Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Operator theoretic image coding

A general formalism for iterative image coding is introduced. In this framework, each feature of the image to be coded is associated with a nonexpansive operator which leaves invariant all images possessing the feature in question. The decoding scheme consists of finding a common fixed point of these operators, which can be achieved via efficient parallel algorithms. The proposed formalism provides a flexible treatment of the image coding problem and contains as special cases transform coding, fractal coding, set theoretic coding, and vector quantization.
Human autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction as an in vitro model for autoreactivity to apoptotic antigens

Recent studies have indicated that cells undergoing apoptosis are the source of autoantigens which drive autoimmune responses in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It has been recognized for many years that in vitro stimulation of T cells with irradiated major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II‐bearing autologous cells results in T‐cell proliferation with immunological specificity and memory, namely the autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR). The nature of the major stimulants in the AMLR is still unclear. We investigated whether apoptotic fragments from irradiated cells act as antigenic stimulators for AMLR or nucleohistone‐primed T cells. T‐cell proliferation in the primary AMLR was significantly suppressed by the presence of a caspase inhibitor Z‐Val‐Ala‐Asp‐CH2F (Z‐VAD.fmk), indicating that apoptotic antigens released from irradiated autologous feeder cells act as stimulators of AMLR T cells. This inhibitory effect of Z‐VAD was not caused by toxic effects, because the T‐cell response to the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) was not inhibited by Z‐VAD. A nucleohistone preparation was shown to contain antigens that are important in the AMLR, as culture with nucleohistone (but not with thyroglobulin or hen‐egg lysozyme) primed T cells to respond with secondary kinetics in a subsequent AMLR that was also suppressed by Z‐VAD. Our data provide evidence that the AMLR constitutes a model for the evaluation of cellular and molecular mechanisms that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of SLE and similar autoimmune diseases.
Wielding the Stick Instead of the Carrot: Labor PAC Punishment of Pro-NAFTA Democrats

Political action committees normally use contributions as a reward or inducement for access or favorable roll-call votes. In extreme cases, how ever, PACs may reduce funding as part of a punishment strategy. The roll- call vote on the North American Free Trade Agreement in the House of Representatives provides an interesting test case for the strategy of pun ishment. Organized labor was clearly against NAFTA and threatened to reduce support to proponents of the agreement. If a punishment strategy is followed by interest groups, we would expect to find it in this case. Ordinary least squares regression is used to examine labor PAC contribu tion strategy. We find that labor followed a short-term punishment strat egy against Democratic supporters of NAFTA.
Comparison of serological and sequencebased methods for typing feline calicivirus isolates from vaccine failures

Feline calicivirus (FCV) can be typed by exploiting antigenic differences between isolates or, more recently, by the sequence analysis of a hypervariable region of the virus's capsid gene. These two methods were used to characterise FCV isolates from 20 vaccine failures which occurred after the use of a commercial, liveattenuated vaccine. Using virus neutralisation, the isolates showed a spectrum of relatedness to the vaccine; depending on the criterion adopted for identity, 10 to 40 per cent of them appeared to be similar to the vaccine virus. Using sequence analysis, the isolates fell into one of two categories; 20 per cent had a similar sequence to the vaccine (0.67 to 2.67 per cent distant), and the remainder had a dissimilar sequence (21.3 to 36.0 per cent distant). Sequence analysis identified one cat that appeared to be infected with two distinct FCVs. The serological and sequence-based typing methods gave the same result in 80 to 95 per cent of individual cases, depending on the criterion adopted for serological identity. It is suggested that molecular typing is a more definitive method for characterising the relatedness of FCV isolates.
What is the attraction for exchange students: the host destination or host university? Empirical evidence from a study of an Australian university

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study of students who completed an international exchange programme at an Australian university. Through the use of the push–pull typology and a structured questionnaire, the student motivations and factors in their selection of a university exchange programme are explored. Results indicate that students' desire to travel and the opportunity for fun and excitement are the primary motivators for undertaking an educational exchange, along with the host country's weather, natural environment and tourist attractions. Factors that influence selection of a host university are outlined, as well as students' levels of satisfaction with the experience. The findings have implications for destination and university managers. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Micro solid state silicon plate wind velocity sensor

A wind velocity sensor using the torque of cantilever to measure the velocity of wind is presented in this paper. It consists of a thin silicon plate and two short cantilevers which connect with the plate and silicon substrate and will bend when wind blow to the plate. The wind velocity is obtained by measuring the strain caused by the deflection of the cantilevers. The designed sensor was simulated with ANSYS software using the model solid92 and analyzed with fluid mechanics principle and material mechanics principle. It is fabricated using MEMS surface and body micromachining process. By testing the designed sensor within small wind tunnel the results of calculation and simulation are validated. When the input voltage is 0.5V we obtain a sensor capable of high sensitivity 60µv/(m/s) at the high wind velocity.
Hyperthermia and hypoxia increase tolerance of retinal ganglion cells to anoxia and excitotoxicity.

PURPOSE Knowledge of the mechanisms by which retinal ganglion cells are damaged may provide information required to develop novel treatments for diseases that cause retinal ganglion cell death. The authors investigated whether the expression of the 72-kDa heat shock protein in cultured rat retinal ganglion cells increases tolerance to hypoxic and excitotoxic injury. METHODS Hyperthermia (42 degrees C for 1 hour) and sublethal hypoxia (9% O2 for 6 hours) were used to induce synthesis of the 72-kDa heat shock protein in cultured rat retinal ganglion cells and cultured retinal Müller cells. Induction of the 72-kDa heat shock protein was detected with immunocytochemical and immunoblot techniques. Survival of cultured retinal ganglion cells after exposure to anoxia (< 1% O2 for 6 hours) and glutamate (200 microns for 6 hours) was measured and compared to control cultures stressed previously by hyperthermia or sublethal hypoxia. The effect of quercetin, a blocker of heat shock protein synthesis, was evaluated in parallel experiments. RESULTS Heat shock protein immunoreactivity was expressed in cultured retinal ganglion cells and Müller cells after hyperthermia and sublethal hypoxia. The mean (+/- standard deviation) retinal ganglion cell survival rates after exposure to anoxia (expressed as a percentage of untreated control cultures) in cells pretreated with sublethal hypoxia (83% +/- 17%) and hyperthermia (82% +/- 19%) were significantly greater than for cells that had no pretreatment (50% +/- 18%, P < 0.001). The mean (+/-standard deviation) retinal ganglion cell survival rate after exposure to glutamate in cells pretreated with sublethal hypoxia (82% +/- 19%) and hyperthermia (86% +/- 17%) were significantly greater than for cells that had no pretreatment (56% +/- 17%, P < 0.001). Inhibition of heat shock protein synthesis with quercetin abolished the protective effects of sublethal hypoxia and hyperthermia on cell survival after anoxia and glutamate exposure. CONCLUSIONS The neuroprotective effect of hyperthermia and sublethal hypoxia suggests that heat shock proteins confer protection against ischemic and excitotoxic retinal ganglion cell death.
Stock market returns in thin markets: evidence from the Vienna Stock Exchange

This paper uses the multiple variance ratio test procedure developed by Chow and Denning (1993) to test for a random walk of stock returns on the Vienna Stock Exchange. I find that with daily data the test rejects the random walk hypothesis at all conventional significance levels for each and every title and for both indices tested. Testing the hypothesis on a subsample running from 1990 to 1992 suggests that, as the market becomes institutionally more mature and more liquid, returns approach a random walk. Individual shares seem to follow a random walk when weekly returns are considered, while the hypothesis is rejected for both indices.
Analysis of the Heart Rate and Breathing Patterns of Infants Destined to Suffer Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: Probability Density Function Analysis

ABSTRACT: From a prospective study into the sudden infant death syndrome in which 24-h recordings of the ECG and respiratory waveform (abdominal wall movement) were made on a population of full-term infants, 22 recordings were obtained on 16 infants who subsequently suffered sudden infant death syndrome. The probability density function for the instantaneous heart rate and the breath to breath intervals and their respective variabilities were calculated for these 22 recordings and for a control group of 324 infants randomly selected from the remainder of the population. A principal components analysis was then performed to classify the data and to make comparisons between infants. The infants in the analysis were divided into three postnatal age groups. No differences were found between the sudden infant death syndrome cases and the control group for the breath to breath intervals and its variability or for the instantaneous heart rate. Three sudden infant death syndrome cases lay outside the range of values for the heart rate variability at 6 wk of age.
Designing sustainable development indicators: analysis for a case utility

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present and analyze a case study on the design of a system of sustainable development indicators for an electric utility.Design/methodology/approach – The case study is based on collaboration with an electric utility and consultation with external experts. A six‐step process was used to create the indicators: conduct a needs assessment; conduct process planning; develop a draft set of indicators; test and adjust the indicators; implement the indicators; and review and improve the indicators.Findings – The case study demonstrates how existing projects impact the process of developing indicators. It highlights that any system of indicators must be linked to the business planning process. It shows how this may be accomplished through a design based on a hierarchical approach that also illustrates linkages between the indicators and incorporates existing measures.Research limitations/implications – The first three steps of the indicator design process have been comple.
Sustainable nanotechnology.

Nanoscience involves the study of matter possessing a scale typically between 1 and 100 nm wherein size intrinsically controls the resulting properties. Not surprisingly, a lot of effort has been expended in taking advantage of and carefully manipulating these unique size-dependent electrical, magnetic, opto-electronic, catalytic, and mechanical properties to provide these nanomaterials with favorable and defined attributes for a host of applications including but not limited to medicine, national defence, energy, information technology, and environmental remediation. The problem is that whereas the ability to create and fabricate new nanoscale materials is robust and the field of nanoscale fabrication is proceeding in many promising and parallel directions, most of the current syntheses of especially common nanostructures involve the use of protocols which may be potentially harmful to either the environment or human health or both. Hence, there is a fundamental and pressing need to devise more sustainable protocols and to thereby adopt novel and a School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, Korea. E-mail: thyeon@snu.ac. kr b Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 151-742, Korea c Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy. E-mail: liberato.manna@iit.it, +39 01071781502 d Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, PO Box 5046,, Delft 2600, The Netherlands e Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3400, USA. E-mail: stanislaus.wong@stonybrook.edu f Condensed Matter Physics and Materials Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Building 480, Upton, NY 11973, USA. E-mail: sswong@bnl.gov
Efficient Activation of Viral Genomes by Levels of Herpes Simplex Virus ICP0 Insufficient To Affect Cellular Gene Expression or Cell Survival

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus (HSV) ICP0 can effectively activate gene expression from otherwise silent promoters contained on persisting viral genomes. However, the expression of high levels of ICP0, as from ICP4− HSV type 1 (HSV-1) vectors, results in marked toxicity. We have analyzed the results of ICP0 expressed from an E1− E4− adenovirus vector (AdS.11E4ICP0) in which ICP0 expression is controlled from the endogenous adenoviral E4 promoter. In this system, the expression level of ICP0 was reduced more than 1,000-fold relative to the level of expression from HSV-1 vectors. This low level of ICP0 did not affect cellular division or greatly perturb cellular metabolism as assessed by gene expression array analysis comparing the effects of HSV and adenovirus vector strains. However, this amount of ICP0 was sufficient to quantitatively destroy ND10 structures as measured by promyelocytic leukemia immunofluorescence. The levels of adenovirus-expressed ICP0 were sufficient to activate quiescent viral genomes in trans and promote persistent transgene expression in cis. Moreover, infection of complementing cells with AdS.11E4ICP0 promoted viral growth and resulted in a 20-fold increase in the plaquing efficiency ofd109, a virus defective for all five immediate-early genes. Thus, the low level expression of ICP0 from the E1−E4− adenovirus vector may increase the utility of adenovirus vectors and also provides a means to efficiently quantify and possibly propagate HSV vectors defective in ICP0. Importantly, the results demonstrate that the activation function of ICP0 may not result from changes in cellular gene expression, but possibly as a direct consequence of an enzymatic function inherent to the protein that may involve its action at ND10 resulting in the preferential activation of viral genomes.
THE STATE OF “IGNORED” PERFORMANCE REPORTING BY GOVERNMENTS IN THE USA

Citizens and politicians alike in the USA have become increasingly frustrated with government performance and the non-transparent decisions made by their elected and appointed officials. At present the USA is suffering from unparalleled sequestering in response to the last thirty years of newly adopted government performance budgeting and reporting initiatives that have been implemented with questionable efficacy. The promises by SLGs, which accompanied these new initiatives, to provide constituents with decision useful performance information and transparency, were poorly delivered. Therefore, even though many USA governments have provided some form of performance reporting or performance budgeting information, these documents have not gained acceptance as the “go-to” report for assessing governmental performance. This paper traces this build up in no confidence and compares US government agencies with government performance reporting in New Zealand.
NFATc1 and NFATc2 repress spontaneous osteoarthritis

Significance Currently, little is understood about how the transcriptional regulation of cartilage breakdown contributes to pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Here, we report that, within cartilage, the transcription factor Nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) displays selective expression in superficial articular chondrocytes. Accordingly, mice lacking both NFATc1 and NFATc2 in cartilage were generated and found to develop a severe, spontaneous and early-onset OA. These findings establish NFATc1 as a key transcriptional repressor of cartilage breakdown and OA. Additionally, these findings provide a unique model of OA that is an attractive platform for the preclinical development of treatments to alter the course of OA. Osteoarthritis (OA) was once viewed originally as a mechanical disease of “wear and tear,” but advances made during the past two decades suggest that abnormal biomechanics contribute to active dysregulation of chondrocyte biology, leading to catabolism of the cartilage matrix. A number of signaling and transcriptional mechanisms have been studied in relation to the regulation of this catabolic program, but how they specifically regulate the initiation or progression of the disease is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that cartilage-specific ablation of Nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (Nfatc1) in Nfatc2−/− mice leads to early onset, aggressive OA affecting multiple joints. This model recapitulates features of human OA, including loss of proteoglycans, collagen and aggrecan degradation, osteophyte formation, changes to subchondral bone architecture, and eventual progression to cartilage effacement and joint instability. Consistent with the notion that NFATC1 is an OA-suppressor gene, NFATC1 expression was significantly down-regulated in paired lesional vs. macroscopically normal cartilage samples from OA patients. The highly penetrant, early onset, and severe nature of this model make it an attractive platform for the preclinical development of treatments to alter the course of OA. Furthermore, these findings indicate that NFATs are key suppressors of OA, and regulating NFATs or their transcriptional targets in chondrocytes may lead to novel disease-modifying OA therapies.
A Dynamic Spreadsheet Model for Determining the Portfolio Frontier for BSE30 Stocks

Introductory investments courses revolve around Harry Markowitz’s modern portfolio theory and William Sharpe’s Index for the performance measurement of those portfolios. This paper presents a simplified perspective of Markowitz’s contributions to Modern Portfolio Theory. It is to see the effect of duration of historical data on the risk and return of the portfolio and to see the applicability of risk-reward logic. The empirical results also show that short selling may increase the risk of the portfolio when the investor is instability preferred.
A Model of the Coupling between Brain Electrical Activity, Metabolism, and Hemodynamics: Application to the Interpretation of Functional Neuroimaging

In order to improve the interpretation of functional neuroimaging data, we implemented a mathematical model of the coupling between membrane ionic currents, energy metabolism (i.e., ATP regeneration via phosphocreatine buffer effect, glycolysis, and mitochondrial respiration), blood-brain barrier exchanges, and hemodynamics. Various hypotheses were tested for the variation of the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO(2)): (H1) the CMRO(2) remains at its baseline level; (H2) the CMRO(2) is enhanced as soon as the cerebral blood flow (CBF) increases; (H3) the CMRO(2) increase depends on intracellular oxygen and pyruvate concentrations, and intracellular ATP/ADP ratio; (H4) in addition to hypothesis H3, the CMRO(2) progressively increases, due to the action of a second messenger. A good agreement with experimental data from magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI and MRS) was obtained when we simulated sustained and repetitive activation protocols using hypotheses (H3) or (H4), rather than hypotheses (H1) or (H2). Furthermore, by studying the effect of the variation of some physiologically important parameters on the time course of the modeled blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal, we were able to formulate hypotheses about the physiological or biochemical significance of functional magnetic resonance data, especially the poststimulus undershoot and the baseline drift.
The Cost of Accountability

Discussions of school accountability focus on two issues: poor test administration and the expense of accountability. Up to this point, researchers have focused on test quality and simply assumed that the programs are expensive enough to crowd out other policies, such as class size reduction or higher teacher salaries. Researchers have also assumed that it is so expensive to have a good accountability program (which includes good comprehensive tests, well-defined standards, an effective report card system, and safeguards that prevent cheating and teaching the test) that only poor accountability systems will be affordable. In this paper, I present the facts about how much accountability costs. The facts are, fortunately, highly knowable because costs show up both as expenditures on government budgets and as revenues on companies' (mainly test makers') accounts. Moreover, it turns out that worrying about measurement error in the cost data is pointless. The costs of accountability programs are so tiny that even the most generous accounting could not make them appear large, relative to the cost of other education programs. The 'most expensive' programs in the United States generally cost less than one quarter of 1 percent of per pupil spending, and most of these are only as costly as they are because a state is in the 'expensive' and temporary phase of developing its own comprehensive tests.