Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
OPEC in the News: The Effect of OPEC on Oil Price Uncertainty

We use a novel approach to identify how OPEC-related events affect oil price uncertainty. We introduce a newspaper article count variable related to OPEC that rises in response to important OPEC meetings, as well as political upheaval and terrorist attacks in OPEC countries. The variable is embedded in a structural vector autoregression model that also contains a measure of oil price uncertainty, namely an option-implied volatility, and a measure of macroeconomic uncertainty. Positive innovations in the article count, which identify the occurrence of OPEC-related events, lead to persistent and statistically significant increases in oil price uncertainty. The article count shock explains about 25 percent of the variation in uncertainty about oil prices. OPEC-related events were particularly important from the late-1990s to the late 2000s. These events do not strongly impact macroeconomic uncertainty but macro uncertainty independently plays an important role in the evolution of oil price uncertainty.
Role of potassium tellurite and brain heart infusion in expression of the hemolytic phenotype of Listeria spp. on agar plates

The influence of potassium tellurite (PT) and brain heart infusion agar (Difco), two components of modified Listeria selective agar medium (LSAMm), on the hemolytic phenotype of Listeria spp. was studied. L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii displayed bigger zones of hemolysis on brain heart intusion agar compared with on Columbia agar base. The addition of PT increased the sizes of zones of hemolysis displayed by L. monocytogenes. This effect seemed to be produced by the enhancement of the cytolytic effect of listeriolysin O. PT decreased the hemolysis produced by L. ivanovii, and this effect seemed to be due to an inhibition of the sphingomyelinase C produced by this species.
Multiple circadian transcriptional elements cooperatively regulate cell-autonomous transcriptional oscillation of Period3, a mammalian clock gene

Cell-autonomous oscillation in clock gene expression drives circadian rhythms. The development of comprehensive analytical techniques, such as bioinformatics and ChIP-sequencing, has enabled the genome-wide identification of potential circadian transcriptional elements that regulate the transcriptional oscillation of clock genes. However, detailed analyses using traditional biochemical and molecular-biological approaches, such as binding and reporter assays, are still necessary to determine whether these potential circadian transcriptional elements are actually functional and how significantly they contribute to driving transcriptional oscillation. Here, we focused on the molecular mechanism of transcriptional oscillations in the mammalian clock gene Period3 (Per3). The PER3 protein is essential for robust peripheral clocks and is a key component in circadian output processes. We found three E box–like elements located upstream of human Per3 transcription start sites that additively contributed to cell-autonomous transcriptional oscillation. However, we also found that Per3 is still expressed in a circadian manner when all three E box–like elements are functionally impaired. We noted that Per3 transcription was activated by the synergistic actions of two D box–like elements and the three E box–like elements, leading to a drastic increase in circadian amplitude. Interestingly, circadian expression of Per3 was completely disrupted only when all five transcriptional elements were functionally impaired. These results indicate that three E box–like and two D box–like elements cooperatively and redundantly regulate cell-autonomous transcriptional oscillation of Per3.
Phytoplankton feature extraction from microscopic images based on SURF-PCA

Phytoplankton are photosynthesizing microscopic organisms that inhabit the upper sunlit layer of almost all oceans and bodies of fresh water. Its abundance and taxonomic composition have impact on marine ecosystem dynamic and global environment change. Therefore, many researchers pay attention to effectively monitoring phytoplankton quantity and species composition. In order to realize this purpose, phytoplankton recognition using computer vision is now arousing more and more interest. In this paper, we combine two feature extraction methods, including SURF-PCA and LBP-PCA, to identify phytoplankton. SURF has rotational invariance and LBP is a very efficient texture operator. So combining the two algorithms can take advantage of the complementary properties to extract features, and the classification result shows that this approach is fast and can get a high recognition rate. In order to reduce the computational complexity and obtain a higher recognition rate, we use Principal Component Analysis algorithm for the feature dimension reduction. The experiment results demonstrate that our method can reduce computational complexity without loss of accuracy.
Effect of reactive oxygen species on NH4+ permeation in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

To investigate the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on NH4+ permeation in Xenopus laevis oocytes, we used intracellular double-barreled microelectrodes to monitor the changes in membrane potential (V(m)) and intracellular pH (pH(i)) induced by a 20 mM NH4Cl-containing solution. Under control conditions, NH4Cl exposure induced a large membrane depolarization (to V(m) = 4.0 +/- 1.5 mV; n = 21) and intracellular acidification [reaching a change in pH(i) (DeltapH(i)) of 0.59 +/- 0.06 pH units in 12 min]; the initial rate of cell acidification (dpH(i)/dt) was 0.06 +/- 0.01 pH units/min. Incubation of the oocytes in the presence of H2O2 or beta-amyloid protein had no marked effect on the NH4Cl-induced DeltapH(i). By contrast, in the presence of photoactivated rose bengal (RB), tert-butyl-hydroxyperoxide (t-BHP), or xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO), the same experimental maneuver induced significantly greater DeltapH(i) and dpH(i)/dt. These increases in DeltapH(i) and dpH(i)/dt were prevented by the ROS scavengers histidine and desferrioxamine, suggesting involvement of the reactive species (1)DeltagO2 and.OH. Using the voltage-clamp technique to identify the mechanism underlying the ROS-measured effects, we found that RB induced a large increase in the oocyte membrane conductance (G(m)). This RB-induced G(m) increase was prevented by 1 mM diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC) and by a low Na+ concentration in the bath. We conclude that RB, t-BHP, and X/XO enhance NH4+ influx into the oocyte via activation of a DPC-sensitive nonselective cation conductance pathway.
Rule base Knowledge and Fuzzy Approach for Classification of Specific Crop and Acreage Estimation

Estimation of specific crop and acreage plays a vital role in the field of crop planning, monitoring, crop condition, yield forecasting and acreage estimation. There have been several studies conducted to classify the crops at continental to the regional level, but still, work is needed to map small area covered by different crops using Remote Sensing technology. The main objective of the present study is to explore whether the Fuzzy classifier can improve the accuracy of crop classification as compared to other traditional Classifiers, such as Maximum likelihood, Mahalanobis etc. The attempt has been done to classify different crops at a smaller scale. The Landsat time series 8 band OLI data was used to investigate multiple crop phenomena. Two scenes were acquired in Kharif seasons (September 28 and October 30, 2014). Three indices such as NDVI, SAVI, and RVI, were used to know vegetation condition. The Spectral signatures generated from data for the residues of Sugarcane and Maize based on prior knowledge of the field work. Four techniques based on Maximum Likelihood, Mahalanobis Classifier, Knowledge classifier and fuzzy classification techniques were used to
The Role of Multidimensional Attentional Abilities in Academic Skills of Children With ADHD

Despite reports of academic difficulties in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), little is known about the relationship between performance on tests of academic achievement and measures of attention. The current study assessed intellectual ability, parent-reported inattention, academic achievement, and attention in 45 children (ages 7—15) diagnosed with ADHD. Hierarchical regressions were performed with selective, sustained, and attentional control/switching domains of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children as predictor variables and with performance on the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test—Second Edition as dependent variables. It was hypothesized that sustained attention and attentional control/switching would predict performance on achievement tests. Results demonstrate that attentional control/ switching accounted for a significant amount of variance in all academic areas (reading, math, and spelling), even after accounting for verbal IQ and parent-reported inattention. Sustained attention predicted variance only in math, whereas selective attention did not account for variance in any achievement domain. Therefore, attentional control/switching, which involves components of executive functions, plays an important role in academic performance.
Compact Filtering Power Divider With Enhanced Second-Harmonic Suppression

This letter presents a compact power divider integrated with high-selectivity bandpass resoponses. A novel topology is proposed to integrate five resonators and a resistor to realize the dual functions of the power division and filtering. Two transmission zeros are generated near the passband edges and another one is created at the second harmonic frequency which enhances the rejection levels. For validation, a filtering power divider operating at 920 MHz is implemented with more than 20 dB isolation. The circuit size is 0.15 λg×0.14 λg, featuring compact size.
Cardiovascular Neurohormonal Regulation A novel role for miR-133 a in centrally mediated activation of the renin-angiotensin system in congestive heart failure

Sharma NM, Nandi SS, Zheng H, Mishra PK, Patel KP. A novel role for miR-133a in centrally mediated activation of the renin-angiotensin system in congestive heart failure. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 312: H968–H979, 2017. First published March 10, 2017; doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00721. 2016. —An activated renin-angiotensin system (RAS) within the central nervous system has been implicated in sympathoexcitation during various disease conditions including congestive heart failure (CHF). In particular, activation of the RAS in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus has been recognized to augment sympathoexcitation in CHF. We observed a 2.6-fold increase in angiotensinogen (AGT) in the PVN of CHF. To elucidate the molecular mechanism for increased expression of AGT, we performed in silico analysis of the 3=-untranslated region (3=-UTR) of AGT and found a potential binding site for microRNA (miR)-133a. We hypothesized that decreased miR-133a might contribute to increased AGT in the PVN of CHF rats. Overexpression of miR-133a in NG108 cells resulted in 1.4and 1.5-fold decreases in AGT and angiotensin type II (ANG II) type 1 receptor (AT1R) mRNA levels, respectively. A luciferase reporter assay performed on NG108 cells confirmed miR-133a binding to the 3=-UTR of AGT. Consistent with these in vitro data, we observed a 1.9-fold decrease in miR-133a expression with a concomitant increase in AGT and AT1R expression within the PVN of CHF rats. Furthermore, restoring the levels of miR-133a within the PVN of CHF rats with viral transduction resulted in a significant reduction of AGT (1.4-fold) and AT1R (1.5-fold) levels with a concomitant decrease in basal renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA). Restoration of miR-133a also abrogated the enhanced RSNA responses to microinjected ANG II within the PVN of CHF rats. These results reveal a novel and potentially unique role for miR-133a in the regulation of ANG II within the PVN of CHF rats, which may potentially contribute to the commonly observed sympathoexcitation in CHF.
Improved Otway Rees protocol and its formal verification

Authentication protocol is applied to implement the identity authentication of two communicating entities and build secure communication tunnel through exchanging keys. The paper analyzes the security properties of the original Otway Rees protocol and its existing improved version, it finds that the protocol cannot meet the authentication goals. The paper proposes a novel improved protocol, which eliminates redundancy in the Otway Rees protocol messages and removes the limitations that the Otway Rees protocol cannot resist impersonation attack by modifying message format and adding handshake message. The paper also verifies the security of the improved Otway Rees protocol by utilizing formal method. The analysis results show that the protocol satisfies the strong goals of identity authentication and key distribution.
Large, nonplateauing relationship between clinical disability and cerebral white matter lesion load in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE To better characterize the relationship between cerebral white matter lesion load (CWM-LL) and clinical disability by (1) covering the entire range of the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), (2) minimizing nonbiological sources of variability, and (3) increasing pathologic specificity by studying CWM lesions that are hypointense on T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. DESIGN Cross-sectional, retrospective study. SETTING Hospital-based multiple sclerosis (MS) clinic. Patients A total of 110 patients with untreated MS were recruited and studied from June 1, 1997, through June 30, 2003. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cube-rooted CWM-LL and EDSS-measured clinical disability scores. RESULTS We found a large, nonplateauing relationship between cube-rooted CWM-LL and concurrent EDSS scores, more so for T1-hypointense than T2-hyperintense lesions (r = 0.619 vs 0.548). Correlations between the EDSS scores and CWM-LL diminished when, as typically done in clinical trials, only those patients with EDSS scores of 0 to 6.0 were studied (n = 92; r = 0.523 for T1-hypointense lesions and r = 0.457 for T2-hyperintense lesions); more important, a series of boot-strapped correlations suggested that this decrease was not simply due to smaller sample size, and these relationships remained even after correcting for disease duration. CONCLUSION A large, nonplateauing relationship exists between CWM-LL and EDSS-measured clinical disability when patients with MS are studied to examine the entire range of disability, minimize nonbiological sources of variability, and increase pathologic specificity.
Grading Contact Lens Complications Under Time Constraints

Purpose. To investigate the effect of observation time on the precision of grading the severity of contact lens complications. Methods. Twenty-five optometry students used the Efron Grading Scales for Contact Lens Complications to grade the severity of one image of each of the 16 forms of anterior eye pathology depicted in the Efron scales. This procedure was repeated for observation times of 0.1, 2, and 60 s. Results. Overall, significantly greater grading precision (smaller standard deviation of mean grades) was demonstrated for longer observation times (p < 0.004); however, certain complications appear to require longer observation times for precise grading. There was a highly significant dependence of the mean grade on image (p < 0.0001), observation time (p < 0.0001), and observation time–image interaction (p < 0.0001). Conclusions. Overall, a brief viewing time of a few seconds is typically all that is required for precise grading of ocular complications of contact lens wear. Some forms of pathology are more complex and may require more time to grade precisely.
Cleaning Up of Contaminated Soils by Using Microbial Remediation: A Review and Challenges to the Weaknesses

The use of microbial bioremediation in recovering polluted soils is not a new technology based on many review reports and studies on its efficiencies and on how to increase the effectiveness. In this short paper, we reviewed the advantages and weaknesses of microbial remediation in cleaning up the polluted ecosystems. Based on the identified weaknesses/disadvantages or incompleteness of the microbial remediation by Sharma and Reddy (2004), future studies should focus on how to increase the effectiveness of the bioremediation technology that should further reduce environmental stress on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Overall, strategies in the future studies for improving the microbial remediation are discussed.
"Credit Imperfections, Inequality and Economic Growth"

This paper presents a dynamic general equilibrium model to investigate the interaction of financial markets with economic growth, change of industry structure and the evolution of wealth across households along the development process. I find that in the early stages of development the economy experiences "extensive growth," in which the growth rates are increasing and the fraction of entrepreneurs is positively correlated to the level of aggregate output. The engine of growth in this stage comes from the reallocation of resources from low to high productivity sectors. In the middle and mature stages of development the economy experiences "intensive growth," that is, the fraction of entrepreneurs is negatively correlated with the level of output and the source of growth in these stages is the higher average productivity achieved by the competition among entrepreneurs. As a result, the growth rate could be increasing in the middle stage and then displays a decreasing pattern during the mature stage.
A holistic approach in reducing organizational cynicism: The role of job autonomy

The paper aims to develop a framework regarding organizational cynicism. The model of this study seeks to explain the relationship between job autonomy and organizational cynicism.An extensive review helps to develop the possible relationship between the variables.The proposed framework of this study is useful for the future researchers to expand more studies on organizational cynicism.In order to fill the gap and inconsistencies found in the past studies, it is assumed that the role of job autonomy is important to reduce organizational cynicism.
Cognitive Control of Eating Behavior and the Disinhibition Effect

Restrained eaters have been reported to overeat following a high caloric preload, a phenomenon referred to as the disinhibition effect. However this effect has not been found when subjects were classified by the restraint subscales of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ; Stunkard & Messick, 1985) or the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (van Strien et al., 1986). The present study investigates the disinhibition effect in 133 normal-weight young women, using a two-factorial classification including the TFEQ-restraint and the TFEQ-disinhibition scale. The subjects were requested to consume ice-cream ad libitum during a taste test following a 200-ml milkshake preload or without preload. The results show that the behavioural disinhibition effect occurs only in subjects with simultaneous high scores on both subscales. In addition, subjects with high disinhibition scores consumed more ice-cream than low disinhibition subjects irrespective of their degree of restraint. While subjects with a more rigid control of eating behaviour did not show a difference in the amount of ice-cream consumed with or without preload, subjects with a more flexible control of eating behaviour reduced their intake following the preload condition. With regard to the Revised Restraint Scale (RRS Herman & Polivy, 1980) multiple regression results show that high RRS scores may be due to either higher TFEQ-restraint or higher TFEQ-disinhibition scores. The interpretation of the results favours the renaming of the TFEQ-disinhibition scale to "susceptibility to eating problems" because high scores on this scale indicate overeating in a variety of situations without requiring prior inhibition i.e. dietary restraint. It is supposed that high susceptibility to eating problems may be caused by rigid control of eating behaviour, whereas flexible control of eating behaviour may be a less problematic strategy of long-term weight control.
Molecular cloning and characterization of three distinct choriogenins in masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou

Three cDNAs, each encoding a different choriogenin (Chg), were isolated from a female masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) liver cDNA library. Two of the cDNA clones, Chg Hα and Chg Hβ, showed a close relationship and contained the typical domains of zona pellucida (ZP) B genes in fish, namely proline and glutamine rich repeats, a trefoil factor family domain, and a ZP domain. Specific antibodies against recombinant Chg H products (rmHα and rmHβ) were generated to elucidate the relationship between the Chg H cDNAs and two types of serum Chg H protein, which were previously purified and characterized, and designated as very‐high‐molecular‐weight vitelline envelope‐related protein (vhVERP) and Chg H of masu salmon. The immunobiochemical analyses revealed that the Chg Hα and Chg Hβ clones encoded vhVERP and Chg H proteins, respectively. The third cDNA clone (Chg L) appeared to be a ZPC gene and, by mapping the N‐terminal sequence of purified Chg L, was shown to encode serum Chg L protein. Various types of heteromultimer of the three Chgs were identified immunologically as high molecular weight chorion components, indicating the involvement of complex heterodimerization of multiple Chgs in the construction of chorion architecture in masu salmon. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 1217–1228, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Accommodation in human eye models: a comparison between the optical designs of Navarro, Arizona and Liou-Brennan.

AIM To simulate and compare accommodation in accommodative and non-accommodative human eye models. METHODS Ray tracing and optical design program was used. Three eye models were designed and studied: the Navarro, the Arizona and the Liou-Brennan. In order to make the Navarro and Liou-Brennan models to accommodate, specific geometric parameters of the models were altered with values that were chosen from the literature. For the Arizona model, its' mathematical functions for accommodation were used for the same accommodative demands. The simulation included four distances of accommodation for each model: at infinity, 3, 1 and 0.5 m.The results were diffraction images of a "letter F" for graphical comparison, spot diagrams on the retinal field and Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) graphs. RESULTS Zernike coefficients for the aberrations, Airy disk diameter, root mean square (RMS) error diameter and total axial length of the model were provided from the program. These were compared between them in all distances. The Navarro model had the smallest axial length change as a simple model. The Arizona did not change its axial length because it is designed to be accommodative. The Liou-Brennan model had different results concerning the aberrations because of the decentration of the pupil. The MTF graphs showed small differences between the models because of the differences in their designs. CONCLUSION All the three models are able to simulate accommodation with the expected results. There is no model that can be assumed as the best choice. Accommodation can be simulated in non-accommodativemodels and in customized ones.