55 research outputs found
Kinstate intervention in ethnic conflicts : Albania and Turkey compared
No full textAlbania and Turkey did not act in overtly irredentist ways towards their ethnic brethren in neighboring states after the end of communism. Why, nonetheless, did Albania facilitate the increase of ethnic conflict in Kosovo and Macedonia, while Turkey did not, with respect to the Turks of Bulgaria? I argue that kin-states undergoing transition are more prone to intervene in external conflicts than states that are not, regardless of the salience of minority demands in the host-state. The transition weakens the institutions of the kin-state. Experiencing limited institutional constraints, self-seeking state officials create alliances with secessionist and autonomist movements across borders alongside their own ideological, clan-based and particularistic interests. Such alliances are often utilized to advance radical domestic agendas. Unlike in Albania's transition environment, in Turkey there were no emerging elites that could potentially form alliances and use external movements to legitimize their own domestic existence or claims
Next-generation deep sequencing improves detection of BCR-ABL1 kinase domain mutations emerging under tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia patients in chronic phase
No full textPURPOSE:
Here, we studied whether amplicon next-generation deep sequencing (NGS) could improve the detection of emerging BCR-ABL1 kinase domain mutations in chronic phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients under tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment and discussed the clinical relevance of such sensitive mutational detection.
METHODS:
For NGS data evaluation including extraction of biologically relevant low-level variants from background error noise, we established and applied a robust and versatile bioinformatics approach.
RESULTS:
Results from a retrospective longitudinal analysis of 135 samples of 15 CML patients showed that NGS could have revealed emerging resistant mutants 2-11 months earlier than conventional sequencing. Interestingly, in cases who later failed first-line imatinib treatment, NGS revealed that TKI-resistant mutations were already detectable at the time of major or deeper molecular response. Identification of emerging mutations by NGS was mirrored by BCR-ABL1 transcript level expressed either fluctuations around 0.1 %(IS) or by slight transcript level increase. NGS also allowed tracing mutations that emerged during second-line TKI therapy back to the time of switchover. Compound mutants could be detected in three cases, but were not found to outcompete single mutants.
CONCLUSIONS:
This work points out, that next-generation deep sequencing, coupled with a robust bioinformatics approach for mutation calling, may be just in place to ensure reliable detection of emerging BCR-ABL1 mutations, allowing early therapy switch and selection of the most appropriate therapy. Further, prospective assessment of how to best integrate NGS in the molecular monitoring and clinical decision algorithms is warranted
Monetary Policy of the Federal Reserve System in 2007-2010
No full textThe thesis describes the chain of causation that leads from the causes of the financial crisis over its consequencies towards the reactions of the Federal Reserve System. After the consequencies of the Crisis have been identified, the author deals in detail with the measures taken -- with their characteristics and the way they function. Afterwards, the author evaluates efficiency of these meausures and describes the role they played in the overall attitude of the Federal Reserve System to handling the Crisis
A review of the image segmentation and registration methods in liver motion correction in C-arm perfusion imaging
No full textMonetary Policy of the Federal Reserve System in 2007-2010
No full textDiplomová práce popisuje kauzální vztahy, které vedou od příčin americké finanční krize přes její projevy až ke konkrétním reakcím Federálního rezervního systému. Po identifikaci projevů krize se autorka detailně zabývá zavedenými opatřeními -- jejich charakteristickými rysy a principem fungování. Náhttps://isis.vse.cz/auth/student/doplnujici_info_zp.pl?zp=26585;studium=69373;obdobi=676;edit=1;klic=45092sledně hodnotí efektivitu těchto opatření a popisuje roli, kterou sehrála v celkovém přístupu Federálního rezervního systému k řešení krize.The thesis describes the chain of causation that leads from the causes of the financial crisis over its consequencies towards the reactions of the Federal Reserve System. After the consequencies of the Crisis have been identified, the author deals in detail with the measures taken -- with their characteristics and the way they function. Afterwards, the author evaluates efficiency of these meausures and describes the role they played in the overall attitude of the Federal Reserve System to handling the Crisis
Prediction of Optimal Facial Electromyographic Sensor Configurations for Human–Machine Interface Control
No full textSurface electromyography (sEMG) is a promising computer access method for individuals with motor impairments. However, optimal sensor placement is a tedious task requiring trial-and-error by an expert, particularly when recording from facial musculature likely to be spared in individuals with neurological impairments. We sought to reduce the sEMG sensor configuration complexity by using quantitative signal features extracted from a short calibration task to predict human-machine interface (HMI) performance. A cursor control system allowed individuals to activate specific sEMG-targeted muscles to control an onscreen cursor and navigate a target selection task. The task was repeated for a range of sensor configurations to elicit a range of signal qualities. Signal features were extracted from the calibration of each configuration and examined via a principle component factor analysis in order to predict the HMI performance during subsequent tasks. Feature components most influenced by the energy and the complexity of the EMG signal and muscle activity between the sensors were significantly predictive of the HMI performance. However, configuration order had a greater effect on performance than the configurations, suggesting that non-experts can place sEMG sensors in the vicinity of usable muscle sites for computer access and healthy individuals will learn to efficiently control the HMI system.This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant 1452169, in part by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship under Grant 1247312, and in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders under Grant DC014872. (Corresponding author: Jennifer M. Vojtech.) (1452169 - National Science Foundation; 1247312 - National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship; DC014872 - National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)Accepted manuscrip
The Conditionality of the European Commission’s Leadership: What makes Team Juncker strong?
No full textJean-Claude Juncker’s Commission entered European political arena with a style that wasn’t seen in Brussels since the times of Jacques Delors. It introduced a fresh way of communicating with citizens and stakeholders, as well as it presented a new way of structuring Europe’s executive body. Its emphasis on holistic approach to policy making in many aspects resembles the way of work we know from Delors Commission. Moreover, the Juncker Commission aims to pursue grand bold initiatives that have a potential to change our continent in a similar way Delors did. This thesis wants to explore the source of the current Commission’s confidence. The author explores both the institutional aspects that can lead to development of a powerful institution, as well as the personality of the President of the European Commission, Mr Jean-Claude Juncker. The author also evaluates the importance of both tiers and attempts to present conditions of President’s success. The author does so through academic literature, newspaper articles and a several discussions with experienced personalities that have a hands on experience with European politics
Machine Learning in Biomolecular Simulations
No full textThis eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contac
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