Polish astronomers and space scientists are participating in the development and use of a radio astronomical instrument of new generation: Low Frequency ARray - LOFAR, exploring yet poorly studied range of low (<;300 MHz) frequencies. It constitutes a European array of thousands of antennas - a challenge for data transfer and processing techniques. The LOFAR facilities in Poland will be distributed among three sites: Lazy (East of Kraków), Borówiec near Poznań and Baldy near Olsztyn. All they will be connected via PIONIER dedicated links to Poznań. Each site will host one LOFAR station (96 high-band+96 low-band antennas). They will most time work as a part of European network, however, when less charged, they can operate as a national network. LOFAR will study objects in early Universe (like the high-redshift neutral hydrogen) and cosmic plasma in conditions unreachable in earth-based laboratories: densities either very high (pulsars) or extremely low, temperatures ranging from single Kelvins to milions of degrees and a wide range of magnetic field strengths. This research is important for Sun-Earth system plasma monitoring and for plasma technologies. To fulfill the conditions to participate in LOFAR Polish astronomers established the national consortium - POLFAR which also will hosting reference stations for the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Performance of Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in Detecting Traumatic Intracranial Lesions on Computed Tomography in Children and Youth With Mild Head Trauma.

OBJECTIVES This study examined the performance of serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in detecting traumatic intracranial lesions on computed tomography (CT) scan in children and youth with mild and moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) and assessed its performance in trauma control patients without head trauma. METHODS This prospective cohort study enrolled children and youth presenting to three Level I trauma centers following blunt head trauma with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 9 to 15, as well as trauma control patients with GCS scores of 15 who did not have blunt head trauma. The primary outcome measure was the presence of intracranial lesions on initial CT scan. Blood samples were obtained in all patients within 6 hours of injury and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for GFAP (ng/mL). RESULTS A total of 257 children and youth were enrolled in the study and had serum samples drawn within 6 hours of injury for analysis: 197 had blunt head trauma and 60 were trauma controls. CT scan of the head was performed in 152 patients and traumatic intracranial lesions on CT scan were evident in 18 (11%), all of whom had GCS scores of 13 to 15. When serum levels of GFAP were compared in children and youth with traumatic intracranial lesions on CT scan to those without CT lesions, median GFAP levels were significantly higher in those with intracranial lesions (1.01, interquartile range [IQR] = 0.59 to 1.48) than those without lesions (0.18, IQR = 0.06 to 0.47). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for GFAP in detecting children and youth with traumatic intracranial lesions on CT was 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.71 to 0.93). In those presenting with GCS scores of 15, the AUC for detecting lesions was 0.80 (95% CI = 0.68 to 0.92). Similarly, in children under 5 years old the AUC was 0.83 (95% CI = 0.56 to 1.00). Performance for detecting intracranial lesions at a GFAP cutoff level of 0.15 ng/mL yielded a sensitivity of 94%, a specificity of 47%, and a negative predictive value of 98%. CONCLUSIONS In children and youth of all ages, GFAP measured within 6 hours of injury was associated with traumatic intracranial lesions on CT and with severity of TBI. Further study is required to validate these findings before clinical application.
The Effect of Teacher Feedback and Modeling on First Graders' Use of Singing Voice and Developmental Music Aptitude

To investigate effectiveness of teacher feedback and modeling on first graders' use of singing voice and developmental music aptitude, two intact classes in one elementary school were randomly assigned to treatment or control group (n=38). Subjects received music instruction from their regular music teacher once a week for 40-minutes for the entire school year: The control group received generic feedback after singing while the treatment group received more specific feedback and modeling. Intermediate Measure of Music Audiation tonal (IMMAT) and rhythm (IMMAR) subtests were administered as pretest, midtest, and posttest. Singing Voice Development Measure (SVDM) was administered as pretest and posttest. Analyses ofcovariance indicated significant differences only for IMMAT midtest. However, the higher percentage of students in the treatment group whose singing voice achievement improved when compared with the control group suggests that further study of this treatment with a larger sample size be conducted.
Study of acoustic correlates of English lexical stress produced by native (L1) bengali speakers compared to native (L1) English speakers

English lexical stress is multidimensional in nature and acoustically related to combination of fundamental frequency (F0), duration, intensity and vowel quality. Errors in any or all of these correlates could interfere with perception of the stress contrast, but it is unknown which correlates are most difficult for Bengali speakers to acquire. This study compares the use of these correlates in the production of English lexical stress contrasts by 10 L1 English and 20 L1 Bengali speakers. Results showed that although Bengali speakers used all four acoustic correlates in similar manner like English speakers, but they produced significantly less native like stress patterns. English speakers reduced vowel duration significantly more in the unstressed vowels compared to Bengali speakers and degree of intensity and F0 increase in stressed vowels by English speakers was higher than that by Bengali speakers. There were also significant differences in formant patterns across speaker groups, such that Bengali speakers produced English like vowel reduction in certain unstressed syllables, but in other cases Bengali speakers have tendency to either not reduce or incorrectly reduce vowels in unstressed syllables. Results suggest that Bengali speakers’ production of English lexical stress contrast is influenced by L1 language experience and L1 phonology.