Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
BIVARIATE ARCH MODELS: FINITE-SAMPLE PROPERTIES OF QML ESTIMATORS AND AN APPLICATION TO AN LM-TYPE TEST

This paper provides two main new results: the first shows theoretically that large biases and variances can arise when the quasi-maximum likelihood (QML) estimation method is employed in a simple bivariate structure under the assumption of conditional heteroskedasticity; and the second demonstrates how these analytical theoretical results can be used to improve the finite-sample performance of a test for multivariate autoregressive conditional heteroskedastic (ARCH) effects, suggesting an alternative to a traditional Bartlett-type correction. We analyze two models: one proposed in Wong and Li (1997, Biometrika 84, 111–123) and another proposed by Engle and Kroner (1995, Econometric Theory 11, 122–150) and Liu and Polasek (1999, Modelling and Decisions in Economics; 2000, working paper, University of Basel). We prove theoretically that a relatively large difference between the intercepts in the two conditional variance equations, which leads to the two series having correspondingly different volatilities in the restricted case, may produce very large variances in some QML estimators in the first model and very severe biases in some QML estimators in the second. Later we use our bias expressions to propose an LM-type test of multivariate ARCH effects and show through simulations that small-sample improvements are possible, especially in relation to the size, when we bias correct the estimators and use the expected hessian version of the test.Both authors thank H. Wong for providing us with the Gauss program to simulate the Wong and Li (1997) model. We also thank three anonymous referees for extremely helpful comments, and we are grateful for the comments received at seminars given at Cardiff University, Michigan State University, Queen Mary London, University of Exeter, and University of Montreal. We acknowledge gratefully also the financial support from an ESRC grant (award number T026 27 1238). A previous version of this paper appeared as IVIE Working paper 2004-09.
On Software Infrastructure for Scalable Graph Analytics

Author(s): Bu, Yingyi | Advisor(s): Carey, Michael J. | Abstract: Recently, there is a growing need for distributed graph processing systems that are capable of gracefully scaling to very large datasets. In the mean time, in real-world applications, it is highly desirable to reduce the tedious, inefficient ETL (extract, transform, load) gap between tabular data processing systems and graph processing systems. Unfortunately, those challenges have not been easily met due to the intense memory pressure imposed by process-centric, message passing designs that many graph processing systems follow, as well as the separation of tabular data processing runtimes and graph processing runtimes.In this thesis, we explore the application of programming techniques and algorithms from the database systems world to the problem of scalable graph analysis. We first propose a bloat-aware design paradigm towards the development of efficient and scalable Big Data applications in object-oriented, GC enabled languages and demonstrate that programming under this paradigm does not incur significant programming burden but obtains remarkable performance gains (e.g., 2.5X). Based on the design paradigm, we then build Pregelix, an open source distributed graph processing system which is based on an iterative dataflow design that is better tuned to handle both in-memory and out-of-core workloads. As such, Pregelix offers improved performance characteristics and scaling properties over current open source systems (e.g., we have seen up to 15X speedup compared to Apache Giraph and up to 35X speedup compared to distributed GraphLab). Finally, we integrate Pregelix with the open source Big Data management system AsterixDB to offer users a mix of a vertex-oriented programming model and a declarative query language for richer forms of Big Graph analytics with reduced ETL pains.
Bankruptcy Prediction in Banks by an Ensemble Classifier

In this paper we developed a set of ensemble classifiers using simple majority voting scheme. As part of the ensemble, we used seven classifiers viz., ANFIS, SVM, Linear RBF, Semi-online RBF1 and Semi-online RBF2, Orthogonal RBF, MLP. We designed the ensembles by taking two, three, four, five and six classifiers at a time from the seven classifiers. In each case we selected the combination that gave the highest classification rate and least Type-I error. We used the two well-known bankruptcy data sets viz., (i) Spanish banks data and (ii) US banks data for the study. The models ANFIS, Semi-Online RBF2 and MLP emerged as the most important models as they figured in the best ensemble combinations.
Staging hepatic fibrosis: comparison of gadoxetate disodium-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MR imaging--preliminary observations.

PURPOSE To evaluate the utility of hepatocyte-phase gadoxetate disodium-enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in staging hepatic fibrosis and to compare it with diffusion-weighted imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study had institutional review board approval, and the requirement for informed consent was waived. Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MR images obtained in 114 consecutive patients (70 men, 44 women; age range, 37-91 years) were evaluated. Liver-to-muscle signal intensity (SI) ratio on hepatocyte-phase images (SI(post)), contrast enhancement index calculated as SI(post) /SI(pre), where SI(pre) is liver-to-muscle SI ratio on nonenhanced images, and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the liver were measured. Necroinflammatory activity grades and hepatic fibrosis stages were histopathologically determined in 99 patients. Multiple regressions of SI(post), contrast enhancement index, ADC, serum albumin concentration, serum total bilirubin level, prothrombin time, and Child-Pugh score were examined to determine correlation with hepatic necroinflammatory activity grades and fibrosis stages. RESULTS Among the MR, hematologic, and clinical parameters, contrast enhancement index was most strongly correlated with fibrosis stage (r = -0.79, P < .001). Multiple regression analysis showed that the contrast enhancement index, ADC, and prothrombin time were significantly correlated (r(2) = 0.66, P < . 05) with fibrosis stage and that the contrast enhancement index and serum total bilirubin level were weakly correlated (r(2) = 0.24, P < . 05) with the necroinflammatory activity grade. CONCLUSION Gadoxetate disodium-enhanced MR imaging is more reliable for staging hepatic fibrosis than are diffusion-weighted MR imaging, hematologic, and clinical parameters.
α-Galactosylceramide–Induced Airway Eosinophilia Is Mediated through the Activation of NKT Cells

Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells bridge innate and adaptive immune responses, resulting in the expansion of Ag-specific B and T cell responses. α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer), the most studied glycolipid that activates iNKT cells, has been proposed to be an effective adjuvant against infections and tumors. We found that the activation of iNKT cells by intranasal injection of α-GalCer induced airway eosinophilia in naive mice. Eosinophils, which mediate tissue damage and dysfunction by secreting mediators, play important roles in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of how eosinophils are recruited to the lung by α-GalCer. Our results demonstrated that α-GalCer–induced eosinophil inflammation was mediated through iNKT cells. These cells secreted IL-5 to recruit eosinophils directly to the lung and/or secreted IL-4 and IL-13 to recruit eosinophils indirectly by inducing lung epithelial cells, endothelial cells, and fibroblast to secrete the eosinophil chemoattractant eotaxin. In addition, in the OVA-alum murine model of allergic asthma, α-GalCer administration in OVA-immunized mice also increased airway eosinophilia after challenge. Given our findings, intranasal administration of α-GalCer induced airway eosinophilic inflammation in both naive and allergic mice. Hence, it remains to be determined whether the activation of iNKT cells would be applicable in therapeutics for human diseases.
Drivers for Wealth Creation in Firms: An Empirical Evidence from Gulf Cooperation Council Markets

The study examines whether the book value maximizers are the greatest wealth creators in stock market both in the context of sectors and companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council Markets. The study also analyzes the financial value drivers for wealth creation of companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council Markets. The survey part of the study is based on approximately 650 companies listed in six Gulf Cooperation Council Markets of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. On the basis of five yearly average market capitalization, the biggest wealth creators are banking, petrochemical and energy industries and industrial sectors. Banking sector is the biggest sector in terms of market capitalization, assets, cash flow and net profit. The empirical analysis reveals that market valuations are higher for firms which invest more in capital expenditure. Results show that sales growth is a significant value driver. Firms with higher earnings relative to price generate more value. Higher earnings signify more value creation. Small stocks tend to have higher earnings on book equity than big stocks do.
In Vitro and in Vivo Bioavailability of Carotenoids and Tocopherols from Fruits and Vegetables: A Complementary Approach

Bioavailability is a critical feature in the assessment of the role of micronutrients in human health, and the approaches to this issue include in vitro and in vivo methods. Food- and host-related factors affect the bioavailability of carotenoids and tocopherols, and major challenges in the study of bioavailability include the release of these compounds from the food matrix, micellization, the measurement of the plasma response and the inter-individual variability. To evaluate bioaccessibility, in vitro gastrointestinal models have been used to assess stability, hydrolysis of carotenol esters and transfer efficiency of carotenoids (i.e. �-cryptoxanthin, lutein, �-carotene, lycopene) and tocopherols (i.e. �- and �-tocopherol) from fruits and vegetables. In vivo (human) bioavailability has been studied mostly by assessing the responses in chylomicron fractions and serum produced by different dietary intervention protocols. Available in vitro data show that the stability of carotenoids and tocopherols is high, although micellization is a critical determinant of the bioaccessibility. In human studies, upon dietary intervention, changes in serum concentrations may be observed for some compounds (i.e. �-cryptoxanthin, lutein, �-tocopherol), but not for others (�-tocopherol, �-carotene). Overall, the behaviour of these phytochemicals under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions does not fully explain the changes observed in in vivo studies. The results indicate that in vitro methods are useful for assessing food-related factors affecting bioavailability, although host-related factors, physiological processes and methodological constraints may limit the comparability and the “predictive value” of in vitro models. In this respect, the two approaches should be considered complementary, but not necessarily interchangeable.
A Fluorescent Microplate Assay for Exocytosis in Alveolar Type II Cells

The authors describe a simple, reliable, and quantitative assay tomonitor exocytotic fusion of lamellar bodies (LBs) in adherent rat alveolar type II (AT II) cells. The assay is based on fluorescence measurements of LB-plasmamembrane (PM) fusions modified for the use inmultiwell culture plates to obtain a high-sample throughput. In particular, it is based on the presence of a highly light-absorbing dye in the cell supernatants to increase the specificity of fluorescence signals and to yield pseudoconfocal information from the cells. When the assay was tested with agonist-(ATP) and phorbolester-induced stimulation of LB-PM fusions, the authors found a good correlation with direct microscopic investigations based on single cell recordings. To further validate the assay, they used Curosurf at 10 mg/ml. However, it influenced neither the basal nor the ATP-stimulated rate of LB-PM fusions. Thiswas corroborated by the fact that Curosurf had no effect on resting Ca 2+ levels nor the ATPinduced Ca 2+ signals. The results cast new light on previous findings that surfactant phospholipids decrease the rate of secretion in AT II cells in a dose-dependentway. The authors conclude that the inhibitory effect exerted by phospholipidsmight be due to action on a later step in exocytosis, probably associated with exocytotic fusion pore expansion and content release out of fused vesicles.
Presynaptic control of striatal dopamine neurotransmission in adult vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) mutant mice

The vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) plays a pivotal role in regulating the size of vesicular and cytosolic dopamine (DA) storage pools within the CNS, and can thus influence extracellular DA neurotransmission. Transgenic mice have been generated with a dramatically reduced (by ∼95%) expression of the VMAT2 gene which, unlike complete knockout lines, survive into adulthood. We compared the pre‐synaptic regulation of both impulse‐dependent (exocytotic) and carrier‐mediated (via reversal of the DA transporter, DAT) DA release in the dorsolateral caudate putamen (CPu) of striatal slices derived from adult homozygous VMAT2 mutant and wild‐type mice using fast cyclic voltammetry. Impulse‐dependent DA release, evoked by a single electrical pulse, was lower in homozygous (116 nm) than wild‐type mice (351 nm) indicating smaller vesicular DA stores, an observation supported by the evanescent effect of amfonelic acid (300 nm) in homozygous mice. Amphetamine (2 μm) increased extracellular DA via DAT reversal in both wild‐type (by 459 nm) and VMAT2 mutant (by 168 nm, p < 0.01 vs. wild‐type) mice. In both cases, the effect was blocked by the DAT inhibitor GBR12935 (1 μm). Simultaneously, amphetamine decreased impulse‐dependent DA release, albeit less in homozygous (by 55%) than in wild‐type (by 78%) mice. In wild‐types, this decrement was largely reversed by GBR12935 but not by the D2/D3 autoreceptor antagonist (–)sulpiride (1 μm). Conversely, in homozygous VMAT2 mutant mice, it was attenuated by (–)sulpiride but not GBR12935. The D2/D3 receptor agonist quinpirole inhibited impulse‐dependent DA release with a lower EC50 value in homozygous mice (12 nm) compared with wild‐types (34 nm), indicating the compensatory presence of functionally supersensitive release‐regulating autoreceptors. However, analysis of DA reuptake kinetics obtained in the absence and presence of DAT blockade (by cocaine and amfonelic acid) revealed only minor differences in DAT functionality. These results demonstrate that impaired vesicular DA storage constrains extracellular DA levels in the dorsolateral CPu whether induced by either impulse‐dependent or carrier‐mediated mechanisms and that the relative importance of the DAT and terminal autoreceptors as control mechanisms in the actions of amphetamine are reversed in VMAT2 mutant mice.
Prepubertal Midface Growth in Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate following Alveolar Molding and Gingivoperiosteoplasty

Objectives To examine the long-term effect of nasoalveolar molding and gingivoperiosteoplasty (modified Millard type) on midface growth at prepuberty. Procedures In this retrospective study, 20 consecutive patients with a history of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate were evaluated. Ten patients had nasoalveolar molding and gingivoperiosteoplasty performed at lip closure; 10 control patients had nasoalveolar molding but no gingivoperiosteoplasty because of late start in treatment or poor compliance. A single surgeon (C.B.C.) performed all surgical procedures. Standardized lateral cephalometric radiographs were evaluated at two time periods: T1 at pre–bone-grafting age and T2 at prepuberty age. Superimposition and cephalometric analysis were undertaken to investigate the two groups. Two cephalometric reference planes, sella-nasion and basion-nasion, were used to assess the vertical and sagittal relations of the midface (ANS-PNS). The reference landmarks were procrustes fitted. The mean location and variance of ANS and PNS landmarks were computed. All results were analyzed by permutation test. Results No significant difference in mean location or variance of ANS-PNS in both vertical and sagittal planes at both T1 and T2 periods were found between the two groups (p > .05). Conclusions The results suggested that midface growth in sagittal or vertical planes (up to the age of 9 to 13 years) were not affected by presurgical alveolar molding and gingivoperiosteoplasty (Millard type).
High-resolution mapping of the recombination landscape of the phytopathogen Fusarium graminearum suggests two-speed genome evolution.

Recombination is a major evolutionary force, increasing genetic diversity and permitting efficient coevolution of fungal pathogen(s) with their host(s). The ascomycete Fusarium graminearum is a devastating pathogen of cereal crops, and can contaminate food and feed with harmful mycotoxins. Previous studies have suggested a high adaptive potential of this pathogen, illustrated by an increase in pathogenicity and resistance to fungicides. In this study, we provide the first detailed picture of the crossover events occurring during meiosis and discuss the role of recombination in pathogen evolution. An experimental recombinant population (n = 88) was created and genotyped using 1306 polymorphic markers obtained from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) and aligned to the reference genome. The construction of a high-density linkage map, anchoring 99% of the total length of the reference genome, allowed the identification of 1451 putative crossovers, positioned at a median resolution of 24 kb. The majority of crossovers (87.2%) occurred in a relatively small portion of the genome (30%). All chromosomes demonstrated recombination-active sections, which had a near 15-fold higher crossover rate than non-active recombinant sections. The recombination rate showed a strong positive correlation with nucleotide diversity, and recombination-active regions were enriched for genes with a putative role in host-pathogen interaction, as well as putative diversifying genes. Our results confirm the preliminary analysis observed in other F. graminearum strains and suggest a conserved 'two-speed' recombination landscape. The consequences with regard to the evolutionary potential of this major fungal pathogen are also discussed.
UWB signal processing during thin layers thickness assessment

Some enchantment of the processing procedure of the ultra-wideband signal reflected by the medium with thin layers are proposed. In general, the essence of the method of the restoring structure of a probed plane-layered medium is in the layer by layer restoration of the dielectric constant and thickness of the layers. The main difference between the proposed algorithm and previously known schemes is the ability to accurately determine the dielectric constant of the thin top layer of the plane-layered medium and then restore thickness of this layer. Further determination of physical and geometrical parameters of the lower layers can be achieved by previously proposed standard methods. The possible practical application of the proposed method of processing data of the pavement structures sensing with GPR “Odyag-1” [9] are indicated.
The increasing incidence of paranasal sinus fungus ball: a retrospective cohort study in two hundred forty‐five patients for fifteen years

• There is converging evidence in that the suppression of neural hyperactivity by lateral inhibition using tailormade notch filtering is a promising approach to support tinnitus treatments. • We evaluated a new notched environmental sound technology for the first time as hearing aid-supported tinnitus treatment in 20 tinnitus patients. • This technology employs a notch filter which abruptly filters out environmental sounds in behind-the-ear hearing aids at the tinnitus frequency. • We evaluated this new approach using a double-blind pre-/post-therapy evaluation in 20 tinnitus patients (10 controls, 10 patients with notched environmental sound) using a widely accepted psychometric instrument and objective electroencephalographic means. • The subjective and objective results show that tailormade notch filtering in hearing aids might support tinnitus treatments.
Changing Structure and Sustainable Development for China’s Hog Sector

Supply shortages and competitive disadvantages are the main problems faced by China’s hog sector. The non-essential import of pork products, triggered by competitive disadvantages, poses great challenges to hog farms. Structural changes are an important policy concern in China and elsewhere. Previous literature has ignored whether the ongoing structural changes from backyard to large farms can contribute to sustainable development. This study adopts the micro-level data of hog farms collected from Jiangsu Province, and uses a two-step metafrontier model and a primal system approach. The empirical results reveal that the ongoing structural changes are capable of boosting the growth in output in China’s hog sector, since the stronger increase in comparable technical efficiency compensates for the inappropriate technology. Furthermore, the ongoing structural changes are also beneficial in the reduction of production costs and in improving competitiveness in China’s hog sector. The decline in technical and allocative inefficiency costs, particularly for technical inefficiency costs, contributes to the cost advantage with the increasing farm size.
Ultralate referral and presentation for renal replacement therapy: socioeconomic implications.

BACKGROUND Clinical and metabolic complications of late referral (LR) for dialysis therapy have been well documented, but there is a paucity of data on its socioeconomic implications. This study examines the role of lifestyle and socioeconomic status on referral pattern. METHODS During a 4-year period (1999 to 2002), we retrospectively reviewed records of all patients who initiated dialysis therapy at an urban tertiary-care center. Patients were classified into 3 categories according to the interval between first contact with a nephrologist and initiation of dialysis therapy: contact time of 3 months or longer indicates early referral (ER); 1 to less than 3 months, LR; and less than 1 month, ultralate referral (ULR). RESULTS Of 460 patients (97% African Americans, 3% Hispanics), 212 patients (46%) were ULR, 168 patients (37%) were LR, and 80 patients (17%) were ER. Compared with ER and LR patients, those with ULR had significantly (P < 0.0001) lower hematocrits (23% versus 29% and 27%), serum albumin levels (3.1 versus 3.3 and 3.2 g/dL [31 versus 33 and 32 g/L]), and glomerular filtration rates (5 versus 8 and 7 mL/min/1.73 m2 [0.08 versus 0.13 and 0.12 mL/s/1.73 m2]), but greater rates of temporary dialysis catheter use (92% versus 39% and 70%) and mortality (40% versus 15% and 26%, respectively). Logistic regression analysis showed an association between mortality and homelessness (odds ratio, 3.8; P < 0.0001), polysubstance abuse (odds ratio, 2.3; P = 0.013), and alcoholism (odds ratio, 2.2; P = 0.009). Alcoholics (odds ratio, 2.5; P = 0.03), substance abusers (odds ratio, 5.5; P = 0.001), and the homeless/unemployed (odds ratio, 6.0; P = 0.004) were more likely to present as ULR cases. Patient-provided explanations for LR and ULR were denial (45%), unawareness of the presence of chronic kidney disease (30%), and economic difficulties (25%). Denial was more prevalent in LR (52%; P = 0.003) and ULR cases (39%; P = 0.003). CONCLUSION Poor socioeconomic status is a major contributor to delayed referral. More efforts need to be directed at patient and physician chronic kidney disease educational awareness and improved health care access for inner-city and minority populations.