Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating cerebral oxygen metabolism from fMRI with a dynamic multicompartment Windkessel model

Stimulus evoked changes in cerebral blood flow, volume, and oxygenation arise from responses to underlying neuronally mediated changes in vascular tone and cerebral oxygen metabolism. There is increasing evidence that the magnitude and temporal characteristics of these evoked hemodynamic changes are additionally influenced by the local properties of the vasculature including the levels of baseline cerebral blood flow, volume, and blood oxygenation. In this work, we utilize a physiologically motivated vascular model to describe the temporal characteristics of evoked hemodynamic responses and their expected relationships to the structural and biomechanical properties of the underlying vasculature. We use this model in a temporal curve‐fitting analysis of the high‐temporal resolution functional MRI data to estimate the underlying cerebral vascular and metabolic responses in the brain. We present evidence for the feasibility of our model‐based analysis to estimate transient changes in the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) in the human motor cortex from combined pulsed arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI. We examine both the numerical characteristics of this model and present experimental evidence to support this model by examining concurrently measured ASL, BOLD, and near‐infrared spectroscopy to validate the calculated changes in underlying CMRO2. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impulsive Acceleration of Strongly Magnetized Relativistic Flows

The strong variability of magnetic central engines of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and gammaray bursts (GRBs) may result in highly intermittent strongly magnetized relativistic outflows. We find a new magnetic acceleration mechanism for such impulsive flows that can be much more effective than the acceleration of steady-state flows. This impulsive acceleration results in kinetic-energy-dominated flows that are conducive to efficient dissipation at internal magnetohydrodynamic shocks on astrophysically relevant distances from the central source. For a spherical flow, a discrete shell ejected from the source over a time t0 with Lorentz factor � ∼ 1 and initial magnetization σ0 = B 2 0 /4πρ0c 2 � 1 quickly reaches a typical Lorentz factor � ∼ σ 1/3 0 and magnetization σ ∼ σ 2/3 0 at the distance R0 ≈ ct0. At this point, the magnetized shell of width � ∼ R0 in the laboratory frame loses causal contact with the source and continues to accelerate by spreading significantly in its own rest frame. The expansion is driven by the magnetic pressure gradient and leads to relativistic relative velocities between the front and back of the shell. While the expansion is roughly symmetric in the centre of the momentum frame, in the laboratory frame, most of the energy and momentum remains in a region (or shell) of width � ∼ R0 at the head of the flow. This acceleration proceeds as � ∼ (σ 0R/R0) 1/3 and σ ∼ σ 2/3 0 (R/R0) −1/3 until reaching a coasting radius Rc ∼ R0σ 2 0 , where the kinetic energy becomes dominant: � ∼ σ 0 and σ ∼ 1a tRc. The shell then starts coasting and spreading (radially), its width growing as � ∼ R0(R/Rc), causing its magnetization to drop as σ ∼ Rc/R at R > Rc. Given the typical variability time-scales of AGNs and GRBs, the magnetic acceleration in these sources is a combination of the quasi-steady-state collimation acceleration close to the source and the impulsive (conical or locally quasi-spherical) acceleration farther out. The interaction with the external medium, which can significantly affect the dynamics, is briefly addressed in the discussion.
Verarbeitung emotionaler Reize bei Personen mit einer Zwangsstörung

Hemispheric asymmetry of alpha band power in the electroencephalogram (EEG) has been linked to approach/avoidance motivation and may index the risk for anxiety disorders and depression. Alpha asymmetry has not yet been thoroughly investigated in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We quantified lower alpha band power (810 Hz) as well as upper alpha band, theta, and beta band power at frontal and parietal electrodes in 18 OCD patients and 18 matched healthy controls during blocks of rest and presentation of neutral, aversive, and OCD-related pictures. Patients showed a relative shift of frontal alpha activity in the 8-10 Hz band to the left hemisphere across all conditions. This shift was not observed over parietal areas, and also did not show in the upper alpha, and the theta and beta bands. Aversive pictures induced a left-shift in both groups relative to all other conditions. Altered hemispheric distribution of lower alpha band activity supports the hypothesis of relatively increased avoidance motivation in OCD. Unlike in other anxiety disorders, altered asymmetry was not confined to conditions evoking negative emotions. Instead, it appears to be more trait-like in OCD, suggesting a link to depression. Ischebeck, Endrass, Simon & Kathmann 3
Forbearance Lending: A Case for Japanese Firms

After the collapse of the asset price bubble, Japanese banks are said to have been reluctant to write off bad loans, even in cases where there is little prospect of borrower firms being able to repay the loans extended. This phenomenon is known as forbearance lending. We illustrate this using a simple model in which a bank is shown to have an incentive to engage in forbearance lending to a borrower firm whose debt-asset ratio exceeds a certain threshold as its liquidation value (or net worth) is eroded. Then, using corporate panel data, we test for non-linearity between loans and debt-asset ratios: i.e. whether loans were apt to increase to a firm whose debt-asset ratio was above a certain level. It is found that, after the bubble burst, this non linearity became evident for non-manufacturing firms, especially those in the construction and real estate industries. Furthermore, an increase in loans to highly indebted firms in these industries is found to lower their profitability. These findings are consistent with the view that forbearance lending certainly took place in Japan, and that it suppressed the profitability of inefficient non-manufacturing firms.
A Novel Facial Expression Recognition Based on the Curvelet Features

Curve let transform has been recently proved to be a powerful tool for multi-resolution analysis on images. In this paper we propose a new approach for facial expression recognition based on features extracted via curve let transform. First curve let transform is presented and its advantages in image analysis are described. Then the coefficients of curve let in selected scales and angles are used as features for image analysis. Consequently the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Linear Discriminate Analysis (LDA) are used to reduce and optimize the curve let features. Finally we use the nearest neighbor classifier to recognize the facial expressions based on these features. The experimental results on JAFFE and Cohn Kanade two benchmark databases show that the proposed approach outperforms the PCA and LDA techniques on the original image pixel values as well as its counterparts with the wavelet features.
Views from another stakeholder : Trade union perspectives on the rhetoric of ‘ Managing Diversity

While there has been much recent debate about ‘Managing Diversity’ in management arenas, this article aims to fill a gap by presenting a trade union perspective on ‘Managing Diversity’ in Britain. We contend that the popular managerial discourse of ‘Managing Diversity’, with its individualistic and business case focus, has from a trade union perspective, potentially negative consequences for achieving equality for those at lower ends of the organisational hierarchy. Drawing on interviews with officials from the British Trades Union Congress (TUC) and seven unions in Britain, we discuss the problems, tensions and challenges associated with the rhetoric of ‘Managing Diversity’ in unionised settings. We offer a framework that begins to try and resolve some of these tensions, distinguishing between a narrow managerialist concept of ‘Managing Diversity’, and that of ‘diversity management’, which as we frame it offers more space for collectivist ideology and interventions.
Prolonged use of Kinesiotaping does not enhance functional performance and joint proprioception in healthy young males: Randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of continuous (48-hour) use of Kinesiotaping (KT) on functional and proprioceptive performance in healthy, physically active men. Method Twenty-six healthy, physically active men (21.8±2.2 years old) were randomly allocated into two groups: 1) Kinesiotaping group (KG, tape applied with 40% tension for rectus femoris activation); 2) Control (CG, tape applied over rectus femoris without additional tension). Subjects attended the laboratory on five separate occasions: 1) familiarization; 2) baseline measurement without tape (BL); 3) immediately post-tape application (T0); 4) 24h (T24); and 5) 48h (T48) post-tape application. The outcomes were distance in the single (SHT) and triple hop tests (THT), vertical jump height (VJH), vertical jump power (VJP), and rate of force development (RFD). A mixed-model ANOVA was applied to verify differences between and within groups. Results No significant (p >0.05) differences were found in the SHT and THT between groups and moments. Likewise, the main effects for VJH, VJP, and RFD were not significant (p >0.05). Conclusion The present study demonstrated no significant immediate or prolonged (48h) effects of KT on functional and proprioceptive performance.
Estimation of Jump Tails

We propose a new and flexible non-parametric framework for estimating the jump tails of Ito semimartingale processes. The approach is based on a relatively simple-to-implement set of estimating equations associated with the compensator for the jump measure, or its "intensity", that only utilizes the weak assumption of regular variation in the jump tails, along with in-fill asymptotic arguments for uniquely identifying the \large" jumps from the data. The estimation allows for very general dynamic dependencies in the jump tails, and does not restrict the continuous part of the process and the temporal variation in the stochastic volatility. On implementing the new estimation procedure with actual high-frequency data for the S&P 500 aggregate market portfolio, we find strong evidence for richer and more complex dynamic dependencies in the jump tails than hitherto entertained in the literature.
DX-center formation in wurtzite and zinc-blende Al x Ga 1-x N

The transition from shallow to deep centers as a function of pressure or alloying is investigated for oxygen and silicon donors in GaN and AlN, based on first-principles total-energy calculations. The stability of the localized deep state ( DX center ! is found to depend on interactions between the impurity and third-nearestneighbor atoms, which occur in different positions in the zinc-blende and the wurtzite phase. DX-center formation is suppressed in the zinc-blende phase, as well as for silicon donors. The results strengthen the identification of oxygen as the unintentional dopant in n-type GaN, and shed new light on the driving force for DX formation. @S0163-1829 ~98! 50404-3#
A Study of the Atmospheric Response Due to a Diurnal Heating Function Characteristic Of an Urban Complex

Abstract The variation of the differential heating required to depict the diurnal behavior of the urban heat island is established from temperature data obtained in the literature and from other sources. A simple, linear, three-layer model was developed to study the response of the urban atmosphere to the differential heating in the no-mean-wind case. The only driving force in the model was differential heating. The solutions suggest that the urban atmosphere experiences a short period of upward vertical motion in the early evening (the urban heat island circulation) in response to the positive differential heating at this time and a short period of downward vertical motion in the late morning in response to the negative differential heating at that time. The latter response would prevent diffusion of pollutants in the vertical and would bring an elevated pollution layer over the city to the surface. Therefore, the dynamic response could be responsible for the production of a “critical episode” in the city.
Financial Development, Economic Efficiency and Productivity Growth: Evidence from China

Financial development may lead to productivity improvement in developing countries. In this paper, based on the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach, we use the Malmquist index to measure China's total factor productivity change and its two components (i.e., efficiency change and technical progress). We find that China has recorded an increase in total factor productivity from 1993 to 2001, and that productivity growth was mostly attributed to technical progress, rather than to improvement in efficiency. Moreover, using panel data set covering 29 Chinese provinces over the period of 1993-2001 and applying the Generalized-Method-of-Moment system estimation, we investigate the impact of financial development on productivity growth in China. Empirical results show that, during this period, financial development has significantly contributed to China's productivity growth, mainly through its favourable effect on efficiency.
The analyst decision to issue revenue forecasts : do firm reporting quality and analyst skill matter ?

This study documents that analysts are more likely to issue revenue forecasts to complement earnings-per-share (EPS) estimates when the quality of firm financial reporting is low. This is because, compared to EPS forecast accuracy, revenue forecast accuracy is less adversely affected by poor reporting quality. Consequently, investors rely more on revenue than EPS estimates in their investment decisions, when the reporting quality is low. The result is robust to using five proxies for the quality of firm financial reporting: the variation in discretionary accruals, the absolute level of discretionary accruals, earnings persistence, absolute total accruals, and earnings volatility. Further, we document that better earnings forecasters are more likely to issue revenue estimates. This is because only more skilled analysts would want their forecasts to be subject to higher market scrutiny, and because a combination of accurate revenue and EPS forecasts is a stronger signal of the analyst forecasting skill compared to an accurate stand-alone EPS estimate.
Gysel Power Divider With Arbitrary Power Ratios and Filtering Responses Using Coupling Structure

This paper presents a novel method for designing Gysel power dividers with arbitrary power-division ratios as well as filtering responses. A coupling structure is utilized to replace the quarter-wavelength microstrip line in the power divider. By altering the coupling strength, the power ratio can be arbitrarily controlled with the highest ratio of 10:1. Furthermore, the coupling structures enable the filtering function of the power divider. Two transmission zeros are created near the passband edges, resulting in high-selectivity quasi-elliptic responses. Theoretical analysis is carried out, and closed-form equations are derived based on circuit theory and transmission line theory. For demonstration, three filtering Gysel power dividers are implemented with different power-division ratios (1:1, 3:1, and 10:1). In all of these circuits, power splitting and bandpass filtering functions are observed with good performance. Comparisons of the measured and simulated results are presented to verify the theoretical predications.
Eye-hand co-ordination with force feedback

The term Eye-hand co-ordination refers to hand movements controlled with visual feedback and reinforced by hand contact with objects. A correct perspective view of a virtual environment enables normal eye-hand co-ordination skills to be applied. But is it necessary for rapid interaction with 3D objects? A study of rapid hand movements is reported using an apparatus designed so that the user can touch a virtual object in the same place where he or she sees it. A Fitts tapping task is used to assess the effect of both contact with virtual objects and real-time update of the centre of perspective based on the user's actual eye position. A Polhemus tracker is used to measure the user's head position and from this estimate their eye position. In half of the conditions, head tracked perspective is employed so that visual feedback is accurate while in the other half a fixed eye-position is assumed. A Phantom force feedback device is used to make it possible to touch the targets in selected conditions. Subjects were required to change their viewing position periodically to assess the importance of correct perspective and of touching the targets in maintaining eye-hand co-ordination, The results show that accurate perspective improves performance by an average of 9% and contact improves it a further 12%. A more detailed analysis shows the advantages of head tracking to be greater for whole arm movements in comparison with movements from the elbow.
Getting the right cells to the array: Gene expression microarray analysis of cell mixtures and sorted cells

Most biological samples are cell mixtures. Some basic questions are still unanswered about analyzing these heterogeneous samples using gene expression microarray technology (MAT). How meaningful is a cell mixture's overall gene expression profile (GEP)? Is it necessary to purify the cells of interest before microarray analysis, and how much purity is needed? How much does the purification itself distort the GEP, and how well can the GEP of a small cell subset be recovered?
Capital Structure Choice When Managers are in Control: Entrenchment Versus Efficiency

Recent capital structure theories have emphasized the role of debt in minimizing the agency costs that arise from the separation between ownership and control. In this paper we argue that capital structure choices themselves are affected by the same agency problem. We show that, in general, the shareholders' and the manager's capital structure choices differ not only in their levels, but also in their sensitivities to the cost of financial distress and taxes. We argue that only the managerial perspective can explain why firms are generally reluctant to issue equity, why they issue it only following a stock price run-up, and why Corporate America recently deleveraged under the same tax system that supposedly generated the increase in leverage in the 1980s.
von Willebrand factor in iris vasculature of glaucoma patients

Background Previous reports have indicated the role of endothelium disturbances, as expressed by von Willebrand factor (vWF) release, in pathophysiology of glaucoma. The objective of this study was to investigate the vWF expression in iris vasculature of patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Material/Methods Immunohistochemistry of vWF expression was performed on cryostat sections of samples collected at the time of peripheral iridectomy and controls collected from dead donors. Results Twenty-seven Caucasians age 66.6±3.7 with 5.8±3.7-year history of treated PAOG and 10 controls age 62.2±1.92 with no history of glaucoma. The percentage of patients who presented normal and up-regulation of vWF phenotype expression differed statistically between examined and control groups: 48% versus 100% (p=0.035, chi-square test with Yates’ correction). Sex, age, glaucoma duration, and visual field quantitative indices had no impact on vWF expression. A significant correlation between mean pre-surgery intraocular pressure and vWF expression was found (Spearman r=0.42, p=0.03). Conclusions Considering the results, it may be suggested that vWF is actively involved in the pathophysiology of glaucoma.
The ivory trade and elephant conservation

In response to significant elephant population declines in the 1970s and 1980s because of poaching for ivory, the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) banned the international trade in Asian and African elephant species by listing them on Appendix I in 1973 and 1989, respectively. Many southern African countries disagreed with the African elephant trade ban and have continued to argue against it since the mid-1980s. They maintain that their governments practise sound wildlife management policies and actions and, as a consequence, their national elephant populations have reached unsustainable size. They argue that they should not be penalized because other countries cannot manage their wildlife. Further, they say they need the proceeds from ivory and other by-product sales to finance conservation efforts. In 1997, the CITES Conference of Parties voted to allow Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe to auction off 50 tonnes of government ivory stockpiles to Japanese traders on a one-off experimental basis, which took place in 1999. Ivory trade opponents allege that this sale stimulated ivory demand, resulting in a surge of elephant poaching. Nevertheless, CITES voted again in 2002 to allow Botswana, Namibia and South Africa to auction off another 60 tonnes of ivory after May 2004. Trade opponents have launched an active campaign to prevent the sales, warning that they could provoke a renewed elephant holocaust. This paper reviews available quantitative evidence on ivory trade and elephant killing to evaluate the arguments of the ivory trade proponents and opponents. The evidence supports the view that the trade bans resulted generally in lower levels of ivory market scale and elephant poaching than prevailed prior to 1990. There is little evidence to support claims that the 1999 southern African ivory auctions stimulated ivory demand or elephant poaching. Levels of elephant poaching and illegal ivory trading in a country are more likely to be related to wildlife management practices, law enforcement and corruption than to choice of CITES appendix listings and consequent extent of trade restrictions. Elephant conservation and public welfare can be better served by legal ivory trade than by a trade ban, but until demand for ivory can be restrained and various monitoring and regulation measures are put into place it is premature for CITES to permit ivory sales.
ISOLATION OF AN INSULIN SECRETION GRANULE FRACTION

Goosefish islets were homogenized in 0.25 M sucrose and separated into nuclear, mitochondrial + secretion granule, microsomal, and supernatant fractions. Eighty per cent of the cytochrome oxidase activity and 75 per cent of the bioassayed insulin activity were found in the mitochondrial + secretion granule fraction (6000 g for 10 minutes). The mitochondrial + secretion granule fraction was further subfractionated by centrifugation (2 hours at 100,000 g and 0 degrees C) using a continuous linear density gradient 1.0-2.0 M sucrose). Eighteen to 20 subfractions were collected by piercing the bottom of the tube and collecting drops. The total protein was distributed into a bimodal curve consisting of a high density component, which contained 90 per cent of the insulin (secretion granules), and a lower density component, which contained the cytochrome oxidase activity (mitochondria).