Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute waterborne copper toxicity to the euryhaline copepod Acartia tonsa at different salinities: Influence of natural freshwater and marine dissolved organic matter

The influence of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) on acute waterborne Cu toxicity was evaluated in the euryhaline copepod Acartia tonsa at 3 different water salinities. Three sources of freshwater DOM (extracted by reverse osmosis) and 2 sources of marine DOM (extracted using a solid‐phase technique) were used. Artificial salt water was used to prepare the experimental media. Different combinations of Cu concentrations and DOM sources and concentrations were tested at salinities of 5, 15, and 30 ppt. Toxicity data (48‐h median lethal concentration [LC50] values) were calculated based on dissolved Cu concentrations. In a broad view, data showed that increasing salinity was protective against the acute waterborne Cu toxicity. In general, Cu toxicity was also lower in the presence than in the absence of DOM. Toxicity (48‐h LC50) values from all treatments at the same salinity showed a positive linear relationship with the dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Thus, the protective effect of DOM against the acute Cu toxicity seems to be dependent mainly on the DOM concentration. However, it seems also to be dependent to some extent on the source of DOM used. In summary, findings reported in the present study clearly indicate that both salinity and DOM (source and concentration) should be taken into account in the development of an estuarine version of the biotic ligand model. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:1412–1419. © 2013 SETAC
On the security of biohashing

Biohashing algorithms map biometric features randomly onto binary strings with user-specific tokenized random numbers. In order to protect biometric data, these binary strings, the Biohashes, are not allowed to reveal much information about the original biometric features. In the paper we analyse two Biohashing algorithms using scalar randomization and random projection respectively. With scalar randomization, multiple bits can be extracted from a single element in a feature vector. The average information rate of Biohashes is about 0.72. However, Biohashes expose the statistic information about biometric feature, which can be used to estimate the original feature. Using random projection method, a feature vector in n dimensional space can be converted into binary strings with length of m (m ≤ n). Any feature vector can be converted into 2m different Biohashes. The random projection can roughly preserve Hamming distance between Biohashes. Moreover, the direction information about the original vector can be retrieved with Biohashes and the corresponding random vectors used in the projection. Although Biohashing can efficiently randomize biometric features, combining more Biohashes of the same user can leak essential information about the original feature.
Fatigue in progressive multiple sclerosis is associated with low levels of dehydroepiandrosterone

Background and objective Fatigue is one of the most limiting symptoms in multiple sclerosis (MS) and the mechanisms underlying its origin are poorly understood. Our aim was to test whether fatigue in MS is associated with endocrine markers. Methods We longitudinally studied 73 progressive MS patients. Fatigue was assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, 12 and 24 months using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Given the longitudinal design of our study, patients were labelled as sustained fatigued when FSS scores were ≤5.0 at all time points, and as non-fatigued when FSS scores were ≤5.0 at all time points. Serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), its sulphated conjugate (DHEAS) and cortisol were measured at each time point. Results Twenty-nine patients scored >5.0 in the FSS at all time points, and 9 patients (12.3%) scored ≤5.0 at all time points. Mean baseline levels of DHEAS and DHEA were lower in MS patients with sustained fatigue when compared to patients without fatigue (P=0.01 and P=0.03 respectively). Analysis of DHEAS and DHEA over time showed significantly lower hormone levels in patients with fatigue [F(1,31)=6.14, P=0.019 for DHEAS; F(1,32)= 6.63, P=0.015 for DHEA]. Conclusions Fatigue in progressive MS could be related to low serum levels of DHEA and DHEAS. Our results suggest that these hormones should be considered as biological markers of fatigue in MS patients and that hormone replacement may thus be tested as an option to treat fatigue in MS patients.
Bearing-only triangular formation control on the plane and the sphere

We consider the problem of distributed bearing-only formation control. Each agent measures the inter-agent bearings in a local coordinate system and is tasked at maintaining a specified angular separation relative to its neighbors. The problem we consider differs from other problems in the literature since no inter-agent distance measurements are employed. Each agent's control law is distributed and based only on its locally measured bearings. A strong convergence result is established which guarantees global convergence of the formation to the desired shape while at the same time ensures that collisions are avoided naturally. We show that the control scheme is robust to agent motion failures and the presence of additional group motion inputs. Finally, we extend our system to the case where the agent's motion is restricted to a sphere.
A description of the technique for nuclear transplantation in Xenopus laevis.

A Method by which nuclei can be successfully transplanted into Amphibian eggs was first worked out by Briggs & King (1952) for the eggs of Rana pipiens . Xenopus laevis is an atypical Anuran since its eggs can be obtained throughout the year, and the resulting embryos can be reared to maturity within 12 months under laboratory conditions. Because of these advantages we have used Xenopus for nuclear transplantation experiments. Though the principle of Briggs & King9s technique has been followed, differences between the eggs of Rana and Xenopus have made it necessary to modify their technique before it can be satisfactorily applied to the eggs of Xenopus . The purpose of this publication is first to give technical details of these modifications, and secondly to discuss the extent to which they might affect a direct comparison of the results of transplantations in Rana and Xenopus .
Techniques for reducing parasitic loss in switched-capacitor based DC-DC converter

In this paper we propose two techniques for reducing top-plate parasitic loss in a switched-capacitor based DC-DC buck converter using on-chip MOS capacitors. In the first technique, soft connection of substrate of a MOS capacitor prevents the top-plate of the parasitic capacitor from charging and discharging and thereby improves power efficiency of the converter. In the second technique which is suitable for processes with low substrate resistivity, soft connection of the n-well (of the MOS capacitor) reduces the effective top-plate parasitic capacitor and thereby decreases the parasitic loss. A buck converter working in Vdd/2 mode has been implemented in 0. 24μm CMOS process for demonstration purpose. The first scheme presents an improvement of 6%-21% in the power efficiency. The second scheme provides power efficiency improvement of 2%-5%. Both the techniques provide a consistent improvement of power efficiency compared to the existing implementation of MOS based flying capacitors, for a wide range of load current.
The liquid organization of volunteer tourism: Implications for responsibility

Drawing from developments in sociology and organizational studies, this paper argues for a new understanding of volunteer tourism as liquid organization. It aims to explore the organization of volunteer tourism using a liquid organization perspective and to better understand the potential implications of this liquidity on the responsibility of volunteer tourism organizations to host communities. The analysis is based on data collected from 80 volunteer tourism organizations. The findings reveal that the volunteer tourism organizations show characteristics of liquid organization to varying degrees. The significance of the research is to problematize the way in which the institutional characteristics of volunteer tourism are (not) conceptualized in current literature and to introduce liquid organization as a means of reinvigorating debate about responsibility.
Modelling Volatility of BSE Realty Index using Conditional Heteroscedasticity Models

This study empirically examines the nature of volatility in BSE Realty Index using daily closing price of BSE Realty Index for five and half years period from January 2011 to June 2016. The study employed conditional heteroscedasticity models, both symmetric and asymmetric, for the analysis. The study found that the volatility is persistent in the Index return indicating the presence of volatility clustering in the series. Further, the study reports the presence of asymmetric or leverage effect in the series as the leverage coefficient γ is significant in EGARCH model indicating that negative shocks have significant effect on volatility. However, the study did not find significant risk-return trade-off in the series.
Performance management 40 years on: a review. Some key decisions and consequences

This paper reviews the past four decades of experience of performance management (PM). Beginning with a brief history of its international spread and development, a short section on conceptual issues is followed by a strategic analysis of the research thus far. From this analysis is extracted a set of key decisions which must be made for any PM system. Each decision has significant consequences, and none are purely technical (though they may occasionally be represented as such). In many cases difficult trade-offs are inevitable.
Lean thinking in healthcare: a realist review of the literature

Objective To understand how lean thinking has been put into practice in healthcare and how it has worked. Design A realist literature review. Data sources The authors systematically searched for articles in PubMed, Web of Science and Business Source Premier (January 1998 to February 2008) and then added articles through a snowball approach. Review methods The authors included empirical studies of lean thinking applications in healthcare and excluded those articles that did not influence patient care, or reported hybrid approaches. The authors conducted a thematic analysis based on data collected using an original abstraction form. Based on this, they articulated interactions between context, lean interventions, mechanisms and outcomes. Results The authors reviewed 33 articles and found a wide range of lean applications. The articles describe initial implementation stages and emphasise technical aspects. All articles report positive results. The authors found common contextual aspects which interact with different components of the lean interventions and trigger four different change mechanisms: understand processes to generate shared understanding; organise and design for effectiveness and efficiency; improve error detection to increase awareness and process reliability; and collaborate to systematically solve problems to enhance continual improvement. Conclusions Lean thinking has been applied successfully in a wide variety of healthcare settings. While lean theory emphasises a holistic view, most cases report narrower technical applications with limited organisational reach. To better realise the potential benefits, healthcare organisations need to directly involve senior management, work across functional divides, pursue value creation for patients and other customers, and nurture a long-term view of continual improvement.
Distribution of Historic Market Data – Implied and Realized Volatility

We undertake a systematic comparison between implied volatility, as represented by VIX (new methodology) and VXO (old methodology) and realized volatility. We do not find substantial difference in accuracy between VIX and VXO. We compare visually and statistically the distributions of realized and implied variance (volatility squared) and study the distribution of their ratio. The ratio distributions are studied both for the known realized variance (for the current month) and for the predicted realized variance (for the following month). We show that the ratio of the two is best fitted by a Beta Prime distribution, whose shape parameters depend strongly on which of the two months is used.
Flight mechanics and control of escape manoeuvres in hummingbirds. II. Aerodynamic force production, flight control and performance limitations

ABSTRACT The superior manoeuvrability of hummingbirds emerges from complex interactions of specialized neural and physiological processes with the unique flight dynamics of flapping wings. Escape manoeuvring is an ecologically relevant, natural behaviour of hummingbirds, from which we can gain understanding into the functional limits of vertebrate locomotor capacity. Here, we extend our kinematic analysis of escape manoeuvres from a companion paper to assess two potential limiting factors of the manoeuvring performance of hummingbirds: (1) muscle mechanical power output and (2) delays in the neural sensing and control system. We focused on the magnificent hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens, 7.8 g) and the black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri, 3.1 g), which represent large and small species, respectively. We first estimated the aerodynamic forces, moments and the mechanical power of escape manoeuvres using measured wing kinematics. Comparing active-manoeuvring and passive-damping aerodynamic moments, we found that pitch dynamics were lightly damped and dominated by the effect of inertia, while roll dynamics were highly damped. To achieve observed closed-loop performance, pitch manoeuvres required faster sensorimotor transduction, as hummingbirds can only tolerate half the delay allowed in roll manoeuvres. Accordingly, our results suggested that pitch control may require a more sophisticated control strategy, such as those based on prediction. For the magnificent hummingbird, we estimated that escape manoeuvres required muscle mass-specific power 4.5 times that during hovering. Therefore, in addition to the limitation imposed by sensorimotor delays, muscle power could also limit the performance of escape manoeuvres. Summary: Both neural delays and muscle mechanical power capacity could limit the manoeuvring performance of hummingbirds, and pitch manoeuvres require faster sensorimotor transduction than roll manoeuvres.
Bone pain palliation with 85Sr therapy.

UNLABELLED The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of 85Sr in the palliation of metastatic bone pain. 85Sr decays by electron capture with a gamma emission of 514 keV and associated x-ray emissions of 10-15 keV; physical half-life is 64 d. METHODS Between 1977 and 1992, 119 doses of 85Sr chloride (mean activity 335 MBq [9 mCi]) were intravenously administered to 108 patients with hyperalgic generalized bone metastases from prostatic carcinoma (52 patients), breast carcinoma (41) or other cancers (15). Pain, performance status, blood and urinary excretion values were investigated during follow-up, and survival time was recorded. Strontium bone scans were obtained up to 8 wk after injection to document isotope biodistribution and to estimate absorbed doses. RESULTS At 12 wk, 72.2% of patients showed significant benefit from treatment, i.e., enhanced quality of life and pain relief; 49.1% became free of pain. These beneficial effects lasted from 1 to 36 mo (mean 4.3 mo). The best symptomatic improvement was seen in patients treated at an early stage of metastatic skeletal disease and in prostate cancer patients. No evidence of a significant dose-response relationship was found in the data analysis. The mean absorbed dose ratio of metastases to marrow was estimated at 8.2. We found no evidence that hematological toxicity was a major problem; however, all patients experienced a reduction in blood counts, especially in platelets. CONCLUSION Systemic radionuclide therapy using 85Sr is a feasible, effective and well-tolerated palliative treatment in patients with refractory bone pain. We attained at least the same response rate as that reported with bone-seeking beta-emitting radionuclides such as 89Sr. The patients who benefited the most from 85Sr treatment were in an early stage of metastatic disease or had prostate cancer. Our clinical findings could not be linked to either the total injected activity of 85Sr or the estimated absorbed dose delivered to metastases.
The predominance of metabolic regulation of cerebral blood flow and the lack of “Classic” autoregulation curves in the viable brain

Background: The influence of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) on real-time focal cerebral blood flow (fCBF) is not fully understood, in either intact or injured brain. We wanted to evaluate that relationship, and by implication investigate the relative importance of perfusion pressure versus metabolism in the regulation and control of cerebral blood flow. Our hypothesis was that metabolic needs dominated over a physiologic range of blood pressure. Methods: This was an observational study of 23 patients, most of them with closed head injury, three with subarachnoid hemorrhage, one with a gunshot wound to the brain, and one monitored after craniotomy for unruptured aneurysm. Arterial lines, ventriculostomies, and fCBF monitors were placed. CPP (mean arterial pressure – intracranial pressure) and fCBF were measured and recorded to a computer database every minute. The relationship between CPP and fCBF was graphed and correlation coefficients were compared between survivors and non-survivors. Results: Graphs of CPP versus fCBF did not show any linearity over a range of 50–150 mm Hg in patients who survived. In those who died, four of seven showed some indication of linearity. The difference in the correlation coefficients between survivors and non-survivors was statistically significant (P < 0.05), with survivors having essentially no correlation, as expected with autoregulation intact, and non-survivors having a mean correlation of 0.311. Conclusions: In the functioning and viable brain, metabolic regulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) predominates, leading to the lack of an obvious relationship between perfusion pressure and flow. This predominance of metabolic regulation is robust and preserved over a wide range of brain injury, with pressure autoregulation necessary but not clinically apparent in the metabolically active brain. This robust and constantly varying relationship of pressure and flow shown by our real-time measurements of fCBF has important implications for interpreting clinical measurements of autoregulation. Perhaps most importantly, the development of a correlation between pressure and flow may indicate and be an early warning of deterioration.
Is China Living a Minsky Moment? Between the “Lender of Last Resort” and the Chinese Shadow Financial System

Abstract: After Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in 2008, the Central Bank of China (PBOC) created a big 1.8 trillion dollars package to boost the Chinese economy. It was a necessary key measure not only to prop up the economy, but also to try to preserve the two-digit growth of the GDP that existed before the Great Recession. The financial instability of international financial circuits made necessary the involvement of the central bank. Ten years later, China’s debt explosion went up during the financial crisis, from six to twenty-eight trillion dollars between 2007 and 2016. In other words, it went up from 148 to 260 percent of GDP during the same period. The goal of this article is to analyze whether China is living a “Minsky moment” or not, and what its implications are for international financial markets.
Case/pseudocontrol analysis in genetic association studies: A unified framework for detection of genotype and haplotype associations, gene‐gene and gene‐environment interactions, and parent‐of‐origin effects

Estimation and testing of genetic effects (genotype relative risks) are often performed conditionally on parental genotypes, using data from case‐parent trios. This strategy avoids having to estimate nuisance parameters such as parental mating type frequencies, and also avoids generating spurious results due to confounding causes of association such as population stratification. For effects at a single locus, the resulting analysis is equivalent to matched case/control analysis via conditional logistic regression, using the case and three “pseudocontrols” derived from the untransmitted parental alleles. We previously showed that a similar approach can be used for analyzing genotype and haplotype effects at a set of closely linked loci, but with a required adjustment to the conditioning argument that results in varying numbers of pseudocontrols, depending on the disease model that is to be fitted. Here we extend this method to include the analysis of epistatic effects (gene‐gene interactions) at unlinked loci, to include parent‐of‐origin effects at one or more loci, and to allow additional incorporation of gene‐environment interactions. The conditional logistic approach provides a natural and flexible framework for incorporating these additional effects. By relaxing the conditioning on parental genotypes to allow exchangeability of parental genotypes, we show how the power of this approach can be increased when studying parent‐of‐origin effects. Simulations suggest that there is limited power to distinguish between parent‐of‐origin effects and effects due to interaction between genotypes of mother and child. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Accurate QM/MM Free Energy Calculations of Enzyme Reactions:  Methylation by Catechol O-Methyltransferase.

We recently described a method to compute accurate quantum mechanical free energies [Rod, T. H. ; Ryde, U. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2005, 94, 138302]. The method, which we term quantum mechanical thermodynamic cycle perturbation (QTCP), employs a molecular mechanics force field to sample phase space and, subsequently, a thermodynamic cycle to estimate QM/MM free energy changes. Here, we discuss the methodology in detail and test an approach based on a different thermodynamic cycle. We also show that a new way of treating hydrogen link atoms makes the free energy changes converge faster and that extrapolation to higher accuracy can be performed. We finally discuss the quantum mechanical free energy (QM/MM-FE) method in the framework of the QTCP method. All methods considered are applied to the methylation of catecholate catalyzed by catechol O-methyltransferase. We compute the free energy barrier for the reaction by computing free energy changes in steps between fixed QM regions along a predetermined reaction pathway. Using the QTCP approach, an extrapolated activation free energy of 69 kJ/mol for the forward reaction and 90 kJ/mol for the reverse reaction are obtained at the level of the B3LYP functional and the 6-311++G(2d,2p) basis set. The value for the forward reaction is in excellent agreement with the experimental value of 75 kJ/mol. Results based on the QM/MM-FE method differ by less than 10 kJ/mol from those values, indicating that QM/MM-FE may be a fairly accurate and cheap alternative to calculate QM/MM free energy changes. Moreover, the results are compared to barriers obtained with a fixed molecular mechanics environment as well as with structures optimized in a vacuum. All the computed free energy barriers are well converged. A major approximation in the current implementation of the QTCP method is that the QM region is fixed. The approximation leads to well-converged free energy barriers, which has been a problem in similar studies.