Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Observer synthesis for Lipschitz discrete-time systems

We present a new synthesis solution for the state estimation problem of a class of discrete-time systems, namely linear systems up to Lipschitz nonlinearities. Our solution is obtained by using the Lipschitz condition jointly with the Lyapunov stability condition in order to guarantee the asymptotic stability of the estimation error. This result uses the linear matrix inequality (LMI) formulation.
Boosting CNS axon regeneration by harnessing antagonistic effects of GSK3 activity

Significance The role of GSK3 in axon regeneration is controversial. Whereas increased GSK3 activity accelerates peripheral nerve regeneration, it shows the opposite effect in the CNS. Moreover, KO/knockdown of GSK3β in growth-stimulated retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) was disinhibitory and potentiated optic nerve regeneration. This dichotomy was the result of a GSK3-dependent and CNS-specific inhibition of axonal CRMP2, which compromised RGCs’ ability for axon growth. As GSK3 inhibition, neuronal expression of constitutively active CRMP2 (CRMP2T/A) potentiated optic nerve regeneration and, strikingly, unmasked an axon growth-promoting effect of active GSK3 as in peripheral nerves. CRMP2T/A expression and GSK3 activation additively enabled extensive optic nerve regeneration, thereby reconciling conflicting data in GSK3-mediated axon regeneration and opening novel treatment possibilities for CNS repair. Implications of GSK3 activity for axon regeneration are often inconsistent, if not controversial. Sustained GSK3 activity in GSK3S/A knock-in mice reportedly accelerates peripheral nerve regeneration via increased MAP1B phosphorylation and concomitantly reduces microtubule detyrosination. In contrast, the current study shows that lens injury-stimulated optic nerve regeneration was significantly compromised in these knock-in mice. Phosphorylation of MAP1B and CRMP2 was expectedly increased in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons upon enhanced GSK3 activity, but, surprisingly, no GSK3-mediated CRMP2 inhibition was detected in sciatic nerves, thus revealing a fundamental difference between central and peripheral axons. Conversely, genetic or shRNA-mediated conditional KO/knockdown of GSK3β reduced inhibitory phosphorylation of CRMP2 in RGCs and improved optic nerve regeneration. Accordingly, GSK3β KO-mediated neurite growth promotion and myelin disinhibition were abrogated by CRMP2 inhibition and largely mimicked in WT neurons upon expression of constitutively active CRMP2 (CRMP2T/A). These results underscore the prevalent requirement of active CRMP2 for optic nerve regeneration. Strikingly, expression of CRMP2T/A in GSK3S/A RGCs further boosted optic nerve regeneration, with axons reaching the optic chiasm within 3 wk. Thus, active GSK3 can also markedly promote axonal growth in central nerves if CRMP2 concurrently remains active. Similar to peripheral nerves, GSK3-mediated MAP1B phosphorylation/activation and the reduction of microtubule detyrosination contributed to this effect. Overall, these findings reconcile conflicting data on GSK3-mediated axon regeneration. In addition, the concept of complementary modulation of normally antagonistically targeted GSK3 substrates offers a therapeutically applicable approach to potentiate the regenerative outcome in the injured CNS.
The Changing Pattern of Regional Convergence in Europe

The article provides an assessment of the regional convergence process between the Western European regions since the 1950s. Two sets of issues are addressed: (a) Is there sufficient evidence of regional convergence? If so, has the speed of convergence changed over time and is this speed satisfactory. (b) Is convergence a phenomenon limited to the core EC regions as often claimed or did it encompass Europe's Southern and Northern regions as well? The investigation follows the methodology suggested by Barro and Sala-i-Martin to study the process of convergence in a neo-classical model of growth and to assess its speed. In contrast to the results obtained we then put an estimation of convergence based on panel data techniques, which shows the size of individual regional effects determining steady state income. The results suggest that convergence had set in at a rather high rate during the fifties and sixties. European regions seemed to have joined on a common convergence path until 1973. After 1975, convergence slowed down distinctly and several poorer regions on the Southern periphery started to show a weakness in convergence. Slow convergence in the 1980s was paired with an increasing deviation in steady state income between rich and poor regions, which a number of the latter could not recover when convergence set in again in the late 1980s.
Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with an Increased Vascular Reactivity in the Human Mammary Artery in vitro

A gene polymorphism of the angiotensin II (AII) type 1 receptor has been described previously (A to C transversion at position 1166). Besides the epidemiological studies needed to determine a possible relationship between the polymorphism and some cardiovascular diseases, no study has been conducted to determine the impact of the polymorphism on vascular functions. At subthreshold concentrations, within the physiological range, AII potentiates α-adrenergic-dependent vascular tone. We investigated phenylephrine-induced tone and its amplification by AII (10 pmol/l) in human internal mammary artery rings mounted in organ baths. We performed concentration-response curves to phenylephrine (0.1–100 µmol/l) before and after pretreatment with AII (10 pmol/l). Patients had the genotype AA (n = 20) or the A to C transversion (AC/CC, n = 30). Contractions to phenylephrine (0.1–100 µmol/l) were significantly higher in rings from AC/CC than from AA patients (maximum response: 1.47±0.07 vs. 1.22±0.06 mN/mg, p < 0.001). AII (10 pmol/l) induced a significant potentiation of phenylephrine-induced contraction (e.g. 58.9% increase in tone with 1 µmol/l phenylephrine, p < 0.001) which was significantly lower in the AC/CC than in the AA group (46±9 vs. 66±7% with 1 µmol/l phenylephrine, p < 0.01). Contractions to AII (1 or 100 nmol/l) were not significantly affected by the genotype. Although the study was performed in arteries from patients with a coronary artery disease, these changes in vascular reactivity might be of interest in the understanding of the relationship between a possible higher probability of cardiovascular disorder and the genetic polymorphism of the AII type 1 receptor.
Efficient Markets, Behavioral Finance and a Statistical Evidence of the Validity of Technical Analysis

This work tried to detect the existence of a relationship between the graphic signals - or patterns - observed day by day in the Brazilian stock market and the trends which happen after these signals, within a period of 8 years, for a number of securities. The results obtained from this study show evidence of the existence of such a relationship, suggesting the validity of the Technical Analysis as an instrument to predict the trend of security prices in the Brazilian stock market within that period.
The economic postulate of rationality - some methodological views

The criticism of the rationality postulate of economic theory that has been put forth by the administration theorists within the "Carnegie Tech" school and the countercriticism coming from economic theorists, are based on different methodological premises. The administration theorists are mainly concerned to meet the criterion of empirical relevance in economic theory, whereas the economic theorists put the emphasis on theoretical relevance. However, their one-sided demands tend to become ends in themselves, and it may therefore be assumed that both standpoints entail risk of suboptimizations which disfavour the explanatory and predictive ability of economic theory.
An Integenerational Childcare Support and the Fluctuating Fertility Rate

This paper examines the relationship between fertility rate and intergenerational childcare support provided by grandparents in the model based on the overlapping generation model with endogenous fertility rate. As a result, this paper reaches the following conclu-sions. First, intergenerational childcare support causes the fertility rate to ﬂ uctuate. Second, intergenerational childcare support exposes the market failure.
A Dynamic Time Slot Allocation Scheme for Hybrid CSMA/TDMA MAC Protocol

The hybrid carrier-sense multiple access (CSMA)/time-division multiple access (TDMA) medium access control (MAC) protocol combines the strengths of CSMA and TDMA protocols. In this letter, we propose a dynamic queue-length-based time slot allocation scheme for the hybrid CSMA/TDMA MAC protocol to improve channel utilization considering the uncertainty in queue length information. Due to the lack of a dedicated control channel from a device to the coordinator, the queue length in a device can be reported to the coordinator only in an intermittent manner. To overcome this difficulty, the proposed scheme calculates the probability mass function (pmf) of the distribution of the queue length and allocates slots during the TDMA period based on this pmf. The simulation results show that the proposed slot allocation scheme outperforms the time slot allocation scheme which does not take into account the distribution of the queue length.
Decreased cAMP Response Element-mediated Transcription

Huntington's disease (HD) is one of nine neurodegenerative diseases caused by an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) tract within the disease protein. To characterize pathways induced early in HD, we have developed stable inducible PC12 cell lines expressing wild-type or mutant forms of huntingtin exon 1 fragments or the full-length huntingtin protein. Three cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB)-binding protein-dependent transcriptional pathways, regulated by cAMP response element (CRE), retinoic acid response element, and nuclear factor κB, show abnormalities in our exon 1 cell model. Of these, the CRE pathway shows the earliest disruption and is significantly down-regulated as early as 12 h following mutant htt transgene induction. This pathway is also the only one of the three that is similarly perturbed in our full-length HD model, where it is also down-regulated at an early time point, compatible with observations in HD brains. Reduced CRE-dependent transcription may contribute to polyQ disease pathogenesis because overexpression of transcriptionally active CREB, but not an inactive form of the protein, is able to protect against polyQ-induced cell death and reduce aggregation.
Mite allergen (Der p 1) levels in houses of children with atopic dermatitis: the relationship with allergometric tests

Several studies, in particular in adult groups, have evaluated the involvement of mites in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD). This still remains controversial. The objective of this study was to determine the level of house dust mites (HDMs) in the beds of a group of children with AD and correlate these levels with their allergometric assessment. Forty‐one children with AD underwent allergometric tests (prick test, patch test and radioallergosorbent test, RAST) and the concentration levels of HDMs in their homes were evaluated. Our data show that about half of the children (51%) with AD presented Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus positivity (prick test and/or RAST and/or patch test). Dust was collected in the period October–November from the children's beds, by the same two operators, using a dust‐collection device. The dust mite level was tested by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay with antibody against Der p 1 allergen. Ten children (24%) presented a Der p 1 concentration > 2 μg/g of dust (the value assumed to be a risk level for sensitization), 20 (49%) between 0.1 and 2 μg/g and 11 (27%) < 0.1 μg/g of dust. In the group with the highest Der p 1 concentration (> 2 μg/g dust) nine children (90%) presented an allergometric D. pteronyssinus sensitivity, the difference with the other two groups being statistically significant at P < 0.018. The results of the present study show that the highest HDM concentrations were observed in the group with an allergometric D. pteronyssinus positivity (prick test and/or RAST and/or patch test). It is hypothesized that a higher HDM concentration may elicit D. pteronyssinus IgE sensitization and delayed hypersensitivity in children with AD.
Strong, Stray Static Magnetic Fields

This paper considers the generation of a strong stray magnetic field using rare-earth permanent magnets. Generating a strong field in a region displaced from a magnet is considered here in the context of magnetic resonance hardware design; however, optimizing magnetic field strength is of broad utility in many areas. The local magnetization direction in a permanent magnet is related to the field strength at a position outside of the magnet. This local direction can be optimized to obtain the strongest field. The paper derives, for a magnet of fixed volume, expressions for the dimensions yielding the strongest field. It discusses practical magnet arrangements that approximate the ideal magnetization pattern and demonstrates that a field greater that 80% of the optimal value can be obtained from a relatively simple arrangement of magnetized blocks.
Comparison of intramuscular artemether and intravenous quinine in the treatment of Sudanese children with severe falciparum malaria.

OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy of intramuscular artemether and intravenous quinine in the treatment of severe falciparum malaria. DESIGN An open randomized controlled clinical trial. SETTING New Halfa Teaching Hospital, Eastern Sudan, in the period November 2001-January 2002. SUBJECTS Forty one male and female children; 21 on artemether and 20 on quinine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Fever clearance time, parasite clearance time, coma resolution time and side effects of the two drugs. RESULTS The two groups (artemether and quinine) were well matched in the admission variable. The mean +/- (SD) fever clearance time was 30.5 +/- (20.9) hours in the artemether group, while it was 18.0 +/- (8.1) hours in the quinine group; the difference was highly significant (P=0.02). The mean parasite clearance time was shorter in the artemether group than in the quinine group, but it was not statistically significant, (16.0 vs. 22.4 hours; p>0.05). In comatose patients (three in the artemether group, three in the quinine group) the time of recovery from coma was significantly shorter in artemether group than in quinine group (12.5 vs. 20.16 hours; P<0.05). Recrudescence of P. falciparum (confirmed by polymerase chain reaction) occurred in one out of fifteen patients (6.6%) in the quinine group seen on day 28, which was successfully treated by sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine. In the quinine group, one patient died and one patient developed hypoglycaemia. CONCLUSION Artemether caused faster parasite clearance than quinine, but quinine lowered the temperature in shorter time than artemether. The results obtained show that artemether can be used as safe and effective alternative drug for the treatment of severe falciparum malaria in the wake of the growing resistance to quinine in Sudan.
Household television access: associations with screen time, reading, and homework among youth.

OBJECTIVE We examined how household factors that mediate television access are associated with screen time (television, videos, movies, and computer and video games), reading, and homework. METHODS We conducted a self-report survey among 1197 sixth and seventh graders in 10 middle schools in 4 Boston-area communities in 1995. To assess independent associations, SUDAAN linear regressions were calculated to control for respondent characteristics and household access and to account for clustered sampling in the school-based design. RESULTS Total viewing (television, videos, movies, and computer and video games) averaged 3.35 plus minus 2.2 hours per day. In multivariate regressions, independent direct associations with total viewing were observed for the following categories: youth has a television in the bedroom: 0.64 hours per day (P <.001), never/seldom has family dinners: 0.55 hours (P <.01); no parental limits on television time: 0.48 hours (P <.01); and each additional television outside the youth's bedroom, 0.12 hours (P <.05). Similar results held when television/video/movie use was examined separately from computer/video game use. Youth reported an average of 1.6 plus minus 1.1 hours of reading and homework per day. Parental limits on television time were associated with 0.21 hours more reading per day (P <.01), whereas a television in the bedroom was associated with 0.18 hours less (P <.01). CONCLUSIONS Reducing intrahousehold television access may enhance clinical, school, and community strategies to reduce youth television viewing and other screen time.
High genetic diversity in a population of the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Laccaria amethystina in a 150‐year‐old beech forest

The genetic structure of a population of the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Laccaria amethystina (Bolt. ex Hooker) Murr. was assessed in a closed 150‐year‐old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) forest in the Vosges Mountains in northeastern France. During the autumn of 1994 and 1997, sporophores were collected from three 100‐m2 sampling plots located along a 120‐m transect crossing the beech stand. The genetic variation of 676 sporophores was initially estimated using heteroduplex analysis of the ribosomal DNA intergenic spacer (IGS1). Ten unique IGS1 heteroduplex/homoduplex patterns were identified, although three types represented most of the sporophores analysed. Each group of IGS1 type was then analysed using random amplified microsatellite analysis (RAMS). RAMS resolved 388 different genotypes amongst the 634 sporophores analysed from the three plots during the autumn of 1994 and 1997. Density as high as 130 genets per 100 m2 was observed during the autumn of 1994. The largest clone covered ≈ 1 m2, but most genets covered a few cm2 and produced only one to three sporophores. Only eight genotypes identified in 1994 were found in 1997. Although L. amethystina has the capacity for vegetative persistence, the present study indicates that its populations maintain a genetic structure more consistent with a high frequency of sexual reproduction. This suggests that beech trees could be recolonized by new genotypes each year. Alternatively, this spatial distribution may also arise from erratic fruiting of underground persistent genets. These features (i.e. numerous genets of small size), typical of ruderal species, contrast with studies carried out on other ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetes occurring in mature closed forests.
Factors Influencing Clopidogrel Efficacy in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease Undergoing Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Statin's Advantage and the Smoking “Paradox”

Purpose: The aim was to identify factors that influence the efficacy of 600 mg of clopidogrel pretreatment in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention. Methods: In a laboratory substudy of the PRAGUE-8 trial, the influences of nonmodifiable (age and sex) and modifiable (body mass index and tobacco smoke) factors, comorbidity (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and renal insufficiency) and cotherapy (statin, aspirin, and heparin), on the course of clopidogrel efficacy were investigated in 105 patients pretreated with clopidogrel ≥6 hours before coronary angiography ± percutaneous coronary intervention. Flow cytometric analysis of the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein phosphorylation state was used. Independent predictors that influenced clopidogrel action were identified using linear regression. Results: There was no correlation between baseline platelet reactivity index (PRI) and severity of coronary atherosclerosis; mean index of platelet reactivity for a nonsignificant lesion was 72% ± 5.98% and for a significant lesion 70.08% ± 8.43%. The highest proportion of low responders was patients with diabetes (50% at 28 hours). Among tobacco smokers, the response to clopidogrel occurred quickly and 80% of smokers had effective inhibition of PRI, 12 hours after drug use. After adjustments, tobacco smoking was an independent predictor for the most robust drop of PRI 12 hours after clopidogrel (P = 0.027). The magnitude of total decrease of PRI at 28 hours was not significantly influenced by cigarette smoking (P = 0.12). Linear regression showed that patients on statin therapy had a better response to clopidogrel than those without statins-the mean decrease of PRI at 28 hours was significantly higher (P = 0.02) among these patients (40.0 vs. 27.6). Conclusions: In stable coronary artery disease, no correlation exists between baseline PRI and the severity and extent of coronary atherosclerosis. A high loading dose of clopidogrel does not satisfactorily suppress enhanced PRI in patients with diabetes. Cigarette smoking is independently associated with a prompt antiplatelet response to clopidogrel. Ongoing statin therapy is an independent determinant of more effective clopidogrel-mediated inhibition of platelet reactivity.
Radical innovation, market forces, political and business relationships

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the relationships between radical innovation, market forces and political/business relationships in China by combining social capital theory and contingent theory. The paper focuses on how two types of managerial ties (i.e. business and political ties) impact firms’ capacity for radical innovation. It also examines the different moderating effects of market forces (i.e. demand uncertainty, technological turbulence and competitive intensity) on the linkage of managerial ties with radical innovation in the Chinese transitional context. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic literature review on managerial ties, radical innovation and market forces in emerging markets provides the theoretical foundation of our conceptual model and hypothesis. Using a survey sample of 119 Chinese firms, the authors conduct a regression analysis on the theoretical model and hypotheses. Findings – The results show that business ties have an inverted U-shape effect on radical innovati.
Observer-based robust L2 control for a professional printing system

The robust control problem of a laser printing system, using an ℒ2 observer-based output feedback controller, is analyzed. The nonlinear printing system is approximated by a Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) model. A robust control technique is proposed to cope with the effect of the approximation error between the nonlinear model of the printing system and the approximated T-S model. A sufficient condition is derived to ensure robust stability of an ℒ2 observer-based output feedback controller with guaranteed disturbance attenuation level. A parameterized Lyapunov function is employed in our approach. A transformation formulates the problem in terms of a linear matrix inequality for which efficient optimization solvers are used to test feasibility. Simulation results illustrate the performance and the validity of the proposed approach.