Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Public Capital on U. S. Manufacturing Activity: 1970 to 1978

The decade of the 1970s has been characterized by a significant deterioration of the nation's public capital stock. From 1970 to 1978 the real value of the total stock of public capital at the regional level (SMSA) has declined, on average, by 41 percent. Likewise, the real value of the stock of sewers and sanitation facilities, highways and roads, and water supply and treatment facilities has declined by 39, 45 and 48 percent. ' The size of this decay has caused concern among regional policy makers since such deterioration may have an adverse effect on regional growth. Regional economists have long considered public capital to play an important role in regional economic development. Although public investment does not guarantee that regional growth will occur economists view it as being able to create the necessary foundation for regional economic and social activity. As suggested by Nijkamp, public investment can have both a short and long term effect on regional growth [22]. The short term effect results from the direct effect of public capital on the production activities of private industry. Meade suggests that public capital can be viewed as an input in the production process of private industry that contributes independently to firms' output [21]. However, it is a unique input since firms do not purchase public capital on a per unit basis as they do private capital and labor. Rather, local governments supply public capital to firms in return for a lump sum property tax payment. The political process, in which private industry is assumed not to play a significant role, determines the amount of public capital supplied to private industry. Hence, if firms have no direct control over how much public capital local governments supply to them, then public capital enters the production process as an unpaid, fixed input. As such, public capital has a direct effect on firms' variable costs and profits.2 The favorable effect of public investment on variable costs and profits may induce exiting
A method for processing multivariate data in medical studies

Traditional displays of principal component analyses lack readability to discriminate between putative clusters of variables or cases. Here, the author proposes a method that clusterizes and visualizes variables or cases through principal component analyses thus facilitating their analysis. The method displays pre‐determined clusters of variables or cases as urchins that each has a soma (the average point) and spines (the individual variables or cases). Through three examples in the field of neuropsychology, the author illustrates how urchins help examine the modularity of cognitive tasks on the one hand and identify groups of healthy versus brain‐damaged participants on the other hand. Some of the data used in this article were obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database. The urchin method was implemented in MATLAB, and the source code is available in the Supporting information. Urchins can be useful in biomedical studies to identify distinct phenomena at first glance, each having several measures (clusters of variables) or distinct groups of participants (clusters of cases). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurement of cardiac output before and after cardiopulmonary bypass: Comparison among aortic transit-time ultrasound, thermodilution, and noninvasive partial CO2 rebreathing.

OBJECTIVES A noninvasive continuous cardiac output system (NICO) has been developed recently. NICO uses a ratio of the change in the end-tidal carbon dioxide partial pressure and carbon dioxide elimination in response to a brief period of partial rebreathing to measure CO. The aim of this study was to compare the agreement among NICO, bolus (TDCO), and continuous thermodilution (CCO), with transit-time flowmetry of the ascending aorta using an ultrasonic flow probe (UFP) before and after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). DESIGN Prospective, observational human study. SETTING Veterans Affairs Medical Center Hospital. PARTICIPANTS Sixty-eight patients. METHODS Matched sets of CO measurements between NICO, TDCO, CCO, and UFP were collected in 68 patients undergoing elective CABG at specific time periods before and after separation from CPB. After anesthetic induction, all patients had an NICO sensor attached between the endotracheal tube and the breathing circuit, a PAC floated into the pulmonary artery for TDCO and CCO monitoring, and a UFP positioned on the ascending aorta and used for the reference CO. Bland-Altman analysis was used to compare the agreement among the different methods. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Bland-Altman analysis of CO measurements before CPB yielded a bias, precision, and percent error of 0.04 L/min +/- 1.07 L/min (44.8%) for NICO, 0.18 L/min +/- 1.01 L/min (41.7%) for TDCO, and 0.29 L/min +/- 1.40 L/min (57.5%) for CCO compared with simultaneous UFP CO measurements, respectively. After separation from CPB (average 29 mins), bias, precision, and percent error were -0.46 L/min +/- 1.06 L/min (37.3%) for NICO, 0.35 L/min +/- 1.39 L/min (46.1%) for TDCO, and 0.36 L/min +/- 1.96 L/min (64.7%) for CCO compared with UFP CO measurements, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Before initiation of CPB, the accuracy for all 3 techniques was similar. After separation from CPB, the tendency was for NICO to underestimate CO and for TDCO and CCO to overestimate it. NICO offers an alternative to invasive CO measurement.
Improved tone concatenation rules in a formant-based Chinese text-to-speech system

A set of improved tone concatenation rules to be used in a formant-based Mandarin Chinese text-to-speech system is presented. This system concatenates prestored syllables superimposed by additional tone patterns to obtain speech sentences for unlimited text, with the acoustic properties of each syllable modified by a set of synthesis rules. The tone concatenation rules are the most important among these synthesis rules, because they tell how the tone patterns for the syllables should be modified in an arbitrary sentence under various conditions of concatenating syllables of different tones on both sides. The improved tone concatenation rules are obtained empirically by carefully analyzing the tone pattern behavior under various tone concatenation conditions for many sentences in a database. A total of 14 representative tone patterns are defined for the five tones, and different rules about which pattern should be used under what kind of tone concatenation conditions are organized in detail. Preliminary subjective tests indicate that these rules actually give better synthesized speech for a formant-based Chinese text-to-speech system. >
Preconception urethane or chromium(III) treatment of male mice: multiple neoplastic and non-neoplastic changes in offspring.

Increase in neoplasia in offspring after preconception exposure of parents presents puzzling features such as high frequency of effects and lack of Mendelian inheritance. The present study examined the hypothesis that preconception carcinogenesis involves an increase in the rate of occurrence of neoplasms with a spontaneous incidence. Male NIH Swiss mice (12 per group) were exposed 2 weeks before mating (once, ip) to urethane (1.5 g/kg) or chromium(III) chloride (1 mmol/kg). Offspring (48-78/sex/group) were examined for all grossly apparent changes when moribund or at natural death, followed by histopathological diagnosis and statistical analysis. Significant exposure-related changes occurred in multiple organs. Ten to 20 percent of offspring showed changes related to paternal exposure, including at least one sired by most treated males. Pheochromocytomas occurred in both male and female offspring after both treatments, with none in controls. These neoplasms are rare in mice and suggest endocrine dysfunction as a component of preconception carcinogenesis. This was supported by increases in thyroid follicular cell and Harderian gland tumors, ovarian cysts, and uterine abnormalities. Lung tumors were increased in female offspring only. Effects seen in offspring only after paternal urethane exposure were an increase in preneoplasia/neoplasia in the glandular stomach (males) and in females, increased lymphoma but decreased incidence of histiocytic sarcoma. Increases in incidence of male reproductive gland tumors and of renal non-neoplastic lesions occurred only after chromium exposure. Thus, preconception exposure of fathers to toxicants had a significant impact on both neoplastic and non-neoplastic changes in almost all tissues in which these lesions often occur naturally during the aging process.
Association between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

OBJECTIVES Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is composed of a heterogeneous group of disorders marked by increased pulmonary artery resistance leading to right heart failure, with high mortality. Evidence is increasing to propose that inflammation plays a significant role in the pathophysiological mechanism. Increased prevalence of PH in patients with systemic inflammatory diseases is already known. Herein, we sought to evaluate the association between neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (N/L ratio) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). STUDY DESIGN Twenty-five patients with PAH and 25 controls were evaluated. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic variables were obtained. Complete blood counts in all patients and controls were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS The N/L ratio was higher in patients with PAH compared to healthy volunteers (p=0.05). A cut-off value of 1.65 for N/L ratio predicted the presence of PAH with 72% sensitivity and 69% specificity. After multivariate analysis, only N/L ratio remained a significant predictor of PAH. CONCLUSION We showed for the first time that N/L ratio was significantly increased in patients with PAH compared to controls.
In Mice With Type 2 Diabetes, a Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-Activating Transcription Factor Modulates VEGF Signaling and Induces Therapeutic Angiogenesis After Hindlimb Ischemia

Peripheral arterial disease is a major complication of diabetes. The ability to promote therapeutic angiogenesis may be limited in diabetes. Type 2 diabetes was induced by high-fat feeding C57BL/6 mice (n = 60). Normal chow–fed mice (n = 20) had no diabetes. Mice underwent unilateral femoral artery ligation and excision. A plasmid DNA encoded an engineered transcription factor designed to increase vascular endothelial growth factor expression (ZFP-VEGF). On day 10 after the operation, the ischemic limbs received 125 μg ZFP-VEGF plasmid or control. Mice were killed 3, 10, or 20 days after injection (n = 10/group, at each time point). Limb blood flow was measured by laser Doppler perfusion imaging. VEGF mRNA expression was examined by real-time PCR. VEGF, Akt, and phospho-Akt protein were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Capillary density, proliferation, and apoptosis were assessed histologically. Compared with normal mice, mice with diabetes had greater VEGF protein, reduced phospho-Akt–to–Akt ratio before ligation, and an impaired perfusion recovery after ligation. At 3 and 10 days after injection, in mice with diabetes, gene transfer increased VEGF expression and signaling. At later time points, gene transfer resulted in better perfusion recovery. Gene transfer with ZFP-VEGF was able to promote therapeutic angiogenesis mice with type 2 diabetes.
Inactivation of AP1 Proteins by a Nuclear Serine Protease Precedes the Onset of Radiation-Induced Fibrosing Alveolitis1

Abstract Haase, M. G. , Klawitter, A. , Bierhaus, A. , Yokoyama, K. K. , Kasper, M. , Geyer, P., Baumann, M. and Baretton, G. B. Inactivation of AP1 Proteins by a Nuclear Serine Protease Precedes the Onset of Radiation-Induced Fibrosing Alveolitis. Radiat. Res. 169, 531–542 (2008). Radiation-induced lung damage comprises inflammation (alveolitis) as well as disturbed regulation of cell differentiation and proliferation (fibrosis). The transcriptional regulation of this process is poorly understood. One key transcription factor involved in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation is AP1 (activator protein 1). The present study examined changes in the DNA-binding activity of AP1 after irradiation and defined the underlying molecular mechanisms in an animal model. The right lungs of Fischer rats received a single radiation dose of 20 Gy. Lung tissue was tested for AP1 DNA-binding activity, AP1 mRNA, and levels of AP1 proteins as well as for c-Jun specific proteolytic activity. After an initial increase, the AP1 DNA-binding activity was completely lost starting at 5.5 weeks after irradiation, which is 2.5 weeks before the onset of fibrosing alveolitis. This was not caused by reduction of mRNA levels or size. Instead, a selective nuclear cleavage of c-Jun by a serine protease caused the loss of AP1 activity. Considering the central role of AP1 in cell proliferation and differentiation and the strict timely correlation to the onset of the disease, the complete loss of AP1 function is likely to play a critical role in radiation-induced fibrosing alveolitis.
Accuracy of five electronic pedometers for measuring distance walked.

This is a three-part study that examined the accuracy of five brands of electronic pedometers (Freestyle Pacer, Eddie Bauer, L.L. Bean, Yamax, and Accusplit) under a variety of different conditions. In Part I, 20 subjects walked a 4.88-km sidewalk course while wearing two devices of the same brand (on the left and right side of the body) for each of five different trials. There were significant differences among pedometers (P < 0.05), with the Yamax, Pacer, and Accusplit approximating the actual distance more closely than the other models. The Yamax pedometers showed close agreement, but the left and right Pacer pedometers differed significantly (P = 0.0003) and the Accusplit displayed a similar trend (P = 0.0657). In Part II, the effects of walking surface on pedometer accuracy were examined. Ten of the original subjects completed an additional five trials around a 400-m rubberized outdoor track. The devices showed similar values for sidewalk and track surfaces. In Part III, the effects of walking speed on pedometer accuracy were examined. Ten different subjects walked on a treadmill at various speeds (54, 67, 80, 94, and 107 m.min-1). Pedometers that displayed both distance and number of steps were examined. The Yamax was more accurate than the Pacer and Eddie Bauer at slow-to-moderate speeds (P < 0.05), though no significant differences were seen at the fastest speed. While there are variations among brands in terms of accuracy, electronic pedometers may prove useful in recording walking activities in free-living populations.
Robust Control of a Two-Terminal Cryogenic Current Comparator

A digital H∞ controller for a two-terminal cryogenic current comparator is designed. To this end, a set of mathematical models covering the actual system is proposed. Simulation results compare the open- and closed-loop systems based on the proposed controller and the traditional integral control. According to these results, the new controller can significantly reduce the noise in the superconducting quantum interference device sensor.
Repair detection procedure for enumeration of fecal coliforms and enterococci from seafoods and marine environments

The repair detection procedure of Speck et al. (Appl. Microbiol. 29:549-550, 1975) was adapted for the enumeration of coliforms, fecal coliforms, and enterococci in seafood and environmental samples. Samples were pour plated with Trypticase soy agar, followed by a 1- to 2-h incubation to effect repair; the plates were then overlaid with the selective medium and incubated. Violet red bile agar and an incubation temperature of 45 degrees C were used as the selective conditions for fecal coliforms, and KF streptococcal agar was used for the enumeration of enterococci. The method was more efficient than the standard most-probable-number method for fecal coliform enumeration and also allowed enumeration of the injured cells, which might have remained undetected when selective medium in the most-probable-number method was used. The repair detection method effectively recovered the injured portion of the population of enterococci capable of growing on KF streptococcal agar. The repair enumeration method was not suitable for coliforms in marine samples because associative marine bacteria mimicked coliforms in violet red bile agar plates incubated at 35 degrees C. The marine bacteria did not grow at 45 degrees C and therefore did not interfere with fecal coliform enumeration.
Acute metformin preconditioning confers neuroprotection against focal cerebral ischaemia by pre‐activation of AMPK‐dependent autophagy

Recent clinical trials report that metformin, an activator of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) used to treat type 2 diabetes, significantly reduces the risk of stroke by actions that are independent of its glucose‐lowering effects. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not known. Here, we tested the possibility that acute metformin preconditioning confers neuroprotection by pre‐activation of AMPK‐dependent autophagy in a rat model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO).
Gate control of a two-stage GaN MMIC amplifier for amplitude and phase linearization

In this paper we study static and dynamic gate biasing of a two-stage X-band MMIC GaN PA. The PA is first characterized under different bias conditions using large-signal static measurements, and the determined conditions are then applied to dynamic measurements with a 20 MHz noise power ratio (NPR) test signal. Biasing the gates of the two stages independently allows simultaneous reduction of amplitude and phase distortion. AM/AM, AM/PM and PAE measurements are obtained for three different static scenarios. Consistent results from static and dynamic tests are obtained showing NPR values exceeding 31 dB. Adding predistortion alters the efficiency of the investigated static biases by more than 4 % points.
Muscle Metabolism of Professional Athletes using 31P-Spectroscopy

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine muscle metabolism in athletes by 31P-spectroscopy (MRS) and to evaluate to what degree the respective resonance spectrum correlates with the kind of muscle exercise. Material and Methods: Twelve runners and 12 young ice skaters were studied by 31P-spectroscopy of the gastrocnemic medialis muscle and the vastus medialis muscle using a surface coil at 1.5 T. Results: Sprinters displayed a higher phosphocreatinine/inorganic phosphate (PCr/Pi) and PCr/β-ATP ratios than marathon runners. The respective parameters for middle distance runners were in between. Ice skaters could pro-spectively be divided into sprint-and long-distance runners by our results which correlated with the athletes' training performance. Conclusion: 31P-spectroscopy can evaluate the distribution of muscle fiber types. Thus, the athlete's potential for sprint- or long-distance running can be determined. Additional studies will have to demonstrate to what extent training may change muscle fiber distribution.
Page Analysis by 2D Conditional Random Fields

This paper applies two-dimensional conditional random fields (2D CRF) to page analysis and information extraction. In this paper we discuss features and labels for information extraction by 2D CRF. We evaluated the method by applying it to the problem of extracting bibliographic components from scanned title pages of academic papers. The experimental results show that 2D CRF improves the performance of information extraction compared to chain-model CRF.
Segmentation method for breast tumor diagnosis based on Artificial Neural Network algorithm applied to dynamic 18F-FDG PET images

To establish an accurate and automatic image segmentation method for extracting the tumor from the healthy tissue using the dedicated 18F-FDG Mammography with Molecular Imaging (MAMMI) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) dynamic images of breast in vivo, the paper presents a novel method using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) combined with time activity curves (TAC) of each voxel as input vector. TACs voxel by voxel were obtained from PET images with average filtering and least-squares fitting algorithm to improve the signal noise ratio (SNR). The data was then normalized and constructed as input feature vectors of the ANN network to train or segment the tumor regions. The initial pilot validation with 2 patient's data of the proposed method using FDG has shown promising results.
Market Discipline in Regulating Bank Risk: New Evidence from the Capital Markets

This study evaluates the potential for bank subordinated notes and debentures to enhance market discipline by analyzing the sensitivity of the interest-rate spread between bank-related debt and comparable Treasury securities to measu res of bank risk. The analysis indicates that the market discipline benefits of subordinated notes and debentures appear to be relatively small. Furthermore, even if the bond rating agencies could induce bankers to behave in a particular way, the findings suggest this induced behavior may not be viewed by regulators as consistent with their standards of safety and soundness. Copyright 1988 by Ohio State University Press.
Structural Determinants of the Mechanical Stability of α-Catenin*

Background: We investigated how α-catenin transduces force at cell-to-cell adhesions. Results: Molecular dynamics simulations identified structural features contributing to α-catenin stability and its deformation under applied force. Conclusion: A cooperative network of salt bridges in α-catenin regulates both α-catenin stability and how it unfolds under force. Significance: These findings reveal the molecular basis of experimental observations and the impact of reported cancer-linked α-catenin mutants. α-Catenin plays a crucial role in cadherin-mediated adhesion by binding to β-catenin, F-actin, and vinculin, and its dysfunction is linked to a variety of cancers and developmental disorders. As a mechanotransducer in the cadherin complex at intercellular adhesions, mechanical and force-sensing properties of α-catenin are critical to its proper function. Biochemical data suggest that α-catenin adopts an autoinhibitory conformation, in the absence of junctional tension, and biophysical studies have shown that α-catenin is activated in a tension-dependent manner that in turn results in the recruitment of vinculin to strengthen the cadherin complex/F-actin linkage. However, the molecular switch mechanism from autoinhibited to the activated state remains unknown for α-catenin. Here, based on the results of an aggregate of 3 μs of molecular dynamics simulations, we have identified a dynamic salt-bridge network within the core M region of α-catenin that may be the structural determinant of the stability of the autoinhibitory conformation. According to our constant-force steered molecular dynamics simulations, the reorientation of the MII/MIII subdomains under force may constitute an initial step along the transition pathway. The simulations also suggest that the vinculin-binding domain (subdomain MI) is intrinsically much less stable than the other two subdomains in the M region (MII and MIII). Our findings reveal several key insights toward a complete understanding of the multistaged, force-induced conformational transition of α-catenin to the activated conformation.