Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obesity‐dependent dysregulation of glucose homeostasis in kinase suppressor of ras 2−/− mice

Disruption of KSR2 in humans and mice decreases metabolic rate and induces obesity, coincident with dysregulation of glucose homeostasis. Relative to wild‐type mice, ksr2−/− mice are small prior to weaning with normal glucose tolerance at 6 weeks of age, but demonstrate excess adiposity by 9 weeks and glucose intolerance by 12–14 weeks. Defects in AICAR tolerance, a measure of whole‐body AMPK activation, are detectable only when ksr2−/− mice are obese. Food restriction prevents the obesity of adult ksr2−/− mice and normalizes glucose and AICAR sensitivity. Obesity and glucose intolerance return when ad lib feeding is restored to the diet‐restricted mice, indicating that glucose dysregulation is secondary to obesity in ksr2−/− mice. The phenotype of C57BL/6 ksr2−/− mice, including obesity and obesity‐related dysregulation of glucose homeostasis, recapitulates that of humans with KSR2 mutations, demonstrating the applicability of the C57BL/6 ksr2−/− mouse model to the study of the pathogenesis of human disease. These data implicate KSR2 as a physiological regulator of glucose metabolism during development affecting energy sensing, insulin signaling, and lipid storage, and demonstrate the value of the C57BL/6 ksr2−/− mouse model as a unique and relevant model system in which to develop and test therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and obesity‐related metabolic disorders.
Effects of Contrast on Referential Form: Investigating the Distinction Between Strong and Weak Pronouns

To further our understanding of the nature of the form–function mapping in anaphoric paradigms, this study investigated the referential properties of strong pronouns (long pronouns) in Estonian. Cross-linguistically, 2 main accounts of the long–short distinction have been proposed: the salience account (long pronouns refer to less salient antecedents) and the contrast account (long pronouns refer to entities that are being mentioned contrastively). To test these claims, this study compared parallel corpora of Estonian and Finnish to see how Estonian long pronouns are realized in Finnish and what the grammatical role of the antecedent is. Building on Pajusalu (1997), this study also analyzed the referential properties of long pronouns from the perspective of alternative semantics (Rooth, 1992) and Jackendoff's (1972) and Büring's (2003) research on contrast. The corpus patterns support the contrast account, indicating that the long–short distinction cannot be straightforwardly reduced to referent salience. As a whole, these results fit with the form-specific multiple-constraints approach to reference resolution (Kaiser & Trueswell, 2008).
Video annotation based on adaptive annular spatial partition scheme

The method based on Bag-of-visual-Words (BoW) deriving from local keypoints has recently appeared promising for video annotation. Spatial partition scheme has critical impact to the performance of BoW method. In this paper, we propose a new adaptive annular spatial partition scheme. The proposed scheme firstly determines the centroid of partition according to the distribution of keypoints. And then the image is partitioned into several annular regions. In the end, BoW histograms are computed according to the annular regions, which are utilized to train SVM classifiers. A systematic performance study on TRECVID 2006 corpus containing 20 semantic concepts shows that the proposed scheme is more effective than other popular spatial layout partition schemes such as 2 × 2 grid scheme.
A dynamic logic of multiprocessing with incomplete information

A crucial property of distributed multiprocessing systems is the lack of complete information by any given process about the states of other processes. The contribution of this paper is a fundamental modal logic, MPL, for multiprocessing with incomplete information. (Section 1.5 gives an informal introduction to MPL; the formal definitions are in Section 2.)By way of this logic, we develop a solid (practical and theoretical) correspondence between distributed multiprocessing and multiplayer games of incomplete information.Fischer and Ladner, [1979] have shown a logspace reduction from the outcome problem for two person games of perfect information to satisfiability of formulas in their propositional dynamic logic (PDL). We provide in Section 3 a log-space reduction from the outcome problem for multiplayer games of incomplete information to satisfiability of formulas in our logic MPL. Although in general satisfiability in out logic is undecidable, the satisfiability problem of formulae with hierarchical visibility structure is shown decidable (using the methods for solving hierarchical games developed in Reif [1979] and Peterson and Reif [1979], and also the model theoretic techniques of Fischer and Ladner [1979] and Pratt [1979b]). At a more practical level, we argue that the game-like semantics of our logic provides a robust paradigm in which to view distributed multiprocessing problems. We apply our logic to describe total correctness properties of multi-process programs with shared variables as well as communicating processes with "handshake"-type message passing.
Large-scale Semantic Indexing with Biomedical Ontologies

We introduce PubTator, a web-based application that enables large-scale semantic indexing and automatic concept recognition in biomedical ontologies. Not only was PubTator formally evaluated and top-rated in BioCreative, it also has been widely adopted and used by the scientific community from around the world, supporting both research projects and real-world applications in biocuration, crowdsourcing and translational bioinformatics. Keywords—PubTator; TaggerOne; Text Mining; Biomedical Ontologies
Key motion spotting in continuous motion sequences using motion sensing devices

This paper proposes a key motion spotting method which is designed to locate the motion of interest (or key motion) from a database of motion sequences. As a key motion could be just a subsequence of the stored motion sequence, the proposed method differs much from the general methods of content-based retrieval of motion sequences, which searches from the database the individual sequences similar to a query motion sequence. The key problem addressed here is how to locate the points where a subsequence similar to the key motion starts and ends inside each database sequence. Aiming at this problem, we propose an ending/starting point detection method based on the Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, we have implemented the method in an experimental motion query system which can capture motion sequences with the Microsoft Kinect. To characterize the body motion, two different kinds of features, called the motion histogram feature and the limb vector angle feature, are extracted from the acquired motion data. From the experimental results, the system achieves an average precision rate of 63% and an average recall rate of 70%. The speed of matching is 33.3 frames per second.
A Mealy machine based modeling approach for semantic programming language

Semantic Programming language is an essential study aspect of semantic software engineering. Semantic programming language is not only need for syntax modeling and analysis of classical programming language, but also the semantic modeling and analysis. This paper firstly introduces the semantic Web services based semantic programming language (SPL) and then proposes a modeling approach of this language based on the semantic Mealy machine (named Mealy4S machine). A case study of online forex system is given to elaborate the modeling approach. Mealy4S machine could be suitable for the modeling of semantic programming language. This approach may also provide a basic support for the verification of semantic program in the future.
All about Short Selling: The Easy Way to Get Started

Chapter 1. What Is Short Selling and How Can It Help Your Investing Chapter 2. Characteristics of Short Selling Chapter 3. Risks of Short Selling Chapter 4. Fundamental Analysis Chapter 5. Analyzing the Balance Sheet Chapter 6. Analyzing the Income Statement Chapter 7. Analyzing the Cash Flow Statement Chapter 8. Technical Analysis Chapter 9. Trading Strategies Chapter 10. Alternatives to Short Selling Chapter 11. Shorting ETFs, Options, and Futures Chapter 12. Special Trades Chapter 13. Portfolio Management and Evaluation Chapter 14. Tax Strategies
Implementation of Fast Fourier Transform using Resource Reuse Technique on FPGA

The utility of discrete Fourier transform (DFT) plays important role in many of digital processing including linear filtering, correlation analysis and spectrum analysis. In this work we have proposed two FFT designs, design 1 and design 2. In design 1 we have only one butterfly unit and one multiplier and this butterfly unit along with complex multiplier is used multiple times to compute the 8 point FFT. In design 2 four butterfly fly unit and two multipliers which are used 3 times. The number system used in our design is single precision (32 bit) floating point and 8 bit floating point.
Morning surge in blood pressure is associated with reactivity of the sympathetic nervous system.

BACKGROUND An exaggerated morning surge in blood pressure (BP) closely relates to target organ damage and cardiovascular risk, but whether the causative mechanism involves greater reactivity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is unknown. We determined whether the response of the SNS to a cold pressor test predicted the BP morning surge. METHODS Ambulatory BP recordings were obtained from 14 men and 19 women (age = 41±4 years), and the amplitude (day-night difference), rate of rise (RoR), rate by amplitude product (BPPower), and morning BP surge (MBPS; post-awake minus pre-awake) of morning mean arterial pressure (MAP) were determined. The reactivity of the SNS to CPT was assessed by recording of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). RESULTS CPT induced a marked increase in MAP and all parameters of MSNA, including burst amplitude. Log-normalized BPPower positively correlated with the overall average CPT-induced increases in total MSNA (r = 0.38; P = 0.04) and burst amplitude (r = 0.43; P = 0.02) but was not related to the increase in MSNA frequency. Furthermore, a strong positive linear trend in the CPT-induced changes in burst amplitude across tertiles of BPPower and RoR was observed. BPPower and RoR were not related to CPT-induced hemodynamic changes. The MBPS did not correlate with any of the CPT-induced changes in vascular or MSNA variables. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the central nervous system mechanisms influencing the increase in MSNA burst amplitude during arousal may also be fundamental in determining the rate and power of BP rise during the morning period.
ADVERTISING, CONSENSUS, AND AGING IN MULTILAYER SZNAJD MODEL

In the Sznajd consensus model on the square lattice, two people who agree in their opinions convince their neighbors of this opinion. We generalize it to many layers representing many age levels, and check if a consensus among all layers is possible. Advertising sometimes, but not always, produces a consensus on the advertised opinion.
How did the domestication of Fertile Crescent grain crops increase their yields?

Summary The origins of agriculture, 10 000 years ago, led to profound changes in the biology of plants exploited as grain crops, through the process of domestication. This special case of evolution under cultivation led to domesticated cereals and pulses requiring humans for their dispersal, but the accompanying mechanisms causing higher productivity in these plants remain unknown. The classical view of crop domestication is narrow, focusing on reproductive and seed traits including the dispersal, dormancy and size of seeds, without considering whole‐plant characteristics. However, the effects of initial domestication events can be inferred from consistent differences between traditional landraces and their wild progenitors. We studied how domestication increased the yields of Fertile Crescent cereals and pulses using a greenhouse experiment to compare landraces with wild progenitors. We grew eight crops: barley, einkorn and emmer wheat, oat, rye, chickpea, lentil and pea. In each case, comparison of multiple landraces with their wild progenitors enabled us to quantify the effects of domestication rather than subsequent crop diversification. To reveal the mechanisms underpinning domestication‐linked yield increases, we measured traits beyond those classically associated with domestication, including the rate and duration of growth, reproductive allocation, plant size and also seed mass and number. Cereal and pulse crops had on average 50% higher yields than their wild progenitors, resulting from a 40% greater final plant size, 90% greater individual seed mass and 38% less chaff or pod material, although this varied between species. Cereal crops also had a higher seed number per spike compared with their wild ancestors. However, there were no differences in growth rate, total seed number, proportion of reproductive biomass or the duration of growth. The domestication of Fertile Crescent crops resulted in larger seed size leading to a larger plant size, and also a reduction in chaff, with no decrease in seed number per individual, which proved a powerful package of traits for increasing yield. We propose that the important steps in the domestication process should be reconsidered, and the domestication syndrome broadened to include a wider range of traits.
Performance Evaluation Of Selected Principal Component Analysis-Based Techniques For Face Image Recognition

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is an eigen-based technique popularly employed in redundancy removal and feature extraction for face image recognition. In this study, performance evaluation of three selected PCA-based techniques was conducted for face recognition. Principal Component Analysis, Binary Principal Component Analysis (BPCA), and Principal Component Analysis - Artificial Neural Network (PCA-ANN) were selected for performance evaluation. A database of 400, 50x50 pixels images consisting of 100 different individuals, each individual having 4 images with different facial expressions was created. Three hundred images were used for training while 100 images were used for testing the three face recognition systems. The systems were subjected to three selected eigenvectors: 75, 150 and 300 to determine the effect of the size of eigenvectors on the recognition rate of the systems. The performances of the techniques were evaluated based on recognition rate and total recognition time.The performance evaluation of the three PCA-based systems showed that PCA - ANN technique gave the best recognition rate of 94% with a trade-off in recognition time. Also, the recognition rates of PCA and B-PCA increased with decreasing number of eigenvectors but PCA-ANN recognition rate was negligible.
Issues in the World Trade Organization

What role does the World Trade Organization play in efforts to safeguard the environment? What role should it play? Environmental groups and green-leaning governments have come to view the WTO, with its large membership and its relative success in achieving a rules-based international regime, as the prime candidate for international arbiter on environmental issues. However, many proponents of expanded global trade, and especially policy makers in developing countries, are skeptical about an expanded role for the WTO in maintaining environmental standards. They fear that WTO-approved trade sanctions may be used to enforce adherence to environmental norms not necessarily shared by or appropriate for all nations, and that environmental protection may in practice translate into a fresh justification for old-fashioned protectionism. Although the word "environment" itself appears nowhere in the original articles of the General Agreement on Tariffs on Trade, Article XX allows broad exceptions for environmental policies that would otherwise constitute violations of GATT principles: [N]othing in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent the adoption or enforcement by any contracting party of measures.necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health. [or]. relating to the conservation of exhaustible natural resources. But Article XX also specifies that application of such measures must not constitute "a means of arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination between countries where the same
Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 Supports Neuronal Survival through Phosphorylation of Bcl-2

Accumulating evidence indicates that deregulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) activity is associated with apoptosis in various neurodegenerative disease models. Interestingly, recent studies suggest that Cdk5 may also favor neuronal survival. Nonetheless, whether Cdk5 is directly required for neuronal survival during development remains enigmatic. In the current study, we established the pivotal role of Cdk5 in neuronal survival during development by demonstrating that reduction or absence of Cdk5 activity markedly exacerbated neuronal death in cultures and in vivo. Interestingly, the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 (B-cell lymphoma protein 2) was identified as a novel substrate of Cdk5. We found that Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of Bcl-2 at Ser70 was required for the neuroprotective effect of Bcl-2. Intriguingly, inhibition of this phosphorylation conferred proapoptotic property to Bcl-2. Furthermore, overexpression of a Bcl-2 mutant lacking the Cdk5 phosphorylation site abolished the protective effect of Cdk5 re-expression in Cdk5 −/− neurons, suggesting that Ser70 phosphorylation of Bcl-2 contributed to Cdk5-mediated neuronal survival. Our observations revealed that Cdk5-mediated Bcl-2 phosphorylation is pivotal for the antiapoptotic effect of Bcl-2 and contributes to the maintenance of neuronal survival by Cdk5. Our study has also identified Cdk5 as a regulator of Bcl-2 function in neuronal apoptosis.
Lyric-based Song Emotion Detection with Affective Lexicon and Fuzzy Clustering Method

A method is proposed for detecting the emotions of Chinese song lyrics based on an affective lexicon. The lexicon is composed of words translated from ANEW and words selected by other means. For each lyric sentence, emotion units, each based on an emotion word in the lexicon, are found out, and the influences of modifiers and tenses on emotion units are taken into consideration. The emotion of a sentence is calculated from its emotion units. To figure out the prominent emotions of a lyric, a fuzzy clustering method is used to group the lyric’s sentences according to their emotions. The emotion of a cluster is worked out from that of its sentences considering the individual weight of each sentence. Clusters are weighted according to the weights and confidences of their sentences and singing speeds of sentences are considered as the adjustment of the weights of clusters. Finally, the emotion of the cluster with the highest weight is selected from the prominent emotions as the main emotion of the lyric. The performance of our approach is evaluated through an experiment of emotion classification of 500 Chinese song lyrics.
Modelling and Simulation of Stochastic Volatility in Finance

Acknowledgement: The present dissertation bases on a cooperation of the University of Wuppertal and the Product Developement Group of ABN Amro London. Hence foremost and special thanks goes to my supervisors Prof. Dr. Michael Günther and Dr. Peter Jäckel for the intensive and successful collaboration. Peter Jäckel's professional capacity and unfatiguing commitment are the foundations of these research results. Both this thesis as well as my personal progress have strongly benefited from his impact. Thank you very much Peter. I further like to address my thanks to the " Product Developement Group " of ABN Amro London under the former direction of Dr. Bernd von Linder and now Dr. Andrew Greaves. Though it is difficult to highlight some members of this team I would like to thank in particular those, who significantly contributed to my working life in London. Dr. Ioannis Chryssochoos helped me to overcome my initial difficulties with C++ and Microsoft Visual Studio and was always available to answer my questions. Moreover it was a great pleasure to discuss mathematical problems with Dr. Andrew Betteridge and Dr. Mark Ryten and furthermore I want to thank all those who I did not mentioned explicitely. Michael Günther has my sincere thanks for supervising this cooperation project with ABN Amro London. I want to thank him particularly for the confidence he put in me and the freedom he gave me to choose my research focus. Michael provided me with an optimal research environment in Wuppertal and it was a pleasure to work with him. Thanks also goes to the working group " Applied Mathematics/Numerical Analysis " for the enjoyable working enviroment. I particularly thank Dr. Andreas Bartel and Cathrin van Em-merich for all the intensive and helpful discussions. Dr. Roland Pulch always found the time to answer my questions. I do not want to leave unmentioned the other current and former mem-iii bers of this working group. Thank you, Last but not least I want to thank my family for all the support and to inspire the enthusiasm for mathematics and science in me. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to study mathematics!
RF-LDMOS: a device technology for high power RF infrastructure applications

RF-LDMOS is the dominant device technology used in high power wireless infrastructure applications for frequencies ranging from less than 900MHz to 2.7GHz. Its strong market leadership position is a direct result of the technology's delivery of superior performance (gain, efficiency, linearity) at low cost while remaining compatible with high supply voltages. This paper will review recent RF-LDMOS development at Freescale, focusing upon performance in the 2.1 GHz band. Opportunities for future device development will also be presented.
A Case Against Zero Capital-Income Taxation

This paper develops a dynamic general equilibrium model to investigate the optimal level of capital income taxation in light of stochastic endogenous economic growth. Although endogenous human capital is incorporated into our model, we restrict our investigation to the issue of optimal physical capital income tax; and the labor supply is also endogenously determined. This paper proves that the optimal capital income tax should be zero provided exogenous government expenditure on production; however, capital income should be taxed if we consider endogenous government consumption.
Predicting Electrical Cardioversion outcome from surface ECG recordings through Wavelet Sample Entropy

Electrical Cardioversion (ECV) is the most effective alternative to revert persistent atrial fibrillation (PAF) back to normal sinus rhythm (NSR). It would be clinically useful to predict NSR maintenance likelihood after ECV before it is attempted because of the high atrial fibrillation (AF) risk of recurrence and because of the potential secondary effects of ECV. In previous studies, other parameters have been deeply analyzed, but their results were very different and, consequently, inconclusive. Thereby, this work presents a new non-invasive predictor of ECV outcome before it is attempted. This method is based on the suitable combination of the Wavelet Transform (WT) and sample entropy (SampEn), which is a non-linear regularity index, and is called Wavelet Sample Entropy (WSE). Results indicated that 17 out of 21 (80.95%) ECVs relapsing to AF and 12 out of 14 (85.71%) ECVs resulting in NSR after the first month were correctly discriminated. The recordings that relapsed to AF presented higher SampEn values (0.0320 plusmn 0.0053) than the recordings in NSR (0.0271 plusmn 0.0045). In addition, the five patients in which NSR was not restored in any case, presented the highest SampEn values (0.0350 plusmn 0.0028).