Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Indirect Staining Reaction with Fluorescent Antibody for Detection of Antibodies to Pathogenic Fungi

Summary Antibodies in sera from patients with systemic mycoses were demonstrated by the indirect method of staining with fluorescent antibody. In spite of a general auto-fluorescence of pathogenic fungi, addition of human antiserum and a fluorescein-labeled rabbit antihuman gamma globulin resulted in characteristic fluorescing reactions. In the case of cryptococcosis antibodies were demonstrated by the fluorescent technic but not by other serologic methods.
Morphometric evaluation of populations of neuronal profiles (cell bodies, dendrites, and nerve terminals) in the central nervous system

Morphometric techniques have been developed to quantitatively characterize groups of transmitter‐identified neuronal profiles, such as cell groups, dendrite and nerve terminal fields. These morphometric techniques will be illustrated by introducing some general tools for image analysis which can be considered as a background for the present specific applications. The following methods have been included: (1) methods to identify and quantitatively characterize, from both numerical and geometrical standpoints, groups of profiles in a two‐ and three‐dimen‐sional frame; (2) methods to evaluate the evenness of a certain distribution of profiles in the plane; (3) methods to identify subgroups of profiles based on their different spatial or optical density; and (4) methods to compare the distributions of two or more groups of profiles. The applications of these general tools to some neuroanatomical problems, such as cell group definition and description, have been illustrated. Practical examples performed on immunocytochemical preparations of neuronal profile populations are also given. Finally, the potentiality of numerical classification to classify and compare morphometric data has been shown. As an example, numerical classification methods have been applied to the morphometric and microdensitometric analysis of adrenaline/neuropeptide Y costoring neuronal systems of the brainstem in adult and aged rats. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The U.S. Left Behind: The Rise of IPO Activity Around the World

During the past two decades, there has been a dramatic change in IPO activity around the world. Though vibrant IPO activity, attributed to better institutions and governance, used to be a strength of the U.S., it no longer is. IPO activity in the U.S. has fallen compared to the rest of the world and U.S. firms go public less than expected based on the economic importance of the U.S. In the early 1990s, the declining U.S. IPO share was due to the extraordinary growth of IPOs in foreign countries; in the 2000s, however, it is due to higher IPO activity abroad combined with lower IPO activity in the U.S. Global IPOs, which are IPOs in which some of the proceeds are raised outside the firm's home country, play a critical role in the increase in IPO activity outside the U.S. The quality of a country's institutions is positively related to its domestic IPO activity and negatively related to its global IPO activity. However, home country institutions are more important in explaining IPO activity in the 1990s than in the 2000s. The evidence is consistent with the view that access to global markets helps firms overcome the obstacles of poor institutions. Finally, we show that the dynamics of global IPO activity and country-level IPO activity are strongly affected by global factors.
Factors Motivating HPV Vaccine Uptake Among Vaccinated and Nonvaccinated Hispanic Young Adult Women

Introduction: To identify factors influencing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination up taking decision making among vaccinated and nonvaccinated Hispanic college women. Participants: Hispanic young women between the ages of 18 and 24 years (N = 49). In total, 26 had not received the HPV vaccine, and 23 had started/completed the vaccine series. Method: Participants registered for the study via a psychology research pool at a large public university in the southeast United States after institutional review board approval. After completing a demographic information and HPV knowledge Web-based survey, participants were individually interviewed. Results: Differences in HPV vaccine knowledge emerged between vaccinated and nonvaccinated women. Fear of side effects, perceptions of risk, and sources of encouragement influenced willingness to be vaccinated against HPV. Health care providers played a central role in addressing concerns and promoting vaccination. Conclusions: Health care providers must address and integrate unique decision-making processes influencing Hispanic young adult women’s perceptions of HPV vaccination.
In Vitro Fusion of Phagosomes with Different Endocytic Organelles from J774 Macrophages*

We describe novel biochemical and electron microscopy assays to investigate in vitro fusion of latex bead phagosomes with three different endocytic organelle fractions from J774 macrophages. After formation, early phagosomes fuse avidly with early and late endosomes and for a longer period of time with lysosomes, but they subsequently become fusion-incompetent. The fusion of early, but not late, phagosomes with all three endocytic fractions could be significantly stimulated by Rab5. In contrast to other cell types investigated, this Rab is uniquely enriched on both early and late endosomes in J774 macrophages. Moreover, exogenous Rab5 stimulates homotypic fusion between both sets of organelles. This was shown by a quantitative electron microscopy fusion assay that can directly assay fusion between any combination of morphologically defined organelles. By the same approach, we discovered an unexpected Rab5-stimulatable fusion between early and late endosomes in J774, but not in BHK cells. Thus, in J774 cells both Rab5 and the endocytic pathway seem to have evolved additional functions not yet seen in nonphagocytic cells.
Computed tomography in cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis

In nine patients with cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX), computed tomography (CT) demonstrated diffuse white matter hypodensity above and below the tentorium. This was attributed to sterol infiltration with secondary demyelination. In one patient, a focal right cerebellar hypodense lesion reflected a true xanthoma. These findings suggest that the neurologic symptoms, no matter how longstanding, result from metabolic encephalopathy rather than irreversible destruction of brain tissue by xanthomas.
THIN-FILM THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY AND THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS USING PICOSECOND ULTRASONICS

A method utilizing picosecond ultrasonics, combined with a pump-probe thermoreflectance technique, for the simultaneous measurement of thin-film thickness and thermal conductivity normal to the surface is presented. This technique is a noncontact method that is useful for determining thermophysical properties of films with thickness gradients or for films in which the thickness is not a known parameter. The thermal conductivity of a thin tungsten film is extrapolated through a curve-fitting routine that compares results with the parabolic two-step (PTS) heat diffusion model, and the thickness measurement is enabled by the observation of ultrasonic waves generated by femtosecond laser heating pulses.
Public Sector Human Resource Practices to Drive Performance

Many Governments wrestle with the issue of designing an appropriate set of human resource practices to motivate public servants to perform. Identifying the right set of practices for the public sector is a source of some controversy, and passions run high particularly in relation to the use of monetary incentives, often referred to as performance-related pay or performance based pay. This GET note reviews recent research on a range of practices Governments utilize to drive employee performance, which rest on the assumptions that public servants are motivated in two ways: (i) ‘intrinsically’ (i.e. internal factors motivated by ‘the right thing to do’), and (ii) ‘extrinsically’ (i.e., external validation from rewards offered by others). Generally, a Human Resource Management (HRM) system designed to motivate employee performance will utilize practices in two broad categories related to: (i) ‘external incentives’ (e.g., financial incentives), and (ii) ‘opportunities to perform’ focusing on ‘intrinsic’ factors (i.e. self-directed work). Within ‘external incentives,’ a financial incentive may either act over the long term (e.g., deferred compensation) or in the short term (e.g., performance-related pay). This note applies this conceptual framework to more clearly understand the range of practices Governments are using to improve staff performance, as well as the pre-conditions for their success. Given the recent attention on performance-related pay, we take a deeper look at the evidence underlying the shorter term performance-related pay, reviewing evidence from both OECD and middle income countries. Annex one provides a brief overview on the theories of motivation for those interested in the theoretical underpinnings of the work, and annex two presents’ experiences of performance pay in practice. This Note draws heavily from performance-related pay in the public sector: A review of theory and evidence (Hasnain and others 2012), a recent review of the literature in fields including political science, public administration, business management, and psychology.
Robust H-infinity reduced order filtering for uncertain bilinear systems

This paper investigates both the H-infinity and robust H-infinity reduced order unbiased filtering problems for respectively a nominal bilinear system and a bilinear system affected by norm-bounded structured uncertainties in all the system matrices. First, an algebraic framework is used to solve the unbiasedness condition and second, a change of variable is introduced on the inputs of the system to reduce the conservatism inherent to the requirement of exponential convergence of the filter. Then the reduced order filtering solution is obtained through LMI with an equality constraint by transforming the problem into a robust state feedback in the nominal case and a robust static output feedback in the presence of uncertainties. In the last case, an additional bilinear matrix equality must also be solved.
E-Service Delivery in Cellular Mobile Communication: Some Challenges and Issues

Abstract The liberalization of telecommunication industry has provided the necessary push to provide continuously superiorcustomer services. The entry of global players has further added to the competitive pressure in India. This liberalizationand globalization have led a challenge to the telecom operators as how to create differentiation with almost the samenetwork technology with all the cellular operators. Improving the quality of service delivery can enable the cellularmobile service providers to create differentiation in order to gain profitability and competitive advantage. In light ofthis, the paper attempts to look at the ways in which IT can be used to provide superior quality services to customersin the highly competitive cellular service industry. A framework of E-service delivery is suggested and issues relatedto its practical application and its merits are highlighted. Finally some implications as well as future researchdirections are provided.Keywords: Information Technology, Service quality, Service delivery, Cellular mobile, CompetitivenessGlobal Journal ofe-Business and Knowledge Management
Reply to Comments on Reflections ∗ A .

There are three main criticisms. The first is to misread Assumption 1 so as to think that probabilities are being put to zero after having observed the data leading to the erroneous conclusion that the proposed methods are not Bayesian. The second is due to a failure to grasp the relevance of the fifth paragraph of the Introduction leading to suggestions that alternative methods be used that are not available. The third relates to the fact that it might be advisable to make an adjustment that is analogous to a Jacobian term in some applications.
Measurement of serum osteocalcin with a human‐specific two‐site immunoradiometric assay

We developed a sensitive and specific two‐site radioimmunoassay (IRMA) for human osteocalcin using human osteocalcin as a standard and two monoclonal antibodies raised against human osteocalcin purified from human cortical bone, a solid‐phase anti‐25–37 region and a tracer anti‐5–13 sequence of the molecule. A wide range of osteocalcin levels (up to 300 ng/ml) can be measured with a sensitivity of 0.4 ng/ml. The intra‐ and interassay coefficients of variation are less than 4 and 6%, respectively. The recovery of human osteocalcin from serum samples ranges from 96 to 103%. IRMA was linear for serial sample dilutions in a wide range of serum osteocalcin levels, even in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. Depletion of serum in intact osteocalcin demonstrated that IRMA detects, in addition to the intact peptide, a large N‐terminal midregion fragment that represents about 50% of total osteocalcin levels in normals and patients with Paget's disease and up to 75% in patients with chronic renal failure. This large fragment, previously unrecognized because it cannot be distinguished from intact osteocalcin with gel filtration chromatography, is not generated in vitro by incubation of the serum up to 26 h. We measured osteocalcin in the serum of 309 healthy adults (180 men and 129 women, age range 20–95 years), 36 patients with Paget's disease, 12 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, 70 patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis, and 10 patients on corticosteroid therapy, simultaneously with human IRMA and with a conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA) based on bovine reagents. A tight correlation (r = 0.889) was observed between the two assays in the normal population, but the values obtained with IRMA were about threefold higher (mean 23.3 ± 10.5 versus 7.5 ± 3.4 ng/ml) than those obtained with RIA. Reported as Z scores, that is, number of standard deviations from the predicted normal mean adjusted for sex and age, these two assays (IRMA and RIA) gave concordant results in patients with Paget's disease (4.05 ± 6.21 versus 2.41 ± 2.53), primary hyperparathyroidism (4.14 ± 7.17 versus 2.13 ± 2.28), chronic renal failure (25.32 ± 24.49 versus 6.93 ± 5.48), and glucocorticoid treatment (‐1.48 ± 0.78 versus −1.11 ± 0.57). However, IRMA was more discriminant from controls for all these metabolic bone diseases because the absolute values of mean Z scores with IRMA were significantly higher than those obtained with the RIA (p < 0.05–0.0001). We conclude that this new human‐specific IRMA of osteocalcin may be more sensitive than bovine RIA for the clinical investigation of metabolic bone diseases.
Large Shareholders and CEO Performance-Based Pay: New Evidence from Privately-Held Firms *

In this paper we study CEO contract design employing a unique dataset on privately-held and public firm CEO annual compensation over the period 1999-2011. Compared to public firms, privately-held firms have less diffuse ownership and stronger shareholder monitoring. We first show that both private and public firm CEO pay is positively and significantly related to firm accounting performance, and that the pay-performance link is much weaker in privately-held firms. We then show that the above findings are robust to accounting for firms’ self-selection into being privately-held, and other differences between privately-held and public firms. Reconciling prior mixed evidence, we show that there is an overall negative relation between ownership concentration and CEO performance-based pay, while at the low end of ownership concentration, there is a positive relation between the two. We conclude that the presence of large shareholders generally substitutes for CEO performance-based compensation contracts, but becomes a complement in diffusely-held firms.
Data centric and adaptive source changing transactional memory with exit functionality

Multi-core computing is becoming ubiquitous due to the scaling limitations of single-core computing. It is inevitable that parallel programming will become the mainstream for such processors. In this paradigm shift, the concept of abstraction should not be compromised. A programming model serves as an abstraction of how programs are executed. Transactional Memory (TM) is a technique proposed to maintain lock free synchronization. Due to the simplicity of the abstraction provided by it, TM can also be used as a way of distributing parallel work, maintaining coherence and consistency. Motivated by this, at a higher level, the thesis makes three contributions and all are centred around Hardware Transactional Memory (HTM). As the first contribution, a transaction-only architecture is coupled with a ``data centric" approach, to address the scalability issues of the former whilst maintaining its simplicity. This is achieved by grouping together memory locations having similar access patterns and maintaining coherence and consistency according to the group each memory location belongs to. As the second contribution a novel technique is proposed to reduce the number of false transaction aborts which occur in a signature based HTM. The idea is to adaptively switch between cache lines and signatures to detect conflicts. That is, when a transaction fits in the L1 cache, cache line information is used to detect conflicts and signatures are used otherwise. As the third contribution, the thesis makes a case for having an exit functionality in an HTM. The objective of the proposed functionality, TM_EXIT, is to terminate a transaction without restarting or committing.
Correlation approach for the detection of the heartbeat intervals using force sensors placed under the bed posts

Abstract This study proposes a method for detecting the heartbeat intervals of a person lying on a bed from ballistocardiographic signals recorded unobtrusively with four dynamic force sensors located under the bed posts. The method does not recognize individual heartbeats, but the intervals where the correlation between two consecutive signal segments maximizes. This study evaluated the performance of the method with nine subjects in 1-h long recordings and achieved 91% beat-to-beat interval (BBI) recognition coverage; 98.6% of the detected BBIs differed less than 50 ms from the values calculated from a reference electrocardiogram signal. This study also evaluated the reliability of two parameters of heart rate variability that have been used in sleep quality assessment in several studies and are usually calculated for 30 s epochs. The results suggest that the method is able to provide sufficient reliability for using the data in evaluation of sleep quality.
Optimal combination of multiple cortical surface parcellations

A variety of methodologies have been developed for the parcellation of human cortical surface into sulcal or gyral regions due to its importance in structural and functional mapping of the human brain. However, characterizing the performance of surface parcellation methods and the estimation of ground truth of segmentation are still open problems. In this paper, we present an algorithm for simultaneous truth and performance estimation of various approaches for human cortical surface parcellation. The probabilistic true segmentation is estimated as a weighted combination of the segmentations resulted from multiple methods. Afterward, an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm is used to optimize the weighting depending on the estimated performance level of each method. Furthermore, a spatial homogeneity constraint modeled by the Hidden Markov Random Field (HMRF) theory is incorporated to refine the estimated true segmentation into a spatially homogenous decision. The proposed method has been evaluated using both synthetic and real data. The experimental results demonstrate the validity of the method proposed in this paper. Also, it has been used to generate reference sulci regions to perform a comparison study of three methods for cortical surface parcellation.
Systematic Risk Under Extremely Adverse Market Conditions

Extreme losses are the major concern in risk management. The dependence between financial assets and the market portfolio changes under extremely adverse market conditions. We develop a measure of systematic tail risk, the tail regression beta , defined by an asset's sensitivity to large negative market shocks, and establish the estimation methodology. We compare it to regular systematic risk measures: the market beta and the downside beta. Furthermore, the tail regression beta is a useful instrument in both portfolio risk management and systemic risk management. We demonstrate its applications in analyzing Value-at-Risk (VaR) and Conditional Value-at-Risk (CoVaR).
Analysis and performance investigation of an axial-field PM motor utilising cut amorphous magnetic material

This paper investigates the operating characteristics of four and ten-pole axial-field permanent magnet (AFPM) machines utilising cut AMM ribbon. 3D finite element analysis (FEA) was used to model and analyse the AFPM machine examining the back-emf profiles, cogging torque, axial force and loss characteristics. The paper also presents comprehensive experimental results to validate the model and compare the performance characteristics of the machine with different airgap lengths, pole number and magnet materials.
Correlation between spasticity and quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis: the CANDLE study

Background: Spasticity is a common symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) that increases the burden of disease. This study investigated the relationship between the degree of spasticity and patients’ health-related quality of life (QoL). Methods: Epidemiological, multicentre, cross-sectional study in patients with MS spasticity. The SF-12 questionnaire was used to assess QoL. The modified Ashworth scale and a 0–10 Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) were used to assess spasticity severity. Results: Data were analysed for 409 MS patients with spasticity from 53 neurology clinics in Spain. Mean age was 46.4 (±11.0) years; 62.4% were women. Most patients had relapsing-remitting MS (42.1%) or secondary progressive MS (43.9%). Mean time since MS diagnosis was 12.5 (±7.4) years and mean time since first spasticity symptoms was 6.1 (±4.8) years. A total of 71.3% of patients were being treated pharmacologically for spasticity. Moderate to severe spasticity was measured in 59.2% of patients according to the modified Ashworth scale and in 83.4% according to the NRS. Mean scores for the 0–100 Physical Component Summary and Mental Component Summary subscales of the SF-12 questionnaire were 31.0 (±9.3) and 45.4 (±12.0), respectively. Scores on the SF-12 correlated significantly with scores on both spasticity scales ( p ≤ 0.002) but the correlation was stronger with the NRS across all domains. Conclusions: The results confirm an association between spasticity severity and QoL in patients with MS. The correlation between 0–10 NRS scores and QoL was stronger than that between modified Ashworth scale scores and QoL.