Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Point of View Clustering the U.S. Real Estate Markets

Executive Summary. Articulating a regional investment strategy poses challenges for real estate portfolio managers. This paper offers a way of collapsing the many US metros into eight clusters, taking into account the dominance of a few large metros, economic similarities and geographic proximity. Through cluster analysis, we used the relative similarities of metros to group them. Our approach involved identifying many socio-economic indexes for each market; concentrating the information in the indexes into a few blended indexes by using principal component analysis; and generating clusters based on correspondence to the reduced set of indexes. The results are simple, intuitive and effective for diversification, market targeting and benchmark exercises.
Ein simulationsbasierter Ansatz für die stochastische Modellierung des Reserverisikos in der Kalenderjahressicht

Next to premium risk, reserve risk is an essential part of underwriting risk for property and casualty insurers. Up to now, the literature on non-life reserve risk for the most part only considered an ultimative point of view, which means that the reserve risk uncertainty would be quantified up to final settlement. In the context of the new Solvency II project, as well as against the background of internal models in a several year context, for now an intensified discussion about a one-year horizon has occurred. Thereby, the reserve risk uncertainty would only be quantified up to a one-year claims development result. In this paper we would like to present a simulation method, called stochastic Re-Reserving for modelling the reserve risk on a yearly basis. In addition to that, we would like to make a paradigmatic comparison between stochastic Re-Reserving and an analytical approach, called claims development result method (see Merz and Wuethrich 2007). __________________ Christian Kraus Institut für Versicherungswissenschaften, Helmholtzstrasse 22 D-89081 Ulm Tel. : +49-731-50-31181, Fax: +49-731-50-31188, Mail: christian.kraus@uni-ulm.de Dr. Dorothea Diers Provinzial NordWest Holding AG, Provinzial-Allee 1 D-48131 Münster Tel. : +49-251-219-2994, Fax: +49-251-219-2437, Mail: dorothea.diers@provinzial.de
Comparison of a Sensorized Garment and Activity Trackers with a Mobile Ergospirometry System Concerning Energy Expenditure

Energy expenditure is an important parameter during the performance of physical activity. An algorithm is presented calculating the burnt calories by three given parameters: heart rate, respiration rate and movement. These three vital parameters are provided by the FitnessSHIRT system which was developed by the Fraunhofer IIS. A study was performed to compare the calculated values of the energy expenditure with a reference system based on ergospirometry, an on-body monitoring system and two commercially available activity trackers. Compared to the reference system the developed algorithm, based on the parameters derived by the FitnessSHIRT, reaches a deviation of 18.0 % during running and 18.9 % during cycling.
Fault prognosis based on fault reconstruction: Application to a mechatronic system

The fault prognosis method developed in this work has a horizontal structure, and aims the estimate the RUL by the reconstruction of the fault trend after detecting the degradation beginning. The diagnosis part is realized using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the fault reconstruction is done using the fault direction matrix, and the RUL is estimated using an Auto-Regressive Recurrent Radial Based Function (ARRRBF) neural network. The developed method is implemented on a mechatronic system dedicated to the prognosis, which offers the possibility of introducing gradual and controlled degradations.
Investigations on phosphorus recovery and reuse as soil amendment from electric arc furnace slag filters

Electric arc furnace (EAF) steel slag has been identified as an effective filter material for the removal of phosphorus (P) from both point and non-point sources. To determine the feasibility of land-applying P saturated EAF steel slag this study was undertaken to investigate (i) saturated EAF steel slag material's potential as a P fertilizer or soil amendment and (ii) P desorption and metals leachate from saturated EAF steel slag material to surface runoff. Medicago sativa (alfalfa) was planted in a nutrient depleted washed sand media. Phosphorus was added either as saturated EAF steel slag or as a standard commercial phosphate fertilizer in order to assess the plant availability of the P from saturated EAF steel slag. Four different P application levels were tested: a low (20 lbs acre furrow slice−1 (5.5 g P m−3)) two medium (40 and 60 lbs. acre f.s.−1 (11 and 16.5 g P m−3)) and a high (120 lbs. acre f.s.−1 (33 g P m−3)). The above-ground biomass of half of the plants was harvested after 5 weeks and the second half at 10 weeks. All treatments regardless of the P source used showed high rates of germination. At the first harvest period (5 weeks) significantly higher above-ground biomass (p < 0.01) was seen at the 3 highest P amendment rates in treatments with triple super phosphate fertilizer (TSP) than with EAF steel slag. However, by the second harvest (10 weeks) only the highest amendment rate of TSP showed a significantly higher amount of biomass (p < 0.01), suggesting that EAF steel slag might be an effective slow release P source. In a second experiment, a rain simulator was used to assess desorption of DRP, TP and metals from a saturated and semi-saturated EAF steel slag. The results revealed that the total amounts of DRP and TP released to surface runoff from EAF steel slag were negligible when compared to the total quantities of P retained by this material. Overall the results from this study demonstrated that once the EAF steel slag filter reaches its saturation point, the material could be re-used as soil amendment for the slow release of bioavailable P with minimal risk for loss of P to surface runoff, bringing further benefits to the environment.
Thermanaeromonas burensis sp. nov., a thermophilic anaerobe isolated from a subterranean clay environment.

A strictly anaerobic, thermophilic and halotolerant strain, designated IA106T, was isolated from the seepage water collected in a metal biocorrosion test at a depth of 490 m, in a 130-160 m thick, subterranean Callovo-Oxfordian clay formation (158-152 million years old) in northern France. This geological formation has been selected as the potential host rock for the French high-level nuclear waste repository. Cells of strain IA106T stained Gram-positive and were non-motile, spore-forming, straight rods (0.5 × 2-6 μm). The five major fatty acids were C16 : 0 (15.9 %), C18 : 0 (15.4 %), iso-C17 : 1 I and/or anteiso-C17 : 1 B(14.8 %), iso-C17 : 0 (14.7 %) and iso-C15 : 0 (13.0 %). Growth was observed at temperatures ranging from 55 to 70 °C and at pH 5.5-9. The salinity range for growth was 0-20 g NaCl 1- 1. Yeast extract was required for growth. Strain IA106T was able to grow on lactate and various sugars in the presence of thiosulfate as electron acceptor. Sulfate, sulfite, elemental sulfur, fumarate, nitrate and nitrite were not reduced. The DNA G+C content was 60.2 mol%. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain IA106T belonged to the family Thermoanaerobacteraceae, class Clostridia, phylum Firmicutes, and was most closely related to Thermanaeromonas toyohensis DSM 14490T (95.16 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons and physiological characteristics, strain IA106T represents a novel species of the genus Thermanaeromonas, for which the name Thermanaeromonas burensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IA106T ( = DSM 26576T = JCM 18718T).
Discrimination of multiple PD sources using wavelet decomposition and principal component analysis

Partial discharge (PD) signals generated within electrical power equipment can be used to assess the condition of the insulation. In practice, testing often results in multiple PD sources. In order to assess the impact of individual PD sources, signals must first be discriminated from one another. This paper presents a procedure for the identification of PD signals generated by multiple sources. Starting with the assumption that different PD sources will display unique signal profiles this will be manifested in the distribution of energies with respect to frequency and time. Therefore the technique presented is based on the comparison of signal energies associated with particular wavelet-decomposition levels. Principal component analysis is adopted to reduce the dimensionality of the data, whilst minimizing lost information in the data concentration step. Physical parameters are extracted from individual PD pulses and projected into 3-dimensional space to allow clustering of data from specific PD sources. The density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) clustering algorithm is chosen for its ability to discover clusters of arbitrary shape in n-dimension space. PD data from individual clusters can then be further analyzed by projecting the clustered data with respect to the original phase relationship. Results and analysis of the technique are compared for experimentally measured PD data from a range of sources commonly found in three different types of high voltage (HV) equipment; ac synchronous generators, induction motors and distribution cables. These experiments collect data using varied test arrangements including sensors with different bandwidths to demonstrate the robustness and indicate the potential for wide applicability of the technique to PD analysis for a range of insulation systems.
Exploring an essential patent through a GTM-based standard map

As competition for international standardization has intensified, many firms are now concentrating their capabilities on securing essential patents that claim one or more inventions that are required to practice a given industry standard. Despite the importance of such patents, recent critical debates tend to emphasize a hold-up problem, standard setting, and a strategy to link patents and standards. Thus, research on exploring an essential patent is still in an early stage. For the most part, development of essential patents depends on experts in the field to compare standard documents and patent documents. However, researchers rarely consider the relationship between standards and patents. As a remedy, this paper proposes a method that explores an essential patent through a generative topographic mapping (GTM)-based standard map. The proposed approach in this paper consists of three parts. First, text mining is performed to transform standard documents into keyword vectors. Second, generated keyword vectors are visualized by the GTM, enabling an analyst to find standard vacancy as well as keyword vectors of the vacancy. Finally, patents related to the standard vacancy are retrieved from patent databases with the extracted keywords. Moreover, candidates for essential patents are shortlisted by calculating a search relevancy that is an indicator to identify the relationship between the standard on vacancy and patent documents. The proposed approach will contribute to developing or finding promising essential patents, as well as provide critical opportunities to obtain strategic technology advantage.
Lethality of a Heat- and Phosphate-Catalyzed Glucose By-Product to Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Partial Protection Conferred by the rpoSRegulon

ABSTRACT A by-product of glucose produced during sterilization (121°C, 15 lb/in2, 15 min) at neutral pH and in the presence of phosphate (i.e., phosphate-buffered saline) was bactericidal toEscherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43895). Other six-carbon (fructose and galactose) and five-carbon (arabinose, ribose, and xylose) reducing sugars also produced a toxic by-product under the same conditions. Fructose and the five-carbon sugars yielded the most bactericidal activity. Glucose concentrations of 1% (wt/vol) resulted in a 99.9% decline in the CFU of stationary-phase cells per milliliter in 2 days at 25°C. An rpoS mutant (pRR10::rpoS) of strain 43895 (FRIK 816-3) was significantly (P < 0.001) more sensitive to the glucose-phosphate by-product than the parent strain, as glucose concentrations from 0.05 to 0.25% resulted in a 2- to 3-log10 reduction in CFU per milliliter in 2 days at 25°C. Likewise, log-phase cells of the wild-type strain, 43895, were significantly more sensitive (P < 0.001) to the glucose-phosphate by-product than were stationary-phase cells, which is consistent with the stability of rpoS and the regulation ofrpoS-regulated genes. The bactericidal effect of the glucose-phosphate by-product was reduced when strains ATCC 43895 and FRIK 816-3 were incubated at a low temperature (4°C). Also, growth in glucose-free medium (i.e., nutrient broth) did not alleviate the sensitivity to the glucose-phosphate by-product and excludes the possibility of substrate-accelerated death as the cause of the bactericidal effect observed. The glucose-phosphate by-product was also bactericidal to Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae, and a Klebsiella sp. Attempts to identify the glucose-phosphate by-product were unsuccessful. These studies demonstrate the production of a glucose-phosphate by-product bactericidal to E. coli O157:H7 and the protective effects afforded by rpoS-regulated gene products. Additionally, the detection of sublethally injured bacteria may be compromised by the presence of this by-product in recovery media.
Formation of the chondrocranium of Trachemys scripta (Reptilia: Testudines: Emydidae) and a comparison with other described turtle taxa

Few descriptions of the formation of the chelonian chondrocranium exist. Herein, developmental stages critical to the formation of the chondrocranium of the Red‐eared Slider, Trachemys scripta (Testudines: Emydidae), are described and illustrated, with particular attention given to ontogenetic changes that take place in the orbitotemporal region of the skull. Morphological descriptions are based on cleared and double‐stained and serially‐sectioned embryos. These specimens allowed for a detailed evaluation of the developmental morphology of the trabeculae, interorbital septum, pilae metoptica, taeniae marginalis, acrochordal cartilage, pilae antotica, parachordal cartilages, and crista sellaris. Additionally, the formation of the chondrocranium of T. scripta is compared to those of Chrysemys picta (Emydidae) and Caretta caretta (Chelonidae). Overall, the patterns of formation and remodeling of the chondrocranium are quite similar among these species, with the most conspicuous differences observed in remodeling of the posterior orbital cartilages (specifically, the pila metoptica). Reorganization of these cartilages is discussed briefly in the context of associated extraocular muscles for T. scripta and C. caretta. A prominent intertrabecula is reported in T. scripta, supporting previous observations of this structure in emydid turtles. J. Morphol. , 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bis{N-[methoxy(4-methylbenzamido)methyl]-2,4-dimethylanilinido-κ2 N,O}copper(II)

In the centrosymmetric mononuclear title complex, [Cu(C18H20N2O2)2], the CuII atom is four-coordinated in a trans-CuN2O2 square-planar geometry with the N—Cu—O chelate angle being 89.97 (11)°. The dihedral angles made by the planes defined by the aromatic ring carbons of the 4-methylbenzene and 2,4-dimethylbenzene fragments with the plane defined by the chelate ring are 13.43 (15) and 82.69 (13)° respectively. The angle between the planes defined by the aromatic carbons of the two rings is 89.40 (16)°. A a weak intramolecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bond occurs.
An easy microtiter assay for quantitation of cytokine induction by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and activity of LPS‐binding serum components

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) is a major inducer of cytokines, such as interleukin 1 (IL1), IL6, IL8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). A convenient microtiter assay was developed to measure such activity. LPS coated onto a plastic surface was used to stimulate purified human mononuclear cells (MNC) in microtiter plates. Following stimulation the supernatants were assayed for presence of TNF by ELISA. Purified rough and smooth LPS from Pseudomonas aeruginosa gave a dose‐dependent TNF release over a range of 0.1–1.0 μg LPS/well. The assay was subsequently used to investigate the biological activity of anti‐LPS antibodies and other LPS‐specific serum components in sera from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). As a group, sera from 10 CF patients chronically infected with P. aeruginosa did not affect the LPS‐induced TNF release, while sera from normal controls inhibited this biological activity. When individual CF patients with or without chronic lung infection are considered, the antibodies appear to either enhance or inhibit the LPS‐stimulated TNF release (range: 73–120%), while all antibodies from healthy controls inhibit the activity of LPS (range: 76–97%). Only a weak correlation (rho=0.491, p=0.037, n=19) was found between the antibody titer in ELISA and the biological activity of sera. This new assay is suggested for convenient measurement of interference with cytokine induction from human MNC by patient or therapeutic anti‐LPS antibodies and other LPS‐specific serum components.
Preferential Trade Agreements, Income Inequality, and Authoritarian Survival

This paper investigates the political and economic consequences of signing preferential trade agreements (PTAs) in authoritarian countries. Based on the Heckscher–Ohlin model of international trade and theories of inequality and regime transition, this paper argues that dictators sign PTAs as a means of consolidating their authoritarian rule. Specifically, PTAs help dictators reduce economic inequality by enriching poor laborers and thereby attenuating the threat of regime collapse. We support our theory with the data from seventy-odd authoritarian regimes from 1960 to 2006, and contribute to ongoing debates about the effects of both income inequality and economic globalization on autocratic resilience.
A QVGA 143dB dynamic range asynchronous address-event PWM dynamic image sensor with lossless pixel-level video compression

Conventional image/video sensors acquire visual information from a scene in time-quantized fashion at some predetermined frame rate. Each frame carries the information from all pixels, regardless of whether or not this information has changed since the last frame had been acquired, which is usually not long ago. This method obviously leads, depending on the dynamic contents of the scene, to a more or less high degree of redundancy in the image data. Acquisition and handling of these dispensable data consume valuable resources; sophisticated and resource-hungry video compression methods have been developed to deal with these data.
An empirical analysis of the relationship between industrial structure change and economic growth——a case study of Jiangsu Province

In view of the recent changes in industrial structure in Jiangsu Province,model of economic improvement of industrial structure and various values of Moore structure were adopted for an empirical analysis of the relationship between three industrial growths and economic growths from 1995 to 2010 and a discussion was made of the difference between changing tendency of industrial structures and those of economic growths.The result shows three industries have exerted different influences on economic growths.With slow changes of industrial structure,the second industry has made great contribution to the stable economic growth.
Localization of an acromesomelic dysplasia on chromosome 9 by homozygosity mapping

The acromesomelic dysplasias (AMDs) are a group of genetic disorders that primarily affect the middle and distal segments of the extremities. A form of AMD is present on the isolated island of St Helena in the South Atlantic, which has a population of approximately 5500 derived from a number of founder individuals. DNA from four affected individuals and 11 first‐degree relatives in four related nuclear families segregating an AMD was collected for gene mapping studies. Six consecutive markers on chromosome 9, spanning an approximately 5 cM region, showed identical homozygosity in all affected individuals, thus identifying a region of homozygosity by descent. Multipoint analysis generated a maximum lod score of Z=2.85. These data localize the gene for this dysplasia to the pericentromeric region of chromosome 9 where the gene for the Maroteaux form of AMD is situated. The identification of the gene responsible for this disorder may shed further light on the complex processes involved in limb morphogenesis.
The Index of Asia-Pacific Regional Integration Effort

The Asia-Pacific region is not typically seen as one geographic or socio-economic space. Yet, 58 regional economies occupying the space of 28 million square kilometers from Turkey in the West, Russian Federation in the North, French Polynesia in the East and New Zealand in the South belong to the Economic and Social Commission of Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). This commission provides a forum for member states that "promotes regional cooperation and collective action, assisting countries in building and sustaining shared economic growth and social equity". In 2013, ESCAP's members adopted the Bangkok Declaration to enhance efforts towards deeper regional economic integration. Yet this document neither proposes a concrete modality or modalities of achieving deeper integration, nor provides a sense of distance of individual countries to a "perceived" integrated Asia-Pacific.This paper aims to comprehensively quantify recent integration efforts of economies in the Asia-Pacific region. We provide an "index of integration effort" based on twelve metrics that measure the relative distance of a given economy to the region as an economic entity. Generally, we find that while the region has trended towards becoming integrated in general, both the level of integration and integration effort are inconsistent among Asia-Pacific economies. We discuss potential applications and extensions of the index in developing our perspective of the region’s economic and social dynamics.
One‐stop clinic for assessment of risk for trisomy 21 at 11–14 weeks: a prospective study of 15 030 pregnancies

To evaluate the performance of a one‐stop clinic for assessment of risk (OSCAR) for trisomy 21 by a combination of maternal age, fetal nuchal translucency (NT) thickness and maternal serum free β‐human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) at 11–14 weeks of gestation.
Mesozeaxanthin protects the liver and reduces cardio-metabolic risk factors in an insulin resistant rodent model

ABSTRACT Background: Mesozeaxanthin (MZ) is a macular carotenoid which has been reported to have a number of pharmacological properties, including the antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic property, and has been stated to decrease the hepatocyte lipid content. Objective: In this study, we investigated the effect of MZ on cardio-metabolic health risk (CMHR) and its probable mechanisms of action in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Design: Rats were randomly divided into four groups consisting of (i) Control, (ii) MZ, (iii) HFD, and (iv) HFD+MZ. Results: MZ treatment increased the antioxidant enzyme activities and helped improve the liver function. The treatment alleviated CMHR and decreased the level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB p65) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). The levels of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ), phosphorylated insulin receptor substrate 1 (p-IRS-1), β,β-carotene 9’,10’-oxygenase 2 (BCO2) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which decrease in HFD rats, were found to be significantly higher in MZ supplemented animals. Conclusion: MZ has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can is reported in this study toprotect against fatty liver and cardio-metabolic syndrome, possibly through regulation of PPAR-γ, IRS-1, Nrf2 and NF-κB proteins, in an insulin-resistant rodent model.