Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A comparison of formal consensus methods used for developing clinical guidelines

Objectives: To compare two consensus development methods commonly used for developing clinical guidelines in terms of the judgments produced, closeness of consensus, amount of change between rounds, concordance with research evidence and reliability. Methods: In all, 213 general practitioners and mental health professionals from England participated in four Delphi and four nominal groups. They rated the appropriateness of four treatments (cognitive behavioural therapy [CBT], behavioural therapy [BT], brief psychodynamic interpersonal therapy [BPIT] and antidepressants) for three conditions. First, participants rated the appropriateness of interventions independently, using a postal questionnaire. For nominal groups, the ratings were fed back and discussed at a meeting, and then group members privately completed the questionnaire again. For Delphi groups, there was feedback but no discussion, and the entire process was conducted by postal questionnaire. Results: The effect of consensus method on final ratings varied with therapeutic intervention, with nominal groups rating CBT and antidepressants more favourably than Delphi groups. Consensus was closer in the nominal than in the Delphi groups in both rounds. There was no overall difference between groups in their concordance with research evidence (odds ratio 1.13, 95% confidence interval 0.79–1.61). In this study, the Delphi method was more reliable (κ coefficients 0.88 and 0.89 compared with 0.41 and 0.65 for nominal groups). Conclusions: The advantages of nominal groups (more consensus; greater understanding of reasons for disagreement) could be combined with the greater reliability of the Delphi approach by developing a hybrid method.
A speculative bubble in commodity futures prices? Cross-sectional evidence

Recent accusations against speculators in general and long-only commodity index funds in particular include: increasing market volatility, distorting historical price relationships, and fueling a rapid increase and decrease in the level of commodity prices. Some researchers have argued that these market participants-through their impact on market prices-may have inadvertently prevented the efficient distribution of food aid to deserving groups. Certainly, this result-if substantiated-would counter the classical argument that speculators make prices more efficient and thus improve the economic efficiency of the food marketing system. Given the very important policy implications, it is crucial to develop a more thorough understanding of long-only index funds and their potential market impact. Here, we review the criticisms (and rebuttals) levied against (and for) commodity index funds in recent U.S. Congressional testimonies. Then, additional empirical evidence is added regarding cross-sectional market returns and the relative levels of long-only index fund participation in 12 commodity futures markets. The empirical results provide scant evidence that long-only index funds impact returns across commodity futures markets. Copyright (c) 2010 International Association of Agricultural Economists.
Post-2000 Law-based Educational Governance in Israel: From Equality to Diversity?

This article analyses patterns of post 2000 governance in Israel’s education system. Drawing upon literature on educational regimes, governance in neo-liberal societies (for example, the UK and the USA), law-based educational reform and policy analysis, this study sets out to inquire how Israel’s system was governed with minimal legislation for 60 years. The main theme that emerges is that, although the forces that govern Israel’s landscape are similar to those in many post-industrialist western countries, the processes are quite different due to lack of decisive school reform, thus offering potential for a diverse setting, but with increasing distance from former equalizing and de-segregative vigour that portrayed the system in the past.
Derivation and validation of a simplified predictive index for renal replacement therapy after cardiac surgery.

CONTEXT A predictive index for renal replacement therapy (RRT; hemodialysis or continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration) after cardiac surgery may improve clinical decision making and research design. OBJECTIVES To develop a predictive index for RRT using preoperative information. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Retrospective cohort of 20 131 cardiac surgery patients at 2 hospitals in Ontario, Canada. The derivation cohort consisted of 10,751 patients at Toronto General Hospital (1999-2004). The validation cohorts consisted of 2566 patients at Toronto General Hospital (2004-2005) and 6814 patients at Ottawa Heart Institute (1999-2003). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Postoperative RRT. RESULTS RRT rates in the derivation, Toronto validation, and Ottawa validation cohorts were 1.3%, 1.8%, and 2.2%, respectively. Multivariable predictors of RRT were preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate, diabetes mellitus requiring medication, left ventricular ejection fraction, previous cardiac surgery, procedure, urgency of surgery, and preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump. The predictive index was scored from 0 to 8 points. An estimated glomerular filtration rate less than or equal to 30 mL/min was assigned 2 points; other components were assigned 1 point each: estimated glomerular filtration rate 31 to 60 mL/min, diabetes mellitus, ejection fraction less than or equal to 40%, previous cardiac surgery, procedure other than coronary artery bypass grafting, intra-aortic balloon pump, and nonelective case. Among the 53% of patients with low risk scores (< or =1), the risk of RRT was 0.4%; by comparison, this risk was 10% among the 6% of patients with high-risk scores (> or =4). The predictive index had areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve in the derivation, Toronto validation, and Ottawa validation cohorts of 0.81, 0.78, and 0.78, respectively. When these cohorts were stratified based on index scores, likelihood ratios for RRT were more concordant than observed RRT rates. CONCLUSIONS RRT after cardiac surgery is predicted by readily available preoperative information. A simple predictive index based on this information discriminated well between low- and high-risk patients in derivation and validation cohorts. The index had improved generalizability when used to predict likelihood ratios for RRT.
Endogenous Growth, Taxes and Government Spending: Theory and Evidence

This paper provides a theoretical and empirical investigation of the simultaneous effects of taxes and government spending on long-run economic growth in an endogenous growth framework. A two-sector model is considered: one sector produces physical output and the other produces human capital. Government expenditure is divided into several categories, and several types of taxes are included. The property tax is especially interesting because it is a major source of revenue for local government. The theoretical model is estimated using annual panel data from North Carolina counties. This study finds that state-level fiscal policies affect economic growth but county-level fiscal policies do not.
Partitioning trees: A global multiclass classification technique for SVMs

Presented in this paper is a novel technique for multiclass classification in SVMs through combination of binary classifiers,namely that of Partitioning Trees (P-Trees). The technique aims at improving the Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs) both interms of training as well as testing performance. It works by progressively constructing a decision graph, where each node is abinary classifier. Each trained node defines a dichotomy over the instance space which, in turn, is used to train subsequent nodes.In this way, every node trains against only a subset of the samples of its classes; namely the samples that reach the node throughthe decision graph in addition to a subsampled version of the ones that fail to reach it. Training sets reduce in size and decisionsurfaces become more compact, thus improving training and testing performance. Extensive experimental results demonstratethe effectiveness of the proposed technique in reducing the training and testing time in SVMs, while maintaining comparablegeneralization performance to the 1vs1 and DAGs techniques.
The supply of children's time to disabled elderly parents

This study develops and tests a model of supply of children's time to disabled elderly parents, using data from the National Long-Term Care Survey. The model, which assumes strategic behavior among relatives, offers predictions about effects of changes in the price of paid personal care, parent's wealth, kids' wage rates, public in-kind subsidies of personal care, and parent's relative bargaining power on care provided by children. Although several statistically significant relationships are obtained, the evidence does not generally indicate that children's provision of care to parents is guided by a strategic bequest motive.
Factors that Contribute to Student Graduation and Dropout Rates: An In-Depth Study of a Rural Appalachian School District.

There has been a wealth of research conducted on the national epidemic of high school dropouts spanning several decades. It is estimated that the class of 2009 cost the nation $335 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes (Alliance for Excellent Education, 2009). The citizenry of the country suffers not only because of the loss in revenue but also as a result of the education level of the population. Individuals who choose to drop out of high school are not prepared for the most basic minimum wage jobs available, much less well paying jobs that sustain livelihoods. This study seeks to determine if variables exist that contribute to students making the choice to graduate or drop out of high school in Lyttle County, Kentucky (name changed to protect the identity of the county). The research utilized a mixed methods research design. After demographic data was collected on a student cohort, interviews were conducted with leaders, educators, and students. Thompson’s (2008) four elements of student success states that family, community, school, and students must work together to contribute to the success of students. By looking through the lens of each element and Bandura’s (1993) achievement theory, based on data collected from the student, educator, and leader population in Lyttle County, the researcher drew conclusions and offered recommendations for future endeavors and research to assist in finding solutions to the dropout epidemic that plagues this county, the region, and the nation. As a result of the findings of this study, recommendations concerning curriculum development, mapping, and tracking were suggested based on the number of students who move, many of which do so several times throughout their lives. In addition, the
Evidence for paternal kin bias in the social affiliation of adult female blue monkeys

If animals increase inclusive fitness by cooperating with relatives, nepotism should involve maternal and paternal kin equally, all else being equal. Evidence of a behavioral bias toward paternal half‐siblings in primates is both limited and mixed, with most positive reports from papionins. To expand knowledge of paternal kin recognition, particularly in cercopithecine monkeys, we examined evidence for paternal kin bias in wild blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), a species living mostly in one‐male groups. Seasonal breeding and the amount of male reproductive skew in blue monkeys suggests that opportunities to distinguish paternal kin are plentiful, and their social system would make such discrimination beneficial. We compared spatial association and social contact (grooming and contact‐sitting) of 20 adult females with at least one paternal half‐sibling and at least one non‐relative that were present at the same time. We used two data sets, one in which social partners were other parous females, the other in which they were juveniles. Data came from a 7‐year period. When interacting with other adult females, subjects groomed and sat in contact with paternal half‐siblings significantly more than with known non‐kin, and there was a similar trend for spatial association. We detected no paternal kin bias in interactions with juvenile partners. Kin‐biased affiliative contact with adult female partners did not appear to be based on age proximity, measured by birth cohort. The study species’ social system suggests phenotype matching as the most likely alternative mechanism, though we could not test it directly. Across both behaviors, there was no significant relationship between the number of matrilineal kin a subject had and the degree to which she preferred paternal half‐siblings over non‐kin as affiliative partners. These findings contribute to a comparative understanding of paternal kin recognition in primates.
Determinants of Firms’ Liquidation and Acquisition in the Indian Electronics Industry

This study examines the determinants of firms’ liquidation and acquisition in the Indian electronics industry during the period 1990–2006. It is argued that liquidation and acquisition are alternative modes of exit. Therefore, these modes of exit might have different determinants. To explore this possibility, a multinomial logistic (MNL) regression model is estimated using cross-sectional data of 540 firms. We find that the effects of age, size, leverage, innovative competence and profitability are significant for the likelihood of liquidation. In contrast, the effect of profitability was found insignificant for the likelihood of acquisition. Moreover, the effects of size and leverage are dissimilar across the exit modes, that is, large firms are more likely to be liquidated but less likely to be acquired, and high leverage firms are more likely to be liquidated but less likely to be acquired. The findings of this study show that the determinants of liquidation and acquisition modes of exit are different in the Indian electronics industry. JEL Classification: C25, G33, G34, L63
Low-pH-Dependent Fusion of Sindbis Virus with Receptor-Free Cholesterol- and Sphingolipid-Containing Liposomes

ABSTRACT There is controversy as to whether the cell entry mechanism of Sindbis virus (SIN) involves direct fusion of the viral envelope with the plasma membrane at neutral pH or uptake by receptor-mediated endocytosis and subsequent low-pH-induced fusion from within acidic endosomes. Here, we studied the membrane fusion activity of SIN in a liposomal model system. Fusion was followed fluorometrically by monitoring the dilution of pyrene-labeled lipids from biosynthetically labeled virus into unlabeled liposomes or from labeled liposomes into unlabeled virus. Fusion was also assessed on the basis of degradation of the viral core protein by trypsin encapsulated in the liposomes. SIN fused efficiently with receptor-free liposomes, consisting of phospholipids and cholesterol, indicating that receptor interaction is not a mechanistic requirement for fusion of the virus. Fusion was optimal at pH 5.0, with a threshold at pH 6.0, and undetectable at neutral pH, supporting a cell entry mechanism of SIN involving fusion from within acidic endosomes. Under optimal conditions, 60 to 85% of the virus fused, depending on the assay used, corresponding to all of the virus bound to the liposomes as assessed in a direct binding assay. Preincubation of the virus alone at pH 5.0 resulted in a rapid loss of fusion capacity. Fusion of SIN required the presence of both cholesterol and sphingolipid in the target liposomes, cholesterol being primarily involved in low-pH-induced virus-liposome binding and the sphingolipid catalyzing the fusion process itself. Under low-pH conditions, the E2/E1 heterodimeric envelope glycoprotein of the virus dissociated, with formation of a trypsin-resistant E1 homotrimer, which kinetically preceded the fusion reaction, thus suggesting that the E1 trimer represents the fusion-active conformation of the viral spike.
A low latency feature extraction accelerator with reduced internal memory

ORB (Oriented FAST and Rotated BRIEF) feature extraction is popular in embedded vision applications like visual navigation due to its higher speed and robustness in many situations. However, feature description in ORB still accesses large amounts of image patches especially when an image pyramid is built. In order to reduce internal memory cost as well as maintain low latency processing, we design a hybrid pipeline architecture for ORB feature extraction. The accelerator combines different levels of computing granularity and migrates image pyramids to external memory. In addition, a data reuse scheme is adopted in descriptor generation to minimize external memory access, and achieve the ability to operate in multiple scales. The synthesis result shows 700kb internal memory cost and 24.5mW low power consumption. Experiments demonstrate 22% bandwidth reduction on average by the data reuse scheme. The system is verified on an FPGA platform and can provide 4000 features per frame, achieving up to 81fps in 1080p resolution at 100MHz frequency.
Color Distribution Pattern Metric for Person Reidentification

Accompanying the growth of surveillance infrastructures, surveillance IP cameras mount up rapidly, crowding Internet of Things (IoT) with countless surveillance frames and increasing the need of person reidentification (Re-ID) in video searching for surveillance and forensic fields. In real scenarios, performance of current proposed Re-ID methods suffers from pose and viewpoint variations due to feature extraction containing background pixels and fixed feature selection strategy for pose and viewpoint variations. To deal with pose and viewpoint variations, we propose the color distribution pattern metric ( ) method, employing color distribution pattern ( ) for feature representation and SVM for classification. Different from other methods, does not extract features over a certain number of dense blocks and is free from varied pedestrian image resolutions and resizing distortion. Moreover, it provides more precise features with less background influences under different body types, severe pose variations, and viewpoint variations. Experimental results show that our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on both 3DPeS dataset and ImageLab Pedestrian Recognition dataset with 68.8% and 79.8% rank 1 accuracy, respectively, under the single-shot experimental setting.
Institutionalizing corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Uganda: does it matter?

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to establish the relationship between CSR, managerial discretion, competences, learning and efficiency and perceived corporate financial performance in order to establish the legitimacy and value of CSR, taking managers' perspectives in Uganda.Design/methodology/approach – The study used quantitative, correlation and regression analyses and collected primary data through a structured questionnaire on a sample of 100 firms.Findings – The results indicate that managerial discretion and competences, learning and efficiency are significant predictors of perceived corporate financial performance, but CSR is not. However, the results show serendipitously that managerial discretion's predictive potential of perceived corporate performance is moderated by CSR.Result limitations/implications – The study focuses on corporate social responsibility, a concept not very well appreciated and only understood as philanthropic and not really viewed as a means for improved financial pe.
How big is the gap? Comparing the behaviours and knowledge of mountain hikers with ecotourism ideals: a case study of Iran

Since the emergence of the concept of ecotourism in the late twentieth century, the influence of knowledge and education on nature tourists' behaviour has been explored in a number of studies. This paper reports on Iranian mountaineering club members' engagement in and awareness of ‘ideal’ ecotourism practice. Also reported are observed relationships between participants' knowledge of ecotourism and engagement in ecotourism behaviour, and two explanatory variables, their level of formal education and hiking experience. A sample of 317 mountaineering club members in Isfahan, Iran, was conducted. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire measuring participants' behaviour in mountain environments and their knowledge of ecotourism, which was conceptualised as having three dimensions, environmental, sociocultural, and economic. Results indicated noticeable gaps between participants' knowledge and behaviour and between these two variables and ideal ecotourism practice. Analysis of variance followed by a Tukey test also revealed significant differences among hiking experience groups regarding participants' engagement in ecotourism and knowledge about ecotourism. No significant differences were found among groups segmented by education level. The importance of hiking experience, knowledge of the issue, and effectiveness of formal education in ecotourism practice is discussed.
Ethylene‐VInyl acetate/LDH nanocomposites with enhanced thermal stability, flame retardancy, and rheological property

In this contribution, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA)/Zn2Al-X layered double hydroxides (LDHs) nanocomposites containing different interlayer anions including CO32–, NO3–, Cl–, SO42– were synthesized using solvent mixing method for the first time. The influence of the interlayer anions of LDHs on the thermal stability, flame retardancy, and rheological behaviors of these nanocomposites were investigated in detail. The results indicated that both the thermal stability and the flame retardancy could be significantly enhanced, and the extent was highly dependent on the type of interlayer anions that were intercalated in LDHs. The influence of different anions on the storage and loss moduli followed the order of SO42– > NO3– > CO32– > Cl–, suggesting that the interlayer anions significantly affect the rheological behaviors of the nanocomposites as well. This work is of great importance to both the academic and industrial fields since it demonstrated that a proper selection of the interlayer anions and an optimization of the chemical composition are crucial for the practical application of such nanocomposites. POLYM. COMPOS. , 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers
Political Capitalism: The Interaction between Income Inequality, Economic Freedom and Democracy

In this contribution we study the relationship between income inequality and economic freedom for a panel of 100 countries for the 1971-2010 period. From a panel causality study we find that income inequality has a negative causal effect on economic freedom, while causation does not run in the opposite direction. We argue that the negative effect of inequality on economic liberty is due to the elite’s political power stemming from its disproportionate control over a country’s economic resources. The elite uses this power to curtail economic freedom to defend its economic interests by discouraging innovation, competition and protecting its rents. Running a series of dynamic panel estimations, we show that the negative effect of income inequality on economic freedom is robust to different sets of controls and estimation techniques. Finally, we show that the dynamics of the inequality-freedom nexus are to some extent conditional upon a country’s political regime. When inequality is low, democracies enjoy comparatively higher levels of economic liberty, in line with the interests of a large middle-class. By contrast, economic freedom is lower in democracies (compared to strongly autocratic regimes with the same income distribution) when inequality is high. We argue that the latter finding corresponds to a system of political capitalism or captured democracy, where a powerful economic elite cooperates with politicians and bureaucrats for their mutual benefit.