Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Hilbert-Schmidt norm convergence of Galerkin approximation for operator Riccati equations

Abstract : An abstract approximation framework for the solution of operator algebraic Riccati equations is developed. The approach taken is based upon a formulation of the Riccati equation as an abstract nonlinear operator equation on the space of Hilbert-Schmidt operators. Hilbert-Schmidt norm convergence of solutions to generic finite dimensional Galerkin approximations to the Riccati equation to the generic finite dimensional Galerkin approximations to the Riccati equation to the solution of the original infinite dimensional problem is argued. The application of the general theory is illustrated via an operator Riccati equation arising in the linear-quadratic design of an optimal feedback control law for a one dimensional heat/diffusion equation. Numerical results demonstrating the convergence of the associated Hilbert-Schmidt kernels are included.
Methodology for real-time, multianalyte monitoring of fermentations using an in-situ mid-infrared sensor.

An in-situ, mid-infrared sensor was used to monitor the major analyte concentrations involved in the cultivation of Gluconacetobacter xylinus and the production of gluconacetan, a food-grade exopolysaccharide. To predict the analyte concentrations, three different sets of standard spectra were used to develop calibration models, applying partial least-squares regression. It was possible to build a valid calibration model to predict the 700 spectra collected during the complete time course of the cultivation, using only 12 spectra collected every 10 h as standards. This model was used to reprocess the concentration profiles from 0 to 15 g/L of nine different analytes with a mean standard error of validation of 0.23 g/L. However, this calibration model was not suitable for real-time monitoring as it was probably based on non-specific spectral features, which were correlated only with the measured analyte concentrations. Valid calibration models capable of real-time monitoring could be established by supplementing the set of 12 fermentation spectra with 42 standards of measured analytes. A pulse of 5 g/L ethanol showed the robustness of the model to sudden disturbances. The prediction of the models drifted, however, toward the end of the fermentation. The most robust calibration model was finally obtained by the addition of 34 standard spectra of non-measured analytes. Although the spectra did not contain analyte-specific information, it was believed that this addition would increase the variability space of the calibration model. Therefore, an expanded calibration model containing 88 spectra was used to monitor, in real time, the concentration profiles of fructose, acetic acid, ethanol and gluconacetan and allowed standard errors of prediction of 1.11, 0.37, 0.22, and 0.79 g/L, respectively.
Properties of the inward ionic currents and their regulating agents in smooth muscle cells.

After Hamil et al. (1981) introduced the patch clamp procedure for the investigation of ionic channels, studies on the biophysical features of smooth muscle membranes have progressed remarkably. From results with the patch and voltage clamp procedures, more than two voltage-dependent Ca channels, and several Ca-dependent and Ca-independent K channels have been classified from their physiological and pharmacological properties. With the whole cell patch clamp technique, a Na current was also isolated from vascular smooth muscles. In this article, we want to review recent advances in biophysical investigation of the ionic current of smooth muscle membranes. We will focus on the inward currents, following through the voltage-dependent and receptor-operated Ca permeable channels and voltage-dependent Na channel in relation to some drug actions.
Integrative Functional Morphology of the Gekkotan Adhesive System (Reptilia: Gekkota)1

Abstract Climbing assisted by adhesive subdigital pads in gekkotan lizards has been the subject of intrigue and study for centuries. Many hypotheses have been advanced to explain the mechanism of adhesion, and recently this phenomenon has been investigated at the level of individual setae. The ability to isolate, manipulate and record adhesive forces from individual setae has provided new insights, not only into the mechanism of attachment, but also into the physical orientation of these structures necessary to establish attachment, maximize adhesive force, and effect subsequent release. This, in turn, has enabled a reassessment of the overall morphology and mode of operation of the adhesive system. Digital hyperextension has often been noted as a behavioral characteristic associated with the deployment of the gekkotan adhesive system—this is now understandable in the context of setal attachment and release kinematics, and in the context of the evolution of this pattern of digital movement from the primitive pattern of saurian digital kinematics. The perpendicular and parallel preloads associated with setal attachment are now reconcilable with other morphological aspects of the gekkotan adhesive system—the lateral digital tendon complex and the vascular sinus network, respectively. Future investigations of the integrated adhesive system will help to further elucidate the interdependence of its structural and functional components.
TRANSFORMING NEW ZEALAND'S PUBLIC SECTOR: LABOUR'S QUEST FOR IMPROVED EFFICIENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Since its election in July 1984 the fourth Labour government in New Zealand has embarked upon the most radical and systematic reorganization of the state sector since the creation of a unified, non-partisan, career-oriented service in 1912. The reforms include the commercialization of many of the goods and services provided by state agencies, the turning of public trading enterprises into corporations, major administrative changes and the overhauling of state pay-fixing arrangements. This article examines the theoretical assumptions underpinning Labour's strategy and assesses the extent to which the new arrangements are likely to achieve their intended purpose of improving the efficiency, flexibility and accountability of the public sector.
Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR): A Better Marker for Evaluating Insulin Resistance Than Fasting Insulin in Women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To assess the utility of HOMA-IR in assessing insulin resistance in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and compare it with fasting insulin for assessing insulin resistance (IR). STUDY DESIGN Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Section of Clinical Chemistry, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2009 to September 2012. METHODOLOGY Medical chart review of all women diagnosed with PCOS was performed. Of the 400 PCOS women reviewed, 91 met the inclusion criteria. Insulin resistance was assessed by calculating HOMA-IR using the formula (fasting glucose x fasting insulin)/405, taking normal value <2 in adults and hyperinsulinemia based on fasting insulin levels ≥12 µIU/ml. RESULTS A total of 91 premenopausal women diagnosed with PCOS were included. Mean age was 30 ±5.5 years. Mean HOMA-IR of women was 3.1 ±1.7, respectively with IR in 69% (n=63) women, while hyperinsulinemia was present in 60% (n=55) women (fasting Insulin 18.5 ±5.8 µIU/ml). Hyperandrogenism was present in 53.8% (n=49), whereas 38.5% (n=35) women had primary infertility or subfertility, while 65.9% (n=60) had menstrual irregularities; and higher frequencies were observed in women with IR. Eight subjects with IR and endocrine abnormalities were missed by fasting insulin. CONCLUSION Insulin resistance is common in PCOS and it is likely a pathogenic factor for development of PCOS. HOMAIR model performed better than hyperinsulinemia alone for diagnosing IR.
ATRIDOX (doxycycline hyclate, 10%) in the ATRIGEL Delivery System for Controlled Release in Subgingival Application

The ATRIDOXTM product* is a subgingival controlled-release product composed of a two syringe mixing system. Syringe A contains 450 mg of the ATRIGEL® Delivery System, which is a bioabsorbable, flowable polymeric formulation composed of 36.7% poly(DL-lactide) (PLA) dissolved in 63.3% N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). Syringe B contains doxycycline hyclate which is equivalent to 42.5 mg doxycycline. The constituted product is a pale yellow to yellow viscous liquid with a concentration of 8.5% w/w of doxycycline. Upon contact with the crevicular fluid, the liquid product solidifies and then allows for controlled release of drug for a period of 7 days.
Left-Right Symmetry Breaking in Tissue Morphogenesis via Cytoskeletal Mechanics

Rationale: Left-right (LR) asymmetry is ubiquitous in animal development. Cytoskeletal chirality was recently reported to specify LR asymmetry in embryogenesis, suggesting that LR asymmetry in tissue morphogenesis is coordinated by single- or multi-cell organizers. Thus, to organize LR asymmetry at multiscale levels of morphogenesis, cells with chirality must also be present in adequate numbers. However, observation of LR asymmetry is rarely reported in cultured cells. Objectives: Using cultured vascular mesenchymal cells, we tested whether LR asymmetry occurs at the single cell level and in self-organized multicellular structures. Methods and Results: Using micropatterning, immunofluorescence revealed that adult vascular cells polarized rightward and accumulated stress fibers at an unbiased mechanical interface between adhesive and nonadhesive substrates. Green fluorescent protein transfection revealed that the cells each turned rightward at the interface, aligning into a coherent orientation at 20° relative to the interface axis at confluence. During the subsequent aggregation stage, time-lapse videomicroscopy showed that cells migrated along the same 20° angle into neighboring aggregates, resulting in a macroscale structure with LR asymmetry as parallel, diagonal stripes evenly spaced throughout the culture. Removal of substrate interface by shadow mask-plating, or inhibition of Rho kinase or nonmuscle myosin attenuated stress fiber accumulation and abrogated LR asymmetry of both single-cell polarity and multicellular coherence, suggesting that the interface triggers asymmetry via cytoskeletal mechanics. Examination of other cell types suggests that LR asymmetry is cell-type specific. Conclusions: Our results show that adult stem cells retain inherent LR asymmetry that elicits de novo macroscale tissue morphogenesis, indicating that mechanical induction is required for cellular LR specification.
Mostly Smokers: Identifying Subtypes of Emerging Adult Substance Users

ABSTRACT Background: The concurrent use of marijuana and other substances among emerging adults (ages 18–25) is a major public health problem. This study examined if there are distinct subtypes of emerging adult marijuana users and if these are associated with demographic and substance use variables. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional interview with a community sample of 1,503 emerging adults in the northeastern U.S. who reported last month marijuana use. We used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify distinct subtypes of emerging adults who used additional substances and examined predictors of the latent classes. Results: We identified three distinct classes of emerging adults who use substances: “mostly smokers” (those who primarily use marijuana and nicotine), “moderate users” (those who primarily use marijuana and/or heavy episodic alcohol), and “polysubstance users. ” Polysubstance users had higher probabilities of use of all assessed substances (e.g. cocaine, opiates, sleep medications, stimulants, synthetic marijuana, and inhalants) than the other two groups. Not being currently enrolled in school and male gender were associated with mostly smokers and polysubstance users group status. Conclusions: We identified a distinct group of emerging adult marijuana users who primarily smoke marijuana and cigarettes, suggesting that there could be a shared vulnerability for risk of co-occurrence.
Clusters of deviant speech dimensions in the dysarthrias.

Correlation matrices were used to demonstrate co-occurrence of deviant speech dimensions observed. Application of this technique led to the emergence of eight distinctive clusters of dysfunction. Each of seven neurologic disorders studied had its own unique group or pattern of clusters. However, any one cluster emerged in and was shared by more than one disorder. Inspection of the dimensions present in a cluster permitted giving the cluster a logically determined name based usually on the defective physiology responsible for the cluster. Knowledge of the neuromuscular characteristics of each disorder led to deductions concerning the neuromuscular substrate for each cluster. Intercluster correlations yielded clues concerning co-occurrence of certain neuromuscular defects. Further inspection led to identification of the probable neuromuscular bases of individual deviant speech dimensions. These conclusions may serve as hypotheses for more accurate physiologic and neurophysiologic measurements to further del.
Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Revisited

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant condition with a worldwide incidence of ∼1 per 2500 to 3000 individuals. Caused by a germ-line–inactivating mutation in the NF1 gene on chromosome 17, the disease is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In the past several years, significant progress has been made in standardizing management of the major clinical features of neurofibromatosis type 1. Moreover, improved understanding of how the neurofibromatosis type 1 protein, neurofibromin, regulates cell growth recently provided insight into the pathogenesis of the disease and has led to the development of new therapies. In this review, we describe the clinical manifestations, recent molecular and genetic findings, and current and developing therapies for managing clinical problems associated with neurofibromatosis type 1.
Is there a Core of Macroeconomics that Euro Area Forecasters Believe In?

Abstract The quantity theory of money, Okun’s law, and the Phillips curve are cornerstones of macroeconomic theory. But are they also of practical relevance? Using survey data for the euro area, we found that professional economists’ forecasts are consistent with a version of the quantity theory in which forecasts of the growth rate of money supply correlate in a proportional way with forecasts of the inflation rate. We also found that forecasts of changes in the unemployment rate and forecasts of the growth rate of real output are consistent with Okun’s law. Evidence of a systematic link between forecasts of the inflation rate and forecasts of the unemployment rate, however, is not strong.
Comparison of Tax Rates Inferred from Zero-Coupon Yield Curves

jrumsey@epas.utoronto. ca. he term structures estimated from Treasury bill and bond prices are widely used to measure beliefs about future interest rates, so much attenT tion has been paid to improving the estimate. The impact of tax hypotheses on term structure estimation is well-documented. For example, Schaefer [ 19821 provides evidence of tax clienteles, and Farinella and Koch [1994] show that a change in tax laws alters the shape of the municipal bond curve. Many others (includmg Robichek and Niebuhr [1970], McCulloch [1975], Brown and Dybvig [1986], and Coleman, Fisher, and Ibbotson [1992]) find that inclusion of a tax hypothesis improves the fit of observed bond prices to a term structure. There are two approaches to estimating the term structure. One approach is to assume that bond prices are observed with error. A second approach is to assume that they are observed without error. Using the first approach, the tax rate serves as a parameter to reduce the error. The estimate of the term structure can thus be improved by malung a better hypothesis about tax. This approach to tax rate estimation is in common use, following its introduction by McCulloch [1975]. Using the second approach, there is no obvious technique to choose between term structure estimates that are based on dlfferent tax rates. Users of this approach (Carr, Halpern, and McCallum [1974] and' Fama and Bliss [1987], for example) have assumed a tax rate of zero. Ths article describes a method to infer tax rates using measures of the volatdity of the forward rates derived from these term structures. To test the plausibhty of these inferences, the tax rates estimated using the second approach are com-
Rewilding: Science, Practice, and Politics

Rewilding is being promoted as an ambitious alternative to current approaches to nature conservation. Interest is growing in popular and scientific literatures, and rewilding is the subject of significant comment and debate, outstripping scientific research and conservation practice. Projects and research are found the world over, with concentrations in Europe, North America, and on tropical islands. A common aim is to maintain, or increase, biodiversity, while reducing the impact of present and past human interventions through the restoration of species and ecological processes. The term rewilding has been applied to diverse concepts and practices. We review the historical emergence of the term and its various overlapping meanings, aims, and approaches, and illustrate this through a description of four flagship rewilding case studies. The science of rewilding has centered on three different historical baselines: the Pleistocene, the Holocene, and novel contemporary ecosystems. The choice of baseline has .
Performance evaluation of various routing protocols in Opportunistic Networks

In Opportunistic Networks (Oppnets), the end-to-end path between the source and the destination never exists or may exist only for a very short and unpredictable period of time. Therefore, routing in these type of networks is different from that in Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) which first establish a source to destination path before the delivery of a message occurs. The nodes in Oppnets do not have or acquire the knowledge about the network topology which is necessary in case of MANETs. Here, the construction of routes is not static, but dynamic since the source can choose any node from a group of neighbors as a next hop assuming that it will deliver the message closer to the destination. In this paper, we have simulated, investigated and compared the performance of various routing protocols for Oppnets. Six existing routing protocols in Oppnets have been compared with each other by using various performance evaluating factors.
Compound-Return Mean-Variance Efficient Portfolios Never Risk Ruin

The implications of concentrating on the lowest moment(s) of average compound return over N periods in making investment decisions have recently been examined. In particular, maximization of expected average compound return has been shown to imply the existence of a utility of wealth function in each period with the "right" properties for all finite N \ge 2 as well as in the limit. More importantly, for large N a close (or exact) approximation to the set of mean-variance efficient portfolios (with respect to average compound return) is obtainable via a subset of the isoelastic class of utility of wealth functions. The properties of this class render it both empirically plausible and highly attractive analytically: among them are monotonicity, strict concavity, and decreasing risk aversion; moreover, the optimal mix of risky assets is independent of initial wealth (providing a basis for the formation of mutual funds) and the optimal investment policy is myopic. The purpose of this paper is to extend the class of return distributions for which the preceding results hold and to demonstrate that portfolios which are efficient with respect to average compound return, at least for large N, do not risk ruin either in a short-run or a long-run sense.
Influencing Associations' Site-Selection Process

Cities can benefit greatly by being selected as the site for association meetings, but there is not a uniform selection process used by all associations. Cities should therefore conduct market research and be creative in dealing with each target association. Factors specific to each situation are crucial in determining whether a city makes the final cut, and understanding those factors can provide a marketing edge (e.g., knowing that there may be many people involved in the site-selection process, identifying who they are and what power they possess, and directing attention to the decision makers). Determining an association's venue and facility needs will help determine target customers, and taking steps to reduce the planners' financial, social, physical, psychological, and functional risks can improve a city's chances of being selected. While an association may have a written procedure for meeting planning, in some cases nontask variables are more important than the formalized, task-related variables.
The Motivation and Bias of Bureaucrats

Many individuals are motivated to exert effort because they care about their jobs, rather than because there are monetary consequences to their actions. The intrinsic motivation of bureaucrats is the focus of this paper, and three primary results are shown. First, bureaucrats should be biased. Second, sometimes this bias takes the form of advocating for their clients more than would their principal, while in other cases, they are more hostile to their interests. For a range of bureaucracies, those who are biased against clients lead to more efficient outcomes. Third, self-selection need not produce the desired bias. Instead, selection to bureaucracies is likely to be bifurcated, in the sense that it becomes composed of those who are most preferred by the principal, and those who are least preferred.
Maximum likelihood location for identification of line-of-sight base stations

In this paper, we address the problem of time-of-arrival based mobile station location problem in non-line-of-sight condition. Unlike the previous method based on the position residuals test (PRT), a novel method based on the range residuals test (RRT) is proposed. The range residuals are the squared differences between the distance measurements and the distance calculated from approximate maximum likelihood position estimation. Compared with the PRT method, the proposed algorithm has less computational complexity and higher accuracy in determination of line-of-sight base stations
A Gyrase Mutant with Low Activity Disrupts Supercoiling at the Replication Terminus

ABSTRACT When a mutation in an essential gene shows a temperature-sensitive phenotype, one usually assumes that the protein is inactive at nonpermissive temperature. DNA gyrase is an essential bacterial enzyme composed of two subunits, GyrA and GyrB. The gyrB652 mutation results from a single base change that substitutes a serine residue for arginine 436 (R436-S) in the GyrB protein. At 42°C, strains with the gyrB652 allele stop DNA replication, and at 37°C, such strains grow but have RecA-dependent SOS induction and show constitutive RecBCD-dependent DNA degradation. Surprisingly, the GyrB652 protein is not inactive at 42°C in vivo or in vitro and it doesn't directly produce breaks in chromosomal DNA. Rather, this mutant has a low kcat compared to wild-type GyrB subunit. With more than twice the normal mean number of supercoil domains, this gyrase hypomorph is prone to fork collapse and topological chaos near the terminus of DNA replication.