Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trend Inflation in Advanced Economies

We derive estimates of trend inflation for fourteen advanced economies from a framework in which trend shocks exhibit stochastic volatility. The estimated specification allows for time-variation in the degree to which longer-term inflation expectations are well anchored in each economy. Our results bring out the effect of changes in monetary regime (such as the adoption of inflation targeting in several countries) on the behavior of trend inflation. Our estimates expand on the previous literature in several dimensions: For each country, we employ a multivariate approach that pools different inflation series in order to identify their common trend. In addition, our estimates of the inflation gap? defined as the difference between trend and observed inflation? are allowed to exhibit considerable persistence. Consequently, the fluctuations in estimates of trend inflation are much lower than those reported in studies that use stochastic volatility models in which inflation gaps are serially uncorrelated. This specification also makes our estimates less sensitive than trend estimates in the literature to the effect of distortions to inflation arising from non-market influences on prices, such as tax changes. A forecast evaluation based on pseudo-real-time estimates documents improvements in inflation forecasts, even though it remains hard to outperform simple random walk forecasts to a statistically significant degree.
Comparing clinical outcomes for a twelve-month trial of zotarolimus- and everolimus-eluting stents in patients with coronary artery disease: data from the THCRIC registry

Objectives: New-generation coronary stents including zotarolimus- and everolimus-eluting stents (ZES and EES) have been shown to decrease the risk of restenosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety and efficacy of ZES and EES over a 12-month clinical follow up, in routine clinical practice. Methods: This is an observational study in which 1029 consecutive patients treated with ZES (n = 669) or EES (n = 360) were enrolled. The study endpoint was major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and target lesion or vessel revascularization at 12 months. Results: Follow up was completed among 94.9% of the patients. The overall MACE occurred in 4 (0.6%) and 7 (2.0%) patients in the ZES and EES group, respectively. The occurrence of other cardiac events including nonfatal MI and target vessel or lesion revascularization was 1 (0.2%) versus 1 (0.3%) and 7 (1.1%) versus 5 (1.4%), respectively, in the ZES and EES groups of patients. Despite a slightly lower rate of MACE and cardiac death in the ZES group, the difference between these two groups was not significant (n = 0.064 for overall MACE, p = 0.129 for cardiac mortality, n = 0.999 for nonfatal MI, n = 0.468 for target vessel and n = 0.999 for target lesion revascularization). Conclusions: According to our results, it could be concluded that the difference in the rate of MACE between the ZES and EES groups was not statistically significant at 12-month follow up.
Flexible Impedance Sensor for In-Line Monitoring of Water and Beverages

A safety impedance micro-sensor based on flexible electrodes for continuous monitoring of the surface cleanness of pipes of small diameter (down to few mm) handling drinkable fluids is presented. It allows discrimination between biofilm and limescaling, grants high resolution (few µm in thickness) and enables early warning and predictive (closed-loop) maintenance. It is coupled with a temperature and fluid conductivity probes in order to calibrate for their fluctuations. The current prototypal electronics, measuring impedance in the MHz range, can be scaled towards low-cost and low-power pervasive implementations. Preliminary experimental results showing the consistence with non-curved geometries are presented.
Role of histone tails in the conformation and interactions of nucleosome core particles.

The goal of this work was to test the role of the histone tails in the emergence of attractive interactions between nucleosomes above a critical salt concentration that corresponds to the complete tail extension outside the nucleosome [Mangenot, S. , et al (2002) Biophys. J. 82, 345-356; Mangenot, S. , et al (2002) Eur. Phys. J. E 7, 221-231]. Small angle X-ray scattering experiments were performed in parallel with intact and trypsin tail-deleted nucleosomes with 146 +/- 3 bp DNA. We varied the monovalent salt concentration from 10 to 300 monovalent salt concentration and followed the evolution of (i) the second virial coefficient that characterizes the interactions between particles and (ii) the conformation of the particle. The attractive interactions do not emerge in the absence of the tails, which validates the proposed hypothesis.
Overreaction to Policy Changes in the Housing Market: Evidence from Shanghai

With the data of housing transaction records of Shanghai during 2004-2015, this paper comprehensively analyzes the housing market in this metropolis, and pays special attention to the market dynamics related to the frequent policy changes. We focus on the secondary market, and build repeat sales indexes. Then the AR(1)-GARCH(1,1) model is applied to estimate the weight of housing consumption incentives relative to investment incentives. It turns out that the overall market features strong consumption incentives, especially in the suburb area. Moreover, the market tends to overreact to policy changes. Compared with the suburb area, downtown features more investment incentives, lower returns and volatility, and less overreaction to policy changes. We infer that long-term investors overreact less than consumers. Finally, the purchase restriction policy and the issue of non-local buyers are discussed.
Performance of the 2011 ACR/EULAR preliminary remission criteria compared with DAS28 remission in unselected patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objective To compare the performance of the preliminary American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) remission criteria with the 28-joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28) remission in unselected ‘real-life’ patients. Methods Remission was calculated according to the DAS28 and to both versions of the ACR/EULAR criteria (Boolean or Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI)-based) for 6864 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were enrolled in the national database of the German Collaborative Arthritis Centres between 2007 and 2009. Logistic regression analyses identified factors that were responsible for patients in DAS28 remission to miss the new criteria. In addition, the functional status of patients who fulfilled the different remission criteria was compared with that of an age- and sex-matched population sample. Results Of all patients, 28% were in DAS28, 7% in Boolean and 11% in SDAI remission. Of those in DAS28 remission, 21.0% were also in Boolean and 34% also in SDAI remission. Higher scores for pain and fatigue, the presence of degenerative spine disease, longer disease duration and male gender were significantly associated with missing the new criteria despite being in DAS28 remission. Compared with age- and sex-matched samples from the general population, patients in DAS28 remission had a similar functional ability while patients in remission according to the new criteria had better functional scores. Conclusions Patients fulfilling the new remission criteria tend to be not only free from active RA, but also from other disabling diseases. If these criteria are applied in clinical practice to guide treatment decisions, the impact of comorbidity should be taken into account.
Central Action of Insulin Regulates Pulsatile Luteinizing Hormone Secretion in the Diabetic Sheep Model1

Abstract This study tested the hypothesis that central mechanisms regulating luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion are responsive to insulin. Our approach was to infuse insulin into the lateral ventricle of six streptozotocin-induced diabetic sheep in an amount that is normally present in the CSF when LH secretion is maintained by peripheral insulin administration. In the first experiment, we monitored cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) insulin concentrations every 3–5 h in four diabetic sheep given insulin by peripheral injection (30 IU). The insulin concentration in the CSF was increased after insulin injection, and there was a positive relationship between CSF and plasma concentrations of insulin (r = 0.80, P < 0.01). In the second experiment, peripheral insulin administration was discontinued, and the sheep received either an intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of insulin (12 mU/day in 2.4 ml saline) or saline (2.4 ml/day) for 5 days (n = 6) in a crossover design. The dose of insulin (i.c.v.) was calculated to approximate the increase in CSF insulin concentration found after peripheral insulin treatment. To monitor LH secretory patterns, blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture at 10-min intervals for 4 h on the day before and 5 days after the start of i.c. v. insulin infusion. To monitor the increase in CSF insulin concentrations, a single CSF sample was collected one and four days after the start of the central infusion. The i.c. v. insulin infusion increased CSF insulin concentrations above those in saline-treated animals (P < 0.05) and maintained them at or above the peak levels achieved after peripheral insulin treatment. Central insulin infusion did not affect peripheral (plasma) insulin or glucose concentrations. LH pulse frequency in insulin-treated animals was greater than that in saline-treated animals (3.5 ± 0.2 vs. 2.3 ± 0.3 pulses/4 h, P < 0.01), but it was less than that during peripheral insulin treatment (4.8 ± 0.2 pulses/4 h, P < 0.01). Our findings suggest that physiologic levels of central insulin supplementation are able to increase pulsatile LH secretion in diabetic sheep with low peripheral insulin. These results are consistent with the notion that central insulin plays a role in regulating pulsatile GnRH secretion.
Prediction of Slope Failures in Support of Forestry Operations Safety

This study produces a slope failure susceptibility map for evaluation of the Caspian Forest for its capacity to support road construction and timber harvesting. Fifteen data layers were used as slope failure conditioning factors, and an inventory map of recent failures was used to detect the most susceptible areas. Five different datasets of conditioning factors were constructed to compare the efficiency of one over the other in susceptibility assessment. Slope failure susceptibility maps were produced using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy interface system (ANFIS) and geographical information system (GIS). The accuracy of the maps was then evaluated by the area under curve (AUC). The validation results suggest that the ANFIS model with input conditioning factors of slope degree, slope aspect, altitude, and lithology performed the best (AUC=83.74%) among the various ANFIS models explored here. The five ANFIS models have performed reasonably well, and the maps allow development of prudent hazard mitigation plans for the safety in forestry operations.
Evidence for partial melt in the crust beneath Mt. Paektu (Changbaishan), Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and China

Magma beneath Mt. Paektu may be associated with an episode of volcanic unrest that occurred between 2002 and 2005. Mt. Paektu (also known as Changbaishan) is an enigmatic volcano on the border between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and China. Despite being responsible for one of the largest eruptions in history, comparatively little is known about its magmatic evolution, geochronology, or underlying structure. We present receiver function results from an unprecedented seismic deployment in the DPRK. These are the first estimates of the crustal structure on the DPRK side of the volcano and, indeed, for anywhere beneath the DPRK. The crust 60 km from the volcano has a thickness of 35 km and a bulk VP/VS of 1.76, similar to that of the Sino-Korean craton. The VP/VS ratio increases ~20 km from the volcano, rising to >1.87 directly beneath the volcano. This shows that a large region of the crust has been modified by magmatism associated with the volcanism. Such high values of VP/VS suggest that partial melt is present in the crust beneath Mt. Paektu. This region of melt represents a potential source for magmas erupted in the last few thousand years and may be associated with an episode of volcanic unrest observed between 2002 and 2005.
Fine needle aspiration cytology versus frozen section in branchial cleft cysts.

BACKGROUND Branchial cleft cysts occur because of a failure of involution of the second branchial cleft. However, as well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma can mimic branchial cleft cysts, there is a lack of consensus on the appropriate management of cystic neck lumps. OBJECTIVE To report our experience of fine needle aspiration cytology and frozen section examination in the management of cystic neck lumps. METHOD Retrospective case note review of patients managed in the Southern General Hospital, Scotland, UK. RESULTS The sensitivity of fine needle aspiration cytology and frozen section for detecting branchial cleft cysts was 75 per cent and 100 per cent respectively. Two patients who did not undergo intra-operative frozen section examination were either over- or under-treated, which is discussed. CONCLUSION Adult patients subjected to surgical excision of a suspected branchial cyst should undergo intra-operative frozen section analysis regardless of clinical suspicion for malignancy. This part of management is critical to ensure patients are offered appropriate treatment.
Intercontinental distribution of a new trypanosome species from Australian endemic Regent Honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia)

SUMMARY Establishing a health screening protocol is fundamental for successful captive breeding and release of wildlife. The aim of this study was to undertake a parasitological survey focusing on the presence of trypanosomes in a cohort of Regent Honeyeaters, Anthochaera phrygia, syn. Xanthomyza phrygia (Aves: Passeriformes) that are part of the breeding and reintroduction programme carried out in Australia. We describe a new blood parasite, Trypanosoma thomasbancrofti sp. n. (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) with prevalence of 24·4% (20/81) in a captive population in 2015. The sequence of the small subunit rRNA gene (SSU rDNA) and kinetoplast ultrastructure of T. thomasbancrofti sp. n. are the key differentiating characteristics from other Trypanosoma spp. T. thomasbancrofti sp. n. is distinct from Trypanosoma cf. avium found in sympatric Noisy Miners (Manorina melanocephala). The SSU rDNA comparison suggests an intercontinental distribution of T. thomasbancrofti sp. n. and Culex mosquitoes as a suspected vector. Currently, no information exists on the effect of T. thomasbancrofti sp. n. on its hosts; however, all trypanosome-positive birds remain clinically healthy. This information is useful in establishing baseline health data and screening protocols, particularly prior to release to the wild.
Treatment of Sydenham's Chorea with Intravenous Immunoglobulin, Plasma Exchange, or Prednisone

Sydenham's chorea has been established as a postinfectious autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder. Corticosteroids have been used to treat patients with severe disease but are not always effective, and relapses are frequent after cessation. Eighteen subjects were entered into this randomized-entry controlled trial designed to determine if intravenous immunoglobulin or plasma exchange would be superior to prednisone in decreasing the severity of chorea. Mean chorea severity for the entire group was significantly lower at the 1-month follow-up evaluation (overall 48% improvement). Although the between-group differences were not statistically significant, clinical improvements appeared to be more rapid and robust in the intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange groups than in the prednisone group (mean chorea severity scores decreased by 72% in the intravenous immunoglobulin group, 50% in the plasma exchange group, and 29% in the prednisone group). Larger studies are required to confirm these clinical observations and to determine if these treatments are cost-effective for this disorder. (J Child Neurol 2005;20:424—429).
Way Station or Launching Pad? Unpacking the Returns to Postsecondary Adult Education

We estimate near-term returns to postsecondary diplomas, certificates, and associate's degrees awarded to adult students by Tennessee community colleges and public technology centers. We find that sub-baccalaureate credentials increase access to new industries, particularly health, and that changing industries explains 20 percent of the returns to postsecondary diplomas, 58 percent of the returns to associate's degrees, and at least 72 percent of the return to certificates. Benefits do not appear to be limited to the signal value of completion: students who leave without a credential realize wage gains over matched non-students with a similar history of earnings.
‘Do you ride horses?’: discursive constructions of Chinese minority ‘Mongolian university students’ subjectivities

The idea of what it means to be a Chinese minority ‘Mongolian university student’ is usually explored in Chinese academic scholarship and educational practice within essentialist discourses. This approach not only stereotypes students as being ‘backward’, ‘underachieving’, ‘disruptive’, ‘powerless’ and with ‘low’ intelligence, but adopts a perspective that the researcher is the “author of knowledge” (St. Pierre, 2000, p. 494) whose detached observation and rational mind provide unmediated access to students’ lives. In this ethnographic study, utilizing poststructuralist perspectives and drawing upon the analytic framework of Foucauldian discourse analysis and category boundary work, I explore the multiple, fluid and heterogeneous ways in which ‘Mongolian university students’ subjectivities are variably enacted, validated, contested or rearticulated in the continuous constitutive practices of category boundary work – maintaining, reinforcing, contracting and challenging category boundaries. It is a perspective that sees ‘Mongolian university students’ as the discursive category and in within/against which subjectivities are constantly enacted and contested in the process of discursive inclusion and exclusion. I focus on how ‘Mongolian university students’ negotiate the category’s boundaries and what subject positions are available. Through emphasizing the strategic negotiation of multiple and shifting subject positions, I aim to disrupt the notion of ‘prejudice reduction’ (Banks, 2004) in multicultural education which aims to “help students develop positive racial attitude and values” (p. 5). I argue that this understanding of ‘prejudice reduction’ not only essentializes ‘minority students’ as single, fixed and stable attributes, but perpetuates the stereotypical representation of them. I argue for using Petersen’s (2004, 2007) concept of category boundary work to denaturalize and defamiliarize normative constructions of ‘minority students’ subjectivities. Such a denaturalizing act brings into light how discourses are utilized to make certain knowledge legitimized and what discourses are mobilized to constitute conditions of possibilities of certain subjects. Therefore, my study contributes to the poststructuralist problematisation of the conventional wisdom of essentializing discourses prevailed in minority education and social science research and opens up a promising space for future research to explore how meanings are discursively enacted and contested.
“Left Arm Up!” Interactive Yoga training in virtual environment

The paper describes a Yoga training system that is built based on motion replication technique (MoRep), including hardware, virtual scenario and feedback design. The motion replication technique proposed here can determine the similarity between Yoga master and student's postures and then provide feedback on the incorrect body posture of the student through multimodal channels. The key innovations of this project are also discussed.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation of Solid-Rotor Synchronous Machine Parameters from SSFR Test Data

The fidelity of synchronous machine models is affected by the proposed model structures, the quality of the experimental data used to identify the model's parameters, and the robustness of the estimation technique. This paper presents an approach to study the effect of noise on the estimated parameters. The robustness requirement specifies that the estimation technique should require a minimum a priori knowledge of the initial values of the parameters. Also, the estimation algorithm should not be affected by noise that is present in experimental data. These two issues can be dealt with effectively using maximum likelihood (ML) estimation, as proposed in this paper. In the companion paper [1], it was established that multiple parameter sets will be obtained when transfer functions of a solid rotor synchronous machine are estimated from noise-corrupted, frequency-domain data and then, the machine parameters are computed from the estimated machine transfer functions; time constants. Moreover, the estimated machine parameters are very sensitive to the value of the armature resistance used in the study. In this paper, a time-domain identification technique is used to estimate machine parameters. The objective is to show that the multiple solution set problem encountered in the frequency response technique can be eliminated if the time-domain estimation technique is used. For this purpose, the time-domain data are generated from the d - q axis transfer functions estimated for the SSFR test data. The maximum likelihood (ML) estimation technique is then used to estimate the machine parameters.
Cytokine levels in serum and synovial fluid of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE Cytokines play an important role in mediating inflammation and in regulating the immune response of many rheumatological diseases. In patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), levels of 6 cytokines, interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-2, IL-2 receptor (IL-2R), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) were measured in serum and synovial fluid (SF) in an effort to evaluate their significance. METHODS Serum concentrations of the 6 cytokines were measured in 62 patients with JRA including 22 pauciarticular onset, 26 polyarticular onset, and 14 systemic onset patients, and 29 disease and healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assays (ELISA). Seventeen SF from patients with JRA were examined for cytokine levels. RESULTS Elevated serum levels of IL-2R were found in patients with systemic onset and elevated IL-2 levels in pauciarticular and polyarticular onset JRA as compared to controls. Pauciarticular and polyarticular onset patients also had elevated IL-1 alpha and IL-6 levels. There were no statistical differences found between the groups for TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta. SF revealed elevated levels of IL-1 beta, IL-2R, and IL-6; however, correlation was noted between serum and SF levels only for IL-1 alpha, not for the other cytokines. Mean serum levels of IL-2R in all onset types with active disease and IL-6 levels in active polyarticular and pauciarticular onset were elevated when compared with mean inactive levels. CONCLUSION Our studies indicate that (1) IL-1 alpha, IL-2, IL-2R, and IL-6 levels are increased in serum of patients with JRA with different onset types; (2) elevated levels of IL-1 beta, IL-2R, and IL-6 are found in their SF compared to serum levels; (3) a correlation exists between serum and SF levels only for IL-1 alpha; (4) mean IL-2R levels are elevated with active disease in all onset types and mean IL-6 levels with active polyarticular and pauciarticular onset disease are elevated compared to mean levels of inactive patients; and (5) cytokines may thus play a role as inflammatory mediators in JRA.