Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Constraining supernova models using the hot gas in clusters of galaxies

Context: The hot X-ray emitting gas in clusters of galaxies is a very large repository of metals produced by supernovae. During the evolution of clusters, billions of supernovae eject their material into this Intra-Cluster Medium (ICM). Aims: We aim to accurately measure the abundances in the ICM of many clusters and compare these data with metal yields produced by supernovae. With accurate abundances determined using this cluster sample we will be able to constrain supernova explosion mechanisms. Methods: Using the data archive of the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory, we compile a sample of 22 clusters. We fit spectra extracted from the core regions and determine the abundances of silicon, sulfur, argon, calcium, iron, and nickel. The abundances from the spectral fits are subsequently fitted to supernova yields determined from several supernova type Ia and core-collapse supernova models. Results: We find that the argon and calcium abundances cannot be fitted with currently favoured supernova type Ia models. We obtain a major improvement of the fit, when we use an empirically modified delayed-detonation model that is calibrated on the Tycho supernova remnant. The two modified parameters are the density where the sound wave in the supernova turns into a shock and the ratio of the specific internal energies of ions and electrons at the shock. Our fits also suggest that the core-collapse supernovae that contributed to the enrichment of the ICM had progenitors which were already enriched. Conclusions: . The Ar/Ca ratio in clusters is a good touchstone for determining the quality of type Ia models. The core-collapse contribution, which is about 50% and not strongly dependent on the IMF or progenitor metallicity, does not have a significant impact on the Ar/Ca ratio. The number ratio between supernova type Ia and core-collapse supernovae suggests that binary systems in the appropriate mass range are very efficient (~5-16%) in eventually forming supernova type Ia explosions.
A cAMP Pathway Underlying Reward Prediction in Associative Learning

In associative learning, animals learn to associate external cues or their own actions with appetitive or aversive outcomes. Although the dopamine (DA) system and the striatum/nucleus accumbens have been implicated in both the pavlovian and instrumental form of associative learning, whether specific neuronal signaling mechanisms underlie one form or the other is unknown. Here, we report that the striatum-enriched isoform of adenylyl cyclase (AC), AC5, is selectively required for appetitive pavlovian learning. Mice with genetic deletion of AC5 (AC5KO) acquired instrumental responding yet were unable to use cues that predicted reward delivery. The specificity of this deficit was confirmed by an inability of AC5KO mice to learn a simple appetitive pavlovian conditioning task. Conversely, AC5KO mice showed intact aversive pavlovian learning, suggesting the deficit was specific for learning about appetitive outcomes. Our results suggest that AC5 is a critical component of DA-dependent strengthening of stimulus–reward contingencies.
Comparison of Single-Layer and Multi-Layer Windings with Physical Constraints or Strong Harmonics

Single-layer and multi-layer transformer and inductor windings are compared. Multi-layer windings (including litz wire) can typically achieve lower loss, but several situations that may favor single-layer windings are discussed. As shown in previous work, for sinusoidal waveforms, if the minimum practical layer thickness is 1.5 skin depths or greater, single-layer windings are preferred. If the maximum number of practical layers is limited, increasing the number of layers decreases the loss approximately inversely proportional to the square root of the number of layers. For waveforms with strong harmonic content, it becomes more difficult to reduce losses with multi-layer windings. We study typical waveforms for power converter circuits and conclude that, for waveforms used in power electronics, multi-layer windings have significant advantages even with only a few layers. The number of layers needed can be as few as two layers for many waveforms; other waveforms, such as square waveforms with fast rise times, typically require four to six layers to effect a significant improvement over a single-layer design
The Fast Collisionless Reconnection Condition and the Self-Organization of Solar Coronal Heating

I propose that solar coronal heating is a self-regulating process that keeps the coronal plasma roughly marginally collisionless. The proposed self-regulating mechanism is based on the interplay of two effects. First, plasma density controls coronal energy release via the transition between the slow collisional Sweet-Parker regime and the fast collisionless reconnection regime. This transition takes place when the Sweet-Parker layer becomes thinner than the characteristic collisionless reconnection scale. I present a simple criterion for this transition in terms of the upstream plasma density (ne), the reconnecting (B0) and guide (Bz) magnetic field components, and the global length (L) of the reconnection layer: L≲ 6 × 109 cm (ne/1010 cm −3)−3(B0/30G)4(B0/Bz)2. Next, coronal energy release by reconnection raises the ambient plasma density via chromospheric evaporation, and this in turn temporarily inhibits subsequent reconnection involving the newly reconnected loops. Over time, however, radiative cooling gradually lowers the density again below the critical value and fast reconnection again becomes possible. As a result, the density is highly inhomogeneous and intermittent but, statistically, does not deviate strongly from the critical value, which is comparable with the observed coronal density. Thus, in the long run the coronal heating process can be represented by repeating cycles that consist of fast reconnection events (i.e., nanoflares), followed by rapid evaporation episodes, followed by relatively long periods (≲1 hr) during which magnetic stresses build up and the plasma simultaneously cools down and precipitates.
Research and Development, Innovation, Training, Quality and Profitability: Evidence from France

This paper simultaneously explores the firm-level relationships between R&D investments, innovation, training investments, quality and firm performance. It offers empirical evidence on how innovation, training and quality affect firm profitability. One new feature we introduce is the link between training and quality. Using asymptotic least square, we estimate a five-equation model including censored, dichotomous and linear variables with a specific circular scheme. The data are from the French innovation survey combined with firm-level register data. This allows us to consider a number of training and quality related variables which are usually neglected in the literature. While traditional determinants are controlled for, our results show there exists a virtuous circle. Our results are also in line with a number of stylized facts.
Vice vs . Virtue Investing

Whether virtue investing yields abnormal positive stock returns, has been under scrutiny for years. Academic findings on socially responsible investing (SRI) reveal heterogeneous results for the performance of SRI indices. However, recent research indicates an outperformance of sin stocks. Can investors then better their performance by incorporating virtue or vice screens into their investment process? Answering this question is the key contribution of our paper. Extending prior studies on sin investment, we find that publicly traded companies involved in the alcohol, gambling, tobacco, sex, arms and nuclear power industry are able to generate abnormal returns. Employing a self-constructed worldwide index of more than 700 unethical firms, we provide evidence that the risk-return characteristics of sin stocks are superior in comparison to regular stocks as well as socially responsible stocks.
THE CURRENT STATE OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE VALUE RELEVANCE RESEARCH FIELD

The purpose of this paper is to assess the scientific literature referring to the value relevance of reported accounting information over a twelve year period starting from 2002. The approach of the paper is a theoretical (conceptual) one. In order to complete the purpose of the paper we selected as research method the longitudinal qualitative analysis. The qualitative analysis carried out presents a deductive character. Our conclusions regarding the general characteristics of the research field pertaining to the value relevance of reported accounting information are drawn based on the main results and scientific contributions identified in the research field of interest.
Hygiene strategies to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin and soft tissue infections: a cluster-randomized controlled trial among high-risk military trainees.

BACKGROUND Effective measures are needed to prevent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) in high-risk community settings. The study objective was to evaluate the effect of personal hygiene-based strategies on rates of overall SSTI and MRSA SSTI. METHODS We conducted a prospective, field-based, cluster-randomized trial in US Army Infantry trainees from May 2010 through January 2012. There were 3 study groups with incrementally increased education and hygiene-based interventions: standard (S), enhanced standard (ES), and chlorhexidine (CHG). The primary endpoints were incidence of overall SSTI and MRSA SSTI. RESULTS The study included 30 209 trainees constituting 540 platoons (168 S, 192 ES, and 180 CHG). A total of 1203 (4%) participants developed SSTI, 316 (26%) due to MRSA. The overall SSTI rate was 4.15 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.77-4.58) per 100 person-cycles. SSTI rates by study group were 3.48 (95% CI, 2.87-4.22) for S, 4.18 (95% CI, 3.56-4.90) for ES, and 4.71 (95% CI, 4.03-5.50) for CHG. The MRSA SSTI rate per 100 person-cycles for all groups was 1.10 (95% CI, .91-1.32). MRSA SSTI rates by study group were 1.0 (95% CI, .70-1.42) for S, 1.29 (95% CI, .98-1.71) for ES, and 0.97 (95% CI, .70-1.36) for CHG. CONCLUSIONS Personal hygiene and education measures, including once-weekly use of chlorhexidine body wash, did not prevent overall SSTI or MRSA SSTI in a high-risk population of military trainees. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT01105767.
SMG1 Acts as a Novel Potential Tumor Suppressor with Epigenetic Inactivation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Suppressor with morphogenetic effect on genitalia family member (SMG1) belongs to a family of phosphoinositide 3-kinase-related kinases and is the main kinase involved in nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Recently, SMG1 was suggested as a novel potential tumor suppressor gene, particularly in hypoxic tumors. To investigate the function of SMG1 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), we performed methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and found that SMG1 was hypermethylated in the promoter region. SMG1 hypermethylation was found in 66% (33/50) of AML samples compared with none (0/14) of the normal controls. SMG1 mRNA was down-regulated in AML patients with hypermethylation status whereas it was readily expressed in patients without methylation. Moreover, treatment of AML cells with demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine) inhibited AML cell growth and induced apoptosis by reversing SMG1 methylation status and restoring SMG1 expression. On the other hand, knockdown of SMG1 by RNA interference inhibited apoptosis. We also found that mTOR expression level was negatively correlated to SMG1 expression in AML patients which indicated that SMG1 and mTOR maybe act antagonistically to regulate AML cell growth. In conclusion, our results indicate that SMG1 acts as a potential tumor suppressor with epigenetic regulation in AML.
AGN Outflows in a Cosmological Context

We combine cosmological simulations with an AGN luminosity function constrained by optical surveys in order to create a realistic AGN distribution in which to model AGN outflows. The outflows are modeled with assumptions of spherical symmetry and energy conservation. We study the importance of the kinetic luminosity of AGN outflows in determining the fractional volume of the IGM filled with outflows as a function of redshift. We find that kinetic luminosities of <10% of the bolometric luminosities are required or the entire IGM would be filled with outflows at z = 0. We also examine the effects of varying the AGN lifetime and the bias parameter, which describes how tightly correlated AGNs are to high-density regions. We find that longer lifetimes (τAGN ~ 1 Gyr), as well as small bias parameters, increase the filling fraction.
Downregulation of RND3/RhoE in glioblastoma patients promotes tumorigenesis through augmentation of notch transcriptional complex activity

Activation of Notch signaling contributes to glioblastoma multiform (GBM) tumorigenesis. However, the molecular mechanism that promotes the Notch signaling augmentation during GBM genesis remains largely unknown. Identification of new factors that regulate Notch signaling is critical for tumor treatment. The expression levels of RND3 and its clinical implication were analyzed in GBM patients. Identification of RND3 as a novel factor in GBM genesis was demonstrated in vitro by cell experiments and in vivo by a GBM xenograft model. We found that RND3 expression was significantly decreased in human glioblastoma. The levels of RND3 expression were inversely correlated with Notch activity, tumor size, and tumor cell proliferation, and positively correlated with patient survival time. We demonstrated that RND3 functioned as an endogenous repressor of the Notch transcriptional complex. RND3 physically interacted with NICD, CSL, and MAML1, the Notch transcriptional complex factors, promoted NICD ubiquitination, and facilitated the degradation of these cofactor proteins. We further revealed that RND3 facilitated the binding of NICD to FBW7, a ubiquitin ligase, and consequently enhanced NICD protein degradation. Therefore, Notch transcriptional activity was inhibited. Forced expression of RND3 repressed Notch signaling, which led to the inhibition of glioblastoma cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in the xenograft mice in vivo. Downregulation of RND3, however, enhanced Notch signaling activity, and subsequently promoted glioma cell proliferation. Inhibition of Notch activity abolished RND3 deficiency‐mediated GBM cell proliferation. We conclude that downregulation of RND3 is responsible for the enhancement of Notch activity that promotes glioblastoma genesis.
Window-Based and Rate-Based Congestion Controls: a Local Stability Analysis under Variable RTT Conditions and the Proposal of an RTP-Based Algorithm

The paper mathematically frames the relation between window-based and rate-based congestion control algorithms, when the assumption of variable round-trip time conditions is introduced. Under this hypothesis, the local stability analysis of a specific class of source, window-based controls is first developed; then a new, rate-based control suitable for use by multimedia streams is proposed. The novel strategy is demonstrated to guarantee consistent and intra-fair throughput allocation, good responsiveness and satisfying smoothness, even in a first, easy-to-implement version.
What is Project Finance

Project finance is the process of financing a specific economic unit that the sponsors create, in which creditors share much of the venture’s business risk and funding is obtained strictly for the project itself. Project finance, often used for capital-intensive facilities and utilities, is commonly used to segregate the credit risk of the project from that of its sponsors so that lenders, investors, and other parties will appraise the project strictly on its own merits. Project finance creates value by reducing the costs of funding, maintaining the sponsors financial flexibility, increasing the leverage ratios, avoiding contamination risk, reducing corporate taxes, improving risk management, and reducing the costs associated with market imperfections. Besides describing the economic motivations for using project finance, this paper provides details on project finance characteristics and players, presents the recent trends of project finance market, and provides some statistics of project finance (PF) lending activity in Western Europe between 2000 and 2011.
Defective inflammatory response in interleukin 6-deficient mice

Systemic and localized inflammation elicit a number of host responses which include fever, cachexia, hypoglycemia, and major changes in the concentration of liver plasma proteins. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is considered an important mediator of the inflammatory response, together with IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). The purpose of this study was to unequivocally determine the role of IL-6 in these phenomena making use of IL-6-deficient mice that we have recently generated by gene targeting. We report here that in the absence of IL- 6, mice are unable to mount a normal inflammatory response to localized tissue damage generated by turpentine injection. The induction of acute phase proteins is dramatically reduced, mice do not lose body weight and only suffer from mild anorexia and hypoglycemia. In contrast, when systemic inflammation is elicited through the injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), these parameters are altered to the same extent both in wild-type and IL-6-deficient mice, demonstrating that under these conditions IL-6 function is dispensable. Moreover, we show that LPS-treated IL-6-deficient mice produce three times more TNF-alpha than wild-type controls, suggesting that increased TNF-alpha production might be one of the compensatory mechanisms through which a normal response to LPS is achieved in the absence of IL-6. We also show that corticosterone is normally induced in IL-6-deficient mice, demonstrating that IL-6 is not required for the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Our results reinforce the idea that different patterns of cytokines are involved in systemic and localized tissue damage, and identify IL-6 as an essential mediator of the inflammatory response to localized inflammation.
Hypnosis, motivation and compliance.

This paper will begin by reviewing the experimental evidence that has made it necessary to reject the usual concept of hypnosis in terms of motivation and compliance. This evidence suggests that hypnosis is not a change in the degree of compliance but rather, a change in the subjective experience of hypnotized individuals. The kinds of phenomena that are subsumed under the concept of hypnosis will be discussed in order to show that a definition in terms of subjective experience can encompass these adequately. Such a definition suggests that the observed compliance of hypnotized subjects and especially their responsiveness to therapeutic suggestions may not be an intrinsic part of hypnosis itself. From this point of view, the therapeutic effectiveness of hypnosis can be seen in a new light, and some previously puzzling clinical phenomena can be understood. The motivational view of hypnosis seems compelling because hypnotized subjects are quick to comply with the hypnotist's requests even when unusual or bizarre behavior is suggested. However, the source of the subject's motivation in such cases need not be the hypnotic state itself. In lecturing to college students about hypnosis, I often illustrate this point with a simple demonstration. I ask a number of students to carry out certain actions--one will be asked to take off his right shoe, another to exchange his necktie with his neighbor, a third to give me his wallet and so on. After these things have been done, I point out that if the same behavior had been carried out after a hypnotic induction, it would have seemed that the students were under hypnotic control. The point is that while all the behaviors fell within the range of admissible requests in this situation, it is not common for lecturers to make such "unreasonable" requests. Therefore, one is tempted to assume, incorrectly, that only hypnotized persons would comply with them.
Optical Selection of Faint Active Galactic Nuclei in the COSMOS Field

We outline a strategy to select faint (iAB < 24.5) type 1 active galactic nucleus (AGN) candidates down to the Seyfert/QSO boundary for spectroscopic targeting in the COSMOS field. Our selection process picks candidates by their nonstellar colors in uBVRizK broadband photometry from the Subaru and CFH Telescopes and morphological properties extracted from Hubble Space Telescope (HST) ACS i-band data. Although the COSMOS field has been used extensively to survey the faint galaxy population out to z ∼ 6, AGN optical color selection has not been applied to so faint a level in such a large continuous part of the sky. Hot stars are known to be the dominant contaminant for bright AGN candidate selection at z < 2, but we anticipate the highest color contamination rate at all redshifts to be from faint starburst and compact galaxies. Morphological selection via the Gini Coefficient separates most potential AGNs from these faint blue galaxies. Recent models of the quasar luminosity function (QLF) from Hopkins et al. are used to estimate quasar surface densities, and a recent study of stellar populations in the COSMOS field is applied to infer stellar surface densities and contamination. We use 292 spectroscopically confirmed type 1 broad-line AGN and quasar templates to predict AGN colors as a function of redshift, and then contrast those predictions with the colors of known contaminating populations. Since the number of galaxy contaminants cannot be reliably identified with respect to stellar and predicted QLF numbers, the completeness and efficiency of the selection cannot be calculated before gathering confirming spectroscopic observations. Instead we offer an upper limit estimate to selection efficiency (about 50% for low-z and 20%-40% for intermediate-z and high-z) as well as the completeness and efficiency with respect to an X-ray point source population (from the COSMOS AGN Survey), in the range 20%-50%. The motivation of this study and subsequent spectroscopic follow-up is to populate and refine the faint end of the QLF, at both low and high redshifts, where the population of type 1 AGNs is presently not well known. The anticipated AGN observations will add to the ~300 already known AGNs in the COSMOS field, making COSMOS a densely packed field of quasars to be used to understand supermassive black holes and probe the structure of the intergalactic medium in the intervening volume.
Adult spinal cord ependymal layer: a promising pool of quiescent stem cells to treat spinal cord injury

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a major health burden and currently there is no effective medical intervention. Research performed over the last decade revealed that cells surrounding the central canal of the adult spinal cord and forming the ependymal layer acquire stem cell properties either in vitro or in response to injury. Following SCI activated ependymal cells generate progeny cells which migrate to the injury site but fail to produce the appropriate type of cells in sufficient number to limit the damage, rendering this physiological response mainly ineffective. Research is now focusing on the manipulation of ependymal cells to produce cells of the oligodendrocyte lineage which are primarily lost in such a situation leading to secondary neuronal degeneration. Thus, there is a need for a more focused approach to understand the molecular properties of adult ependymal cells in greater detail and develop effective strategies for guiding their response during SCI.