Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Defaults & Returns on High Yield Bonds: Analysis Through 1999 and Default Outlook for 2000-2002

Full year 1999 was again a mixed performance year for the high yield bondmarket in the United States but for different reasons than the mixed 1998performance. Once again, total returns were lackluster, registering just +1.73%. But, unlike last year s companion negative return spread vs. U.S. ten-year Treasuries, the return spread in 1999 was a positive 10.1%, as yield spreads increased significantly and Treasuries tumbled. And again, new issuance of high yield bonds was impressive, topping $100 billion for the third consecutive year, but aggregate defaults increased dramatically to an all-time record level of over $23 billion (face value). The default rate registered a sizeable increase, topping 4% (4.15%) for the first time since 1991 and significantly above the 1.6% level of one year earlier.Combined with a relatively low recovery rate of below 30 cents on the dollar, thedefault loss rate was 3.2% in 1999, compared to a historical arithmetic annualaverage of 1.9%. Despite 1999 s low absolute return, net returns (after deducting losses from defaults, rating migrations and interest rate changes) for the 1978-1999 period continued to show an attractive compounded return spread over U.S. Treasury bonds of close to 3.0% per year (2.96%). This report documents the high yield bond market s risk and returnperformance by presenting traditional and mortality default rate statistics andproviding a matrix of performance statistics over the relevant periods of themarket s evolution. Our analysis covers the 1971-1999 period for defaults and the 1978-1999 period for returns. In addition, we present our annual forecast of expected defaults for the next three years (2000-2002). Our 1999 forecast was for substantially higher defaults than 1998, but we underestimated the record defaultlevels. Default levels and rates were swelled in 1999 due to a number of factors,including the huge new issuance in the 1997-1999 period, a trend toward earlier defaults, deteriorating credit quality of new issues, pockets of industry fragility, and the continued vestige of 1998 s flight to quality. For 2000, we expect default levels to decline to about $17.5 billion and the default rate to regress to around three percent of the amount outstanding.
Selective executive dysfunction but intact risky decision‐making in early Huntington's disease

Executive dysfunction, including problems with decision‐making, inhibition of prepotent responses, and verbal fluency, are main features of Huntington's disease (HD). The decline of executive function in HD is related to the anatomical progression of HD pathology in the basal ganglia, where the earliest changes of neuronal cell death are seen in the dorsolateral caudate. To examine the specific pattern of executive dysfunction in early HD, 18 patients with early HD were assessed on: (1) the Iowa Gambling Task to measure risky decision making, (2) the Stroop test to measure inhibition of prepotent responses, and (3) the verbal fluency test to measure internally guided word search and production, necessitating suppression of retrieval/production of inappropriate words and monitoring of the output. Patients with early HD were significantly impaired on the Stroop and verbal fluency tests relative to controls. However, Iowa Gambling Task performance was comparable across the 2 groups. This pattern of selective executive dysfunction in early HD probably reflects the fact that inhibitory processing involved in both the Stroop and verbal fluency tests recruits the dorsolateral caudate and its cortical connections, which are dysfunctional in early HD, whereas risky decision‐making during the Iowa Gambling Task recruits the ventromedial caudate and its connections, which remain spared early on in the disease. The current results demonstrate that the deterioration of executive functioning in HD is variable and that some types of executive processing might already be impaired in early HD, whereas others remain intact. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society
A Nucleoprotein Complex containing CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein β Interacts with an Insulin Response Sequence in the Insulin-like Growth Factor-binding Protein-1 Gene and Contributes to Insulin-regulated Gene Expression*

Highly related insulin response sequences (IRSs) mediate effects of insulin on the expression of multiple genes in the liver, including insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). Gel shift studies reveal that oligonucleotide probes containing an IRS from the IGFBP-1 or PEPCK gene form a similar complex with hepatic nuclear proteins. Unlabeled competitors containing the IGFBP-1 or PEPCK IRS or a binding site for C/EBP proteins inhibit the formation of this complex. Antibody against C/EBPβ (but not other C/EBP proteins) supershifts this complex, and Western blotting of affinity purified proteins confirms that C/EBPβ is present in this complex. Studies with affinity purified and recombinant protein indicate that C/EBPβ does not interact directly with the IRS, but that other factors are required. Gel shift assays and reporter gene studies with constructs containing point mutations within the IRS reveal that the ability to interact with factors required for the formation of this complex correlates well with the ability of insulin to regulate promoter activity via this IRS (r = 0.849,p < 0.01). Replacing the IRS in reporter gene constructs with a C/EBP-binding site (but not an HNF-3/forkhead site or cAMP response element) maintains the effect of insulin on promoter activity. Together, these findings indicate that a nucleoprotein complex containing C/EBPβ interacts with IRSs from the IGFBP-1 and PEPCK genes in a sequence-specific fashion and may contribute to the ability of insulin to regulate gene expression.
Asymmetric sparse hashing

Learning based hashing has become increasingly popular because of its high efficiency in handling the large scale image retrieval. Preserving the pairwise similarities of data points in the Hamming space is critical in state-of-the-art hashing techniques. However, most previous methods ignore to capture the local geometric structure residing on original data, which is essential for similarity search. In this paper, we propose a novel hashing framework, which simultaneously optimizes similarity preserving hash codes and reconstructs the locally linear structures of data in the Hamming space. In specific, we learn two hash functions such that the resulting two sets of binary codes can well preserve the pairwise similarity and sparse neighborhood in the original feature space. By taking advantage of the flexibility of asymmetric hash functions, we devise an efficient alternating algorithm to optimize the hash coding function and high-quality binary codes jointly. We evaluate the proposed method on several large-scale image datasets, and the results demonstrate it significantly outperforms recent state-of-the-art hashing methods on large-scale image retrieval problems.
A test of the scale-dependence of the species abundance-people correlation for veteran trees in Italy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The spatial correlation of the presence of people and species has been suggested to be scale-dependent. At local scales, large numbers of people often result in species impoverishment. At coarse scales, species-rich regions tend to be densely inhabited. Recently, broad-scale human presence has been shown to be correlated not only with numbers of species but also with their abundance, as predicted by the more-individuals hypothesis. However, it is not known whether the species abundance-human presence correlation could also be scale-dependent. METHODS This hypothesis was tested by use of a database of veteran trees in Italy. Veteran tree species richness and number of individuals were modelled as a function of human population size at two grains of analysis (provinces and regions), controlling for variations in area, latitude and spatial autocorrelation. KEY RESULTS A positive correlation was found between human presence and veteran tree species. As predicted, this correlation was stronger at a coarser resolution. However, only at the provincial but not regional level was there a positive correlation between human presence and veteran tree abundance when controlling for area and latitude. These results were confirmed for native and exotic trees. CONCLUSIONS The present findings rule out the more-individuals hypothesis as an explanation of the scale-dependence of the species-people correlation for veteran trees in Italy. Potential mechanisms behind the observed spatial coincidence of high numbers of people and veteran tree species are discussed and implications for conservation are highlighted.
3~5 GHz Cascoded UWB Power Amplifier

In this paper, a two-stage cascaded power amplifier (PA), which consists of cascode topology, for ultrawideband (UWB) systems operating in the 3.1-4.8 GHz frequency range is presented. The shunt-shunt feedback is used to arrive at wideband matching. A three-section ladder output network is exploited to achieve excellent output match in a wideband fashion and to optimize the power performance. The PA is implemented by TSMC 0.18mm mixed signal/RF process. The measured results show the following performance: S21 of 20.7-dB, more than 10-dB input and output return loss, 5.8% maximum power-added-efficiency and 2.57dBm output P1dB with 15.57dB power gain at 3GHz
Comparative Analysis of the Mechanical Properties between the Fiber-Reinforced Composite and Zirconium Posts

Abstract Objectives: To make a comparative analysis of the mechanical properties between FRC and zirconium posts Methods: The patients with FRC and zirconium posts were divided in two groups with three subgroups, each of them composed of 10 samples. Subgroup I with 1.2 mm; Subgroup II with 1.35 mm and Subgroup III with 1.5 mm post diameter. The fracture force, bending and tensile strength of each group were measured with Shimadzu Universal Testing Machine. Results: The fracture force for the first group measured in the first, second and third subgroup was 34.80900N; 67.15390N; 46.53100N and for the second group, first, second and third subgroup was 34.80900N; 46.53100N; 67.15390N correspondingly. The bending strength for the first group measured in the first, second and third subgroup was 401.4420N; 444.6425N; 333.6828N and for the second group, first, second and third subgroup was 307.9352N; 289.1030N; 304.1649N correspondingly. The tensile strength for the first group measured in the first, second and third subgroup was 5.442267N; 4.350545N; 2.943465N and for the second group, first, second and third subgroup was 4.224141N; 3.751466N; 3.168756N correspondingly. Conclusions: The longest diameter of the posts significantly increases the resistance to fracture in relation to the two smaller diameters. The larger diameter, the higher values of the bending strength, as well as the lowest values of the tensile strength of the material contribute to improved mechanical properties of the fiber and zirconium posts.
Impact of the percentage of positive prostate cores on prostate cancer-specific mortality for patients with low or favorable intermediate-risk disease.

PURPOSE We investigated whether pretreatment factors predicted time to prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) after conventional-dose and conformal radiation therapy (CRT). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1988 and 2002, 421 patients with low (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] level < or = 10 ng/mL and biopsy Gleason score < or = 6) or favorable intermediate-risk (PSA > 10 to 15 ng/mL or biopsy Gleason score 3 + 4, but not both factors) disease underwent CRT (median dose, 70.4 Gy). Cox regression multivariable analysis was performed to determine whether the PSA level, Gleason score, T category, or the percentage of positive cores (% PC) predicted time to PCSM after CRT. After a median follow-up of 4.5 years, 117 (28%) patients have died. RESULTS The % PC was the only significant predictor (Cox P < or =.03). The relative risk of PCSM after CRT for patients with > or = 50% as compared with less than 50% PC was 10.4 (95% CI, 1.2 to 87; Cox P =.03), 6.1 (95% CI, 1.3 to 28.6; Cox P =.02), and 12.5 (95% CI, 1.5 to 107; Cox P =.02) in men with a PSA < or = 10 and Gleason score < or = 6, PSA < or = 10 and Gleason score < or = 7, and PSA < or = 15 and Gleason score < or = 6, respectively. By 5 years after CRT, 5% to 9% compared with less than 1% (log-rank P < or =.01) of these patients experienced PCSM if they had > or = 50% compared with less than 50% PC, respectively. CONCLUSION CRT dose-escalation techniques, the addition of hormonal therapy, or both should be considered in the management of patients with low or favorable intermediate-risk disease and > or = 50% PC.
Cloning and sequence analysis of a novel hemolysin gene (vllY) from Vibrio vulnificus

A gene (vllY) encoding a novel hemolysin of Vibrio vulnificus CKM-1 has been cloned and sequenced. When the vllY gene was expressed in minicells, a unique peptide of approximately 40 kDa was identified. Subcellular fractionation of Escherichia coli cells carrying the vllY gene indicated that the VllY protein was distributed in both the cytoplasmic and the periplasmic fractions, with the notable ability to appear in the latter compartment. Nucleotide sequence analysis predicted a single open reading frame of 1,071 bp encoding a 357-amino acid polypeptide with an estimated pI of 5.02. The deduced amino acid sequence of VllY showed high similarity to the sequence of legiolysin, responsible for hemolysis, pigment production, and fluorescence in Legionella pneumophila. The enzyme also exhibited sequence homology to the MelA protein sequence of Shewanella colwelliana and the sequences of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase family proteins from various organisms. PCR screening and Southern blotting of V. vulnificus strains revealed that all of the 41 V. vulnificus clinical isolates contained vllY-like genes.
Tumor-Specific Proteolytic Processing of Cyclin E Generates Hyperactive Lower-Molecular-Weight Forms

ABSTRACT Cyclin E is a G1 cyclin essential for S-phase entry and has a profound role in oncogenesis. Previously this laboratory found that cyclin E is overexpressed and present in lower-molecular-weight (LMW) isoforms in breast cancer cells and tumor tissues compared to normal cells and tissues. Such alteration of cyclin E is linked to poor patient outcome. Here we report that the LMW forms of cyclin E are hyperactive biochemically and they can more readily induce G1-to-S progression in transfected normal cells than the full-length form of the protein can. Through biochemical and mutational analyses we have identified two proteolytically sensitive sites in the amino terminus of human cyclin E that are cleaved to generate the LMW isoforms found in tumor cells. Not only are the LMW forms of cyclin E functional, as they phosphorylate substrates such as histone H1 and GST-Rb, but also their activities are higher than the full-length cyclin E. These nuclear localized LMW forms of cyclin E are also biologically functional, as their overexpression in normal cells increases the ability of these cells to enter S and G2/M. Lastly, we show that cyclin E is selectively cleaved in vitro by the elastase class of serine proteases to generate LMW forms similar to those observed in tumor cells. These studies suggest that the defective entry into and exit from S phase by tumor cells is in part due to the proteolytic processing of cyclin E, which generates hyperactive LMW isoforms whose activities have been modified from that of the full-length protein.
The Role of Retrieval Structures in Memorizing Music

This article explores the use of structure in the encoding and retrieval of music and its relation to level of skill. Twenty-two pianists, classified into four levels of skill, were asked to learn and memorize an assigned composition by J. S. Bach (different for each level). All practice was recorded on cassette tape. At the end of the learning process, the pianists performed their assigned composition in a recital setting. The performances were subsequently evaluated by three experienced pianists according to a standardized grading system. From the cassette tapes, values for the frequency with which pianists started and stopped their practice on "structural," "difficult," and "other" bars were obtained. Starts and stops on each bar type were compared across three stages of the learning process. The analyses reveal that all pianists, regardless of level, started and stopped their practice increasingly on structural bars and decreasingly on difficult bars across the learning process. Moreover, the data indicate that starts and stops increased on structural bars and decreased on difficult bars systematically with increases in level of skill. These findings are interpreted and discussed so as to elucidate characteristics of the retrieval structures adopted by musicians in their practice and performance and how the formation and use of retrieval structures develop as a function of expertise. Finally, the elicited values for starts on structural, difficult, and other bars are examined and discussed according to how they relate to the pianists' scores on performance quality.
Amino Acid Residues in the N-Terminal Region of the PA Subunit of Influenza A Virus RNA Polymerase Play a Critical Role in Protein Stability, Endonuclease Activity, Cap Binding, and Virion RNA Promoter Binding

ABSTRACT The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of influenza virus is a heterotrimer formed by the PB1, PB2, and PA subunits. Although PA is known to be required for polymerase activity, its precise role is still unclear. Here, we investigated the function of the N-terminal region of PA. Protease digestion of purified recombinant influenza virus A/PR/8/34 PA initially suggested that its N-terminal region is folded into a 25-kDa domain. We then systematically introduced point mutations into evolutionarily conserved amino acids in the N-terminal region of influenza virus A/WSN/33. Most alanine-scanning mutations between residues L109 and F117 caused PA degradation, mediated by a proteasome-ubiquitin pathway, and as a consequence interfered with polymerase activity. Three further PA mutations, K102A, D108A, and K134A, were investigated in detail. Mutation K102A caused a general decrease both in transcription and replication in vivo, whereas mutations D108A and K134A selectively inhibited transcription. Both the D108A and K134A mutations completely inhibited endonuclease activity in vitro, explaining their selective defect in transcription. K102A, on the other hand, resulted in a significant decrease in both cap binding and viral RNA promoter-binding activity and consequently inhibited both transcription and replication. These results suggest that the N-terminal region of PA is involved in multiple functions of the polymerase, including protein stability, endonuclease activity, cap binding, and promoter binding.
Frame-overlapped Zoom-FFT Optimization in PD Radar Application

This paper addresses a frame-overlapped zoom-FFT method applied to pulse Doppler (PD) radar echo spectrum analysis. The method can achieve high resolution of local spectrum, and improve the gain of coherent integration, so it can enhance the detection probability and the precision of parameter estimation for poor echo signal. Firstly this paper introduces the principal of frame-overlapped zoom-FFT. Then it addresses the parameter design criterions in high pulse repeat frequency (HPRF) PD radar application. Furthermore based on analyzing the effects on incoherent integration and target detection due to frame overlap, it illustrates the parameter design process by an example of PD radar spectrum analysis application and gives the comparison of overlap processing and no-overlap processing. Finally, a real-time spectrum analysis system implementation adopting the frame-overlapped zoom-FFT method is proposed
Serum C‐peptide levels and breast cancer risk: Results from the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC)

It has been hypothesized that chronic hyperinsulinemia, a major metabolic consequence of physical inactivity and excess weight, might increase breast cancer risk by direct effects on breast tissue or indirectly by increasing bioavailable levels of testosterone and estradiol. Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), we measured serum levels of C‐peptide—a marker for pancreatic insulin secretion—in a total of 1,141 incident cases of breast cancer and 2,204 matched control subjects. Additional measurements were made of serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and sex steroids. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate breast cancer risk for different levels of C‐peptide. C‐peptide was inversely correlated with SHBG and hence directly correlated with free testosterone among both pre and postmenopausal women. C‐peptide and free estradiol also correlated positively, but only among postmenopausal women. Elevated serum C‐peptide levels were associated with a nonsignificant reduced risk of breast cancer diagnosed up to the age of 50 years [odds ratio (OR) = 0.70, (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.39–1.24); ptrend = 0.05]. By contrast, higher levels of C‐peptide were associated with an increase of breast cancer risk among women above 60 years of age, however only among those women who had provided a blood sample under nonfasting conditions [OR = 2.03, (95% CI, 1.20–3.43); ptrend = 0.01]. Our results do not support the hypothesis that chronic hyperinsulinemia generally increases breast cancer risk, independently of age. Nevertheless, among older, postmenopausal women, hyperinsulinemia might contribute to increasing breast cancer risk. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Isolated pulmonary valve endocarditis: truth or myth?

ABSTRACT Pulmonary valve (PV) infective endocarditis (IE) is an extremely rare disease that involves normal as well as abnormal valves. This condition mostly occurs in patients with underlying predisposing factors. It could be missed if patients do not present with typical features of right-sided endocarditis or in the absence of classic risk factors. The case presented here did not have any known risk factors for IE until surgery and presented mainly with fever, weight loss, and musculoskeletal symptoms.
On-Board Detection and Matching of Feature Points

This paper presents a FPGA-based method for on-board detection and matching of the feature points. With the proposed method, a parallel processing model and a pipeline structure are presented to ensure a high frame rate at processing speed, but with a low power consumption. To save the FPGA resources and increase the processing speed, a model which combines the modified SURF detector and a BRIEF descriptor, is presented as well. Three pairs of images with different land coverages are used to evaluate the performance of FPGA-based implementation. The experiment results demonstrate that (1) when the image pairs with artificial features (such as buildings and roads), the performance of FPGA-based implementation is better than those image pairs with natural features (such as woods); (2) the proposed FPGA-based method is capable of ensuring the processing speed at a high frame rate, such as the speed of can achieve 304 fps under a 100 MHz clock frequency. The speedup of the proposed implementation is about 27 times higher than that when using the PC-based implementation.