Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impacts of External Debt on Economic Growth in Transition Economies

The 1989 and following years were the periods in which many important economic and political turnovers took place in the world. That was the time when Berlin Wall fell down with scattering the Eastern block and many politically independent states came into being, at the same time, ongoing about 70 years socialist system also started to change into liberal system. The constituted 27 states in 1991 were tended to liberal economic system instead of socialist economy, and these states were called as transition economies. In this study, the relationship between indebtedness and growth rate of transition countries were analyzed by panel autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL). Before panel ARDL application, stationary properties of the variables have been checked with first and second generation unit root test. For the second generation unit root tests, CADF tests have been used. Also cross section dependency has been examined by LM tests.
Motion-based background modeling for foreground segmentation

Foreground segmentation is an elementary process in an intelligent visual surveillance system.When a background is changed dynamically, it is difficult to distinguish the background from the foreground. In this paper, we propose an unified statistical framework of foreground segmentation and motion estimation method. In this method, a motion prior distribution is recursively estimated by a particle filter model. The motion prior probability plays a key role as a weight of each pixelwise observation model in classifying a pixel as background or foreground. We use a kernel density estimation method for the observation model. Using a temporal diffusion kernel, we emphasize recent observations. A soft selective updating rule is also suggested and this rule can overcome a deadlock problem.The algorithm can be applied to images acquired from a fixed camera. Experimental results with many real image sequences showed the validity of our method.
Internet-facing PLCs-A New Back Orifice

Industrial control systems (ICS) are integral components of production and control processes. Our modern infrastructure heavily relies on them. Unfortunately, from a security perspective, thousands of PLCs are deployed in an Internet-facing fashion. Security features are largely absent in PLCs. If they are present then they are often ignored or disabled because security is often at odds with operations. As a consequence, it is often possible to load arbitrary code onto an Internet-facing PLC. Besides being a grave problem in its own right, it is possible to leverage PLCs as network gateways into production networks and perhaps even the corporate IT network. In this paper, we analyze and discuss this threat vector and we demonstrate that exploiting it is feasible. For demonstration purposes, we developed a prototypical port scanner and a SOCKS proxy that runs in a PLC. The scanner and proxy are written in the PLC’s native programming language, the Statement List (STL). Our implementation yields insights into what kinds of actions adversaries can perform easily and which actions are not easily implemented on a PLC.
> Replace This Line with Your Paper Identification Number (double-click Here to Edit) < 1 a Capacitance Coupling Complementation Scr for On-chip Electrostatic Discharge Protection

—A capacitance coupling complementation silicon controlled rectifies (CCCSCR) for electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection application is proposed and verified in 0.5­m BCD process. Compared with traditional complementation silicon controlled rectifies (CSCR), the CCCSCR has a lower trigger voltage. The coupling capacitance, as a tunable trigger of SCR, can meet different protection application demands. And the CCCSCR can fulfill all dual direction ESD stress mode protection, including I/O-VSS, I/O-VDD and VDD-VSS.
Individual Focus and Knowledge Contribution

Before contributing new knowledge, individuals must attain requisite background knowledge or skills through schooling, training, practice, and experience. Given limited time, individuals often choose either to focus on few areas, where they build deep expertise, or to delve less deeply and distribute their attention and efforts across several areas. In this paper we measure the relationship between the narrowness of focus and the quality of contribution across a range of both traditional and recent knowledge sharing media, including scholarly articles, patents, Wikipedia, and online question and answer forums. Across all systems, we observe a small but significant positive correlation between focus and quality.
Race-free interconnection networks and multiprocessor consistency

Modern shared-memory multiprocmors require complex interconnection networks to provide sufficient communication bandwidth between processors. They also rely on advanced memory systems that allow multiple memory operations to be made in parallel. It is expensive to maintain a high consistency level in a machine based on a general network, but for special interconnection topologies, some of these costs can he reduced. We define and study one class of interconnection networks, race-free networks. New conditions for sequential consistency are presented which show that sequential consistency can be maintained if all accesses in a multiprocessor can be ordered in an acyclic graph. We show that this can be done in racefree networks without the need for a transaction to be globally performed before the next transaction can be issued: We also investigate what is required to maintain processor consistency in race-free networks. In a race-free network which maintains processor consistency, writes may be pipelined, and reads may bypass writes. - The proposed methods reduce the latencies associated with processor write-misses to shared data.
Convergence Rates of Approximation by Translates

We consider the problem of approximating a function belonging to some function space by a linear combination of $n$ translates of a given function. Using a lemma by Jones (1990) and Barron (1991) we show that it is possible to define function spaces for which the rate of convergence to zero of the error is $O({1 \over \sqrt n})$ in any number of dimensions. The apparent avoidance of the ``curse of dimensionality'''' is due to the fact that these function spaces are more and more constrained as the dimension increases.
Synergistic inhibition of lysophosphatidic acid signaling by charged and uncharged local anesthetics.

UNLABELLED We investigated the mechanism of benzocaine (permanently uncharged) and QX314 (permanently charged) inhibition of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling. To determine their site of action, we studied effects of these drugs, alone and in combination, on LPA-induced Ca2+-dependent Cl currents (I(Cl(Ca))) in Xenopus oocytes. After 10 min exposure to benzocaine, QX314 (10(-6)-10(-2) M), or both, we measured effects on I(Cl(Ca)) induced by LPA (with and without protein kinase [PKC] activation/inhibition) and on I(Cl(Ca)) induced by the intracellular injection of IP3 and GTPgammaS. LPA application to oocytes resulted in I(Cl(Ca)) (50% effective concentration approximately 10(-8) M). Both anesthetics inhibited LPA signaling concentration-dependently (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] benzocaine 0.9 mM, QX314 0.66 mM). The combination acted synergistically (IC50 benzocaine 0.097 mM/QX314 0.048 mM). Intracellular signaling pathways were not affected. This study shows that benzocaine and QX314 inhibit LPA signaling and act synergistically, which is most easily explained by the existence of two different binding sites. Lack of inhibition of IP3 or GTPgammaS-induced I(Cl(Ca)) identifies the receptor as a target. Activation of PKC can be excluded as a potential mechanism. IMPLICATIONS Lysophosphatidic acid may play a role in wound healing, and its signaling is inhibited by local anesthetics. We identified the membrane receptor as the local anesthetic site of action and showed that charged (QX314) and uncharged (benzocaine) local anesthetics inhibit lysophosphatidic acid signaling synergistically, which can be explained by the presence of different binding sites.
Effects of User Participation in Systems Development: A Longitudinal Field Experiment

This study examines the efficacy of user participation in developing an accounting application. The research takes place over a 19-month time frame, involves 516 clerical-level accounting subjects, and includes experimental manipulations in a field setting. The model of user participation and involvement proposed by Hartwick and Barki (1994) provides the foundation for the research framework. Their model is augmented by the inclusion of concepts from procedural justice and self-efficacy research. Participation is manipulated at three increasing levels: (1) no voice, (2) non-instrumental voice, and (3) instrumental voice.Research findings suggest that users' pre-experiment level of involvement with and attitude toward the present system are positively associated with their desire to participate in the development of the new system. Study results also indicate that users' a priori self-efficacy beliefs regarding their perceived ability to effectively contribute to the development process are positively related to desired participation. Pre- to post-experiment gains in psychological and behavioral variables are next assessed. In the instrumental voice condition, user involvement, user attitude, and performance gains are significantly highest. User attitude and involvement gains are significantly higher in the non-instrumental voice condition than in the no voice condition; however, gains in user performance are not significantly different between these treatment conditions. Research findings indicate that user participation can be effective, particularly when users perceive a noticeable degree of instrumental control over the decision outcome.
The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America’s Children

We find that an investment of $82,000 in powerful educational interventions and additional years of schooling would yield a public benefit of $209,000 in higher government revenues and lower government spending. The net economic benefit to the public purse is therefore $127,000 per student and the benefits are 2.5 times greater than the costs.
American Journal of Epidemiology Original Contribution Maternal Concentrations of Insulin-like Growth Factor I and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 during Pregnancy and Birth Weight of Offspring

Maternal concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) may influence fetal growth. Offspring birth weight related to maternal IGF-I and IGFBP-1 measured in pregnancy was studied in 368 randomly selected women without preeclampsia who delivered a singleton liveborn child in Norway between 1992 and 1994. Maternal IGF-I concentrations were not consistently associated with birth weight, but a 1-standard deviation stronger increase in IGF-I from the first to second trimester was associated with an 82-g (95% confidence interval (CI): 11, 153) higher birth weight. IGFBP-1 concentrations were inversely associated with birth weight: Birth weight was 71 g (95% CI: 14, 128) lower per 1-standard deviation higher IGFBP-1 in the second trimester, and an increase in IGFBP-1 from the first (below median) to second (above median) trimester was associated with a 342-g (95% CI: 124, 560) lower birth weight, compared with having low IGFBP-1 (below median) in both trimesters. Conversely, low IGFBP-1 in both trimesters was associated with a 200–350-g higher birth weight compared with other combinations of IGFBP-1. In conclusion, persistently low IGFBP-1 in pregnancy is associated with relatively higher birth weight. Maternal insulin resistance may provide a link between IGFBP-1 and offspring birth weight. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in the fetal circulation are necessary for normal growth and development (1), but it is not resolved whether IGFs in the maternal circulation are important for fetal growth. In pregnancy, placental growth hormone stimulates maternal production of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) (2–4) that could promote placental development and transfer of nutrients to the fetus (3, 5, 6). Thus, some studies have reported that low maternal IGF-I is associated with low birth weight (3, 7), but the association could not be confirmed by others (2, 8–10). The biologic activity of IGF-I is influenced by IGF binding proteins that leave only a fraction of IGF-I in its biologically active form. Maternal insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) increases early in pregnancy (9, 11, 12), and high IGFBP-1 concentrations at the fetopla-cental interface may inhibit cytotrophoblast invasion (13) and block the action of IGF-I (5, 14). Thus, high concentrations of maternal IGFBP-1 have been associated with low birth size, as indicated by some (5, 8–10, 15–19) but not by other studies (11, 20, 21). On the other hand, low maternal IGFBP-1 concentrations may be related to relatively larger offspring (8). It is known that women …
Slow Turnover of HIV-1 Receptors on Quiescent CD4+ T Cells Causes Prolonged Surface Retention of gp120 Immune Complexes In Vivo

Peripheral blood CD4+ T cells in HIV-1+ patients are coated with Ig. However, the causes and consequences of the presence of Ig+ CD4+ T cells remain unknown. Previous studies have demonstrated the rapid turnover of viral receptors (VRs) on lymphoma and tumor cells. The present study investigates the turnover of VRs on peripheral quiescent CD4+ T cells (qCD4s), which are the most abundant peripheral blood CD4+ T cells. Utilizing pharmacological and immunological approaches, we found that the turnover of VRs on qCD4s is extremely slow. As a result, exposure to gp120 or HIV-1 virions in vitro causes gp120 to remain on the surface for a long period of time. It requires approximately three days for cell-bound gp120 on the surface to be reduced by 50%. In the presence of patient serum, gp120 forms surface immune complexes (ICs) that are also retained for a long time. Indeed, when examining the percentages of Ig+ CD4+ T cells at different stages of HIV-1 infection, approximately 70% of peripheral resting CD4+ T cells (rCD4s) were coated with surface VRs bound to slow-turnover gp120-Ig. The levels of circulating ICs in patient serum were insufficient to form surface ICs on qCD4s, suggesting that surface ICs on qCD4s require much higher concentrations of HIV-1 exposure such as might be found in lymph nodes. In the presence of macrophages, Ig+ CD4+ T cells generated in vitro or directly isolated from HIV-1+ patients were ultimately phagocytosed. Similarly, the frequencies and percentages of Ig+ rCD4s were significantly increased in an HIV-1+ patient after splenectomy, indicating that Ig+ rCD4s might be removed from circulation and that non-neutralizing anti-envelope antibodies could play a detrimental role in HIV-1 pathogenesis. These findings provide novel insights for vaccine development and a rationale for using Ig+ rCD4 levels as an independent clinical marker.
Glucagon-like Peptide (GLP)-2 Action in the Murine Central Nervous System Is Enhanced by Elimination of GLP-1 Receptor Signaling*

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) regulates energy homeostasis via effects on nutrient absorption and maintenance of gut mucosal epithelial integrity. The biological actions of GLP-2 in the central nervous system (CNS) remain poorly understood. We studied the sites of endogenous GLP-2 receptor (GLP-2R) expression, the localization of transgenic LacZ expression under the control of the mouse GLP-2R promoter, and the actions of GLP-2 in the murine CNS. GLP-2R expression was detected in multiple extrahypothalamic regions of the mouse and rat CNS, including cell groups in the cerebellum, medulla, amygdala, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, pons, cerebral cortex, and pituitary. A 1.5-kilobase fragment of the mouse GLP-2R promoter directed LacZ expression to the gastrointestinal tract and CNS regions in the mouse that exhibited endogenous GLP-2R expression, including the cerebellum, amygdala, hippocampus, and dentate gyrus. Intracerebroventricular injection of GLP-2 significantly inhibited food intake during dark-phase feeding in wild-type mice. Disruption of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) signaling with the antagonist exendin-(9–39) in wild-type mice or genetically in GLP-1R− /− mice significantly potentiated the anorectic actions of GLP-2. These findings illustrate that CNS GLP-2R expression is not restricted to hypothalamic nuclei and demonstrate that the anorectic effects of GLP-2 are transient and modulated by the presence or absence of GLP-1R signaling in vivo.
Expression of the PTEN tumour suppressor protein during human development.

The tumour suppressor gene PTEN, localized to 10q23.3, is the susceptibility gene for Cowden syndrome (CS) and Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba (BRR) syndrome, two hamartoma syndromes with an increased risk of breast and thyroid tumours. Somatic mutations have been found in a variety of human tumours. Functional studies have revealed that PTEN plays a fundamental role in cellular growth, death, adhesion and migration. RNA in situ hybridization using the pten coding region in mouse embryos showed ubiquitous transcription, providing evidence that pten could play a versatile role throughout murine development. Nothing is known regarding the pattern of PTEN expression during human development. Here, we present the pattern of PTEN expression during human development using a specific monoclonal antibody and examine the relationship of the temporal and spatial expression pattern to the clinical manifestations of CS and BRR, the somatic genetic data in sporadic cancers, the murine knockout models and the RNA expression data in mouse embryos. We observed mainly high-level PTEN expression in tissues (e.g. skin, thyroid and central nervous system) known to be involved in CS and BRR. In addition, we identified tissues (e.g. peripheral nervous system, autonomomic nervous system and upper gastrointestinal tract) with high PTEN expression not commonly known to play a role in these syndromes nor in sporadic tumorigenesis in those organs. This knowledge may help in identifying roles for PTEN which, as of today, are unknown or even unsuspected.
Video matching using DC-image and local features

This paper presents a suggested framework for video matching based on local features extracted from the DCimage of MPEG compressed videos, without decompression. The relevant arguments and supporting evidences are discussed for developing video similarity techniques that works directly on compressed videos, without decompression, and especially utilising small size images. Two experiments are carried to support the above. The first is comparing between the DC-image and I-frame, in terms of matching performance and the corresponding computation complexity. The second experiment compares between using local features and global features in video matching, especially in the compressed domain and with the small size images. The results confirmed that the use of DC-image, despite its highly reduced size, is promising as it produces at least similar (if not better) matching precision, compared to the full I-frame. Also, using SIFT, as a local feature, outperforms precision of most of the standard global features. On the other hand, its computation complexity is relatively higher, but it is still within the realtime margin. There are also various optimisations that can be done to improve this computation complexity.
An Infrastructure for Hardware-Software Co-Design of Embedded Real-Time Java Applications

The partitioning of applications into hardware and software is an important issue in embedded systems, opening room for high level specifications as well as the exploration of different implementation strategies. This paper presents a software architecture to specify threads in hardware in the context of the real time specification for Java (RTSJ) standard. There is a Java class that encapsulates hardware components, providing an abstraction layer to the application developer. Below this Java class, a wrapper hardware component provides a standard interface between RTSJ-based software components and the hardware that implements the thread behavior. This approach provides a high flexibility in choosing either a hardware or software implementation, allowing to postpone hardware/software partitioning to the very end of system development. The paper includes some quantitative data from an example containing hardware and software threads. While both implementations are compatible with the rest of the application from an interface point- of-view, they lead to very different timing and area results.
Supply voltage boosting using a floating capacitor bridge in a 3 level space vector modulated inverter system for an open-end winding induction motor drive

Dual inverter fed open winding induction motor drives can be used to minimize the problem of flux weakening during higher speed applications. If a floating dc-link capacitor is used in the second inverter, it can provide voltage boosting to increase the motor voltage during higher speeds. This leads to the minimization of supply current during high speed operation along with the supply voltage regulation. Previous works have been done on dual 2-level inverters. In this paper, a controller is designed so as to adjust the capacitor voltage to maintain constant motor voltage along with a 3-level output from a space vector modulated dual inverter system during high speed operation. During low speed operation motor current charges the capacitor and the capacitor discharge is controlled so as to obtain the required motor voltage. Entire system is modeled and simulated in MATLAB and the results are verified.
A bi-objective stochastic programming model for optimising automated material handling systems with reliability considerations

The optimisation of material handling systems (MHSs) can lead to substantial cost reductions in manufacturing systems. Choosing adequate and relevant performance measures is critical in accurately evaluating MHSs. The majority of performance measures used in MHSs are time-based. However, moving materials within a manufacturing system utilise time and cost. In this study, we consider both time and cost measures in an optimisation model used to evaluate an MHS with automated guided vehicles. We take into account the reliability of the MHSs because of the need for steadiness and stability in the automated manufacturing systems. Reliability is included in the model as a cost function. Furthermore, we consider bi-objective stochastic programming to optimise the time and cost objectives because of the uncertainties inherent in the optimisation parameters in real-world problems. We use perceptron neural networks to transform the bi-objective optimisation model into a single objective model. We use numerical experiments to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model and exhibit the efficacy of the procedures and algorithms.