Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Consumption and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer in Two Prospective Cohorts

Background: A history of diabetes mellitus and a diet high in glycemic load are both potential risk factors for pancreatic cancer. Sugar-sweetened soft drinks are a prevalent source of readily absorbable sugars and have been associated with an increased risk of obesity and diabetes. We investigated whether higher consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks increases the risk of pancreatic cancer. Methods: We examined the relation between consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and the development of pancreatic cancer in the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Among 88,794 women and 49,364 men without cancer at baseline, we documented 379 cases of pancreatic cancer during up to 20 years of follow-up. Soft drink consumption was first assessed at baseline (1980 for the women, 1986 for the men) and updated periodically thereafter. Results: Compared with participants who largely abstained from sugar-sweetened soft drinks, those who consumed more than three sugar-sweetened soft drinks weekly experienced overall a multivariate relative risk (RR) of pancreatic cancer of 1.13 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.81-1.58; P for trend = 0.47]. Women in the highest category of sugar-sweetened soft drink intake did experience a significant increase in risk (RR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.02-2.41; P for trend = 0.05), whereas there was no association between sweetened soft drink intake and pancreatic cancer among men. Among women, the risk associated with higher sugar-sweetened soft drink was limited to those with elevated body mass index (>25 kg/m2; RR, 1.89; 95% CI, 0.96-3.72) or with low physical activity (RR, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.06-3.85). In contrast, consumption of diet soft drinks was not associated with an elevated pancreatic cancer risk in either cohort. Conclusion: Although soft drink consumption did not influence pancreatic cancer risk among men, consumption of sugar-sweetened soft drinks may be associated with a modest but significant increase in risk among women who have an underlying degree of insulin resistance.
'Export Experience' Under Borrowing Constraints

The paper develops a two-period, two-country, multigood model with endogenous investment. Borrowing is subject to quantitative restrictions. The authors examine the effect of promoting exports in period 1 on the level of exports in period 2. They consider a number of scenarios depending on how the initial values of the policy instruments are determined, and compare the "export-experience" effects under the different scenarios.
Female Genital Cutting and Marital Outcomes

The practice of female genital cutting (FGC) has a long history in Africa and it is thought that over 130 million females alive today have undergone the practice. The continuation of such a painful and dangerous custom is puzzling to many outsiders, since it is perpetrated by the women of the community, who after all are the main victims of the practice. In this paper we argue that FGC is a pre-marital investment. We analyze data from Burkina Faso and nd that FGC improves marital outcomes. In particular, circumcised women marry earlier, live in wealthier households, have more surviving children and are more likely to be the rst ranked wife if they are in a polygamous marriage. We develop a theoretical model and show that society might get trapped into an ine¢ ciently high FGC equilibrium due to the rat-race nature of the marriage market. We argue that in this case regulation results in a (potential) Pareto improvement. Classi cation Codes: O12, O55, J12
Switching Hinf Control Synthesis Designs for Networked Control Systems

This paper investigates joint stabilization and disturbance attenuation problem of for a class of networked control systems subject to disturbance and packet dropout in the transmission channel. A condition for exponential stabilization of networked control systems under a given switching rule is derived by employing multiple Lyapunov-like functions. A design solution for switching Hinf control that compensates for packet dropout and attenuates disturbance is found in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Impulse impact is also studied in order to reduce theory-application discrepancy switching. An illustrative example is given along with its simulation results to demonstrate both feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method.
Magnet temperature estimation in surface PM machines during six-step operation

This paper presents a method for estimating the magnet temperature in surface permanent magnet synchronous machines (SPMSM's) during six-step operation. Six-step operation allows the maximum available DC bus voltage to be applied to a machine, which maximizes its torque and speed range. Six-step operation produces currents harmonics that induces additional losses in the permanent magnets and can therefore increase their temperature. Increase of magnet temperature can result in a reduced torque capability and eventually in a risk of demagnetization if excessive values are reached, with real-time rotor magnet temperature monitoring being, therefore, advisable. Six-step operation provides opportunities for rotor temperature monitoring from the electrical terminal variables (voltages and currents) of the motor. To achieve this goal, the rotor high frequency resistance is measured using the harmonic voltages and currents due to six-step operation, from which the magnet temperature can be estimated.1
SWI enhances vein detection using gadolinium in multiple sclerosis

Susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) combined with the FLAIR sequence provides the ability to depict in vivo the perivenous location of inflammatory demyelinating lesions – one of the most specific pathologic features of multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, in MS white matter (WM) lesions, gadolinium-based contrast media (CM) can increase vein signal loss on SWI. This report focuses on two cases of WM inflammatory lesions enhancing on SWI images after CM injection. In these lesions in fact the CM increased the contrast between the parenchyma and the central vein allowing as well, in one of the two cases, the detection of a vein not visible on the same SWI sequence acquired before CM injection.
Anidulafungin for the treatment of candidaemia/invasive candidiasis in selected critically ill patients

A prospective, multicentre, phase IIIb study with an exploratory, open-label design was conducted to evaluate efficacy and safety of anidulafungin for the treatment of candidaemia/invasive candidiasis (C/IC) in specific ICU patient populations. Adult ICU patients with confirmed C/IC meeting ≥1 of the following criteria were enrolled: post-abdominal surgery, solid tumour, renal/hepatic insufficiency, solid organ transplant, neutropaenia, and age ≥65 years. Patients received anidulafungin (200 mg on day 1, 100 mg/day thereafter) for 10–42 days, optionally followed by oral voriconazole/fluconazole. The primary efficacy endpoint was global (clinical and microbiological) response at the end of all therapy (EOT). Secondary endpoints included global response at the end of intravenous therapy (EOIVT) and at 2 and 6 weeks post-EOT, survival at day 90, and incidence of adverse events (AEs). The primary efficacy analysis was performed in the modified intent-to-treat (MITT) population, excluding unknown/missing responses. The safety and MITT populations consisted of 216 and 170 patients, respectively. The most common pathogens were Candida albicans (55.9%), C. glabrata (14.7%) and C. parapsilosis (10.0%). Global success was 69.5% (107/154; 95% CI, 61.6–76.6) at EOT, 70.7% (111/157) at EOIVT, 60.2% (77/128) at 2 weeks post-EOT, and 50.5% (55/109) at 6 weeks post-EOT. When unknown/missing responses were included as failures, the respective success rates were 62.9%, 65.3%, 45.3% and 32.4%. Survival at day 90 was 53.8%. Treatment-related AEs occurred in 33/216 (15.3%) patients, four (1.9%) of whom had serious AEs. Anidulafungin was effective, safe and well tolerated for the treatment of C/IC in selected groups of ICU patients.
Cooling flows, central galaxy-cluster alignments, X-ray absorption and dust

We present the analysis of pointed ROSAT PSPC observations of five of t he most luminous, intermediate redshift (0 1 0 15) clusters of galaxies detected in the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. The PSPC data are combined with optical CCD images and spectra to examine the relationship between clusters and their central cluster galaxies (CCGs). Abell 1068, Abell 1361 and Abell 1664 contain three of the most optically line-luminous CCGs known. The PSPC X-ray data show that these galaxies lie at the centres of massive (200 ‐ 400 M yr 1 ) cooling flows. The alignment between CCGs and their host clusters has been investigated. For those clusters with cooling flows, the position angles of the X-ray emission from t he clusters and the optical emission from the CCGs agrees within 5 degrees. For the one probable non-cooling flow cluster in the sample, Abell 2208, the alignment is significantly poorer. We examine the evidence for intrinsic X-ray absorption in the clusters. The X-ray spectra for Ab ell 1068 and Abell 1664 show that the cooling flows in these clusters are intrinsically absorbed by equivalent hydrogen column densities 10 21 atom cm 2 . The optical spectra of the CCGs in these clusters exhibit substantial intrinsic reddening, at levels consistent with the X-ray absorption results if standard dust to gas ratios are assumed.
Forecasting with a DSGE Model of a Small Open Economy within the Monetary Union

In this paper we lay out a two-region dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model of an open economy within the European Monetary Union. The model, which is built in the New Keynesian tradition, contains real and nominal rigidities such as habit formation in consumption, price and wage stickiness as well as rich stochastic structure. The framework also incorporates the theory of unemployment, small open economy aspects and a nominal interest rate that is set exogenously by the area-wide monetary authority. As an illustration, the model is estimated on Luxembourgish data. We evaluate the properties of the estimated model and assess its forecasting performance relative to reduced-form model such as vector autoregression (VAR). In addition, we study the empirical validity of the DSGE model restrictions by applying a DSGE-VAR approach. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimised Coverage of Non-self with Evolved Lymphocytes in an Artificial Immune System

The natural immune system (NIS) protects the body against unwanted foreign material (non-self cells) that could damage the body (self cells). The NIS can be modeled into an artificial immune system (AIS) to detect any non-self patterns in a non-biological environment. Detectors in the NIS can change from their initial mature status to memory status detectors or to annihilated status. A memory detector is a detector that fre- quently detects non-self cells and is a general detector for a sub- set of non-self cells. The NIS uses these memory detectors in a faster response to non-self cells. The purpose of this paper is to present the genetic artificial immune system (GAIS) which evolves these non-self detectors and determine their state using a life counter function. Only detectors with mature or memory status are used to detect non-self. Thus, the number of detectors is dynamically determined by the life counter function. In the paper GAIS is applied to different classification problems.
Behavioral sensitivity to amphetamine or scopolamine after acute administration of nicotine in the rat.

OBJECTIVES Earlier experiments have revealed that a single pretreatment of the rat with chlorphenvinphos (CVP) at a subtoxic dose (1.0 mg/kg, about 1/10 of DL50) makes the animal hyposensitive to the locomotor stimulating effect of amphetamine (AMPH) or scopolamine (SCOP) given three weeks postexposure. Such a hyposensitivity did not develop after a single or multiple (at short intervals) dosing with oxotremorine (OXO), a direct muscarinic agonist, which suggests that it was not mediated by muscarinic receptors. The purpose of the present experiment was to find out whether activation of nicotinic receptors could induce behavioral hyposensitivity to AMPH. MATERIALS AND METHODS Male adult Wistar rats were pretreated once with 0.00, 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg of nicotine (NIC), a nicotinic agonist, and challenged 15 days later with 1.0 mg/kg of AMPH or 0.75 mg/kg of SCOP. The pre- and postdrug open-field behavior of the rats was measured using a computerized set of activity meters. RESULTS Pretreatment with NIC, like pretreatment with OXO, did not make the animals hyposensitive to AMPH or SCOP. In a preliminary experiment we have also found that rats do not develop hyposensitivity to AMPH and SCOP after pretreatment with physostigmine, a reversible anticholinesterase and a direct nicotinic and possibly muscarinic agonist. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that a transient overstimulation of the cholinergic system cannot be the cause or a sufficient condition for the development of the CVP-induced diminution of sensitivity to AMPH and SCOP.
Higher education and social class

The evidence, as far as it goes, suggests that over the latter half of the 20 century there was little change in the proportion of university students from lower social classes. Their participation in higher education increased, but so did participation from all social classes and the gap that was apparent in the middle of the last century was broadly maintained to the end. Even the rapid expansion of higher education in the early 1990s had little impact on this. There now exists a wide range of indicators of disadvantage and looking across these over the past five years or so there is some evidence that this gap has started to close. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds have increased their participation in higher education at a faster absolute rate than those from more advantaged backgrounds. However, the gaps in participation remain very large and the rate of change is slow.
Rapid Evolutionary Rates and Unique Genomic Signatures Discovered in the First Reference Genome for the Southern Ocean Salp, Salpa thompsoni (Urochordata, Thaliacea)

A preliminary genome sequence has been assembled for the Southern Ocean salp, Salpa thompsoni (Urochordata, Thaliacea). Despite the ecological importance of this species in Antarctic pelagic food webs and its potential role as an indicator of changing Southern Ocean ecosystems in response to climate change, no genomic resources are available for S. thompsoni or any closely related urochordate species. Using a multiple-platform, multiple-individual approach, we have produced a 318,767,936-bp genome sequence, covering >50% of the estimated 602 Mb (±173 Mb) genome size for S. thompsoni. Using a nonredundant set of predicted proteins, >50% (16,823) of sequences showed significant homology to known proteins and ∼38% (12,151) of the total protein predictions were associated with Gene Ontology functional information. We have generated 109,958 SNP variant and 9,782 indel predictions for this species, serving as a resource for future phylogenomic and population genetic studies. Comparing the salp genome to available assemblies for four other urochordates, Botryllus schlosseri, Ciona intestinalis, Ciona savignyi and Oikopleura dioica, we found that S. thompsoni shares the previously estimated rapid rates of evolution for these species. High mutation rates are thus independent of genome size, suggesting that rates of evolution >1.5 times that observed for vertebrates are a broad taxonomic characteristic of urochordates. Tests for positive selection implemented in PAML revealed a small number of genes with sites undergoing rapid evolution, including genes involved in ribosome biogenesis and metabolic and immune process that may be reflective of both adaptation to polar, planktonic environments as well as the complex life history of the salps. Finally, we performed an initial survey of small RNAs, revealing the presence of known, conserved miRNAs, as well as novel miRNA genes; unique piRNAs; and mature miRNA signatures for varying developmental stages. Collectively, these resources provide a genomic foundation supporting S. thompsoni as a model species for further examination of the exceptional rates and patterns of genomic evolution shown by urochordates. Additionally, genomic data will allow for the development of molecular indicators of key life history events and processes and afford new understandings and predictions of impacts of climate change on this key species of Antarctic pelagic ecosystems.
Genetic Algorithms with Punctuated Equilibria : Parallelization and Analysis

This paper describes the creation of a parallel implementation of a genetic algorithms with punctuated equilibria (GAPE) application for the travelling salesman problem (TSP). It also investigates two aspects of GAPE by using the results from the software. These aspects are the relationship between the number of populations used and the solution quality over time, and the relationship between the number of generations per epoch and the solution quality over time. The analysis of these variables is meant to shed light on their role in GAPE algorithms in general. We believe that a parallel implementation of GAPE run over a large network will provide a significant speedup over sequential implementations. Further, we feel that the results described within indicate that the number of populations have relatively little effect on the solution quality of GAPE, especially for small problem sizes, and that isolating populations for extended periods of time produces better long-term results than those obtained with frequent communication.
Modeling Bivariate Lorenz Curves with Applications to Multidimensional Inequality in Well-Being

The extension of the univariate Lorenz curve to higher dimensions is not an obvious task. The three existing denitions were proposed by Taguchi (1972a,b), Arnold (1983) and Koshevoy and Mosler (1996), who introduced the concepts of Lorenz zonoid and Gini zonoid index. In this paper, using the denition proposed by Arnold (1983), closed expressions for the bivariate Lorenz curve are given, assuming dierent formulations of the underlying bivariate income distribution. We study a relevant type of models based on the class of bivariate distributions with given marginals described by Sarmanov and Lee (Lee, 1996; Sarmanov, 1966). This model presents several advantages, in particular the expression of the bivariate Lorenz curve can be easily interpreted as a convex linear combination of products of classical and concentrated Lorenz curves. A closed expression for the bivariate Gini index (Arnold, 1987) in terms of the classical and concentrated Gini indices of the marginal distributions is given. This index is specially useful, and can be decomposed in two factors, corresponding to the equality within and between variables. Specic models with Beta, GB1, Pareto, Gamma and lognormal marginal distributions are studied. Other alternative families of bivariate Lorenz curves are discussed. Some concepts of stochastic dominance are explored. Extensions to higher dimensions are included. Finally, an application to measurement multidimensional inequality in well-being is given.
Analytical and clinical evaluation of two homogeneous assays for LDL-cholesterol in hyperlipidemic patients.

BACKGROUND LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations are the primary basis for treatment guidelines established for hyperlipidemic patients. LDL-C concentrations are commonly monitored by means of the Friedewald formula, which provides a relative estimation of LDL-C concentration when the triglyceride concentration is <2000 mg/L and there are no abnormal lipids. The Friedewald formula has several limitations and may not meet the current total error requirement of <12% in LDL-C measurements. METHODS We evaluated the analytical and clinical performance of two direct methods (Roche and Wako) by analyzing 313 fresh serum samples obtained from dyslipidemic patients in a lipid clinic and comparing them with modified beta-quantification. RESULTS Both homogeneous assays displayed excellent precision (CV <2%). The Roche method showed a mean total error of 7.72%, and the Wako method showed a mean total error of 4.46% over a wide range of LDL-C concentrations. The Roche method correlated highly with the modified beta-quantification assay (r = 0.929; y = 1.052x - 168 mg/L; n = 166) and showed a bias of -4. 5% as a result of the assigned standard value. The Wako method also correlated highly with beta-quantification (r = 0.966; y = 0.9125x + 104.8 mg/L; n = 145) without significant bias. The Roche method correctly classified 97% of patients with triglycerides <2000 mg/L, 75% of patients with type IIb hyperlipemia (HPL), and 84% of patients with type IV HPL based on the cutpoints of 1300 and 1600 mg/L, compared with 98%, 78.4%, and 89%, respectively, for the Wako method. In dysbetalipoproteinemic patients, both methods have a 30% mean positive bias compared with beta-quantification. CONCLUSIONS Both direct methods can be a useful alternative when ultracentrifugation is not available for the diagnosis and control of lipid-lowering medication for patients with mixed HPL, but not for patients with type III hyperlipidemia.
Policing As Social Discipline

Table of Cases Chapter 1: Coercing the Suspect Chapter 2: Models of the Criminal Process Chapter 3: Policing the Dross Chapter 4: Order in the Charge Room Chapter 5: Suspect Narratives Chapter 6: The Impact of Due Process Chapter 7: The Suspect's Perspective Chapter 8: Fairness, Social Discipline and Reform Appendix A: Methodology Index
Do Institutions Affect Social Preferences? Evidence from Divided Korea

The Cold War division of Korea, regarded as a natural experiment in institutional change, provides a unique opportunity to examine whether institutions affect social preferences. We recruited North Korean refugees and South Korean students to conduct laboratory experiments eliciting social preferences, together with standard surveys measuring subjective attitudes toward political and economic institutions. Our experiments employ widely used dictator and trust games, with four possible group matches between North and South Koreans by informing them of the group identity of their anonymous partners. Experimental behavior and support for institutions differ substantially between and within groups. North Korean refugees prefer more egalitarian distribution in the dictator games than South Korean students, even after controlling for individual characteristics that could be correlated with social preferences; however, two groups show little difference in the trust game, once we control for more egalitarian behavior of North Koreans. North Korean refugees show less support for market economy and democracy than South Korean subjects. Attitudes toward institutions are more strongly associated with the experimental behaviors among South Korean subjects than among North Korean subjects.