Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Derivatives and the Wealth of Societies

Derivatives were responsible for one of the worst financial meltdowns in history, one from which we have not yet fully recovered. However, they are likewise capable of generating some of the most incredible wealth we have ever seen. This book asks how we might ensure the latter while avoiding the former. Looking past the usual arguments for the regulation or abolition of derivative finance, it asks a more probing question: what kinds of social institutions and policies would we need to put in place to both avail ourselves of the derivative’s wealth production and make sure that production benefits all of us? To answer that question, the contributors to this book draw upon their deep backgrounds in finance, social science, art, and the humanities to create a new way of understanding derivative finance that does justice to its social and cultural dimensions. They offer a two-pronged analysis. First, they develop a social understanding of the derivative that casts it in the light of anthropological concepts such as the gift, ritual, play, dividuality, and performativity. Second, they develop a derivative understanding of the social, using financial concepts such as risk, hedging, optionality, and arbitrage to uncover new dimensions of contemporary social reality. In doing so, they construct a necessary, renewed vision of derivative finance as a deeply embedded aspect not just of our economics but our culture.
Visualization of the AI Control Problem

The purpose of this bachelor thesis is to raise awareness about the AI control problem. The AI control problem is basically how to control an AI that is more intelligent than humans, to be sure that an AI will end up aiding instead of harming humanity. For this purpose, a web page was developed that is connected to a reinforcement learning framework and allows visitors to see an AI agent interacting in an environment. The visitors can edit the environment to experiment with different configurations. The web page also contains a visualization of the network controlling the agent and information about the AI control problem.
Study on Carbon Dioxide Emission Performance and Reduction Potential of Chinese Provinces Based on SDDF

As the traditional directional distance function may overestimate the performance,this paper applies a scale directional distance function method,which takes the slacks into consideration,to evaluate the carbon dioxide emission and the direction vectors,target value and change rates within a total factor production and production technology framework. The results show that,the efficiency results based on SDDF are lower than those based on SDDF,each region has a distinct efficiency and target value,and the provinces not on the production frontier should pay most attention to carbon dioxide emission reduction.
Health related quality of life after lumbar disc surgery: A prospective study of 145 patients

Purpose: This study compared health related quality of life (HRQOL) among lumbar disc surgery patients to general population, and assessed the relationships between HRQOL and other outcome measures 2 and 14 months after surgery. Methods: The 15D instrument was used to measure HRQOL in 145 lumbar disc surgery patients. Subjective outcome was also assessed by the Oswestry index, Short Depression Inventory (SDI) and pain, and objective outcome by trunk muscle strength and mobility of the spine. Results: The mean (SD) 15D score among the patients 2 months after surgery was 0.880 (0.104) compared to 0.941 (0.076) among general population (p = 0.016). The 15D, Oswestry and SDI scores remained unchanged during the follow-up, while the improvements in the spine mobility and trunk muscle strength were significant. Back pain decreased by 68% and leg pain by 74% from preoperative level to 2 months check-up. Leg pain further decreased during the following 12 months, while back pain remained unchanged. HRQOL was associated with age, pain, Oswestry and SDI indices, but not with physical function. Conclusion: HRQOL measured by 15D was lower in the lumbar disc surgery patients compared to general population. 15D was associated with the subjective outcome measures of pain, Ostwestry and SDI indices, but not with the objective measures of physical function. Thus, a combination of “disease specific” and “generic” measures is recommended to be used to obtain more accurate information about the overall welfare of an individual.
Probe for the measurement of cell surface pH in vivo and ex vivo

Significance In acidic, diseased tissues, such as tumors, cell surfaces are expected to be more acidic than the surroundings, but no means have been available to measure surface acidity specifically in such tissues. We have developed a probe that uses a pH low insertion peptide to locate a pH-sensing dye, seminaphtharhodafluor, at acidic cell surfaces and find that the probe can measure surface pH, which is correlated with tumor aggressiveness. Even an individual cancer cell maintains acidity at its surface and can be detected in a well-perfused area. The new probe can be used in vivo and ex vivo on tissue specimens and opens a path to both medical utility and exploration of other functions of acidity on cell surfaces. We have developed a way to measure cell surface pH by positioning a pH-sensitive fluorescent dye, seminaphtharhodafluor (SNARF), conjugated to the pH low insertion peptide (pHLIP). It has been observed that many diseased tissues are acidic and that tumors are especially so. A combination of effects acidifies tumor cell interiors, and cells pump out lactic acid and protons to maintain intracellular pH, acidifying the extracellular space. Overexpression of carbonic anhydrases on cell surfaces further contributes to acidification. Thus, the pH near tumor cell surfaces is expected to be low and to increase with distance from the membrane, so bulk pH measurements will not report surface acidity. Our new surface pH-measurement tool was validated in cancer cells grown in spheroids, in mouse tumor models in vivo, and in excised tumors. We found that the surface pH is sensitive to cell glycolytic activity: the pH decreases in high glucose and increases if glucose is replaced with nonmetabolized deoxyglucose. For highly metastatic cancer cells, the pH measured at the surface was 6.7–6.8, when the surrounding external pH was 7.4. The approach is sensitive enough to detect 0.2–0.3 pH unit changes in vivo in tumors induced by i.p. injection of glucose. The pH at the surfaces of highly metastatic cells within tumors was found to be about 6.1–6.4, whereas in nonmetastatic tumors, it was 6.7–6.9, possibly creating a way to distinguish more aggressive from less aggressive tumors. Other biological roles of surface acidity may be found, now that targeted measurements are possible.
Does childhood motor skill proficiency predict adolescent fitness?

PURPOSE To determine whether childhood fundamental motor skill proficiency predicts subsequent adolescent cardiorespiratory fitness. METHODS In 2000, children's proficiency in a battery of skills was assessed as part of an elementary school-based intervention. Participants were followed up during 2006/2007 as part of the Physical Activity and Skills Study, and cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the Multistage Fitness Test. Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between childhood fundamental motor skill proficiency and adolescent cardiorespiratory fitness controlling for gender. Composite object control (kick, catch, throw) and locomotor skill (hop, side gallop, vertical jump) were constructed for analysis. A separate linear regression examined the ability of the sprint run to predict cardiorespiratory fitness. RESULTS Of the 928 original intervention participants, 481 were in 28 schools, 276 (57%) of whom were assessed. Two hundred and forty-four students (88.4%) completed the fitness test. One hundred and twenty-seven were females (52.1%), 60.1% of whom were in grade 10 and 39.0% were in grade 11. As children, almost all 244 completed each motor assessments, except for the sprint run (n = 154, 55.8%). The mean composite skill score in 2000 was 17.7 (SD 5.1). In 2006/2007, the mean number of laps on the Multistage Fitness Test was 50.5 (SD 24.4). Object control proficiency in childhood, adjusting for gender (P = 0.000), was associated with adolescent cardiorespiratory fitness (P = 0.012), accounting for 26% of fitness variation. CONCLUSION Children with good object control skills are more likely to become fit adolescents. Fundamental motor skill development in childhood may be an important component of interventions aiming to promote long-term fitness.
Identification, transfer, and characterization of cloned herpes simplex virus invasiveness regions

Following peripheral inoculation of experimental animals, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) strains are more virulent than HSV-1 strains, and clinical studies suggest that they possess enhanced virulence in humans. One dramatic type-specific difference in virulence is observed following inoculation of the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the chicken embryo: HSV-2, but not HSV-1, makes large pocks on the CAM, invades the mesoderm, generalizes in the embryo, and kills the chicken. These properties have been believed to be specific for HSV-2, and their molecular basis is unknown. We now report that an HSV-1 strain, ANG, behaves even more efficiently than HSV-2. In addition, we have transferred restriction fragments of ANG DNA to another HSV-1 strain, 17 syn+, conferring the CAM virulence phenotype on the normally CAM-avirulent 17 syn+. Like ANG, these recombinant viruses are 10(6)-fold more virulent (PFU/50%) lethal dose [LD50] ratio, less than or equal to 10(2)) than the parental 17 syn+ strain (PFU/LD50 ratio, greater than or equal to 10(8)). A molecularly cloned library of ANG DNA was used to identify two distinct regions containing the virulence functions. Transfer of sequences contained in either cloned ANG EcoRI fragment A (0.49 to 0.64 map units) or F (0.32 to 0.42 map units) DNA to 17 syn+ confers CAM virulence, whereas other cloned regions of the ANG genome do not. Using cloned DNA, we derived and plaque purified several virulent recombinant viruses with inserts from either the ANG EcoRI fragment A (INV-I) or F (INV-II) areas. In each instance, the transfer of the cloned INV-I or INV-II sequences enhanced virulence for the chicken embryo 10(6)-fold (PFU/LD50 ratio, less than or equal to 10(2]. In addition, the transfer of the cloned ANG EcoRI-F INV-II sequences resulted in a 10(3)-fold enhancement of neuroinvasiveness and virulence for mice. Following footpad inoculation, these recombinants kill mice with a PFU/LD50 ratio of approximately 10(3) (similar to HSV-2 strains) compared with 10(6) for 17 syn+. Thus, we have identified, cloned, and transferred two DNA regions from HSV-1 ANG which contain virulence genes (INV-I and INV-II) important in mesodermal invasiveness on the CAM and, in the case of INV-II, neuroinvasiveness in the mouse. In each instance, the recombinant HSV-1 viruses have attained enhanced virulence beyond that described for HSV-1 strains and similar to that seen with HSV-2. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Pathogenic Effects of Rift Valley Fever Virus Nss Gene are Alleviated in Cultured Cells by Expressed Antiviral Short Hairpin RNAS

Background Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), a member of the Bunyaviridae family, may cause severe hepatitis, encephalitis and haemorrhagic fever in humans. There are currently no available licensed vaccines or therapies to treat the viral infection in humans. RNA interference (RNAi)-based viral gene silencing offers a promising approach to inhibiting replication of this highly pathogenic virus. The small (S) segment of the RVFV tripartite genome carries the genetic determinates for pathogenicity during infection. This segment encodes the non-structural S (NSs) and essential nucleocapsid (N) genes. Methods To advance RNAi-based inhibition of RVFV replication, we designed several Pol III short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression cassettes against the NSs and N genes, including a multimerized plasmid vector that included four shRNA expression cassettes. Results Effective target silencing was demonstrated using full- and partial-length target reporter assays, and confirmed by western blot analysis of exogenous N and NSs expression. Small RNA northern blots showed detectable RNAi guide strand formation from single and multimerized shRNA constructs. Using a cell culture model of RVFV replication, shRNAs targeting the N gene decreased intracellular nucleocapsid protein concentration and viral replication. The shRNAs directed against the NSs gene reduced NSs protein concentrations and alleviated NSs-mediated cytotoxicity, which may be caused by host transcription suppression. Conclusions These data are the first demonstration that RNAi activators have a potential therapeutic benefit for countering RVFV infection.
PD-L1 expression in nonclear-cell renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression in nonclear-cell RCC (non-ccRCC) and its association with clinical outcomes are unknown. METHODS Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens were obtained from 101 patients with non-ccRCC. PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in both tumor cell membrane and tumor-infiltrating mononuclear cells (TIMC). PD-L1 tumor positivity was defined as ≥5% tumor cell membrane staining. For PD-L1 expression in TIMC, a combined score based on the extent of infiltrate and percentage of positive cells was used. Baseline clinico-pathological characteristics and outcome data [time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS)] were correlated with PD-L1 staining. RESULTS Among 101 patients, 11 (10.9%) were considered PD-L1+ in tumor cells: 2/36 (5.6%) of chromophobe RCC, 5/50 (10%) of papillary RCC, 3/10 (30%) of Xp11.2 translocation RCC and 1/5 (20%) of collecting duct carcinoma. PD-L1 positivity (PD-L1+) in tumor cells was significantly associated with higher stage (P = 0.01) and grade (P = 0.03), as well as shorter OS (P < 0.001). On the other hand, PD-L1 positivity by TIMC was observed in 57 (56.4%) patients: 13/36 (36.1%) of chromophobe RCC, 30/50 (60%) of papillary RCC, 9/10 (90%) of Xp11.2 translocation RCC and 5/5 (100%) of collecting duct carcinoma. A trend toward shorter OS was observed in patients with PD-L1+ in TIMC (P = 0.08). PD-L1+ in both tumor cell membrane and TIMC cells were associated with shorter TTR (P = 0.02 and P = 0.03, respectively). CONCLUSION In non-ccRCC, patients with PD-L1+ tumors appear to have worse clinical outcomes, although only PD-L1 positivity in tumor cells is associated with higher tumor stage and grade.
Performance at different stimulus intensities with the within- and across-channel adaptive tests of temporal resolution

Abstract Objective: The Adaptive Tests of Temporal Resolution (ATTR©) software provides within-channel (WC) and across-channel (AC) adaptive measures of temporal resolution that are feasible for clinical applications. The purpose of the present study was to obtain normative values for young adults on two of the ATTR tests: the narrow-band noise within-channel (NBN-WC) test and the narrow-band noise across-channel (NBN-AC) test, at different stimulus intensities. Design: Gap detection thresholds were measured at five sensation levels. A Latin square design was used to control for practice effects. Study sample: The NBN-WC group and the NBN-AC group each consisted of 25 young adults with normal hearing. Results: Gap detection thresholds for both conditions decreased with increasing stimulus intensity, and stimulus intensities above 20 dB SL were not associated with large improvements in performance. Variability was larger in the NBN-AC condition. Values obtained for the NBC-WC condition were very similar to previously reported ATTR results despite equipment and design differences. Conclusion: Results provide normative values for NBN-WC and NBN-AC performance on the ATTR and suggest that the ATTR is a robust test for clinical use.
Responses of NOD congenic mice to a glutamic acid decarboxylase-derived peptide.

Type 1 diabetes in man and the NOD (H-2g7) mouse is frequently associated with an autoimmune response to two isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), GAD65 and GAD67. GAD-specific autoantibodies produced by B cells and GAD-specific T cells have been observed in both species. In the current study, the response to a GAD65-derived peptide, GAD65 524-543, previously reported to be an epitope recognized by spleen cells obtained from 3-week-old NOD mice, was assessed in NOD MHC and non-MHC congenic strains. Although spontaneous reactivity to GAD65 524-543 was not observed in NOD mice, the peptide was immunogenic in NOD mice as well as in two NOD congenic strains which are both H-2g7, B10.H-2g7 and NOD.B6Il2-Tshb. This was surprising since the B10.H-2g7 strain does not develop diabetes or insulitis and fewer than 3% of NOD.B6Il2-Tshb mice develop diabetes. The response to GAD65 524-543 was shown to be controlled by the MHC since neither the B10 nor the NOD.H-2b strain, both of which are H-2b, responded to the peptide. This study demonstrates that T cell responsiveness to GAD-derived peptides can be elicited in strains of mice that are resistant to the development of spontaneous diabetes, suggesting that peripheral tolerance to GAD is not associated with protection from diabetes.
Introduction of adaptive TS model using recursive Gustafson-Kessel algorithm in short term load forecasting

This paper introduces adaptive TS model developed with upgraded recursive Gustafson-Kessel (rGK) clustering in the field of short-term load forecasting (STLF), which is one of the most essential parts for electrical distributors. The problem of STLF is to forecast load consumption for a day ahead based on the weather forecast and the type of the day. Until now, most of the forecasting methods based on fuzzy logic needed a lot of expert knowledge to build and adapt the model, where rGK clustering lowers the need of this expert knowledge because of the automatic partitioning of the domain. In addition to rGK clustering, proposed solution also moves from directly forecasting the average load to forecasting the change of load from current to the next day, which is the fastest way to adapt the model to the change in electrical load system. To improve domain separation of clustering, improved membership function based both on input and output distance is also proposed.
A Beauveria phylogeny inferred from nuclear ITS and EF1-α sequences: evidence for cryptic diversification and links to Cordyceps teleomorphs

Beauveria is a globally distributed genus of soil-borne entomopathogenic hyphomycetes of interest as a model system for the study of entomo-pathogenesis and the biological control of pest insects. Species recognition in Beauveria is difficult due to a lack of taxonomically informative morphology. This has impeded assessment of species diversity in this genus and investigation of their natural history. A gene-genealogical approach was used to investigate molecular phylogenetic diversity of Beauveria and several presumptively related Cordyceps species. Analyses were based on nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-α) sequences for 86 exemplar isolates from diverse geographic origins, habitats and insect hosts. Phylogenetic trees were inferred using maximum parsimony and Bayesian likelihood methods. Six well supported clades within Beauveria, provisionally designated A–F, were resolved in the EF1-α and combined gene phylogenies. Beauveria bassiana, a ubiquitous species that is characterized morphologically by globose to subglobose conidia, was determined to be non-monophyletic and consists of two unrelated lineages, clades A and C. Clade A is globally distributed and includes the Asian teleomorph Cordyceps staphylinidaecola and its probable synonym C. bassiana. All isolates contained in Clade C are anamorphic and originate from Europe and North America. Clade B includes isolates of B. brongniartii, a Eurasian species complex characterized by ellipsoidal conidia. Clade D includes B. caledonica and B. vermiconia, which produce cylindrical and comma-shaped conidia, respectively. Clade E, from Asia, includes Beauveria anamorphs and a Cordyceps teleomorph that both produce ellipsoidal conidia. Clade F, the basal branch in the Beauveria phylogeny includes the South American species B. amorpha, which produces cylindrical conidia. Lineage diversity detected within clades A, B and C suggests that prevailing morphological species concepts underestimate species diversity within these groups. Continental endemism of lineages in B. bassiana s.l. (clades A and C) indicates that isolation by distance has been an important factor in the evolutionary diversification of these clades. Permutation tests indicate that host association is essentially random in both B. bassiana s.l. clades A and C, supporting past assumptions that this species is not host specific. In contrast, isolates in clades B and D occurred primarily on coleopteran hosts, although sampling in these clades was insufficient to assess host affliation at lower taxonomic ranks. The phylogenetic placement of Cordyceps staphylinidaecola/bassiana, and C. scarabaeicola within Beauveria corroborates prior reports of these anamorph-teleomorph connections. These results establish a phylogenetic framework for further taxonomic, phylogenetic and comparative biological investigations of Beauveria and their corresponding Cordyceps teleomorphs.
Analysis of the localization of STE6/CFTR chimeras in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae model for the cystic fibrosis defect CFTRΔF508

The use of yeast as a model system to study mammalian proteins is attractive, because yeast genetic tools can be utilized if a suitable phenotype is created. STE6, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae a‐factor mating pheromone transporter, and CFTR, the mammalian cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, are both members of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. Teem et al. (1993) described a yeast model for studying a mutant form of the cystic fibrosis protein, CFTRΔF508. The model involved expression of a chimeric molecule in which a portion of yeast STE6 was replaced with the corresponding region from mammalian CFTR. The STE6/CFTR chimera complemented a ste6 mutant strain for mating, indicating that it could export a‐factor. However, mating efficiency was dramatically reduced upon introduction of ΔF508, providing a yeast phenotype for this mutation. In human cells, the ΔF508 mutation results in retention of CFTR in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and possibly in reduction of its chloride‐channel activity. Here we examine the basis for the differences in STE6 activity promoted by the wild‐type and mutant STE6/CFTR chimeras. By analysis of protein stability and subcellular localization, we find that the mutant chimera is not ER‐retained in yeast. We conclude that the molecular basis for the reduced mating of the STE6/CFTRΔF508 chimera must reflect a reduction in its capacity to transport a‐factor, rather than mistrafficking. Thus, STE6/CFTRΔF508 in yeast appears to be a good genetic model to probe certain aspects of protein function, but not to study protein localization.