Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Executive Compensation and the Maturity Structure of Corporate Debt

Executive compensation influences managerial risk preferences through executives' portfolio sensitivities to changes in stock prices (delta) and stock return volatility (vega). Large deltas discourage managerial risk-taking, while large vegas encourage risk-taking. Theory suggests that short-maturity debt mitigates agency costs of debt by constraining managerial risk preferences. We posit and find evidence of a negative (positive) relation between CEO portfolio deltas (vegas) and short-maturity debt. We also find that short-maturity debt mitigates the influence of vega- and delta-related incentives on bond yields. Overall, our empirical evidence shows that short-term debt mitigates agency costs of debt arising from compensation risk.
Simulation-Based Routing Protocol Performance Analysis - A Case Study

In this paper we evaluate the enhanced interior gateway routing protocol (EIGRP) via packet simulations. EIGRP, an intra-domain routing protocol developed by Cisco, is mainly based on the diffusing update algorithm (DUAL) which computes shortest paths distributedly without creating routing-table loops or incurring counting-to-infinity problem. Previous studies showed EIGRP's ability to adapt quickly to routing changes in medium-scale networks. In our research, we developed a detailed simulation model of EIGRP (publicly available), and we used it to evaluate EIGRP performance under a very dynamic network. Our results showed that EIGRP converges faster than a single TCP timeout in most cases. The simulated network was a composite of wired and wireless hosts, and the results hold for both types of media. In addition, the study showed a feasible approach for seamless mobility and continuous connectivity for users of mobile wireless devices as they move within an autonomous system (AS)
Reprints Available Directly from the Publisher Photocopying Permitted by License Only Stromal-cell and Cytokine-dependent Lymphocyte Clones Which Span the Pre-b-to B-cell Transition

Five stromal-cell-dependent lymphocyte clones are described that correspond to late pre-B or early B-cell stages of differentiation.They are useful for determining the molecular requirements for pre-B replication, for studying the stromal cells that supply those factors, and for delineating the final sequence of differentiation events as newly formed lymphocytes prepare to exit the bone marrow. The efficiency of lymphocyte growth at limiting dilution varied substantially on different stromal-cell clones and may reflect functional heterogeneity of stromal cells. Most lymphocyte clones were similar to uncloned lymphocytes from Whitlock-Witte cultures in that they responded only transiently to interleukin-7 (IL-7) and then died, unless maintained on a stromal-cell clone. One unusual lymphocyte clone (2E8) was propagated for more than 1 year in IL-7 alone and was selectively responsive to that cytokine. Most of the lymphocyte clones were not tumorigenic in immunodeficient mice. However, one pre-B clone (1A9) grew autonomously in culture when held at high density, responded to conditioned medium from a number of cell lines, and was tumorigenic. Tumors derived from this clone were infiltrated by stromal cells and lymphocytes taken from the tumors' retained characteristics of the original clone. Ly-6 antigens were inducible on 2E8 and 1A9 cells, but the lymphocytes were otherwise arrested in differentiation. The 2E8 cells had rearranged and expressed n: light-chain genes but displayed them on the surface along with surrogate light chains and heavy chains. Thus, expression of authentic Tight chain need not coincide with termination of surrogate light-chain utilization in newly formed B cells. Several glycoproteins have recently been demonstrated to be associated with surface immunoglobulin (Ig) on mature B-lineage cells and plasma-cell tumors. We now show that one member of this family (approximately 33 kD) was associated with the +surrogate light-chain complex on the 1A9 pre-B-cell clone. When compared to mature B lymphomas, fewer bands coprecipitated with the surface-labeled Ig isolated from pre-Band early B-cell lines, suggesting that components of the antigen receptor are sequentially acquired during development. The normal replication and differentiation of pre-B cells is probably regulated by complex interactions with multiple cytokines and matrix components of the marrow microenvironment. Cloned lymphocyte lines that are dependent on stromal cells should continue to be important tools for molecular definition of those interactions.
The BUGS project: Evolution, critique and future directions

BUGS is a software package for Bayesian inference using Gibbs sampling. The software has been instrumental in raising awareness of Bayesian modelling among both academic and commercial communities internationally, and has enjoyed considerable success over its 20‐year life span. Despite this, the software has a number of shortcomings and a principal aim of this paper is to provide a balanced critical appraisal, in particular highlighting how various ideas have led to unprecedented flexibility while at the same time producing negative side effects. We also present a historical overview of the BUGS project and some future perspectives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gap Waveguide PMC Packaging for Improved Isolation of Circuit Components in High-Frequency Microwave Modules

In this paper, perfect magnetic conductor (PMC)-based packaging technique was used to improve the isolation performance among various microwave circuit components such as high-gain amplifier chains. In this approach, a periodic structure (such as metal pin rows) together with the ground plane of the substrate created a stopband for unwanted parallel plate or cavity modes as well as substrate modes, and thereby suppressed the problems of circuit resonances and related package phenomena. This paper describes two Ka-band amplifier chains that were tested with this new packaging technique. Firstly, a single amplifier chain was tested for maximum stable gain operation, and it was found that the stable gain of was achieved, whereas traditional metal wall package with RF absorber offered stable gain of 40 dB, thus showing significant isolation improvement. Secondly, two high-gain amplifier chains were placed side by side and their mutual isolation was tested. With the proposed gap waveguide packaging, a minimum isolation of 78 dB was achieved, whereas a complete metal shield provided a minimum isolation of only 64 dB over the band of interest.
Population pharmacokinetics of darbepoetin alfa in healthy subjects.

AIM To develop and evaluate a population pharmacokinetic (PK) model of the long-acting erythropoiesis-stimulating protein, darbepoetin alfa in healthy subjects. METHODS PK profiles were obtained from 140 healthy subjects receiving single intravenous and/or single or multiple subcutaneous doses of darbepoetin alfa (0.75-8.0 microg kg(-1), or either 80 or 500 microg). Data were analysed by a nonlinear mixed-effects modelling approach using NONMEM software. Influential covariates were identified by covariate analysis emphasizing parameter estimates and their confidence intervals, rather than stepwise hypothesis testing. The model was evaluated by comparing simulated profiles (obtained using the covariate model) to the observed profiles in a test dataset. RESULTS The population PK model, including first-order absorption, two-compartment disposition and first-order elimination, provided a good description of data. Modelling indicated that for a 70-kg human, the observed nearly twofold disproportionate dose-exposure relationship at the 8.0 microg kg(-1)-dose relative to the 0.75 microg kg(-1)-dose may reflect changing relative bioavailability, which increased from approximately 48% at 0.75 microg kg(-1) to 78% at 8.0 microg kg(-1). The covariate analysis showed that increasing body weight may be related to increasing clearance and central compartment volume, and that the absorption rate constant decreased with increasing age. The full covariate model performed adequately in a fixed-effects prediction test against an external dataset. CONCLUSION The developed population PK model describes the inter- and intraindividual variability in darbepoetin alfa PK. The model is a suitable tool for predicting the PK response of darbepoetin alfa using clinically untested dosing regimens.
Segregation Analysis of Mandibular Prognathism in Libya

The etiology of mandibular prognathism has been attributed to various genetic inheritance patterns and some environmental factors. The variation in inheritance patterns can be partly due to the use of different statistical approaches in the respective studies. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of genetic influences in the etiology of this trait. We performed segregation analysis on 37 families of patients currently being treated for mandibular prognathism. Mandibular prognathism was treated as a qualitative trait, with cephalometric radiographs, dental models, and photographs used to verify diagnosis. Segregation analysis of a prognathic mandible in the entire dataset supported a transmissible Mendelian major effect, with a dominant mode of inheritance determined to be the most parsimonious.
A Model of a MAPK•Substrate Complex in an Active Conformation: A Computational and Experimental Approach

The mechanisms by which MAP kinases recognize and phosphorylate substrates are not completely understood. Efforts to understand the mechanisms have been compromised by the lack of MAPK-substrate structures. While MAPK-substrate docking is well established as a viable mechanism for bringing MAPKs and substrates into close proximity the molecular details of how such docking promotes phosphorylation is an unresolved issue. In the present study computer modeling approaches, with restraints derived from experimentally known interactions, were used to predict how the N-terminus of Ets-1 associates with ERK2. Interestingly, the N-terminus does not contain a consensus-docking site ((R/K)2-3-X2-6-ΦA-X-ΦB, where Φ is aliphatic hydrophobic) for ERK2. The modeling predicts that the N-terminus of Ets-1 makes important contributions to the stabilization of the complex, but remains largely disordered. The computer-generated model was used to guide mutagenesis experiments, which support the notion that Leu-11 and possibly Ile-13 and Ile-14 of Ets-1 1-138 (Ets) make contributions through binding to the hydrophobic groove of the ERK2 D-recruiting site (DRS). Based on the modeling, a consensus-docking site was introduced through the introduction of an arginine at residue 7, to give the consensus 7RK-X2-ΦA-X-ΦB 13. This results in a 2-fold increase in k cat/K m for the phosphorylation of Ets by ERK2. Similarly, the substitution of the N-terminus for two different consensus docking sites derived from Elk-1 and MKK1 also improves k cat/K m by two-fold compared to Ets. Disruption of the N-terminal docking through deletion of residues 1-23 of Ets results in a 14-fold decrease in k cat/K m, with little apparent change in k cat. A peptide that binds to the DRS of ERK2 affects K m, but not k cat. Our kinetic analysis suggests that the unstructured N-terminus provides 10-fold uniform stabilization of the ground state ERK2•Ets•MgATP complex and intermediates of the enzymatic reaction.
Accelerated molecular mechanical and solvation energetics on multicore CPUs and manycore GPUs

Motivation. Despite several reported acceleration successes of programmable GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) for molecular modeling and simulation tools, the general focus has been on fast computation with small molecules. This was primarily due to the limited memory size on the GPU. Moreover simultaneous use of CPU and GPU cores for a single kernel execution -- a necessity for achieving high parallelism -- has also not been fully considered. Results. We present fast computation methods for molecular mechanical (Lennard-Jones and Coulombic) and generalized Born solvation energetics which run on commodity multicore CPUs and manycore GPUs. The key idea is to trade off accuracy of pairwise, long-range atomistic energetics for higher speed of execution. A simple yet efficient CUDA kernel for GPU acceleration is presented which ensures high arithmetic intensity and memory efficiency. Our CUDA kernel uses a cache-friendly, recursive and linear-space octree data structure to handle very large molecular structures with up to several million atoms. Based on this CUDA kernel, we present a hybrid method which simultaneously exploits both CPU and GPU cores to provide the best performance based on selected parameters of the approximation scheme. Our CUDA kernels achieve more than two orders of magnitude speedup over serial computation for many of the molecular energetics terms. The hybrid method is shown to be able to achieve the best performance for all values of the approximation parameter. Availability. The source code and binaries are freely available as PMEOPA (Parallel Molecular Energetic using Octree Pairwise Approximation) and downloadable from http://cvcweb.ices. utexas.edu/software.
A 1.1-V low power true single-phase clock 2/3 prescaler

This paper is proposed a low-power CMOS 2/3 prescaler using true single-phase technique on 45 nm CMOS technology with 1.1 V. The true-single-phase clock divider is used to achieve low power. The prescaler is capable of operating from 1 to 16 GHz. When operating at 1 GHz, it saves more power consumption compared to that of a conventional circuit and low-power true single-phase clock CMOS 2/3 prescalers circuit operating in divide-by-2 mode and in divide-by-3 mode, respectively.
The Explanation of Social Action

Chapter 1-Why Questions? What Explanations? Chapter 2-Causality and Persons Chapter 3-Authority and Experience Chapter 4-The Grid of Perception Chapter 5-Action In and On a World Chapter 6-A Social Aesthetics Chapter 7-Valence and Habit Chapter 8-Fields and Games Chapter 9-Explanations Explained References Index
The Plant NADPH Oxidase RBOHD Mediates Rapid Systemic Signaling in Response to Diverse Stimuli

Reactive oxygen species produced by RBOHD mediate rapid, long-distance stress signals in plants. Sending Out an ROS Local stresses, such as the damage caused by an insect on one leaf, can produce signals that are transmitted systemically to distant parts of the plant that are not directly injured or stressed. These signals help the plant acclimate to environmental stress or defend against pathogens. Miller et al. show that the gene RbohD, which encodes a plant NADPH oxidase that generates reactive oxygen species, is critical for rapid systemic signaling in response to wounding, heat, cold, intense light, or increased salinity. Cell-to-cell communication and long-distance signaling play a key role in the response of plants to pests, mechanical wounding, and extreme environmental conditions. Here, we report on a rapid systemic signal in Arabidopsis thaliana that traveled at a rate of 8.4 centimeters per minute and was dependent on the respiratory burst oxidase homolog D (RbohD) gene. Signal propagation was accompanied by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the extracellular spaces between cells and was inhibited by the suppression of ROS accumulation at locations distant from the initiation site. The rapid systemic signal was triggered by wounding, heat, cold, high-intensity light, and salinity stresses. Our results reveal the profound role that ROS play in mediating rapid, long-distance, cell-to-cell propagating signals in plants.
Protective effect of lisinopril on hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

Objective: Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury plays a key role in the pathogenesis of hepatic failure in several clinical settings such as liver resection or transplantation. Lisinopril, a widely prescribed drug for various cardiovascular conditions, has been reported to have diverse pharmacological properties. The aim of this study, therefore, was to evaluate a potential protective effect of lisinopril on hepatic I/R injury in rats. Materials and Methods: In anesthetized rats, partial hepatic ischemia was applied for one hour followed by two hours reperfusion. Biochemical analysis of serum and hepatic tissue was done. Hepatic tissue was also subjected to electron microscopy. Results: Pre-ischemic treatment with lisinopril (10 mg/kg) exerted protection against I/R-induced hepatocellular injury as evident by significant decrease in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and total bilirubin levels, along with hepatic lipid peroxidation, expressed as malondialdehyde content, with a concurrent increase in hepatic nitric oxide content as compared to I/R group. The electron microscopic examination indicated that lisinopril can effectively protect against hepatic I/R injury. Conclusion: Lisinopril provides a protection against hepatic I/R injury in rats. The protective effect is associated with reduction of oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation level and enhancement of nitric oxide availability.
Hybrid Male Sterility in Rice Is Due to Epistatic Interactions with a Pollen Killer Locus

In intraspecific crosses between cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) subspecies indica and japonica, the hybrid male sterility gene S24 causes the selective abortion of male gametes carrying the japonica allele (S24-j) via an allelic interaction in the heterozygous hybrids. In this study, we first examined whether male sterility is due solely to the single locus S24. An analysis of near-isogenic lines (NIL-F1) showed different phenotypes for S24 in different genetic backgrounds. The S24 heterozygote with the japonica genetic background showed male semisterility, but no sterility was found in heterozygotes with the indica background. This result indicates that S24 is regulated epistatically. A QTL analysis of a BC2F1 population revealed a novel sterility locus that interacts with S24 and is found on rice chromosome 2. The locus was named Epistatic Factor for S24 (EFS). Further genetic analyses revealed that S24 causes male sterility when in combination with the homozygous japonica EFS allele (efs-j). The results suggest that efs-j is a recessive sporophytic allele, while the indica allele (EFS-i) can dominantly counteract the pollen sterility caused by S24 heterozygosity. In summary, our results demonstrate that an additional epistatic locus is an essential element in the hybrid sterility caused by allelic interaction at a single locus in rice. This finding provides a significant contribution to our understanding of the complex molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid sterility and microsporogenesis.
Virus inactivation in the 1990s -and into the 21st century. Part 6, inactivation methods grouped by virus

Smallest of the microorganisms, viruses depend on other cells -like those used by biopharmaceutical manufacturers - for reproduction. And viruses and drug products are idiosyncratic: Both the inactivation process and the product strongly influence the successful outcome. In this conclusion to the virus inactivation series, model viruses are used to represent single- and doublestranded DNA and RNA viruses, to enable you to reach conclusions about effective inactivation methods for a range of viruses.
Flow‐metabolism coupling in human visual, motor, and supplementary motor areas assessed by magnetic resonance imaging

Combined blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) and arterial spin labeling (ASL) functional MRI (fMRI) was performed for simultaneous investigation of neurovascular coupling in the primary visual cortex (PVC), primary motor cortex (PMC), and supplementary motor area (SMA). The hypercapnia‐calibrated method was employed to estimate the fractional change in cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO2) using both a group‐average and a per‐subject calibration. The group‐averaged calibration showed significantly different CMRO2−CBF coupling ratios in the three regions (PVC: 0.34 ± 0.03; PMC: 0.24 ± 0.03; and SMA: 0.40 ± 0.02). Part of this difference emerges from the calculated values of the hypercapnic calibration constant M in each region (MPVC = 6.6 ± 3.4, MPMC = 4.3 ± 3.5, and MSMA = 7.2 ± 4.1), while a relatively minor part comes from the spread and shape of the sensorimotor BOLD–CBF responses. The averages of the per‐subject calibrated CMRO2−CBF slopes were 0.40 ± 0.04 (PVC), 0.31 ± 0.03 (PMC), and 0.44 ± 0.03 (SMA). These results are 10–30% higher than group‐calibrated values, and are potentially more useful for quantifying individual differences in focal functional responses. The group‐average calibrated motor coupling value is increased to 0.28 ± 0.03 when stimulus‐correlated increases in end‐tidal CO2 are included. Our results support the existence of regional differences in neurovascular coupling, and argue for the importance of achieving optimal accuracy in hypercapnia calibrations to resolve method‐dependent variations in published results. Magn Reson Med 57:538–547, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Neural Development of an Abstract Concept of Number

As literate adults, we appreciate numerical values as abstract entities that can be represented by a numeral, a word, a number of lines on a scorecard, or a sequence of chimes from a clock. This abstract, notation-independent appreciation of numbers develops gradually over the first several years of life. Here, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examine the brain mechanisms that 6- and 7-year-old children and adults recruit to solve numerical comparisons across different notation systems. The data reveal that when young children compare numerical values in symbolic and nonsymbolic notations, they invoke the same network of brain regions as adults including occipito-temporal and parietal cortex. However, children also recruit inferior frontal cortex during these numerical tasks to a much greater degree than adults. Our data lend additional support to an emerging consensus from adult neuroimaging, nonhuman primate neurophysiology, and computational modeling studies that a core neural system integrates notation-independent numerical representations throughout development but, early in development, higher-order brain mechanisms mediate this process.