Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Productivity and Growth Effects of Acidification : A dynamic CGE modeling study of Sweden

Emissions and accumulation of acidifying pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides negatively affect welfare both directly and indirectly. The direct effects are due to the negative effects of acidification on the consumption value of the environment. The indirect effects are due to the negative impact of acidification on forest growth and the productivity of labor and capital. In other words acidification has feedback effects on the rate and pattern of economic growth. Moreover, if these feedback effects are neglected in numerical models both environmental policy evaluations and long term economic projections based on these models will be biased. The purpose of this study is to elucidate feedback effects of acidification on productivity and economic growth within the frame of a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the Swedish economy. The basic aim is to develop a model framework for environmental policy evaluation. The model distinguishes 17 production sectors, and is based on recently developed economic and emissions data for Sweden. Key damage functions are based on unique data on the impact of acid deposition on forest growth. The simulation results suggest that emissions of acidifying pollutants over the next few decades w ill have a non-negligible negative impact on labor productivity and on the supply of forest raw material, leading to a noticeable impact on Sweden’s GDP. However, in terms of the overall rate and pattern of economic growth numerical CGE models with and without endogenous feedback effects of acidification produce very s imilar results. Moreover, according to the model simulation results the positive productivity effects of proposed emission reductions are smaller than the costs of attaining these emission reductions. ∗ This study has been carried out within the framework of the European Commission’s Non Nuclear Energy program Joule III, project GEM-E3-ELITE, Contract JOS3-CT97-0017. ∗∗ Corresponding author, e-mail: marti n.hill@hhs.se.
Secure Out-of-Band Remote Management Using Encrypted Virtual Serial Consoles in IaaS Clouds

In Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) clouds, users manage the systems in virtual machines (VMs) through remote management systems such as Secure Shell (SSH). IaaS often provides out-of-band remote management using virtual serial consoles (VSCs). Even on failures inside their VMs, users can directly access their systems through a virtual serial device in the management VM. However, the management VM is not always trustworthy in IaaS. Attackers in the management VM can easily eavesdrop on inputs and outputs in remote management. In this paper, we propose SCCrypt for preventing information leakage in out-of-band remote management. SCCrypt provides encrypted VSCs to the management VM. In an encrypted VSC, the trusted virtual machine monitor (VMM) securely decrypts console inputs encrypted in an SSH client. It also encrypts console outputs, which are decrypted in an SSH client. For this purpose, the VMM correctly identifies the inputs and ouputs by tracking device state without the cooperation of the management VM and user VMs. To support a key change at the reconnection to an encrypted VSC, the VMM re-encrypts pending console outputs. We have implemented SCCrypt in Xen and the OpenSSH client. Then we confirmed that any information did not leak and the overhead was small enough.
The Epidemiology of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Worldwide

Background: This systematic literature review of the epidemiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) identifies trends in incidence rates by age, study method and cause of disease. It is important to have a reliable estimate of incidence to determine and investigate any changes: no previous systematic reviews of GBS have been found. Methods: After critical assessment of the reliability of the reported data, incidence rates were extracted from all relevant papers published between 1980 and 2008, identified through searches of Medline, Embase and Science Direct. Results: Sixty-three papers were included in this review; these studies were prospective, retrospective reviews of medical records or retrospective database studies. Ten studies reported on the incidence in children (0–15 years old), and found the annual incidence to be between 0.34 and 1.34/100,000. Most studies investigated populations in Europe and North America and reported similar annual incidence rates, i.e. between 0.84 and 1.91/100,000. A decrease in incidence over the time between the 1980s and 1990s was found. Up to 70% of cases of GBS were caused by antecedent infections. Conclusions: Our best estimate of the overall incidence of GBS was between 1.1/100,000/year and 1.8/100,000/year. The incidence of GBS increased with age after 50 years from 1.7/100,000/year to 3.3/100,000/year.
Cooperative grain boundary sliding in nanocrystalline materials

Superplastic behaviour of microcrystalline materials is now believed to be controlled by cooperative grain boundary sliding (CGBS). An increasing role of grain boundary mediated plasticity with decreasing grain size down to the nanoscale was predicted leading to the prospect of enhanced superplasticity in nanocrystalline materials. Nevertheless, materials with nanosized grains have revealed a significant decrease in plasticity contrary to theoretical prediction. Direct evidence of CGBS in nanocrystalline Ni3Al alloy from SEM surface analysis and in-situ TEM tensile testing was detected, confirming one similarity in the rheology of deformation processes between micro- and nanomaterials. Thus, differences in deformation behaviour of materials at these two length scales are related to the probability of sliding surface formation, sliding distance and related accommodation mechanisms.
Widely Separated MIMO versus Multistatic Radars for Target Localization and Tracking

The detection, localization, and tracking performance of multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) radars with widely separated antennas is investigated and compared with that of multistatic radar systems. A multiple-hypothesis (MH)-based algorithm is proposed for multitarget localization for the case where extended targets with multiple spatial reflections become unobservable in certain transmitter-receiver pairs. A particle filter (PF)-based algorithm is then proposed to handle dynamic multitarget tracking. Finally, simulation results are provided to demonstrate the relative capability of MIMO radars in localizing and tracking extended targets under various signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions compared with multistatic radars.
Computational techniques for elucidating plant-pathogen interactions from large-scale experiments on fungi and oomycetes

Eukaryotic plant pathogens are responsible for the destruction of billions of dollars worth of crops each year. With large-scale genomics of both pathogens and hosts and the corresponding computational analysis, biologists are now able to gain knowledge about many pathogenic and defense genes concurrently. To study the interactions between these two organism groups, it is necessary to design experiments to elucidate the genes being expressed during the invasion of the pathogen into the host. For the most part, this does not require new software development, though it does require the use of existing software in novel ways. This article provides a broad overview of several key and illustrative experiments and the corresponding computational analyses, outlining the knowledge gained in each. It goes on to describe databases for plant-pathogen data and important initiatives such as Plant-Associated Microbe Gene Ontology. It discusses how various emerging approaches will increase the power of computers in host-pathogen interaction studies.
Murine model of cutaneous infection with gram-positive cocci

Staphylococcus aureus has remained an important cause of nosocomial wound infections, but standardized or reproducible systems for analyzing cutaneous infections caused by S. aureus do not exist. A variety of foreign materials, variable inocula, and skin traumas have been used to promote infection. To minimize these variables and ensure reproducibility, we chose a model using subcutaneous injections of a fixed quantity of dextran microbeads (Cytodex) as the foreign material added to standardized broth suspensions of S. aureus. Suspensions (0.2 ml) injected into an outbred strain of immunocompetent hairless mice generated reproducible, measurable lesions. With S. aureus Smith Diffuse, fluctuant, erythematous lesions with a peak diameter of 15 mm were observed; these lesions yielded purulent material containing gram-positive cocci and neutrophils and yielded growth of S. aureus on culture. Lesion size was proportional to the bacterial inoculum size. Histologic examination of excised lesions revealed typical abscesses. A second strain of S. aureus (SLC3) produced dermonecrosis instead of abscesses at an inoculum size of 10(7) CFU. Control injections with a sterile Cytodex suspension regularly produced nondraining, nonerythematous nodules with maximum diameters of less than or equal to 5 mm. Streptococcus pyogenes produced late-onset necrotic lesions and abscesses. Using a foreign substance, this model generates easily observed and reproducible cutaneous infection with S. aureus and streptococci that can potentially discriminate between inter- and intrastrain differences. Such a model could be used to test the pathogenicity of isogeneic strains of these bacterial species and to evaluate the efficacy of antimicrobial agents.
The use of grade one wheat middlings on Layer's performance

To evaluation of chemical composition and nutritive value of grade one wheat middlings wastes and to get the best levels of its use in layer diets these experiments were investigated.In first the chemical composition and energy and protein content evaluated and then research conducted by 240 hyline w36 layers from day 168 to 280 for 16 weeks(24 to 40 weeks of age). In this experiment four treatments were used and the rations were arranged in four levels of grade one wheat middlings and includes (0, 7.5, 15,22.5%) of grade one wheat middlings in layer diets. Four replicates with 15 birds were arranged in each.All of diets were Isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. Experiment statistical was in complete random design (CRD), data analysed by SAS programme and means were examined by Duncan multiple test.The metabolizable energy and protein content were 3220 kcal/ kg and 14.2% respectively. No significant differences were found in body weight (BW), feed conversion ratio(FCR) and and egg production percentage (P%) between different levels of wheat middlings in diets (p>0.05). In egg composition including egg weight, egg mass, albumen%, yolk%, shell%, dirty eggs% ,no significant were found (p>0.05). There were significant variables in cost of 1kg of egg production. The treatments fed with wheat middlings have had less cost than control treatment (p<0.05). However, it would suggested that 22.5% of wheat middlings in layer ration could leads to decrease the ration price and egg production cost and approach more benefits for poultry industry.
Electrolyte manipulation in female body-builders.

Sir Peripheral nerve injuries from intramuscular injections are recognized complications when administering drugs in a healthcare setting. I report two cases of possible peripheral nerve damage in people illicitly injecting anabolic steroids into the gluteal region for improvement in muscular strength and size. This report concerns two men who attended the same needle exchange scheme to obtain clean needles and syringes for their anabolic steroid misuse. Both patients suffered lower limb, hamstring weakness using the hip flexor as a compensatory mechanism for movement. There also appeared to be ill-defined anaesthesia and paraesthesia below the knee in both individuals. Each individual described bizarre injecting techniques. One client divided the buttocks into quadrants and injected into each quadrant, then into the centre of the intersecting lines in turn. The second patient's history of injection technique was more frequently towards the centre of the buttock. Both these cases were seen to suffer similar symptoms of possible sciatic or peripheral nerve trauma. When it was suggested they seek medical help neither patient was ever seen again. Anabolic steroids misuse is now getting more publicity. Estimates on the prevalence of steroid use are found in the literature. A recent study by the author has shown that in some gymnasia in South Wales the prevalence is over 35% l. Korkia and Stimson2 found that the prevalence of anabolic steroid use in the gyms studied ranged from no reports to 46% of respondents and that 9% of men and 2% of women from their study cohort reported having used anabolic steroids at some time. Our needle exchange schemes are progressive in that they acknowledge the need to provide a service to clients taking anabolic steroids as well as those taking illicit drugs and in that drug users are taught safer injecting techniques for intravenous (i.v.) administration, we also offer advice on intramuscular (i.m.) injecting. With the prevalence of anabolic steroid misuse, we feel sure that more complications of administration will be seen in the future. One problem with this group of individuals is that they refuse to acknowledge themselves as drug misusers and consequently are slow in seeking specialist advice. Also, on occasions, their pharmacological and technical knowledge of injecting is far less than that of i.v. drug abusers. Healthcare professionals involved with these misusers should bear the above cases in mind when they come into contact with people using anabolic steroids. They should offer advice on injecting techniques just as they do for i.v. abusers, if as my experience indicates, abstinence, although a longterm ideal, is not agreeable to these individuals in the short term.
Lactoferrin: A Multifunctional Glycoprotein Involved in the Modulation of the Inflammatory Process

Abstract Lactoferrin is an iron-binding glycoprotein found in exocrine secretions of mammals and released from neutrophilic granules during inflammation. This review describes the biological roles of lactoferrin in host defence. Secreted lactoferrin exerts antimicrobial action either by chelation of iron or by destabilization of bacterial membranes. Furthermore, lactoferrin modulates the inflammatory process, mainly by preventing the release of cytokines from monocytes and by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells. Some of these activities are related to the ability of lactoferrin to bind lipopolysaccharides (LPS) with high affinity. Indeed, recent in vitro studies indicate that lactoferrin is able to compete with the LPS-binding protein for LPS binding and therefore to prevent the transfer of LPS to CD14 present at the surface of monocytes. Moreover, the prophylactic properties of lactoferrin against septicemia in vivo have been demonstrated. Taken as a whole, these observations strongly suggest that lactoferrin is one of the key molecules which modulate the inflammatory response.
A New Approach For Line Extraction and its Integration in a Multi-Scale, Multi-Abstractio n-Level Road Extraction System

Road extraction is an active area of research. Because roads are elongated objects they can be described symbolically by means of lines. This paper shows, theoretically as well as in practice, why and under which circumstances lines extracted from an image are an abs tr ct representation of roads. Especially the importance of scale is emphasized and the connection betwee n multiple scales and multiple abstraction levels by means of so-called scale-space events is derived. The inv estigations are based on a sophisticated model for line extraction for which the scales where events occur can b e determined analytically. Results of a multi-scale multi-abstraction-level road extraction system, which is based on the theoretical and practical investigations, are presented.
Early Dust Evolution in Protostellar Accretion Disks

We investigate dust dynamics and evolution during the formation of a protostellar accretion disk around intermediate-mass stars via two-dimensional numerical simulations. Using three different detailed dust models, compact spherical particles, fractal ballistic particle cluster agglomeration (BPCA) grains, and ballistic cluster cluster agglomeration (BCCA) grains, we find that even during the early collapse and the first ~104 yr of dynamical disk evolution, the initial dust size distribution is strongly modified. Close to the disk's midplane coagulation produces dust particles of sizes of several times 10 μm (for compact spherical grains) up to several millimeters (for fluffy BCCA grains), whereas in the vicinity of the accretion shock front (located several density scale heights above the disk), large velocity differences inhibit coagulation. Dust particles larger than about 1 μm segregate from the smaller grains behind the accretion shock. Because of the combined effects of coagulation and grain segregation, the infrared dust emission is modified. Throughout the accretion disk a Mathis, Rumpl, & Nordsieck dust distribution provides a poor description of the general dust properties. Estimates of the consequences of the "freezing out" of molecules in protostellar disks should consider strongly modified grains. Physical model parameters such as the limiting sticking strength and the grains' resistivity against shattering are crucial factors determining the degree of coagulation reached. In dense regions (e.g., in the midplane of the disk) a steady state is quickly attained; for the parameters used here the coagulation timescale for 0.1 μm dust particles is ~1 yr (10-12 g cm-3/ϱ). High above the equatorial plane coagulation equilibrium is not reached as a result of the much lower densities. Here the dust size distribution is affected primarily by differential advection, rather than coagulation. The influence of grain evolution and grain dynamics on the disk's near-infrared continuum appearance during the disk's formation phase is only slight because the most strongly coagulated grains are embedded deep within the accretion disk.
Multi-Robot Path Planning for Selective Coverage

In this paper we propose a reward-driven finitehorizon model akin to a Markov Decision Process to extract the maximum amount of valuable data in least amount of time. We present a path planning algorithm that generates off-line trajectories for multiple robots to cover a region of interest by visiting the hot-spots in increasing order of their significance. An underlying distribution is assumed to assist the algorithm with recognizing the hot-spots. The trajectories generated are both time and energy efficient. We validate our technique through several simulated experiments. Although this technique can be used in any environmental domain (Air, Water or Land), in this paper we demonstrate the success of our technique using a real robot in surveying coral reefs in the presence of real world conditions.
Monoclonal antibodies that bind to the Ly6 domain of GPIHBP1 abolish the binding of LPL[S]

GPIHBP1, an endothelial cell protein, binds LPL in the interstitial spaces and shuttles it to its site of action inside blood vessels. For years, studies of human GPIHBP1 have been hampered by an absence of useful antibodies. We reasoned that monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against human GPIHBP1 would be useful for 1) defining the functional relevance of GPIHBP1’s Ly6 and acidic domains to the binding of LPL; 2) ascertaining whether human GPIHBP1 is expressed exclusively in capillary endothelial cells; and 3) testing whether GPIHBP1 is detectable in human plasma. Here, we report the development of a panel of human GPIHBP1-specific mAbs. Two mAbs against GPIHBP1’s Ly6 domain, RE3 and RG3, abolished LPL binding, whereas an antibody against the acidic domain, RF4, did not. Also, mAbs RE3 and RG3 bound with reduced affinity to a mutant GPIHBP1 containing an Ly6 domain mutation (W109S) that abolishes LPL binding. Immunohistochemistry studies with the GPIHBP1 mAbs revealed that human GPIHBP1 is expressed only in capillary endothelial cells. Finally, we created an ELISA that detects GPIHBP1 in human plasma. That ELISA should make it possible for clinical lipidologists to determine whether plasma GPIHBP1 levels are a useful biomarker of metabolic or vascular disease
On the pricing and hedging of volatility derivatives

The paper considers the pricing of a range of volatility derivatives, including volatility and variance swaps and swaptions. Under risk-neutral valuation closed-form formulae for volatility-average and variance swaps for a variety of diffusion and jump-diffusion models for volatility are provided. A general partial differential equation framework for derivatives that have an extra dependence on an average of the volatility is described. Approximate solutions of this equation are given for volatility products written on assets for which the volatility process fluctuates on a timescale that is fast compared with the lifetime of the contracts, analysing both the 'outer' region and, by matched asymptotic expansions, the 'inner' boundary layer near expiry.
Automatically assessed electronic exams in programming courses

Educational technology is nowadays utilized frequently in programming courses. Still, the final exams are mostly done using "traditional" pen-and-paper approach. In this paper, we present the adaptation of automatically assessed electronic exams in two programming courses. The first course was an introductory programming course taught using Java and the second one an advanced course about object-oriented programming. The usage of electronic exams offers several potential benefits for students, including, for example, the possibility to compile, test and debug the program code. To study the adaptation of electronic exams, we observed two instances of the courses mentioned above. Individual scores, submission counts and time spent on each task were analyzed. This data enabled us to classify the exercises in exams according to their difficulty level. This information can be used to further design exams to measure students' knowledge and skills adequately. The analyzed data and the student feedback seem to confirm that electronic exams are an excellent tool for evaluating students in programming courses, and can be recommended to other educators as well.
Structure, subnuclear distribution, and nuclear matrix association of the mammalian telomeric complex

Mammalian telomeres are composed of long arrays of TTAGGG repeats complexed with the TTAGGG repeat binding factor, TRF. Biochemical and ultrastructural data presented here show that the telomeric DNA and TRF colocalize in individual, condensed structures in the nuclear matrix. Telomeric TTAGGG repeats were found to carry an array of nuclear matrix attachment sites occurring at a frequency of at least one per kb. The nuclear matrix association of the telomeric arrays extended over large domains of up to 20-30 kb, encompassing the entire length of most mammalian telomeres. TRF protein and telomeric DNA cofractionated in nuclear matrix preparations and colocalized in discrete, condensed sites throughout the nuclear volume. FISH analysis indicated that TRF is an integral component of the telomeric complex and that the presence of TRF on telomeric DNA correlates with the compact configuration of telomeres and their association with the nuclear matrix. Biochemical fractionation of TRF and telomeric DNA did not reveal an interaction with the nuclear lamina. Furthermore, ultrastructural analysis indicated that the mammalian telomeric complex occupied sites throughout the nuclear volume, arguing against a role for the nuclear envelope in telomere function during interphase. These results are consistent with the view that mammalian telomeres form nuclear matrix- associated, TRF-containing higher order complexes at dispersed sites throughout the nuclear volume.