Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accumulation of Phosphorus-Containing Compounds in Developing Seeds of Low-Phytate Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Mutants

Low phytic acid (lpa) crops are low in phytic acid and high in inorganic phosphorus (Pi). In this study, two lpa pea genotypes, 1-150-81, 1-2347-144, and their progenitor CDC Bronco were grown in field trials for two years. The lpa genotypes were lower in IP6 and higher in Pi when compared to CDC Bronco. The total P concentration was similar in lpa genotypes and CDC Bronco throughout the seed development. The action of myo-inositol phosphate synthase (MIPS) (EC 5.5.1.4) is the first and rate-limiting step in the phytic acid biosynthesis pathway. Aiming at understanding the genetic basis of the lpa mutation in the pea, a 1530 bp open reading frame of MIPS was amplified from CDC Bronco and the lpa genotypes. Sequencing results showed no difference in coding sequence in MIPS between CDC Bronco and lpa genotypes. Transcription levels of MIPS were relatively lower at 49 days after flowering (DAF) than at 14 DAF for CDC Bronco and lpa lines. This study elucidated the rate and accumulation of phosphorus compounds in lpa genotypes. The data also demonstrated that mutation in MIPS was not responsible for the lpa trait in these pea lines.
Do Stock Prices and Volatility Jump ? Reconciling Evidence from Spot and Option Prices

This paper studies the empirical performance of jump-diffusion models that allow for stochastic volatility and correlated jumps affecting both prices and volatility. The results show that the models in question provide reasonable fit to both option prices and returns data in the in-sample estimation period. This contrasts previous findings where stochastic volatility paths are found to be too smooth relative to the option implied dynamics. While the models perform well during the high volatility estimation period, they tend to overprice long dated contracts out-of-sample. This evidence points towards a too simplistic specification of the mean dynamics of volatility.
Improving Covariate Balancing Propensity Score : A Doubly Robust and Efficient Approach ∗

Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) is a popular method for estimating causal effects in many disciplines. However, empirical studies show that the IPTW estimators can be sensitive to the misspecification of propensity score model. To address this problem, several researchers have proposed new methods to estimate propensity score by directly optimizing the balance of pre-treatment covariates. While these methods appear to empirically perform well, little is known about their theoretical properties. This paper makes two main contributions. First, we conduct a theoretical investigation of one such methodology, the Covariate Balancing Propensity Score (CBPS) recently proposed by Imai and Ratkovic (2014). We characterize the asymptotic bias and efficiency of the CBPS-based IPTW estimator under both arbitrary and local model misspecification as well as correct specification for general balancing functions. Based on this finding, we address an open problem in the literature on how to optimally choose the covariate balancing function for the CBPS methodology. Second, motivated by the form of the optimal covariate balancing function, we further propose a new IPTW estimator by generalizing the CBPS method. We prove that the proposed estimator is consistent if either the propensity score model or the outcome model is correct. In addition to this double robustness property, we also establish that the proposed estimator is semiparametrically efficient when both the propensity score and outcome models are correctly specified. Unlike the standard doubly robust estimators, however, the proposed methodology does not require the estimation of outcome model. To relax the parametric assumptions on the propensity score model and the outcome model, we further consider a sieve estimation approach to estimate the treatment effect. A new “nonparametric double robustness” phenomenon is observed. Our simulations show that the proposed estimator has better finite sample properties than the standard estimators.
Moments-based approach to the performance analysis of equal gain diversity in Nakagami-m fading

In this letter, an alternative moments-based approach for the performance analysis of an L-branch predetection equal gain combiner (EGC) over independent or correlated Nakagami-m fading channels is presented. Exact closed-form expressions are derived for the moments of the EGC output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), while the corresponding moment-generating function (MGF) is accurately approximated with the aid of Pade/spl acute/ approximants theory. Important performance criteria are studied; the average output SNR, which is expressed in closed form both for independent and correlative fading and for arbitrary system parameters, the average symbol-error probability for several coherent, noncoherent, and multilevel modulation schemes, and the outage probability, which are both accurately approximated using the well-known MGF approach. The proposed mathematical analysis is illustrated by various numerical results, and computer simulations have been performed to verify the validity and the accuracy of the theoretical approach.
The use of propofol infusions in paediatric anaesthesia: a practical guide

Children require higher infusion rates of propofol than adults to maintain clinical anaesthesia. We aimed to produce a manual infusion regimen capable of maintaining a steady‐state blood concentration of 3 μg ml−1 in children aged 3–11 years. Pharmacokinetic parameter estimates were taken from published studies of infusion data in children and used in a pharmacokinetic simulation programme to predict likely propofol blood concentrations during infusions. A variability of 5% was allowed about the target concentration of 3 μg ml−1. A loading dose of 2.5 mg·kg−1 followed by an infusion rate of 15 mg·kg−1·h−1 for the first 15 min, 13 mg·kg−1·h−1 from 15 to 30 min, 11 mg·kg−1·h−1 from 30 to 60 min, 10 mg·kg−1·h−1 from 1 to 2 h and 9 mg·kg−1·h−1 from 2 to 4 h resulted in a pseudo‐steady state target concentration of 3 μg·ml−1 in children 3–11 years. We were unable to predict similar rates by applying size models to adult data. The context sensitive half‐time in children was longer than in adults, rising from 10.4 min at 1 h to 19.6 min at 4 h compared to adult estimates of 6.7 min and 9.5 min, respectively. Children require higher infusion rates than adults to maintain steady state concentrations of 3 μg·ml−1 and have longer context sensitive half‐times than adults. These differences can be attributed to altered pharmacokinetics in this age group.
Local governments' efficiency: a systematic literature review - part I

The efficient management of the available resources in local governments has been a topic of high interest in the field of public sector. We provide an extensive and comprehensive review of the existing literature on local governments’ efficiency from a global point of view, covering all articles from 1990 to August 2016. This paper is the first of two. It covers the basic aspects related to local governments’ efficiency measurement not taking into account the effect of environmental conditions. First we show a detailed overview of the studies investigating public sector efficiency across various countries, comparing the data and samples employed, and the main results obtained. Second, we describe which techniques have been used for measuring efficiency in the context of local governments. Third, we summarise the inputs and outputs used. Finally, we discuss some operative directions and considerations for further research in the field.
Breadline Britain in the 1990s

Measuring poverty - breadline Britain in the 1990s, David Gordon and Christina Pantazis the poverty line - methodology and international comparisons, Peter Townsend the public's perception of necessities and poverty, David Gordon and Christina Pantazis poverty and gender, Sarah Payne and Christina Pantazis poverty and crime, Christina Pantazis and David Gordon poverty and health, Christina Pantazis and David Gordon poverty and mental health, Sarah Payne poverty, debt and benefits, Christina Pantazis and David Gordon poverty and local public services, Glen Bramley adapting the concensual definition of poverty, Bjorn Hallerod, Jonathan Bradshaw and Hilary Holmes. Appendix 1: technical tables. Appendix 2: annotated questionnaire. Appendix 3: additional tables.
Multiplex PCR Assay for Detection of Streptococcus suis Species and Serotypes 2 and 1/2 in Tonsils of Live and Dead Pigs

ABSTRACT A PCR assay was developed for the detection of Streptococcus suis serotypes 2 and 1/2. This multiplex PCR is based on the amplification of the gene coding for 16S rRNA of S. suis and on the amplification of the cps2J gene coding for the capsule of S. suis serotypes 2 and 1/2. An internal control was constructed and added in this test to monitor the efficiency of amplification in each reaction. To evaluate the specificity of the test, 31 strains of other bacterial species related to S. suis or isolated from pigs and 42 strains of S. suis serotypes 1 and 3 to 34 were analyzed. The detection threshold of the test was 28 S. suis CFU/ml. The specificity and the sensitivity of the multiplex PCR test and the presence of an internal control allowed the analysis of biological samples without a culture step. The PCR assay was then applied to the detection of 14 S. suis serotype 1/2 strains, 88 S. suis serotype 2 strains isolated from pigs, and 25 S. suis serotype 2 strains isolated from humans. This test was also applied to analyze tonsil samples of pigs experimentally infected and carrier pigs without any symptoms.
Altered amygdala connectivity within the social brain in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND Impairments in social cognition have been described in schizophrenia and relate to core symptoms of the disorder. Social cognition is subserved by a network of brain regions, many of which have been implicated in schizophrenia. We hypothesized that deficits in connectivity between components of this social brain network may underlie the social cognition impairments seen in the disorder. METHODS We investigated brain activation and connectivity in a group of individuals with schizophrenia making social judgments of approachability from faces (n = 20), compared with a group of matched healthy volunteers (n = 24), using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Effective connectivity from the amygdala was estimated using the psychophysiological interaction approach. RESULTS While making approachability judgments, healthy participants recruited a network of social brain regions including amygdala, fusiform gyrus, cerebellum, and inferior frontal gyrus bilaterally and left medial prefrontal cortex. During the approachability task, healthy participants showed increased connectivity from the amygdala to the fusiform gyri, cerebellum, and left superior frontal cortex. In comparison to controls, individuals with schizophrenia overactivated the right middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, and precuneus and had reduced connectivity between the amygdala and the insula cortex. DISCUSSION We report increased activation of frontal and medial parietal regions during social judgment in patients with schizophrenia, accompanied by decreased connectivity between the amygdala and insula. We suggest that the increased activation of frontal control systems and association cortex may reflect a compensatory mechanism for impaired connectivity of the amygdala with other parts of the social brain networks in schizophrenia.
Is accreditation linked to hospital infection rates? A 4-year, data linkage study of Staphylococcus aureus rates and accreditation scores in 77 Australian acute hospitals.

OBJECTIVES To test our hypothesis that hospitals with higher accreditation scores, specifically in infection control, would be associated with lower Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) rates. DESIGN A retrospective cohort study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Acute public hospitals (n = 77) in New South Wales, Australia, with reported SAB rates, results from two accreditation surveys and results from at least four hand hygiene audits. METHODS We linked three separate data sets comprising SAB rates, accreditation scores and hand hygiene rates. SAB rates were regressed against accreditation scores, hand hygiene audit rates and hospital demographics using a generalized linear model to account for the non-linear nature of our outcome variable. RESULTS Significant (P < 0.05) findings included the following: SAB rates across all hospitals fell from 1.34 per 10 000 bed days in 2009 to 0.77 per 10 000 bed days in 2012; mean SAB rates in small hospitals (0.62/10 000 bed days) over the study period were lower than those for principal referral hospitals (1.52/10 000 bed days); smaller hospitals with higher accreditation scores had lower SAB rates, but larger hospitals with higher overall accreditation scores had higher SAB rates, although the effect size was small (<2%). CONCLUSIONS There is a strong evidence base for using SAB rates to measure the impact of infection control programs that are assessed during accreditation. However, there is less evidence to support whether accreditation scores accurately reflect implementation of the infection control accreditation standards. This impacts identification of indicators to measure patient safety and quality of care, especially in ensuring these are appropriate across a range of hospital size and activities.
Estimated Fluoride Doses from Toothpastes Should be Based on Total Soluble Fluoride

The fluoride dose ingested by young children may be overestimated if based on levels of total fluoride (TF) rather than levels of bioavailable fluoride (total soluble fluoride—TSF) in toothpaste. The aim of the present study was to compare doses of fluoride intake based on TF and TSF. Fluoride intake in 158 Brazilian children aged three and four years was determined after tooth brushing with their usual toothpaste (either family toothpaste (n = 80) or children’s toothpaste (n = 78)). The estimated dose (mg F/day/Kg of body weight) of TF or TSF ingested was calculated from the chemical analysis of the toothpastes. Although the ingested dose of TF from the family toothpastes was higher than that from the children’s toothpastes (0.074 ± 0.007 and 0.039 ± 0.003 mg F/day/Kg, respectively; p < 0.05), no difference between types of toothpaste was found regarding the ingested dose based on TSF (0.039 ± 0.005 and 0.039 ± 0.005 mg F/day/Kg, respectively; p > 0.05). The fluoride dose ingested by children from toothpastes may be overestimated if based on the TF of the product. This finding suggests that the ingested dose should be calculated based on TSF. Dose of TSF ingested by children is similar whether family or children’s toothpaste is used.
Reliability characteristics of microfabricated Rb mini-lamps for optical pumping in miniature atomic clocks and magnetometers

With the rising need for microfabricated chip-scale atomic clocks to enable high precision timekeeping in portable applications, there has been active interest in developing miniature (<few cm3), chip-scale alkali vapor lamps, since vapor plasma discharge sources are currently the standard for optical pumping in double-resonance clocks. We reported in 2012 a first microfabricated chip-scale Rubidium dielectric barrier discharge lamp. The device’s preliminary results indicated its high potential for optical pumping applications and wafer-scale batch fabrication. The chip-scale plasma light sources were observed to be robust with no obvious performance change after thousands of plasma ignitions, and with no electrode erosion from plasma discharges since the electrodes are external. However, as atomic clocks have strict lamp performance requirements including less than 0.1% sub-second optical power fluctuations, power consumption less than 20 mW and a device lifetime of at least several years, it is important to understand the long-term reliability of these Rb planar mini-lamps, and identify the operating conditions where these devices can be most reliable and stable. In this paper, we report on the reliability of such microfabricated lamps including a continuous several month run of the lamp where the optical power, electrical power consumption and temperature stability were continuously monitored. We also report on the effects of temperature, rf-power and the lamp-drive parasitics on the optical power stability and discuss steps that could be taken to further improve the device’s performance and reliability.
The atmospheric chemistry general circulation model ECHAM5/MESSy1: consistent simulation of ozone from the surface to the mesosphere

The new Modular Earth Submodel System (MESSy) describes atmospheric chemistry and meteorological processes in a modular framework, following strict coding standards. It has been coupled to the ECHAM5 general circulation model, which has been slightly modified for this purpose. A 90-layer model setup up to 0.01 hPa was used at spectral T42 resolution to simulate the lower and middle atmosphere. With the high vertical resolution the model simulates the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation. The model meteorology has been tested to check the influence of the changes to ECHAM5 and the radiation interactions with the new representation of atmospheric composition. In the simulations presented here a Newtonian relaxation technique was applied in the tropospheric part of the domain to weakly nudge the model towards the analysed meteorology during the period 1998–2005. This allows an efficient and direct evaluation with satellite and in-situ data. It is shown that the tropospheric wave forcing of the stratosphere in the model suffices to reproduce major stratospheric warming events leading e.g. to the vortex split over Antarctica in 2002. Characteristic features such as dehydration and denitrification caused by the sedimentation of polar stratospheric cloud particles and ozone depletion during winter and spring are simulated well, although ozone loss in the lower polar stratosphere is slightly underestimated. The model realistically simulates stratosphere-troposphere exchange processes as indicated by comparisons with satellite and in situ measurements. The evaluation of tropospheric chemistry presented here focuses on the distributions of ozone, hydroxyl radicals, carbon monoxide and reactive nitrogen compounds. In spite of minor shortcomings, mostly related to the relatively coarse T42 resolution and the neglect of inter-annual changes in biomass burning emissions, the main characteristics of the trace gas distributions are generally reproduced well. The MESSy submodels and the ECHAM5/MESSy1 model output are available through the internet on request.
Energy efficiency of MIMO transmissions in wireless sensor networks with diversity and multiplexing gains

The energy efficiency of MIMO transmissions in wireless sensor networks is analyzed considering the trade-off between diversity and multiplexing gains. Various MIMO are studied with noncooperative, half-cooperative or cooperative realizations. Energies consumed in transmission, processing circuitry and cooperation are obtained, which show that the optimal energy efficiency requires both the diversity and the multiplexing gains be exploited.
Lung-Derived Mediators Induce Cytokine Production in Downstream Organs via an NF-κ B-Dependent Mechanism

In the setting of acute lung injury, levels of circulating inflammatory mediators have been correlated with adverse outcomes. Previous studies have demonstrated that injured, mechanically ventilated lungs represent the origin of the host inflammatory response; however, mechanisms which perpetuate systemic inflammation remain uncharacterized. We hypothesized that lung-derived mediators generated by mechanical ventilation (MV) are amplified by peripheral organs in a “feed forward” mechanism of systemic inflammation. Herein, lung-derived mediators were collected from 129X1/SVJ mice after 2 hours of MV while connected to the isolated perfused mouse lung model setup. Exposure of liver endothelial cells to lung-derived mediators resulted in a significant increase in G-CSF, IL-6, CXCL-1, CXCL-2, and MCP-1 production compared to noncirculated control perfusate media (P < 0.05). Furthermore, inhibition of the NF-κB pathway significantly mitigated this response. Changes in gene transcription were confirmed using qPCR for IL-6, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2. Additionally, liver tissue obtained from mice subjected to 2 hours of in vivo MV demonstrated significant increases in hepatic gene transcription of IL-6, CXCL-1, and CXCL-2 compared to nonventilated controls. Collectively, this data demonstrates that lung-derived mediators, generated in the setting of MV, are amplified by downstream organs in a feed forward mechanism of systemic inflammation.
Adaptive Vision based Tracking Control of Robots with Uncertainty in Depth Information

In this paper, a vision based tracking controller with adaptation to uncertainty in depth information is presented. Depth uncertainty plays a special role in visual tracking as it appears nonlinearly in the overall Jacobian matrix and hence cannot be adapted together with other uncertain kinematic parameters. We propose a novel parameter update law to update the uncertain parameters of the depth. It is proved that system stability can be guaranteed for the visual tracking task in presence of uncertainties in depth information, robot kinematics and dynamics. Simulation results are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed controller.
CEOs and the Product Market: When Are Powerful CEOs Beneficial?

We examine whether industry product market conditions are important in assessing the benefits and costs of chief executive officer (CEO) power. We find that firms are more likely to have powerful CEOs in high demand product markets where firms are facing entry threats. In these markets, investors react favorably to announcements granting more power to CEOs, and CEO power is associated with higher market value, sales growth, investment, advertising, and the introduction of more new products. Our results remain significant when addressing the endogeneity of CEO power by instrumenting CEO power with past non-CEO executive and director sudden deaths.