Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gaps and challenges in the knowledge of migration and demography: Proposals for new approaches and solutions

This report is the result of the research carried out under Task 5 of DG JRC's Task Force on Migration and Demography. The report is structured following the four pillars outlined in the European Agenda on Migration. A few additional chapters are included to cover some aspects not explicitly touched on in the Agenda, but still considered to have a relevant role in migration and an impact on demographic trends. Contributions answered the following questions: 1. What are main points/findings/debates concerning the priority area/sub-category allocated to you? 2. How does the information gathered in question 1 relate to the scope and the structure of the European Agenda on Migration? 3. What current information and data is available, who is producing it and how? 4. What and where are the main gaps and challenges? 5. What are the solutions or approaches to address these gaps and challenges based upon your research? To complement this review, two Annexes were created: the first being an overview of the main gaps and challenges as well as the suggested solutions for the whole report (Annex 1), and the second being a preliminary inventory of available migration data and data sources (Annex 2).
Cerebrovascular reactivity in carotid artery occlusion: possible implications for surgical management of selected groups of patients

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to use transcranial Doppler ultrasonography to investigate cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia in the middle cerebral arteries of patients with carotid occlusion with different outcomes. Patients and methods – Cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia was calculated with the breath‐holding index (BHI). Patients with unilateral carotid occlusion were divided as follows: asymptomatic (20 patients), transient ischemic attack (TIA) (20 patients), minor (20 patients) and major stroke (14 patients). Values of BHI homolateral to the carotid occlusion were compared with those of 25 healthy subjects and 34 stroke patients without significant carotid stenosis. Results – BHI values were comparable in healthy controls, non stenotic stroke patients and asymptomatic occluded patients. BHI values of patients with symptomatic occlusion were significantly lower than those of the above‐mentioned groups (P<0.0001). Moreover, the reduction of BHI was significantly associated with the extent of the neurological impairment. In fact, BHI values were significantly higher in TIA than in minor and major stroke (P<0.0001) and in minor than in major stroke patients (P<0.02). Finally, we found that a BHI value homolateral to carotid occlusion of 0.69 can be considered the cut‐point for distinguishing between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. Conclusion – Prospective studies are needed to demonstrate if the presence of this threshold value may help in selecting a subset of patients with asymptomatic carotid occlusion or with transient or mild neurological deficit with the highest probability of benefiting from surgical therapy.
p53 Down-regulates Human Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 (Collagenase-1) Gene Expression*

Recent studies show that the p53 tumor suppressor protein is overexpressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium and that somatic mutations previously identified in human tumors are present in RA synovium (Firestein, G. S., Echeverri, F., Yeo, M., Zvaifler, N. J., and Green, D. R. (1997)Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 94, 10895–10900; Firestein, G. S. , Nguyen, K. , Aupperle, K. R. , Yeo, M. , Boyle, D. L. , and Zvaifler, N. J. (1996) Am. J. Pathol. 149, 2143–2151; Reme, T. , Travaglio, A. , Gueydon, E. , Adla, L. , Jorgensen, C. , and Sany, J. (1998) Clin. Exp. Immunol. 111, 353–3581). We hypothesize that the abnormality of p53 seen in RA synovium may contribute to joint degeneration through the regulation of human matrix metalloproteinase-1 (hMMP-1, collagenase-1) gene expression. Transcription assays were performed with luciferase reporters driven by the promoter of the hMMP-1 gene or by a minimal promoter containing tandem repeats of the consensus binding sequence for activator protein-1, cotransfected with p53-expressing plasmids. The results revealed that (i) wild-type (wt) p53 down-regulated the promoter activity of hMMP-1 in a dose-dependent fashion; (ii) four of six p53 mutants (commonly found in human cancers) lost this repression activity; and (iii) this p53 repression activity was mediated at least in part by the activator protein-1 sites found in the hMMP-1 promoter. These findings were further confirmed by Northern analysis. The down-regulation of hMMP-1 gene expression by endogenous wt-p53 was shown by treatment of U2-OS cells, a wt-p53-containing osteogenic sarcoma line, and Saos-2 cells, a p53-negative osteogenic sarcoma line, with etoposide, a potent inducer of p53 expression. p53, activated by etoposide, appears to block hMMP-1 promoter activity induced by etoposide in U2-OS cells. In summary, we have shown for the first time that the hMMP-1 gene is a p53 target gene, subject to p53 repression. Because MMP-1 is principally responsible for the irreversible destruction of collagen in articular tissue in RA, abnormality of p53 may contribute to joint degeneration through the regulation of MMP-1 expression.
The analysis of the arbitrage pricing model on the stock return: a case of Athens stock market

The purpose of this study is twofold. First to verify the arbitrage-pricing model (APM) and second to examine if the APM model is valid for the Greek capital market. We examined the 31 companies listed on the Athens stock exchange (ASE) with the highest market capitalisation. We collected data on a monthly basis for a period from January 2009 to December 2014. The APM model estimates that the macro-economic factors influence the Athens stock return. Our model is tested by performing principal factor and regression analysis. The principal factor analysis identifies the macro-economic factors, which will be used in the regression analysis. The regression analysis indicates the macro-economic factors influence on the expected stock return. The finding of the study is that the APM model is invalid for the ASE market.
Sociability and preference for social novelty in five inbred strains: an approach to assess autistic‐like behavior in mice

Deficits in social interaction are important early markers for autism and related neurodevelopmental disorders with strong genetic components. Standardized behavioral assays that measure the preference of mice for initiating social interactions with novel conspecifics would be of great value for mutant mouse models of autism. We developed a new procedure to assess sociability and the preference for social novelty in mice. To quantitate sociability, each mouse was scored on measures of exploration in a central habituated area, a side chamber containing an unfamiliar conspecific (stranger 1) in a wire cage, or an empty side chamber. In a secondary test, preference for social novelty was quantitated by presenting the test mouse with a choice between the first, now‐familiar, conspecific (stranger 1) in one side chamber, and a second unfamiliar mouse (stranger 2) in the other side chamber. Parameters scored included time spent in each chamber and number of entries into the chambers. Five inbred strains of mice were tested, C57BL/6J, DBA/2J, FVB/NJ, A/J and B6129PF2/J hybrids. Four strains showed significant levels of sociability (spend‐ ing more time in the chamber containing stranger 1 than in the empty chamber) and a preference for social novelty (spending more time in the chamber containing stranger 2 than in the chamber containing the now‐familiar stranger 1). These social preferences were observed in both male and female mice, and in juveniles and adults. The exception was A/J, a strain that demonstrated a preference for the central chamber. Results are discussed in terms of potential applications of the new methods, and the proper controls for the interpretation of social behavior data, including assays for health, relevant sensory abilities and motor functions. This new standardized procedure to quantitate sociability and preference for social novelty in mice provides a method to assess tendencies for social avoidance in mouse models of autism.
Mechanical Strain Induces Collagenase-3 (MMP-13) Expression in MC3T3-E1 Osteoblastic Cells*

Mechanical strain plays a crucial role in bone remodeling during growth and development and healing of bone besides systemic and local factors. One of the major factors involves in remodeling process is matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) such as MMP-13 that has been shown to degrade the native interstitial collagens in several tissues. To study how mechanical strain affects extracellular matrix degradation by MMP-13, a biaxial strain was applied to MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells plated onto a collagen-coated flexible elastic membrane. The MMP-13 protein and mRNA expression were determined by Western blotting and reverse transcriptase-PCR, respectively. The zymographic activities of MMP-13 increased dramatically at 30 min, reached a peak by 2-fold at 1 h, and maintained up to 4 h. Moreover, the MMP-13 and c-fos mRNA expressed at 5 min, increased to 2.8- and 3-fold at 1 h, respectively, and gradually declined thereafter. Cycloheximide and actinomycin D did not inhibit the MMP-13 and c-fos mRNA expression, suggesting that such expression does not require de novo protein synthesis and not change their stabilities. To investigate which of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways involves in the expression of MMP-13, inhibitors such as PD98059, SB203580, and SP600125 were used. However, only PD98059 (an inhibitor of MEK1/2 activation) inhibited MMP-13 and c-fos gene expression; the result was further substantiated by transfecting with the dominant negative mutants of MEK1/2 (MEK K97R) and ERK2. Taken together, our results showed that mechanical strain induces the MMP-13 expression through MEK-ERK signaling pathway to regulate mechanical adaptation.
Isolation of an Infectious Ribonucleoprotein from Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Containing an Active RNA Transcriptase

A ribonucleoprotein complex (TNP) containing an active RNA polymerase was isolated from purified vesicular stomatitis virus particles. The TNP sedimented through a sucrose gradient as a single band and appeared under the electron microscope as discrete long filaments in a spiral configuration. TNP contained one major and two minor polypeptides, but not the polypeptides associated with the outer coat of vesicular stomatitis virus. BHK-21 clone 13 cells could be infected with TNP, yielding infectious virus particles.
METAFRONTIER ANALYSIS OF THE HIGH-TECH INDUSTRYʼS ENVIRONMENTAL EFFCIENCY IN JAPAN AND TAIWAN

This study reflects on environmental conservation and sustainable development via environmental efficiency by utilizing a one-stage model to measure the performances of decision-making units. Fare et al. (1989) propose the concept of undesirable output, distinguishing between output that is good and bad. OʼDonnell et al.(2008) use metafrontier frameworks to compare the technical efficiency of firms and to distinguish different groups. Therefore, this study utilizes the concept of undesirable output and environmental efficiency and also combines metafrontier frameworks to evaluate and compare Japanʼs and Taiwanʼs high-tech industries. Findings show that Japanʼs performance is better than Taiwanʼs.
Compensating differences between measurement and calibration wafer in probe-tip calibrations

Differences in probe-tip-to-line geometry and substrate permittivity between measurement and calibration wafer deteriorate measurement accuracy. In this paper, we compare the accuracy of several models for the probe-to-line transition based on measurements as well as 3-D simulations of various GaAs CPW lines. This shows that 3-D simulations may be used to determine the parasitics at the probe tip as an alternative to measurement based methods. In general, models using 4 error-parameters are preferred to the Y/sub p/- or TL-based model as they provide a higher accuracy while the same amount of measurements is required to implement them.
Multilingual Training and Cross-lingual Adaptation on CTC-based Acoustic Model

Multilingual models for Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) are attractive as they have been shown to benefit from more training data, and better lend themselves to adaptation to under-resourced languages. However, initialisation from monolingual context-dependent models leads to an explosion of context-dependent states. Connectionist Temporal Classification (CTC) is a potential solution to this as it performs well with monophone labels. We investigate multilingual CTC in the context of adaptation and regularisation techniques that have been shown to be beneficial in more conventional contexts. The multilingual model is trained to model a universal International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)-based phone set using the CTC loss function. Learning Hidden Unit Contribution (LHUC) is investigated to perform language adaptive training. In addition, dropout during cross-lingual adaptation is also studied and tested in order to mitigate the overfitting problem. Experiments show that the performance of the universal phoneme-based CTC system can be improved by applying LHUC and it is extensible to new phonemes during cross-lingual adaptation. Updating all the parameters shows consistent improvement on limited data. Applying dropout during adaptation can further improve the system and achieve competitive performance with Deep Neural Network / Hidden Markov Model (DNN/HMM) systems on limited data.
Performance analysis of matrix and graph computations using data compression techniques in mpi and hadoop mapreduce in big data framework

In High Performance Computing (HPC) or High Throughput Computing (HTC) applications, matrix and graph computations need huge memory requirements. The data compression techniques and Hadoop implementation of MapReduce have been used for HPC or HTC applications. The data storage, processing time and data compression techniques are required for the matrix and graph computations to understand the performance and scalability analysis. This paper presents the designing and implementation of a Network Overlapped Compression (NOC) theme and Compression Aware Storage (CAS) theme. The working of these techniques reduces information load time and hides compression overhead by interleaving network input-output transfer with compression. The process of compression reduces the quantity of task correspondence and creates uneven work distribution. The MapReduce parallel programming paradigm ought to alleviate quantitative relation. The designed MapReduce Module acknowledges the characteristics of compressed information to boost resource allocation and cargo balance, jointly, NOC, CAS and MapReduce Module decrease job execution time on the average by 66% and information load time by 31%.
Adaptive Capacity of the Monterey Bay Wetfish Fisheries: Proactive Responses to the 2015–16 El Niño Event

Abstract Natural resource sustainability depends on adaptive capacity: the latent ability of a social–ecological system to rely on or implement effective strategies to cope with disturbances. We propose and implement a new three-step framework for studying a social–ecological system’s adaptive capacity that consists of assessment, strategy identification, and activation. We apply this framework to analyze the adaptive capacity of the Monterey Bay wetfish fisheries community in response to a significant stressor in the system: El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). We conducted 49 semi-structured interviews with participants engaged in these fisheries and/or providing ENSO information. Of the 67 social–ecological strategies identified through a literature review, we found 42 contribute to high adaptive capacity to ENSO. The most influential strategies were matching formal and informal rules to system dynamics, diversifying livelihoods, enhancing economic safety nets, social learning, and accessing early warning systems. Our findings suggest approaches for enhancing adaptive capacity in other resource systems.
Memory Built-in Self Test in Multicore Chips with Mesh-Based Networks

Using a packet-based built-in self test for RAM cores in mesh-based networks on chip (NoC) can reduce the BIST circuit's area cost. The proposed scheme reuses the NoC to transport test patterns to RAM such that routing doesn't limit the number of RAM cores tested. The scheme also achieves higher test parallelism than a typical parallel BIST by interleaving the read/write test operations.
Evidence of altered lumbopelvic muscle recruitment in the presence of sacroiliac joint pain.

STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional study of electromyographic onsets of trunk and hip muscles in subjects with a clinical diagnosis of sacroiliac joint pain and matched control subjects. OBJECTIVES To determine whether muscle activation of the supporting leg was different between control subjects and subjects with sacroiliac joint pain during hip flexion in standing. BACKGROUND Activation of the trunk and gluteal muscles stabilize the pelvis for load transference; however, the temporal pattern of muscle activation and the effect of pelvic pain on temporal parameters has not been investigated. METHODS Fourteen men with a clinical diagnosis of sacroiliac joint pain and healthy age-matched control subjects were studied. Surface electromyographic activity was recorded from seven trunk and hip muscles of the supporting leg during hip flexion in standing. Onset of muscle activity relative to initiation of the task was compared between groups and between limbs. RESULTS The onset of obliquus internus abdominis (OI) and multifidus occurred before initiation of weight transfer in the control subjects. The onset of obliquus internus abdominis, multifidus, and gluteus maximus was delayed on the symptomatic side in subjects with sacroiliac joint pain compared with control subjects, and the onset of biceps femoris electromyographic activity was earlier. In addition, electromyographic onsets were different between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides in subjects with sacroiliac joint pain. CONCLUSIONS The delayed onset of obliquus internus abdominis, multifidus, and gluteus maximus electromyographic activity of the supporting leg during hip flexion, in subjects with sacroiliac joint pain, suggests an alteration in the strategy for lumbopelvic stabilization that may disrupt load transference through the pelvis.
On the Mechanism of Multiple Lysine Methylation by the Human Mixed Lineage Leukemia Protein-1 (MLL1) Core Complex*♦

Transcription in eukaryotic genomes depends on enzymes that regulate the degree of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methylation. The mixed lineage leukemia protein-1 (MLL1) is a member of the SET1 family of H3K4 methyltransferases and is frequently rearranged in acute leukemias. Despite sequence comparisons that predict that SET1 family enzymes should only monomethylate their substrates, mono-, di-, and trimethylation of H3K4 has been attributed to SET1 family complexes in vivo and in vitro. To better understand this paradox, we have biochemically reconstituted and characterized a five-component 200-kDa MLL1 core complex containing human MLL1, WDR5, RbBP5, Ash2L, and DPY-30. We demonstrate that the isolated MLL1 SET domain is a slow monomethyltransferase and that tyrosine 3942 of MLL1 prevents di- and trimethylation of H3K4. In contrast, a complex containing the MLL1 SET domain, WDR5, RbBP5, Ash2L, and DPY-30, displays a marked ∼600-fold increase in enzymatic activity but only to the dimethyl form of H3K4. Single turnover kinetic experiments reveal that the reaction leading to H3K4 dimethylation involves the transient accumulation of a monomethylated species, suggesting that the MLL1 core complex uses a non-processive mechanism to catalyze multiple lysine methylation. We have also discovered that the non-SET domain components of the MLL1 core complex possess a previously unrecognized methyltransferase activity that catalyzes H3K4 dimethylation within the MLL1 core complex. Our results suggest that the mechanism of multiple lysine methylation by the MLL1 core complex involves the sequential addition of two methyl groups at two distinct active sites within the complex.
High drain current (>2A/mm) InGaAs channel MOSFET at VD=0.5V with shrinkage of channel length by InP anisotropic etching

In this paper, we report InGaAs channel MOSFETs with an InP source contact. InP source contact enables the suppression of carrier starvation and the easy shrinkage of the channel length by anisotropic etching. In fabricated 50-nm InGaAs channel MOSFETs, ID = 2.4A/mm at VD=0.5V were observed. On the other hand, degradations of Vth and SS by the short channel effect were also observed. Thinner channels will be required in order to suppress this effect.
Contribution of cervical cytology in the diagnostic work‐up of patients with endometrial cancer

Abnormal cervical cytology in patients with endometrial cancer (EC) has been associated with poor outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether cervical cytology could contribute to an improved preoperative identification of high‐grade EC (serous, clear cell, carcinosarcoma, high‐grade endometrioid EC) in final histology.
The Intrauterine Environment as Reflected by Birth Size and Twin and Zygosity Status Influences Insulin Action and Intracellular Glucose Metabolism in an Age- or Time-Dependent Manner

According to the “fetal origins hypothesis,” monozygotic (MZ) twins may be more prone to develop various metabolic abnormalities compared with dizygotic (DZ) twins, and twins all together may be more predisposed to metabolic defects compared with singletons. To determine the impact of twin and zygosity status as well as birth size on in vivo measures of glucose metabolism, we examined 123 young (aged 22–31 years) and 103 elderly (aged 57–66 years) MZ and DZ twins and age-matched singleton control subjects. All participants were born at term with available birth records. Peripheral and hepatic insulin action and intracellular glucose partitioning was determined by a euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp using tritiated glucose combined with indirect calorimetry. In elderly subjects, zygosity status influenced nonoxidative glucose metabolism, while twin status per se was associated with elevated hepatic glucose production during both steady-state periods. Birth weight was associated with nonoxidative glucose metabolism in a nongenetic manner within twins and with a high glucose and low lipid oxidation in singletons. In younger subjects, twin status influenced glucose and lipid oxidation rates. We demonstrate a complex age- or time-dependent relationship between independent markers of fetal environment and glucose homeostasis in twins. The documented differential programming effects associated with either low birth weight and twin or zygosity status all represent known defects of glucose homeostasis in type 2 diabetes.