Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stochastic Dynamic Macroeconomics: Theory and Empirical Evidence

This is a book on stochastic dynamic macroeconomics from a Keynesian perpective. It shows that including Keynesian features in intertemporal models considerably contributes to resolve major puzzles arising in the context of the Dynamic General Equilibrium (DGE) model. It also demonstrates that including microeconomic intertemporal behavior of economic agents in macroeconomics is not inconsistent with Keynesian economics. Whereas the first two parts of the book are technically and empirically oriented by elaborating on solution and estimation methods to bring dynamic macroeconomic theory closer to the time series data, the part three of the book uses those tools and addresses major issues in contemporary dynamic macroeconomics. In pursuing those issues the book stresses--as in the New Keynesian literature--nominal and real rigidities. Yet, beyond the latter type of literature--and in contrast to the DGE model --the here presented modeling approach admits open ended dynamics and multiple equilibria, more realistic asset market features, nonclearing labor market, and explores the role of both demand and technology shocks on employment. Central for those results is a new methodological idea pertaining to adaptive optimization where agents can reoptimize once they have perceived and learned about market constraints. Overall, the book is self-contained by including the appropriate solution and estimation methods which brings the theory closer to the time series data. It contains a modern treatment of dynamic macroeconomics for first and second year graduate students.
Serum response factor and protein-mediated DNA bending contribute to transcription of the dystrophin muscle-specific promoter

The minimal muscle-specific dystrophin promoter contains the consensus sequence CC(A/T)6GG, or the CArG element, which can be found in serum-inducible or muscle-specific promoters. The serum response factor (SRF), which mediates the transcriptional activation of the c-fos gene in response to serum stimulation, can bind to different CArG box elements, suggesting that it could be involved in muscle-constitutive transcription. Here we show that SRF binds to the dystrophin promoter and regulates its muscle-specific transcription. In transient transfections, an altered-binding-specificity SRF mutant restores the muscle-constitutive transcription of a dystrophin promoter with a mutation in its CArG box element. The muscle-constitutive transcription of the dystrophin promoter also requires the sequence GAAACC immediately downstream of the CArG box. This sequence is recognized by a novel DNA bending factor which was named dystrophin promoter-bending factor (DPBF). Mutations of the CArG flanking sequence abolish both DPBF binding and the promoter activity in muscle cells. Its replacement with a p62/ternary complex factor binding site changes the promoter specificity from muscle constitutive to serum responsive. These results show that, on the dystrophin promoter, the transcriptional activation induced by SRF requires the DNA bending induced by DPBF. The bending, next to the CArG box, could promote interactions between SRF and other proteins in the transcriptional complex.
The force-load-velocity relation and the viscous-like force in the frog skeletal muscle.

The load-velocity relations were determined at various contractile forces in the small bundle dissected from frog semitendinosus muscle. 1) The tension-extension curve of the bundle was nearly the same as that of single fibers. 2) The load-velocity curves of shortening muscle obtained at the standard length Lo fit HILL'S hyperbolic equation at any contractile force in the partially activated muscle, and the dynamic constants were a/Po = 0.25 and b/Lo = 0.9/sec at 10•Ž. The viscous-like force Fv at a given velocity increased linearly with increasing contractile force F. These results were valid in the length region between 0.8 and 1.2 Lo. 3) The load-velocity curves of lengthening muscle were also hyperbolic at any contractile force and Fv was also proportional to F, unless the velocity exceeded 1.0 Lo/sec. The dynamic constants were a'/Po = 0.4 and b'/Lo = 0.85 /sec, i.e., a'/Po was 1.6 times larger than a/Po. 4) HILL's force-velocity equation was generalized to the force (F)load(P)-velocity(v) equation (P+A)(v+b) = b(F + A), A = aF/Po; or the force-Fv-velocity equation Fv = (F/Po)(Po+a)v/(v+b). 5) The value of Fv on lengthening was 1.4 times larger than that on shortening under the same contractile force and velocity. 6) These force-load-velocity equations were valid not only during steady contractile force but also for any instance during the change in contractile force. 7) The significance of Fv, or force-dependent viscosity, is discussed with respect to the sliding filament theory.
Affairs of State: The Interagency and National Security

Abstract : The war colleges of the United States are a unique national asset. They are centers of academic excellence for preparing military and civilian officers for higher positions in the national security system. They are also living laboratories for studying how to use power for strategic purposes. The authors of this book joined in a common mission convinced that there was a critical piece missing in such study: the vast area known as the interagency, the process that makes the development and implementation of policy and strategy possible in a pluralistic decisionmaking system. This book is the result of a multiyear effort among scholars and statesmen who came together to develop a series of papers that analyze various parts of the interagency, recommend improvements, and add to the literature so that scholars and statesmen will be wiser in performing their responsibilities. Common to all the chapters is a passion to improve what is perceived to be a system that needs repair. But repair will not be possible unless we understand how it works, and what its strengths and weaknesses are. The succeeding chapters present a remarkable set of perspectives by seasoned professionals. Each one is a rich case study that combines recent history, theory, international relations, and profound reflections from up close by diplomats, civil servants, and military officers who have spent careers working abroad and in various agencies in Washington, DC. They literally carried the banner for learning and adaptation for their departments and agencies, working to improve strategic integration. Their papers have priceless insights that cannot be easily replicated. Moreover, the various chapters lend themselves well to use in classes dealing with the integration of the instruments of national power.
An Analysis of the Usefulness of Debt Defaults and Going Concern Opinions in Bankruptcy Risk Assessment

This study extends the research of Hopwood et al. (1994) and Mutchler et al. (1997) by empirically investigating the relationships between loan defaults, violation of loan covenants, going-concern opinions, and bankruptcy in bankruptcy prediction models. One objective of this study is to empirically test the ability of loan defaults/accommodations and loan covenant violations to assess the risk of bankruptcy. Another objective of this study is to investigate the impact of failing to control for these two distress events on results from tests of the usefulness of going-concern opinions in assessing bankruptcy risk. Results suggest that loan default/accommodation and loan covenant violation are both significant explanatory variables of bankruptcy at the time of the last annual report before the event. While a going-concern opinion variable appears to significantly explain bankruptcy, it is not significant when included in a model with loan default/accommodation and covenant violation variables. Consequently, our results suggest that researchers should include both loan default/accommodation and covenant violation as control variables when using bankruptcy to test the usefulness of going-concern opinions.
Things that go BMP in the liver: Bone morphogenetic protein 6 and the control of body iron homeostasis

Expression of hepcidin, a key regulator of intestinal iron absorption, can be induced in vitro by several bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), including BMP2, BMP4 and BMP9 (refs. 1,2). However, in contrast to BMP6, expression of other BMPs is not regulated at the mRNA level by iron in vivo3, and their relevance to iron homeostasis is unclear. We show here that targeted disruption of Bmp6 in mice causes a rapid and massive accumulation of iron in the liver, the acinar cells of the exocrine pancreas, the heart and the renal convoluted tubules. Despite their severe iron overload, the livers of Bmp6-deficient mice have low levels of phosphorylated Smad1, Smad5 and Smad8, and these Smads are not significantly translocated to the nucleus. In addition, hepcidin synthesis is markedly reduced. This indicates that Bmp6 is critical for iron homeostasis and that it is functionally nonredundant with other members of the Bmp subfamily. Notably, Bmp6-deficient mice retain their capacity to induce hepcidin in response to inflammation. The iron burden in Bmp6 mutant mice is significantly greater than that in mice deficient in the gene associated with classical hemochromatosis (Hfe), suggesting that mutations in BMP6 might cause iron overload in humans with severe juvenile hemochromatosis for which the genetic basis has not yet been characterized. Andriopoulos Jr B, Corradini E, Xia Y, Faasse SA, Chen S, Grgurevic L, et al. BMP6 is a key endogenous regulator of hepcidin expression and iron metabolism. Nat Genet 2009;41:482-487. (Reprinted with permission.)
Historic Stroke Motor Severity Score Predicts Progression in TIA/Minor Stroke

Background: transient ischemic attack (tIA) and minor stroke have a high risk of early neurological deterioration, and patients who experience early improvement are at risk of deterioration. We generated a score for quantifying the worst reported motor and speech deficits and assessed whether this predicted outcome. Methods: 510 tIA or minor stroke (NIHSS>4) patients were included. the Historical Stroke Severity Score (HSSS) prospectively quantified the patient's description of the worst motor or speech deficits. the HSSS was rated at the time of first assessment with more severe deficits scoring higher. Motor HSSS included assessments of arm and leg motor power (score total 0-5). Speech HSSS assessed severity of dysarthria and aphasia (total 0-3). the association between motor and speech HSSS and symptom progression was assessed during the 90-day follow-up period. Results: the proportion of patients in each category of the motor HSSS was 0: 43% (216/510), 1: 22%(110/510), 2: 17% (89/510), 3: 7% (37/510), 4: 5% (28/510) and 5: 6% (30/510). Motor HSSS was associated with symptom progression (p=0.004) but not recurrent stroke. Speech HSSS was not associated with either progression or recurrent stroke. Motor HSSS predicted disability (p=0.002) and intracranial occlusion (p=0.012). Disability increased with increasing motor HSSS. Conclusions: taking a detailed history about the severity of motor deficits, but not speech, predicted outcome in tIA and minor stroke patients. A score based on the patient's description of the severity of motor symptoms predicted symptom progression, intracranial occlusion and functional outcome, but not recurrent stroke in a tIA and minor stroke population.
Post-infectious inflammatory response syndrome (PIIRS): Dissociation of T-cell-macrophage signaling in previously healthy individuals with cryptococcal fungal meningoencephalitis

Cryptococcus is an important cause of central nervous system infections in both immunocompromised patients such as those with HIV/AIDS as well as previously healthy individuals. Deficiencies in T-cell activation are well-known to be highly associated with host susceptibility in HIV/AIDS as well in animal modeling studies, resulting in poor microbiological control and little host inflammation. However, recent studies conducted in human patients have demonstrated roles for macrophage signaling defects as an important association with disease susceptibility. For example, an autoantibody to granulocyte monocyte stimulating factor (GMCSF) resulted in defective STAT5 signaling and susceptibility to cryptococcosis. In addition, severe cases of cryptococcal meningo-encephalitis in previously healthy patients, with or without anti-GMCSF autoantibody, developed a highly activated intrathecal T-cell population but had defects in effective macrophage polarization. Intrathecal inflammation correlated with neurological damage, measured by the axonal damage protein, neurofilament light chain 1. Based on these studies, we propose a new syndrome of cryptococcal post-infectious inflammatory response syndrome (PIIRS) defined in previously healthy patients with cryptococcal meningo-encephalitis as the presence of a poor clinical response in the setting of at least 1 month of amphotericin-based fungicidal therapy and sterile cerebrospinal cultures. These findings are discussed in light of the potential for improving therapy.
A novel representation method for electromyogram (EMG) signal with predefined signature and envelope functional bank

In this paper, a new method to model EMG signals by means of "Predefined Signature and Envelope Functional Banks (PSEB)" is presented. Since EMG signals present quasi-stationary behavior, any EMG signal X/sub i/ is modeled by the form of X/sub i//spl ap/C/sub i//spl alpha//sub K//spl phi//sub R/ on frame bases in this work. In this model, /spl phi//sub R/ is defined as the Predefined Signature Vector (PSV); /spl alpha//sub K/ is referred to as the Predefined Envelope Vector (PEV) and C/sub i/ is called the Frame-Scaling Coefficient (FSC). The EMG signal for each frame is described in terms of the two indices "R" and "K" of PSEB and the frame-scaling coefficient C/sub i/. Furthermore, it has been shown that the new method of modeling provides significant data compression while preserving the clinical information in the reconstructed signal.
Double-Stranded RNA-Mediated Interference with Plant Virus Infection

ABSTRACT Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has been shown to play a key role as an inducer of different interference phenomena occurring in both the plant and animal kingdoms. Here, we show that dsRNA derived from viral sequences can interfere with virus infection in a sequence-specific manner by directly delivering dsRNA to leaf cells either by mechanical inoculation or via an Agrobacterium-mediated transient-expression assay. We have successfully interfered with the infection of plants by three viruses belonging to the tobamovirus, potyvirus, and alfamovirus groups, demonstrating the reliability of the approach. We suggest that the effect mediated by dsRNA in plant virus infection resembles the analogous phenomenon of RNA interference observed in animals. The interference observed is sequence specific, is dose dependent, and is triggered by dsRNA but not single-stranded RNA. Our results support the view that a dsRNA intermediate in virus replication acts as efficient initiator of posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) in natural virus infections, triggering the initiation step of PTGS that targets viral RNA for degradation.
Integrative visualisation and knowledge‐enabled value creation

Performance measurement and management in firms where knowledge is the central strategic resource provide composite challenges. Not only are the knowledge resources tacit, collective, complex, deeply rooted in culture and hard to imitate and transfer, but the processes of value creation and their outputs are also of a more or less intangible nature. This paper is an attempt to give an alternative activity‐based entrance to the field of intellectual capital and performance management. On the basis of three case studies the paper illustrates the development and utilisation of a new method for linking intellectual capital and value creation based on the three phases of modelling, measuring, and action. In parallel the concepts of resolution, elevation and conveyance are developed and explored as notions giving guidance and evaluation in the process of developing and using a measurement system for intellectual capital management.
CT-guided biopsy of pulmonary nodules: is pulmonary hemorrhage a complication or an advantage?

PURPOSE We aimed to assess the correlation between pulmonary hemorrhage and pneumothorax in computed tomography (CT)-guided transthoracic fine needle aspiration (TTFNA), particularly its possible value as protection against the development of pneumotorax. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed the CT images of 538 patients (364 males and 174 females, mean age 70 years, range 36-90 years) who underwent CT-guided TTFNA of pulmonary nodules between January 2008 and September 2013. The following CT findings were assessed: pulmonary hemorrhage (type 1, along the needle track; type 2, perilesional; low-grade, ≤6 mm; high-grade, >6 mm), pneumothorax, distance between the target nodule and the pleural surface, and emphysema. RESULTS Pneumothorax occurred in 154 cases (28.6%) and pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in 144 cases (26.8%). The incidence of pneumothorax was lower in patients showing type 1 and high-grade pulmonary hemorrhage pattern. The incidence of pneumothorax in biopsies ≥30 mm from pleural surface was 26% (12/46) in cases showing this pattern, while it was 71.4% (30/42) when this pattern was not seen. Similarly, the incidence of pneumothorax in biopsies <30 mm from the pleural surface was 0% (0/28) in cases showing this hemorrhage pattern, while it was 19% (76/394) when this pattern was not seen. CONCLUSION Pulmonary hemorrhage during TTFNA is a frequent event that protects against pneumothorax. A bleeding greater than 6 mm along the needle track is associated with lower incidence of pneumothorax, especially in biopsies deeper than 3 cm.
Synthesis of NNDBDC ( p N , N dimethyl benzaldehyde derivative of curcumin )-A Novel Curcumin Derivative

Aim: The aim in this study was to synthesize a p N, N dimethyl benzaldehyde derivative of curcumin for the first time in our laboratory. This new molecule form was given a name NNDBDC, the full form of which is “p N, N dimethyl benzaldehyde derivative of curcumin”. Method: NNDBDC is a condensation product of p-N N dimethyl amino benzaldehyde and acetyl acetone. This molecule has both keto-enol functionality and aromatic ring system of curcumin. Result: NNDBDC was prepared which is a p N Ndimethyl amino benzaldehyde derivative that consists of diaryl heptanoid skeleton of bisdemethoxy curcumin with no hydroxyl groups on ortho position and presence of p-N N dimethyl groups on para positions. Conculsion: It was prepared with an objective to produce a synthetic derivatives which will pocess the pharmacological properties similar to that of natural curcuminoids.
Landmark article, June 19, 1915. The isolation in crystalline form of the compound containing iodin, which occurs in the thyroid. Its chemical nature and physiologic activity. By E.C. Kendall.

By an alkaline alcoholic hydrolysis, the thyroid proteins are broken into many simpler constituents. These may be separated into two groups: the acid insoluble compounds are designated Group A; those acid soluble, Group B. From Group A a pure crystalline compound, containing 60 per cent of iodin, has been isolated. It appears to be di-iodo-di-hydroxy-indol. Group B contains iodin in some unknown form of combination. It is a mixture containing amino-acid complexes and a low molecular weight. Administration of A produces in the dog and in the human being a rapid increase in pulse rate and vigor, and increase in metabolism and nervous irritability. This physiologic activity is produced by the compound containing iodin in all stages of purity up to and including its crystalline form. Given in excess, toxic symptoms are produced. The amount of the iodin compound required to produce toxic effects is exceedingly small. In exophthalmic goiter two abnormal conditions exist. First, the secreting capacity of the gland is greatly increased and, second, the reservoir capacity of the gland is greatly decreased. The iodin compound plays an important role in the production of the symptoms of exophthalmic goiter. The constituents of Group B produce no toxic symptoms, but in cases of cretinism, myxedema and certain skin conditions, they exert physiologic activity.
Molecular mechanisms of allosteric probe dependence in μ opioid receptor

Allostery is one of the most important features of proteins. It greatly contributes to the complexity of life, since it enables possibility of precise tuning of protein function, as well as performing more than one function per protein. Probe dependence is one of the unique features of allostery. It allows a protein to respond differently to the same allosteric modulator when different drugs or transmitters are bound. Unfortunately, allosteric mechanisms are difficult to investigate experimentally. Instead, they can be reproduced artificially in simulations. We simulated in silico a native-like cell membrane fragment with an active-state human μ opioid receptor (MOR) in order to investigate diverse effects of a receptor’s positive allosteric modulator on various agonists. Particular emphasis on native-likeness of the environment was put. We managed to reproduce the experimentally observed effects, which allowed us to take deeper insight into their underlying mechanisms. We found an allosteric pathway in the receptor, leading from the ligand binding site to the intracellular, effector site. We observed that the modulator affected the pathway, inducing different resultant responses for full and partial agonists.
Formulating construction cash flow curves using a reliability theory analogy

Prediction of cash flows during construction of large buildings is usually based on cumulative cash flow in the form of an S-curve. There have been several attempts to establish formulae for the estimation of such S-curves on an empirical basis. This paper draws an anlogy between the probability of failure in reliability theory and the probability of payment during construction to develop a general approach to possible mathematical forms of the cash flow during construction. An example of a new generalized alternative form of the S-curve known in Australia as the Bromilow S-curve is shown to be an excellent approximation to the empirical form.
A consideration on influence of reduction of DC-link capacitance on position sensorless control for permanent magnet synchronous motor

In general, electrolytic capacitor is used in AC drive system as the smoothing capacitor. Thus, the product lifetime is decided by the electrolytic capacitor mainly. Therefore, the lifetime extension is expected by exchanging the electrolytic capacitor for film capacitor. In this paper, the influence of reduction of DC-link capacitance on a position sensorless control for permanent magnet synchronous motor is clarified. As a result, it was understood that average estimated angle error is lower when the DC-link capacitance is large.