Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neoclassical Growth, Environment and Technological Change: the Environmental Kuznets Curve

This paper investigates socially optimal patterns of economic growth and environmental quality in a neoclassical growth model with endogenous technological progress. In the model, environmental quality has a positive effect not only on utility but also on production. Moreover, cleaner technologies can be used in the economy if a part of the output is used in environmentally oriented R&D. In this framework, if the initial level of capital is low, then the shadow price of a cleaner technology is low in relation to the cost of developing it, given by the marginal utility of consumption, and it is not worth investing in R&D. Thus, there will be a first stage of growth based only on the accumulation of capital with environmental quality decreasing until there is enough pollution to make investing in R&D profitable. After this turning point, if the new technologies are efficient enough, the economy can evolve along a balanced growth path with increasing environmental quality. The result is that the optimal investment pattern supports an environmental Kuznets curve.
The Homeodomain of PDX-1 Mediates Multiple Protein-Protein Interactions in the Formation of a Transcriptional Activation Complex on the Insulin Promoter

ABSTRACT Activation of insulin gene transcription specifically in the pancreatic β cells depends on multiple nuclear proteins that interact with each other and with sequences on the insulin gene promoter to build a transcriptional activation complex. The homeodomain protein PDX-1 exemplifies such interactions by binding to the A3/4 region of the rat insulin I promoter and activating insulin gene transcription by cooperating with the basic-helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein E47/Pan1, which binds to the adjacent E2 site. The present study provides evidence that the homeodomain of PDX-1 acts as a protein-protein interaction domain to recruit multiple proteins, including E47/Pan1, BETA2/NeuroD1, and high-mobility group protein I(Y), to an activation complex on the E2A3/4 minienhancer. The transcriptional activity of this complex results from the clustering of multiple activation domains capable of interacting with coactivators and the basal transcriptional machinery. These interactions are not common to all homeodomain proteins: the LIM homeodomain protein Lmx1.1 can also activate the E2A3/4 minienhancer in cooperation with E47/Pan1 but does so through different interactions. Cooperation between Lmx1.1 and E47/Pan1 results not only in the aggregation of multiple activation domains but also in the unmasking of a potent activation domain on E47/Pan1 that is normally silent in non-β cells. While more than one activation complex may be capable of activating insulin gene transcription through the E2A3/4 minienhancer, each is dependent on multiple specific interactions among a unique set of nuclear proteins.
Order-N spectral method for electromagnetic waves.

We show that the eigenmodes for electromagnetic waves in an inhomogeneous dielectric medium can be obtained with an algorithm that scales linearly with the size of the system. The method employs discretization of the Maxwell equations in both the spatial and the time domain and the integration of the Maxwell equations in the time domain. The spectral intensity can then be obtained by a Fourier transform. We applied the method to a few problems of current interest, including the photonic band structure of a periodic dielectric structure, the effective dielectric constants of some three-dimensional and two-dimensional systems, and the defect states of a periodic dielectric structure with structural defects.
Estudo da estabilidade de bicamadas lipidicas em presença de tensoativos

Lipossomas ou vesiculas lipidicas, sao estruturas nas quais os fosfolipidios agregam-se em bicamadas, formando particulas capazes de encapsular compostos de natureza tanto hidrofilica quanto hidrofobica. Essas caracteristicas fazem dos lipossomas um sistema muito atrativo para diversas aplicacoes, dentre as quais o encapsulamento e liberacao controlada de medicamentos. Um dos principais problemas associados com as aplicacoes de lipossomas "in vivo" e a perda de estabilidade da bicamada lipidica em presenca de fluidos biologicos. As interacoes com proteinas ou com outras substâncias que apresentam atividade de superficie desestruturam a bicamada, provocando a liberacao indesejavel do composto encapsulado Abstract
Tightly coupled fusion of direct stereo visual odometry and inertial sensor measurements using an iterated information filter

In this paper we describe a recursive filter for the fusion of inertial and visual measurements for self-positioning, where the sensors are attached rigidly to the moving person or object. The system is self-contained, requires no infrastructure and is suitable for both indoor and seamless indoor/outdoor localization. The suggested approach fuses the images acquired by a stereo camera with a 3-axis MEMS accelerometer and gyroscope. We focus on a visual odometry approach in which motion information is calculated from subsequent (stereo) images. The algorithm uses image gradients to determine Jacobian Matrices in an iterated information filter formulation. Therefore after the strapdown inertial navigation (INS) in the prediction step, the correction based on a semi-dense direct image alignment considers properly the state uncertainty and in general only one or two iterations are required for convergence. The accuracy and the robustness of the combined localization system are evaluated using the EuRoCMAV dataset as well as a walking scenario recorded by a custom sensor setup.
Microwave aquametry of roasting coffee beans

We constructed a fluidsed-bed coffee roaster with a roast chamber that is also a microwave cavity in order to measure water content of roasting coffee. We identify factors involved in roasting that influence the data. We present a new approach to the problem of interpreting measurements that are noisy as a result of bean movement in the fluidised bed. Cleaned data permit aquametry throughout the roast. We seek the ideal point when an expert roaster would terminate the roast, but this measurement found no events or conditions that signal the ideal endpoint for a roast.
Effects of knee orthosis adjustment on biomechanical performance and clinical outcome in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis

Background: Valgus bracing in medial knee osteoarthritis aims to improve gait function by reducing the loading of the medial compartment. Orthosis composition and optimal adjustment is essential to achieve biomechanical and clinical effectiveness. Objectives: To investigate biomechanical functionality during gait, pain relief and compliance in patients with knee osteoarthritis using a lightweight adjustable knee unloader orthosis. Study Design: Prospective observational clinical trial. Methods: Instrumented gait analysis in 22 patients with unilateral medial knee osteoarthritis was performed after a 2-week orthosis acclimatisation period. Kinematics and kinetics during gait as well as force transmission from the orthosis to the knee were analysed. Measurements were performed without, at individualised and at reduced orthosis setting. The assessment was supplemented by patient-related pain sensation and compliance questionnaires. Results: Orthosis wear significantly reduced the knee adduction moment by up to 20% depending on orthosis adjustment, whereas pain sensation was significantly reduced by 16%. A significant positive correlation was found between force transmissions and knee adduction moment as well as for frontal knee angle. Compliance was good with a main daily use of 2–6 h. Conclusion: The orthosis provides significant biomechanical improvements, pain relief and good patient compliance. Patients had a biomechanical benefit for the individualised and reduced orthosis adjustments. Clinical relevance In patients with medial knee osteoarthritis, a lightweight medial unloader orthosis effectively reduced external knee adduction moment and pain sensation during daily activities. Thus, use of lightweight orthoses effectively supports conservative treatment in medial knee osteoarthritis.
Review: Sharlene Hesse-Biber & Patricia Leavy (2006). The Practice of Qualitative Research

Das vorliegende Buch zur "Practice of Qualitative Research" fuhrt in eine Mixtur aus praktischer Anleitung, theoretischer Bestimmung des Gegenstandes, Reflexion von Forschungspraktiken und postmoderner Selbstbestimmung der Autorinnen, sowie in eine Beschreibung qualitativer Forschung als selbstreflexiver Prozess innerhalb der verschiedenen Disziplinen der Human- und Sozialwissenschaften ein. Mittels kreativer, an vielen Stellen gut lesbarer Darstellungsweise verweist das Buch auf methodologische Zusammenhange und gibt gleichzeitig einen Uberblick uber die im US-Amerikanischen Raum verbreiteten Methoden qualitativer Sozialforschung. Dass sich das Buch ausschlieslich im Kontext des US-Amerikanischen Mainstreams der Qualitativen Forschung lesen und verstehen lasst, sollte unbedingt berucksichtigt werden. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0801138
Pipelining a Multi-Mode SHA-384/512 Core with High Area Performance Rate

The security hash algorithm 512 (SHA-512), which is used to verify the integrity of a message, involves computational iterations on data. The huge computation delay generated in such iterations limits the entire throughput of the system and makes it difficult to pipeline the computation. We describe a way to pipeline the computation using fine-grained pipelining with balanced critical paths. In this method, one critical path is broken into two stages by using data forwarding. The other critical path is broken into three stages by using computation postponement. The resulting critical paths all have two adder-layers with some data movements, and thus are balanced. In addition, the method also allows register reduction. Also, the similarity in SHA-384 and SHA-512 are used for a multi-mode design, which can generate a message digest for both versions with the same throughput, but with only a small increase in hardware size. Experimental results show that our implementation achieved not only the best area performance rate (throughput divided by area), but also a higher throughput than almost all related work.
Crystal structure of an alanine‐glyoxylate aminotransferase from Anabaena sp. at 1.70 Å resolution reveals a noncovalently linked PLP cofactor

Gye Won Han, Robert Schwarzenbacher, Rebecca Page, Lukasz Jaroszewski, Polat Abdubek, Eileen Ambing, Tanya Biorac, Jaume M. Canaves, Hsiu-Ju Chiu, Xiaoping Dai, Ashley M. Deacon, Michael DiDonato, Marc-André Elsliger, Adam Godzik, Carina Grittini, Slawomir K. Grzechnik, Joanna Hale, Eric Hampton, Justin Haugen, Michael Hornsby, Heath E. Klock, Eric Koesema, Andreas Kreusch, Peter Kuhn, Scott A. Lesley, Inna Levin, Daniel McMullan, Timothy M. McPhillips, Mitchell D. Miller, Andrew Morse, Kin Moy, Edward Nigoghossian, Jie Ouyang, Jessica Paulsen, Kevin Quijano, Ron Reyes, Eric Sims, Glen Spraggon, Raymond C. Stevens, Henry van den Bedem, Jeff Velasquez, Juli Vincent, Frank von Delft, Xianhong Wang, Bill West, Aprilfawn White, Guenter Wolf, Qingping Xu, Olga Zagnitko, Keith O. Hodgson, John Wooley, and Ian A. Wilson* The Joint Center for Structural Genomics Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, California The San Diego Supercomputer Center, La Jolla, California The Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, San Diego, California The University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California
The importance of and a method for including transfection efficiency into real‐time PCR data analyses

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely used to ascertain absolute or relative changes in the expression levels of specific genes as a function of cell type or in response to changes in environmental stimuli. Real‐time PCR is an advance which allows for the analysis of gene expression over a wide range of initial cDNA concentrations, where the cDNA is the product of reverse transcriptase reactions applied to RNA samples. With the advent and advances in gene delivery technologies, it is now common for the cellular responses under scrutiny to be initiated via the expression of an exogenously delivered gene. When transfection (or transduction) is a part of the procedure used to prepare cell samples for real‐time PCR, it is necessary to take the efficiency of gene delivery into account. Here a robust mathematical model for such analyses is derived, and validated with theoretical and experimental support. Comparison to existing analysis methods is presented to demonstrate the high significance of noting transfection, loading, and primer PCR efficiencies when processing PCR data. / Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;100: 765–772. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Algorithm animation of neural networks

The internal operation of an artificial neural network is so radically different from more conventional programmed algorithms that it requires careful explanation. In an attempt to assist students with an understanding of how neural nets work we have applied algorithm animation techniques. Using the XTANGO system, a sequence of animations has been developed that is intended to be used in conjunction with lecture material. It begins with a study of a single perception, then moves on to the more powerful and complex Hopfield model of neural behaviour.
Association between genetic polymorphisms of ACE , eNOS , DDAH-2 and ADMA , SDMA and NOx with coronary artery disease in Tunisian population

Background: While a number of genetic and environmental risk factors for coronary heart diseases have been identified. This study was designed to determine the association between NOS, ACE and DDAH-2 gene polymorphism and CAD with regard to the plasma levels of ADMA, SDMA and NOx in Tunisian population. Methods: Relevant clinical parameters were measured and peripheral whole blood obtained for genetic analysis on 193 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD) and 104 CAD free control subjects. Polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine genotype distributions for three polymorphic DDAH-2 rs3131383, ACE rs4291 and NOS rs2070744 and evaluated the association with plasma NOx, ADMA and SDMA concentration, them a potential predictor of CAD in a Tunisian population. Results: Significant differences in the distribution of the ACE and DDAH-2 polymorphisms were observed between CAD and controls but no difference was detected in eNOS gene T-786C polymorphism. Conclusion: ACE and DDAH-2 polymorphism were associated with an increased risk of CAD in Tunisian population.
Optimal offering strategies for generation companies operating in electricity spot markets

An unprecedented process of reforms has shaken the power industry during the last two decades. In order to sell the energy produced by their plants, many generation companies are now forced to prepare and submit daily offers to an electricity market under uncertainty about the offers submitted by their rivals. In this paper, we describe a methodology to prepare optimal offers for a generation company operating in a day-ahead market organized as a series of 24 hourly uniform-price multiunit double auctions. We explicitly consider the ability of the company to affect the price of electricity as well as the company's uncertainty about rivals' behavior.
Image fusion method based on the advection equation

Abstract. We present an innovative method based on the linear advection equation, an important partial differential equation, to perform the fusion of images. The basic idea of this method is to insert the relevant information from other source images into the current source image through an advection process. Furthermore, we present the discrete scheme of this model and compare it with classical fusion approaches, the diffusion equation-based method, and some state-of-the-art fusion approaches on three groups of fusion images that are often used in the image fusion research. The results of experiments show that the fusion method based on the advection equation is comparable with the best of the classical, diffusion-based, and state-of-the-art methods. The high “weighted performance metric” QAB/F of fused images certifies that the relevant information is well injected from the input to the output images. Moreover, this method has fewer adjustable parameters with settings that affect the metric QAB/F less than other methods, and the evolution from input to output is also faster than the diffusion-based method. In addition, this model allows us to cope with noisy source image fusion by adding a diffusion term in the equation, thereby combining the denoising process with the fusion process.
Virtual instructors' perspectives toward Community of Inquiry framework: The case of EFL

This study aimed to investigate virtual English language instructors' perspectives regarding Community of Inquiry Model (CoI). The population of the study consisted of 7 online experienced TEFL instructors at Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST). They were asked to provide the answers of an interview based on 38 open-ended questions. The results of the study indicated that Cognitive presence was the least common presence in virtual learning environment. Regarding Social presence, only few indicators of this presence (Utilizing medium, Identifying areas of agreement and disagreement, Setting climate for learning, and Encouraging and acknowledging student contribution) were available to virtual students. Considering Social presence, slightly less Affective and Group Cohesion presence was found in Instructors' comments and only two indicators of Open Communication category (Complimenting and Quoting messages) were frequent and applicable to virtual learning environment.
Left ventricular assist device infection is associated with increased mortality but is not a contraindication to transplantation.

BACKGROUND Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are increasingly used as a bridge to transplantation. Infection is a frequent and major complication associated with the use of these devices, however, the correlation of infection and outcome has not yet been evaluated in a prospective fashion. METHODS AND RESULTS Twenty-five patients (24 male, 1 female) with end-stage cardiac failure and resulting organ dysfunction were included. Patients were bridged with the Novacor N100 portable LVAD (median duration of support, 55 days) and were evaluated prospectively by device surface cultures on explantation, molecular typing of isolates, and correlation of infection with survival to transplant. Twelve (48%) of 25 patients had LVAD infection as defined by recovery of multiple isolates of identical genotype from the device surface. Whereas only 5 (42%) of 12 patients with LVAD infection survived until transplantation, 11 (85%) of 13 patients without infection were successfully transplanted (P < .05). Death of the 7 patients with proven LVAD infection was associated with multiple organ failure or other signs of acute infection. CONCLUSIONS LVAD infection is associated with a significantly decreased survival probability. It does not preclude successful bridging but rather may pose an indication for urgent transplantation.
Correction to "Automatic Age Estimation Based on Facial Aging Patterns"

“The authors would like to thank Y. Zhang, G. Li, and H. Dai for their help and Dr. A. Lanitis for providing the FG-NET Aging Database. Part of the work was done when Xin Geng was at the LAMDA Group, Nanjing University. Also, this research was partially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (60635030, 60325207) and the Foundation for the Author of National Excellent Doctoral Dissertation of China (200343). ”
Analysis of cis‐Acting Sequences from the Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Promoter

Abstract: Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG), a minor component of the myelin sheath, appears to be implicated in the late events of CNS myelinogenesis. To investigate the transcriptional regulation of MOG, 657 bp of the 5′‐flanking sequence of the murine MOG gene, previously shown to induce the highest level of transcription in an oligodendroglial cell line, was analyzed by in vitro footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. This region contains at least three sites that contact nuclear proteins in vitro. Each region described in this study binds specific nuclear proteins and enhances transcription in the OLN‐93 glial cell line. More specifically, a region located at position ‐93 to ‐73 bp, which displays 100% homology in mouse and human MOG promoters, presents distinct binding affinities between brain and liver nuclear proteins. The results obtained by supershift assay and site‐directed mutagenesis reveal that this region contains an essential positive element (TGACGTGG) related to the cyclic AMP‐responsive element CREB‐1 and are additional evidence for the involvement of the cyclic AMP transduction pathway in oligodendrocyte development.
Metodologia de Pesquisa de Dissertações sobre Inovação: Análise Bibliométrica

O metodo de pesquisa consiste no elemento que fornece confiabilidade e veracidade a investigacao empirica. Todavia, nao ha um metodo cientifico homogeneo adequado a todo tipo de problema a ser estudado. Com vistas a isso, esse estudo teve por objetivo identificar a metodo de pesquisa utilizado nas dissertacoes de mestrado stricto sensu das Instituicoes de Ensino Superior (IES) que possuem conceito maximo, segundo avaliacao realizada pela Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Ensino Superior (CAPES), e que abordaram o tema “inovacao”. Outro objetivo proposto neste estudo foi elencar os autores utilizados para fundamentar o conceito de inovacao. Em relacao ao metodo empregado, realizou-se uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, com finalidade exploratorio-descritiva, adotando-se como procedimento tecnico pesquisa documental e analise bibliometrica. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que 26,32% das dissertacoes elencadas nao mencionaram a abordagem de pesquisa utilizada, 42,11% nao citaram a classificacao quanto a finalidade e 31,68% nao declararam o procedimento tecnico empregado. Quanto aos autores seminais, nenhum autor foi citado de forma majoritaria nas dissertacoes. No entanto, cabe destacar que Schumpeter e Freeman foram os mais citados, com 36,84% e 31,57% respectivamente.
Rapid diagnosis of rotavirus infection by direct detection of viral nucleic acid in silver-stained polyacrylamide gels

A rapid simple technique for the diagnosis of rotavirus has been developed based on the sensitive detection of rotavirus double-stranded RNA genome segments separated in polyacrylamide gels. The method utilizes a recently described ultrasensitive silver stain for polypeptides, which can also detect subnanogram amounts of nucleic acid. The sensitivity of the technique is comparable with that of electron microscopy or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.