Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MANET Cognitive Radio realtime testbed for dynamic spectrum access

The paper describes the MANET Cognitive Radio test bed. The proposed architecture consists of a number of CR nodes connected to the RF Switch Matrix, and enables simulation, scenario definition and management. Proposed procedures for Opportunistic Spectrum Access in MANET CR are described as well and chosen results of simulations obtained during laboratory tests are presented. The performance of these solution makes them fit for use in special and military applications.
Manufacturing and competitiveness: the case of Greece

Despite long‐standing debates on deindustrialisation and the importance of manufacturing, as well as tests of the deindustrialisation hypothesis, little empirical work exists on the impact of manufacturing on competitiveness, where manufacturing is the independent variable. To address this first presents a conceptual framework that links manufacturing to competitiveness and deindustrialisation and tests it for a case of serious apparent deindustrialisation and “relative decline”, that of Greece, in the context of a novel “simultaneous equation model” that tests both for deindustrialisation and “manufacturing matters”. Finds that the change in manufacturing shares have a positive and significant impact on competitiveness measured by per capita income, confirming that “manufacturing matters”.
Blind determination of quality of JPEG compressed images

Human observers can easily assess the quality of a distorted image even without examining the original image as a reference. In contrast, proper formulation of the problem so that the task of quality assessment of an image can be performed automatically, is a complex task and hence, designing objective No-Reference (NR) quality measurement algorithms is indeed very difficult. Existing approaches identify the degradation from among a set of degradations commonly experienced during image transmission and handling. However, apart from the inadequacy of being unable to indicate the amount of degradation they tend to reflect the overall degradation rather than being sensitive to one kind of degradation. The problem of correctly assessing the level of degradation is crucial since the choice of an appropriate restoration technique is heavily dependent on this. Further, in practical situations, the problem is compounded by the presence of other degradations acting as confounding factors such as noise. The uniqueness of the proposed approach is that it is designed to work well in situations where JPEG compressed images have been subjected to noise. Its performance has been tested through simulations on a large number of images from several popular databases. Results have also been compared with those obtained from subjective tests on the same images.
The Dynamics of the Wealth Distribution and the Interest Rate with Credit Rationing

With decreasing returns and first-best credit, the long-run interest rate and aggregate output are uniquely determined, and wealth dispersion among individuals or firms is irrelevant. Introducing credit rationing into the Solow model modifies these conclusions. Multiple stationary interest rates and wealth distributions can exist because higher initial rates can be self-reinforcing through higher credit rationing and lower capital accumulation. The wealth accumulation process is ergodic in every steady state, but wealth mobility is lower with higher steady-state interest rates. Aggregate output is higher in steady states with lower interest rates because credit is better allocated. Short-run interest rate or distribution shocks can be self-sustaining and can have long-run effects on output through the induced dynamics of the wealth distribution and credit rationing.
Black cohosh acts as a mixed competitive ligand and partial agonist of the serotonin receptor.

Extracts of the rhizome of black cohosh [Actaea racemosa L. , formerly called Cimicifuga racemosa (L.) Nutt. ] were evaluated for potential mechanisms of action in the alleviation of menopausal hot flashes. Ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rats were administered a 40% 2-propanol extract of black cohosh [4, 40, and 400 mg/(kg.day)] by gavage for 2 weeks with or without estradiol [50 microg/(kg.day)] to determine if black cohosh could act as an estrogen or antiestrogen on the basis of an increase in uterine weight or vaginal cellular cornification. No effects were observed on uterine weight or on vaginal cellular cornification in rats treated with black cohosh alone or in combination with 17beta-estradiol, indicating this black cohosh extract had no estrogenic or antiestrogenic properties in the ovariectomized rat model. To evaluate other potential pathways by which black cohosh might reduce menopausal hot flashes, serotonin activity was first assessed by the inhibition of radioligand binding to cell membrane preparations containing recombinant human serotonin receptor (5-HT) subtypes. A 40% 2-propanol extract of black cohosh was tested against 10 subtypes of the serotonin receptor, revealing the presence of compounds with strong binding to the 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1D), and 5-HT(7) subtypes. Subsequent binding studies were carried out using 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptors because of their association with the hypothalamus, which has been implicated in the generation of hot flashes. The black cohosh 40% 2-propanol extract inhibited [(3)H]lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) binding to the human 5-HT(7) receptor (IC(50) = 2.4 +/- 0.4 microg/mL) with greater potency than binding of [(3)H]-8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino)tetralin to the rat 5-HT(1A) receptor (IC(50) = 13.9 +/- 0.6 microg/mL). Analysis of ligand binding data indicated that components of a black cohosh methanol extract functioned as a mixed competitive ligand of the 5-HT(7) receptor. In addition, a black cohosh methanol extract elevated cAMP levels in 293T-5-HT(7)-transfected HEK cells, suggesting the extract acted as a partial agonist at the receptor. The elevation in cAMP mediated by the black cohosh extract could be reversed in the presence of the antagonist methiothepin, indicating a receptor-mediated process. These data suggest that reductions in hot flashes in some women taking black cohosh may not be due to estrogenic properties. This study identifies other possible biological targets of black cohosh that could account for reported biological effects.
The eicosanoid cascade: possible role in gliomas and meningiomas

Eicosanoids constitute a large family of biologically active lipid mediators that are produced by two enzyme classes, cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) and lipoxygenases (5-LO, 12-LO, and 15-LO). Increasing evidence suggests that in addition to a variety of epithelial malignancies, the two most common types of human brain tumour, gliomas and meningiomas, aberrantly overexpress eicosanoid producing enzymes and release a spectrum of eicosanoids that may promote tumorigenesis and the development of peritumorous brain oedema. Glioma and meningioma cells are killed in vitro and in animal models when exposed to COX-2 and 5-LO inhibitors, and their effectiveness is under investigation in clinical trials for treatment of patients with malignant brain tumours. However, despite research into the role of the eicosanoid cascade in the tumorigenesis of human brain tumours, many important questions remain unanswered. Current and newer agents that specifically target key players of the eicosanoid cascade could change the approach to treating brain tumours, because their benefits may lie in their synergism with conventional cytotoxic treatments and/or with other novel agents targeted against other procarcinogenic pathways.
Differences in penicillin-binding proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes and two derived, stabilized L forms

The penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of Streptococcus pyogenes and two of its derived, stabilized (i.e., nonreverting) L forms, an osmotically fragile L form and a physiologic isotonic L form, were compared. The numbers of PBPs in the membranes of these organisms were 6, 4, and 2 for the coccus and the osmotically fragile and physiologic isotonic L forms, respectively. Likewise, the relative amounts of total PBPs were 1.00: 1.48:0.32 for this coccus and the osmotically fragile and physiologic isotonic L forms, respectively. The two largest PBPs (PBPs 1 and 2) of the coccus were absent in both L forms, while the smallest PBPs (PBPs 5 and 6) were found in all three membranes. Deacylation (half-life) of three of the four PBPs in the osmotically fragile L form membrane required a significantly longer time than did deacylation of these presumed identical enzymes in the parental coccal membrane. Conversely, there was no such difference between the only two PBPs of the physiologic isotonic L form and the same coccal membrane proteins. Intact cells of all three organisms secreted PBPs and what appeared to be penicilloic acid and a minimal amount of free penicillin. A greater amount of these PBPs was secreted by both L forms than by the coccus. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis patterns and ratios of secreted PBPs were identical to those from labeled membrane preparations. These differences are correlated with some of our previous findings and are discussed in terms of inhibition of cell wall synthesis and resulting membrane changes in these two derived, stabilized coccal L forms.
Are Imports and Exports Cointegrated in Pakistan? A Rolling Window Bound Testing Approach

This study investigates the correlation between exports and imports in the case of Pakistan by using the variance decomposing analysis and rolling window bound testing approach to determine the stability of cointegration over the sample. The results from variance decomposition indicate that imports cannot cause the exports but in contrast the exports effectively cause imports. Cointegration stability test confirms that imports cause the exports from the period of 2003 to over the sample size and exports cause the imports from 1994 to 2004.
Online concentration and separation of basic proteins using a cationic polyelectrolyte in the presence of reversed electroosmotic flow

We report an online concentration and separation method for basic proteins using poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) solutions in the presence of reversed EOF. Using a capillary dynamically coated with 2% PDDA containing 0.1 M NaCl and filled with 1.2% PDDA under neutral conditions (10 mM phosphate, pH 7.0), we have demonstrated the separation of six basic proteins with peak efficiencies ranging from 175 000 to 616 000 plates/m and RSDs of migration time less than 0.4%. Additionally, high‐speed separation of six basic proteins (<7 min) was achieved using a short capillary filled with 0.6% PDDA solutions. Under injection of the large‐volume sample (210 nL), the LODs at S/N of 3 for basic proteins are down to nanomolar range. For example, the LOD for lysozyme is 1.2 nM, which is a 260‐fold sensitivity enhancement compared with conventional injection method. The proposed method has been applied to the stacking of lysozyme in human saliva samples. Without any pretreatment, we also demonstrated the capability of this method to detect low amounts of peptide samples through the stacking of tryptic peptide of myoglobin. The experimental results indicate that our proposed method has great potential for use in clinical diagnosis and proteomics applications.
A Two-Component Signal Transduction System Essential for Growth of Bacillus subtilis: Implications for Anti-Infective Therapy

ABSTRACT A two-component signal transduction system encoded by theyycF and yycG genes is part of an operon containing three genes, yycH, yycI, andyycJ, with no known function and a gene, yycK, coding for an HtrA-like protease. This operon was transcribed during growth, and its transcription shut down as the cells approached stationary phase. This decreased transcription was not Spo0A dependent. The HtrA protease gene was separately controlled during sporulation from a ςG promoter. Studies using insertional inactivation plasmids revealed that neither yycF noryycG could be inactivated, whereas the other genes were inactivated without loss of viability. A temperature-sensitive YycF response regulator mutant was isolated and shown to have an H215P mutation in a putative DNA-binding domain which is closely related to the OmpR family of response regulators. At the nonpermissive temperature, cultures of the mutant strain stopped growth within 30 min, and this was followed by a decrease in optical density. Microscopically, many of the cells appeared to retain their structure while being empty of their contents. The essential processes regulated by this two-component system remain unknown. A search of the genome databases revealed YycF, YycG, and YycJ homologues encoded by three linked genes in Streptococcus pyogenes. The high level of identity of these proteins (71% for YycF) suggests that this system may play a similar role in gram-positive pathogens.
A Second Look At Productivity, Machinery and Skills in Britain and Germany

The overall aim of the National Institute's research programme in this field is to examine the relative contribution of physical and human capital to productivity with the help of site visits to samples of matched plants in Britain and Germany. A first study, carried out in 1983-4, was based on metalworking plants in Britain and Germany; it pointed to the overriding importance of skills at supervisory and shop floor levels in contributing to the better choice and utilisation of machinery and to a substantial German productivity advantage. The present study was carried out three years later, in 1986-7, and compares part of the wood furniture industry: the production of fitted kitchens. This branch is more standardised in its products—and hence easier to compare—than the more traditional branches of the furniture industry. It now accounts for over a quarter of the value of all furniture sales in both countries.
Public Capital and Growth Revisited: A Panel Data Assessment

This paper analyses the links between growth and public capital accumulation for a panel of 28 developing countries over eleven years (1981-1991). We estimate a simultaneous equations model to explain the GDP, as well as public and private capital formation. Accumulating public, private and human capital enhances growth. Nevertheless, public capital formation has produced an indirect crowding-out effect, since the budget constraint was differentiated between public and private sectors. Our results suggest that the majority of the sample countries tended rather to diverge from the optimal allocation of capital in terms of growth between public and private sectors.
Anti‐CD81 antibodies can prevent a hepatitis C virus infection in vivo

The viral life cycle of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been studied mainly using different in vitro cell culture models. Studies using pseudoviral particles (HCVpp) and more recently cell culture–derived virus (HCVcc) suggest that at least three host cell molecules are important for HCV entry in vitro: the tetraspanin CD81, the scavenger receptor class B member I, and the tight junction protein Claudin‐1. Whether these receptors are equally important for an in vivo infection remains to be demonstrated. We show that CD81 is indispensable for an authentic in vivo HCV infection. Prophylactic treatment with anti‐CD81 antibodies completely protected human liver‐uPA‐SCID mice from a subsequent challenge with HCV consensus strains of different genotypes. Administration of anti‐CD81 antibodies after viral challenge had no effect. Conclusion: Our experiments provide evidence for the critical role of CD81 in a genuine HCV infection in vivo and open new perspectives for the prevention of allograft reinfection after orthotopic liver transplantation in chronically infected HCV patients. (HEPATOLOGY 2008;48:1761–1768.)
Asymmetric Multilevel Diversity Coding Systems With Perfect Secrecy

Secure rate region of the asymmetric multilevel diversity coding systems (AMDCS) with perfect secrecy is investigated in this paper. The eavesdropper may have access to any one but not more than one subset of the channels but can get nothing about the sources, as long as the size of the subset is not above the security level. As the first nontrivial instance, the secure AMDCS (S-AMDCS) with three encoders and security level one is solved. It is shown that linear codes are optimal for this instance. In contrast with the secure symmetric multilevel diversity coding systems, superposition (source separation) is shown to be not optimal for S-AMDCS in general.
A Comparative Analysis on the Volume-Return Relationship of the ETF and Stock Market

This paper aims to examine the contemporaneous relationship between trading volume and returns in the ETF market taking the stock market as a contrast. While past research using correlation analysis and OLS method to specify a linear regression model only catches the average relationship between volume and return, this paper applies the quantile regression analysis to provide a more complete description for the volume-return relationship in the ETF and stock markets. The empirical results show that a symmetric volume-return relationship is found in the ETF market and an asymmetric volume-relationship, however, is discovered in the stock market. The volume-return relationship of the stock market has become more symmetric after the exempt for some stock from the short-sale restriction. The results demonstrate that the transaction cost and the short-sale restriction are important factors to influence the patter of volume-return relationship.
An improvement of DBSCAN Algorithm to analyze cluster for large datasets

Clustering is an important tool which has seen an explosive growth in Machine Learning Algorithms. DBSCAN (Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise) clustering algorithm is one of the most primary methods for clustering in data mining. DBSCAN has ability to find the clusters of variable sizes and shapes and it will also detect the noise. The two important parameters Epsilon (Eps) and Minimum point (MinPts) are required to be inputted manually in DBSCAN algorithm and on the basis these parameter the algorithm is calculated such as number of cluster, un-clustered instances as well as incorrectly clustered instances and also evaluate the performance on the basic of parameters selection and calculate the time taken by the datasets. Experimental evaluation on the basis of different datasets in ARFF format with help of WEKA tool which shows that quality of clusters of our proposed algorithm is efficient in clustering result and more accurate. This improved work on DBSCAN have used in a large scope.
A simple approach to fleet deployment

What is proposed here is a relatively simple procedure by which a fleet manager may select the best mix of ships to provide a given transport service. The method is confined to non-liner trades and assumes the availability of more than enough suitable ships. It further assumes that unneeded ships can be placed in idle status (or returned to owner if chartered in) without penalty. The objective of the procedure is to select the mix of available ships and sea speeds that can perform the required service at maximum profitability to the owner.
A Long, Brown Shadow? The Impact of Non-Democratic Legacies on the Environment in Portugal and Bulgaria

Abstract Legacies of non-democratic rule influence and direct many decisions and actions within democratising political systems as institutions, procedures and policies are reformed. This article is concerned with the effect of legacies on environmental politics in democratising states. Democratic political systems are better equipped to address environmental concerns than their non-democratic counterparts; democratisation is therefore expected to lead to improvements. To assess the effect of non-democratic legacies the cases of Portugal and Bulgaria have been selected, as they experienced different forms of non-democratic rule, identifying general outcomes. The results indicate that democratisation does lead to improvements in environmental politics, with the extent and course of change being mediated by the legacy of the preceding political system.
Late fulminant posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome after liver transplant.

OBJECTIVES Posterior leukoencephalopathy due to calcineurin-inhibitor-related neurotoxicity is a rare but severe complication that results from treatment with immunosuppressive agents (primarily those administered after a liver or kidney transplant). The pathophysiologic mechanisms of that disorder remain unknown. CASE We report the case of a 46-year-old woman who received a liver transplant in our center as treatment for alcoholic cirrhosis and in whom either a fulminant course of posterior leukoencephalopathy or posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome developed 110 days after transplant. After an initially uneventful course after the transplant, the patient rapidly fell into deep coma. RESULTS Cerebral MRI scan showed typical signs of enhancement in the pontine and posterior regions. Switching the immunosuppressive regimen from tacrolimus to cyclosporine did not improve the clinical situation. The termination of treatment with any calcineurin inhibitor resulted in a complete resolution of that complication. CONCLUSIONS Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome after liver transplant is rare. We recommend a complete cessation of any calcineurin inhibitor rather than a dose reduction.
Counting-Based Search for Constraint Optimization Problems

Branching heuristics based on counting solutions in constraints have been quite good at guiding search to solve constraint satisfaction problems. But do they perform as well for constraint optimization problems? We propose an adaptation of counting-based search for optimization, show how to modify solution density computation for some of the most frequently-occurring constraints, and empirically evaluate its performance on several benchmark problems.
Tit-for-tat in trade policies: nothing but a fest for vested interests?

Abstract Tit-for-tat (TFT) in trade policies is a common practice. It is even enshrined in Article 22.4 of the WTO's dispute settlement process within multilateral trade integration. As such, it is a well-recognized means for promoting cooperation and for enforcing compliance with a common set of rules or institutions. However, there is equally widespread concern that a strategy of TFT degenerates into a prisoner's dilemma, in particular because of special interests ill-using it as a springboard for advancing protectionist measures and beggar-thy-neighbor policies. This paper provides a novel evolutionary perspective on TFT in trade policy regimes in that it tracks the role of special interests by parameterizing their leverage on strategies. Doing so, it provides new insights on the political economy of TFT in international institutions. Accordingly, the set of parameters for which a prisoner's dilemma emerges shrinks rather than widens, even with powerful domestic interest groups sharing a stake in protection.
Are SHV β-Lactamases Universal in Klebsiella pneumoniae?

The status of SHV-1 or related β-lactamases as “typical” of Klebsiella pneumoniae prompted debate at the 39th Interscience Conference of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. To test whether SHV-type enzymes are ubiquitous in this species, as previously asserted by one of us, ([2][1]) we