Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Origin of mixed-layered (R1) muscovite-chlorite in an anchizonal slate from Puncoviscana Formation (Salta Province, Argentina)

Abstract Mica-chlorite mixed-layering was identified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) as a major or subordinate constituent in several slates of the Puncoviscana Formation from Sierra de Mojotoro (Eastern Cordillera, NW Argentina). In order to determine the crystallochemical characteristics of these mixed-layered sequences and interpret their petrological meaning, anchizonal slate P90 was chosen for TEM observations. In this slate, dioctahedral mica and chlorite form interleaved phyllosilicate grains (IPG) or stacks, up to 110 μm long, preferentially oriented with (001) planes at a high angle to the slaty cleavage but also oblique to S0. In agreement with XRD results, the main phyllosilicates identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were dioctahedral mica and random mixed-layer muscovite-chlorite, with chlorite in subordinate amounts and scarce smectite. In the lattice-fringe images of mixed-layer packets, a sequence of irregular stacking that produced apparent 24 Å (10 + 14) layers was observed, but it was frequently possible to distinguish the 10 Å layers from adjacent 14 Å layers. In nearly all packets, 14 Å layers prevail, exhibiting 14 Å :10 Å ratios between 1:1 and 3:1. Some elongated lenticular fissures which are probably a consequence of layer collapse caused by the TEM vacuum were identified in these packets. The straight, continuous appearance of lattice fringes plus the scarce evidence of collapsed layers identified suggest that these packets correspond principally to mixed- layer muscovite-chlorite, which is confirmed by analytical electron microscopy analyses. However, smectite-like layers are probably the third component of some of these mixed-layer sequences, which may account for their high Si and low (Fe + Mg) contents, their low interlayer charge in relation to theoretical interlayer muscovite-chlorite, and for the presence of Ca in the interlayer site. Textural relationships between chlorite and muscovite packets in IPG along with the observed transformations from 14 Å to 10 Å along the layer, is compatible with a prograde metamorphic replacement of chlorite in stacks by dioctahedral mica layers, probably in the presence of an aqueous fluid.
Application-Oriented Trust in Distributed Computing

Preserving integrity of applications being executed in remote machines is an open problem. Integrity requires that application code is not tampered with, prior to or during execution, by a rogue user or a malicious software agent. This paper presents a methodology to enforce runtime integrity of application code by means of an integrity- preserving software component that is combined with the application. The software component is a trusted logic that can be replaced continuously from a remote location during run-time. For added assurance, the software component produces continuous sequence of proofs of its proper operation that are verified remotely.
Investigation of Bottom Boundary Layer Dynamics of Movable Bed by using Enhanced PIV Technique

The behavior of the bottom boundary layer of a natural rippled bed and plane bed is investigated utilizing PIV technique. An enhanced approach of the PIV is developed on the basis of the Minimum Quadratic Difference (MQD), which is better compared with the conventional cross-correlation method. Information of pixels below the instantaneous unmoved level is expelled from the calculation process so that the velocity close to the bed is computed accurately. The flow field over the natural rippled bed is measured with the enhanced approach and comparison with the LDV measurements showed that the measurements of flow field by the enhanced PIV are in a good agreement with the LDV measurements. Having verified the technique, the technique is utilized to measure the net volume flux of sand transported in sheetflow under asymmetric oscillation. The net mass transport is measured to be compared with the PIV measurement. The sand concentration is estimated from brightness through a calibration relationship. The velocity is measured and then the volume flux is integrated. It was found that the technique predicted net onshore transport although it slightly underestimated the volume flux.
Tensor pooling for online visual tracking

Recently, local sparse representation (LSR) has been successfully applied in visual tracking, owing to its discriminative nature and robustness against local noise and occlusions. It is note worthy that local sparse codes computed with a template form a 3-order tensor of their original layout, although most pooling operators convert it to a vector by concatenating or computing statistics on it. As compared to pooling vectors, tensor form could deliver more informative and structured representation for target appearance, and can also avoid high dimensionality learning problem suffered in concatenating pooling based methods. Motivated by above ideas, in this paper, we propose to represent target templates directly with sparse coding tensors, and build the appearance model by incrementally learning on these tensors. We further propose a discriminative framework to improve robustness against drifting and environment noise. Experiments on a recent comprehensive benchmark indicate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art trackers.
A new model to improve credit rating under incidence relation

It is well known that credit rating for corporations is very important to the development and stability of financial market. The current rating methods always just pay attention to the information of rated aim. Here the paper offers a novel idea to improve the quality of credit rating with consideration to incidence relation among corporations. In addition, when the credit level of one corporation changes sharply, our model can quantize its influence to others also on the net. Furthermore, we get some reasonable results through an experiment on a practical sample.
Innovation, Capital Structure, and the Boundaries of the Firm∗

We study how interactions between financing and investment decisions can shape firm boundaries in innovative markets. In particular, we model innovative projects as growth options and ask whether they are best operated inside large incumbent firms (Integration) or in separate, specialized firms (Non-Integration). Starting from a standard theoretical framework, in which value-maximizing corporate investment and financing decisions are jointly determined, we show that Integration best protects assets in place value, while Non-Integration best protects the value of the innovation option and maximizes financial flexibility. These forces drive different organizational equilibria depending on firm and product market characteristics. We also show that alliances organized as licensing agreements or revenue sharing contracts sometimes better balance the different sources of value, and thus may dominate more traditional forms of organization. JEL Classification Numbers: G13, G31, G32, G33.
Remote sensing of mesospheric dust layers using active modulation of PMWE by high‐power radio waves

This paper presents the first study of the modulation of polar mesospheric winter echoes (PMWE) by artificial radio wave heating using computational modeling and experimental observation in different radar frequency bands. The temporal behavior of PMWE response to HF pump heating can be employed to diagnose the charged dust layer associated with mesospheric smoke particles. Specifically, the rise and fall time of radar echo strength as well as relaxation and recovery time after heater turn‐on and turnoff are distinct parameters that are a function of radar frequency. The variation of PMWE strength with PMWE source region parameters such as electron‐neutral collision frequency, photodetachment current, electron temperature enhancement ratio, dust density, and radius is considered. The comparison of recent PMWE measurements at 56 MHz and 224 MHz with computational results is discussed, and dust parameters in the PMWE generation regime are estimated. Predictions for HF PMWE modification and its connection to the dust charging process by free electrons is investigated. The possibility for remote sensing of dust and plasma parameters in artificially modified PMWE regions using simultaneous measurements in multiple frequency bands are discussed.
Using a genetic network to parameterize a landscape resistance surface for fishers, Martes pennanti

Knowledge of dispersal‐related gene flow is important for addressing many basic and applied questions in ecology and evolution. We used landscape genetics to understand the recovery of a recently expanded population of fishers (Martes pennanti) in Ontario, Canada. An important focus of landscape genetics is modelling the effects of landscape features on gene flow. Most often resistance surfaces in landscape genetic studies are built a priori based upon nongenetic field data or expert opinion. The resistance surface that best fits genetic data is then selected and interpreted. Given inherent biases in using expert opinion or movement data to model gene flow, we sought an alternative approach. We used estimates of conditional genetic distance derived from a network of genetic connectivity to parameterize landscape resistance and build a final resistance surface based upon information‐theoretic model selection and multi‐model averaging. We sampled 657 fishers from 31 landscapes, genotyped them at 16 microsatellite loci, and modelled the effects of snow depth, road density, river density, and coniferous forest on gene flow. Our final model suggested that road density, river density, and snow depth impeded gene flow during the fisher population expansion demonstrating that both human impacts and seasonal habitat variation affect gene flow for fishers. Our approach to building landscape genetic resistance surfaces mitigates many of the problems and caveats associated with using either nongenetic field data or expert opinion to derive resistance surfaces.
Iron, oxygen, and the pulmonary circulation

The human pulmonary vasculature vasoconstricts in response to a reduction in alveolar oxygen tension, a phenomenon termed hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). This review describes the time course of this behavior, which occurs in distinct phases, and then explores the importance for HPV of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway. Next, the HIF-hydroxylase enzymes that act as molecular oxygen sensors within the HIF pathway are discussed. These enzymes are particularly sensitive to intracellular iron availability, which confers iron-sensing properties on the HIF pathway. Human studies of iron chelation and supplementation are then reviewed. These demonstrate that the iron sensitivity of the HIF pathway evident from in vitro experiments is relevant to human pulmonary vascular physiology. Next, the importance of iron status in high-altitude illness and chronic cardiopulmonary disease is explored, and the therapeutic potential of intravenous iron discussed. The review concludes by highlighting some further complexities that arise from interactions between the HIF pathway and other intracellular iron-sensing mechanisms.
Performance improvement of the Compressive Classifier using equi-norm tight frames

Classifying sparse signals with compressive measurements is different from the well-known sparse recovery, for its focus is minimizing the probability of false classification rather than error of recovery. This paper considered the way to decrease the probability of false classification for compressive classifier. It is proved rigorously that the probability of false classification could be reduced by tightening the measurement matrix, that is, to simply make it row-orthogonal. As is known, equiangular tight frame (ETF) is the best choice in Comressive Classification for measurement matrix because of its optimal worst-case performance. But its existence and construction is problematic for some dimensions. So our results provided a convenient approach to improve the performance of compressive classifiers - The tightened measurement matrices could be better than before. Numerical results illustrated the validity of our conclusion.
The Slow Pace of Rapid Technological Change: Gradualism and Punctuation in Technological Change

Discussions of technological change have offered sharply contrasting perspectives of technological change as gradual or incremental and the image of technological change as being rapid, even discontinuous. These alternative perspectives are bridged using the punctuated equilibrium framework of evolutionary biology. Using this framework, it is argued that the critical event is not a transformation of the technology, but speciation--the application of existing technology to a new domain of application. As a result of the distinct selection criteria and the degree of resource abundance in the new domain, a new technological form may emerge. The new technological form may be able to penetrate other niches and, in particular, may precipitate a process of 'creative destruction' and out-compete prior technologies. This framework is applied to an historical study of wireless communication from the early experimental efforts of Hertz to the modern development of wireless telephony. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.
Emerging Business Models and Strategies for Mobile Middleware Technology Providers: a Reference Framework

As Mobile Network Operators are turning their attention to value added services, the need for innovative technology platforms designed for mobile digital contents management becomes evident. Such phenomenon is enhancing the strategic relevance of the " Mobile Middleware Technology Providers " (MMTPs) within the Mobile Content Value Network. The purpose of this paper is to explore which are the most critical choices to be made at a business model design level for a MMTP, to understand how these parameters are interrelated and can be combined to give rise to differential business models, and finally to delineate what are the most significant underlying " strategic patterns " driving the first steps of MMTPs activity within the Mobile Content competitive arena. The research relies on the adoption of a multiple case studies methodology: through 72 semi-structured interviews, 24 MMTPs were analyzed.The research findings show that some key business model parameters identified by the existing literature can be applied to MMTPs' business model design process, while others were missing or not made explicit. Moreover, three noteworthy business models currently adopted by MMTPs – " Pure Play " , " Full Asset " and " Platform & Content Management " business models – were identified, associated respectively to three underlying strategic patterns – " stay on core " , " grow, wait and see " and " aggressive downstream " .
Stability Analysis for Parametric Mathematical Programs with Geometric Constraints and Its Applications

This paper studies stability for parametric mathematical programs with geometric constraints. We show that, under the no nonzero abnormal multiplier constraint qualification and the second-order growth condition or second-order sufficient condition, the locally optimal solution mapping and stationary point mapping are nonempty-valued and continuous with respect to the perturbation parameter and, under some suitable conditions, the stationary pair mapping is calm. Furthermore, we apply the above results to parametric mathematical programs with equilibrium constraints. In particular, we show that the M-stationary pair mapping is calm with respect to the perturbation parameter if the M-multiplier second-order sufficient condition is satisfied, and the S-stationary pair mapping is calm if the S-multiplier second-order sufficient condition is satisfied and the bidegenerate index set is empty.
Reward Sensitivity Enhances Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation during Free Choice

Expressing one's preference via choice can be rewarding, particularly when decisions are voluntarily made as opposed to being forced. An open question is whether engaging in choices involving rewards recruits distinct neural systems as a function of sensitivity to reward. Reward sensitivity is a trait partly influenced by the mesolimbic dopamine system, which can impact an individual's neural and behavioral response to reward cues. Here, we investigated how reward sensitivity contributes to neural activity associated with free and forced choices. Participants underwent a simple decision-making task, which presented free- or forced-choice trials in the scanner. Each trial presented two cues (i.e., points or information) that led to monetary reward at the end of the task. In free-choice trials, participants were offered the opportunity to choose between different reward cues (e.g., points vs. information), whereas forced-choice trials forced individuals to choose within a given reward cue (e.g., information vs. information, or points vs. points). We found enhanced ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) activation during free choice compared to forced choice in individuals with high reward sensitivity scores. Next, using the VLPFC as a seed, we conducted a PPI analysis to identify brain regions that enhance connectivity with the VLPFC during free choice. Our PPI analyses on free vs. forced choice revealed increased VLPFC connectivity with the posterior cingulate and precentral gyrus in reward sensitive individuals. These findings suggest reward sensitivity may recruit attentional control processes during free choice potentially supporting goal-directed behavior and action selection.
General Design Issues of Sliding-Mode Controllers in DC–DC Converters

This paper examines the practical design issues of sliding-mode (SM) controllers as applied to the control of dc-dc converters. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature is first provided. Major problems that prevent the use of SM control in dc-dc converters for industrial and commercial applications are investigated. Possible solutions are derived, and practical design procedures are outlined. The performance of SM control is compared with that of conventional linear control in terms of transient characteristics. It has been shown that the use of SM control can lead to an improved robustness in providing consistent transient responses over a wide range of operating conditions.
Multiple Autoantibodies Display Association with Lymphopenia, Proteinuria, and Cellular Casts in a Large, Ethnically Diverse SLE Patient Cohort

Purpose. This study evaluates high-throughput autoantibody screening and determines associated systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) clinical features in a large lupus cohort. Methods. Clinical and demographic information, along with serum samples, were obtained from each SLE study participant after appropriate informed consent. Serum samples were screened for 10 distinct SLE autoantibody specificities and examined for association with SLE ACR criteria and subcriteria using conditional logistic regression analysis. Results. In European-American SLE patients, autoantibodies against 52 kD Ro and RNP 68 are independently enriched in patients with lymphopenia, anti-La, and anti-ribosomal P are increased in patients with malar rash, and anti-dsDNA and anti-Sm are enriched in patients with proteinuria. In African-American SLE patients, cellular casts associate with autoantibodies against dsDNA, Sm, and Sm/nRNP. Conclusion. Using a high-throughput, bead-based method of autoantibody detection, anti-dsDNA is significantly enriched in patienets with SLE ACR renal criteria as has been previously described. However, lymphopenia is associated with several distinct autoantibody specificities. These findings offer meaningful information to allow clinicians and clinical investigators to understand which autoantibodies correlate with select SLE clinical manifestations across common racial groups using this novel methodology which is expanding in clinical use.
Pseudomonas cremoricolorata Strain ND07 Produces N-acyl Homoserine Lactones as Quorum Sensing Molecules

Quorum sensing (QS) is a bacterial cell-to-cell communication system controlling QS-mediated genes which is synchronized with the population density. The regulation of specific gene activity is dependent on the signaling molecules produced, namely N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs). We report here the identification and characterization of AHLs produced by bacterial strain ND07 isolated from a Malaysian fresh water sample. Molecular identification showed that strain ND07 is clustered closely to Pseudomonas cremoricolorata. Spent culture supernatant extract of P. cremoricolorata strain ND07 activated the AHL biosensor Chromobacterium violaceum CV026. Using high resolution triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, it was confirmed that P. cremoricolorata strain ND07 produced N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) and N-decanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documentation on the production of C10-HSL in P. cremoricolorata strain ND07.
Optimal Soft Combination and Cooperative Sensing in Distributed Antenna Systems

Cooperative sensing based on energy detection in distributed antenna systems is considered in this letter. We investigate soft combination of the observed energies from different cognitive radio users. Based on the Neyman-Pearson criterion, an optimal soft combination scheme which can maximize the detection probability for the constant false alarm rate is obtained. Closed-form expressions for the detection probability and false alarm rate for the optimal soft combination scheme are derived. Finally, through numerical results the improvement in cooperative sensing schemes with the optimal soft combination is shown.
Trade Agreements and the Nature of Price Determination

The terms-of-trade theory of trade agreements holds that governments are attracted to trade agreements as a means of escape from a terms-of-trade–driven prisoner’s dilemma (see Bagwell and Staiger 1999). One of the termsof-trade theory’s most striking predictions is about the treatment of behind-the-border policy measures in trade agreements. According to this prediction, in the noncooperative Nash equilibrium from which countries would begin in the absence of a trade agreement, tariffs are set inefficiently high but behind-the-border policies are set at efficient levels. Hence, even in the context of a complex policy environment there is no need for member governments of a trade agreement to negotiate directly over the levels of their behind-the-border policies. Rather, according to the terms-of-trade theory, the fundamental problem for a trade agreement to solve is to prevent terms-of-trade manipulation and to thereby reduce tariffs and raise trade volumes, without introducing distortions into the unilateral choices of domestic tax/subsidy and regulatory policies as a result of the negotiated constraints on tariffs (see Bagwell and Staiger 2001). Importantly, this result holds for a wide variety of government preferences and has also been shown to hold in imperfectly competitive environments. The terms-of-trade theory of trade agreements therefore provides strong support for “shallow” integration as the most direct means to solve the policy inefficiencies that would arise absent a trade agreement. Simply put, according to the terms-of-trade theory, negotiations over tariffs alone, coupled with an effective “market access preservation rule” that prevents governments