Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The ‘New Approach’ to Public Sector Reforms in Ghana: A Case of Politics as Usual or a Genuine Attempt at Reform?

type="main" xml:id="dpr12150-abs-0001"> Public sector reforms continue to preoccupy governments all over the world, compelled by the need to ‘get the state right’ through better policy development and implementation. Developing countries see this as the path to a developmental state. This article examines Ghana's quest to build such a state through its new public sector reforms, originally hailed in hyperbolic terms. We argue that the rejection of a top-down and bottom-up synergy in favour of an exclusively top-down approach dooms this effort to failure.
An Appropriate Use of IMap Produces Correct Statistical Results: A Reply to McManus (2013) “IMap and IMap2 Produce Erroneous Statistical Maps of Eye-Movement Differences”

McManus (2013, Perception, 42, 1075–1084) contends the validity of the statistical approach adopted in previous versions of iMap (namely, iMap and iMap2; Caldara & Miellet, 2011, Behavior Research Methods, 43, 864–878), casts doubts on earlier results obtained with the toolbox, and offers an altered version of the code. Here we dispute these claims and argue that while some of the arguments put forward are valid, McManus's conclusions are misleading, since they are based on a partial use of the toolbox. Moreover, we compared iMap with the alternative code offered by McManus and objectively demonstrate that McManus's approach is underpowered and flawed. iMap offers an appropriate and effective alternative to the commonly used regions of interest approach for statistical analyses of eye-movement data.
Optimization of Power Allocation for a Multibeam Satellite Communication System with Interbeam Interference

In multibeam satellite communication systems it is important to improve the utilization efficiency of the power resources, due to the scarcity of satellite power resources. The interbeam interference between the beams must be considered in the power allocation; therefore, it is important to optimize the power allocated to each beam in order to improve the total system performance. Initially the power allocation problem is formulated as a nonlinear optimization, considering a compromise between the maximization of total system capacity and the fairness of the power allocation amongst the beams. A dynamic power allocation algorithm based on duality theory is then proposed to obtain a locally optimal solution for the optimization problem. Compared with traditional power allocation algorithms, this proposed dynamic power allocation algorithm improves the fairness of the power allocation amongst the beams, and, in addition, the proposed algorithm also increases the total system capacity in certain scenarios.
Dynamic feature extraction of power disturbance signal based on time-frequency technology

The growing concern for power quality issues from both utilities and power users is generated by proliferation of power electronic devices and nonlinear loads in power system network. Therefore, the techniques for power quality monitoring and power disturbance mitigation are capturing increasing attention. A novel approach for the power quality disturbances recognition using wavelet transform and neural network is proposed. The wavelet transform is used to complete feature extraction and can accurately localizes the characteristics of transient signal both in time and frequency domains. These feature vectors are input variables for neural network training and the neural network structure is designed for disturbance pattern recognition. Therefore, the wavelet network combines advantages of wavelet transformation for purposes of feature extraction and selection with the characteristic decision capabilities of neural network approaches. During the training process, the wavelet network learns adequate decision functions and arbitrarily complex decision regions defined by the weight coefficients. The simulation results demonstrate the proposed method gives a new way for signal analysis and pattern recognition of power quality disturbances.
Basic research in progressive glomerulopathies: the role of fibrosing factors in IgA nephropathy and diabetic nephropathy.

Renal fibrosis/sclerosis is the common final pathway leading to end-stage renal failure. The renal fibrosis/sclerosis is characterized by increased proliferation of fibroblasts and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). The severity of tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis has been considered to be a crucial determinant of progressive renal injury in patients with various glomerulonephritides. Humoral factors released from infiltrating cells and injured tubular epithelial cells cause further recruitment of inflammatory cells and macrophages and the initiation of fibrogenesis in renal tissues. Human mast cells are a heterogenous group of multifunctional tissue-dwelling cells with roles in conditions as diverse as allergy, parasite infestation, inflammation, angiogenesis, and tissue remodeling. Immunocytochemical studies have shown the presence within the tissues of two mast cell phenotypes distinguishable by their neutral proteinase content, the tryptase positive mast cell (MCT) phenotype containing only tryptase, and the tryptase and chymase positive mast cell (MCTC) phenotype containing both tryptase and chymase. MCT phenotypes appear to be “immune system‐related” mast cells with a primary role in host defense. On the other hand, MCTC phenotypes appear to be “non-immune system‐related” mast cells with functions in angiogenesis and tissue remodeling rather than immunologic protection. Recently, we reported the infiltration of tryptase- and/or chymasepositive mast cells in both fibrotic and nonfibrotic areas in the advanced stage of IgA nephropathy [1]. It appears that the number of mast cells in the nonfibrotic areas may be one of the predictive factors for the progression of IgA nephropathy. These mast cells might induce fibrosis and activate angiotensin II. Tubulointerstitial injury was caused by diseases that initially affect the glomeruli or renal vasculatures. Histopathologically, glomerular sclerosis, severe tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and mast cell infil
Sub-canopy ground characteristics retrieval of PolinSAR using spectral analysis technique

The advances in Polarimetric SAR Interferometry (PolInSAR) techniques provide a promising way to recover ground characteristics such as sub-canopy soil moisture and roughness using SAR data. Spectral analysis techniques have been applied to extract the vegetation and building parameters. Yamada et al [1] proposed the ESPRIT algorithm to estimate vegetation height; Sauer et al [2] apply the spectral analysis techniques to estimate building heights and extract physical properties from Multi-baseline (MB) PolinSAR data. In these applications, the parameters are mainly estimated from the phase information or phase center, but the validity of the sub-canopy soil backscattering or reflectivity estimation from polarimetric spectral analysis technique is not investigated. In this paper, the ground scattering center is first located by po-larimetric MUSIC algorithm and then the ground reflectivity is recovered using a polarimetric least-square method. The validity of the polarimetric spectral analysis technique for the sub-canopy ground reflectivity estimation is demonstrated using simulated and real SAR data.
Hyperspectral and Lidar Intensity Data Fusion: A Framework for the Rigorous Correction of Illumination, Anisotropic Effects, and Cross Calibration

The fusion of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) sensor and airborne lidar scanner (ALS) data provides promising potential for applications in environmental sciences. Standard fusion approaches use reflectance information from the HSI and distance measurements from the ALS to increase data dimensionality and geometric accuracy. However, the potential for data fusion based on the respective intensity information of the complementary active and passive sensor systems is high and not yet fully exploited. Here, an approach for the rigorous illumination correction of HSI data, based on the radiometric cross-calibrated return intensity information of ALS data, is presented. The cross calibration utilizes a ray tracing-based fusion of both sensor measurements by intersecting their particular beam shapes. The developed method is capable of compensating for the drawbacks of passive HSI systems, such as cast and cloud shadowing effects, illumination changes over time, across track illumination, and partly anisotropy effects. During processing, spatial and temporal differences in illumination patterns are detected and corrected over the entire HSI wavelength domain. The improvement in the classification accuracy of urban and vegetation surfaces demonstrates the benefit and potential of the proposed HSI illumination correction. The presented approach is the first step toward the rigorous in-flight fusion of passive and active system characteristics, enabling new capabilities for a variety of applications.
Competition between concanavalin A-induced stimulatory and inhibitory effects in the in vitro immune response to antigen

The humoral response of nude spleen cells (b cells) to sheep erythrocytes was measured in the presence of varying numbers of concanavalin A (ConA)-acvated stimulatory spleen T cells (helper) and Con A-activated inhibitory spleen T cells (suppressor) from BDF1 mice. It was found that suppressive effects could be reversed by the presence of additional numbers of stimulatory cells. These results seem incompatible with the hypothesis that suppression is mediated by supraoptimal numbers of stimulatory cells and provides additional evidence that separate populations of T cells mediate stimulation and suppression.
Bone repair and augmentation using block of sintered bovine-derived anorganic bone graft in cranial bone defect model.

OBJECTIVE To histomorphometrically investigate the repair of critical size defects (CSDs) and bone augmentation in cranial walls using block of sintered bovine-derived anorganic bone (sBDAB) graft. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty guinea-pigs were divided into test (n=20) and CSD control (n=20) groups. In each animal, a full-thickness bone defect with 9.5 mm diameter was made in the frontal bone. The defects were filled with an sBDAB block soaked in blood in the test group and with blood clot in the CSD control group. The skulls were collected at 0 h (n=2) and 30, 90 and 180 days (n=6/group and period) postoperatively. The volume density and total volume of newly formed bone, sBDAB, blood vessels and connective tissue, vertical thickness of removed bone plug, sBDAB block and graft area were evaluated. RESULTS The vertical thickness of the adapted sBDAB block was 3.8 times higher than that of the removed bone plug and did not show significant difference between periods, filling in average 29.8% of the total graft region. The sBDAB block exhibited complete osseointegration with the borders of the defect at 90 days. At 90 and 180 days, the vertical thickness of the graft was 279% in the average, and the total volume of bone augmentation was, respectively, 78.8% and 148.5% higher compared with the removed bone plug. The defects of the CDS control group showed limited osteogenesis and filling by connective tissue plus tegument. CONCLUSION The sBDAB block can be used to promote repair of CSDs and bone augmentation in the craniomaxillofacial region, due to its good osteoconductive and slow resorptive properties.
Roles of Mycobacterium smegmatisd-Alanine:d-Alanine Ligase and d-Alanine Racemase in the Mechanisms of Action of and Resistance to the Peptidoglycan Inhibitor d-Cycloserine

ABSTRACT d-Cycloserine (DCS) targets the peptidoglycan biosynthetic enzymes d-alanine racemase (Alr) and d-alanine:d-alanine ligase (Ddl). Previously, we demonstrated that the overproduction of Alr in Mycobacterium smegmatis determines a DCS resistance phenotype. In this study, we investigated the roles of both Alr and Ddl in the mechanisms of action of and resistance to DCS in M. smegmatis. We found that the overexpression of either the M. smegmatis or the Mycobacterium tuberculosis ddl gene in M. smegmatis confers resistance to DCS, but at lower levels than the overexpression of the alr gene. Furthermore, a strain overexpressing both the alr and ddl genes displayed an eightfold-higher level of resistance. To test the hypothesis that inhibition of Alr by DCS decreases the intracellular pool of d-alanine, we determined the alanine pools in M. smegmatis wild-type and recombinant strains with or without DCS treatment. Alr-overproducing strain GPM14 cells not exposed to DCS displayed almost equimolar amounts of l- and d-alanine in the steady state. The wild-type strain and Ddl-overproducing strains contained a twofold excess of l- over d-alanine. In all strains, DCS treatment led to a significant accumulation of l-alanine and a concomitant decease of d-alanine, with approximately a 20-fold excess of l-alanine in the Ddl-overproducing strains. These data suggest that Ddl is not significantly inhibited by DCS at concentrations that inhibit Alr. This study is of significance for the identification of the lethal target(s) of DCS and the development of novel drugs targeting the d-alanine branch of mycobacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis.
Cerebral fissural patterns in platyrrhine monkeys.

Evolution of cerebral fissural patterns pursues the same pathway in all primates. As body mass increases, the brain becomes larger, the cerebral fissures more numerous. All primary fissures of a given locus are homologous, and each fissure arises in the same order in all phyletic lines. Implications of cerebral fissural patterns in platyrrhine evolution and systematics are discussed.
A Multilevel inverter with hexagonal and 12-sided polygonal space vector structure for induction motor drive

This paper proposes a multilevel inverter which produces hexagonal voltage space vector structure in lower modulation region and a 12-sided polygonal space vector structure in the over-modulation region. Normal conventional multilevel inverter produces 6nplusmn1 (n=odd) harmonics in the phase voltage during over-modulation and in the extreme square wave mode operation. However, this inverter produces a 12-sided polygonal space vector location leading to the elimination of 6nplusmn1 (n=odd) harmonics in over-modulation region extending to a final 12-step mode operation. The inverter consists of three conventional cascaded two level inverters with asymmetric dc bus voltages. The switching frequency of individual inverters is kept low throughout the modulation index. In the low speed region, hexagonal space phasor based PWM scheme and in the higher modulation region, 12-sided polygonal voltage space vector structure is used. Experimental results presented in this paper shows that the proposed converter is suitable for high power applications because of low harmonic distortion and low switching losses.
Di-μ-chlorido-bis{[μ-1,8-bis(diisopropylphosphanyl)-9,10-dihydro-9,10-ethanoanthracene-κ2 P:P′]-μ-chlorido-μ-methylidene-dipalladium(II)} tetrahydrofuran pentasolvate

The title compound, [Pd4(CH2)2Cl4(C28H40P2)2]·5C4H8O, possesses a tetranuclear palladium core with four bridging chlorido ligands and two bridging methylene units, as well as two bridging anthracene-based bis-phosphine ligands. This tetranuclear complex can be considered as being composed of two μ-chlorido-bridged LPd2 units. The structural motif of these LPd2 units shows two doubly bridged palladium centers between the P atoms of the bis-phosphine ligand. One of these bridges is a μ-Cl atom, the other a μ-methylene group. The coordination environment around each palladium center is essentially square planar. We ascribe the oxidation state +II to the palladium centers and do not assume Pd—Pd bonds [shortest distances 2.8110 (5) and 2.8109 (6) Å]. Co-crystallized with the palladium complex we found five non-coordinating tetrahydrofuran solvent molecules, one of which is disordered over two positions in a 0.429 (9):0.571 (8) ratio.
Learning from Results-Based Management evaluations and reviews

What have we learned from implementing results-based management in development co-operation organisations? What progress and benefits can be seen? What are the main challenges and unintended consequences? Are there good practices to address these challenges? To respond to these questions this paper reviews and analyses the findings from various evaluations and reviews of results-based management systems conducted by members of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the OECD/DAC Results Community Secretariat and other bodies in the past four years (2015-2018). It also draws on emerging lessons from new methods for managing development co-operation results. This analytical work aims to: identify recent trends in results-based management, explore challenges faced by providers when developing their results approaches and systems, select good practices in responding to these challenges that can be useful for the OECD/DACResults Community, considering new approaches, new technologies and evolving contexts. This body of evidence will inform the development of a core set of generic guiding principles for results-based management in development co-operation.
Efeitos da credibilidade e da reputação sobre a taxa Selic e a transmissão da política monetária para o investimento agregado pelo canal dos preços dos ativos

The paper analyzes, empirically, i) the importance of the credibility of inflation targets and the reputations of fiscal and monetary authorities to the conduct of monetary policy; and ii) the transmission mechanism of monetary policy through the asset prices channel. The analysis – for the period from November 2002 to December 2011 – uses ordinary least squares (OLS), the generalized method of moments (GMM) and systems of equations through GMM. The work contributes to the literature since it develops an index to measure the reputation of the fiscal authority and provides evidence about the transmission mechanism of monetary policy through the asset prices channel, noting the effect of monetary policy on aggregate investment.
Approximated Portfolio Choice - Do We Dance on a Pinhead?

HARA-utility investors allocate their money to a risk-free fund and to a risky fund (two fund separation). The paper shows that under weak conditions, the risky fund can be approximated by the risky fund derived from exponential utility, without material effects on the certainty equivalent of the portfolio payoff. Also, effects of changes in asset return parameters on the risky fund can be approximated using the exponential utility function, thereby simplifying the analysis. The approximation is of high quality if extreme portfolio returns have a very small probability and if the investor's level of relative risk aversion exceeds 2.
Potentiation of amygdala AMPA receptor activity selectively promotes escalated alcohol self‐administration in a CaMKII‐dependent manner

Growing evidence indicates that drugs of abuse gain control over the individual by usurping glutamate‐linked mechanisms of neuroplasticity in reward‐related brain regions. Accordingly, we have shown that glutamate α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) activity in the amygdala is required for the positive reinforcing effects of alcohol, which underlie the initial stages of addiction. It is unknown, however, if enhanced AMPAR activity in the amygdala facilitates alcohol self‐administration, which is a kernel premise of glutamate hypotheses of addiction. Here, we show that low‐dose alcohol (0.6 g/kg/30 minutes) self‐administration increases phosphorylation (activation) of AMPAR subtype GluA1 S831 (pGluA1 S831) in the central amygdala (CeA), basolateral amygdala and nucleus accumbens core (AcbC) of selectively bred alcohol‐preferring P‐rats as compared with behavior‐matched (non‐drug) sucrose controls. The functional role of enhanced AMPAR activity was assessed via site‐specific infusion of the AMPAR positive modulator, aniracetam, in the CeA and AcbC prior to alcohol self‐administration. Intra‐CeA aniracetam increased alcohol‐reinforced but not sucrose‐reinforced responding and was ineffective following intra‐AcbC infusion. Because GluA1 S831 is a Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) substrate, we sought to determine if AMPAR regulation of enhanced alcohol self‐administration is dependent on CaMKII activity. Intra‐CeA infusion of the cell‐permeable CaMKII peptide inhibitor myristolated autocamtide‐2‐related inhibitory peptide (m‐AIP) dose‐dependently reduced alcohol self‐administration. A subthreshold dose of m‐AIP also blocked the aniracetam‐induced escalation of alcohol self‐administration, demonstrating that AMPAR‐mediated potentiation of alcohol reinforcement requires CaMKII activity in the amygdala. Enhanced activity of plasticity‐linked AMPAR‐CaMKII signaling in the amygdala may promote escalated alcohol use via increased positive reinforcement during the initial stages of addiction.
In Vivo Studies of Sickle Red Blood Cells

The defining clinical feature of sickle cell anemia is periodic occurrence of painful vasoocclusive crisis. Factors that promote trapping and sickling of red cells in the microcirculation are likely to trigger vasoocclusion. The marked red cell heterogeneity in sickle blood and abnormal adhesion of sickle red cells to vascular endothelium would be major disruptive influences. Using ex vivo and in vivo models, the authors show how to dissect the relative contribution of heterogeneous sickle red cell classes to adhesive and obstructive events. These studies revealed that (1) both rheological abnormalities and adhesion of sickle red cells contribute to their abnormal hemodynamic behavior, (2) venules are the sites of sickle cell adhesion, and (3) sickle red cell deformability plays an important role in adhesive and obstructive events. Preferential adhesion of deformable sickle red cells in postcapillary venules followed by selective trapping of dense sickle red cells could result in vasoocclusion. An updated version of this 2‐step model is presented. The multifactorial nature of sickle red cell adhesion needs to be considered in designing antiadhesive therapy in vivo.
CMOS Small-Signal and Thermal Noise Modeling at High Frequencies

In this paper, the behavior of radio frequency (RF) CMOS noise up to 24 GHz is analyzed and verified with measurements over a wide range of bias voltages and channel lengths. For the first time, approaches for excess noise factor modeling are validated versus measurements. Furthermore, important RF CMOS figures of merit are examined over many CMOS generations. With the scaling of CMOS technology, optimum RF performance is shown to be shifted from higher moderate toward lower moderate inversion, providing important guidelines for RFIC design. The results are validated with the charge-based EKV3 compact model, which considers short-channel effects such as channel length modulation, velocity saturation, and carrier heating.
Research on Landslide Mechanism Based upon the Geo-material Parameter Identification

The genetic algorithm and its actual application for the parameter identification are represented. Based upon the in-situ investigation of one loess landslide in Gansu, the key parameter in the slope stability analysis, the depth of rainwater infiltration (DRI), is identified utilizing the genetic algorithm. DRI is proposed as a boundary above which the soil is regarded as saturated, and beneath which is not. A detailed analysis for the landslide is carried out using the genetic algorithm and the software FLAC / SLOPE. The results show that landslide will take place when DRI reaches a certain value and the shear strength parameters are reduced in the soil above this boundary. The genetic algorithm is proved very suitable for the parameter identification in the slope stability analysis. The mechanism of the loess landslide is a rainwater infiltration caused landslide where the upper soil body pushes the lower soil body.