Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The correlation of black hole mass with metallicity index of host spheroid

We investigate the correlation between the mass of the supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and metal abundance, using existing data sets. The SMBH mass M bh is well correlated with integrated stellar feature of Mgb. For 28 galaxies, the best-fitting M bh -Mgb relation has a small scatter, which is an equivalent level with other well-known relation, such as a correlation between the stellar velocity dispersion and the mass. An averaged iron index (Fe) also positively correlates with M bh , but the best-fitting M bh -(Fe) relation has a larger scatter. The difference comes from the synthesis and evolution mechanisms, and may be important for the SMBH and star formation history in the host spheroid.
Fusion of visual and acoustic signals for command-word recognition

We investigate the question of how the visual information of lip movement contributes to command-word recognition. The fusion of the acoustic and visual signal can be carried out either at the feature level or at the class level. Integration at the feature level means merging of the acoustic and visual features to yield a combined feature vector which is fed into a HMM-system. Fusion at the class level means separate classification of the two sources of information and combination of the classification results. An HMM classifier is used for the acoustic signal and three different classifiers (HMM, DTW and ClaRe) for the visual signal. The classification results are combined using the C4.5 decision tree classifier. The recognition rates of both fusion schemes are comparable. Both yield small improvements at high SNRs using the acoustic/visual system in comparison to the acoustic system alone. Larger improvements (up to 12%) result at low SNRs.
The impact of mass loss on star cluster formation – II. Numerical N-body integration and further applications

We subject to an N-body numerical investigation our analysis of Paper I on the survival of stellar clusters undergoing rapid mass loss. We compare analytical tracks of bound mass fraction versus star-formation efficiency∈ to those obtained with N-body integration. We use these to argue that stellar clusters must develop massive cores of high-binding energy if they are to remain bound despite a star-formation efficiency as low as 30 per cent or lower suggested by observations. The average local virial ratio (σ 2 /‖Φ‖) is introduced to classify bound clusters as a function of their critical ∈ for dissolution. Clusters dissolving at lower ∈ achieve the lowest ratio. We have applied this classification parameter successfully to Michie-King and Hernquist-type distribution functions. The Plummer sphere is exceptional in that it defies this and other classification parameters we have tried. The reasons for the discrepancy include less effective energy redistribution during the expansion phase for this case.
Low Complexity Underwater Image Enhancement Based on Dark Channel Prior

Blurred underwater image is always an annoying problem in the oceanic engineering. In this paper, we propose an efficient and low complexity underwater image enhancement method based on dark channel prior. Our method employs the median filter instead of the soft matting procedure to estimate the depth map of image. Moreover, a color correction method is adopted to enhance the color contrast for underwater image. The experimental results show that the proposed approach can effectively enhance the underwater image and reduce the execution time. Besides, this method requires less computing resource and is well suitable for implementing on the surveillance and underwater navigation in real time.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vpr Interacts with Antiapoptotic Mitochondrial Protein HAX-1

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 viral protein R (Vpr) is required for viral pathogenesis and has been implicated in T-cell apoptosis through its activation of caspase 3 and caspase 9 and perturbation of mitochondrial membrane potential. To understand better Vpr-mitochondria interaction, we report here the identification of antiapoptotic mitochondrial protein HAX-1 as a novel Vpr target. We show that Vpr and HAX-1 physically associate with each other. Overexpression of Vpr in cells dislocates HAX-1 from its normal residence in mitochondria and creates mitochondrion instability and cell death. Conversely, overexpression of HAX-1 suppressed the proapoptotic activity of Vpr.
A Study of Factors Influencing the Improvement of Technology Business Incubator's Effectiveness: An Explanatory Model

In Both developed and developing countries, governments play a basic role in making policies, programs and instruments which support the development of micro, small and medium enterprises. One of the mechanisms employed to nurture small firms for more than two decades is business incubation. One of the mechanisms employed to nurture small firms for more than two decades is technology business incubation. The main aim of this research was to establish influencing factors in Technology Business Incubator's effectiveness and their explanatory model. Therefore, among 56 Technology Business Incubators in Iran, 32 active incubators were selected and by stratified random sampling, 528 start-ups were chosen. The validity of research questionnaires was determines by expert consensus, item analysis and factor analysis; and their reliability calculated by Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis was then made through SPSS and LISREL soft wares. Both organizational procedures and entrepreneurial behaviors were the meaningful mediators. Organizational procedures with (P < .01, β =0.45) was stronger mediator for the improvement of Technology Business Incubator's effectiveness comparing to entrepreneurial behavior with (P < .01, β =0.36). Keywords—Technology, Incubators, Effectiveness, Explanatory model.
A new periodicity concept for time scales

By means of the shift operators we introduce a new periodicity concept on time scales. This new approach will enable researchers to investigate periodicity notion on a large class of time scales whose members may not satisfy the condition there exists a P > 0 such that $$t \pm P \in \mathbb{T}$$ for all $$t \in \mathbb{T}$$, which is being currently used. Therefore, the results of this paper open an avenue for the investigation of periodic solutions of q-difference equations and more.
H i-SELECTED GALAXIES IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY. II. THE COLORS OF GAS-RICH GALAXIES

We utilize color information for an H i-selected sample of 195 galaxies to explore the star formation histories and physical conditions that produce the observed colors. We show that the H i selection creates a significant offset toward bluer colors that can be explained by enhanced recent bursts of star formation. There is also no obvious color bimodality, because the H i selection restricts the sample to bluer, actively star-forming systems, diminishing the importance of the red sequence. Rising star formation rates are still required to explain the colors of galaxies bluer than g − r< 0.3. We also demonstrate that the colors of the bluest galaxies in our sample are dominated by emission lines and that stellar population synthesis models alone (without emission lines) are not adequate for reproducing many of the galaxy colors. These emission lines produce large changes in the r − i colors but leave the g − r color largely unchanged. In addition, we find an increase in the dispersion of galaxy colors at low masses that may be the result of a change in the star formation process in low-mass galaxies.
Appetitive Motivation and Negative Emotion Reactivity Among Remitted Depressed Youth

Depression has been characterized as involving altered appetitive motivation and emotional reactivity. Yet no study has examined objective indices of emotional reactivity when the appetitive/approach system is suppressed in response to failure to attain a self-relevant goal and desired reward. Three groups of youth (N = 98, ages 9–15; remitted depressed, n = 34; externalizing disordered without depression, n = 30; and healthy controls, n = 34) participated in a novel reward striving task designed to activate the appetitive/approach motivation system. Objective facial expressions of emotion were videotaped and coded throughout both failure (i.e., nonreward) and control (success and reward) conditions. Observational coding of facial expressions as well as youths' subjective emotion reports showed that the remitted depressed youth specifically exhibited more negative emotional reactivity to failure in the reward striving task, but not the control condition. Neither externalizing disordered (i.e., attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and/or oppositional defiant disorder) nor control youth displayed greater negative emotional reactivity in either the failure or control condition. Findings suggest that depression among youth is related to dysregulated appetitive motivation and associated negative emotional reactivity after failing to achieve an important, self-relevant goal and not attaining reward. These deficits in reward processing appear to be specific to depression as externalizing disordered youth did not display negative emotional reactivity to failure after their appetitive motivation system was activated.
Recognizing facial expressions of social emotions: do males and females differ?

Social behaviour plays an important role on individual’s interpersonal relations and it is mainly regulated by social emotions expression and recognition. This social emotional processing is distributed differently by gender relations and roles. In this sense, the main goal of this study was to assess gender differences in social emotion recognition. Three social emotions were selected (arrogance, guilt and jealousy) and assessed by a group of 60 participants (30 men and 30 women), using an emotion recognition paradigm. Results suggested that genders differ on emotion recognition. Overall females presented higher accuracy scores and inferior reaction times when compared to males. These findings suggest that emotional processing evolved to regulate social behaviour is based on gender roles.
Role of Duplex Power Doppler Ultrasound in Differentiation between Malignant and Benign Thyroid Nodules

Objective To evaluate the usage of duplex power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) for the differentiation of benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Materials and Methods We prospectively examined 77 thyroid nodules in 60 patients undergoing ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Each nodule was described according to size, inner structure, borders, parenchymal echogenicity, peripheral halo formation, and the presence of calcification (B-mode ultrasound findings). Vascularity as determined by PDUS imaging was defined as non-vascular, peripheral, central, or of mixed type. For each nodule, the pulsatility index (PI) and resistive index (RI) values were obtained. Results of FNAB and surgical pathological examination (if available) were used as a proof of final diagnosis to categorize all nodules as benign or malignant. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to establish cut-off, sensitivity, and specificity values associated with RI-PI values. Results A significant relationship was observed between malignancy and irregular margins, microcalcifications, and hypoechogenicity on ultrasound examination (p < 0.05). The pattern of vascularity as determined by PDUS analysis was not a statistically significant criterion to suggest benign or malignant disease in this study (p > 0.05). The central, peripheral, and mean RI-PI values were higher in malignant nodules when compared to the other cytologies (p < 0.05). Conclusion Vascularity is not a useful parameter for distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid nodules. However, RI and PI values are useful in distinguishing malignant from benign thyroid nodules.
Control of Francisella tularensis Intracellular Growth by Pulmonary Epithelial Cells

The virulence of F. tularensis is often associated with its ability to grow in macrophages, although recent studies show that Francisella proliferates in multiple host cell types, including pulmonary epithelial cells. Thus far little is known about the requirements for killing of F. tularensis in the non-macrophage host cell types that support replication of this organism. Here we sought to address this question through the use of a murine lung epithelial cell line (TC-1 cells). Our data show that combinations of the cytokines IFN-γ, TNF, and IL-17A activated murine pulmonary epithelial cells to inhibit the intracellular growth of the F. tularensis Live Vaccine Strain (LVS) and the highly virulent F. tularensis Schu S4 strain. Although paired combinations of IFN-γ, TNF, and IL-17A all significantly controlled LVS growth, simultaneous treatment with all three cytokines had the greatest effect on LVS growth inhibition. In contrast, Schu S4 was more resistant to cytokine-induced growth effects, exhibiting significant growth inhibition only in response to all three cytokines. Since one of the main antimicrobial mechanisms of activated macrophages is the release of reactive nitrogen intermediates (RNI) via the activity of iNOS, we investigated the role of RNI and iNOS in Francisella growth control by pulmonary epithelial cells. NOS2 gene expression was significantly up-regulated in infected, cytokine-treated pulmonary epithelial cells in a manner that correlated with LVS and Schu S4 growth control. Treatment of LVS-infected cells with an iNOS inhibitor significantly reversed LVS killing in cytokine-treated cultures. Further, we found that mouse pulmonary epithelial cells produced iNOS during in vivo respiratory LVS infection. Overall, these data demonstrate that lung epithelial cells produce iNOS both in vitro and in vivo, and can inhibit Francisella intracellular growth via reactive nitrogen intermediates.
Second-order conditioning in a licking-based conditioned suppression situation

Two experiments were conducted to investigate second-order conditioning in a licking-based conditioned suppression situation. Experiment I and the first half of Experiment II demonstrated that substantial second-order conditioning could be obtained in this situation. The second half of Experiment II provided a fact that the ability of S2 to elicit the (second-order) CR could be reduced by the extinction of the response to SI and augmented by the paired
FGF19 action in the brain induces insulin-independent glucose lowering.

Insulin-independent glucose disposal (referred to as glucose effectiveness [GE]) is crucial for glucose homeostasis and, until recently, was thought to be invariable. However, GE is reduced in type 2 diabetes and markedly decreased in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice. Strategies aimed at increasing GE should therefore be capable of improving glucose tolerance in these animals. The gut-derived hormone FGF19 has previously been shown to exert potent antidiabetic effects in ob/ob mice. In ob/ob mice, we found that systemic FGF19 administration improved glucose tolerance through its action in the brain and that a single, low-dose i.c. v. injection of FGF19 dramatically improved glucose intolerance within 2 hours. Minimal model analysis of glucose and insulin data obtained during a frequently sampled i.v. glucose tolerance test showed that the antidiabetic effect of i.c. v. FGF19 was solely due to increased GE and not to changes of either insulin secretion or insulin sensitivity. The mechanism underlying this effect appears to involve increased metabolism of glucose to lactate. Together, these findings implicate the brain in the antidiabetic action of systemic FGF19 and establish the brain’s capacity to rapidly, potently, and selectively increase insulin-independent glucose disposal.
Is network tra?c self-similar of multifractal

This note addresses the question of whether self-similar processes are suucient to model packet network traac, or whether a broader class of multifractal processes is needed. By using the absolute moments of aggregate traac measurements , we conclude that measured local-area network (LAN) and wide-area network (WAN) traac traces, with the sample means subtracted, are well modelled by random processes that are either exactly or asymtotically self-similar.
With Happiness and Glory, from your MP: The Use of e-Newsletters in the UK Parliaments

This article extends the empirical evidence for the use of e-newsletters in parliamentary communication in between elections. It assesses the effect of electoral incentives and parliamentary institutions on members (MPs) from all four legislatures in the UK. I find that electoral incentives to cultivate a personal vote increase the e-newsletter usage by MPs. However, being an MP in subnational parliaments or smaller parties decreases it. These findings throw a fresh light on why only some parliamentarians are happy to adopt new and seemingly resource-efficient ways to reach out to voters.
Association of Endotoxins and Colon Polyp: A Case-Control Study

Endotoxins are known to be associated with the occurrence of various chronic diseases. This study was conducted to investigate the role of endotoxins in the pathogenesis of colon polyps through a case-control study. A total of 145 subjects (74 subjects in the polyp group and 71 subjects in the control group) had undergone a colonoscopy. Age, body mass index (BMI) and endotoxin levels were found to be significantly higher in the polyp group than in the control group. The endotoxin level was still significantly higher in the polyp group than in the control group, even after age and BMI had been adjusted (polyp group 0.108 ± 0.007 EU/mL, control group 0.049 ± 0.008 EU/mL, P < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, the endotoxin level significantly increased in accordance with the number of colon polyps (one-polyp group, 0.088 ± 0.059 EU/mL; two-polyp group, 0.097 ± 0.071 EU/mL; three-or-more-polyp group, 0.149 ± 0.223 EU/mL). The endotoxin levels also significantly increased in groups with tubular adenoma with high-grade dysplasia (hyperplastic polyp group, 0.109 ± 0.121 EU/mL; tubular adenoma with low grade dysplasia group, 0.103 ± 0.059 EU/mL; tubular adenoma with high grade dysplasia group, 2.915 ± 0.072 EU/mL). In conclusion, the serum level of endotoxins is quantitatively correlated with colon polyps.
Two-electron quantum dot in a magnetic field: Analytical results

Two interacting electrons in a harmonic oscillator potential under the influence of a perpendicular homogeneous magnetic field are considered. Analytic expressions are obtained for the energy spectrum of the two- and three-dimensional cases. Exact conditions for phase transitions due to the electron-electron interaction in a quantum dot as a function of the dot size and magnetic field are calculated.
A novel lectin from Agrocybe aegerita shows high binding selectivity for terminal N-acetylglucosamine

A novel lectin was isolated from the mushroom Agrocybe aegerita (designated AAL-2) by affinity chromatography with GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine)-coupled Sepharose 6B after ammonium sulfate precipitation. The AAL-2 coding sequence (1224 bp) was identified by performing a homologous search of the five tryptic peptides identified by MS against the translated transcriptome of A. aegerita. The molecular mass of AAL-2 was calculated to be 43.175 kDa from MS, which was consistent with the data calculated from the amino acid sequence. To analyse the carbohydrate-binding properties of AAL-2, a glycan array composed of 465 glycan candidates was employed, and the result showed that AAL-2 bound with high selectivity to terminal non-reducing GlcNAc residues, and further analysis revealed that AAL-2 bound to terminal non-reducing GlcNAc residues with higher affinity than previously well-known GlcNAc-binding lectins such as WGA (wheatgerm agglutinin) and GSL-II (Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-II). ITC (isothermal titration calorimetry) showed further that GlcNAc bound to AAL-2 in a sequential manner with moderate affinity. In the present study, we also evaluated the anti-tumour activity of AAL-2. The results showed that AAL-2 could bind to the surface of hepatoma cells, leading to induced cell apoptosis in vitro. Furthermore, AAL-2 exerted an anti-hepatoma effect via inhibition of tumour growth and prolongation of survival time of tumour-bearing mice in vivo.
Towards a Theory of Discounted Repeated Games with Imperfect Monitoring

This paper investigates pure strategy sequential equilibria of repeated games with imperfect monitoring. The approach emphasizes the equilibrium value set and the static optimization problems embedded in extremal equilibria. A succession of propositions, central among which is "self-generation," allow properties of constrained efficient supergame equilibria to be deduced from the solutions of the static problems. The authors show that the latter include solutions having a "bang-bang" property; this affords a significant simplification of the equilibria that need be considered. These results apply to a broad class of asymmetric games, thereby generalizing their earlier work on optimal cartel equilibria. Copyright 1990 by The Econometric Society.
A Hybrid Prediction and Assessment Quality of Experience Approach for Videostreaming Applications over Wireless Mesh Networks

As Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) have been increasingly deployed, the need of new quality measurement schemes became essential since operators want to control and optimize their network resources, while keeping users of multimedia applications with a good quality level. However, currently WMN in-service assessment schemes fails in capturing subjective aspects of real-time multimedia content related to the user perception. Therefore, this paper proposes a new on-the-fly quality estimator approach, called Hybrid Quality of Experience (HyQoE) Prediction, for real-time videostreaming applications. Moreover, performance evaluation results present the benefits and accuracy of HyQoE in predicting the user perception compared to well-know subjective and objective methods in a WMN scenario.
Fixed-points in Random Boolean Networks: The impact of parallelism in the scale-free topology case

Fixed points are fundamental states in any dynamical system. In the case of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) they correspond to stable genes profiles associated to the various cell types. We use Kauffman’s approach to model GRNs with random Boolean networks (RBNs). We start this paper by proving that, if we fix the values of the source nodes (nodes with in-degree 0), the expected number of fixed points of any RBN is one (independently of the topology we choose). For finding such fixed points we use the -asynchronous dynamics (where every node is updated independently with probability 0 < < 1). In fact, it is well-known that asynchrony avoids the cycle attractors into which parallel dynamics tends to fall. We perform simulations and we show the remarkable property that, if for a given RBN with scale-free topology and -asynchronous dynamics an initial configuration reaches a fixed point, then every configuration also reaches a fixed point. By contrast, in the parallel regime, the percentage of initial configurations reaching a fixed point (for the same networks) is dramatically smaller. We contrast the results of the simulations on scale-free networks with the classical Erd¨ os-R´ enyi model of random networks. Everything indicates that scale-free networks are extremely robust. Finally, we study the mean and maximum time/work needed to reach a fixed point when starting from randomly chosen initial configurations.