Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RMB Internationalization and Energy Prices: Evidence for Co-integration, Causality and Interaction Relationship

RESEARCH ARTICLE RMB Internationalization and Energy Prices: Evidence for Cointegration, Causality and Interaction Relationship Fenghua Wen, Mi Deng, Yuning Cai, Cheng Peng, Eimear Zhang and Yong Tang School of Business, Hunan City University, Yiyang, Hunan 413049, China School of Business, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410083, China School of Mathematics and Statistics of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, 410083,China
Archaeological Systematics and the Study of Culture Process

Abstract It is argued that the normative theory of culture, widely held among archaeologists, is inadequate for the generation of fruitful explanatory hypotheses of cultural process. One obvious shortcoming of this theoretical position has been the development of archaeological systematics that have obviated any possibility of measuring multivariate phenomena and permit only the measurement of unspecified “cultural differences and similarities,” as if these were univariate phenomena. As an alternative to this approach, it is proposed that culture be viewed as a system composed of subsystems, and it is suggested that differences and similarities between different classes of archaeological remains reflect different subsystems and hence may be expected to vary independently of each other in the normal operation of the system or during change in the system. A general discussion of ceramic classification and the classification of differences and similarities between assemblages is presented as an example of the multivariate approach to the study of cultural variability. It is suggested that a multivariate approach in systematics will encourage the study of cultural variability and its causes and thereby enhance the study of culture process.
The Effect of a Supernumerary X Chromosome on Members of the Bar Series of Drosophila.

Studies on the bar series of Drosophila have, until the present time, been carried out entirely on flies of normal diploid chromosome constitution. The phenomena of polyploidy and heteroploidy make possible an investigation of the expression of the bar gene and its allelomorphs in flies having an aberrant chromosome complex. As a result of occasional failure of the X chromosomes to disjoin during maturation of the egg, individuals having three X chromosomes and the normal complement of autosomes may be produced. These individuals, known as superfemales, are of extremely low viability, and die a t various stages of development, rarely attaining maturity (LI 1927). L. V. MORGAN (1922) isolated a yellow stock in which the X chromosomes of the female appeared to be permanently attached. In addition to the attached X chromosomes, a Y from the father was present. It was found that occasionally the X’s disjoin, giving normal diploid daughters in which one X comes from the mother, the other from the father. When double-yellow attached-X females (9) are mated to normal males, a small percentage of superfemales may be expected among the progeny. Furthermore, as the result of infrequent disjunction of the X’s, normal diploid females are produced. Since these two classes of flies differ only in the presence or absence of an extra X chromosome, a comparison of the two affords an excellent medium for a study of the effect of a supernumerary X chromosome on the expression of any character.
Global climate change and issues related to women's health: A generalised debate

Sir, Climate change is one of the most critical global challenges of our times. The impacts of climate change range from agricultural damage, further endangering food security, to sea-level rise and the accelerated erosion of coastal zones increasing the intensity of natural disasters, species extinction, and spread of vector-borne diseases. [1] Climate change contributes to the global burden of disease also, and this is expected to grow in the future. [2] The impacts of climate change on human health will not be evenly distributed around the world; the vulnerability of a population will depend on factors such as pre-existing health status, quality and availability of public healthcare, local environmental conditions, and other socio-economic factors. [3]
A Biomechanical Evaluation of Femoroplasty Under Simulated Fall Conditions

Objectives: To test the hypotheses that, compared with controls: 1) femoroplasty (the injection of bone cement into the proximal femur in an attempt to prevent fragility fracture) increases the yield and ultimate loads, yield and ultimate energies, and stiffness of the proximal osteoporotic femur in a simulated fall model; and 2) the manner in which the cement distributes in the proximal femur affects the extent to which those mechanical properties are altered. Methods: In 10 pairs of osteoporotic human cadaveric femora, we injected one femur of each pair with 40 to 50 mL of polymethylmethacrylate bone cement; the noninjected femur served as the control. The filling percentage was calculated in four anatomic regions of the femur: head, neck, trochanter, and subtrochanter. All specimens were biomechanically tested in a configuration that simulated a fall on the greater trochanter. Student t test, linear regression, and multinomial logistic regression statistical analyses were conducted where appropriate with significant difference defined as P < 0.05. Results: Femoroplasty significantly increased yield load (22.0%), ultimate load (37.3%), yield energy (79.6%), and ultimate energy (154%) relative to matched controls but did not significantly change stiffness (-10.9%). There was a strong (r2 = 0.7) correlation between yield load and filling percentage in the femoral neck. Conclusions: This study showed that 1) femoroplasty significantly increased fracture load and energy to fracture when osteoporotic femora were loaded in simulated fall conditions, and 2) cement filling in the femoral neck may have an important role in the extent to which femoroplasty affects mechanical strength of the proximal femur.
The Effect of Angled Osteochondral Grafting on Contact Pressure

Background Flush osteochondral plugs can reduce contact pressure compared with an empty defect in the articular cartilage. However, incongruities such as graft angulation have an unknown effect. Hypothesis Incongruity of the articular cartilage after osteochondral transplantation affects articular surface contact pressure. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods An 80-N load was applied with a material testing system for 120 seconds to the femoral condyles of 50 fresh swine knees. Contact pressures were measured using Prescale super low film. Five conditions were tested: (1) intact articular surface; (2) surface with 4.5-mm-diameter circular defect; (3) defect grafted with a flush 4.5-mm-diameter plug from the contralateral condyle; (4) defect grafted with a 30 ° angled 4.5-mm-diameter plug, with lower edge flush (tip elevated with respect to the adjacent surface); and (5) defect grafted with a 30 ° plug, with tip flush to the adjacent surface (lower edge sunk). Angled grafts were obtained using a rotational bearing vise aligned with a 30 ° fixed-angle track. The film was digitally scanned and analyzed, and standard statistical tests were performed. Results Mean peak pressures of intact cartilage (8.57 kg/cm2), flush graft (9.81 kg/cm2), and sunk and angled graft (9.15 kg/cm2) were not significantly different (P <. 5). The mean pressures for defects (12.01 kg/cm2) and the elevated angled graft (14.50 kg/cm2) were significantly (P <. 05) higher than that of intact cartilage. Clinical Relevance Slightly sunk grafts were still able to reduce elevated contact pressures to normal levels. However, elevated angled grafts increased contact pressure. These results suggest that it is preferable to leave an edge slightly sunk rather than elevated.
Domestic Cat Predation on Wildlife

1. A questionnaire survey of the numbers of animals brought home by domestic cats Felis catus was conducted between 1st April and 31st August 1997. A total of 14370 prey items were brought home by 986 cats living in 618 households. Mammals made up 69% of the items, birds 24%, amphibians 4%, reptiles 1%, fish <1%, invertebrates 1% and unidentified items 1%. A minimum of 44 species of wild bird, 20 species of wild mammal, 3 species of reptile and 3 species of amphibian were recorded. 2. Of a sample of 696 individual cats, 634 (91%) brought home at least one item and the back-transformed mean number of items brought home by was 11.3 (95% CI 10.412.2). The back-transformed means and number of cats retrieving at least one item from each prey group were: 8.1 (7.4-8.9) mammals for 547 (79%) cats, 4.1 (3.8-4.5) birds for 506 (73%) cats, 2.6 (1.8-2.7) herpetofauna for 145 (21%) cats and 2.2 (1.8-2.7) other items for 98 (14%) cats. 3. The number of birds and herpetofauna brought home per cat was significantly lower in households that provided food for birds. The number of bird species brought home was greater in households providing bird food. The number of birds and herpetofauna brought home per cat was negatively related to the age and condition of the cat. The number of mammals brought home per cat was significantly lower when cats were equipped with bells and when they were kept indoors at night. The number of herpetofauna brought home was significantly greater when cats were kept in at night. 4. Based on the proportion of cats bringing home at least one prey item and the backtransformed means, a British population of approximately 9 million cats was estimated to have brought home in the order of 92 (85-100) million prey items in the period of this survey, including 57 (52-63) million mammals, 27 (25-29) million birds and 5 (4-6) million reptiles and amphibians. 5. An experimental approach should be taken to investigate the factors found by this descriptive survey to influence the numbers of prey brought home by cats. In particular, investigation of potential management practices that could reduce the numbers of wild animals killed and brought home by cats will be useful for wildlife conservation, particularly in suburban areas.
Near-Optimal Design of Experiments via Regret Minimization

We consider computationally tractable methods for the experimental design problem, where k out of n design points of dimension p are selected so that certain optimality criteria are approximately satisfied. Our algorithm finds a (1 + ε)approximate optimal design when k is a linear function of p; in contrast, existing results require k to be super-linear in p. Our algorithm also handles all popular optimality criteria, while existing ones only handle one or two such criteria. Numerical results on synthetic and real-world design problems verify the practical effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Determinants that govern the recognition and uptake of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 by Acanthamoeba castellanii

Predation by phagocytic predators is a major source of bacterial mortality. The first steps in protozoan predation are recognition and consumption of their bacterial prey. However, the precise mechanisms governing prey recognition and phagocytosis by protists, and the identities of the molecular and cellular factors involved in these processes are, as yet, ill‐characterized. Here, we show that that the ability of the phagocytic bacterivorous amoebae, Acanthamoeba castellanii, to recognize and internalize Escherichia coli, a bacterial prey, varies with LPS structure and composition. The presence of an O‐antigen carbohydrate is not required for uptake of E. coli by A. castellanii. However, O1‐antigen types, not O157 O‐antigen types, inhibit recognition and uptake of bacteria by amoeba. This finding implies that O‐antigen may function as an antipredator defence molecule. Recognition and uptake of E. coli by A. castellanii is mediated by the interaction of mannose‐binding protein located on amoebae's surface with LPS carbohydrate. Phagocytic mammalian cells also use mannose‐binding lectins to recognize and/or mediate phagocytosis of E. coli. Nonetheless, A. castellanii's mannose binding protein apparently displays no sequence similarity with any known metazoan mannose binding protein. Hence, the similarity in bacterial recognition mechanisms of amoebae and mammalian phagocytes may be a result of convergent evolution.
The effects of different air velocities on heat storage and body temperature in humans cycling in a hot, humid environment.

AIM The purposes of this study were to determine (i) the effects of different facing air velocities on body temperature and heat storage during exercise in hot environmental conditions and (ii) the effects of ingesting fluids at two different rates on thermoregulation during exercise in hot conditions with higher air velocities. METHODS On five occasions nine subjects cycled for 2 h at 33.0 +/- 0.4 degrees C with a relative humidity of 59 +/- 3%. Air velocity was maintained at 0.2 km h(-1) (0 WS), 9.9 +/- 0.3 km h(-1) (10 WS), 33.3 +/-2.2 km h(-1) (100 WS) and 50.1 +/- 3.2 km h(-1) (150 WS) while subjects replaced 58.8 +/- 6.8% of sweat losses. In the fifth condition, air velocity was maintained at 33.7 +/- 2.2 km h(-1) and subjects replaced 80.0 +/- 6.8% of sweat losses (100.80 WS). RESULTS Heat storage, body temperature and rating of perceived exertion were higher in 0 and 10 WS compared with all other conditions. There were no differences in any measured variable between 100 and 150 WS, or between 100 and 100.80 WS. Thus, the evaporative capacity of the environment is increased with higher air velocities, reducing heat storage and body temperature. At higher air velocities, a higher rate of fluid ingestion did not influence heat storage, body temperature or sweat rate. CONCLUSION The finding of previous laboratory studies showing a beneficial effect of high rates of fluid ingestion on thermoregulation during exercise in hot, humid, windstill conditions cannot be extrapolated to out-of-doors exercise in which facing air velocities are seldom lower than the athlete's rate of forward progression.
Sample size and power calculations for correlations between bivariate longitudinal data

The analysis of a baseline predictor with a longitudinally measured outcome is well established and sample size calculations are reasonably well understood. Analysis of bivariate longitudinally measured outcomes is gaining in popularity and methods to address design issues are required. The focus in a random effects model for bivariate longitudinal outcomes is on the correlations that arise between the random effects and between the bivariate residuals. In the bivariate random effects model, we estimate the asymptotic variances of the correlations and we propose power calculations for testing and estimating the correlations. We compare asymptotic variance estimates to variance estimates obtained from simulation studies and compare our proposed power calculations for correlations on bivariate longitudinal data to power calculations for correlations on cross‐sectional data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Serum‐free scaled up expansion and differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells to osteoblasts in suspension bioreactors

The use of embryonic stem cell (ESC) derived cells has emerged as a potential alternative treatment for a number of degenerative diseases, including musculoskeletal diseases. Conventional ESC culturing methods use fetal bovine serum (FBS) as a major supplemental component of culture media, which is undesirable for clinical applications. These cultures are usually performed in small‐scale static vessels (gelatin‐coated dishes), which limit the number of cells that can be generated. It is essential to develop effective, reproducible protocols for efficient scalable production of ESC‐derived cells. Here we present serum‐free bioreactor protocols for (1) expansion and (2) differentiation of embryonic stem cells to osteoblasts. Cultivation of mESCs in serum‐free media, supplemented with 15% knockout serum replacement (KSR) resulted in a 27.1‐ and 48.6‐fold expansion in static culture and suspension respectively by day 5 of culture. Further induction to osteoblasts with a differentiation cocktail was verified by up‐regulation of osterix and osteocalcin. Mineralization was also enhanced, as indicated by an increase in the calcium deposition by osteogenic cells by day 28. These results will serve as the basis for developing protocols with human ESCs as a new treatment alternative for musculoskeletal diseases. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;106: 829–840. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Energy efficient cache invalidation in wireless mobile environment

Caching at a mobile client can enhance the performance of wireless data dissemination. A cache invalidation strategy is needed to ensure that the data items cached by a client are consistent with those stored on the server. The basic cache invalidation strategy is the use of periodic invalidation reports (IRs) broadcast by the server. IR based strategies have been further improved by using additional updated invalidation reports (UIRs) to reduce the long query latency. The paper presents a stateful synchronous caching strategy that preserves the advantages of existing strategies and improves on their disadvantages. Simulation results prove that our strategy yields better performance than IR and UIR based strategies for most of the simulation parameters, such as query latency, disconnection overhead, bandwidth utilization and energy consumption.
Nerve growth factor activates Thy‐1 and neurofilament gene transcription in rat PC12 cells

The effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on the expression of neurofilament and Thy‐1 genes in rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells was examined at both the transcriptional and post‐transcriptional levels. Addition of NGF to cultured PC12 cells produced increases in mRNAs corresponding to the 68 kd neurofilament protein (NF68) and the Thy‐1 glycoprotein within 24 h, with maximal effects of some 90‐ and 45‐fold stimulation (relative to β‐actin mRNA) being observed after 12 and 4 days of treatment, respectively. In addition, transcriptional run‐off analyses using isolated nuclei showed that NGF treatment resulted directly in 8‐ and 4‐fold increases in the rate of NF68 and Thy‐1 gene transcription. These gene activation events were independent of overt morphological differentiation of PC12 cells occurring both under conditions permissive and non‐permissive for neurite outgrowth, and once established the new molecular phenotype was dependent upon the continued presence of NGF. This is the first molecular evidence for the reversible activation of neuron‐specific genes during NGF‐induced differentiation in PC12 cells.
Bridging thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair for a late rupture following aortic coarctation angioplasty

Abstract Introduction Thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair has been employed to treat late complications after aortic coarctation correction. However, its use in children has seldomly been reported. Case report We present the case of a 15-year-old child who presented with a ruptured aneurysm of the descending aorta complicated later by an aortic-oesophageal fistula following aortic coarctation stenting that was managed with multiple bridging endovascular interventions until a definitive repair was performed. Conclusion Thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair may be used successfully as a bridging intervention to a definitive repair in children with life-threatening aortic complications following aortic coarctation repair.
Electrospun fibers as a scaffolding platform for bone tissue repair

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of electrospun fiber diameter and orientation on differentiation and ECM organization of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs), in attempt to provide rationale for fabrication of a periosteum mimetic for bone defect repair. Cellular growth, differentiation, and ECM organization were analyzed on PLGA‐based random and aligned fibers using fluorescent microscopy, gene analyses, electron scanning microscopy (SEM), and multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM). BMSCs on aligned fibers had a reduced number of ALP+ colony at Day 10 as compared to the random fibers of the same size. However, the ALP+ area in the aligned fibers increased to a similar level as the random fibers at Day 21 following stimulation with osteogenic media. Compared with the random fibers, BMSCs on the aligned fibers showed a higher expression of OSX and RUNX2. Analyses of ECM on decellularized spun fibers showed highly organized ECM arranged according to the orientation of the spun fibers, with a broad size distribution of collagen fibers in a range of 40–2.4 μm. Taken together, our data support the use of submicron‐sized electrospun fibers for engineering of oriented fibrous tissue mimetic, such as periosteum, for guided bone repair and reconstruction. © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 31:1382–1389, 2013
Glaucoma An Investigation of Lateral Geniculate Nucleus Volume in Patients With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Using 7 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Citation: Lee JY, Jeong HJ, Lee JH, et al. An investigation of lateral geniculate nucleus volume in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma using 7 tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2014;55:3468–3476. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.14-13902 PURPOSE. To investigate lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) volume of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients compared with ageand sex-matched controls using ultra-high field 7.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Studies on Fault-tolerant Broadcast and Secure Computation

In this dissertation, we consider the design of broadcast and secure multi-party computation (MPC) protocols in the presence of adversarial faults. Secure multi-party computation is the most generic problem in fault-tolerant distributed computing. In principle, a multi-party computation protocol can be used to solve any distributed cryptographic problem. Informally, the problem of multi-party computation is the following: suppose we have n parties P1, P2,…, Pn where each party Pi has a private input xi. Together, the parties want to compute a function of their inputs (y1, y2,…, yn) = f(x1,x2,…, xn). However, some parties can be corrupted and do not execute a prescribed protocol faithfully. Even worse, they may be controlled by an adversary and attack the protocol in a coordinated manner. Despite the presence of such an adversary, a secure MPC protocol should ensure that each (corrupted) party Pi learn only its output yi but nothing more. Broadcast in the presence of adversarial faults is one of the simplest special cases of multi-party computation and important component of larger protocols. In short, broadcast allows a party to send the same message to all parties, and all parties to be assured they have received identical messages. The contribution of this dissertation is twofold. First, we construct broadcast and secure multi-party computation protocols for honest majority in a point-to-point network whose round complexities improve significantly upon prior work. In particular, we give the first expected constant-round authenticated broadcast protocol for honest majority assuming only public-key infrastructure and signatures. Second, we initiate the study of broadcast in radio networks in the presence of adversarial faults. In radio networks, parties communicate through multicasting messages; a message can only be received by the parties within some radius from the sender. Feasibility and impossibility results are given, and our bounds are tight.