Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Centre De Referència En Economia Analítica Barcelona Economics Working Paper Series Working Paper Nº 62 24 Barcelona Economics Wp Nº 62

Bertrand competition under decreasing returns involves a wide interval of pure strategy equilibrium prices. We first present results of experiments in which two, three and four identical firms repeatedly interact in this environment. Less collusion with more firms leads to lower average prices. With more than two firms, the predominant market price is 24, a price not predicted by conventional equilibrium theories. This phenomenon can be captured by a simple imitation model and by a focal point explanation. For the long run, the model predicts that prices converge to the Walrasian outcome. We then use data from three new treatments to properly test the imitation model against the focal point notion.
Forests of the Past: A Window to Future Changes

The study of past forest change provides a necessary historical context for evaluating the outcome of human-induced climate change and biological invasions. Retrospective analyses based on fossil and genetic data greatly advance our understanding of tree colonization, adaptation, and extinction in response to past climatic change. For instance, these analyses reveal cryptic refugia near or north of continental ice sheets, leading to reevaluation of postglacial tree migration rates. Species extinctions appear to have occurred primarily during periods of high climatic variability. Transoceanic dispersal and colonization in the tropics were widespread at geological time scales, inconsistent with the idea that tropical forests are particularly resistant to biological invasions.
Basic taste processing recruits bilateral anteroventral and middle dorsal insulae: An activation likelihood estimation meta‐analysis of fMRI studies

Numerous task‐based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have reported the locations of basic taste representations in the human brain, but they usually employed a limited number of subjects (<20) with different methodologies and stimuli. Moreover, the reported brain regions were sometimes inconsistent. Thus, we aimed at performing a meta‐analysis of the published data to identify locations consistently activated across studies, and performed a connectivity analysis to reveal how these taste processing regions connect with other brain regions.
Compact CPW-to Microstrip transition design for MMIC packaging

In MMIC circuit design, the transitions and interconnects are essential components for integration and packaging [1-3]. However, the conventional distributed type transition circuits will result in great loss owing to their huge size, most especially in medium and low frequency band. In this paper, a new CPW-to-microstrip transition design based on lumped element circuits is proposed. The optimized design can achieve a return loss of less than 10 dB from 3 to 14 GHz and insertion loss of less than ldB from 3 to 14 GHz.
The challenges of neural mind-reading paradigms

Neural mind-reading studies, based on multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) methods, are providing exciting new studies. Some of the results obtained with these paradigms have raised high expectations, such as the possibility of creating brain reading devices. However, such hopes are based on the assumptions that: (a) the BOLD signal is a marker of neural activity; (b) the BOLD pattern identified by a MVPA is a neurally sound pattern; (c) the MVPA's feature space is a good mapping of the neural representation of a stimulus, and (d) the pattern identified by a MVPA corresponds to a representation. I examine here the challenges that still have to be met before fully accepting such assumptions.
Satellite Data Simulator Unit: A Multisensor, Multispectral Satellite Simulator Package

AmerIcAN meTeOrOLOGIcAL SOcIeTY | 1625 AffiliAtions: Masunaga—Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan; Matsui, tao, Hou, and olson—NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland; KuMMerow—Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado; te. naKajiMa—Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan; Bauer—European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, United Kingdom; seKigucHi—Faculty of Marine Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo, Japan; ta. Y. naKajiMa— Research and Information Center, Tokai University, Tokyo, Japan Corresponding Author: Hirohiko Masunaga, Hydrospheric Atmospheric Research Center, Nagoya University, F3-1(200) Furocho Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan E-mail: masunaga@hyarc.nagoya-u.ac. jp
Monitoring Insulin Aggregation via Capillary Electrophoresis

Early stages of insulin aggregation, which involve the transient formation of oligomeric aggregates, are an important aspect in the progression of Type II diabetes and in the quality control of pharmaceutical insulin production. This study is the first to utilize capillary electrophoresis (CE) with ultraviolet (UV) detection to monitor insulin oligomer formation at pH 8.0 and physiological ionic strength. The lag time to formation of the first detected species in the aggregation process was evaluated by UV-CE and thioflavin T (ThT) binding for salt concentrations from 100 mM to 250 mM. UV-CE had a significantly shorter (5–8 h) lag time than ThT binding (15–19 h). In addition, the lag time to detection of the first aggregated species via UV-CE was unaffected by salt concentration, while a trend toward an increased lag time with increased salt concentration was observed with ThT binding. This result indicates that solution ionic strength impacts early stages of aggregation and β-sheet aggregate formation differently. To observe whether CE may be applied for the analysis of biological samples containing low insulin concentrations, the limit of detection using UV and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection modes was determined. The limit of detection using LIF-CE, 48.4 pM, was lower than the physiological insulin concentration, verifying the utility of this technique for monitoring biological samples. LIF-CE was subsequently used to analyze the time course for fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled insulin oligomer formation. This study is the first to report that the FITC label prevented incorporation of insulin into oligomers, cautioning against the use of this fluorescent label as a tag for following early stages of insulin aggregation.
Transcriptome Wide Identification and Validation of Calcium Sensor Gene Family in the Developing Spikes of Finger Millet Genotypes for Elucidating Its Role in Grain Calcium Accumulation

Background In finger millet, calcium is one of the important and abundant mineral elements. The molecular mechanisms involved in calcium accumulation in plants remains poorly understood. Transcriptome sequencing of genetically diverse genotypes of finger millet differing in grain calcium content will help in understanding the trait. Principal Finding In this study, the transcriptome sequencing of spike tissues of two genotypes of finger millet differing in their grain calcium content, were performed for the first time. Out of 109,218 contigs, 78 contigs in case of GP-1 (Low Ca genotype) and out of 120,130 contigs 76 contigs in case of GP-45 (High Ca genotype), were identified as calcium sensor genes. Through in silico analysis all 82 unique calcium sensor genes were classified into eight calcium sensor gene family viz., CaM & CaMLs, CBLs, CIPKs, CRKs, PEPRKs, CDPKs, CaMKs and CCaMK. Out of 82 genes, 12 were found diverse from the rice orthologs. The differential expression analysis on the basis of FPKM value resulted in 24 genes highly expressed in GP-45 and 11 genes highly expressed in GP-1. Ten of the 35 differentially expressed genes could be assigned to three documented pathways involved mainly in stress responses. Furthermore, validation of selected calcium sensor responder genes was also performed by qPCR, in developing spikes of both genotypes grown on different concentration of exogenous calcium. Conclusion Through de novo transcriptome data assembly and analysis, we reported the comprehensive identification and functional characterization of calcium sensor gene family. The calcium sensor gene family identified and characterized in this study will facilitate in understanding the molecular basis of calcium accumulation and development of calcium biofortified crops. Moreover, this study also supported that identification and characterization of gene family through Illumina paired-end sequencing is a potential tool for generating the genomic information of gene family in non-model species.
Changes of EEG Correlation Dimensions in Epilepsy after Biofeedback Training

This paper presented the influence of biofeedback training on EEG correlation dimensions in treatment of epilepsy.21 patients with intractable epilepsy were trained to increase sensorimotor rhythm(SMR,12～15 Hz) and decrease theta(4～8 Hz) activity.After a number of biofeedback training sessions,the seizure symptoms of some patients were significantly relieved,among which 6 patients participated in EEG signal recording.The correlation dimensions over their 16-channel EEG recordings all increased with different degrees.Larger increases mainly occurred in channels located in forebrain areas near the training position(C4). It was revealed that biofeedback training could increase the degree of random electrical activity of the cortical neuron population,so that the symptoms of epilepsy were improved and seizures were alleviated.The correlation dimension criterion could indicate the change of brain state in evaluating the effect of EEG biofeedback.
Cell organelle classification with fully convolutional neural networks

The Cell Atlas provides high-resolution immunofluorescence microscopy data for localization of thousands of human proteins to 13 major organelles of the cell. In this study, we use fully convolutional neural networks to automatically detect which organelles the protein markers are bound to. Our method can detect most common organelles in the data with high accuracy, and also gives promising results when detecting rare and more challenging phenotypes. The outputs of the classifier are confidence maps, enabling simultaneous interpretation of the output class and spatial locations of cells in the images with fluorescence signal. The current study describes our fully convolutional network approach for phenotype classification, and our future work will extend to analyzing the data from more biological point of view.
Reasoning about Java classes: preliminary report

We present the first results of a project called LOOP, on formal methods for the object-oriented language Java. It aims at verification of program properties, with support of modern tools. We use our own front-end tool (which is still partly under construction) for translating Java classes into higher order logic, and a back-end theorem prover (namely PVS, developed at SRI) for reasoning. In several examples we demonstrate how non-trivial properties of Java programs and classes can be proven following this two-step approach.
Heavy obscuration in X-ray weak AGNs

We present observations in the 0.1-100 keV spectral band of 8 Seyfert 2 galaxies, obtained by means of BeppoSAX. These sources were selected according to their [OIII] optical emission line flux, to avoid biases against obscuration on the pc scale. All sources were detected. All of them are weak X-ray emitters, and most of them are characterized by prominent iron lines at 6.4-7 keV (EW > 500 eV) and by a flat continuum, indicative of heavy obscuration along our line of sight (N_H > 10^25 cm^-2 in most cases). These results 1) provide further evidence in favor of the unified scenario, and 2) indicate that the average obscuration of type 2 AGNs is very likely much higher than deduced by former X-ray surveys. These findings have important implications for the synthesis of the X-ray background.
Extracting subcategorisation information from Maurice Gross' grammar lexicon

Maurice Gross' grammar lexicon contains rich and exhaustive information about the morphosyntactic and semantic properties of French syntactic functors (verbs, adjectives, nouns). Yet its use within natural language processing systems is hampered both by its non standard encoding and by a structure that is partly implicit and partly underspecified. In this paper, we present a method for translating this information into a format more amenable for use by NLP systems, we discuss the results obtained so far, we compare our approach with related work and we identify the possible further uses that can be made of the reformatted information.
The CT-Element of The C-Myc Gene Does Not Predispose to Chromosomal Breakpoints in Burkitt'S Lymphoma

Background: Chromosomal translocations are causally related to the development of many tumors. In Burkitt's lymphoma, abnormalities involving the c-myc gene are essential. The CT-element of the c-myc promoter adopts non-B-conformation in vivo and in vitro, and therefore provides a potential fragile site. Methods: We have developed a LM-PCR-based approach to test if chromosomal breakpoints indeed cluster in this region. Results: Amplifying both, wild-type as well as the translocated c-myc gene by LM-PCR, it was shown that chromosomal breakpoints did not cluster within the CT-element. Conclusions: Therefore, the CT-element is not especially susceptible to the formation of breakpoints leading to chromosomal translocations in Burkitt's lymphoma.
Using OxRRAM memories for improving communications of reconfigurable FPGA architectures

New memories, such as non-volatile resistive memories present bright prospect in catering to the ever-growing memory needs. In this paper, we investigate the usage of Oxide Resistive Random Access Memory (OxRRAM) to improve the communication switchboxes of Field-Programmable-Gate-Arrays (FPGAs). We prove the interest of using unipolar OxRRAM in such devices thanks to a complete methodology, starting from compact model based on self-consistent physical model up to architectural evaluation using typical FPGA benchmarks. Besides, the architectural gains in terms of area by 1.4x and write time by 17.4x in comparison with phase-change memories (PCM). An improvement in area by 4.82x and write time by 285.7x for conventional Flash technology as well as a reduction in overall delay by 49.3% due to the reduced on-resistance and smaller size are reported.
Strategic Choice of Preferences: the Persona Model

Recent work in several fields has established that humans can adopt binding “behavioral” preferences and convincingly signal those preferences to other humans, either via their behavior or via their body language / tone of voice. In this paper, we model the strategic implications of this ability. Our thesis is that through a person's lifetime they (perhaps subconsciously) learn what such signaled, binding behavioral preferences result in the highest value of their actual preferences, given the resultant behavior of other players. We argue that this “persona” model may explain why many interpersonal preferences have the particular form they do. As an illustration, we use the persona model to explain cooperation in non-repeated versions of the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD). We also provide quantitative predictions to distinguish this explanation of cooperation from simply assuming people have actual preferences biased towards cooperation. In particular, we show that the persona model predicts a “crowding out” phenomenon in the PD, in which introducing incentives to cooperate causes players to stop cooperating instead. We also use the persona model to predict a tradeoff between the robustness of cooperation in the PD and the benefit of that cooperation.
Winding Number Constrained Contour Detection

Salient contour detection can benefit from the integration of both contour cues and region cues. However, this task is difficult due to different nature of region representations and contour representations. To solve this problem, this paper proposes an energy minimization framework based on winding number constraints. In this framework, both region cues, such as color/texture homogeneity, and contour cues, such as local contrast and continuity, are represented in a joint objective function, which has both region and contour labels. The key problem is how to design constraints that ensure the topological consistency of the two kinds of labels. Our technique is based on the topological concept of winding number. Using a fast method for winding number computation, a small number of linear constraints are derived to ensure label consistency. Our method is instantiated by ratio-based energy functions. By successfully integrating both region and contour cues, our method shows advantages over competitive methods. Our method is extended to incorporate user interaction, which leads to further improvements.
Functional analysis of DNA sequences required for conidium-specific expression of the SpoC1-C1C gene of Aspergillus nidulans.

The SpoC1-C1C gene is centrally located within the A. nidulans conidium-specific SpoC1 gene cluster. With one exception, the 14 genes within the cluster are coordinately regulated. C1C transcript is first detected late in conidiation, coincidental with the appearance of mature conidia, and accumulates approximately 1000-fold in conidia. We show that C1C expression is restricted to conidia, with mRNA abundance decreasing immediately after induction of germination. C1C transcription and translation are not temporally separated and, similar to C1C RNA abundance, a C1C::beta-galactosidase fusion protein is first detected with the appearance of mature conidia and decreases after induction of germination. Cell-specific C1C expression requires both a position-dependent mechanism of regulation, responsible for repression in hyphae, and a position-independent mechanism of regulation, responsible for developmental expression. We show by functional analysis of upstream DNA sequences that a 10-bp sequence and two adjacent 6-bp direct repeats are necessary for position-independent, condium-specific expression of both the intact C1C gene and the reporter gene. At least one repeat (CAACAT) is required for normal levels of expression. We find that the C1C gene is not a direct target of the BrlAp and AbaAp developmental regulators, but of a yet unidentified conidium-specific transcriptional activator.
Institutional Theory and the Natural Environment: Research in (and on) the Anthropocene

This review article summarizes the main tenets of institutional theory as they apply to the topic of the Anthropocene in the domain of organization and the natural environment. But our review is distinctive for two reasons: First, it is focused on providing avenues researching the Anthropocene Era. Second, while based on the trajectory of current, accumulated theory and research, our review is forward-looking in its orientation and thus aimed at guiding future work to explore the emergence of a new social reality in Anthropocene Society. We begin by summarizing the scientific research on the Anthropocene Era, then move to its implications for grand and midrange institutional theory principles, and of institutional principles for the study of it. We end with a call to reenergize and reradicalize the organization and the natural environment field to properly address the magnitude and scope of this shift to the Anthropocene.
Hybrid Model of Emotions Inference - An Approach based on Fusion of Physical and Cognitive Informations

Adapting to users’ affective state is a key feature for building a new generation of more user-friendly, engaging and interactive software. In the educational context this feature is especially important considering the intrinsic relationship between emotions and learning. So, this paper presents as its main contribution the proposal of a hybrid model of learning related emotion inference. The model combines physical and cognitive elements involved in the process of generation and control of emotions. In this model, the facial expressions are used to identify students’ physical emotional reactions, while events occurring in the software interface provide information for the cognitive component. Initial results obtained with the model execution demonstrate the feasibility of this proposal and also indicate some promising results. In a first experiment with eight students an overall emotion inference accuracy rate of 60% was achieved while students used a game based educational software. Furthermore, using the model’s inferences it was possible to build a pattern of students’ learning related affective states. This pattern should be used to guide automatic tutorial intervention or application of specific pedagogical techniques to soften negative learning states like frustration or boredom, trying to keep the student engaged on the activity.
Exploring coping strategies and mental health support systems among female youth in the Northwest Territories using body mapping

ABSTRACT The mental health of young women in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, is a critical public health concern; however, there is a dearth of research that examines how this population manages mental health challenges. This study explores the self-identified strategies that female youth in the NWT use to cope with mental health issues. The arts-based qualitative method of body mapping and a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach grounded in social ecological theory was used to collect data during in-depth semi-structured interviews. Forty-one participants (aged 13–17 years) attended FOXY body mapping workshops in six NWT communities in 2013 then completed interviews regarding the content of their body maps. Thematic analysis was used to identify five themes related to coping strategies: grounding via nature, strength through Indigenous cultures, connection with God and Christian beliefs, expression using the arts, and relationships with social supports. These results can be used to develop culturally relevant, strengths-based, trauma informed interventions that improve coping and resiliency among Northern youth.
A novel buck-boost DC-DC converter using close-coupled inductors

A new step-up-down DC-DC converter architecture is proposed, which utilises the close inversely-coupled inductors topology in both its conversion stages (bucking and boosting stages). The new converter aims to reduce the switching noise by reducing the back e.m. f induced in the main inductor by maintaining a continuous current through it and delivered to the load. This results in an increase in a conversion efficiency for this kind of converter dealing with wide range of supply voltages and serves a wide variety of applications. Circuit configuration, principles of operation, transfer function, simulated results and the experimental results are presented. The proposed concept is verified by the experimental results of a range of cases studies.