Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Portfolio Performance Manipulation and Manipulation-Proof Performance Measures

Numerous measures have been proposed to gauge the performance of active management. Unfortunately, these measures can be gamed. Our article shows that gaming can have a substantial impact on popular measures even in the presence of high transactions costs. Our article shows there are conditions under which a manipulation-proof measure exists and fully characterizes it. This measure looks like the average of a power utility function, calculated over the return history. The case for using our alternative ranking metric is particularly compelling for hedge funds whose use of derivatives is unconstrained and whose managers' compensation itself induces a nonlinear payoff.
Studies of the Functional Topography of the Catalytic Center of Escherichia coli Primase (*)

The catalytic center of E. coli primase (581 amino acids) was identified by using, in the G4oric single-strand binding protein (SSB) primer RNA (pRNA) synthesis system, ATP and AMP derivatives, which were modified on the 5′ side with reactive groups that can be cross-linked to the ATP binding site plus [α-P]GTP. The position of the covalently attached P-labeled dinucleotide was mapped by chemical and enzymatic cleavage of labeled wild type and deletion mutants of primase. The catalytic center involves one of the Lys residues Lys-211, Lys-229, and Lys-241. The ATP binding site is preformed in primase, and the cross-linked ATP residue can be elongated to a 5-nucleotide limit, which implies significant stretching of the catalytic center during pRNA synthesis. His-43 close to the N terminus in a proposed zinc finger and Lys-528 near the C terminus were also cross-linked to ATP residues in the primase ATP binding site, suggesting that these regions are topographically close to the catalytic center during pRNA synthesis. When cross-linking was performed on the preformed primase/SSB/G4oric complex with long arm reagents (12-15 Å), SSB was also labeled, indicating a close proximity to the site of pRNA synthesis.
Oviposition Site Selection by the Túngara Frog (Physalaemus pustulosus)

Abstract Oviposition behavior of Physalaemus pustulosus was studied using paired choice tests in small terraria. Given two possible nest construction sites (a dish with a conspecific nest in water and a dish with just water), pairs preferred to build nests in dishes that held only water. Avoidance of conspecific nests during oviposition may increase fitness by limiting potential intraspecific resource competition and by preventing tadpole growth inhibition. Se estudió el comportamiento reproductivo de Physalaemus pustulosus empleando pruebas de selección de doble opción en pequeños terrarios. Dados dos sitios posibles de construcción de nidos (un recipiente con un nido coespecífico en agua y otro solo con agua) las parejas prefirieron oviponer en aquellos que contenían solo agua. Evitar los nidos coespecíficos durante la oviposición aumentaría la supervivencia, limitando la competencia intraespecífica potencial por los recursos e impediendo la inhibición del crecimiento de los renacuajos.
Probable Sequence Determination Using Incremental Association Rule Mining and Transaction Clustering

Many organizations collect information about customers which are used to support various business related task. The detail of the customers and their behavior is stored in the database. Here we propose a method of using incremental updating technique to mine direct association rules Inter & Intra transactions. Cluster analysis is performed to verify the associated objects fall in nominal cluster. The result of this technique can be used to develop well structured e-shop which facilitate the customer by helping him to find what he wants in a specialized way and also aids him to choose the associated products by the method of prediction. Thus it reduces the workload of marketing professional to provide direct marketing and thereby providing customer satisfaction.
Short term GNSS clock characterization using One-Way carrier phase

A major effort has been done over the last years to use the carrier phase of GPS satellites signals for time transfer. Several techniques have been proposed by developing dedicated algorithms for common view time transfer, orbit and time network adjustments or precise point positioning. Such techniques have been widely and successfully used for clock comparison and dissemination, and for the characterization of on-board clocks. In particular, GPS clocks characterization is carried out by network analysis techniques by the USNO, NRL, NGA and IGS analysis centres. It is based on the processing of GPS observables gathered over wide network of sensor stations and therefore requires complex processing of a large amount of data.
Specific Binding of ApoA-I, Enhanced Cholesterol Efflux, and Altered Plasma Membrane Morphology in Cells Expressing ABC1*

Mutations of the ABC1 transporter have been identified as the defect in Tangier disease, characterized by low HDL and cholesterol ester accumulation in macrophages. A full-length mouse ABC1 cDNA was used to investigate the mechanisms of lipid efflux to apoA-I or HDL in transfected 293 cells. ABC1 expression markedly increased cellular cholesterol and phospholipid efflux to apoA-I but had only minor effects on lipid efflux to HDL. The increased lipid efflux appears to involve a direct interaction between apoA-I and ABC1, because ABC1 expression substantially increased apoA-I binding at the cell surface, and chemical cross-linking and immunoprecipitation analysis showed that apoA-I binds directly to ABC1. In contrast to scavenger receptor BI (SR-BI), another cell surface molecule capable of facilitating cholesterol efflux, ABC1 preferentially bound lipid-free apoA-I but not HDL. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that ABC1 is primarily localized on the cell surface. In the absence of apoA-I, cells overexpressing ABC1 displayed a distinctive morphology, characterized by plasma membrane protrusions and resembling echinocytes that form when there are excess lipids in the outer membrane hemileaflet. The studies provide evidence for a direct interaction between ABC1 and apoA-I, but not HDL, indicating that free apoA-I is the metabolic substrate for ABC1. Plasma membrane ABC1 may act as a phospholipid/cholesterol flippase, providing lipid to bound apoA-I, or to the outer membrane hemileaflet.
Adaptive immunity suppresses formation and progression of diethylnitrosamine-induced liver cancer

Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical inflammation-associated cancer, but may also provoke antitumour immune responses whose significance and underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Objective To characterise immune responses in the diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-liver cancer mouse model. Design Tumour development and immune cell functions upon DEN treatment were compared between C57BL/6 wild-type (WT), chemokine scavenging receptor D6-deficient, B cell- (Igh6), CD4 T cell- (MHC-II) and T-/B cell-deficient (Rag1) mice. Relevance for human HCC was tested by comparing gene array results from 139 HCC tissues. Results The induction of premalignant lesions after 24 weeks and of HCC-like tumours after 42 weeks by DEN in mice was accompanied by significant leucocyte infiltration in the liver and upregulation of distinct intrahepatic chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, CXCL9). Macrophages and CD8 (cytotoxic) T cells were most prominently enriched in tumour-bearing livers, similar to samples from human HCC. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) increased in extrahepatic compartments of DEN-treated mice (bone marrow, spleen). The contribution of immune cell subsets for DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis was functionally dissected. In D6−/− mice, which lack the chemokine scavenging receptor D6, hepatic macrophage infiltration was significantly increased, but tumour formation and progression did not differ from that of WT mice. In contrast, progression of hepatic tumours (numbers, diameters, tumour load) was strikingly enhanced in T-/B cell-deficient Rag1−/− mice upon DEN treatment. When mice deficient for B cells (Igh6−/−, μMT) or major histocompatibility complex II were used, the data indicated that T cells prevent initial tumour formation, while B cells critically limit growth of established tumours. Accordingly, in tumour-bearing mice antibody production against liver-related model antigen was enhanced, indicating tumour-associated B cell activation. In agreement, T and B cell pathways were differentially regulated in gene array analyses from 139 human HCC tissues and significantly associated with patients' survival. Conclusions Distinct axes of the adaptive immune system, which are also prognostic in human HCC, actively suppress DEN-induced hepatocarcinogenesis by controlling tumour formation and progression.
Hardware Support for Real-Time Systems – an Overview

Research at the Computer Architecture Laboratory (CAL) at Mälardalen Real-Time Research Centre (MRTC), Mälardalen University, has been performed in implementing a real-time kernel in hardware in order to increase system predictability, determinism and performance. The first article was published in 1991 and since then the real-time kernel has been further developed, adjusted to multiprocessor systems and been exposed to different kinds of benchmarks and comparisons to software implemented real-time operating systems. It has also been developed to a commercial product as an intellectual property component. This article is a survey focusing on describing previous work on the real-time kernel at CAL, also covering most important related work and the conclusions drawn from the research over the years.
A Theoretical Framework to Analyse Relationships Between 'Game' and 'Pedagogical Aspects' of Serious Games

Essential for the development of effective Serious Games is the careful balance of education and play. It is necessary to develop a clear understanding of game mechanics (i.e. the tools of game-play) and how these relate to relevant educational strategies. In this paper, we raise conceptual questions regarding the nature of Serious Games and the relationship between game mechanics, pedagogy and the conceptual level at which they connect. In developing theoretical framework linking game mechanics and learning, we aim to ease the work of the Serious Game designers attempting to produce both fun and pedagogically effective Serious Games.
Staf, a novel zinc finger protein that activates the RNA polymerase III promoter of the selenocysteine tRNA gene.

The selenocysteine tRNA gene (tRNA(Sec)) is atypical. Though transcribed by RNA polymerase III like all other tRNA genes, its basal promoter elements are distinct and reside essentially upstream of the coding region. In addition, transcription from the basal promoter is activated by a 15 bp activator element. In this report we describe the cloning and functional characterization of Staf (selenocysteine tRNA gene transcription activating factor), a novel Xenopus laevis transcription factor which binds to the tRNA(Sec) activator element and mediates its activation properties. The 600 amino acid Staf protein contains seven zinc fingers and a separate acidic activation domain. Seven highly conserved regions were detected between Staf and human ZNF76, a protein of unknown function, thereby aiding in predicting the locations of the functional domains of Staf. With the use of a novel expression assay in X.laevis oocytes we succeeded in demonstrating that Staf can activate the RNA polymerase III promoter of the tRNA(Sec) gene. This constitutes the first demonstration of the capacity of a cloned factor to activate RNA polymerase III transcription in vivo.
Constrained Multilegged Robot System Modeling and Fuzzy Control With Uncertain Kinematics and Dynamics Incorporating Foot Force Optimization

This paper studies the optimal distribution of feet forces and control of multilegged robots with uncertainties in both kinematics and dynamics. First, a constrained dynamics for multilegged robots and the constrained environment model are established by considering both kinematic and dynamic uncertainties. Under an external wrench for multilegged robots, the foot forces and moments of the supporting legs can be formulated as quadratic programming problems subject to linear and nonlinear constraints. The neurodynamics of recurrent neural network is developed for foot force optimization. For the obtained optimized tip-point force and the motion of legs, we propose a hybrid task-space trajectory and force tracking based on fuzzy system and adaptive mechanism that are used to compensate for the external perturbation, kinematics, and dynamics uncertainties. The tracking of task-space trajectory and constraint force is achieved under unknown dynamical parameters, constraints, and disturbances. Extensive simulations have been provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Release of a Potent Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte Chemoattractant Is Regulated by White-Opaque Switching in Candida albicans

ABSTRACT Previous studies employing transmembrane assays suggested that Candida albicans and related species, as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, release chemoattractants for human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). Because transmembrane assays do not definitively distinguish between chemokinesis and chemotaxis, single-cell chemotaxis assays were used to confirm these findings and test whether mating-type or white-opaque switching affects the release of attractant. Our results demonstrate that C. albicans, C. dubliniensis, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, and C. glabrata release bona fide chemoattractants for PMNs. S. cerevisiae, however, releases a chemokinetic factor but not a chemoattractant. Characterization of the C. albicans chemoattractant revealed that it is a peptide of approximately 1 kDa. Whereas the mating type of C. albicans did not affect the release of chemoattractant, switching did. White-phase cells released chemoattractant, but opaque-phase cells did not. Since the opaque phase of C. albicans represents the mating-competent phenotype, it may be that opaque-phase cells selectively suppress the release of chemoattractant to facilitate mating.
Low serum and serum-free culture of multipotential human adipose stem cells.

BACKGROUND Adipose tissue provides an easily accessible and abundant source of putative stem cells for translational clinical research. Currently prevalent culture techniques include the use of FBS, a highly variable and undefined component, which brings with it the potential for adverse patient reactions. In an effort to eliminate the use of animal products in human adipose stem cell (ASC) cultures, we have developed two new culture methods, a very low human serum expansion medium and a completely serum-free medium. METHODS Through serial testing, a highly enriched medium formulation was developed for use with and without the addition of 0.5% human serum, an amount easily obtainable from autologous blood draws. RESULTS Very low-serum culture yielded population-doubling times averaging 1.86 days in early passage, while the serum-free formulation was associated with less robust cell growth, with doubling times averaging 5.79 days. ASC in both conditions maintained its ability to differentiate into adipo-, chondro- and osteogenic lineages in vitro, despite lower expression of CD34 in early passage. Expression of ALDH, HLA, CD133, CD184, and CD31 was comparable with that seen in cells cultured in 10% FBS. DISCUSSION These newly developed culture conditions provide a unique environment within which to study ASCs without the interference of animal serum, and allow for the rapid expansion of autologous ASCs in culture in an animal product-free environment for use in human clinical trials.
On the physical and stochastic representation of an indicator dilution curve as a gamma variate

The analysis of intravascular indicator dynamics is important for cardiovascular diagnostics as well as for the assessment of tissue perfusion, aimed at the detection of ischemic regions or cancer hypervascularization. To this end, indicator dilution curves are measured after the intravenous injection of an indicator bolus and fitted by parametric models for the estimation of the hemodynamic parameters of interest. Based on heuristic reasoning, the dilution process is often modeled by a gamma variate. In this paper, we provide both a physical and stochastic interpretation of the gamma variate model. The accuracy of the model is compared with the local density random walk model, a known model based on physics principles. Dilution curves were measured by contrast ultrasonography both in vitro and in vivo (20 patients). Blood volume measurements were used to test the accuracy and clinical relevance of the estimated parameters. Both models provided accurate curve fits and volume estimates. In conclusion, the proposed interpretations of the gamma variate model describe physics aspects of the dilution process and lead to a better understanding of the observed parameters, increasing the value and credibility of the model, and possibly expanding its diagnostic applications.
Research on modeling and experimentation on detecting buried depth of optical fiber submarine cables based on active detection technique

In recent years, detecting buried depth of optical fiber submarine cables is a difficult problem for the building and the maintenance of optical fiber submarine cable communication system. Based on magnetism detection method, this paper establishes the basic model of buried depth detection and designs the biorthogonal-coil depth detection method. The characteristic of the biorthogonal-coil depth detection method is that it is guaranteed that the detection signal obtains the maximum value in spite of the orientation of coils as long as the coil array is above the optical fiber submarine cable and root-mean-square value of the two coils from each group is calculated. The correctness and feasibility of the basic model and the biorthogonal coils model are validated by the experiments.
Bisphenol A affects endocrine physiology and biotransformation enzyme activities of the field vole (Microtus agrestis).

Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental estrogen, was given subcutaneously for 4 days to 48 field voles at three doses (10, 50, or 250 mg kg(-1) day(-1)). Plasma sex steroids, thyroxine, weight-regulatory hormones, and liver biotransformation enzymes were determined. There was no mortality in the control group but the mortality in the BPA-exposed animals was significant. BPA increased the plasma testosterone concentrations at 250 mg BPA kg(-1) day(-1). The plasma ghrelin levels measured from pooled plasma increased and at the same time the leptin levels measured from pooled plasma decreased at 50 or 250 mg BPA kg(-1) day(-1). The liver 7-ethoxyrufin-o-deethylase activity decreased slightly at all doses, as did the liver cytosolic glutathione S-transferase activity at 250 mg BPA kg(-1) day(-1). The results show that wild mammals such as the field vole could be more susceptible to BPA than laboratory rodents. More studies on wild mammals are needed to determine the risks of endocrine disruptors in natural ecosystems.
Reciprocal regulation of pH 6 antigen gene loci by PhoP and RovA in Yersinia pestis biovar Microtus.

AIM To explore the transcriptional regulation of the psaEF and psaABC loci by the RovA and PhoP regulators in Yersinia pestis. MATERIALS & METHODS Primer extension, LacZ fusion, gel mobility shift and DNase I footprinting assays were conducted in combination for this gene regulation study. RESULTS It was determined that PhoP and RovA recognized the promoter-proximal regions of psaEF and psaABC in order to repress and stimulate their transcription, respectively. The translation/transcription start sites, Shine-Dalgarno sequences (ribosomal binding site), core promoter -10 and -35 elements, PhoP and RovA sites and PhoP/RovA consensus-like sequences were identified to determine the structural organization of PhoP/RovA-dependent promoters of psaEF and psaABC. CONCLUSION RovA stimulated psaEF and psaABC, while PhoP repressed these two operons involving the direct association between RovA/PhoP and target promoter regions. The reciprocal regulation of psa genes by PhoP and RovA could contribute to the tightly controlled expression of the pH 6 antigen during infection.
Theoretical study of binding interactions and vibrational Raman spectra of water in hydrogen-bonded anionic complexes: (H2O)n- (n = 2 and 3), H2O...X- (X = F, Cl, Br, and I), and H2O...M- (M = Cu, Ag, and Au).

Binding interactions and Raman spectra of water in hydrogen-bonded anionic complexes have been studied by using the hybrid density functional theory method (B3LYP) and ab initio (MP2) method. In order to explore the influence of hydrogen bond interactions and the anionic effect on the Raman intensities of water, model complexes, such as the negatively charged water clusters ((H2O)n-, n = 2 and 3), the water.halide anions (H2O.X-, X = F, Cl, Br, and I), and the water-metal atom anionic complexes (H2O.M-, M = Cu, Ag, and Au), have been employed in the present calculations. These model complexes contained different types of hydrogen bonds, such as O-H.X-, O-H.M-, O-H.O, and O-H.e-. In particular, the last one is a dipole-bound electron involved in the anionic water clusters. Our results showed that there exists a large enhancement in the off-resonance Raman intensities of both the H-O-H bending mode and the hydrogen-bonded O-H stretching mode, and the enhancement factor is more significant for the former than for the latter. The reasons for these spectral properties can be attributed to the strong polarization effect of the proton acceptors (X-, M-, O, and e-) in these hydrogen-bonded complexes. We proposed that the strong Raman signal of the H-O-H bending mode may be used as a fingerprint to address the local microstructures of water molecules in the chemical and biological systems.