Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Business Cycle Accounting for Peripheral European Economies

Using the Business Cycle Accounting methodology, this paper analyzes the dynamics of the EMU-periphery economies before and during what was called the sovereign debt crisis. TFP dynamics and the labor wedge explain most of the dynamics before and during the crisis. The bond wedge, corresponding to the risk premium, made a low contribution, moving counter-cyclically. The capital wedge made a modest contribution to the fall in output during the crisis. Additional evidence links the dynamics of the TFP and the labor wedge with changes in the interest rates and a spike in import prices at the onset of the crisis, corresponding to the general mechanisms of the large capital inflows, in the wake of the introduction of the Euro, followed by sudden stops.
Design and Control of a Quad-Rotor Flying Robot For Aerial Surveillance

This paper presents the control of a quad-rotor VTOL (vertical take off and landing) flying robot as an experimental flying platform. The flying robot is to be controlled by a pilot using radio frequency. A wireless CCTV camera is installed on the robot to perform aerial surveillance and inspection operation. Due to the naturally unstable behavior of the flying robot, PID control system is implemented with the aid of accelerometer, compass sensor and gyro sensors to stabilize the flying robot and make it easier to be controlled by the operator. The fusion between the accelerometer, compass sensor and also the gyro sensors is done by the complementary filter.
Regulation of Ribosomal S6 Protein Kinase-p90rsk, Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3, and β-Catenin in Early Xenopus Development

ABSTRACT β-Catenin is a multifunctional protein that binds cadherins at the plasma membrane, HMG box transcription factors in the nucleus, and several cytoplasmic proteins that are involved in regulating its stability. In developing embryos and in some human cancers, the accumulation of β-catenin in the cytoplasm and subsequently the nuclei of cells may be regulated by the Wnt-1 signaling cascade and by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3). This has increased interest in regulators of both GSK-3 and β-catenin. Searching for kinase activities able to phosphorylate the conserved, inhibitory-regulatory GSK-3 residue serine 9, we found p90 rsk to be a potential upstream regulator of GSK-3. Overexpression of p90 rsk in Xenopus embryos leads to increased steady-state levels of total β-catenin but not of the free soluble protein. Instead, p90 rsk overexpression increases the levels of β-catenin in a cell fraction containing membrane-associated cadherins. Consistent with the lack of elevation of free β-catenin levels, ectopic p90 rsk was unable to rescue dorsal cell fate in embryos ventralized by UV irradiation. We show that p90 rsk is a downstream target of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling during early Xenopus development, since ectopic FGF signaling activates both endogenous and overexpressed p90 rsk . Moreover, overexpression of a dominant negative FGF receptor, which blocks endogenous FGF signaling, leads to decreased p90 rsk kinase activity. Finally, we report that FGF inhibits endogenous GSK-3 activity inXenopus embryos. We hypothesize that FGF and p90 rsk play heretofore unsuspected roles in modulating GSK-3 and β-catenin.
Perspectives on Biologically Active Camptothecin Derivatives

Camptothecins (CPTs) are cytotoxic natural alkaloids that specifically target DNA topoisomerase I. Research on CPTs has undergone a significant evolution from the initial discovery of CPT in the late 1960s through the study of synthetic small‐molecule derivatives to investigation of macromolecular constructs and formulations. Over the past years, intensive medicinal chemistry efforts have generated numerous CPT derivatives. Three derivatives, topotecan, irinotecan, and belotecan, are currently prescribed as anticancer drugs, and several related compounds are now in clinical trials. Interest in other biological effects, besides anticancer activity, of CPTs is also growing exponentially, as indicated by the large number of publications on the subject during the last decades. Therefore, the main focus of the present review is to provide an ample but condensed overview on various biological activities of CPT derivatives, in addition to continued up‐to‐date coverage of anticancer effects.
Electronic capital : Economic and social geographies of digitalization

Digitalization, the social, economic and cultural process where individuals, organizations and societies access, adopt, use and utilize digital technologies, is expected to produce comprehensive societal benefits. Here, “the spillover effects” of the utilization of digital technologies such as e-government, teleworking and social media are examined in order to explore the added value that can be potentially gained from digitalization. Moreover, the study advances the conceptual perception of how, where and to whom the digitalization produces added value. The research applies Bourdieusian neo-capital theory, which emphasizes the significance of tangible and intangible forms of capital in understanding the social world. This dissertation addresses digitalization questions through four papers: The first paper is conceptual in nature. It redefines and introduces the concept of e-capital as another form of intangible capital, which emerges from the possibilities, capabilities and willingness of individuals, organizations and societies to invest in, utilize and reap benefits from digitalization and thus create added value. All forms of capital (physical, economic, human, social and cultural) are both required and produced in this process. The second paper exposes spatial and social disparities in the use of social media in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area (HMA), and the third paper shows the connection between teleworking, knowledge intensity and creativity of work and e-capital. Both of these papers draw on a survey of 971 inhabitants of the HMA conducted in 2010. The fourth paper examines the national e-government programme E-services and e-democracy (SADe) by exploiting 15 stakeholder interviews conducted in 2012. The paper indicates that the programme was mainly driven by a technological paradigm. The study demonstrates that the basic, primary motivation for advancing digitalization in societies is the fact that it matters: digitalization can provide e-capital and produce added value that cannot be gained or would be significantly more difficult to gain without digital technologies. The benefits do not materialize solely through the production of new innovative technological solutions, but rather they arise from comprehensive implementation by the individuals, organizations and societies. These actors possess varying amounts of different forms of capital and thus vary in terms of their possibilities, capabilities and willingness to implement new digital tools. Since different forms of capital are needed in order to create e-capital from digitalization, e-capital is most likely to emerge in the same locations as other forms of capital. However, the conceptualisation of e-capital demonstrated that jumping into the e-capital conversion process gives access to other forms of capital. This should motivate individuals, organizations and societies (including the public bodies supporting them) in their digitalization process.
A Preliminary Study on Assertion of Handfrom Whorl Pattern on Thumb

Fingerprints are the most important and crucial evidence found at the scene of occurrence which proves to give a positive means of identification. Due to uniqueness of fingerprints even identical twins can be differentiated where DNA profiling proves futile. The prints on crime scene are rarely found in sequence and often incomplete. As a result of which it takes too much time for a fingerprint expert to conclude regarding the origin of questioned fingerprint. Since there is lack of established parameters which could be helpful in ascertaining the hand from which a single fingerprint belongs, the job of an expert becomes more tedious and meticulous. Therefore present study attempts to decipher some characteristics features from 200 bilateral rolled thumb prints having whorl pattern which is the second most prevalent pattern (30-35%) found in whole population after loop pattern (60-65%). As a preliminary effort only thumb prints with whorl patterns have been considered which can be specifically extended to other fingers having loop, arch and composite patterns [1]. The future perspective of present study can be elaborated by undertaking population and genetic studies [2, 3].
Simplified strategies for minimal residual disease detection in B‐cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

We have developed a simplified fluorescent run‐off (FluRO) based IgH PCR strategy in order to facilitate follow‐up of large numbers of B‐cell precursor (BCP) acute lymphoblastic leukaemias (ALL) in a routine molecular diagnostic laboratory. DNA samples from 26 BCP‐ALL and one B‐cell line were amplified using IgH FR1 and FR2 consensus primers and analysed in parallel either by ethidium bromide non‐denaturing PAGE or, after rendering the PCR products fluorescent with an internal JH consensus primer, by high‐resolution analysis on an automated fragment analyser. The latter led to a minimum of one log increase in sensitivity of detection in 62% of alleles from 19 samples (16/28 in FR1; 11/15 in FR2) tested in parallel on log DNA dilutions, and to at least a 10−2 level of sensitivity of detection in 15/19. The improved resolution allowed an approximate 20% increase in the number of clonal alleles detected, and consequently doubled the incidence of oligoclonality (6/26; 23%). Using these strategies, 6/17 (35%) of children analysed prospectively showed residual IgH positivity in the post induction complete remission bone marrow sample. Both early deaths occurred within this subgroup of patients and of the three of four surviving patients tested, two remained positive 2–3 months later. Although this simplified strategy is, as expected, less sensitive than anti‐V‐D‐J junction specific strategies, it enables detection of a category of ‘slow‐remitters’ which may have prognostic significance at a stage where therapeutic decisions are taken.
Boredom Proneness: Its Relationship to Positive and Negative Affect

170 undergraduate students completed the Boredom Proneness Scale by Farmer and Sundberg and the Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist by Zuckerman and Lubin. Significant negative relationships were found between boredom proneness and negative affect scores (i.e., Depression, Hostility, Anxiety). Significant positive correlations also obtained between boredom proneness and positive affect (i.e., Positive Affect, Sensation Seeking). The correlations between boredom proneness “subscales” and positive and negative affect were congruent with those obtained using total boredom proneness scores. Implications for counseling are discussed.
Mutations in the putative fusion peptide of Semliki Forest virus affect spike protein oligomerization and virus assembly

The two transmembrane spike protein subunits of Semliki Forest virus (SFV) form a heterodimeric complex in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. This complex is then transported to the plasma membrane, where spike-nucleocapsid binding and virus budding take place. By using an infectious SFV clone, we have characterized the effects of mutations within the putative fusion peptide of the E1 spike subunit on spike protein dimerization and virus assembly. These mutations were previously demonstrated to block spike protein membrane fusion activity (G91D) or cause an acid shift in the pH threshold of fusion (G91A). During infection of BHK cells at 37 degrees C, virus spike proteins containing either mutation were efficiently produced and transported to the plasma membrane, where they associated with the nucleocapsid. However, the assembly of mutant spike proteins into mature virions was severely impaired and a cleaved soluble fragment of E1 was released into the medium. In contrast, incubation of mutant-infected cells at reduced temperature (28 degrees C) dramatically decreased E1 cleavage and permitted assembly of morphologically normal virus particles. Pulse-labeling studies showed that the critical period for 28 degrees C incubation was during virus assembly, not spike protein synthesis. Thus, mutations in the putative fusion peptide of SFV confer a strong and thermoreversible budding defect. The dimerization of the E1 spike protein subunit with E2 was analyzed by using either cells infected with virus mutants or mutant virus particles assembled at 28 degrees C. The altered-assembly phenotype of the G91D and G91A mutants correlated with decreased stability of the E1-E2 dimer.
The Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale, a Brief Version: Psychometric Data

As a measure of mathematics anxiety, the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS) has been a major scale used for research and clinical studies since 1972. Despite the usefulness of the original scale, researchers have sought a shorter version of the scale partly to reduce the administration time of the original 98-item scale. This study created a shorter version of the MARS and provides reliability and validity information for the new version. The Cronbach alpha of . 96 indicated high internal consistency, while the test-retest reliability for the MARS 30-item was . 90 (p < .001). The validity data confirm that the MARS 30-item test is comparable to the original MARS 98-irem scale.
Next Generation Cooperative Wearables: Generalized Activity Assessment Computed Fully Distributed Within a Wireless Body Area Network

Currently available wearables are usually based on a single sensor node with integrated capabilities for classifying different activities. The next generation of cooperative wearables could be able to identify not only activities, but also to evaluate them qualitatively using the data of several sensor nodes attached to the body, to provide detailed feedback for the improvement of the execution. Especially within the application domains of sports and health-care, such immediate feedback to the execution of body movements is crucial for (re-)learning and improving motor skills. To enable such systems for a broad range of activities, generalized approaches for human motion assessment within sensor networks are required. In this paper, we present a generalized trainable activity assessment chain (AAC) for the online assessment of periodic human activity within a wireless body area network. AAC evaluates the execution of separate movements of a prior trained activity on a fine-grained quality scale. We connect qualitative assessment with human knowledge by projecting the AAC on the hierarchical decomposition of motion performed by the human body as well as establishing the assessment on a kinematic evaluation of biomechanically distinct motion fragments. We evaluate AAC in a real-world setting and show that AAC successfully delimits the movements of correctly performed activity from faulty executions and provides detailed reasons for the activity assessment.
Synthesis and degradation of type IV collagen in rat skeletal muscle during immobilization in shortened and lengthened positions.

AIM Type IV collagen is a major protein in basement membranes surrounding and supporting skeletal muscle cells. In the present study, we tested the hypotheses that immobilization down-regulates synthesis and up-regulates degradation of type IV collagen in skeletal muscle. METHODS mRNA level and concentration of type IV collagen as well as mRNA levels and activities of proteins involved in its degradation were analysed from soleus (SOL), gastrocnemius (GAS) and extensor digitorum longus muscles after immobilization in shortened and lengthened positions for 1, 3 and 7 days. RESULTS Following immobilization, type IV collagen mRNA level was decreased in SOL and GAS suggesting down-regulated synthesis of this protein. The mRNA level and activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2) were increased in all muscles, while the activity of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 was decreased in SOL and GAS. These findings reflect an increased capacity for degradation of type IV collagen. CONCLUSIONS As a consequence of decreased synthesis/degradation ratio immobilization reduced the concentration of type IV collagen in all muscles. The regulation of type IV collagen through synthesis and/or degradation seems, however, to be muscle specific. Immobilization in lengthened position seems to delay and partly decrease the net degradation of type IV collagen.
A deep learning based noise reduction approach to improve speech intelligibility for cochlear implant recipients in the presence of competing speech noise

This paper presents the clinical results of the application of a deep-learning-based noise reduction (NR) approach to improve speech intelligibility for cochlear implant (CI) recipients in the presence of competing speech noise. The deep denoising autoencoder (DDAE) model was used as a representative deep-learning-based NR model to reduce the noise components from the noisy input. The enhanced speech was subsequently played to six Mandarin- speaking CI recipients to perform recognition tests. All the subjects used their own clinical speech processors during testing. Two traditional NR approaches were also implemented to test the performance for a comparison. The Taiwan Mandarin version of the hearing in noise test (TMHINT) sentences were adopted and further corrupted by competing two talker speech noise at signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) levels of 0 and 5 dB. The experimental results showed that the DDAE NR approach can yield higher intelligibility scores than the two classical NR techniques in the presence of competing speech. The results of qualitative analysis further showed that the DDAE NR approach notably reduced the envelope distortions. The good results also suggest that the proposed DDAE NR approach can combine well with the existing CI processors to overcome the issue of degradation of speech perception, which is caused by competing speech noise.
A simple model for proteins with interacting domains. Applications to scanning calorimetry data.

A simple thermodynamic model is formulated for the purpose of interpreting scanning calorimetry data on proteins that have interacting domains. Interactions are quantified by inclusion of an interface free energy, delta GAB, in the thermodynamics of unfolding for multidomain proteins. The assumption is made that delta GAB goes to zero with the unfolding of either domain involved in pairwise interaction, so the interaction term appears to stabilize only the domain with the lower TM. Application of the model to calorimetric data leads to an estimate of -25,000 cal/mol for interactions between the regulatory and catalytic subunits of native aspartate transcarbamoylase and to a value of 0 for delta GAB between the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of band 3 of the human erythrocyte membrane. Estimates of changes in delta GAB are also obtained for mutant forms of yeast phosphoglycerate kinase that have been altered in the hinge region between amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal domains. The model is also applied to ligand binding to proteins having domains that communicate through pairwise interaction. It is shown that whenever the delta GAB term is ligand-dependent, then attachment of the ligand to the binding domain will be partially controlled by the other (regulatory) domain. This situation can sometimes be recognized and quantified when calorimetric scans are carried out at varying ligand concentrations. According to the model, the binding of MgATP to the carboxy-terminal domain of phosphoglycerate kinase is strongly stabilized (ca. 20% of the unitary free energy of binding) by participation of the amino-terminal domain, which acts to increase the binding constant 25-fold. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Differential Expression of Thymus and Activation Regulated Chemokine and Its Receptor CCR4 in Nodal and Cutaneous Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphomas and Hodgkin's Disease

Recent studies demonstrated that Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (H/RS) cells in Hodgkin's disease (HD) express thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), whereas reactive lymphocytes surrounding H/RS cells express its ligand, CC-chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4). Because in vitro studies showed that CCR4 expression is a marker for lymphocytes bearing a T-helper 2 (Th2) phenotype, it was suggested that expression of TARC is a new immune escape mechanism in HD. To find out whether this mechanism might also be operative in CD30+ malignant lymphomas other than HD, TARC and CCR4 expression was investigated by immunohistochemistry on paraffin and frozen-tissue sections of 39 nodal CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL), including 27 ALK-negative and 12 ALK-positive ALCL, 25 primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL, including 11 patients with lymphomatoid papulosis, and 31 cases of HD. TARC was expressed by the neoplastic cells in 12/27 (44%) nodal ALK-negative ALCL and all cases of classic HD, but not in nodal ALK-positive ALCL (0/12) and only rarely in primary cutaneous CD30+ ALCL (3/25). In contrast, CCR4 was expressed by the neoplastic cells in 9/9 cutaneous CD30+ ALCL, and in 9/15 (60%) nodal ALK-negative ALCL, but only in 1/4 (25%) nodal ALK-positive ALCL and not by the H/RS cells in HD (0/8). Apart from three cases of HD showing 10 to 15% CCR4-positive lymphocytes surrounding TARC-positive H/RS cells, CCR4-positive reactive T cells were few (<5%) in all other cases studied. Our results demonstrate a differential expression of TARC and CCR4 in different types of CD30+ malignant lymphomas. The small number of CCR4-positive reactive T cells in most cases studied argues against an important role of TARC expression in the evasion of antitumor responses.
Bronchoalveolar lavage for evaluation and management of scleroderma disease of the lung.

Fibrosing alveolitis (FA) is a frequent and often fatal complication of systemic sclerosis (SSC). Alveolar inflammation has been recognized as a primary event in the pulmonary manifestation of SSC. To evaluate the significance of the alveolitis in SSC, we performed bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and correlated the generated data with changes in lung function over time. Seventy nine SSC patients with pulmonary involvement were followed for 56.8 +/- 3.1 wk (mean +/- SEM) with a repeat lung function test at the end of the follow-up period. During follow-up, 38 patients were treated with a systemic immunosuppressive regimen. For evaluation, patients were assigned to two groups according to whether their BAL cell differential was normal (inactive BAL) or abnormal (active BAL: i.e., polymorphonuclear leukocytes > 5% and/or lymphocytes > 15%). Active BAL was associated with more severe lung function impairment than was inactive BAL, and patients with active BAL deteriorated during follow-up if untreated. In contrast, treated patients with active BAL stabilized or improved. In summary, active alveolitis as characterized by BAL is associated with progressive pulmonary disease in SSC patients, and a significant positive effect of immunosuppressive therapy on the course of pulmonary disease was observed in patients with active BAL.