Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Economic development and wage inequality: A complex system analysis

Adapting methods from complex system analysis, this paper analyzes the features of the complex relationship between wage inequality and the development and industrialization of a country. Development is understood as a combination of a monetary index, GDP per capita, and a recently introduced measure of a country’s economic complexity: Fitness. Initially the paper looks at wage inequality on a global scale, over the time period 1990–2008. Our empirical results show that globally the movement of wage inequality along with the ongoing industrialization of countries has followed a longitudinally persistent pattern comparable to the one theorized by Kuznets in the fifties: countries with an average level of development suffer the highest levels of wage inequality. Next, the study narrows its focus on wage inequality within the United States. By using data on wages and employment in the approximately 3100 US counties over the time interval 1990–2014, it generalizes the Fitness-Complexity metric for geographic units and industrial sectors, and then investigates wage inequality between NAICS industries. The empirical time and scale dependencies are consistent with a relation between wage inequality and development driven by institutional factors comparing countries, and by change in the structural compositions of sectors in a homogeneous institutional environment, such as the counties of the United States.
Preparation/characterization of plasticized poly ( Lactic acid) for packaging applications

In this research an attempt is made to modify the brittle poly (Lactic acid) (PLA) into flexible PLA by adding Poly (Butylene Succinate) (PBS), Poly (Ethylene Glycol) (PEG) and Ricinoleic acid (R.ACID) as a plasticizer. Various plasticizers with different weight % of plasticizers 10%, 20% and 30% in wt% for PLA/PBS, 5, 10 and 15% for PLA/PEG and PLA/R.ACID are used to make sheets. With the addition of plasticizers, the failure mode changes from brittle fracture of neat PLA to ductile fracture of the plasticized PLA, upon plasticization glass transition temperature (Tg) decreased from 62°C to 46oC. With the increase of plasticizers content, the tensile strength and modulus of the PLA decreased slightly while the elongation at break and toughness of plasticized PLA were increased (from 5.7 to 11.9%). Further tear strength increased to maximum value of 36 MPa. SEM analysis confirms that plasticizers were uniformly distributed in PLA matrix.
Multiple, compensatory regulatory elements specify spermatocyte-specific expression of the Drosophila melanogaster hsp26 gene

The hsp26 gene of Drosophila melanogaster is expressed in six tissues during development and in a tissue-general response to heat shock. To be able to compare tissue-specific and heat-induced mechanisms of hsp26 expression, we have begun an analysis of the sequences involved in the spermatocyte-specific expression of the hsp26 gene by using germ line transformation. hsp26 mRNA synthesized in the spermatocytes has the same start site as sites previously demonstrated for nurse cell-specific and heat-induced mRNAs. Three regions of the hsp26 gene (nucleotides -351 to -135, -135 to -85, and +11 to +632) were able to stimulate spermatocyte-specific expression when fused with promoter sequences (nucleotides -85 to +11) that alone were insufficient to stimulate expression. These stimulatory regions appear to contain elements that provide redundant functions. While each region was able to stimulate expression independently, the deletion of any one region from a construct was without consequence as long as another compensatory region(s) was still present. There must reside, at a minimum, two independent spermatocyte-specifying elements within the sequences that encompass the three stimulatory regions and the promoter. At least one element is contained within sequences from -351 to -48. This region, in either orientation, can stimulate spermatocyte-specific expression from a heterologous promoter. A second element must reside in sequences from -52 to +632, since these sequences are also sufficient to direct spermatocyte-specific expression.
Composite-ISA Cores: Enabling Multi-ISA Heterogeneity Using a Single ISA

—Heterogeneous multicore architectures are com- prised of multiple cores of different sizes, organizations, and capabilities. These architectures maximize both performance and energy efﬁciency by allowing applications to adapt to phase changes by migrating execution to the most efﬁcient core. Heterogeneous-ISA architectures further take advantage of the inherent ISA preferences of different application phases to provide additional performance and efﬁciency gains. This work proposes composite-ISA cores that implement composite feature sets made available from a single large superset ISA. This architecture has the potential to recreate, and in many cases supersede, the gains of multi-ISA heterogeneity, by leveraging a single composite-ISA, exploiting greater ﬂexibility in ISA choice. Composite-ISA CMPs enhance existing performance gains due to hardware heterogeneity by an average of 19%, and have the potential to achieve an additional 31% energy savings and 35% reduction in Energy Delay Product, with no loss in performance.
Fast Data Acquisition in Heavy Ion CT Using Intensifying Screen—EMCCD Camera System With Beam Intensity Monitor

We investigated the feasibility of fast data acquisition in heavy ion CT (IonCT) technique with an X-ray intensifying screen-charged coupled device (CCD) camera system. This technique is based on measuring the residual range distribution of heavy ions after passing through an object. We took a large number of images with a CCD camera for one projection by changing the range shifter (RS) thickness to obtain a characteristic curve similar to a Bragg curve and then to estimate the relative residual range. We used a high quality Electron Multiplying CCD (EMCCD) camera, which drastically reduced data acquisition time. We also used a parallel-plate ionization chamber upstream of an object to monitor the time variation in heavy ion beam intensity from a synchrotron accelerator and to perform beam intensity correction for all EMCCD images. Experiments were conducted using a broad beam of 12C, which was generated by spreading out the pencil beam accelerated up to 400 MeV/u by the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator, in Chiba (HIMAC) at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences, with a scatterer. We demonstrated that a fast CT data acquisition, 14 min for 256 projections, is possible for an electron density phantom, consisting of six rods with a relative electron density resolution of 0.017, using the proposed technique with HIMAC.
Adjustment of resonant frequency of rectangular patch antennas by placing metallic walls or vias adjacent to their edges

A novel microstrip antenna configuration is proposed for the adjustment of its resonance frequency, where grounded metallic strips (as a groove filled with soldering tin or a line of metalized vias) are placed along the rectangular patch edges. The adjustment of the operating frequency may be performed by the gap spacings between the patch and strips. The proposed patch antenna configuration leads to the reduction of its size and also limits the propagation of surface waves on the substrate, which increases the overall radiation efficiency.
Location and unusual membrane topology of the immunity protein of the Escherichia coli phage T4

The immunity protein (Imm) encoded by the Escherichia coli phage T4 effects exclusion of phage superinfecting cells already infected with T4. The 83-residue polypeptide possesses two long lipophilic areas (from residues 3 to 32 and 37 to 65) interrupted by a hydrophilic stretch including two positively charged residues. The charge distribution of the protein very strongly suggested that it is a plasma membrane protein with the C terminus facing the periplasm. While it could be shown that the expected location was correct, fusions of Imm to alkaline phosphatase or beta-galactosidase showed that the C terminus was at the cytosolic side of the membrane. Also, concerning function, there was almost no structural specificity to this part of the protein. Even removal of the two positively charged residues did not completely abolish function. Evidence suggesting that Imm is associated with the membrane at specific sites is presented. It is proposed that Imm is localized to the membrane with the help of a receptor and that, therefore, it does not follow the established rules for the topology of other membrane proteins. The results also suggest that Imm acts indirectly, possibly by altering the conformation of a component of a phage DNA injection site.
The IL-1β Receptor Antagonist SER140 Postpones the Onset of Diabetes in Female Nonobese Diabetic Mice

The cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is known to stimulate proinflammatory immune responses and impair β-cell function and viability, all critical events in the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes (T1D). Here we evaluate the effect of SER140, a small peptide IL-1β receptor antagonist, on diabetes progression and cellular pancreatic changes in female nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice. Eight weeks of treatment with SER140 reduced the incidence of diabetes by more than 50% compared with vehicle, decreased blood glucose, and increased plasma insulin. Additionally, SER140 changed the endocrine and immune cells dynamics in the NOD mouse pancreas. Together, the data suggest that SER140 treatment postpones the onset of diabetes in female NOD mice by interfering with IL-1β activated pathways.
Meta-EAH: an adaptive encoder based on adaptive codes. Moving between adaptive mechanisms

Adaptive codes associate variable-length codewords to symbols being encoded depending on the previous symbols in the input data string. This class of codes has been introduced in [6] as a new class of non-standard variable-length codes. New algorithms for data compression, based on adaptive codes of order one and Huffman codes, have been presented in [7], where we have behaviorally shown that for a large class of input data strings, these algorithms substantially outperform the Lempel-Ziv universal data compression algorithm [12]. EAH has been introduced in [8], as an improved generalization of these algorithms. In this paper, we introduce Meta-EAH, an adaptive version of the EAH algorithm. Some comparisons between Meta-EAH and the Lempel-Ziv universal data compression algorithm are reported.
Liquid-vapor transition driven by bond disorder.

We report grand-canonical Monte Carlo simulations of an equimolar mixture of hard colloids coated with long polymers that have a complementary functionalization. Such systems have the potential to function as self-healing materials. Under conditions where the complementary polymer ends are strongly associated, we observe a first-order vapor-liquid transition from a dilute gas of colloidal dimers to a dense, liquid-like phase. This transition is driven exclusively by the increase in entropy associated with bond disorder-an effect that was predicted theoretically by Zilman et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 015901 (2003)10.1103/PhysRevLett.91. 015901]. Our simulations rationalize experimental observations by Schmatko et al. [Soft Matter 03 (2007) 703. ].
Pulvinar

The pulvinar is the largest nucleus of the thalamus and has strong connectivity with the visual cortex. The pulvinar is a prototypic association nucleus that participates in reciprocal cortico-cortical interactions and promotes synchronized oscillatory activity in functionally related areas of the cortex. Via its connections with the superior colliculus (SC) and areas of the dorsal visual stream projecting to the posterior parietal cortex (PPC), the pulvinar is an important component of the visual attention network. Visual salience is likely an important function of the pulvinar. The pulvinar also participates in mechanisms of social cognition and blindsight. Unilateral lesions of the pulvinar result in a contralateral neglect syndrome resembling that resulting from lesions of the posterior parietal cortex. The pulvinar is susceptible to damage in epilepsy and prion disorders, and may contribute to cognitive and visual manifestations of Lewy body disease. The anatomy, physiology, and putative function of the pulvinar and its involvement in neurologic disorders have been the subject of comprehensive reviews.1–3
Studies of the human oropharyngeal airspaces using magnetic resonance imaging IV--the oropharyngeal retention effect for four inhalation delivery systems.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the oropharyngeal region from 20 adult volunteers using four model inhalation devices (varying mouthpiece diameters, airflow resistances) and tidal breathing was carried out. Statistical analysis (convex hull method) selected 12 scans from 80 data sets representing the extremes of all dimensions in the population. Twelve physical mouth-throat models were made by stereolithography using the exact scan data. The aim was to produce models with varying dimensions to span the adult population, and to investigate if oropharyngeal dimensions affected throat retention for different delivery systems. In an in vitro analysis, the models were used to determine the retention effect of the oropharyngeal airspaces when drug aerosols were administered from four inhalation delivery systems: a pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI), two different dry powder inhalers (DPIs A and B), and a nebulizer. The aims of this work were to determine the key parameters governing mouth-throat retention and whether retention was dependent on the delivery system used. Characterizing the throat models by measuring 51 different dimensional variables enabled determination of the most influential variables for dose retention for each inhalation delivery system. Throat model retention was found to be dependent on the delivery system (pMDI approximately DPI(A) > DPI(B) > Neb. ). The most influential variable was the total throat model volume. Throat models representing high, median, and low oropharyngeal filtration in healthy adults have been identified.
ANEMIA OR LOW HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS PRECEDING PARKINSON DISEASE: A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

ANEMIA OR LOW HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS PRECEDING PARKINSON DISEASE: A CASECONTROL STUDY To the Editor: We read the article by Savica et al.1 with interest. The authors explore a possible association between preceding anemia and Parkinson disease (PD). There are 2 issues that we would like to bring to the authors’ attention. First, the strength of this association seemed to increase with time between occurrence of anemia and onset of PD. However, there were no data on current hemoglobin levels in their patients with PD. All of the hypothetical mechanisms discussed to explain this association including systemic onset of PD process; iron, folate, or other deficiency; or shared genetic variants or early life risk factors would also be compatible with anemia persisting after PD onset. We analyzed complete blood counts from a large and well-characterized prevalence sample of patients with PD and controls (n 209). In 83 idiopathic PD (IPD) and 91 control participants comparable for age and gender distribution, we did not observe any difference in hemoglobin levels (IPD 14.1 1.4 g/dL vs controls 14.3 1.2 g/dL) or in blood count or erythrocyte volume. These findings remained stable in gender-stratified analyses and the expected gender difference in hemoglobin levels was confirmed. In addition, we followed the authors’ hypothesis regarding genetic variants or early life risk factors contributing to both anemia and PD. We speculated that known PD genes might influence hemoglobin levels independent of affected status of mutation carriers (MC). Hemoglobin levels in 19 PINK1 (13.1 1.7 g/dL), 9 LRRK2 (14.1 0.6 g/dL), and 7 Parkin (14.4 0.5 g/dL) MC were comparable. Combining all 3 genes, no significant difference (p 0.261) was observed between 20 affected MC (14.4 1.9 g/dL) and 15 unaffected MC (15.1 1.2 g/dL). A genetic contribution to risk of PD appears to be strongest in early-onset PD (EOPD)2 and is likely driven by established and unknown monogenic and complex genetic causes. In a subgroup analysis of our IPD group, hemoglobin levels of 22 EOPD patients (age at onset 50 years) did not differ from late onset PD (13.97 1.5 g/dL vs 14.1 1.4 g/dL). In our prevalence sample, current hemoglobin levels are not lower in patients with PD than in controls. Similarly, no evidence was found for shared genetic variants underlying both anemia and PD in our monogenic and EOPD patients. While Savica et al. convincingly describe anemia as a risk factor for PD, further evaluation of the chronologic sequence and persistence of anemia and PD in genetically determined and idiopathic PD may help to clarify the mechanisms linking anemia with increased risk of PD.
Earcons and Icons: Their Structure and Common Design Principles (Abstract only)

In this paper we examine earcons, which are audio messagesused in the user-computer interface to provide information andfeedback to the user about computer entities. (Earcons includemessages and functions, as well as states and labels.) We identifysome design principles that are common to both visual symbols andauditory messages, and discuss the use of representational andabstract icons and earcons. We give some examples of audio patternsthat may be used to design modules for earcons which then may beassembled into larger groupings called families. The modules aresingle pitches or rhythmicized sequences of pitches calledmotives. The families are constructed about related motivesthat serve to identify a family of related messages. Issuesconcerned with learning and remembering earcons are discussed.
A Compact Single/Dual-Polarized Broadband Antenna With SUM and Difference Beam Capabilities

A novel compact single/dual linearly polarized antenna with broadband and SUM and Difference Beam capabilities is developed in this letter. An electromagnetic simulated model for its radiation element, together with its dual-mode feed network and antenna bracket, is proposed and verified by measurement. The operation band of the realized antenna is 0.96-1.78 GHz, with 10-dB return loss bandwidth of over 55%. As it operates at Mode 1, its dual linearly polarized port isolation is over 30 dB, and 3-dB gain beamwidth is 42° at 1.25 GHz, with gain of 7.6 dB obtained. The gain difference between Modes 1 and 2 is about 7 dB at 1.25 GHz within the angle of -15° ≤ θ ≤ 15° for the same polarization. The measured radiation patterns agree well with the simulated ones. The whole antenna is very compact in geometry, and its size is only about 155 mm in diameter and 47 mm in height.
TSV diagnostics by X-ray microscopy

TSV (Through Silicon Via) is one of the key elements for building 3D integrated silicon devices with high bandwidth interconnections. In this paper, we propose a diagnostic method for TSV defects by using X-ray projection microscopy. By optimizing the image contrast of the X-ray projection micrographs in reference to its X-ray intensity histogram, we could obtain the small defect features in TSVs fast and non-destructively. Comparison between this X-ray observation and the destructive cross sectional observation agreed very well. We also extended the implementation of this X-ray microscope diagnostic method to 8-in. full wafer observation. We investigated the wafers with copper-filled TSVs with 80 µm and 20 µm diameters, and confirmed the feasibility of this method for an in-line process monitoring.
A novel reservoir design strategy for echo state network

In conventional echo stat network (ESN), the reservoir are randomly generated, then the spectral radius of the reservoir is scaled to lower than 1. In this method, only the necessary condition for echo state property (ESP) of ESN is satisfied while the sufficient condition is ignored, thus the ESN stability may not be ensured. In this paper, with the predefined singular values (smaller than 1), the reservoir is constructed by using singular value decomposition (SVD) method, and the sufficient condition for ESP is guaranteed. The simulation results show that the learning ability and prediction accuracy of the proposed ESN are improved simultaneously.
Step-down strategy of spacing TNF-blocker injections for established rheumatoid arthritis in remission: results of the multicentre non-inferiority randomised open-label controlled trial (STRASS: Spacing of TNF-blocker injections in Rheumatoid ArthritiS Study)

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-blocker tapering has been proposed for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in remission. Objective The trial aims to compare the effect of progressive spacing of TNF-blocker injections (S-arm) to their maintenance (M-arm) for established patients with RA in remission. Methods The study was an 18-month equivalence trial which included patients receiving etanercept or adalimumab at stable dose for ≥1 year, patients in remission on 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) for ≥6 months and patients with stable joint damage. Patients were randomised into two arms: maintenance or injections spacing by 50% every 3 months up to complete stop. Spacing was reversed to the previous interval in case of relapse, and eventually reattempted after remission was reachieved. The primary outcome was the standardised difference of DAS28 slopes, based on a linear mixed-effects model (equivalence interval set at ±30%). Results 64 and 73 patients were included in the S-arm and M-arm, respectively, which was less than planned. In the S-arm, TNF blockers were stopped for 39.1%, only tapered for 35.9% and maintained full dose for 20.3%. The equivalence was not demonstrated with a standardised difference of 19% (95% CI −5% to 46%). Relapse was more common in the S-arm (76.6% vs 46.5%, p=0.0004). However, there was no difference in structural damage progression. Conclusions Tapering was not equivalent to maintenance strategy, resulting in more relapses without impacting structural damage progression. Further studies are needed to identify patients who could benefit from such a strategy associated with substantial cost savings. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00780793; EudraCT identifier: 2007-004483-41.
Divergent Effects of Nigella Sativa Linn and Omebrazole on the Healing Of Gastric Ulcer in Adult Female Albino Rats

Gastric ulcer is one of the most common gastrointestinal tract diseases, and has affected on humans for centuries. Helicobacter pylori infection, use of drugs such as Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and stress are some of the known factors that can cause gastric ulcers. NS (Nigella sativa) has been used in traditional medicine. It used for the treatment of a variety of diseases including gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study to evaluate the balanced between defensive and aggressive factors in the stomach and investigated the treated effects of NS ethanolic extract against Indomethacin induced gastric ulcer in rats. 48 Rats were divided at random into 6 groups 8 for each, 1 st G negative control group treated with CMC 0.5 ml /kg BWt, 2 nd NSG treated with NS 150mg/kg BWt, 3 rd OG treated with Omebrazole 3 mg/ kg BWt, 4 th IG Indomethacin group treated with 30mg / kg BWt, 5 th INSG Indomethacin and NS, and 6 th IOG Indomethacin and Omebrazole with the same dose. These studies revealed the successful effectiveness of the alcoholic extract of N- sativa seeds in doses of 150 mg/kg daily for two weeks in inducing significant (P< 0.05) treatment against gastric ulcer compared with IG. INSG and IOG showed a significant increase of RBCs x10 6 /mm 3 , Neutrophils %, Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ng/l), NO3 µmol/ml and Reduced Glutathione GSH. and significant decrease of WBCs, HB, Lymphocytes %, PH, Total Acidity, Free Acidity , NO2 and MDA. Our results suggest that NS extract possesses significant antiulcerogenic actions in gastric ulcer induced by using indomethacin (as NSAIDs) that might be related to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity.