Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pricing Options on Scalar Diffusions: An Eigenfunction Expansion Approach

This paper develops an eigenfunction expansion approach to pricing options on scalar diffusion processes. All contingent claims are unbundled into portfolios of primitive securities calledeigensecurities. Eigensecurities are eigenvectors (eigenfunctions) of the pricing operator (present value operator). All computational work is at the stage of finding eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the pricing operator. The pricing is then immediate by the linearity of the pricing operator and the eigenvector property of eigensecurities. To illustrate the computational power of the method, we develop two applications:pricing vanilla, single- and double-barrier options under the constant elasticity of variance (CEV) process and interest rate knock-out options in the Cox-Ingersoll-Ross (CIR) term-structure model.
Boosting Vertex-Cut Partitioning for Streaming Graphs

While the algorithms for streaming graph partitioning are proved promising, they fall short of creating timely partitions when applied on large graphs. For example, it takes 415 seconds for a state-of-the-art partitioner to work on a social network graph with 117 millions edges. We introduce an efficient platform for boosting streaming graph partitioning algorithms. Our solution, called HoVerCut, is Horizontally and Vertically scalable. That is, it can run as a multi-threaded process on a single machine, or as a distributed partitioner across multiple machines. Our evaluations, on both real-world and synthetic graphs, show that HoVerCut speeds up the process significantly without degrading the quality of partitioning. For example, HoVerCut partitions the aforementioned social network graph with 117 millions edges in 11 seconds that is about 37 times faster.
Delays in Seeking Care: A Women's Problem?

Our mothers have a few things in common. They are intelligent, self-aware, and careful. And both of them have daughters who are cardiologists. Unfortunately, they also share the dubious honor of having delayed calling for emergency care after developing cardiovascular symptoms. One mom, a healthy 80-year-old retired insurance agent, noticed some numbness in her face and tongue and weakness in her left hand; when these symptoms did not go away, she became concerned that she might be having a stroke and called the nurse help line provided by her health plan. Not surprisingly, the nurse instructed her to hang up and dial 911—but instead, she called a family member and asked for a ride to the hospital. Thankfully, her symptoms resolved, tests were negative, and she has felt well since then. The other mom, a 74-year-old retired physical therapist, experienced severe indigestion after dinner one evening. She was able to fall asleep as it came and went, but was awakened in the middle of the night by discomfort radiating to her jaw and arms—so she woke her husband, and after some discussion, they drove to the local emergency room, where she was found to be having an inferior ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction. Though both were aware of the symptoms of stroke and heart attack, neither woman thought it would happen to her. Neither did the family members who transported them to the hospital. And, as both concerned daughters and data-driven clinicians and researchers, we got to thinking: how could we make this better? There are many important steps in seeking care for symptoms that might be cardiovascular in nature. First, one needs to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Second, one has to connect the symptoms one is experiencing to the possibility of a stroke or heart …
Software runaways—some surprising findings

Some of you readers may know that I once wrote a column for a leading computing newspaper under an assumed name, and the content of the column was fictionalized failure stories. (I wrote it under an assumed name and fictionalized the stories because I suspected that my employer at the time would not appreciate my washing its dirty linen in public! ) Those columns eventually became a book, The Universal Elixir and Other Computing Projects That Failed, and then grew to fill another book, The Second Coming: More Computing Projects That Failed.
Duplication and Maintenance of Heterochromatin Domains

To investigate the mechanisms that assure the maintenance of heterochromatin regions, we took advantage of the fact that clusters of heterochromatin DNA replicate late in S phase and are processed in discrete foci with a characteristic nuclear distribution. At the light microscopy level, within these entities, we followed DNA synthesis, histone H4 acetylation, heterochromatin protein 1 (Hp1α and -β), and chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF-1). During replication, Hp1α and -β domains of concentration are stably maintained, whereas heterochromatin regions are enriched in both CAF-1 and replication-specific acetylated isoforms of histone H4 (H4Ac 5 and 12). We defined a time window of 20 min for the maintenance of this state. Furthermore, treatment with Trichostatin A (TSA), during and after replication, sustains the H4Ac 5 and 12 state in heterochromatin excluding H4Ac 8 and 16. In comparison, early replication foci, at the same level, did not display any specific enrichment in H4Ac 5 and 12. These data emphasize the specific importance for heterochromatin of the replication-associated H4 isoforms. We propose that perpetuation of heterochromatin involves self-maintenance factors, including local concentration of Hp1α and -β, and that a degree of plasticity is provided by the cycle of H4 acetylation/deacetylation assisted by CAF-1.
Nitrogen fertilizer effects on soil carbon balances in midwestern U.S. agricultural systems.

A single ecosystem dominates the Midwestern United States, occupying 26 million hectares in five states alone: the corn-soybean agroecosystem [Zea mays L. -Glycine max (L.) Merr. ]. Nitrogen (N) fertilization could influence the soil carbon (C) balance in this system because the corn phase is fertilized in 97-100% of farms, at an average rate of 135 kg N x ha(-1) x yr(-1). We evaluated the impacts on two major processes that determine the soil C balance, the rates of organic-carbon (OC) inputs and decay, at four levels of N fertilization, 0, 90, 180, and 270 kg/ha, in two long-term experimental sites in Mollisols in Iowa, USA. We compared the corn-soybean system with other experimental cropping systems fertilized with N in the corn phases only: continuous corn for grain; corn-corn-oats (Avena sativa L.)-alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; corn-oats-alfalfa-alfalfa; and continuous soybean. In all systems, we estimated long-term OC inputs and decay rates over all phases of the rotations, based on long-term yield data, harvest indices (HI), and root:shoot data. For corn, we measured these two ratios in the four N treatments in a single year in each site; for other crops we used published ratios. Total OC inputs were calculated as aboveground plus belowground net primary production (NPP) minus harvested yield. For corn, measured total OC inputs increased with N fertilization (P < 0.05, both sites). Belowground NPP, comprising only 6-22% of total corn NPP, was not significantly influenced by N fertilization. When all phases of the crop rotations were evaluated over the long term, OC decay rates increased concomitantly with OC input rates in several systems. Increases in decay rates with N fertilization apparently offset gains in carbon inputs to the soil in such a way that soil C sequestration was virtually nil in 78% of the systems studied, despite up to 48 years of N additions. The quantity of belowground OC inputs was the best predictor of long-term soil C storage. This indicates that, in these systems, in comparison with increased N-fertilizer additions, selection of crops with high belowground NPP is a more effective management practice for increasing soil C sequestration.
4-Gbps Uncompressed Video Transmission over a 60-GHz Orbital Angular Momentum Wireless Channel

We demonstrate successful transmission of 4-Gbps uncompressed video over a 60-GHz orbital angular momentum (OAM) wireless channel. Matlab simulation was employed to support the experimental work and to generate the holographic masks used. Matlab coding is a unique approach which can produce any desired shape on copper or dielectric plates by mean of a commercial routing tool. We believe this is the first reported transmission of 4-Gbps uncompressed video over the 60-GHz OAM wireless channel. Good agreement was achieved between the simulated and measured results. Practical opportunities for multi-gigabit future wireless communications are available.
MEASURING SHAMING IN AN ETHNIC CONTEXT

This study was an attempt to operationalize John Braithwaite's theory of reintegrative shaming, and measure how it is used by parents of different ethnic groups in response to their delinquent children. Based on Braithwaite's emphasis on interdependency, familism, and communitarianism in certain Asian cultures, it was hypothesized that Asian-Americans would be more likely to use shaming as a parenting practice than would African-Americans. The findings showed that the two ethnic groups differ significantly only in verbal shaming; not in non-verbal, physical, or communitarian shaming as measured here. However, when marital status was controlled, ethnicity appeared to have no effect on shaming. Married parents were significantly more inclined to shame their delinquent children than single parents regardless of their ethnicities. New Asian immigrant parents were also more likely to shame than others.
Prospective blinded trial of a fecal antigen test for the detection of Helicobacter pylori infection

OBJECTIVE:We prospectively studied an FDA-approved stool test for the diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection based on the detection of antigens shed in stool.METHODS:We studied 108 patients undergoing endoscopy. Stool samples were collected on the day of the endoscopy and read in a blinded manner by a technician who was unaware of the findings of the endoscopy. The results of stool testing were compared to those of the rapid urease test (Pyloritek). RESULTS:There were 51 patients infected with H. pylori by rapid urease testing and 57 who were not. The sensitivity of the stool test was 86% (95% confidence interval: 77–96%), the specificity was 91% (81–97%), with a positive predictive value of 89% (77–96%) and a negative predictive value of 88% (81–97%). The likelihood ratio for a positive test was 10.18 and the likelihood ratio for a negative test was 0.11. CONCLUSIONS:The stool test was sensitive and specific for the detection of H. pylori in a U.S. population.
Elevated threshold for intracortical inhibition in focal hand dystonia

Differences between control and focal hand dystonia (FHD) subject groups in short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) as determined by paired transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be difficult to demonstrate, due to interindividual differences. The purpose of this study was to compare two TMS methods for assessing SICI in 8 control and 7 FHD subjects. Electromyographic (EMG) data were recorded from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle of the dominant hands of the control subjects and affected hands of the FHD subjects. The first method used a conventional approach of setting conditioning stimulus intensity to 80% of rest threshold (RTh) and test stimulus intensity to 120% RTh. Three interstimulus intervals (ISIs) were used: 2 msec, 3 msec, and the ISI between 2 and 3 msec that produced optimal SICI. The second method was novel in that test stimulus intensity was set to 150% active threshold (ATh), and conditioning stimulus intensity was varied between 50% and 100% ATh. The latter was determined at the threshold for SICI and expressed as a ratio of ATh. There was no difference between the subject groups in the degree of SICI produced using the first method, at the three ISIs studied. However, using the second method, the SICI threshold:ATh ratio was found to be significantly higher for FHD subjects. This finding suggests that determining the SICI threshold:ATh ratio may be a more sensitive measure of intracortical inhibitory function than more conventional methods. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society
Differential gene expression of soluble CD8+ T‐cell mediated suppression of HIV replication in three older children

Suppression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication by CD8+ T‐cells (CD8 suppression) contributes to survival in adults and children <1 year. Soluble CD8 suppression can also be seen in some older children with AIDS. The factor responsible, CD8‐derived antiviral factor (CAF), acts at the level of HIV RNA transcription. Differential gene expression techniques have been used to define the gene(s) mediating this phenomenon in adults. Recently, CAF has been linked to exosomes secreted by CD8+ T‐cells. To compare the gene expression profiles from pediatric patients with each other, with those reported in 2 previous studies in adults and in those reportedly related to exosomes, we used differential gene expression to study three older children with HIV infection, one who did demonstrate soluble CD‐8 suppression and two who did not. Eighteen differentially expressed genes were also seen in one adult study (P = 0.002, χ2 test), and 38 such genes (P < 0.0001, χ2 test) in a second adult study. In addition, two exosome components and some RNA's related to exosomal proteins were also differentially expressed. In children with HIV infection, we found significant differentially expressed genes that correlated to those previously reported in two studies in adults. Our data also lends some support to the recent identification of CAF with exosomes secreted by CD8+ T‐cells. J. Med. Virol. 83:24–32, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy

In the fall of 1938, the economist and former member of the Swedish parliament Gunnar Myrdal traveled from Stockholm to New York City with his wife and research collaborator, Alva Reimer Myrdal, their three children, and two nannies.1 He was in the United States to begin work on the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s comprehensive study of black Americans.2 Far from being Myrdal’s own idea, the study was commissioned by the elite philanthropic organization, which had spent months searching for an appropriate director to head it. Interestingly, the foundation had never considered an American. This is because Carnegie Corporation president Frederick P. Keppel had deemed Americans too emotionally involved in American race relations to offer any objective analyses of black life in the country. That said, he thought that a white European man could be objective (or rather, trustworthy) in his approach, and even more, that such a person could survey white-black relations in the United States “with an entirely fresh mind. ”3 Keppel’s advisers had cautioned that scholars from Nazi and colonial European countries likely would provide prejudicial, rather than objective, examinations of white-black relations by equating this social dynamic with majority-minority relations back home. So he zeroed in on the Scandinavian countries, whose populations he presumed to be homogeneous. He gave consideration to Myrdal after a former colleague in philanthropy mentioned him. By then, Myrdal was a celebrated economist on either side of the Atlantic, an experienced policymaker in Sweden, and an adviser to the Rockefeller organizations on the developing social sciences throughout Europe.4 This capable scholar and politician likely seemed ideal to the Carnegie Corporations’s president for several reasons. Keppel not only hoped that the European director would be reliable and offer a fresh take on American race relations but he had made clear to his advisers that he also expected the individual to translate a comprehensive analysis of American race relations into holistic policy prescriptions.5 A respected European social scientist such as Myrdal with experience as a policy expert in a national legislature surely fit this image. As head of the American project between 1938 and 1942, Gunnar Myrdal staffed a team of over 150 social scientists and research assistants across the country (ix–xx). 6
Normal Findings on Brain Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery MR Images at 3T

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) MR imaging of the brain has become a routine tool for assessing lesions in patients with suspected neurologic disorders. There is growing interest in 3T brain FLAIR MR imaging but little normative data are available. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and topography of cerebral hyperintensities seen with FLAIR MR imaging of the brain at 3T in a normal population and compare those findings to 1.5T. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Whole-brain 2D FLAIR MR imaging was performed in 22 healthy controls (mean age, 44 ± 8 years; range, 30–53 years) at 3T. Fifteen of these subjects also underwent 2D FLAIR at 1.5T, with similar optimized parameters and voxel size. Cerebral hyperintense areas, including discrete foci, anterior and posterior periventricular capping, diffuse parenchymal hyperintensity, septal hyperintensity, corticospinal tract hyperintensity, and CSF flow artifacts were assessed. The Spearman rank test assessed the correlation between discrete hyperintense foci and age. The Wilcoxon signed rank test compared foci detectability at 3T versus 1.5T. RESULTS: FLAIR at 3T commonly showed hyperintensities such as discrete foci (mean, 10.68 per subject; at least 1 present in 68% of subjects), anterior and posterior periventricular capping, diffuse posterior white matter hyperintensity, septal hyperintensity, corticospinal tract hyperintensity, and ventricular CSF flow artifacts. FLAIR at 3T showed a higher hyperintense foci volume (170 ± 243 versus 93 ± 152 mm3, P < .01) and number (9.4 ± 13 versus 5.5 ± 9.2, P < .01) than at 1.5T. No significant differences (P = .68) in the length/diameter of individual discrete hyperintense foci were seen between 3T and 1.5T. Discrete foci volume (r = 0.72 at 3T, r = 0.70 at 1.5T) and number (r = 0.74 at 3T; r = 0.69 at 1.5T) correlated with age to a similar degree on both platforms. All discrete foci were confined to the noncallosal supratentorial white matter. The other nonfocal hyperintensities (anterior and posterior periventricular capping, diffuse parenchymal hyperintensity, septal hyperintensity, corticospinal tract hyperintensity, and CSF flow artifacts) were generally more common and prominent at 3T than at 1.5T. CONCLUSIONS: Discrete and diffuse parenchymal brain white matter FLAIR hyperintensities are more common and prominent at 3T than at 1.5T in healthy volunteers.
Photosynthetic Machineries in Nano-Systems

Photosynthetic reaction centres are membrane-spanning proteins, found in several classes of autotroph organisms, where a photoinduced charge separation and stabilization takes place with a quantum efficiency close to unity. The protein remains stable and fully functional also when extracted and purified in detergents thereby biotechnological applications are possible, for example, assembling it in nano-structures or in optoelectronic systems. Several types of bionanocomposite materials have been assembled by using reaction centres and different carrier matrices for different purposes in the field of light energy conversion (e.g., photovoltaics) or biosensing (e.g., for specific detection of pesticides). In this review we will summarize the current status of knowledge, the kinds of applications available and the difficulties to be overcome in the different applications. We will also show possible research directions for the close future in this specific field.
Relationship of single measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and obesity in young schoolchildren

The purpose of this study was to examine differences of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among weight groups, and the associations of CRF with obesity (body mass index) in a sample of young children. Anthropometric data (height, body mass, and two skinfolds) were collected for 255 healthy children aged 8–10 years (127 boys and 128 girls). Children were placed in three groups (nonobese, overweight, and obese), using body mass index (BMI) sex‐ and age‐specific cutoff points. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed with a 1‐mile run test. Participants were separated into two groups: fit and unfit, according to age‐ and sex‐specific scores defined by FITNESSGRAM. The prevalence of overweight (30.5% vs. 29.1%) and obesity (13.2% vs. 12.6%) was at the same magnitude for boys and girls. Overall, 109 children (42.7%) were overweight and obese. Sums of skinfolds, weight, and BMI were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in lean boys and girls compared to their overweight and obese counterparts. Regarding height, no significant differences were found in girls, while in boys, significant differences were only found between nonobese and obese. No differences were found in obesity groups according to CRF in boys, while significant differences were found for girls (P < 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that girls who were overweight (odds ratio = 0.05, P = 0.000) or obese (odds ratio = 0.09, P = 0.001) were likely to be unfit. No significant results were found in boys. Overweight and obese children presented higher sums of skinfolds and weight compared with their lean counterparts. Increased BMI was significantly associated with lower CRF in girls. Thus, our data clearly showed potential gender differences of body composition in CRF, which would be of great clinical significance. Therefore, even at young ages, at least for girls, the beneficial impact of low BMI values on CRF is shown with important clinical and public health implications. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:335–341, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cognitive aptitudes for implicit and explicit learning and information-processing styles: An individual differences study

ABSTRACT Recent proposals on language aptitude have distinguished between cognitive aptitudes for implicit and explicit learning (e.g., Doughty et al., 2010; Linck et al., 2013). This methodological study extends recent work on aptitude by investigating whether aptitudes for implicit and explicit learning are differentially related to the two main information-processing cognitive styles proposed by dual-process theories in cognitive psychology: rational–analytical and experiential–intuitive (Pacini & Epstein, 1999). A relationship was found between a rational–analytical profile and explicit aptitude, as well as between an experiential–intuitive profile and implicit aptitude. Structural equation modeling further showed that the proposed model had acceptable fit. These results were interpreted as support for the qualitatively different types of cognitive processes underlying the two hypothesized types of aptitude.