Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation of Case-Finding Algorithms Derived from Administrative Data for Identifying Adults Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Objective We sought to validate a case-finding algorithm for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection using administrative health databases in Ontario, Canada. Methods We constructed 48 case-finding algorithms using combinations of physician billing claims, hospital and emergency room separations and prescription drug claims. We determined the test characteristics of each algorithm over various time frames for identifying HIV infection, using data abstracted from the charts of 2,040 randomly selected patients receiving care at two medical practices in Toronto, Ontario as the reference standard. Results With the exception of algorithms using only a single physician claim, the specificity of all algorithms exceeded 99%. An algorithm consisting of three physician claims over a three year period had a sensitivity and specificity of 96.2% (95% CI 95.2%–97.9%) and 99.6% (95% CI 99.1%–99.8%), respectively. Application of the algorithm to the province of Ontario identified 12,179 HIV-infected patients in care for the period spanning April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2009. Conclusions Case-finding algorithms generated from administrative data can accurately identify adults living with HIV. A relatively simple “3 claims in 3 years” definition can be used for assembling a population-based cohort and facilitating future research examining trends in health service use and outcomes among HIV-infected adults in Ontario.
Model-Free Methods in Valuation and Hedging of Derivative Securities

Were “the quants” to blame for the financial crisis of 2008? In narrow terms the answer appears to be “no” on the argument put forward by Alex Lipton, that the banks that survived were using the same models as those that failed. Be that as it may, it does seem that a contributory factor in the crisis was over-reliance on models that, in retrospect, had insufficient credibility.
Improving Reading Instruction: A Call for Interdisciplinary Collaboration

The state of reading proficiency in the United States has been under attack for decades. Attempts to improve reading achievement through instructional practices have taken the profession through the “reading wars” to “balanced-reading” to “evidenced-based” methods. Unfortunately, the professional development of reading teachers persists in isolating reading instruction from the language processes and core knowledge that learning to read must build upon. The paper that follows is a call to action—a rationale for bringing together knowledge and skills across professional preparation areas—to achieve more effective reading instruction in the hope of closing the national achievement gap.
The impact of mobile telephony on developing country micro-enterprise: A nigerian case study

Informational challenges---absence, uncertainty, asymmetry---shape the working of markets and commerce in many developing countries. For developing country micro-enterprises, which form the bulk of all enterprises worldwide, these challenges shape the characteristics of their supply chains. They reduce the chances that business and trade will emerge. They keep supply chains localised and intermediated. They make trade within those supply chains slow, costly, and risky. Mobile telephony may provide an opportunity to address the informational challenges and, hence, to alter the characteristics of trade within micro-enterprise supply chains. However, mobile telephony has only recently penetrated. This paper, therefore, presents one of the first case studies of the impact of mobile telephony on the numerically-dominant form of enterprise, based around a case study of the cloth-weaving sector in Nigeria. It finds that there are ways in which costs and risks are being reduced and time is saved, often by substitution of journeys. But it also finds a continuing need for journeys and physical meetings due to issues of trust, design intensity, physical inspection and exchange, and interaction complexity. As a result, there are few signs of the de-localisation or disintermediation predicted by some commentators. An economising effect of mobile phones on supply chain processes may therefore co-exist with the entrenchment of supply chain structures and a growing “competitive divide” between those with and without access to telephony.
Optimizing Route Length in Reactive Protocols for Ad Hoc Networks

Many protocols for Mobile Ad-hoc Networks propose construction of routes reactively using flooding. The advantage hereof is that no prior assumption of the network topology is required in order to provide routing between any pair of nodes in the network. In mobile networks, where the topology may be subject to frequent changes, this is a particularly attractive property. In this paper, we investigate the effect of using flooding for acquiring routes. We show that flooding may lead to non-optimal routes in terms of number of hops. This implies that more retransmissions are needed to send a packet along a route. We proceed by providing a qualitative analysis of the route lengths. Finally, we propose alternative flooding schemes and evaluate these schemes through simulations. We find that using these schemes, it is indeed possible to provide shorter routes.
Residential fuel comparison patterns for poor, black, and elderly households: a comparative study. Vol I. Data base development

Energy consumption data (for 1979) are presented for three target population catgories - poor, black, and elderly - and the nation as a whole. The data give information on energy consumption for the three population categories and the nation at different levels of detail. For black households, contrary to what would be expected on the basic of the income effect alone, the average annual level of energy consumption was higher than the US average.
Expenditure, Coping, and Academic Behaviors among Food-Insecure College Students at 10 Higher Education Institutes in the Appalachian and Southeastern Regions

ABSTRACT Background A number of studies have measured college student food insecurity prevalence higher than the national average; however, no multicampus regional study among students at 4-y institutions has been undertaken in the Appalachian and Southeast regions of the United States. Objectives The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among college students in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, and to determine the association between food-insecurity status and money expenditures, coping strategies, and academic performance among a regional sample of college students. Methods This regional, cross-sectional, online survey study included 13,642 college students at 10 public universities. Food-insecurity status was measured through the use of the USDA Adult Food Security Survey. The outcomes were associations between food insecurity and behaviors determined with the use of the money expenditure scale (MES), the coping strategy scale (CSS), and the academic progress scale (APS). A forward-selection logistic regression model was used with all variables significant from individual Pearson chi-square and Wilcoxon analyses. The significance criterion α for all tests was 0.05. Results The prevalence of food insecurity at the universities ranged from 22.4% to 51.8% with an average prevalence of 30.5% for the full sample. From the forward-selection logistic regression model, MES (OR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.40, 1.55), CSS (OR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.21), and APS (OR: 0.95; 95% CI: 0.91, 0.99) scores remained significant predictors of food insecurity. Grade point average, academic year, health, race/ethnicity, financial aid, cooking frequency, and health insurance also remained significant predictors of food security status. Conclusions Food insecurity prevalence was higher than the national average. Food-insecure college students were more likely to display high money expenditures and exhibit coping behaviors, and to have poor academic performance.
CW cladding pumped phosphate glass fibre laser operating at 1.054 μm

We present the fabrication and characterization of a Nd3+-doped double clad phosphate glass optical fibre manufactured by preform drawing, with the preform being obtained by rod-in-tube technique. Laser action at 1.054 mum was demonstrated by cladding pumping 9 cm of the fabricated optical fibre using a semiconductor pigtailed laser diode emitting at 793 nm. A maximum output power of 85 mW was obtained with a slope efficiency of 18% with respect to the launched pump power.
Telomerase expression in lung preneoplasia and neoplasia

Telomeres are specialized structures at eukaryotic chromosomes ends, which role is to prevent them from degradation, end to‐end fusion and rearrangement. However, they shorten after each cellular division because of an incomplete DNA replication, acting in normal somatic cells as a mitotic clock for permanent proliferation arrest or senescence entry. Short telomeres are perceived as damaged DNA leading to p53/ATM pathway activation. In tumoral cells, a ribonucleoprotein complex termed telomerase enables telomere elongation. This complex, composed of 2 main components, the telomerase RNA component or hTR, the RNA template for telomere synthesis, and telomerase reverse transcriptase, the catalytic subunit, is reactivated in the majority of cancers, including those of the lung. In this review, we briefly present the main results on telomerase expression in various histological types of lung carcinoma and in bronchial carcinogenesis along with telomere attrition. Inhibition of one of the main components of the enzyme or limitation of telomere access by telomerase represent novel targets for cancer therapies and chemoprevention in high risk patients of lung cancer. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
State Fiscal Constraints and Higher Education Spending: The Role of Medicaid and the Business Cycle. Discussion Paper.

State governments have historically taken the lead in financing higher education. Over the past twenty years, however, state support for higher education has gradually waned, with the share of higher education expenditures subsidized by state appropriations declining. In this paper, we use state-level data on expenditures since 1977 to study the forces underlying the shift in state financing. More specifically, we examine interactions between state appropriations for higher education, other state budget items (especially Medicaid), and the business cycle.
The mesonic branch of the deformed conifold

Using coordinates that manifest the S2-S3 split of the base, we study D3-branes localized on the three-sphere in the Klebanov-Strassler background. We find a numerical solution for the warp factor and show the emergence of the AdS throat near the stack. In the dual gauge theory, this corresponds to an RG flow along the mesonic branch. We demonstrate how the cubic superpotential of the = 4 SYM theory emerges at the end of the RG flow.
Liver tolerance of raltegravir-containing antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the liver safety of raltegravir-including combinations in HIV/hepatitis C virus (HCV) co-infected patients. METHODS Grade 3-4 transaminase elevations (TEs) and grade 4 total bilirubin elevations (TBEs) were assessed during 12 months in 108 HIV/HCV co-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy including raltegravir in a retrospective cohort study. Furthermore, the relationship between baseline fibrosis and hepatotoxic events was determined. RESULTS Eight patients (7.4%) developed grade 3 TEs and two (1.9%) patients showed grade 4 TEs. TBE grade 4 was detected in two (1.9%) patients. No patient permanently discontinued raltegravir because of hepatotoxic events. Of the patients with and without significant fibrosis, six (9.4%) and two (11.8%), respectively, showed grade 3-4 TEs (P = 0.769). Grade 3-4 TEs was observed in four (9.8%) patients in whom cirrhosis was ruled out, while none of the patients diagnosed with cirrhosis developed grade 3-4 TEs (P = 0.303). During the follow-up, the median (Q1-Q3) CD4 cell count increased from 257 (145-421) cells/mm(3) to 407 (213-587) cells/mm(3) (P < 0.0001) and the number of patients with an undetectable HIV viral load augmented from 33 (30.6%) to 73 (81.1%) (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Raltegravir-containing regimens are safe in HIV/HCV co-infected patients. The incidence of severe liver toxicity of raltegravir in these individuals is in the range of boosted protease inhibitors in clinical trials. The frequencies of grade 3-4 TEs and grade 4 TBEs were similar in patients receiving raltegravir with or without significant fibrosis or cirrhosis.
Automatic assessment of problem behavior in individuals with developmental disabilities

Severe behavior problems of children with developmental disabilities often require intervention by specialists. These specialists rely on direct observation of the behavior, usually in a controlled clinical environment. In this paper, we present a technique for using on-body accelerometers to assist in automated classification of problem behavior during such direct observation. Using simulated data of episodes of severe behavior acted out by trained specialists, we demonstrate how machine learning techniques can be used to segment relevant behavioral episodes from a continuous sensor stream and to classify them into distinct categories of severe behavior (aggression, disruption, and self-injury). We further validate our approach by demonstrating it produces no false positives when applied to a publicly accessible dataset of activities of daily living. Finally, we show promising classification results when our sensing and analysis system is applied to data from a real assessment session conducted with a child exhibiting problem behaviors.
A computational model of optimal commodity taxation

This report examines the structure of optimal commodity tax rates in a many-person many-goods static computational model using segmented LES utility. One of the major findings is that with non-linear Engel curves and linear income tax, optimal commodity tax rates tend to be progressive and highly dispersed under logarithmic utility specifications. However, the dispersion of tax rates is considerably reduced if the inequality aversion of society is low or if tax evasion depends among other things on disparities between commodity tax rates. With exogenously given non-optimal and non-linear income tax schedules, usually there is still a need for differentiated and progressive commodity taxation. Tax evasion tends to reduce optimal tax rates for necessities but increases them for luxuries. Private compliance costs and government administration costs reduce optimal tax rates by a similar amount to the share of these costs from taxes. The results indicate that in a redistributive model the effect of externalities on optimal tax rates exceeds the corresponding Pigovian tax rates or subsidies. The main benefit of higher taxes on leisure complements than leisure substitutes appears to relate to increased tax revenue for redistribution rather than improvement in the utility position of those paying the taxes. The effect of complexities such as tax evasion, administrative costs, externalities and leisure complements/substitutes on redistribution is not neutral. Generally, these complexities tend to increase the progressivity of optimal commodity tax rates. Explanations are provided why the numerical results presented here do not contradict the Laroque-Kaplow proposition, which advocates uniform commodity taxation. Some practical application problems and logical weaknesses of the Laroque-Kaplow proposition are noted.
Is inefficiency under control in the justice administration

Efficiency in the administration of justice is found to increase over time, while the variation in the efficiency of the courts tended to remain low and fall over time. This would appear to be good news, at least for the case studied here: the civil courts of first instance in Spain between 2005 and 2009. Apart from the simple passing of time, the percentage of temporary judges in the system also determines some of the differences in efficiency between courts over time. Thus, we find that the greater the percentage of temporary judges, the lower is the efficiency of the courts. Overall, the average relative efficiency level for the period 2005 to 2009 was 97.46%, suggesting the matter is under control.
Continuous Trading or Call Auctions: Revealed Preferences of Investors at Tase

During a period of 14 months (August 1997-September 1998), the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange completed a gradual transition from call auctions to continuous trading. During this transition period stocks traded either in call auctions or in continuous trading mechanisms. Data from this period provides a unique opportunity to compare the two trading systems. We find that in the competition for order flow, the continuous trading mechanism is the clear winner. We find that the move to continuous trading imposed negative externalities on securities that continued to trade in a call auction - we observe a dramatic reduction in their volume of trade. Of particular interest is the effect of the move on the less liquid small-cap securities as many researchers doubt that it will benefit them. However, the move of small-cap securities to continuous trading is associated with a significant increase in their volume of trade. Indeed, these moves induce a positive stock price response (positively correlated to the volume increase). At the completion of the move of all the securities, we observe increase in the relative volume of larger stocks at the expense of the liquidity of small-cap stocks. It seems that large stocks capture almost all the benefits of this move. However, unlike recent decisions of exchanges in Paris, Lisbon and Brussels, our evidence indicates that we should move small-cap stocks to continuous trading as well. Finally, we find evidence consistent with the hypothesis that following the move to continuous trading security prices are noisier and they adjust faster to new information.
The roles of the Na+/K+‐ATPase, NKCC, and K+ channels in regulating local sweating and cutaneous blood flow during exercise in humans in vivo

Na+/K+‐ATPase has been shown to regulate the sweating and cutaneous vascular responses during exercise; however, similar studies have not been conducted to assess the roles of the Na‐K‐2Cl co‐transporter (NKCC) and K+ channels. Additionally, it remains to be determined if these mechanisms underpinning the heat loss responses differ with exercise intensity. Eleven young (24 ± 4 years) males performed three 30‐min semirecumbent cycling bouts at low (30% VO2peak), moderate (50% VO2peak), and high (70% VO2peak) intensity, respectively, each separated by 20‐min recovery periods. Using intradermal microdialysis, four forearm skin sites were continuously perfused with either: (1) lactated Ringer solution (Control); (2) 6 mmol·L−1 ouabain (Na+/K+‐ATPase inhibitor); (3) 10 mmol·L−1 bumetanide (NKCC inhibitor); or (4) 50 mmol·L−1 BaCl2 (nonspecific K+ channel inhibitor); sites at which we assessed local sweat rate (LSR) and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC). Inhibition of Na+/K+‐ATPase attenuated LSR compared to Control during the moderate and high‐intensity exercise bouts (both P ˂ 0.01), whereas attenuations with NKCC and K+ channel inhibition were only apparent during the high‐intensity exercise bout (both P ≤ 0.05). Na+/K+‐ATPase inhibition augmented CVC during all exercise intensities (all P ˂ 0.01), whereas CVC was greater with NKCC inhibition during the low‐intensity exercise only (P ˂ 0.01) and attenuated with K+ channel inhibition during the moderate and high‐intensity exercise conditions (both P ˂ 0.01). We show that Na+/K+‐ATPase, NKCC and K+ channels all contribute to the regulation of sweating and cutaneous blood flow but their influence is dependent on the intensity of dynamic exercise.
Mass function and bias of dark matter halos for non-Gaussian initial conditions

Aims. We revisit the derivation of the mass function and the bias of dark matter halos for non-Gaussian initial conditions. Methods. We use a steepest-descent approach to point out that exact results can be obtained for the high-mass tail of the halo mass function and the two-point correlation of massive halos. Focusing on primordial non-Gaussianity of the local type, we check that these results agree with numerical simulations. Results. The high-mass cutoff of the halo mass function takes the same form as the one obtained from the Press-Schechter formalism, but with a linear threshold δ L that depends on the definition of the halo (i.e. δ L ≃ 1.59 for a nonlinear density contrast of 200). We show that a simple formula, which obeys this high-mass asymptotic and uses the fit obtained for Gaussian initial conditions, matches numerical simulations while keeping the mass function normalized to unity. Next, by deriving the real-space halo two-point correlation in the spirit of Kaiser (1984, ApJ, 284, L9) and taking a Fourier transform, we obtain good agreement with simulations for the correction to the halo bias, Δb M (k, f NL ), due to primordial non-Gaussianity. Therefore, neither the halo mass function nor the bias require an ad-hoc parameter q (such as δ c → δ c √q), provided one uses the correct linear threshold δ L and pays attention to halo displacements. The nonlinear real-space expression can be useful for checking that the "linearized" bias is a valid approximation. Moreover, it clearly shows how the baryon acoustic oscillation at ~100 h -1 Mpc is amplified by the bias of massive halos and modified by primordial non-Gaussianity. On smaller scales, 30 < x < 90 h -1 Mpc, the correction to the real-space bias roughly scales as f NL b M (f NL = 0) x 2 . The low-k behavior of the halo bias does not imply a divergent real-space correlation, so that one does not need to introduce counterterms that depend on the survey size.
Validation of the SADL questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE To cross-validate the psychometric characteristics of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life (SADL) questionnaire (Cox & Alexander, 1999), and to explore the SADL's construct validity. DESIGN Thirteen private practice Audiology clinics each distributed SADL questionnaires, by mail, to 20 adults who had recently obtained hearing aids. The completed questionnaires were returned to a central site and subject anonymity was assured. There were 196 usable responses. RESULTS Psychometric characteristics of the items were found to be very similar to those reported previously. Thus, the internal validity of the instrument was strongly supported. The assumption that the SADL quantifies satisfaction by assessing its components was evaluated by examining the relationship between SADL scores and scores on a traditional single-item satisfaction measure. A logical and statistically significant relationship was seen between the two measures, thereby supporting the construct validity of both types of data. For private-pay clients, satisfaction scores were very similar to the interim norms published by Cox and Alexander (1999). However, clients whose hearing aids were partly or fully purchased by insurance or benefits programs tended to be more satisfied than interim norms for third-party pay clients derived 5 yr ago. For most types of clients, there was a tendency toward more satisfaction in the Negative Features subscale than observed in our previous research. CONCLUSIONS Both construct and internal validity of the SADL questionnaire were supported by this research. The previously published interim norms appear to be mostly appropriate for private-pay clients, but might require adjustment in the Negative Features subscale. Further research is needed to explore the relationship between satisfaction and device purchase issues (third-party versus private pay).