Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the theory of the evolution of pick-up ion distributions: magnetic or adiabatic cooling?

Abstract. We study the phasespace behaviour of heliospheric pick-up ions after the time of their injection as newly created ions into the solar wind bulk flow from either charge exchange or photoionization of interplanetary neutral atoms. As interaction with the ambient MHD wave fields we allow for rapid pitch angle diffusion, but for the beginning of this paper we shall neglect the effect of quasilinear or nonlinear energy diffusion (Fermi-2 acceleration) induced by counterflowing ambient waves. In the up-to-now literature connected with the convection of pick-up ions by the solar wind only adiabatic cooling of these ions is considered which in the solar wind frame takes care of filling the gap between the injection energy and energies of the thermal bulk of solar wind ions. Here we reinvestigate the basics of the theory behind this assumption of adiabatic pick-up ion reactions and correlated predictions derived from it. We then compare it with the new assumption of a pure magnetic cooling of pick-up ions simply resulting from their being convected in an interplanetary magnetic field which decreases in magnitude with increase of solar distance. We compare the results for pick-up ion distribution functions derived along both ways and can point out essential differences of observational and diagnostic relevance. Furthermore we then include stochastic acceleration processes by wave-particle interactions. As we can show, magnetic cooling in conjunction with diffusive acceleration by wave-particle interaction allows for an unbroken power law with the unique power index γ=−5 beginning from lowest velocities up to highest energy particles of about 100 KeV which just marginally can be in resonance with magnetoacoustic turbulences. Consequences for the resulting pick-up ion pressures are also analysed.
Electron Irradiation Effects on Al-Free Laser Diodes Emitting at 852 nm

852-nm emitting Al-free laser diodes and layers constituting the device are irradiated with 1-MeV electrons at fluences ranging from 10<sup>14</sup> up to 10<sup>16</sup>e<sup>-</sup>/cm<sup>2</sup>. Layers corresponding to the laser diodes materials were characterised using photoluminescence and time resolved photoluminescence. Laser diodes L-I-V characteristics were measured in pulsed and continuous regime.
Aesthetic valence of visual illusions

Visual illusions constitute an interesting perceptual phenomenon, but they also have an aesthetic and affective dimension. We hypothesized that the illusive nature itself causes the increased aesthetic and affective valence of illusions compared with their non-illusory counterparts. We created pairs of stimuli. One qualified as a standard visual illusion whereas the other one did not, although they were matched in as many perceptual dimensions as possible. The phenomenal quality of being an illusion had significant effects on “Aesthetic Experience” (fascinating, irresistible, exceptional, etc), “Evaluation” (pleasant, cheerful, clear, bright, etc), “Arousal” (interesting, imaginative, complex, diverse, etc), and “Regularity” (balanced, coherent, clear, realistic, etc). A subsequent multiple regression analysis suggested that Arousal was a better predictor of Aesthetic Experience than Evaluation. The findings of this study demonstrate that illusion is a phenomenal quality of the percept which has measurable aesthetic and affective valence.
Feature selection and classification for assessment of chronic stroke impairment

Recent advances of robotic/mechanical devices enable us to measure a subjectpsilas performance in an objective and precise manner. The main issue of using such devices is how to represent huge experimental data compactly in order to analyze and compare them with clinical data efficiently. In this paper, we choose a subset of features from real-time experimental data and build a classifier model to assess stroke patientspsila upper limb functionality. We compare our model with combinations of different classifiers and ensemble schemes, showing that it outperforms competitors. We also demonstrate that our results from experimental data are consistent with clinical information, and can capture changes of upper-limb functionality over time.
An exploratory study of the associations between speech and language diffi culties and phonological awareness in preschool children

A subset of pre-school children (4 to 7%) experience speech and/or language impairments that may put them at risk for future reading diffi culties. In this study, 126 preschool children referred for speech and language therapy were assessed to explore the extent to which specifi c language and/or speech impairments were associated with the development of phonological awareness – a foundational skill upon which children build skills in conventional reading and writing. Results of this study indicate that children with specifi c language impairments were most at risk for phonological awareness diffi culties whereas the severity of speech impairment was not a signifi cant risk factor.
An Analytical Switching Process Model of Low-Voltage eGaN HEMTs for Loss Calculation

This paper proposes an improved analytical switching process model to calculate the switching loss of low-voltage enhancement-mode Gallium Nitride high-electron mobility transistors (eGaN HEMTs). The presented eGaN HEMTs models are more or less derived from silicon MOSFETs models, whereas eGaN HEMTs are different from three aspects: higher switching speed, much more reduced parasitic inductance in switching loop, and absence of reverse recovery. Applying the traditional model to eGaN HEMTs results in inaccurate prediction of switching waveforms and losses. The proposed model considers the effect of low-parasitic inductances, nonlinearity of junction capacitances, and nonlinearity of transconductance. The turn-on and turn-off switching processes are described in detail and the resulting equations can be easily solved. The accuracy of the proposed model is validated by comparing the predicted switching waveforms and converter's efficiency with the experimental results, respectively. Based on the analytical model, the effects of gate resistance, gate supply voltage, and parasitic inductances on switching losses are investigated. Meanwhile, a novel current measuring method based on magnetic coupling is proposed to measure the switching current waveform with improved accuracy.
Generation of Diagnostic Tests for Transition Faults Using a Stuck-At ATPG Tool

In this paper, we propose a test generation method for diagnosing transition faults. The proposed method assumes launch on capture test, and it generates test vectors for given fault pairs using a stuck-at ATPG tool so that they can be distinguished. If a given fault pair is indistinguishable, it is identified, and thus the proposed method achieves a complete diagnostic test generation. The conditions for distinguishing a fault pair are carefully considered, and they are transformed into the conditions of the detection of a stuck-at fault, and some additional logic gates are inserted in a CUT during the test generation process. Experimental results show that the proposed method can generate test vectors for distinguishing the fault pairs that are not distinguished by commercial tools, and also identify indistinguishable fault pairs.
Working Papers in Responsible Banking & Finance Competition or Manipulation ? An Empirical Evidence from Natural Experiments on the Earnings Persistence of U . S . Banks

We examine the impact of competition on bank earnings persistence by exploiting a natural experiment following interstate banking deregulation that increased bank competition. We find that bank earnings adjustment speed increases after their states implement this deregulation. We also find that increases in earnings management reduce bank earnings adjustment speed and that the impact of competition on earnings adjustment speed is not through the earnings management channel. Our results suggest that the power of bank earnings management is subject to its competition environment. Finally, we find that banks’ incentives to manipulate their earnings depend on the level of earnings persistence. WP No 16-010
Pharmacokinetics of Colistin in Cerebrospinal Fluid after Intraventricular Administration of Colistin Methanesulfonate

ABSTRACT Intraventricular colistin, administered as colistin methanesulfonate (CMS), is the last resource for the treatment of central nervous system infections caused by panresistant Gram-negative bacteria. The doses and daily regimens vary considerably and are empirically chosen; the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pharmacokinetics of colistin after intraventricular administration of CMS has never been characterized. Nine patients (aged 18 to 73 years) were treated with intraventricular CMS (daily doses of 2.61 to 10.44 mg). Colistin concentrations were measured using a selective high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. The population pharmacokinetics analysis was performed with the P-Pharm program. The pharmacokinetics of colistin could be best described by the one-compartment model. The estimated values (means ± standard deviations) of apparent CSF total clearance (CL/Fm, where Fm is the unknown fraction of CMS converted to colistin) and terminal half-life (t1/2λ) were 0.033 ± 0.014 liter/h and 7.8 ± 3.2 h, respectively, and the average time to the peak concentration was 3.7 ± 0.9 h. A positive correlation between CL/Fm and the amount of CSF drained (range 40 to 300 ml) was observed. When CMS was administered at doses of ≥5.22 mg/day, measured CSF concentrations of colistin were continuously above the MIC of 2 μg/ml, and measured values of trough concentration (Ctrough) ranged between 2.0 and 9.7 μg/ml. Microbiological cure was observed in 8/9 patients. Intraventricular administration of CMS at doses of ≥5.22 mg per day was appropriate in our patients, but since external CSF efflux is variable and can influence the clearance of colistin and its concentrations in CSF, the daily dose of 10 mg suggested by the Infectious Diseases Society of America may be more prudent.
Mycoplasma Genitalium Among Women With Nongonococcal, Nonchlamydial Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a frequent condition of young women, often resulting in reproductive morbidity. Although Neisseria gonorrhoeae and/or Chlamydia trachomatis are/is recovered from approximately a third to a half of women with PID, the etiologic agent is often unidentified. We need PCR to test for M genitalium among a pilot sample of 50 women with nongonococcal, nonchlamydial endometritis enrolled in the PID evaluation and clinical health (PEACH) study. All participants had pelvic pain, pelvic organ tenderness, and leukorrhea, mucopurulent cervicitis, or untreated cervicitis. Endometritis was defined as ≥5 surface epithelium neutrophils per ×400 field absent of menstrual endometrium and/or ≥2 stromal plasma cells per ×120 field. We detected M genitalium in 7 (14%) of the women tested: 6 (12%) in cervical specimens and 4 (8%) in endometrial specimens. We conclude that M genitalium is prevalent in the endometrium of women with nongonococcal, nonchlamydial PID.
Extremely high‐frequency electromagnetic radiation enhances neutrophil response to particulate agonists

The growing use of extremely high‐frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) in information and communication technology and in biomedical applications has raised concerns regarding the potential biological impact of millimeter waves (MMWs). Here, we elucidated the effects of MMW radiation on neutrophil activation induced by opsonized zymosan or E. coli in whole blood ex vivo. After agonist addition to blood, two samples were prepared. A control sample was incubated at ambient conditions without any treatment, and a test sample was exposed to EHF EMR (32.9–39.6 GHz, 100 W/m2). We used methods that allowed us to assess the functional status of neutrophils immediately after exposure: oxidant production levels were measured by luminol‐dependent chemiluminescence, and morphofunctional changes to neutrophils were observed in blood smears. Results revealed that the response of neutrophils to both agonists was intensified if blood was exposed to MMW radiation for 15 min. Neutrophils were intact in both the control and irradiated samples if no agonist was added to blood before incubation. Similarly, exposing suspensions of isolated neutrophils in plasma to MMW radiation enhanced cell response to both zymosan and E. coli. Heating blood samples was shown to be the primary mechanism underlying enhanced EHF EMR‐induced oxidant production by neutrophils in response to particulate agonists. Bioelectromagnetics. 39:144–155, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Secondary Trading Costs in the Municipal Bond Market

Using new econometric methods, we separately estimate average transaction costs for over 167,000 bonds from a 1-year sample of all U.S. municipal bond trades. Municipal bond transaction costs decrease with trade size and do not depend significantly on trade frequency. Also, municipal bond trades are substantially more expensive than similar-sized equity trades. We attribute these results to the lack of bond market price transparency. Additional cross-sectional analyses show that bond trading costs increase with credit risk, instrument complexity, time to maturity, and time since issuance. Investors, and perhaps ultimately issuers, might benefit if issuers issued simpler bonds. Copyright 2006 by The American Finance Association.
Leprosy Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (LPEP) programme: study protocol for evaluating the feasibility and impact on case detection rates of contact tracing and single dose rifampicin

Introduction The reported number of new leprosy patients has barely changed in recent years. Thus, additional approaches or modifications to the current standard of passive case detection are needed to interrupt leprosy transmission. Large-scale clinical trials with single dose rifampicin (SDR) given as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to contacts of newly diagnosed patients with leprosy have shown a 50–60% reduction of the risk of developing leprosy over the following 2 years. To accelerate the uptake of this evidence and introduction of PEP into national leprosy programmes, data on the effectiveness, impact and feasibility of contact tracing and PEP for leprosy are required. The leprosy post-exposure prophylaxis (LPEP) programme was designed to obtain those data. Methods and analysis The LPEP programme evaluates feasibility, effectiveness and impact of PEP with SDR in pilot areas situated in several leprosy endemic countries: India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Complementary sites are located in Brazil and Cambodia. From 2015 to 2018, contact persons of patients with leprosy are traced, screened for symptoms and assessed for eligibility to receive SDR. The intervention is implemented by the national leprosy programmes, tailored to local conditions and capacities, and relying on available human and material resources. It is coordinated on the ground with the help of the in-country partners of the International Federation of Anti-Leprosy Associations (ILEP). A robust data collection and reporting system is established in the pilot areas with regular monitoring and quality control, contributing to the strengthening of the national surveillance systems to become more action-oriented. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from the relevant ethics committees in the countries. Results and lessons learnt from the LPEP programme will be published in peer-reviewed journals and should provide important evidence and guidance for national and global policymakers to strengthen current leprosy elimination strategies.
The Tip of the Four N-Terminal α-Helices of Clostridium sordellii Lethal Toxin Contains the Interaction Site with Membrane Phosphatidylserine Facilitating Small GTPases Glucosylation

Clostridium sordellii lethal toxin (TcsL) is a powerful virulence factor responsible for severe toxic shock in man and animals. TcsL belongs to the large clostridial glucosylating toxin (LCGT) family which inactivates small GTPases by glucosylation with uridine-diphosphate (UDP)-glucose as a cofactor. Notably, TcsL modifies Rac and Ras GTPases, leading to drastic alteration of the actin cytoskeleton and cell viability. TcsL enters cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis and delivers the N-terminal glucosylating domain (TcsL-cat) into the cytosol. TcsL-cat was found to preferentially bind to phosphatidylserine (PS)-containing membranes and to increase the glucosylation of Rac anchored to the lipid membrane. We have previously reported that the N-terminal four helical bundle structure (1–93 domain) recognizes a broad range of lipids, but that TcsL-cat specifically binds to PS and phosphatidic acid. Here, we show using mutagenesis that the PS binding site is localized on the tip of the four-helix bundle which is rich in positively-charged amino acids. Residues Y14, V15, F17, and R18 on loop 1, between helices 1 and 2, in coordination with R68 from loop 3, between helices 3 and 4, form a pocket which accommodates L-serine. The functional PS-binding site is required for TcsL-cat binding to the plasma membrane and subsequent cytotoxicity. TcsL-cat binding to PS facilitates a high enzymatic activity towards membrane-anchored Ras by about three orders of magnitude as compared to Ras in solution. The PS-binding site is conserved in LCGTs, which likely retain a common mechanism of binding to the membrane for their full activity towards membrane-bound GTPases.
Center for Policy Research Working Paper No . 42 NOMINAL LOSS AVERSION , HOUSING EQUITY CONSTRAINTS , AND HOUSEHOLD MOBILITY : EVIDENCE FROM THE UNITED STATES *

This paper exploits the significant recent variation in United States house prices to empirically examine the effect on housing equity constraints and nominal loss aversion on household mobility. The analysis uses unique, detailed data from 1985-1996 on household characteristics, mobility, and wealth from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) matched with house price data from 149 metropolitan areas to estimate semiparametric proportional hazard models of intraand intermetropolitan mobility. There are five principal findings. First, household intrametropolitan own-to-own mobility responds differently to nominal housing losses than to gains. Second, nominal loss aversion is significantly less pronounced in intrametropolitan own-to-rent and intermetropolitan mobility, respectively. Third, there is some evidence of binding equity constraints in intrametropolitan own-to-own mobility. Fourth, there is little evidence that low equity constrains intrametropolitan own-to-rent and intermetropolitan mobility, respectively. Fifth, a comparison of the estimated effects indicates that nominal loss aversion has a more dominant effect than equity constraints in restricting household mobility, roughly two and one-half to three times the impact of equity constraints.
Hydrological Evaluation of Lake Chad Basin Using Space Borne and Hydrological Model Observations

Sustainable water resource management requires the assessment of hydrological changes in response to climate fluctuations and anthropogenic activities in any given area. A quantitative estimation of water balance entities is important to understand the variations within a basin. Water resources in remote areas with little infrastructure and technological knowhow suffer from poor documentation, rendering water management difficult and unreliable. This study analyzes the changes in the hydrological behavior of the Lake Chad basin with extreme climatic and environmental conditions that hinder the collection of field observations. Total water storage (TWS) from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), lake level variations from satellite altimetry, and water fluxes and soil moisture from Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) were used to study the spatiotemporal variability of the hydrological parameters of the Lake Chad basin. The estimated TWS varies in a similar pattern as the lake water level. TWS in the basin area is governed by the lake’s surface water. The subsurface water volume changes were derived by combining the altimetric lake volume with the TWS over the drainage basin. The results were compared with groundwater outputs from WaterGAP Global Hydrology Model (WGHM), with both showing a somewhat similar pattern. These results could provide an insight to the availability of water resources in the Lake Chad basin for current and future management purposes.
CURRENT HELICITY OF ACTIVE REGIONS AS A TRACER OF LARGE-SCALE SOLAR MAGNETIC HELICITY

We demonstrate that the current helicity observed in solar active regions traces the magnetic helicity of the large-scale dynamo generated field. We use an advanced two-dimensional mean-field dynamo model with dynamo saturation based on the evolution of the magnetic helicity and algebraic quenching. For comparison, we also studied a more basic two-dimensional mean-field dynamo model with simple algebraic alpha-quenching only. Using these numerical models we obtained butterfly diagrams both for the small-scale current helicity and also for the large-scale magnetic helicity, and compared them with the butterfly diagram for the current helicity in active regions obtained from observations. This comparison shows that the current helicity of active regions, as estimated by −A · B evaluated at the depth from which the active region arises, resembles the observational data much better than the small-scale current helicity calculated directly from the helicity evolution equation. Here B and A are, respectively, the dynamo generated mean magnetic field and its vector potential. A theoretical interpretation of these results is given.
Incidence Rate of GRB-Host DLAs at High Redshift

We study the incidence rate of damped Ly α systems associated with the host galaxies of gamma-ray bursts (GRB-host DLAs) as functions of neutral hydrogen column density (NH I) and projected star formation rate (SFR) using cosmological SPH simulations. Assuming that the occurrence of GRBs is correlated with the local SFR, we find that the median NH I of GRB-host DLAs progressively shifts to lower NH I values with increasing redshift, and the incidence rate of GRB-host DLAs with log NH I > 21.0 decreases rapidly at z ⩾ 6. Our results suggest that the likelihood of observing the signature of IGM attenuation in GRB afterglows increases toward higher redshift, because it will not be blocked by the red damping wing of DLAs in the GRB host galaxies. This enhances the prospects of using high-redshift GRBs to probe the reionization history of the universe. The overall incidence rate of GRB-host DLAs decreases monotonically with increasing redshift, whereas that of QSO DLAs increases up to z = 6. A measurement of the difference between the two incidence rates would enable an estimation of the value of ηGRB, which is the mass fraction of stars that become GRBs for a given amount of star formation. Our predictions can be tested by upcoming high-z GRB missions, including JANUS (Joint Astrophysics Nascent Universe Scout) and SVOM (Space multiband Variable Object Monitor).