Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modeling and Forecasting Exchange Rate Volatility in Time-Frequency Domain

This paper proposes an enhanced approach to modeling and forecasting volatility using high frequency data. Using a forecasting model based on Realized GARCH with multiple time-frequency decomposed realized volatility measures, we study the influence of different timescales on volatility forecasts. The decomposition of volatility into several timescales approximates the behaviour of traders at corresponding investment horizons. The proposed methodology is moreover able to account for impact of jumps due to a recently proposed jump wavelet two scale realized volatility estimator. We propose a realized Jump-GARCH models estimated in two versions using maximum likelihood as well as observation-driven estimation framework of generalized autoregressive score. We compare forecasts using several popular realized volatility measures on foreign exchange rate futures data covering the recent financial crisis. Our results indicate that disentangling jump variation from the integrated variation is important for forecasting performance. An interesting insight into the volatility process is also provided by its multiscale decomposition. We find that most of the information for future volatility comes from high frequency part of the spectra representing very short investment horizons. Our newly proposed models outperform statistically the popular as well conventional models in both one-day and multi-period-ahead forecasting.
Detection of Escherichia coli O 157 : H 7 in Food

High toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), also known as verocytotoxin-producing E. coli, are important food borne pathogens responsible for outbreaks of hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). STEC that cause HC and HUS are also referred to as enterohemorrhagic E. coli [1]. Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important foodborne pathogen a causative agent of hemorrhagic colitis (HC) and Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS). Large outbreaks of EHEC infection were reported throughout the world. Escherichia coli O157:H7 is the most commonly recognized STEC in the United States, however, many other STEC serogroups including O26, O103, O111, and O145, have been associated with outtbreaks and sporadic cases of HC and HUS worldwide [2]. One of the largest E. coli O157:H7 (one of the serotypes of EHEC) outbreaks associated with food consumption occurred in Sakai City, Japan in 1996 [3]. E. coli O157 and E. coli O157:H7 are present in the intestines of cattle as a component of the native microbiota and they can contaminate both the meat and the slaughterhouse environment. Due to the result, contamination of both carcasses and the environment by E. coli O157 and E. coli O157:H7 from the intestinal contents of cattle during slaughter is one of the most significant risk factors intrans mission to humans [4,5]. The pathogenicity of E. coli O157 and E. coli O157:H7, including STEC, are associated with several virulence factors. The main factor contributing to their pathogenicity is their capacity to produce two potent phage encoded cytotoxins called Shigatoxins (namely, Stx1 and Stx2) [6]. The production of toxins, another virulence-associated factor expressed by STEC is a protein called Intimin, which is encoded by the EAE gene and responsible for the intimate attachment of STEC to the intestinal epithelial cells [7]. ABSTRACT
PASAT in Detecting Cognitive Impairment in Relapsing-Remitting MS

The PASAT, as a part of the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite, is used as a sole measure of cognition in multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trials. In the present study, we evaluated the frequency and characteristics of cognitive impairment among relapsing-remitting MS patients. Using a comprehensive neuropsychological examination as the “golden standard,” we assessed PASAT's sensitivity and specificity in MS-related cognitive impairment as well as factors possibly confounding PASAT performance. Forty-five relapsing-remitting MS patients and 48 healthy controls were studied using PASAT and a comprehensive neuropsychological examination. The frequency of cognitive dysfunction among MS patients was 42%. Cognitive impairment in MS was heterogeneous in nature but characterized, especially, by reduced information-processing ability and memory deficits. PASAT's sensitivity for patients' cognitive impairment was 74% and specificity 65%. Misclassification of cognitive impairment seemed to be associated with self-reported nervousness and poor arithmetic skills. Although PASAT offers satisfactory sensitivity in detecting the presence of cognitive impairment, its specificity may be limited by confounding factors.
Using deep autoencoders for facial expression recognition

Feature descriptors involved in image processing are generally manually chosen and high dimensional in nature. Selecting the most important features is a very crucial task for systems like facial expression recognition. This paper investigates the performance of deep autoencoders for feature selection and dimension reduction for facial expression recognition on multiple levels of hidden layers. The features extracted from the stacked autoencoder outperformed when compared to other state-of-the-art feature selection and dimension reduction techniques.
Optimal Network Design with End-to-End Service Requirements

Long-term planning for transportation, telecommunications, and other service operations entails designing networks that are both cost effective and responsive. Because infrastructure networks are expensive and the network’s design determines its service capabilities, planners must address complex trade-offs between minimizing the total cost of the network while meeting end-to-end service requirements such as limits on transit time, latency, and transshipments. To address this problem, we study a minimum cost multicommodity network design model to select arcs and route the required flows along these arcs so that each origin-to-destination route satisfies limits on various service metrics. To effectively solve this service network design problem, we focus on a polyhedral approach to strengthen its arc flow formulation. We develop several classes of strong cuts, with appropriate separation procedures, and propose an optimization-based heuristic method. We characterize the dimension of the problem’s feasible .
EARNINGS MANAGEMENT. EXISTE MANIPULACIÓN DEL RESULTADO EN EMPRESAS ARGENTINAS? EVIDENCIA EMPÍRICA

El presente trabajo se encuadra dentro de la literatura sobre “earnings management” , termino que se puede traducir como “gestion, alteracion o direccion del resultado”, y encuentra su precedente en la linea de investigacion denominada “eleccion contable” . Numerosas investigaciones previas han demostrado que los paises europeos y anglosajones manipulan la informacion contable para lograr determinados objetivos, derivados de la presion que ejerce el mercado de capitales sobre la valoracion del comportamiento de estas empresas, con consecuencias en la calidad de la informacion contable reportada. En base a la metodologia de analisis de distribucion de frecuencias, y tomando como muestra empresas argentinas que cotizan en bolsa y forman o han formado parte del indice Merval 25 en los ultimos 5 anos, se busca detectar si los gerentes manipulan la informacion contable, para evitar mostrar perdidas y descensos en el resultado, a traves del analisis de las variables que se suponen alteradas, en nuestro caso el resultado neto. Tomando como referencia el trabajo titulado: “La alteracion del resultado para evitar perdidas y descensos: evidencia empirica, de Ma. Luisa Gallen Ortiz y Begona Giner Inchausti, de la Universidad de Valencia, se realiza el analisis empririco. Los resultados arrojados por el mismo permiten aceptar las premisas planteadas como verdaderas, ya que se verifican discontinuidades significativas en torno al umbral de referencia, en nuestro caso “cero” resultado o ”cero” variacion en el resultado. Si bien el analisis permite detectar la manipulacion de manera global, no es posible, al utilizar esta metodologia, determinar los instrumentos utilizados para la alteracion, siendo esta una limitacion al analisis desarrollado, y motivo por lo tanto, de una futura investigacion.
Epidemiology of Migraine ‘Personal View’

The definition of migraine varies in its degree of exactitude, pertinence, and completeness with the definer, being the man-in-the-street, the general physician, the neurologist, or the migraine-connoisseur. As long as a pathognomonic, objective (biochemical) parameter of migraine has not been discovered, recognition of the disorder will remain a matter of opinion (read: conjecture) rather than fact.
Calculated and measured absorption cross sections of lossy objects in reverberation chamber

Reverberation chambers can be used to measure radiation efficiency of small antennas when these are located close to lossy objects. The lossy objects represent a heavy loading of the chamber. This loading is characterized by the mean absorption cross section of the lossy objects. This paper describes how this mean absorption cross section can be calculated from the scattered far field of an object by using the forward scattering theorem, or from a more laborious near-field evaluation. Results for lossy spheres and cylinders are calculated by using three different codes, based on spherical mode expansion, finite difference time domain techniques, and moment methods, respectively. The results for the cylinder are compared with measured levels in a reverberation chamber.
Incidence of the Half-Left Profile Pose in Single-Subject Portraits

The present work recorded frequencies of five poses (left profile, half-left profile, full-face view, half-right profile, and right profile) by examining 4,180 single-subject portraits of various media. Statistically significant differences were found between the incidence of half-left and half-right profiles. These differences found across media, authorship, and five centuries of portrait work are consistent with right-hemisphere activation models in attentional bias and perception of emotion.
Reassortant betanodavirus infection in turbot (Scophthalmus maximus).

In this study, the susceptibility of turbot juveniles to two betanodavirus strains was assessed, a RGNNV/SJNNV reassortant (Ss160.03) and a SJNNV strain. The reassortant isolate exhibits a slightly modified SJNNV CP, with two amino acid substitutions in the C-terminal domain (positions 247 and 270). To analyse the role of these residues as virulence and host determinants in turbot, three recombinant strains (rSs160.03247 , rSs160.03270 , rSs160.03247+270 ) harbouring site-specific mutations in the CP sequence were also tested in experimental trials. Moderate mortalities (up to 50%) were recorded at 18 °C in the fish challenged with the Ss160.03 strain, whereas low mortalities (17%) were observed in the group challenged with the SJNNV strain. A slight decrease (around 10%) was observed in the mortalities caused by the mutants rSs160.03247 and rSs160.03270 , whilst the mutation of both positions reduced mortality by more than half of that observed in fish challenged with the wild strain. These results are confirmed by the replication in brain tissues, because whereas the wild strain was detected from 5 to 30 dpi and reached the highest viral load, the recombinant virus harbouring both mutations was not detected in the brain until 20 dpi and with a moderate viral load.
The effect of a variation in tone spacing on the intermodulation performance of Class A and Class AB HBT power amplifiers

The first investigation into the effect of frequency separation on the intermodulation distortion performance of Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) power amplifiers is reported. The measured results show that the frequency spacing between the two input tones affects the intermodulation distortion performance of Class AB power amplifiers, but not Class A power amplifiers.
An end-to-end user two-way authenticated double encrypted messaging scheme based on hybrid RSA for the future internet architectures

In future internet architectures, end-to-end (E2E) secured personal messaging is essential. So here an E2E user two-way authenticated double encrypted messaging architecture based on hybrid RSA for private messaging is proposed. Our P2P protocol works over TCP protocol for creating direct connections in between, with IPv4 broadcast options to discover peers on the same LAN. Our protocol implements perfect forward secrecy using Diffie-Hellman key exchange with renegotiation capability in every session with optimal asymmetric encryption padding and random salts. For making hybrid RSA with double encryption, in encryption level, main RSA is integrated with efficient RSA to give more statistical complexity. In the decryption process, the CRT is used for very high efficiency with integration with shared RSA. Our architecture also gives a hassle-free, secure, peer-to-peer, strong and reliable platform with E2E encryption for private messaging and it can also work with future internet architectures.
An Allosteric Self-Splicing Ribozyme Triggered by a Bacterial Second Messenger

Riboswitch Revealed Short regulatory regions—riboswitches—are found in the messenger RNAs of many bacteria, plants, and fungi. They bind to small-molecule metabolites and, through switching between alternate RNA secondary structures, regulate the expression of the linked RNA. Lee et al. (p. 845) have identified a c-di-GMP (cyclic di-guanosyl-5′-monophosphate)–binding riboswitch in the bacterium Clostridium difficile that regulates the splicing of a group I self-splicing ribozyme. Binding of c-di-GMP to the riboswitch favors a conformation of the ribozyme that promotes splicing in the presence of guanosine triphosphate (as is typical for this class of ribozymes). Concomitantly, splicing promotes the formation of a ribosome binding site, thereby stimulating protein production from the downstream pathogenesis-related gene. This regulatory region may thus constitute a two-input gene-control system that reads the concentration of both GTP and c-di-GMP. Thus, not all group I self-splicing ribozymes represent selfish genetic elements. A metabolite-sensing riboswitch regulates the splicing of a “selfish” group I self-splicing ribozyme. Group I self-splicing ribozymes commonly function as components of selfish mobile genetic elements. We identified an allosteric group I ribozyme, wherein self-splicing is regulated by a distinct riboswitch class that senses the bacterial second messenger c-di-GMP. The tandem RNA sensory system resides in the 5′ untranslated region of the messenger RNA for a putative virulence gene in the pathogenic bacterium Clostridium difficile. c-di-GMP binding by the riboswitch induces folding changes at atypical splice site junctions to modulate alternative RNA processing. Our findings indicate that some self-splicing ribozymes are not selfish elements but are harnessed by cells as metabolite sensors and genetic regulators.
Geometric based estimation and nonlinear PI controller for dynamic optimization problem

In this paper, the minimization of an unknown but measurable cost function of the state variables of nonlinear systems governed by uncertain dynamics is considered. An extremum-seeking algorithm is proposed to solve this uncertain dynamic optimization problem without the need for a time-scale separation. The Lie derivatives of the convex cost function with respect to nonlinear dynamics of the system are regarded as time-varying parameters. A new technique based on the concept of invariant manifolds is proposed for the adaptive estimation of the time-varying parameters. A nonlinear proportional-integral approach is then used to formulate the extremum-seeking controller. This approach is shown to avoid the need for a time-scale separation in real-time optimization problem. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated with a simulation example.
Marqueurs biologiques de l'infarctus du myocarde

L'Infarctus du myocarde constitue un probleme majeur de Sante publique et sa prise en charge est une urgence medicale. Les nouvelles strategies therapeutiques ameliorent significativement le pronostic de cette affection, et ceci d'autant plus qu'elles sont mises en oeuvre precocement, dans les 6 premieres heures apres la douleur. Le diagnostic d' infarctus du myocarde en phase aigue repose sur les signes cliniques, l'electrocardiogramme et peut etre complete dans les cas atypiques par la Biologie. Les marqueurs biologiques sont egalement utiles dans le suivi de la reperfusion apres thrombolyse et dans l'evaluation de la taille de la zone necrosee. Cet article presente une revue des principaux marqueurs disponibles a ce jour, leurs avantages et inconvenients, ainsi que les caracteristiques des differents kits permettant de les doser.
Low-Complexity Stackelberg Game Approach for Energy-Efficient Resource Allocation in Heterogeneous Networks

In this letter, we propose a low-complexity game-theoretic approach for energy-efficient resource allocation in a two-tier heterogeneous network. We measure the energy efficiency (EE) by “Revenue per Cost” in the utility domain considering both power allocation and interference coordination. Since global optimization for maximizing the overall EE is computationally expensive, we transform this nonconvex problem to a two-stage Stackelberg game inspired by fractional programming. We then employ the backward induction method and the Lagrange dual decomposition method to solve this game. An efficient iterative algorithm is designed to achieve Stackelberg equilibrium. Simulation results validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Characterization of Oxalate Transport by the Human Erythrocyte Band 3 Protein

A B S T RA C T This paper describes characteristics of the transport of oxalate across the human erythrocyte membrane. Treatment of cells with low concentrations of H2DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate) inhibits C1--C1and oxalate-oxalate exchange to the same extent, suggesting that band 3 is the major transport pathway for oxalate. The kinetics of oxalate and C1self-exchange fluxes indicate that the two ions compete for a common transport site; the apparent CIaffinity is two to three times higher than that of oxalate. The net exchange of oxalate for Cl-, in either direction, is accompanied by a flux of H + with oxalate, as is also true of net C1--SO24 exchange. The transport of oxalate, however, is much faster than that of SO24 or other divalent anions. Oxalate influx into Cl--containing cells has an extracellular pH optimum of ~5.5 at 0~ At extracellular pH below 5.5 (neutral intracellular pH), net C1--oxalate exchange is nearly as fast as CI--CIexchange. The rapid C1--oxalate exchange at acid extracellular pH is not likely to be a consequence of C1exchange for monovalent oxalate (HOOC-COO-; pK~ = 4.2) because monocarboxylates of similar structure exchange for C1much more slowly than does oxalate. The activation energy of C1--oxalate exchange is about 35 kCal/mol at temperatures between 0 and 15~ the rapid oxalate influx is therefore not a consequence of a low activation energy. The protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid has no detectable effect on oxalate self-exchange, in contrast to a recent finding in another laboratory (Baggio, B., L. Bordin, G. Clari, G. Gambaro, and V. Moret. 1993. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1148:157-160.); our data provide no evidence for physiological regulation of anion exchange in red cells.
The Origins of the Village Revisited: From Nuclear to Extended Households

In Mesoamerica and the Near East, the emergence of the village seems to have involved two stages. In the first stage, individuals were distributed through a series of small circular-to-oval structures, accompanied by communal or “shared” storage features. In the second stage, nuclear families occupied substantial rectangular houses with private storage rooms. Over the last 30 years a wealth of data from the Near East, Egypt, the Trans-Caucasus, India, Africa, and the Southwest U.S. have enriched our understanding of this phenomenon. And in Mesoamerica and the Near East, evidence suggests that nuclear family households eventually gave way to a third stage, one featuring extended family households whose greater labor force made possible extensive multifaceted economies.
Diagnostic Markers of Chronic Hepatitis B Infection and Disease

Recent advances in therapy for patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection offer the potential for a more successful treatment outcome, but also raise a number of questions in clinical practice regarding diagnosis and staging of CHB to ensure such potential is realized. In patients without cirrhosis, some forms of antiviral therapy can switch patients from an active disease phase into an inactive hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) carrier state, and eventually lead to HBsAg clearance and HBsAg antibody seroconversion, the closest to a cure in CHB; thus, one of the most important diagnostic questions that clinicians face is the identification of patients with early forms of CHB within a large cohort of asymptomatic HBsAg-positive individuals, most of whom are inactive HBsAg carriers. Two major categories of diagnostic markers are currently available: virus-specific markers and liver disease markers. Most markers involve the use of non-invasive serological testing, but invasive diagnostic procedures, such as liver biopsy, are also an option. In this article, we review current opinions on the appropriate use of diagnostic procedures, answering some important questions for the clinician, such as why, how, when and in whom they might best be used.
Genetic susceptibility to venous thrombosis.

The annual incidence of venous thrombosis, one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity, increases from 1 per 100,000 during childhood to 1 per 100 in old age.1 In this article we will discuss conditions involving a genetic predisposition to venous thrombosis. The clinical relevance of this topic has increased with new evidence of the high prevalence of mutant genes that increase susceptibility to thrombosis. Of the three mechanisms of thrombosis defined by Virchow in the 19th century — vessel-wall injury, stasis, and “changes in the composition of blood” (hypercoagulability) — the last two predominate in venous thrombosis. Hypercoagulability .