Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The activity of the androgen receptor variant AR‐V7 is regulated by FOXO1 in a PTEN‐PI3K‐AKT‐dependent way

The androgen receptor (AR) AR‐V7 splice isoform is a constitutively active outlaw transcription factor. Transition of prostate cancer (PC) to the castration‐resistant phenotype correlates with AR‐V7 accumulation, suggesting that PC progression in patients refractory to conventional therapy is due to the activity of this AR isoform. The mechanism of AR‐V7 constitutive activation is not known.
Book Reviews

This section will review those books whose content and level reflect the general editorial policy of Technometrics. Publishers should send books for review to Ejaz Ahmed, Department of Mathematics and Sciences, BrockUniversity, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1 (dean.fms@brocku.ca). The opinions expressed in this section are those of the reviewers. These opinions do not represent positions of the reviewer’s organization and may not reflect those of the editors or the sponsoring societies. Listed prices reflect information provided by the publisher and may not be current. The book purchase programs of the American Society for Quality can provide some of these books at reduced prices for members. For information, contact the American Society for Quality at 1–800-248–1946
Multimod: A Multi-Region Econometric Model

The paper describes a global model consisting of several industrial and developing country blocks built to analyze alternative economic policies in a medium-term context. The model, which has been used to construct medium-term scenarios for the World Economic Outlook, consists of aggregate demand and supply relationships, with endogenous determination of interest rates, prices, and exchange rates. Financing flows to developing countries depend on expectations of their ability to service debt. Expectations of interest rates, inflation, and exchange rates are modeled in a way that is consistent with the model`s solution, and budget constraints are imposed on governments.
Acute testis toxicity of bisphenol A diglycidyl ether in Sprague-Dawley rats.

OBJECTIVES Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) is a liquid compound obtained by condensation of two molecules of epichlorohydrin with one molecule of bisphenol A. General and reproductive toxicity with BADGE has been reported higher than 1000 mg/kg/day. This study was performed to show the effects of acute exposure to BADGE below 1000 mg/kg/day on the testis in adult male rats. METHODS BADGE was administered by gastric lavage in a single dose of 500, 750, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg/day in 8-week old male SPF Sprague-Dawley rats. The right testis was processed for light microscopic analysis. The left testis was homogenized and spermatids were counted to determine the daily sperm production and daily abnormal sperm production. The sperm count, sperm motility, and incidence of abnormal sperm were estimated in the epididymis. In testicular sections, the seminiferous tubules were observed for qualitative changes. The progression of spermatogenesis was arbitrarily classified as full-matured, maturing, and immature. The specimen slide was observed at 3 points and 10 seminiferous tubules were evaluated at each point. RESULTS The male rats exposed to single oral dose of BADGE at 750, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg/day were significantly increased the number of immature and maturing sperm on the testis. There were no significant differences with respect to sperm head count, sperm motility, and sperm abnormality in the BADGE treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that single oral exposure of BADGE 750 mg/kg/day can affect adult male testis development.
Can you trust a dictator: A strategic model of authoritarian regimes’ signing and compliance with international treaties

Building on recent studies that focus on institutional variation among authoritarian regimes, this paper asks whether this variation leads to meaningful differences in the tendencies to reach and comply with international agreements. The results suggest that previous evidence regarding the democratic credibility advantage over autocracies may have been driven by a lack of a more refined authoritarian regime typology. Employing such a typology, I find that the institutional constraints that generate credibility and compliance may not be unique to democracies. In fact, the only authoritarian regime that seems to lack such features is bossism, a personalist party-based regime. Bosses are more likely than democracies to enter into international agreements, but are less likely than democracies to comply with the agreements they sign. This result is remarkably robust. Results associated with other types of autocracies suggest minor or no differences between autocracies and democracies, relating to reaching and complying with international treaties. Finally, I find evidence of strategic behavior, as all regime types are more likely to sign agreements and less likely to comply when the other negotiating party is a boss, compared with a democracy.
Placebo‐Controlled Trial of Potassium Supplements in Black Patients with Mild Essential Hypertension

Forty-eight black patients with mildly increased blood pressure (BP) that had not yet been subjected to treatment took part in a double-blind clinical trial of the efficacy and tolerability of oral potassium supplements (64 mmol daily) versus a matching placebo (made of starch with coating) in a 16-week study. Potassium supplements produced a significant decrease in mean supine and standing BP within 4 weeks after treatment inception. Urinary potassium excretion increased significantly in the 24 patients who received potassium supplements (p < 0.001). No significant changes occurred in plasma sodium and potassium concentrations or in urinary excretion of sodium during the study. All patients completed the trial without experiencing any notable untoward effects. These results are consistent with the premise that oral potassium supplements may exert hypotensive effects of clinically significant degree in patients with mild hypertension.
Scattering-Based Nonlocal Means SAR Despeckling

Speckle noise greatly limits both synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data human readability, especially for non-SAR-expert users, and performance of automatic processing and information retrieval procedures by computer programs. Therefore, despeckling of SAR images is an essential preprocessing step in SAR data analysis, processing, and modeling, as well as in information retrieval and inversion procedures. Up to now, one of the most accurate and promising despeckling approaches - among those based on a single SAR image - is the one relying on the nonlocal means concepts. However, at the best of our knowledge, most of the state of the art considers the despeckling problem only within a statistical framework, completely discarding the electromagnetic phenomena behind SAR imagery formation. In this paper, we introduce the novel idea of a physical-based despeckling, taking into account meaningful physical characteristics of the imaged scenes. This idea is realized via the implementation of a physical-oriented probabilistic patch-based (PPB) filter based on a priori knowledge of the underlying topography and analytical scattering models. This filter is suitable for SAR images of natural scenes presenting a significant topography. An adaptive version of the proposed scattering-based PPB filter for denoising of SAR images including both mountainous and flat areas is also developed. The performances of the proposed filter and its adaptive version are evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively in numerical experiments using both simulated and actual SAR images. The proposed technique exhibits performance superior w.r. t. the standard PPB filter and comparable or, in some cases, superior to the state of the art, both in terms of speckle reduction and texture and detail preservation.
Effects of subgingival chlorhexidine irrigation on peri-implant maintenance.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of irrigation with 0.06% chlorhexidine (PerioGard) (CHX) using a powered oral irrigator (Water Pik) with a special subgingival irrigating tip (Pik Pocket Subgingival Tip) compared to rinsing with 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate once daily. MATERIALS AND METHODS Following a prophylaxis, patients were randomly assigned to an irrigation or a rinse group. The following clinical parameters were measured at baseline and at the 3-month end of the study: Modified Gingival Index (MGI), Plaque Index (PI), Bleeding Index (BI), and Calculus Index (CI). Also, a Stain Index (SI) was measured at 3 months. RESULTS Patients irrigating with diluted CHX showed a statistically significant reduction (P < 0.05) from their baseline in the MGI, PI, BI, and CI scores at 3 months. In the rinse group both MGI and BI showed statistically significant reduction from their baseline (P < 0.05) at 3 months. The rinse group showed a nonsignificant (P > 0.05) increase from baseline in CI and a nonsignificant decrease in PI. Intergroup comparisons showed that CHX irrigation produced statistically significantly greater reductions than CHX rinsing in the PI, MGI, and SI. The irrigation group also showed a greater reduction in BI and CI than the rinsing group but these differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.12). The results of this study suggest that use of diluted 0.06% CHX when used in a powered irrigator may be a valuable adjunct to oral health in patients with implants.
Seam carving modeling for semantic video coding in security applications

In some security applications, it is important to transmit just enough information to take the right decisions. Traditional video codecs try to maximize the global quality, irrespective of the video content pertinence for certain tasks. To better maintain the semantics of the scene, some approaches allocate more bitrate to the salient information. In this paper, a semantic video compression scheme based on seam carving is proposed. The idea is to suppress non-salient parts of the video by seam carving. The reduced sequence is encoded with H.264/AVC while the seams are encoded with our approach. The main contributions of this paper are (1) an algorithm that segments the sequence into group of pictures, depending on the content, (2) a spatio-temporal seam clustering method, (3) an isolated seam discarding technique, improving the seam encoding, (4) a new seam modeling, avoiding geometric distortion and resulting in a better control of the seam shapes, and (5) a new encoder which reduces the overall bit-rate. A full reference object-oriented quality metric is used to assess the performance of the approach. Our approach outperforms traditional H.264/AVC intra encoding with a Bjontegaard's rate improvement between 7.02 and 21.77% while maintaining the quality of the salient objects.
Government performance evaluation using a balanced scorecard with a fuzzy linguistic scale

An efficient performance measurement system is essential for controlling, monitoring and improving service quality in governmental organisations. In this study, a new ‘government performance evaluating (GPE) procedure’ using a balanced scorecard structure integrated with a fuzzy linguistic scale is proposed for measuring and improving public service. The GPE procedure contributes the following: (1) integration of financial, citizen service and internal work processes as well as learning and growth perspectives in the evaluation procedure; (2) use of a fuzzy linguistic scale to convert the subjective cognition of managers into an information entity and (3) confirmation of improvement.
Discriminating between alternative measures of over-education

Five over-education measures are evaluated empirically on the basis of encompassing tests. The measures are based on job analysis (JA), worker-assessment of the required level to do the job (WAd), worker-assessment of the required level to get the job (WAg), the mean educational level of realized matches (RMmn), and the modal level of realized matches (RMml). Over- and under-education are linked to wages, job satisfaction, mobility and training participation. For none of the outcome variables, the JA model is encompassed by another model. Given the risk on systematic errors, this is a sufficient condition to prefer a carefully conducted JA to any other measure. The most reliable solution is to use the JA measure as an instrument for the WAd measure.
Genome scan reveals selection acting on genes linked to stress response in wild pearl millet

Uncovering genomic regions involved in adaption is a major goal in evolutionary biology. High‐throughput sequencing now makes it possible to tackle this challenge in nonmodel species. Yet, despite the increasing number of methods targeted to specifically detect genomic footprints of selection, the complex demography of natural populations often causes high rates of false positive in gene discoveries. The aim of this study was to identify climate adaptations in wild pearl millet populations, Cenchrus americanus ssp. monodii. We focused on two climate gradients, one in Mali and one in Niger. We used a two‐step strategy to limit false‐positive outliers. First, we considered gradients as biological replicates and performed RNA sequencing of four populations at the extremities. We combined four methods—three based on differentiation among populations and one based on diversity patterns within populations—to identify outlier SNPs from a set of 87 218 high‐quality SNPs. Among 11 155 contigs of pearl millet reference transcriptome, 540 exhibited selection signals as evidenced by at least one of the four methods. In a second step, we genotyped 762 samples in 11 additional populations distributed along the gradients using SNPs from the detected contigs and random SNPs as control. We further assessed selection on this large data set using a differentiation‐based method and a method based on correlations with environmental variables based. Four contigs displayed consistent signatures between the four extreme and 11 additional populations, two of which were linked to abiotic and biotic stress responses.
Dynamic Asymmetric GARCH

This article develops the dynamic asymmetric GARCH (or DAGARCH) model that generalizes asymmetric GARCH models such as that of Glosten, Jagannathan, and Runkle (GJR), introduces multiple thresholds, and makes the asymmetric effect time dependent. We provide the stationarity conditions for the DAGARCH model and show how GJR can be obtained as a special case. Furthermore, we derive the news impact curve implied by the DAGARCH model and demonstrate its flexibility. An application to daily stock market indices is presented to demonstrate the practical usefulness of the new model. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.
Closed-loop supply chain system with energy, transportation and waste disposal costs

Energy usage and consumption play important and strategic roles in modern manufacturing, inventory and logistics systems. The literature on inventory models for closed-loop supply chains reveals that, for no clear reasons, energy costs were ignored along with transportation and disposal costs. This paper introduces a closed-loop supply chain model that considers the economic value and energy content of products. It also offers a novel framework for studying lot-sizing policies of production processes in that context. Thus, a mathematical model for a closed-loop supply chain system with energy, transportation and disposal costs is developed. Numerical examples are provided with their results discussed. The developed model was also compared to that of Richter (1996) to stress the importance of accounting for the three noted costs. The numerical results emphasise that accounting for energy, transportation and disposal costs in supply chain modelling increases the sustainability of a production-inventory system due to the strong interdependence of the three costs on one hand, and their relationship to the environment on the other hand.
Pricing equity options everywhere

Finite difference methods are a popular technique for pricing American options. Since their introduction to finance by Brennan and Schwartz their use has spread from vanilla calls and puts on one stock to path-dependent and exotic options on multiple assets. Despite the breadth of the problems they have been applied to, and the increased sophistication of some of the newer techniques, most approaches to pricing equity options have not adequately addressed the issues of unbounded computational domains and divergent diffusion coefficients. In this article it is shown that these two problems are related and can be overcome using multiple grids. This new technique allows options to be priced for all values of the underlying, and is illustrated using standard put options and the call on the maximum of two stocks. For the latter contract, I also derive a characterization of the asymptotic continuation region in terms of a one-dimensional option pricing problem, and give analytic formulae for the perpetual case.
Ten Years of Direct Foreign Investment in the Former Soviet Union: A Survey with Special Focus on Kazakhstan

This paper reviews the statistical evidence of FDI in the countries of the former Soviet Union for the period 1987 to 1997 taking into account data both from the host countries and from the countries of origin. The main characteristics of this FDI and its variation among the successor states of the Soviet Union are established. The paper gives special attention to Kazakhstan, the second most successful country in attracting FDI. The paper starts with the historical context for foreign investment. Then the current foreign investment inflow is assessed, along with information on the source countries and the sectoral pattern of investments. The paper provides a rich selection and evaluation of data that can form the basis for further research. Furthermore, key motives and obstacles are discussed through a review of survey evidence. On the basis of the evidence, explanations are proposed on why FDI has, for most parts, entered the region far slower than the potential of the region would have suggested.
Determinants of change in body weight and body fat distribution over 5.5 years in a sample of free-living black South African women

Summary Objective To identify socio-demographic and lifestyle determinants of weight gain in a sample of premenopasual black South African (SA) women. Methods Changes in body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computerised tomography), socio-economic status (SES) and behavioural/lifestyle factors were measured in 64 black SA women at baseline (27 ± 8 years) and after 5.5 years. Results A lower body mass index (BMI) and nulliparity, together with access to sanitation, were significant determinants of weight gain and change in body fat distribution over 5.5 years. In addition, younger women increased their body weight more than their older counterparts, but this association was not independent of other determinants. Conclusion Further research is required to examine the effect of changing SES, as well as the full impact of childbearing on weight gain over time in younger women with lower BMIs. This information will suggest areas for possible intervention to prevent long-term weight gain in these women.
Information Technology and the Digital Economy

Information technology and digital economy present new opportunities for all sectors of the economy. Today, economy is undergoing fundamental changes as a result of the rapid development of information technology and its use is also very fast. Especially the dynamics of the development of informatics and its products and business development opportunities based on the use of Internet technology have enabled the growth of the role and importance of using information technology in business processes in terms of the new economy or digital economy. The world economy has changed due to the great development and application of this technology. Enterprises are forced to survive in a modern economy where the global market is characterized by competition, diversity of products and services and short cycle life of the product. In terms of the digital economy, information technology creates opportunities for specialization and cooperation between companies from different regions by reducing transaction costs, creating ease of access to foreign markets and facilitating the development of new models of electronic business. The purpose of this paper is to present the importance of information technology in economy, computerization trends and the opportunities offered by this technology where consumers have quick and easy access on the global market, as well as in information about goods and services. In the condition of digital economy the usage of information technology provide businesess with new opportunities to access global markets and also develop business activities on-line. The full realization of these potentials is essential for new enterprises and companies which can compete and create competitive advantage globaly. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015. v6n6p78
Comparison of morphine concentration–time profiles following intravenous and intranasal diamorphine in children

Background: Current best practice for treating acute severe pain in children is to administer intravenous or intranasal opioid. Intranasal diamorphine offers less traumatic analgesia than the potentially difficult and distressing intravenous route. However, there has been no direct comparison of intranasal and intravenous diamorphine nor are there pharmacokinetic data for intranasal diamorphine in children. Objective: To compare plasma morphine concentration–time profiles following intranasal and intravenous diamorphine administration. Design: Observational. Setting: A&E department in a city-centre paediatric teaching hospital. Patients: Children, aged 3–13 years, with isolated limb fracture. Interventions: An intravenous catheter was sited and baseline blood taken. The first 12 children received intravenous diamorphine (0.1 mg/kg), and the subsequent 12 intranasal diamorphine (0.1 mg/kg) in 0.2 ml sterile water drops. Subsequent samples were taken at 2, 5, 10, 20, 30 and 60 min. Measurements: Plasma morphine radioimmunoassay. Results: Peak plasma morphine concentrations were higher (median 109 vs 36 nmol/l), and occurred earlier (median 2 vs 10 min), with greater area under the curve (3761 vs 1794 nmol/l/h) following intravenous compared to intranasal diamorphine (all p<0.001, Mann–Whitney U test). Higher plasma concentrations at 60 min (47 vs 32 nmol/l) were also observed following intravenous diamorphine (p = 0.01, Mann–Whitney U test). Conclusions: Our evidence supports the wider use of diamorphine administration by nasal drops in children, as it shows that adequate plasma levels of morphine are usually achieved. However, we demonstrated significantly attenuated and delayed peak plasma morphine levels with lower levels at 1 h with intranasal compared with intravenous diamorphine.
The Business Excellence Model

CII has been promoting the Excellence Framework over two decades towards building organizational excellence. The Excellence Model encompasses all aspects of managing the business viz., People, Partnerships, Processes and Performance and provides an integrated management framework for selfassessment for the top management. The Excellence Model is based on universally accepted standards and practices that are found in the European Quality Award, the US Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Japan Quality Award and Australian Quality Award. The Business Excellence Model has several organizations who successfully implement the Model. This recognition is based on International benchmarks and is a rigorous and transparent procedure, creating opportunities to benchmark against other organisations. The Assessment is done by a team of highly qualified and trained business professionals. CII and Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM) jointly instituted the CIIEXIM Bank Award for Business Excellence, to recognize the organisations that have demonstrated outstanding performance supported by excellent practices, and present them as role models for others to emulate.