Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined approach in bedside assessment of aspiration risk post stroke: PASS.

BACKGROUND Swallowing disorders are common and serious problems post stroke. Physical signs and ingestion test consist of main approaches of bedside screening of aspiration. AIM To assess the composability of these approaches. DESIGN A pilot study to develop a combined schema; secondly a validation study of this schema. SETTING Inpatient of Neurology Department and of Rehabilitation Department. POPULATION Forty-one patients post acute stroke included in the pilot study; 107 patients of subacute stroke for validation study. METHODS In pilot study, patients were assessed using Clinical Predicative Scale of Aspiration (CPSA) and 3-ounce Water swallow Test (3oz WT). Videofluoroscopic examination (VFSE) was performed as gold standard when the results of screening were discordant. In validation study, swallowing disorders were assessed systematically using CPSA, 3 oz WT and VFSE. RESULTS The combined screening schema, Practical Aspiration Screening Scheme (PASS), consisted of a 3oz WT to enhance results of the uncertain range of CPSA. Validation study showed that sensitivity and specificity of the 3oz WT were 87.3% and 42.3% respectively; those of CPSA were 50.1% and 50.0%, with a range of uncertainty in 42.6% of patients. The sensitivity of PASS was 89.1%, comparable to that of the 3oz WT, while the specificity of PASS was 80.8%, significantly higher than that of single tests. PASS also reduced systematic recourse to VFSE with a substantial agreement with it (kappa=0.7). CONCLUSION Physical signs and ingestion test are complementary in the screening of aspiration. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT Combined schema enhances the efficiency of bedside screening of aspiration.
Spectroscopy and Lasing of Yb-Doped  ${\hbox {NaY}}{({\hbox {WO}}_{4})}_{2}$: Tunable and Femtosecond Mode-Locked Laser Operation

Tetragonal (space group f4 macr) single crystals of NaY(WO4)2 doped with Yb to a density of 4.52 times 1020 cm-3 have been employed as laser active materials for the 1-mum spectral range, operating at room temperature. Using Ti:sapphire laser pumping, slope efficiencies as high as 74.6% were achieved without special cooling for the pi-polarization. The Yb-laser was continuously tunable from 1003.7 to 1073.0 nm with a birefringent filter. Pulses as short as 53 fs were obtained at 1035 nm by SESAM passive mode-locking with intracavity dispersion compensation and additional extracavity pulse compression using analogous prism pairs. Experimental data on the spectroscopic properties of Yb3+ in the 5-300 K temperature range and the room temperature optical properties of this novel Yb-host is also presented.
Associations Between Atmospheric Concentrations of Spores and Emergency Department Visits for Asthma Among Children Living in Montreal

ABSTRACT The authors carried out a time-series study to determine whether short-term increases in the concentrations of spores were associated with emergency department visits from asthma among children 0 to 9 years of age in Montreal, 1994–2004. Concentrations of spores were obtained from one sampling monitor. The authors used parametric Poisson models to model the association between daily admissions to emergency rooms for asthma and ambient exposures to a variety of spores, adjusting for secular trends, changes in weather, and chemical pollutants. For first admissions and exposures to Basidiomycetes, the authors found positive associations at all lags but the concurrent day. For Deuteromycetes and Cladosporium, risks were positive starting at lag 3 days and diminished at lag 6 days. There was little evidence of associations for readmissions, except for Basidiomycetes. The results indicate that Basidiomycetes and Cladosporium spores may be implicated in the exacerbation of asthma among children, most notably in the case of first-time visits to emergency departments, and that the effects appear to be delayed by several days.
Updating Expected Returns Based on Consensus Forecasts

Investor behavior can explain to some extent the stock market anomalies from a psychological viewpoint. Recent literature suggests a lot of models without testing predictability implied by the models and without a discussion of implications and limitations that are implied by the design. Mostly, these models are descriptive. In these designs, the question about relevant normative models is left aside. In this paper we propose a normative model that allows empirical testing of whether the way investors should behave given the information is useful in making judgments in financial markets. Contrary to most papers, we apply individual priors to form a judgment about the future price change of each asset at each point in time. These priors are considered as the expert opinion and are given by the one-year conensus forecast of earnings yield as provided by analysts. This design allows tests of the predictions for a normative setting using actual market data. Comparing Bayes' rule to a decisions by a price trader, we find that economic loss is lower for the price trader than for the Bayesian trader under several specifications. However, using expert information in the Bayes' rule leads to better predictions for stocks that do not have high-risk characteristics.
Inflation Targeting in ASEAN-10

The paper addresses the empirical question of whether economies that do not systematically target inflation (non-inflation targeters) experience higher exchange rate volatility as compared with inflation targeters in 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) from 1990 to 2010. The paper examines the role of real exchange rate, exchange rate volatility and the reaction functions of central banks using dynamic panel estimation techniques. The results indicate that the output gap offers more useful information than the inflation gap in setting interest rates for inflation targeters, implying that the real term is more important than the nominal term. In turn, this suggests that an increase in interest rate can be wielded swiftly to reduce real gross domestic product and suppress inflation. The real exchange rate appears as a weaker determinant in setting interest rates for non-inflation targeters. Inflation targeters experienced lower exchange rate volatility compared with non-targeters in the ASEAN, which implies that implementation costs to their domestic economies may be marginally lower. Meanwhile, the non-targeters follow a mixed strategy as both the inflation and real exchange rate are used as instruments to set the interest rates.
The returns to bidding firms in corporate takeovers: splitting up the pie

In this paper, we examined the impact of ownership concentration in target firms on the returns to shareholders of bidding firms. In this research, we found that shareholders of bidding earn statistically significant positive abnormal returns surrounding takeover announcements. In addition, we found bidder returns of 4% over the event-window [−20, +20]. We showed that the degree of ownership concentration in target firms – measured by the Herfindahl-concentration index – significantly and positively affects the returns to bidding firms. These findings are consistent with the predictions of Grossman and Hart (1980), Bagnoli and Lipman (1988) and Holmstrom and Nalebuff (1992) takeover models.
The Visitor Experience and Perception of Information Quality at the Sydney Visitor Information Centre

Abstract This exploratory research measures visitors' perceived quality of traditional information resources (staff and brochures) at a VIC and new resources in terms of a priori usage of the World Wide Web (Web) and determines the relationship between that perceived quality and the visitor experience at the VIC. The theoretical approach adopts a model from information systems: the model of expectation-disconfirmation effects on web customer satisfaction. A survey was conducted at the Sydney VIC and visitors' perceived quality of all information ranked resources quite highly, though the Web was the lowest. The perceived quality of information received from staff and brochures at the VIC explained two-thirds of the variance of the visitor experience whilst a priori use of the Web explained none. The implications are discussed in terms of VIC provision of visitor services and the visitor experience.
Corporate ownership and company performance: a study of Malaysian listed companies

Purpose - – This study aims to examine the effects of corporate ownership (government-linked investment companies, GLICs), linearity of GLICs, board ownership and linearity of board ownership on company performance. Design/methodology/approach - – Using panel data from companies that are listed on the Malaysian Stock Exchange during the period of 2000 to 2009, this study uses weighted least square models. Findings - – The results show that GLICs ownership is positively and significantly related to company performance, while board ownership is negatively and significantly related to company performance. These findings suggest that GLICs ownership improves company performance, while board ownership destroys company performance. The results also show that while GLICs ownership has an inverted U-shaped relationship with company performance, board ownership has a U-shaped relationship with company performance. Research limitations/implications - – The theoretical implication of this study is that agency problem decreases in companies with low and high levels of board ownership concentration, while it increases in companies with middle level of board ownership concentration. Furthermore, agency cost decreases in companies with a certain level of GLICs ownership concentration as the government’s New Economic Model (NEM) expects. However, agency cost increases in companies after a certain level of GLICs ownership concentration. Practical implications - – In practical perspectives, this study provides evidence to policy makers that the government’s proposal to reduce GLICs’ investments in Malaysia and diversify them aboard as mentioned in NEM is supported because the decrease in GLICs stakes in certain level may increase company performance. On the other hand, if the policy of the government is to increase GLICs stakes, the company performance may decrease after a certain level of ownership concentration. This study also provides evidence that investors can invest in companies with low and high board ownership concentration. Furthermore, the NEM policy gives investors an opportunity to invest in the companies with GLICs. Reducing GLICs stakes in the Malaysian market and putting them in the international markets, as mentioned in the Malaysian Government’s NEM policy, will create more opportunities for international investors to invest their fund in the Malaysian market. Thus, the emerging markets exist. In addition, the NEM policy also encourages institutional ownerships like domestic and foreign to increase their stakes instead of GLICs in the Malaysian market. Originality/value - – So far, most of the previous studies on GLICs and board ownerships in the Malaysian setting focused on the relationship of the ownership structure with company performance. However, no study has been done to examine the linearity effects of GLICs and board ownerships on company performance. The study is very important to perform to provide the policy makers and investors with clear guidance before their decisions.
The Overseas Listing Decision: New Evidence of Proximity Preference

Using a cross section of effectively the entire universe of overseas listings across world markets, we examine the market preferences of firms listing their stock abroad. We find that geographic, economic, cultural, and industrial proximity play the dominant role in the choice of overseas listing venue. Contrary to the notion that firms maximize international portfolio diversification gains in listing abroad, cross-listing activity is more common across markets for which diversification gains are relatively low. Our findings imply that the same proximity constraints that are believed to lead to "home bias" in investment portfolio decisions also exert a profound influence on financing decisions. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
Quality costing in a small engineering company: issues and difficulties

Examines the issues and difficulties of developing a quality costing system in a small engineering company. Four different methods – departmental interviews, process mapping, departmental study, and checklist of cost elements – were used to identify the costs. The value of these methods are commented upon. The main difficulties in developing the quality costing system relate to: a blame culture; a lack of visibility of how people, in particular inspectors, spend their time; and the structure of the accounting system. The majority of the difficulties were addressed by the involvement of senior management, highlighting their importance in the development of a quality costing system.
Trade openness and economic growth : a cross-country empirical investigation

In this dissertation, we empirically investigate the relationship between trade openness and economic growth across countries over the period 1960-2000. The main contribution of this dissertation is that we handle the model un-certainty problem by employing model averaging techniques, instead of estimating and reporting a number of cross-country growth regressions. Differently from many previous cross-country growth studies, our findings do not support the proposition that openness has a direct robust relationship with long run economic growth. However, we conclude that economic institutions and macroeconomic uncertainties relating to inflation and government consumption are key factors in explaining economic growth in the long run.
Evolving human resource management in Southern African multinational firms: towards an Afro-Asian nexus

Using case examples, this article assesses the nature of human resource management (HRM) practices in Southern African multinational companies (MNCs) on which there is a paucity of published research. The aim of this article is an exploratory one with the case for such an analysis to better understand the HRM practice developed and diffused by growing emerging market MNCs from Southern Africa. With significantly increasing presence of Asian MNCs in Africa, a typology of an Afro-Asian nexus in evolving HRM practice is proposed.
Familial idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: clinical features and outcome.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Familial idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (FIPF) has been defined as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) occurring in two or more members of a family. The clinical course of FIPF has not been fully defined. Accordingly, the current study was undertaken to establish clinical, radiologic, and histologic features, and survival in a consecutive series of patients with FIPF. DESIGN Retrospective analysis of clinical, radiologic, and pathologic data from a consecutive series of patients with FIPF who were seen at Mayo Medical Center. Survival in patients with FIPF was contrasted to that of previously characterized patients with nonfamilial IPF who were evaluated at our institution. SETTING Tertiary referral medical center. PATIENTS We screened 47 patients and family members with FIPF from 15 families who were identified between the years 1992 and 2002. We further analyzed the subgroup of FIPF patients that was composed of 27 patients from 15 families in whom the complete clinical course was monitored at our institution. MEASUREMENTS All patients exhibited clinical features that were compatible with IPF and either compatible high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan findings or histologic evidence of usual interstitial pneumonia. Clinical data, including symptoms, physical findings, HRCT scan findings, lung function test results, biopsy results, and survival were abstracted from the clinical records. RESULTS Compared to patients with nonfamilial IPF, patients with FIPF did not demonstrate any notable differences in clinical, radiologic, or pathologic features. We observed that the total number of affected members in a family with FIPF was a significant risk factor for earlier mortality (p = 0.0157; hazard ratio, 1.434). Overall, however, patients with FIPF had a statistically similar outcome to those patients with nonfamilial IPF. CONCLUSIONS Although uncommon, FIPF represents a distinct syndrome, which has clinical features and patient survival rates that are similar to those of nonfamilial IPF.
Crisis Economics: A Crash Course in the Future of Finance

In this myth-busting book Nouriel Roubini shows that everything we think about economics is wrong. Financial crises are not unpredictable 'black swans', but an inherent part of capitalism. Only by remaking our financial systems to acknowledge this, can we get out of the mess we're in. Will there be another recession, and if so what shape? When will the next bubble occur? And what can we do about it? Here Roubini gives the answers, and lists his commandments for the future.
Benefits and Constraints of Vitrification Technologies for Cryopreservation of Bovine In Vitro Fertilized Embryos

Cryopreservation is the use of ultra-low temperatures to preserve whole living cells and tissues in order to retain their structural integrity and maintain their physiological viability. It enables long term storage of cells in order to circumvent the need for continuous in vitro culture. When cryopreserving bovine embryos there are two means of cryopreservation: slow programmable freezing and vitrification. While controlled-rate and slow freezing can be applied widely to in vivo derived-embryos, this methodology remains less successful for embryos produced in vitro. Vitrification is an alternative technique that minimizes damage due to ice crystal formation and which offers great potential for banking these delicate cells. Examples of circumstances in which this is beneficial include when in vitro fertilization results in more embryos than is necessary for fresh embryo transfer, when conditions are not suitable for immediate embryo transfer, or when transportation of embryos is required prior to use. This paper summarizes the principle of vitrification and addresses its relative strengths and limitations as a means of conserving embryos to facilitate bovine reproductive technologies. Prospective improvements to enhance the efficiency of vitrification and perspectives on its future implementation are also discussed.
Elimination in Human Feces of Infectious Hepatitis Virus Parenterally Introduced.∗

Summary 1. A strain of infectious hepatitis virus inoculated par enter ally into 8 human volunteers was recovered from pools of serum and feces obtained from these same subjects during the acute-phase of their illness. These materials produced infectious hepatitis in 5 out of 6 healthy, human volunteers on reinoculation. 2. This recovery of virus from the stool of patients with infectious hepatitis induced by parenteral inoculation constitutes an apparent difference between this condition and homologous serum jaundice in which the etiologic agent has not been recovered from the stool up to the present time.
Inhibition of Fucosylation Reshapes Inflammatory Macrophages and Suppresses Type II Collagen–Induced Arthritis

Fucosylation catalyzed by fucosyltransferases (FUTs) is an important posttranslational modification involved in a variety of biologic processes. This study was undertaken to determine the roles of fucosylation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to assess the efficacy of reestablishing immune homeostasis with the use of 2‐deoxy‐d‐galactose (2‐d‐gal), a fucosylation inhibitor.
What Drives the Partnership Decision? Examining Structural Factors Influencing Public-Private Partnerships for Municipal Wireless Broadband

ABSTRACT Municipalities across the United States are in various stages of wireless broadband implementation. Policymakers establish wireless broadband networks for a number of reasons, including promoting economic development, supporting internal operations, and providing affordable access to citizens. While some governments provide wireless broadband access as a public service, others partner with private firms. This article exploits the variation in approaches and examines the structural factors that give rise to public-private partnerships. The results show that partnerships for wireless broadband are more likely among municipalities with political-administrative autonomy and greater economic viability. For municipalities seeking to address inequities in broadband access, these results can have profound implications, as partnerships are often the most viable deployment option. In addition to examining determinants of wireless broadband partnerships, this study aids in understanding which municipalities are more likely to benefit from partnership approaches as this form of alternative service delivery increases.
Embedded institutionalization: sustaining rural tax reform in China

Abstract Sustaining early achievements in rural tax reforms and peasants' burden reduction is a major challenge facing Chinese leaders. Theoretical discussions over institutional change have noted the propensity of new-found changes to relapse, short of processes institutionalizing the changed, new order. Drawing from the experience of a Hubei county, the paper explores how the Chinese rural tax reform may be sustained, and its achievements protected, through innovative changes in another institutional field: the personnel. Against conventional wisdom on the role of downsizing in government reforms, the paper argues that the crux lies with the performance of government officials, not their numbers or payroll size per se, and thus the importance of reforms targeting the former.
Comparing Visitor Profiles at Heritage Tourism Destinations in Eastern North Carolina

Abstract Since the development of marketing thought during the post-World War II years, great strides have been made in developing more sophisticated methods for profiling consumers of hospitality and tourism goods and services. The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of visitors that was based on lifestyle and activity level preferences and personal values. These psychographic measures were then compared to relevant demographic data provided by study participants. Study findings showed that the visitors' demographic characteristics were extremely homogeneous, especially their level of educational attainment. Respondents were also very homogeneous with regard to their lifestyle and activity level preferences and their personal values systems. In addition, the study identified the presence of interaction between respondents' lifestyle preferences and personal values according to their gender. The study findings are relevant to marketing researchers and practitioners who are seeking avenues to enhance the effectiveness of marketing outreach and promotional strategies.
When Stackelberg and Cournot Equilibria Coincide

We take a new look at the comparison between the Stackelberg equilibrium and the Cournot equilibrium. We show that, when the elasticity of the inverse market demand equals the curvature of the inverse market demand weighted by the Lerner Index, a generic Stackelberg leader sets the same quantity and earns the same profit as a generic Stackelberg follower. When the curvature of the inverse market demand equals the total number of firms in the industry, a coincidence among the quantities produced by a first mover, a second mover, and a generic firm facing Cournot competition occurs.