Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Examining the risk and return properties of fund-of-funds

Introduction and Motivation Fund-of-fund (FoF) investment products are defined as a single managed investment portfolio where fund assets are allocated across a number of individual investment vehicles. FoFs provide investors with the opportunity of accessing a suite of investment products offered by competing investment management institutions by utilising a single investment vehicle. The alleged benefits of investing in actively managed FoFs include enhancement in the execution of an investor’s investment strategy as well as improved diversification. This is achieved through the delegation of responsibility to FoF providers in the selection and monitoring of investment products, while controlling for manager-specific investment style and process risk.
How to Recognize and Treat Neoplastic Meningitis

© 2013 Harborside Press® A s length of survival time for many cancers has increased through the years, there has been a subsequent increase in uncommon metastatic sites. One of these sites is leptomeningeal metastases, which is cancer that has spread to the meninges, or covering of the brain, and the surrounding cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Metastasis in this location are known by several names (Walz, 2011): neoplastic meningitis (NM), leptomeningeal disease (LMD), leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC), carcinomatous meningitis (CM), or meningeal carcinomatosis (MC). This metastatic site was first described in 1870 in a patient with lung cancer (Kesari & Batchelor, 2003). It now affects between 5% and 15% of cancer patients. Most commonly affected are those with solid tumor malignancies of the breast and lung, melanoma, as well as hematologic malignancies, mainly acute lymphocytic leukemia (Lombardi et al., 2011; Jiménez Mateos et al., 2011; Meriggi & Zaniboni, 2011; Walz, 2011). Patients with primary tumors not previously likely to develop NM are now developing this condition. These include gastric, prostate, ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers (Mammoser & Groves, 2010). Dissemination of malignant cells to the meninges and surrounding CSF can occur through various mechanisms. These include (1) hematogenous spread, (2) direct invasion from dural, bony, or parenchymal brain metastases, (3) cancer cells traveling along nerve pathways to reach the subarachnoid space, which occurs most often in head and neck malignancies, and (4) iatrogenesis from a surgical procedure to remove metastatic brain metastases (Mammoser & Groves, 2010; Omar & Mason, 2008).
Data Approximation for Time Series Data in Wireless Sensor Networks

Data prediction approaches are proposed in many fields to approximate time series data with a tolerable error. These approaches typically build prediction functions based on assumptions of the data variation. Nonetheless, if the variation of real-world time series data does not follow the assumption, the performance of data prediction will be limited. This paper presents a lightweight data approximation approach for time series data. This approach utilizes binary codes to represent original values, directly shortening their lengths in the cost of data precision. Then the author implements this approach in the WSN scenario. Two types of application layer messages and their transmission scheme are presented. These approaches are employed in WSN applications to: 1 report abnormal conditions in time, and 2 reduce data transmissions independently of data variations. Series of simulations are built on the basis of five real datasets. Simulation results based on five real datasets validate the performances of the proposed approach.
Human Capital, Property Rights, and Labour Managed Firms

Acquiring skill is costly and, in the presence of some degree of specificity, not totally transferable between firms. If it is impossible to sign complete contracts between a profit-maximizing firm and its workers, and/or the workers value future income less than do capitalists, labor-managed and profit-maximizing firms will undertake different levels of human capital investment. The authors show how skill levels and the degree of generality of training depend both on contractual arrangements and on discount factors. Workers in a labor-managed firm will tend to acquire skill that is more general and may have a higher skill level than workers employed by profit-maximizing firms. Copyright 1993 by Royal Economic Society.
Transcription Dependence of Chromosomal Gene Targeting by Triplex-forming Oligonucleotides*

Triplex-forming oligonucleotides (TFOs) recognize and bind to specific DNA sequences and have been used to modify gene function in cells. To study factors that might influence triplex formation at chromosomal sites in mammalian cells, we developed a restriction protection assay to detect triplex-directed psoralen crosslinks in genomic DNA prepared from TFO-transfected cells. Using this assay, we detected binding of a G-rich TFO to a chromosomal site even in the absence of transcription when high concentrations of the TFO were used for transfection. However, experimental induction of transcription at the target site, via an ecdysone-responsive promoter, resulted in substantial increases (3-fold or more) in target site crosslinking, especially at low TFO concentrations. When RNA polymerase activity was inhibited, even in the ecdysone-induced cells, the level of TFO binding was significantly decreased, indicating that transcription through the target region, and not just transcription factor binding, is necessary for the enhanced chromosomal targeting by TFOs. These findings provide evidence that physiologic activity at a chromosomal target site can influence its accessibility to TFOs and suggest that gene targeting by small molecules may be most effective at highly expressed chromosomal loci.
Phase I study of sunitinib (SU) in combination with pemetrexed (Pem) in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors (ST).

e14630 Background: SU is an oral, multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor of VEGFRs, PDGFRs, KIT, RET, FLT3, and CSR-1, and shows antitumor activities in several types of solid malignancies. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) xenograft data indicate SU enhanced the antitumor activity of Pem. This phase I study was designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of combination therapy with the oral SU and Pem for Japanese patients with advanced ST. METHODS Pts with ST refractory to standard therapy were randomly assigned to receive either oral SU 50 mg/day for 2 weeks followed by 1 week rest (Schedule 2/1, S-2/1) or SU 37.5 mg continuous daily dose (CDD). Fixed-dose Pem (500mg/m2 IV) was administered on day1 every 21 days. A standard "3+3" design was employed in both treatment schedules and treatment continued until tumor progression or dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was observed. RESULTS A total of 12 pts (med. age 63 years, range 49-69; 10 Male/ 2 Female) have been enrolled (6 pts in the S-2/1 arm and 6 pts in the CDD arm). The most common cancer is NSCLC (9 pts, 75%). All patients completed their first cycle for DLT evaluation, and no DLTs were observed in either treatment arm. The most common toxicities were fatigue (n=8), anorexia (n=6), and thrombocytopenia (n=12). Treatment-related ≥ grade 3 adverse events (AEs) included fatigue (n=1), hypertension (n=1), neutropenia (n=4), leucopenia (n=3), thrombocytopenia (n=2), lymphopenia (n=2), and increased ALT (n=1). Three pts (S-2/1: 2, CDD: 1) required dose reduction of SU due to G3 toxicities. All toxicities were clinically manageable and reversible. One pt with NSCLC had a documented PR with cavity formation inside the tumor. CONCLUSIONS SU 37.5 mg/day (CDD schedule) plus Pem 500mg/m2 every 21 days, and SU 50 mg/day (S-2/1 schedule) plus Pem 500mg/m2 every 21 days were well tolerated and associated with encouraging antitumor activity. [Table: see text].
Interaction of Neisseria meningitidis with a polarized monolayer of epithelial cells

An important step in the pathogenesis of Neisseria meningitidis is the crossing of two cellular barriers, one in the nasopharynx and one in the brain. To approach the mechanisms by which this bacterium can achieve these goals, we studied the interactions between N. meningitidis and a monolayer of polarized tight junction-forming T84 cells grown on filter units. A capsulated, piliated, Opa-, and Opc- N. meningitidis strain is shown to be capable of adhering to and crossing this monolayer several orders of magnitude more efficiently than an isogenic nonpiliated derivative. This bacterial interaction does not affect the barrier function of tight junctions, as assessed by (i) the absence of modification of the transepithelial resistance, (ii) the lack of increase of [3H]inulin penetration across the monolayer, and (iii) the absence of delocalization of ZO-1, a tight junction protein. Electron microscopy studies and confocal examinations demonstrated that N. meningitidis (i) induces cytoskeletal rearrangements with actin polymerization beneath adherent bacteria, (ii) is intimately attached to the apical membrane of the cells, and (iii) can be internalized inside cells. Immunofluorescent staining with antipilus antibodies showed evidence that meningococcal piliation was dramatically reduced at later time points of bacterial cell interaction compared to the early phase of this interaction. In addition, adhesive bacteria recovered from an infected monolayer are piliated, capsulated, Opa-, and Opc-, a phenotype similar to that of the parental strain. Taken together, these data demonstrate that following pilus-mediated adhesion, N. meningitidis is involved in an intimate attachment which requires a bacterial component different from Opa and Opc and that meningococci cross a monolayer of tight-junction-forming epithelial cells by using a transcellular pathway rather than a paracellular route.
The significance of factors contributing to non-performing loans in commercial banks in Kenya ( a census of commercial banks in Nairobi)

Non-performing loans has been a persistent problem m Kenyan commercial banks. Several factors leading to non-performing loans had been identified but the significant contribution of each factor had not been identified. This study aimed at determining the significance of the factors contributing to non-performing loans problem in commercial banks in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the bank related factors, such as bank management and the monitoring and control of loans, and their effects and significance on non performing loans, to find out the role that the economic factors in Kenya play in non performing loans in the commercial banks and to establish the effects of customer related factors in the issue of non performing loans in commercial banks in Kenya. A census of commercial banks in Nairobi was done. The study targeted all the 46 commercial banks operating in Nairobi. Despite the study being a census, the researcher selected only one respondent to represent each bank. The respondents were the credit managers of the 46 commercial banks. The factors leading to non-performing loans were divided into three categories, bank related factors, economic factors and customer related factors. To rank the factors according to their significance, a likert scale continuum was used then Factor Analysis was used to determine their significance. The researcher also used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences in the data analysis. The analyzed data was then be presented using tables, charts, graphs and cross tabulations.
Performance of Group-Affiliated Firms: A Study of Politically-Affiliated Business Group in Malaysia

Apart from the fact there is continuous support and nurturing ofBumiputera entrepreneurship by the Malaysian government, very little is known about the politicallyaffiliated business group in Malaysia. This 100 percent Bumiputera group of companies emerged as a result of the New Economic Policy. It started as a group of ailing businesses in the early 1980s, but with strong support from the government and ingenious Bumiputera leadership, it became one of the biggest, if not the biggest, conglomerates in the country. This dissertation examines the profitability performance, investment and financing decisions of the politically-affiliated business group, and compares it to that of independent group. Since studies on corporate grouping are mostly concentrated in the "bank oriented" system of the Japanese keiretsu [Nakatani (1984); Kester (1991, 1992); Kaplan (1992); Hoshi, Kashyap and Sharfstein (1990, 1991); Prowse (1990, 1992)], the existence of the results from research on the Japanese system allows us to provide an explanation of the behavior of the corporate grouping in Malaysia, within the context of the politically-affiliated business group. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study would not have been possible without the financial support from the University of Malaya. I truly appreciate the university for its generous assistance during my studies. I am especially grateful to my major professor, Dr. Rosita Chang for her continuous support and thorough critique of the dissertation. My sincere appreciation also goes to my committee members, Dr. Gordon Dash and Dr. James Opaluch for their assistance throughout the development and completion of this study. Special thanks are due to Dr. S. Ghon Rhee for his valuable suggestions and encouragement for which I am truly indebted. I would like to thank the staff of the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange and the Securities Commission for providing me with relevant material, Matthew Eriksen for his editorial assistance, and Dr. Wang Chi-Jeng for his insights. To Fatimah Kari, who provided me with moral support throughout my stay overseas, I am truly grateful for her friendship . I am particularly indebted to my parents, Haji Abdul Samad and Hajah Ba' ayah who instilled in me the value of education. My final and largest debt goes to my beloved husband, friend, and greatest critic, Capt. Amir Bin Murad whose unconditional love, understanding and patience helped me accomplished my life long dream. My gratitude also to my son, Airnran and my little princess, Amirah, whose constant laughter and distractions, helped me kept my sanity throughout my Ph.D program.
Inference for Comparing Two Treatments Using Kernel Density Estimation

In randomized clinical trials, nonparametric approaches are considered when assumptions of a parametric approach are not reasonable. Nonparametric approaches have typically concentrated on hypothesis testing and, unlike parametric approaches, have not been amenable to providing measures of treatment efficacy. If X and Y denote the random variables representing the responses on two treatments A and B, respectively, P(Y>X) is an intuitive measure of efficacy. We consider point and interval estimation of P(Y>X) using kernel density estimation and bootstrapping. We illustrate this methodology on a data set, where comparison is made with point and interval estimates obtained by inverting the nonparametric Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test.
Toxic Effects of Potato Sprouts and of Solanine Fed to Pregnant Rats

Summary Potato sprouts are shown to be toxic to pregnant rats when fed at a level of 10% of the diet. When the potato alkaloid solanine was incorporated into the diet at a level approximating the concentration in the sprout diet, similar effects were observed. All of the pups in 18 of 33 litters born of rats eating the test diet died before reaching weaning age. Only one of 11 control litters was lost.
Approximate model predictive control laws for constrained nonlinear discrete-time systems: analysis and offline design

The objective of this work consists in the offline approximation of possibly discontinuous model predictive control laws for nonlinear discrete-time systems, while enforcing hard constraints on state and input variables. Obtaining an offline approximation of the receding horizon control law may lead to a very significant reduction of the online computational burden with respect to algorithms based on iterated optimization, thus allowing the application to fast dynamics plants. The proposed approximation scheme allows to cope with discontinuous control laws, such as those arising from constrained nonlinear finite horizon optimal control problems. A detailed stability analysis of the closed-loop system driven by the approximated state-feedback controller shows that the devised technique guarantees the input-to-state practical stability with respect to the (non-fading) approximation-induced errors. Two examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the method when the approximator is chosen either as a discontinuous nearest point function or as a smooth neural network.
Comparison and suppression of conducted EMI in SiC JFET and Si IGBT based motor drives

This paper compares and suppresses the conducted Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) in Silicon Carbide (SiC) JFET and IGBT based motor drive systems. Two inverter prototypes - with SiC JFETs and Si IGBTs as the transistors are built using the same circuit layout and investigated accordingly. The comparisons start from the transient level of the inverter tested under clamped inductive switching conditions by using of a single inverter leg to the system level conditions of all three phases of each of the inverter drives are functioning. The conducted EMI comparisons include with no fiCM filterslter and with conventional CM filters. To identify the exhibited different filtering performance with the identical filters, two inverters are tested in the CM mode. This allows for the identification and analysis of their maximized CM and DM wave shape differences. The comparisons show that the high frequency noise level of SiC JFET drive under filtered condition is much higher than that of the IGBT's. Therefore, two methods of inserting ferrite beads at different current paths are proposed to mitigate the increased EMI. Respectively, the middle and high frequency noise of SiC JFET drive system are effectively suppressed to comply with the standard of IEC61800-3: C2.
Intertwined mappings

We show that, contrary to expectations, there exist pairs of formal and even analytic, non-commuting and non-elementary (neither algebraic nor algebraic-differential) mapping germs in Diff(C, 0) that are ‘entwined’ in a group relation W (f, g) = id. In the case of identity-tangent mappings, ‘twins’ exhibit, rather than analyticity, generic divergence , but of a particularly interesting sort : resurgent, accelero-summable, and with simple alien derivatives.
Does firm size really affect earnings

In this paper we investigate the implications of labour and capital market imperfections for the relationship between firm size and earnings. To establish that such a question is of interest we need to show that the firm size-wage effect cannot be explained by either the observed or unobserved skills of the workforce or the characteristics of the workplace. To do that we require data where controls are possible for observable time-varying firm and worker characteristics, as well as the unobservable characteristics of both the firm and its workers. Our data is a sample of workers matched with firms over time so such controls are possible. Changes in wages are shown to respond to changes both to profits per employee and the size of the firm. It is argued that these empirical results clearly reject the hypothesis that the firm-size relationship can be explained by the skills of the workers. They can be shown to be consistent with some forms of non-competitive theories of bargaining and efficiency wages.
Reciprocal signaling between translational control pathways and synaptic proteins in autism spectrum disorders

Pathways regulating translation and synaptic function may be interconnected in autism spectrum disorder. Gloss Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of heritable neurodevelopmental disorders characterized by repetitive behavior, deficits in communication skills, and impaired social interactions. Two clusters of genes encoding proteins involved in protein synthesis and proteins involved in synaptic function are associated with ASD and intellectual disability. We hypothesize that mutations in these risk genes affect interconnected intracellular signaling pathways to disrupt synaptic function in neuronal cells and behavior. In this review, which contains 2 figures and 165 references, we describe the protein products of these two clusters of genes and the findings that connect their signaling pathways. Knowledge of these molecular and synaptic abnormalities should generate novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of ASD. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous group of heritable neurodevelopmental disorders. Symptoms of ASD, which include deficits in social interaction skills, impaired communication ability, and ritualistic-like repetitive behaviors, appear in early childhood and continue throughout life. Genetic studies have revealed at least two clusters of genes frequently associated with ASD and intellectual disability: those encoding proteins involved in translational control and those encoding proteins involved in synaptic function. We hypothesize that mutations occurring in these two clusters of genes interfere with interconnected downstream signaling pathways in neuronal cells to cause ASD symptomatology. In this review, we discuss the monogenic forms of ASD caused by mutations in genes encoding for proteins that regulate translation and synaptic function. Specifically, we describe the function of these proteins, the intracellular signaling pathways that they regulate, and the current mouse models used to characterize the synaptic and behavioral features associated with their mutation. Finally, we summarize recent studies that have established a connection between mRNA translation and synaptic function in models of ASD and propose that dysregulation of one has a detrimental impact on the other.
Graphical lasso and thresholding: Conditions for equivalence

Graphical lasso is a popular method for learning the structure of an undirected graphical model, which is based on an l1 regularization technique. This method aims to find the conditional independence between the entries of a random vector by learning the sparsity pattern of the inverse correlation matrix from a limited number of samples. Graphical lasso is computationally expensive for large-scale problems. A numerically-cheap heuristic method for finding a graphical model is to simply threshold the sample correlation matrix. Recently, we have observed that the computationally-heavy graphical lasso and the simple thresholding method would produce the same solution for functional MRI data, electrical circuit data and many random systems, provided that a sparse graph is sought. The objective of this work is to develop a rigorous mathematical foundation for that observation. More precisely, we systematically study the relationship between these two methods by introducing the notions of sign-consistent and inverse-consistent matrices. We prove that thresholding and graphical lasso are equivalent if: (i) a certain matrix formed based on the sample correlation matrix is both sign-consistent and inverse-consistent, (ii) the gap between the largest thresholded and the smallest un-thresholded entries of the sample correlation matrix is not too small. We demonstrate the above conditions on acyclic graphs. These conditions are expected to be satisfied for sufficiently sparse graphical models.