Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Search for Convergence of National Policies in the European Union

This article addresses the question of whether European integration leads to convergence in the domestic policies of the member states of the European Union. Some recent studies claim that as a result of European integration the national policies of the member states are becoming more alike. The existence of various exemptions and `flexibility' arrangements in the revisions of the Treaty of Rome as well as problems with implementation seem to contradict this view. In this article we offer a model based on insights from game theory and analytical politics, which aims to explain the conditions under which convergence may occur and the limitations of this process at the legislative and implementation stages of European policy making.
Analysis of predictive factors for progression of type B aortic intramural hematoma with computed tomography.

PURPOSE For patients with Stanford type B aortic intramural hematoma (IMH), medical treatment is usually selected. However, the outcomes of patients with type B IMH are not completely understood, and some cases can have fatal complications develop or surgical treatment necessitated. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of progression of the affected aorta in patients with type B IMH with initial computed tomography (CT) images. METHODS Thirty-five patients with type B IMH were studied with serial CT images. Initially, medical therapy was selected for all patients. CT findings of the affected aorta were evaluated on admission and at follow-up. We divided the patients into two groups (progression group or regression group) on the basis of CT findings and investigated predictors of progression of the affected aorta with initial CT images. RESULTS We defined 15 patients who showed increased maximum aortic diameter (n = 14), increased maximum aortic wall thickness (n = 3), progression to overt dissection (n = 4), or rupture of the aortic wall (n = 2) during the follow-up period as the progression group. The other 20 patients, who all showed decreased maximum aortic wall and aortic wall thickness, were defined as the regression group. In the maximum aortic diameter, an optimal cutoff value of 40 mm resulted in positive predictive and negative predictive values of 86.7% and 90.0%, respectively. Both a maximum aortic diameter of 40 mm or more (P =.0011) and a maximum aortic wall thickness of 10 mm or more (P =.0009) were shown to be significantly predictive of the progression with Cox regression analysis. CONCLUSION Maximum aortic diameter and maximum aortic wall thickness on initial CT images are predictive for progression of the affected aorta in patients with type B IMH. For type B IMH with a maximum aortic diameter of 40 mm or more or a maximum aortic wall thickness of 10 mm or more, careful follow-up studies must be required.
Simple differentiation of Vibrio cholerae O139 from V. cholerae O1 and non-O1, non-O139 by modified CAMP test

Strong positive CAMP reactions were demonstrated by 121 Vibrio cholerae O139 and 504 El Tor isolates, and weak positive CAMP reactions were shown by 235 non-O1, non O139 isolates when these isolates were tested by a modified CAMP technique. Thirty-five classical biotype V. cholerae O1 isolates included in the tests were all CAMP negative.
Credit (Re)Connections

The present article discusses the argument that presupposes the progressive abstraction, rationalization and centralization of credit. This involves not only re-connecting the development of retail banking credit services to a range of specific consumption products but also showing how a relationship between credit and the everyday must largely be established on the basis of such connections rather than on the supposedly general purpose character of credit. An empirically based finitist approach is thus developed that perceives the application of credit to a range of products or services as always dependent on a (variable) set of locally arranged connections involving institutions, people and objects, which, in turn, take a definite set of past practices as their main point of reference. Three examples of such connections are considered: objectification processes tying up credit services to particular products; affiliations between banks, business partners, clients and other counterparts around certain products; and interactivity between credit devices (such as credit cards) and credit users. The article draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the marketing departments of two Portuguese retail banks.
A cluster of translocation breakpoints in 2q37 is associated with overexpression of NPPC in patients with a similar overgrowth phenotype

Overexpression of the C‐type natriuretic peptide, encoded by the NPPC gene in 2q37.1, was recently reported in a patient presenting an overgrowth phenotype and a balanced t(2;7)(q37.1;q21.3) translocation. We present clinical, cytogenetic, and molecular data from two additional patients carrying balanced translocations involving the same 2q37.1 chromosome band and chromosomes 8 and 13, respectively. The clinical phenotype of these patients is very similar to the first patient described. In addition to the overgrowth syndrome, there is evidence of generalized cartilage dysplasia. In these two new cases, we found overexpression of NPPC, confirming that this unusual overgrowth phenotype in humans is due to the overexpression of this gene. The involvement of three different chromosomes and a cluster of breakpoints around the NPPC gene suggests that the overexpression of this gene in translocation patients could be due to its separation from a negative regulatory element located on chromosome 2, which would constitute a previously undescribed mutational mechanism. Hum Mutat 28(12),1183–1188, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Empirical Regularities in Cross-Country Alcohol Consumption

This paper analyses the demand for the three beverages: beer, wine and spirits, within alcohol, at a cross-country level for 10 countries: Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, the UK and the US. A number of empirical regularities were found at the cross-country level. This includes: (i) the demand theory hypotheses, homogeneity and symmetry are generally acceptable; (ii) the additive utility hypothesis is also acceptable even for such narrowly defined commodities; (iii) in nine out of the 10 countries, beer is considered as a necessity, in half of the countries wine is a necessity and in all the countries spirits are a luxury; and (iv)in all the countries, the demand for beer, wine and spirits are price inelastic.
Sources and the flux pattern of dissolved carbon in rivers of the Yenisey basin draining the Central Siberian Plateau

Frequent measurements of dissolved organic (DOC) and inorganic (DIC) carbon concentrations in rivers during snowmelt, the entire ice-free season, and winter were made in five large watersheds (15 000–174 000 km2) of the Central Siberian Plateau (Yenisey River basin). These differ in the degree of continuous permafrost coverage, mean annual air temperature, and the proportion of tundra and forest vegetation. With an annual DOC export from the catchment areas of 2.8–4.7 gC m − 2 as compared to an annual DIC export of 1.0–2.8 gC m − 2, DOC was the dominant component of terrigenous C released to rivers. There was strong temporal variation in the discharge of DOC and DIC. Like for other rivers of the pan-arctic and boreal zones, snowmelt dominated annual fluxes, being 55–71% for water runoff, 64–82% for DOC and 37–41% for DIC. Likewise, DOC and DIC exhibited also a strong spatial variation in C fluxes, with both dissolved C species decreasing from south to north. The rivers of the southern part of the plateau had the largest flow-weighted DOC concentrations among those previously reported for Siberian rivers, but the smallest flow-weighted DIC concentrations. In the study area, DOC and DIC fluxes were negatively correlated with the distribution of continuous permafrost and positively correlated with mean annual air temperature. A synthesis of literature data shows similar trends from west to east, with an eastward decrease of dissolved C concentrations and an increased proportion of DOC in the total dissolved C flux. It appears that there are two contemporary limitations for river export of terrigenous C across Siberia: (1) low productivity of ecosystems with respect to potentially mobilizable organic C, slow weathering rates with concomitant small formation of bicarbonate, and/or wildfire disturbance limit the pools of organic and inorganic C that can be mobilized for transport in rivers (source-limited), and (2) mobilization of available pools of C is constrained by low precipitation in the severe continental climate of interior Siberia (transport-limited). Climate warming may reduce the source limitation by enhancing primary production and weathering rates, while causes leading to surmounting the transport limitation remain debatable due to uncertainties in predictions of precipitation trends and other likely sources of reported increase of river discharges.
Maternal state of mind regarding attachment, maternal depression and children's family drawings in the early school years

The current study explored how children's family drawings in the early school years might be related to their exposure to recurrent episodes of maternal depression. We also examined prospectively relations among maternal state of mind regarding attachment derived from the Adult Attachment Interview and earlier mother–child attachment from the Strange Situation Procedure (both measured when the child was 12–15 months old) and later family drawings. Seventy-five mothers were assessed for symptoms of depression periodically between birth and child age 6–8 years. At this age, children completed a family drawing rated using an attachment-based scoring system. Both mothers' state of mind regarding attachment and their overall depression were modestly, but significantly, correlated with a global rating of the child's drawings. When both predictors were considered together, however, neither was significant, reflecting collinearity between the two variables. In this study, women with a non-autonomous state of mind regarding attachment were significantly more likely to experience recurrent depression. The earlier classification of the child's attachment to the mother from the Strange Situation Procedure was not related to the family drawing.
Are Jumps in Time Changed L évy Models Superfluous? An Empirical Investigation

This paper provides empirical evidence that jumps in the underlying stock price process are superfluous for European option pricing in time changed Levy models. We introduce a model with a.s. continuous sample paths and a parsimonious description in terms of free parameters. The conducted in- and out-of-sample analysis show almost no di fference concerning calibration quality to the German DAX index between the continuous model and pure jump alternatives. The jump models in fact show signs of over-parameterization displayed by dramatically varying parameter estimates over time. An analysis of the resulting fitting errors also reveals no benefi t from including jumps in the underlying process.
The Implementation Shortfall of Institutional Equity Trades

This paper is the first to analyze the price effects of equity trading by a pension fund. We find that, on average, these effects are non-negligible: 20 basis points for buys and 26 basis points for sells. Furthermore, we show that (relative) trade size and market capitalization commonly found to play an important role, have only limited influence on the price impact of a trade. The most important determinant of the price effect are investment style, trade type (agency, single, or principal), momentum, stock price volatility, and trading venue.
Development and Initial Psychometric Properties of a Questionnaire to Assess Competence in Palliative Care: Palliative Care Competence Framework Questionnaire

Background: Although the provision of palliative care (PC) is fundamental to the role of the physician, little research has assessed the competence of trainee and experienced physicians in PC. Aim: To describe the development of a competence questionnaire and assess the level of competence of medical doctors in Ireland to provide PC to individuals with life-limiting conditions and their families. Design: A survey-based cohort study was employed using a questionnaire based on the Palliative Care Competence Framework, developed specifically for this study. Setting: The sample was accessed via the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. All specialties in adult medical care and direct patient contact were included. Results: A pilot study demonstrated comprehensiveness and ensured face validity. In the main study, all subscales showed internal reliability and evidence of a normal distribution. Strong correlation was noted between knowledge and behavior while moderate correlations were noted between attitudes and behavior and attitudes and knowledge, respectively. As expected, palliative-trained participants scored significantly higher in attitudes, behavior, and knowledge. Conclusions: The study provides baseline data on the level of competence of PC of doctors working in Ireland. The study also offers a novel assessment tool that has the potential to be used for future research.
Productivity Trends and the Cost of Reducing CO2 Emissions*

Adequate control of CO2 emissions may require a significant increase in energy price, which in turn will create long-term economic costs. This paper explores the effects of long-term productivity trends in the U.S. economy and relates them to the cost of reducing CO2 emissions. Technology change has been negatively correlated with energy prices and positively correlated with materials prices. Thus, if all prices remain constant, expenditures on materials per unit of output will decline, and expenditures on energy per unity of output will increase. If energy prices increase, the rate of productivity growth will decrease. This trend will be very small, if measured on an annual basis, but eventually could be quite significant. A comparison with recent cost estimates of CO2 emission control suggests that this otherwise ignored productivity effect could be the largest component of a complete cost analysis.
An Esterase Gene from Lactobacillus casei Cotranscribed with Genes Encoding a Phosphoenolpyruvate:Sugar Phosphotransferase System and Regulated by a LevR-Like Activator and σ54 Factor

A new esterase-encoding gene was found in the draft genome sequence of Lactobacillus casei BL23 (CECT5275). It is located in an operon together with genes encoding the EIIA, EIIB, EIIC, and EIID proteins of a mannose class phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system. After overproduction in Escherichia coli and purification, the esterase could hydrolyze acetyl sugars, hence the operon was named esu for esterase-sugar uptake genes. Upstream of the genes encoding the EII components (esuABCD) and the esterase (esuE), two genes transcribed in the opposite sense were found which encode a Bacillus subtilis LevR-like transcriptional activator (esuR) and a σ54-like transcriptional factor (rpoN). As compared with the wild-type strain, elevated fructose phosphorylation was detected in L. casei mutants constitutively expressing the esu operon. However, none of the many sugars tested could induce the esu operon. The fact that EsuE exhibits esterase activity on acetyl sugars suggests that this operon could be involved in the uptake and metabolism of esterified sugars. Expression of the esu operon is similar to that of the B. subtilis lev operon: it contains a –12,–24 consensus promoter typical of σ54-regulated genes, and EsuR and RpoN are essential for its transcription which is negatively regulated by EIIBEsu. The esuABCDE transcription unit represents the first σ54-regulated operon in lactobacilli. Furthermore, replacement of His852 in the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system regulation domain II of EsuR with Ala indicated that the transcription activator function of EsuR is inhibited by EIIBEsu-mediated phosphorylation at His852.
Crop insurance in transition: a qualitative and quantitative assessment of insurance products

This discussion paper considers insurance as a possible instrument of farm income stabilization and compares several crop insurance products with respect to their applicability in a transition economy using the case of Kazakhstan. The analysis is based on a qualitative evaluation as well a quantitative assessment of selected insurance products. The qualitative analysis reviews the available literature on the topic. The quantitative assessment completes the comparison introducing the findings of a numerical analysis of farm and weather data.
Bond Premium in Turkey

In this paper we examine the difference between T-Bill returns and common stock returns in Turkey. We observe that there is a bond premium in Turkey unlike the equity premia in developed countries. As an attempt to explain this surprising observation, we incorporate inflation risk and default risk to the Mehra and Presscott (1985) dynamic asset pricing model. Calibration with reasonable parameter values indicate that the inflation risk alone is not sufficient to explain the observed bond premium. However by allowing for the presence of a perceived default probability, we can explain the observed bond premium on Turkish T-Bills over Turkish common stocks.
Compliance with diabetes guidelines at a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract Background Diabetes is a major problem in South Africa and throughout the world. The management of type 2 diabetes aims at maintaining normoglycaemia and preventing the development of complications arising from diabetes. The Society for Endocrine Metabolism and Diabetes of South Africa (SEMDSA) guidelines are based on a number of international trials which showed that strict control of blood sugar leads to a reduction in the development of diabetic complications. However, many studies have shown poor adherence to national guidelines by doctors caring for diabetes patients. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess doctors’ compliance with the SEMDSA diabetes guidelines at a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. Method Seven hundred and fifty diabetic patient records were selected by systematic sampling of cases from the diabetic clinic and reviewed against SEMDSA guidelines. Results Eighty three per cent of the patients had high values of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c). Lipid examination was rarely performed, and comprehensive foot examination was carried out in only 6% of patients. Although blood pressure and weight were regularly checked, these examinations were performed by the nursing staff, and medical staff generally did not respond to abnormal results. Conclusion This study demonstrates poor compliance with current diabetic guidelines. There is an urgent need to review how guidelines are disseminated and implemented in South African public sector hospitals if evidence-based guidelines are to have any impact on patient care.
Does the healthcare industry report quality costs? Comparative investigations of public and private hospitals

The present study investigates whether the public and private Turkish healthcare industries report quality costs comparatively. We preferred to adopt a structured interview methodology which enabled us to ask pre-determined questions during the interviews. We conducted interviews with the quality personnel and accounting personnel of five public and four private hospitals. In all analysed hospitals, we found out that quality costs are not measured, accounted for, reported, and analysed. The findings indicate that the hospitals conduct quality-related studies without interaction with accounting departments and without cost consideration. All hospitals generate many examples of various types of quality costs such as prevention, appraisal, internal failure, and external failure costs. However, the monetary amounts of four quality cost types are not known since the hospitals do not use this classification, and do not account for these quality costs. We believe that the present study has changed the perceptions of hospital managers, and has improved their awareness of the subject.
Semi-Supervised Bayesian Attribute Learning for Person Re-Identification

Person re-identification (re-ID) tasks aim to identify the same person in multiple images captured from non-overlapping camera views. Most previous re-ID studies have attempted to solve this problem through either representation learning or metric learning, or by combining both techniques. Representation learning relies on the latent factors or attributes of the data. In most of these works, the dimensionality of the factors/attributes has to be manually determined for each new dataset. Thus, this approach is not robust. Metric learning optimizes a metric across the dataset to measure similarity according to distance. However, choosing the optimal method for computing these distances is data dependent, and learning the appropriate metric relies on a sufficient number of pair-wise labels. To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel algorithm for person re-ID, called semi-supervised Bayesian attribute learning. We introduce an Indian Buffet Process to identify the priors of the latent attributes. The dimensionality of attributes factors is then automatically determined by nonparametric Bayesian learning. Meanwhile, unlike traditional distance metric learning, we propose a re-identification probability distribution to describe how likely it is that a pair of images contains the same person. This technique relies solely on the latent attributes of both images. Moreover, pair-wise labels that are not known can be estimated from pair-wise labels that are known, making this a robust approach for semi-supervised learning. Extensive experiments demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithm over several state-of-the-art algorithms on small-scale datasets and comparable performance on large-scale re-ID datasets.
Observed increase of TTL temperature and water vapor in polluted clouds over Asia

AbstractSatellite observations are analyzed to examine the correlations between aerosols and the tropical tropopause layer (TTL) temperature and water vapor. This study focuses on two regions, both of which are important pathways for the mass transport from the troposphere to the stratosphere and over which Asian pollution prevails: South and East Asia during boreal summer and the Maritime Continent during boreal winter. Using the upper-tropospheric carbon monoxide measurements from the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder as a proxy of aerosols to classify ice clouds as polluted or clean, the authors find that polluted clouds have a smaller ice effective radius and a higher temperature and specific humidity near the tropopause than clean clouds. The increase in water vapor appears to be related to the increase in temperature, as a result of increased aerosols. Meteorological differences between the clouds cannot explain the differences in temperature and water vapor for the polluted and clean clouds. The authors .