Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Implications of Remittances on The Economic Growth of Nepal

Migration and remittances are two themes that have received much attention among the policymakers in recent years in Nepal. The pressing need to understand the implication of this inflow of remittances on economic growth has become critical. Yet the existing literature produces inconclusive results. While some research reveals a favorable benefit, others show a negative implication on economic growth, creating the situation of policy uncertainty. This paper seeks to address this ambiguity by providing the fresh result into the implication of remittance from international migration on economic growth of Nepal. To examine this relationship, an ARDL model is employed for the yearly time series data of Nepal for the last 43 years. The analysis reveals co integration among remittances, GDP, total consumption, and capital formation of private sector. The findings reveal a positive impact of remittances on the short-run economy, indicating an immediate boost to economic growth. However, in the long run, as the influence of remittances exhibits a negative trend. It could lead to an 11% decrease in real GDP of Nepal in the long run if there is an increase in remittances by 10 percent. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering updated empirical evidence on the relationship between remittances and economic growth in Nepal.
An omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrate administered for one year decreased triglycerides in simvastatin treated patients with coronary heart disease and persisting hypertriglyceridaemia

BACKGROUND Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those present in fish oil, have been reported to prolong life in myocardial infarction survivors. These fatty acids can decrease serum triglyceride concentrations, but so far the doses used in trials examining their effects on coronary end points have had only minimal triglyceride lowering effects. OBJECTIVE To examine the triglyceride lowering effectiveness, safety, and tolerability of Omacor, a concentrate of omega-3, long chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish oil (84% of the total as opposed to an average of 35% in fish oil) over one year in patients with established coronary heart disease (CHD) and persisting hypertriglyceridaemia, despite receiving simvastatin in doses similar to those employed in the Scandinavian simvastatin survival study. SUBJECTS AND METHODS 59 patients with CHD, receiving simvastatin 10–40 mg daily with serum triglycerides > 2.3 mmol/l, were randomised to receive Omacor 2 g twice a day or placebo for 24 weeks in a double blind trial. Forty six patients accepted the offer of active treatment for a further 24 weeks in an open phase of the trial. RESULTS There was a sustained significant decrease in serum triglycerides by 20–30% (p < 0.005) and in very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol by 30–40% (p < 0.005) in patients receiving active Omacor at three, six, and 12 months compared either to baseline or placebo. Omacor did not have any deleterious effect on low density or high density lipoprotein cholesterol or on biochemical and haematological safety tests. There was no adverse effect on glycaemic control in patients with diabetes, who showed a decrease in serum triglyceride, which was at least as great as in non-diabetic patients. One patient receiving placebo died of acute myocardial infarction. Three patients withdrew from the trial (two on placebo and one on active treatment). Omacor was generally well tolerated. CONCLUSION Omacor was found to be a safe and effective means of lowering serum triglycerides over one year in patients with CHD and combined hyperlipidaemia, whose triglycerides remained elevated despite simvastatin treatment.
Regulation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase by Cannabinoids in Hippocampus

Endocannabinoids form a novel class of intercellular messengers, the functions of which include retrograde signaling in the brain and mediation or modulation of several types of synaptic plasticity. Yet, the signaling mechanisms and long-term effects of the stimulation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors (CB1-R) are poorly understood. We show that anandamide, 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol, and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in hippocampal slices. In living mice, THC activated ERK in hippocampal neurons and induced its accumulation in the nuclei of pyramidal cells in CA1 and CA3. Both effects were attributable to stimulation of CB1-R and activation of MAP kinase/ERK kinase (MEK). In hippocampal slices, the stimulation of ERK was independent of phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase but was regulated by cAMP. The endocannabinoid-induced stimulation of ERK was lost in Fyn knock-out mice, in slices and in vivo, although it was insensitive to inhibitors of Src-family tyrosine kinases in vitro, suggesting a noncatalytic role of Fyn. Finally, the effects of cannabinoids on ERK activation were dependent on the activity of glutamate NMDA receptors in vivo, but not in hippocampal slices, indicating the existence of several pathways linking CB1-R to the ERK cascade. In vivo THC induced the expression of immediate-early genes products (c-Fos protein, Zif268, and BDNF mRNAs), and this induction was prevented by an inhibitor of MEK. The strong potential of cannabinoids for inducing long-term alterations in hippocampal neurons through the activation of the ERK pathway may be important for the physiological control of synaptic plasticity and for the general effects of THC in the context of drug abuse.
Phosphoinositide signaling and turnover: PtdIns(3)P, a regulator of membrane traffic, is transported to the vacuole and degraded by a process that requires lumenal vacuolar hydrolase activities

The Golgi/endosome‐associated Vps34 phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase is essential for the sorting of hydrolases from the Golgi to the vacuole/lysosome. Upon inactivation of a temperature‐conditional Vps34 kinase, cellular levels of PtdIns(3)P rapidly decrease and it has been proposed that this decrease is due to the continued turnover of PtdIns(3)P by cytoplasmic phosphatases. Here we show that mutations in VAM3 (vacuolar t‐SNARE) and YPT7 (rab GTPase), which are required to direct protein and membrane delivery from prevacuolar endosomal compartments to the vacuole, dramatically increase/stabilize PtdIns(3)P levels in vivo by disrupting its turnover. We find that the majority of the total pool of PtdIns(3)P which has been synthesized, but not PtdIns(4)P, requires transport to the vacuole in order to be turned over. Unexpectedly, strains with impaired vacuolar hydrolase activity accumulate 4‐ to 5‐fold higher PtdIns(3)P levels than wild‐type cells, suggesting that lumenal vacuolar lipase and/or phosphatase activities degrade PtdIns(3)P. Because vacuolar hydrolases act in the lumen, PtdIns(3)P is likely to be transferred from the cytoplasmic membrane leaflet where it is synthesized, to the lumen of the vacuole. Interestingly, mutants that stabilize PtdIns(3)P accumulate small uniformly‐sized vesicles (40–50 nm) within prevacuolar endosomes (multivesicular bodies) or the vacuole lumen. Based on these and other observations, we propose that PtdIns(3)P is degraded by an unexpected mechanism which involves the sorting of PtdIns(3)P into vesicles generated by invagination of the limiting membrane of the endosome or vacuole, ultimately delivering the phosphoinositide into the lumen of the compartment where it can be degraded by the resident hydrolases.
Chronic Knockdown of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract AT1 Receptors Increases Blood Inflammatory-Endothelial Progenitor Cell Ratio and Exacerbates Hypertension in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

AT1 receptor subtype a (AT1Ra) expression is increased in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) compared with Wistar Kyoto controls. However, the chronic role of AT1Ra in the NTS for cardiovascular control is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that the NTS AT1Ra is involved in the neural regulation of the peripheral inflammatory status and linked with hypertension. Transduction of brain neuronal cultures with recombinant adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2)-AT1R-small hairpin RNA (shRNA) resulted in a 72% decrease in AT1Ra mRNA and attenuated angiotensin II–induced increase in extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation and neuronal firing. Specific NTS microinjection of AAV2-AT1R-shRNA vector in the SHR resulted in a ≈30 mm Hg increase in the mean arterial pressure compared with control vector–injected animals (Sc-shRNA: 154±4 mm Hg; AT1R-shRNA: 183±10 mm Hg) and induced a resetting of the baroreflex control of heart rate to higher mean arterial pressure. In addition, AAV2-AT1R-shRNA–treated SHRs exhibited a 74% decrease in circulating endothelial progenitor cells (CD90+, CD4−/CD5−/CD8−) and a 300% increase in the circulating inflammatory cells, including CD4+ +CD8+, CD45+/3+ T lymphocytes, and macrophages (CD68+). As a result, the endothelial progenitor cell/inflammatory cells ratio was decreased by 8- to 15-fold in the AT1R-shRNA–treated SHR. However, identical injection of AAV2-AT1R-shRNA into the NTS of Wistar Kyoto rats had no effect on mean arterial pressure and inflammatory cells. These observations suggest that increased expression of the AT1Ra in SHR NTS may present a counterhypertensive mechanism involving inflammatory/angiogenic cells.
Quantitative inter-relationships between aflatoxin B1 carcinogen dose, indole-3-carbinol anti-carcinogen dose, target organ DNA adduction and final tumor response.

A number of recent studies have described inhibitor-mediated reductions in the covalent DNA binding and tumorigenicity of various carcinogens, in species such as rats, mice and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Since inhibitory effects have, in most cases, been reported after testing at one carcinogen and one inhibitor level only, the detailed relationships between carcinogen dose, inhibitor dose, in vivo DNA binding and final tumor response are not well understood in any species. To determine these relationships we have employed the trout model in a combined DNA binding/tumor dose-response protocol using approximately 10,000 animals. Trout were pretreated with one of five different dose-levels of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a naturally occurring anti-carcinogen found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage. After 4 weeks, animals received the same dietary level of I3C for a further 2 weeks together with [3H]aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in the dose-range 10-320 p.p.b. From tanks containing 150 animals (three tanks per I3C-AFB1 dose-point), 15 fish were selected at random in order to assess hepatic AFB1-DNA binding levels. Remaining animals were returned to control diet for determination of tumor response at 12 months. Linear increases in DNA binding occurred with dose of AFB1 at each I3C dose-level. Successive increases in I3C dose gave dose-related decreases in AFB1-DNA binding, resulting in a series of curves of decreasing slope. Shifts in DNA-binding slopes were compared quantitatively with horizontal displacements towards higher carcinogen dose in corresponding tumor dose-response curves. At I3C doses of less than or equal to 2000 p.p.m. , the inhibitor-altered tumor response was predicted precisely by changes in dose received (DNA adducts formed) in the target organ. These data constitute the first direct evidence of pure anti-initiating activity by a natural anti-carcinogen found in human diet, where all animals were treated at the same time and under identical conditions of exposure in both DNA binding and tumor studies. The data are discussed further in view of (i) their implications for DNA binding-carcinogenicity correlations and the concept of 'molecular dosimetry', and (ii) limitations in the current database on anti-carcinogenesis as regards in vivo potency information, particularly for 'ambivalent modulators' which exhibit both inhibitory and promotional activity.
OKREåLANIE PARAMETRU ZAGSZCZENIA DRZEW W DRZEWOSTANACH SOSNOWYCH NA PODSTAWIE ANALIZY CHMURY PUNKT"W NAZIEMNEGO SKANINGU LASEROWEGO* DETERMINING STEM DENSITY PARAMETER IN PINE STANDS BASED ON TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING POINT CLOUD ANALYSIS

Modern multifunctional forestry model requires accurate knowledge of the amount of wood stock, which is controlled by means of forest inventory. One of many important forest parameters is density understood as the number of trees per area unit (1ha). This paper presents a method for defining this parameter with the use of terrestrial laser scanning data (TLS), based on data from one or a couple of scans (circular plot). The analysis was performed on 5 plots located in 107 year old pine stand (Milicz Forest District), on which TLS data was collected with the use of FARO LS 880. The results are highly correlated with ground-truth data from forest inventory. Increasing the radius of the analysis outside the borders of study plot leads to lowering of the density parameter, which is mainly caused by the shadowing effect. The maximum measurement distance of the FARO scanner is equal to 76m but stems and understory are limiting this value. Over 20m (r=19,54m; 1200m2) the errors of the TLS method exceed 5%. Further work of the authors is directed at selecting statistically representative TLS plots based on Airborne Laser Scanning. dr in¿. Piotr Wê¿yk mgr in¿. Piotr Tompalski rlwezyk@cyf-kr.edu. pl piotr.tompalski@ur.krakow.pl geo.ur.krakow.pl
An informed separation algorithm based on sound field mapping for speech recognition systems

This paper considers the problem of separation of speech sources from signals captured by a microphone array, and its impact on speech recognition systems. The proposed method improves the novel separation procedure based on processing of sound field maps in the ray space by incorporating the estimates of signal spectral envelopes into the design of the separation filter. In particular, we resort to a two-stage algorithm in which the assumptions regarding the signal spectral densities made in the first stage are replaced by their parametric estimates in the second stage. The performance gain is evaluated in real experiments and the impact on speech recognition accuracy is examined using several commercial cloud-based speech recognition APIs.
Predictors of Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco Use in College Students: A Preliminary Study Using Web-Based Survey Methodology

Cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco (SLT) use are associated with numerous health hazards and economic costs, and rates of tobacco use have recently increased among young adults. In this study, the authors compared predictors of smoking and SLT use among college students (N = 21,410) from 13 Texas universities using a Web-based survey. Results revealed that sex, belonging to a fraternity or sorority, participation in intercollegiate sports, peer influences, and ethnicity predicted smoking and SLT use. Although common factors predicted both lifetime and current smoking and SLT use, patterns of prediction differed across dependent variables. The authors discuss implications for developing tobacco prevention programs targeting specific risk factors salient to the young adult population.
A combined studio production system for 3-D capturing of live action and immersive actor feedback

A new studio system for the production of three-dimensional (3-D) content is introduced. The system combines the ability to capture dynamic scenes, based on a multicamera system in a chroma-key environment, with a view-dependent projection for actor feedback. The system allows the generation and rendering of 3-D models in preview quality for on-set visualization in real time and in high quality for postproduction applications in an offline phase. The shape reconstruction is based on the computation of the visual hull. The view-dependent projection component allows actors to be immersed into a virtual scene and to interact with virtual components. The functional modules of the system were implemented in a highly distributed system using standard, inexpensive IT components. Therefore, the system is quite scalable and can be fitted into most studio environments. For the integration of the system components, a middleware architecture was developed.
Identification of an alkaline-dependent Streptomyces as Streptomyces caeruleus Baldacci and characterization of the species under controlled conditions.

The identity of the Streptomyces which produces the new crystalline antibiotic, caerulomycin, was determined. The distinctive characteristics of the culture are: produces a blue-to-red indicator pigment; requires a neutral or alkaline reaction for growth; bears oblong to cylindrical spores in straight and flexuous chains; is not chromogenic on peptone media but produces hydrogen sulphide on iron-peptone agar; and does not grow on unbuffered potato or carrot plugs, Difco litmus milk, ASA agar, or Pridham and Gottlieb's synthetic agar medium. The culture readily utilizes glucose, fructose, galactose, mannitol, sucrose, xylose, starch, and maltose but does not utilize, or utilizes to a limited extent, mannose, i-inositol, adonitol, lactose, ribose, raffinose, and cellulose.A direct comparison with authentic cultures of Streptomyces coelicolor and Streptomyces caeruleus proved the unknown to be qualitatively indistinguishable only from the latter. A literature survey did not reveal other species resembling th.
Hypotonicity activates a native chloride current in Xenopus oocytes

Xenopus oocytes are frequently utilized for in vivo expression of cellular proteins, especially ion channel proteins. A thorough understanding of the endogenous conductances and their regulation is paramount for proper characterization of expressed channel proteins. Here we detail a novel chloride current (ICl.swell) responsive to hypotonicity in Xenopus oocytes using the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Reducing the extracellular osmolarity by 50% elicited a calcium-independent chloride current having an anion conductivity sequence identical with swelling-induced chloride currents observed in epithelial cells. The hypotonicity-activated current was blocked by chloride channel blockers, trivalent lanthanides, and nucleotides. G- protein, cAMP-PKA, and arachidonic acid signaling cascades were not involved in ICl.swell activation. ICl.swell is distinct from both stretch-activated nonselective cation channels and the calcium- activated chloride current in oocytes and may play a critical role in volume regulation in Xenopus oocytes.
Factors related to successful completion of a 161-km ultramarathon.

PURPOSE Despite increased 161-km ultramarathon participation in recent years, little is known about those who pursue such an activity. This study surveyed entrants in two of the largest 161-km trail ultramarathon runs in North America to explore demographic characteristics and issues that affected race performance. METHODS All entries of the 2009 Western States Endurance Run and the Vermont 100 Endurance Race were invited to complete a postrace questionnaire. RESULTS There were 500 respondents among the 701 race entries (71.3% response). Finish time was found to have a significant (P ≤ .01) negative association with training volume and was generally directly associated with body mass index. Among nonfinishers, the primary reason for dropping out was nausea and/or vomiting (23.0%). Finishers compared with nonfinishers were more likely (P ≤ .02) to report blisters (40.1% vs 17.3%), muscle pain (36.5% vs 20.1%), and exhaustion (23.1% vs 13.7%) as adversely affecting race performance, but nausea and/or vomiting was similar between groups (36.8% vs 39.6%). Nausea and/or vomiting was no more common among those using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), those participating in the event with higher ambient temperatures, those with a lower training volume, or those with less experience at finishing 161-km races. Overall use of NSAIDs was high, and greater (P = .006) among finishers (60.5%) than nonfinishers (46.4%). CONCLUSIONS From this study, we conclude that primary performance-limiting issues in 161-km ultramarathons include nausea and/or vomiting, blisters, and muscle pain, and there is a disturbingly high use of NSAIDs in these events.
Some remarks on self-tuning logical database design

Whereas self-tuning physical database design has received a lot of attention recently, self-tuning logical database design seems to be under-studied. Roughly speaking, database administrators (DBA) have to maintain on a daily basis "efficient databases", i.e. databases for which SQL queries have to perform effi- ciently for end-users, while keeping "coherent" databases, i.e. databases without update problems. Moreover, the huge number of null values occurring in practice may incur a significant overhead on his daily work, either to optimize the memory layout or to maintain (or design new) SQL queries. In order to reach a trade-off between the desire to maintain efficient databases and coherent databases, we propose a framework in which a database should be able to self-tuning its logical database schema with respect to SQL workloads and the data themselves. We discuss the main points of this framework, its feasibility and its relationships with some data mining problems.
Estimation and optimization of fully-actuated multirotor platform with nonparallel actuation mechanism

This paper presents a new numeric estimation for dynamic performance of fully-actuated UAV platforms with nonparallel actuation mechanisms. Multi-rotor UAV designs with tilted rotors can achieve fully-actuated performance (net thrust that spans the 6-DoF force-torque space) by tilting the rotors in both cant and dihedral. These orthogonal rotations have different implications on the intrinsic stability of the platform. A numeric estimation of the multi-rotor performances is proposed with an optimization approach to configure the nonparallel thrusters with respect to desired tasks. The new model is applied to Purdues Dexterous Hexrotor UAV and CyPhy Works LVL 1 platform, to illustrate the multi-rotor estimation and optimization. Estimation of these fully-actuated UAVs include precise physical interaction with the environment (Dexterous Hexrotor), hovering efficiency, and influence operating altitude. Experimental results are presented to validate the optimized result with a contact based force control task in preparation for a demo at the DOE Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
A 16-Channel Patient-Specific Seizure Onset and Termination Detection SoC With Impedance-Adaptive Transcranial Electrical Stimulator

A 16-channel noninvasive closed-loop beginning-and end-of-seizure detection SoC is presented. The dual-channel charge recycled (DCCR) analog front end (AFE) achieves chopping and time-multiplexing an amplifier between two channels simultaneously which exploits fast-settling DC servo-loop with current consumption and NEF of 0.9 μA/channel and 3.29/channel, respectively. The dual-detector architecture (D2A) classification processor utilizes two linear support-vector machine (LSVM) classifiers based on digital hysteresis to enhance both the sensitivity and the specificity simultaneously. The pulsating voltage transcranial electrical stimulator (PVTES) automatically configures the number of pulses to control the amount of charge delivered based on skin-electrode impedance variation in efforts to suppress the seizure activity, while burning only 2.45 μW. The 25 mm2 SoC implemented in 0.18 μm CMOS consumes 2.73 μJ/classification for 16 channels with an average sensitivity, specificity, and latency of 95.7%, 98%, and 1 s, respectively.