Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Where do financial markets come from? Historical sociology of financial derivatives

The thesis describes and analyses key events in the history of the pioneering markets for financial derivatives, paying particular attention to the influence of the Black-Scholes mathematical options pricing model on the formation of the markets. The historical narrative, focusing chiefly on the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), describes the transformation that markets for agricultural commodities underwent as organised trading in financial options was designed and practiced. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from economic sociology and from the sociology of science and technology, the thesis aims at expanding the explanatory scope of sociological accounts on markets. The work presents a new perspective for the understanding of today's financial markets: a multifaceted analytical description that combines the social, regulatory and organisational aspects of these institutions. After an introductory chapter, a literature review and a discussion of methodology, the empirical material of the thesis is presented in four chapters. Chapter 4 describes the regulatory approval of CBOE. The chapter examines the initial stages in the development of derivatives markets and analyses the effect that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the American financial regulator, had on the sociocultural process through which financial markets evolve. The analysis shows that the entrepreneurial setting in which derivatives contracts were situated allowed regulators to use them as a source for political power. Chapter 5 reveals the influence that the culture of the Chicago agricultural commodities markets had on the formation of the financial options market. The case describes the cultural roots of the competitive market maker concept, and the part that this concept played in the introduction of the Black-Scholes options pricing model to the organisational structure of derivatives' exchanges. Chapter 6 is devoted to a detailed description of the practices through which the Black-Scholes model was incorporated into the organisational infrastructure of the options market. This process, as the chapter shows, played a significant part in the construction of the model's validity and credibility. Chapter 7 focuses on the inter-agency regulatory struggle through which index-based derivatives were conceptualised and approved. Building on the cases analysed in the four chapters, the discussion part of the work presents and illustrates the concept of techno-social market networks the interrelated sociotechnical institutions within which price-constructing mechanisms are maintained and operated.
Contrasting Effects of Human, Canine, and Hybrid Adenovirus Vectors on the Phenotypical and Functional Maturation of Human Dendritic Cells: Implications for Clinical Efficacy

ABSTRACT Antipathogen immune responses create a balance between immunity, tolerance, and immune evasion. However, during gene therapy most viral vectors are delivered in substantial doses and are incapable of expressing gene products that reduce the host's ability to detect transduced cells. Gene transfer efficacy is also modified by the in vivo transduction of dendritic cells (DC), which notably increases the immunogenicity of virions and vector-encoded genes. In this study, we evaluated parameters that are relevant to the use of canine adenovirus serotype 2 (CAV-2) vectors in the clinical setting by assaying their effect on human monocyte-derived DC (hMoDC). We compared CAV-2 to human adenovirus (HAd) vectors containing the wild-type virion, functional deletions in the penton base RGD motif, and the CAV-2 fiber knob. In contrast to the HAd type 5 (HAd5)-based vectors, CAV-2 poorly transduced hMoDC, provoked minimal upregulation of major histocompatibility complex class I/II and costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80, and CD86), and induced negligible morphological changes indicative of DC maturation. Functional maturation assay results (e.g., reduced antigen uptake; tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1β [IL-1β], gamma interferon [IFN-γ], IL-10, IL-12, and IFN-α/β secretion; and stimulation of heterologous T-cell proliferation) were also significantly lower for CAV-2. Our data suggested that this was due, in part, to the use of an alternative receptor and a block in vesicular escape. Additionally, HAd5 vector-induced hMoDC maturation was independent of the aforementioned cytokines. Paradoxically, an HAd5/CAV-2 hybrid vector induced the greatest phenotypical and functional maturation of hMoDC. Our data suggest that CAV-2 and the HAd5/CAV-2 vector may be the antithesis of Adenoviridae immunogenicity and that each may have specific clinical advantages.
Structure and Intonation

Rules for assigning phrasal intonation to sentences are often assumed to require an autonomous level of "intonational structure", distinct from what is usually thought of as surface syntactic structure. The present paper argues that the requisite notion of structure can be subsumed under the generalised notion of surface structure that emerges from the combinatory extension of Categorial Grammar. According to this theory, the syntactic structures and the intonational structures of English are one, and can be captured in a single unified grammar. The interpretations that the grammar provides for such constituents correspond to the entities and open propositions that are concerned in certain discourse-related aspects of intonational meaning that have variously been described as "theme" and "rheme", "given" and "new", or "presupposition" and "focus". Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-90-45. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/cis_reports/571 Structure and Intonation MS-CIS-90-45 LINC LAB 174
Phase-dependent neuronal coding of objects in short-term memory

The ability to hold multiple objects in memory is fundamental to intelligent behavior, but its neural basis remains poorly understood. It has been suggested that multiple items may be held in memory by oscillatory activity across neuronal populations, but yet there is little direct evidence. Here, we show that neuronal information about two objects held in short-term memory is enhanced at specific phases of underlying oscillatory population activity. We recorded neuronal activity from the prefrontal cortices of monkeys remembering two visual objects over a brief interval. We found that during this memory interval prefrontal population activity was rhythmically synchronized at frequencies around 32 and 3 Hz and that spikes carried the most information about the memorized objects at specific phases. Further, according to their order of presentation, optimal encoding of the first presented object was significantly earlier in the 32 Hz cycle than that for the second object. Our results suggest that oscillatory neuronal synchronization mediates a phase-dependent coding of memorized objects in the prefrontal cortex. Encoding at distinct phases may play a role for disambiguating information about multiple objects in short-term memory.
Skeletal Muscle Cells Express ICAM-1 after Muscle Overload and ICAM-1 Contributes to the Ensuing Hypertrophic Response

We previously reported that leukocyte specific β2 integrins contribute to hypertrophy after muscle overload in mice. Because intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is an important ligand for β2 integrins, we examined ICAM-1 expression by murine skeletal muscle cells after muscle overload and its contribution to the ensuing hypertrophic response. Myofibers in control muscles of wild type mice and cultures of skeletal muscle cells (primary and C2C12) did not express ICAM-1. Overload of wild type plantaris muscles caused myofibers and satellite cells/myoblasts to express ICAM-1. Increased expression of ICAM-1 after muscle overload occurred via a β2 integrin independent mechanism as indicated by similar gene and protein expression of ICAM-1 between wild type and β2 integrin deficient (CD18-/-) mice. ICAM-1 contributed to muscle hypertrophy as demonstrated by greater (p<0.05) overload-induced elevations in muscle protein synthesis, mass, total protein, and myofiber size in wild type compared to ICAM-1-/- mice. Furthermore, expression of ICAM-1 altered (p<0.05) the temporal pattern of Pax7 expression, a marker of satellite cells/myoblasts, and regenerating myofiber formation in overloaded muscles. In conclusion, ICAM-1 expression by myofibers and satellite cells/myoblasts after muscle overload could serve as a mechanism by which ICAM-1 promotes hypertrophy by providing a means for cell-to-cell communication with β2 integrin expressing myeloid cells.
Facial Expression Aftereffect Revealed by Adaption to Emotion-Invisible Dynamic Bubbled Faces

Visual adaptation is a powerful tool to probe the short-term plasticity of the visual system. Adapting to local features such as the oriented lines can distort our judgment of subsequently presented lines, the tilt aftereffect. The tilt aftereffect is believed to be processed at the low-level of the visual cortex, such as V1. Adaptation to faces, on the other hand, can produce significant aftereffects in high-level traits such as identity, expression, and ethnicity. However, whether face adaptation necessitate awareness of face features is debatable. In the current study, we investigated whether facial expression aftereffects (FEAE) can be generated by partially visible faces. We first generated partially visible faces using the bubbles technique, in which the face was seen through randomly positioned circular apertures, and selected the bubbled faces for which the subjects were unable to identify happy or sad expressions. When the subjects adapted to static displays of these partial faces, no significant FEAE was found. However, when the subjects adapted to a dynamic video display of a series of different partial faces, a significant FEAE was observed. In both conditions, subjects could not identify facial expression in the individual adapting faces. These results suggest that our visual system is able to integrate unrecognizable partial faces over a short period of time and that the integrated percept affects our judgment on subsequently presented faces. We conclude that FEAE can be generated by partial face with little facial expression cues, implying that our cognitive system fills-in the missing parts during adaptation, or the subcortical structures are activated by the bubbled faces without conscious recognition of emotion during adaptation.
Cerebral veins: comparative study of CT venography with intraarterial digital subtraction angiography.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Our objective was to compare the reliability of CT venography with intraarterial digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in imaging cerebral venous anatomy and pathology. METHODS In 25 consecutive patients, 426 venous structures were determined as present, partially present, or absent by three observers evaluating CT multiplanar reformatted (MPR) and maximum intensity projection (MIP) images. These results were compared with the results from intraarterial DSA and, in a second step, with the results of an intraobserver consensus. In addition, pathologic conditions were described. RESULTS Using DSA as the standard of reference, MPR images had an overall sensitivity of 95% (specificity, 19%) and MIP images a sensitivity of 80% (specificity, 44%) in depicting the cerebral venous anatomy. On the basis of an intraobserver consensus including DSA, MPR, and MIP images (415 vessels present), the sensitivity/specificity was 95%/91% for MPR, 90%/100% for DSA, and 79%/91% for MIP images. MPR images were superior to DSA images in showing the cavernous sinus, the inferior sagittal sinus, and the basal vein of Rosenthal. Venous occlusive diseases were correctly recognized on both MPR and MIP images. Only DSA images provided reliable information of invasion of a sinus by an adjacent meningioma. CONCLUSION CT venography proved to be a reliable method to depict the cerebral venous structures. MPR images were superior to MIP images.
Prevention of Cold-Induced Increase in Blood Pressure of Rats by Captopril

To assess the possibility that the renin-angiotensin system may play a role in the development of cold-induced hypertension, three groups of rats were used. Two groups were exposed to cold (5±2°C) while the remaining group was kept at 26±2°C. One group of cold-treated rats received food into which captopril (0.06% by weight) had been thoroughly mixed. The remaining two groups received the same food but without captopril. Systolic blood pressure of the untreated, cold-exposed group increased significantly above that of the warm-adapted, control group within 4 weeks of exposure to cold. In contrast, chronic treatment with captopril prevented the elevation of blood pressure. Rats were killed after 4 months of exposure to cold. At death, the heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, and interscapular brown fat pad were removed and weighed. Although captopril prevented the elevation of blood pressure in cold-treated rats, it did not prevent hypertrophy of the kidneys, heart, and interstitial brown adipose tissue that characteristically accompanies exposure to cold. Thus, chronic treatment with captopril prevented the elevation of blood pressure when administered at the time exposure to cold was initiated. It also reduced the elevated blood pressure of cold-treated rats when administered after blood pressure became elevated. This suggests that the renin-angiotensin system may play a role in the elevation of blood pressure during exposure to cold.
Metformin Reduces Bleomycin-induced Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice

Metformin has anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects. We investigated whether metformin has an inhibitory effect on bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis in a murine model. A total of 62 mice were divided into 5 groups: control, metformin (100 mg/kg), BLM, and BLM with metformin (50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg). Metformin was administered to the mice orally once a day from day 1. We sacrificed half of the mice on day 10 and collected the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from their left lungs. The remaining mice were sacrificed and analyzed on day 21. The right lungs were harvested for histological analyses. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers were determined via analysis of the harvested lungs on day 21. The mice treated with BLM and metformin (50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg) showed significantly lower levels of inflammatory cells in the BALF compared with the BLM-only mice on days 10 and 21. The histological examination revealed that the metformin treatment led to a greater reduction in inflammation than the treatment with BLM alone. The mRNA levels of collagen, collagen-1, procollagen, fibronectin, and transforming growth factor-β in the metformin-treated mice were lower than those in the BLM-only mice on day 21, although statistical significance was observed only in the case of procollagen due to the small number of live mice in the BLM-only group. Additionally, treatment with metformin reduced fibrosis to a greater extent than treatment with BLM alone. Metformin suppresses the inflammatory and fibrotic processes of BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis in a murine model.
The Human Legacy

Prologue: Racism Introduction: A Framework for the Immigration Experience Pre-1965 Emigration: Leaving the Homeland for the United States Post-1965 Emigration: Changes in U.S. Immigration Policy Entry Into the United States and the Nation's Response to Asian Immigration Asian Adjustment Public Policies: Social Welfare, Housing, Education, and Criminal Justice Public Policies: Health, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse U.S.-Born Asian Americans Implications, Directions, and Action Guidelines Epilogue: Author's Immigration Experience
Physiological Correlates of Endurance Time Variability during Constant-Workrate Cycling Exercise in Patients with COPD

Rationale The endurance time (Tend) during constant-workrate cycling exercise (CET) is highly variable in COPD. We investigated pulmonary and physiological variables that may contribute to these variations in Tend. Methods Ninety-two patients with COPD completed a CET performed at 80% of peak workrate capacity (Wpeak). Patients were divided into tertiles of Tend [Group 1: <4 min; Group 2: 4–6 min; Group 3: >6 min]. Disease severity (FEV1), aerobic fitness (Wpeak, peak oxygen consumption [ peak], ventilatory threshold [ VT]), quadriceps strength (MVC), symptom scores at the end of CET and exercise intensity during CET (heart rate at the end of CET to heart rate at peak incremental exercise ratio [HRCET/HRpeak]) were analyzed as potential variables influencing Tend. Results Wpeak, peak, VT, MVC, leg fatigue at end of CET, and HRCET/HRpeak were lower in group 1 than in group 2 or 3 (p≤0.05). VT and leg fatigue at end of CET independently predicted Tend in multiple regression analysis (r = 0.50, p = 0.001). Conclusion Tend was independently related to the aerobic fitness and to tolerance to leg fatigue at the end of exercise. A large fraction of the variability in Tend was not explained by the physiological parameters assessed in the present study. Individualization of exercise intensity during CET should help in reducing variations in Tend among patients with COPD.
Endometriosis-Related Infertility: The Role of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies

The assisted reproductive technologies, particularly in vitro fertilization (IVF), represent the most efficient and successful means of overcoming infertility associated with endometriosis. Although older studies suggest that IVF outcomes are compromised in endometriosis patients, more contemporary reports show no differences compared to controls. The exception may be evidence of poorer outcomes and diminished ovarian response in women with advanced disease, particularly those with significant ovarian involvement or prior ovarian surgery. Prolonged pre-IVF cycle suppressive medical therapy, particularly gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists, appears to improve success rates in a subset of endometriosis patients. However, as of yet, there is no diagnostic marker to specifically identify those who would most benefit from this approach. Pre-IVF cycle surgical resection of nonovarian disease has not been consistently shown to improve outcomes with the possible exception of resection of deeply invasive disease, although the data is limited. Precycle resection of ovarian endometriomas does not have benefit and should only be performed for gynecologic indications. Indeed, there is a large body of evidence to suggest that this procedure may have a deleterious impact on ovarian reserve and response. A dearth of appropriately designed trials makes development of definitive treatment paradigms challenging.
Does public service performance affect top management turnover

Political and organizational theories suggest that the turnover of chief executives and other members of senior management teams are likely to be influenced by public service performance. We use a panel data set of 148 English local governments over 4 years to test this proposition. The empirical results show that performance has a negative effect on turnover, but that this effect is weaker for chief executives than for members of their senior management teams. In addition, top team turnover is higher in the years following a chief executive succession. The evidence suggests that chief executives can influence top team turnover by attributing responsibility for poor organizational performance to other senior managers.
Power/performance evaluation of energy efficient Ethernet (EEE) for High Performance Computing

As of June 2012, 41 % of all systems in the TOP5OO use Gigabit Ethernet. Ethernet has been a strong contender in the HPC interconnect market for its competitive performance and low cost. However, until recently, little emphasis has been thrown upon bringing about energy efficient HPC interconnects. To illustrate, in a majority if not all Ethernet based systems, the transmitter and receiver operate at full power regardless of any data transmission between them, leading to power inefficiency. The recent standard IEEE 802.3az, Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE), approved in 2010, solves the above conundrum by introducing "Low-Power-Idle", dynamically turning off unused links to save interconnect power. In this paper, we present the first analysis of Energy Efficient Ethernet in the domain of HPC, examining its potential for power savings. Unlike previous proposals, we present a detailed analysis of the impact of additional latency overhead introduced by EEE, using multiple simulated systems running actual HPC application traces. We propose the use of "Power-Down Threshold", as a possible add-on to EEE to mitigate its on/off transition overhead. We find that EEE brings about link power savings of about 70% by switching off links, but at the cost of performance, leading to increased power consumption of the overall system by l5% (average). In contrast, using our proposed "Power-Down Threshold", we demonstrate reduced on/off transition overhead, from 25% to 2%, translating to overall system power savings of about 7.5%. Furthermore, in this work we point out relevant design decisions for future vendors intending to deploy EEE solutions for their HPC systems.
Technical Note: Multispectral lidar time series of pine canopy chlorophyll content

Abstract. We present an empirical application of multispectral laser scanning for monitoring the seasonal and spatial changes in pine chlorophyll (a + b) content and upscaling the accurate leaf-level chlorophyll measurements into branch and tree level. The results show the capability of the new instrument for monitoring the changes in the shape and physiology of tree canopy: the spectral indices retrieved from the multispectral point cloud agree with laboratory measurements of the chlorophyll a and b content. The approach opens new prospects for replacing destructive and labour-intensive manual sampling with remote observations of tree physiology.
Natural Approaches to Stroke Prevention

Vitamin B Cocktail A daily vitamin B cocktail (vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid) is among the most important supplements that an afibber, or anyone else for that matter, can take. The vitamin B cocktail effectively lowers the level of homocysteine in the blood. High levels of homocysteine, a sulfurcontaining amino acid, is associated with an increased risk of stroke and is also involved in numerous other disease conditions:
The Impact of Diversifying Acquisitions on Shareholder Wealth: Evidence from Turkish Acquirers

This study examines the impact of diversifying acquisitions on acquiring Turkish firms. Using a sample of 98 acquisitions during 2000-2011, the study finds that acquiring firms experience statistically significant wealth gains surrounding the announcement date. The cross-sectional regression results show that diversifying acquisitions create higher wealth gains to acquirers compared with focused acquisitions. The results also show that smaller firms experience higher abnormal returns compared to larger firms and that acquiring public firms result in higher wealth gains to acquirers. Finally, the findings indicate that results differ among group affiliates and independent firms. If an acquisition is made by an independent firm, diversifying acquisitions generate higher abnormal returns compared to focused acquisitions. However, if the acquirer is a group affiliate, there is no significant difference between the two types of acquisition activities in terms of wealth effects