Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
When do social inequalities in C-reactive protein start? A life course perspective from conception to adulthood in the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study.

BACKGROUND It is unclear when in the life course do social inequalities in inflammation emerge. We examined whether the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) is determined at conception, in childhood, adolescence or adulthood in 1484 participants from the population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. METHODS Five variants of the CRP gene were used to investigate whether SEP differences in CRP levels are determined at conception. SEP and serum CRP were assessed in childhood (age 3-9), adolescence (age 12-18) and in adulthood (age 24-39). SEP was measured using parental education and occupational status in childhood and adolescence, and participants' own education and occupational status in adulthood. Participants with CRP > 10 mg/l were excluded. RESULTS All CRP gene variants were associated with circulating CRP concentrations in childhood, but there were no differences in the distribution of these variants by SEP. No strong evidence was found of associations between parental SEP and CRP. A graded association between higher SEP and lower CRP was observed in adulthood for education (P = 0.0005) but not for occupational status. Trajectories that led to high educational achievement both in the participants and their parents were associated with lower (P <or= 0.047) CRP levels in adulthood. Excluding participants with infectious diseases, pregnant or lactating women and women using oral contraceptives did not change the findings. CONCLUSION In this cohort, SEP differences in CRP concentrations seen in adulthood appear not to be determined at conception or evident in childhood or adolescence.
On the Relationship between Pollen Size and Genome Size

Here we test whether genome size is a predictor of pollen size. If it were, inferences of ancient genome size would be possible using the abundant paleo-palynolgical record. We performed regression analyses across 464 species of pollen width and genome size. We found a significant positive trend. However, regression analysis using phylogentically independent contrasts did not support the correlated evolution of these traits. Instead, a large split between angiosperms and gymnosperms for both pollen width and genome size was revealed. Sister taxa were not more likely to show a positive contrast when compared to deeper nodes. However, significantly more congeneric species had a positive trend than expected by chance. These results may reflect the strong selection pressure for pollen to be small. Also, because pollen grains are not metabolically active when measured, their biology is different than other cells which have been shown to be strongly related to genome size, such as guard cells. Our findings contrast with previously published research. It was our hope that pollen size could be used as a proxy for inferring the genome size of ancient species. However, our results suggest pollen is not a good candidate for such endeavors.
Nephroblastoma - A 25-year review of a South African unit

Abstract Rationale: To determine the outcome of patients with nephroblastoma in a South African hospital. Objective: To determine if there is a difference in the outcome of patients with nephroblastoma comparing two treatment protocols SIOP (Société International D’Oncologie Pédiatrique Protocol) versus NWTS (National Wilms’ Tumour Study Protocol). Methods and results: A retrospective audit of 25 years (1983-2007), of children diagnosed with nephroblastoma in Tygerberg Hospital. One hundred and seven patients were included in the study and 98 were analyzed. The average age at diagnosis was 3.8 years. Most patients (37%) presented with stage 1 of the disease, followed by patients with stage 3 (27%). Most patients were treated according to the SIOP protocol (61%). Gender and race did not influence the outcome. Patients with stage 1 and 2 of the disease had the best outcome (76% versus 43% for stages 3 and 4). The SIOP group had a better outcome than the NWTS group (p value 0.001). The two groups had an equal distribution of the stage of presentation. The tumor volumes were bigger in the NWTS group (1004cm3 compared to 613cm3). Nutritional status did not influence the outcome although more patients were underweight for age in the SIOP group. The statistical methods used were: Kaplan Meier, Gehan’s Wilcoxon Test, Chi –square test and the Fisher exact test. Discussion:Contrary to the other studies, patients treated according to the SIOP protocol had a statistically significant better outcome. Larger collaborative studies are needed to investigate this result in Africa. Abbreviations: SIOP = Société International D’Oncologie Pédiatrique Protocol, NWTS = National Wilms’ Tumor Study Protocol
Credibility and Duration in Target Zones: Evidence from the EMS

This paper is devoted to the past, present, and future of the European Monetary System (EMS). After examining its background, the paper reviews the structure and operation of the EMS, as well as the theoretical framework used to explain exchange-rate movements inside official fluctuation bands. Moreover, we offer some comments and assessment on the EMS in the light of empirical papers examining the EMS from both the credibility and currency crisis approaches, with special emphasis on the survival of the central parities. Finally, drawing on the EMS experience, we make some remarks on new EMS, linking the currencies of non-euro area Member States to the euro, both current European Union Member States and future candidates.
How should central banks reduce inflation? conceptual issues

In remarks made before the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's 1996 symposium, Achieving Price Stability, Mr. King discussed how quickly a central bank should reduce inflation to its desired level following an inflationary episode. He argued that a central bank is unlikely to wish to move immediately to price stability, since there are costs to disinflation and these costs increase more than proportionally with the rate of disinflation. These costs, which arise because economic agents have to learn about the central bank's commitment to price stability, also mean that a central bank may wish to react to shocks to output as well as to inflation. But Mr. King stressed that any such response should be cautious in the period in which the private sector is still learning about the central bank's commitment to price stability.
The MMPI-2 Fake Bad Scale: Concordance and Specificity of True and Estimated Scores

A number of recent studies have supported the use of the MMPI-2 Fake Bad Scale (FBS) as a measure of negative response bias, the scale at times demonstrating greater sensitivity to negative response bias than other MMPI-2 validity scales. However, clinicians may not always have access to True FBS (T-FBS) scores, such as when True-False answer sheets are unavailable or published research studies do not report FBS raw scores. Under these conditions, Larrabee (2003a) suggests a linear regression formula that provides estimated FBS (E-FBS) scores derived from weighted validity and clinical T-Scores. The present study intended to validate this regression formula of MMPI-2 E-FBS scores and demonstrate its specificity in a sample of non-litigating, clinically referred, medically intractable epilepsy patients. We predicted that the E-FBS scores would correlate highly (>.70) with the T-FBS scores, that the E-FBS would show comparable correlations with MMPI-2 validity and clinical scales relative to the T-FBS, and that the E-FBS would show an adequate ability to match T-FBS scores using a variety of previously suggested T-FBS raw score cutoffs. Overall, E-FBS scores correlated very highly with T-FBS scores (r = .78, p < .0001), though correlations were especially high for women (r = .85, p < .0001) compared to men (r = .62, p < .001). Thirty-one of 32 (96.9%) comparisons made between E-FBS/T-FBS correlates with other MMPI-2 scales were nonsignificant. When matching to T-FBS “high” and “low” scores, the E-FBS scores demonstrated the highest hit rate (92.5%) through use of Lees-Haley's (1992) revised cutoffs for men and women. These same cutoffs resulted in excellent overall specificity for both the T-FBS scores (92.5%) and E-FBS scores (90.6%). The authors conclude that the E-FBS represents an adequate estimate of T-FBS scores in the current epilepsy sample. Use of E-FBS scores may be especially useful when clinicians conduct the MMPI-2 short form, which does not include all of the 43 FBS items but does include enough items to compute each of the validity and clinical T-Scores. Future studies should examine E-FBS sensitivity in compensation-seekers with incomplete effort.
Stellar populations in local star-forming galaxies — I. Data and modelling procedure

We present an analysis of the integrated properties of the stellar populations in the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) Survey of Halpha-selected galaxies. In this paper, the first of a series, we describe in detail the techniques developed to model star-forming galaxies using a mixture of stellar populations, and taking into account the observational uncertainties. We assume a recent burst of star formation superimposed on a more evolved population. The effects of the nebular continuum, line emission and dust attenuation are taken into account. We also test different model assumptions, including the choice of specific evolutionary synthesis model, initial mass function, star formation scenario and the treatment of dust extinction. Quantitative tests are applied to determine how well these models fit our multiwavelength observations for the UCM sample. Our observations span the optical and near-infrared, including both photometric and spectroscopic data. Our results indicate that extinction plays a key role in this kind of study, revealing that low- and high-obscured objects may require very different extinction laws and must be treated differently. We also demonstrate that the UCM Survey galaxies are best described by a short burst of star formation occurring within a quiescent galaxy, rather than by continuous star formation. A detailed discussion on the inferred parameters, such as the age, burst strength, metallicity, star formation rate, extinction and total stellar mass for individual objects, is presented in Paper II of this series.
Stationary Accretion Disks Launching Super-fast-magnetosonic Magnetohydrodynamic Jets

We present self-similar models of resistive viscous Keplerian disks driving nonrelativistic MHD jets and becoming super-fast-magnetosonic. We show that in order to obtain such solutions, the thermal pressure must be a sizeable fraction of the poloidal magnetic pressure at the Alfvén surface. These steady solutions that undergo a recollimation shock causally disconnected from the driving engine account for structures with a high-temperature plasma in the sub-Alfvénic region. We suggest that only unsteady outflows with typical timescales of several disk dynamical timescales can be produced if the suitable pressure conditions are not fulfilled.
Control System of an Automated Nanohandling Robot Cell

Current research work on the development of a nanohandling cell in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is presented. An experimental setup is shown, in which two microrobots operate in the vacuum chamber of an SEM. In order to enable automatic nanohandling, a modular control system architecture is proposed. Different microrobots can be integrated in a flexible manner using a common control interface. The system easily scales up for more complex robot and sensor setups. Parallel execution of open and closed-loop control tasks can be performed. The functionality of the robot cell is exemplified by handling and mechanical characterization of carbon nanotubes (CNT).
The association between work stressors and cardiovascular disease, a methodological approach

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Statins and risk of breast cancer recurrence

Background The primary end point of our study was to test whether the concurrent use of a statin is related to a lower risk of recurrence and increased relapse-free survival in patients with early breast cancer. Materials and methods We reviewed 610 female patients with stage I, II, or III breast cancer who had been surgically treated and who had subsequently received at least adjuvant chemotherapy in order to prevent recurrence. Results Among the 610 patients with breast cancer, 83 (13.6%) were receiving a statin on a chronic basis for other medical purposes. Overall, statin users displayed longer mean relapse-free survival (16.6 vs 10.2 years, P=0.028). After data had been adjusted for patient and disease characteristics, statin users maintained a lower risk of recurrence. This favorable outcome in statin users was particularly evident when we included only younger patients in the analysis (20 vs 10 years, P=0.006). Conclusion Statins may be linked to a favorable outcome in early breast cancer patients, especially in younger age-groups.
Computer based intelligence, design, choice, implementation, and control of intangible investments projects

In this paper we show by means of an actual project how a computer based system can support whole process of management of the intangible investments-intelligence, design, implementation, and control-in an manner. For the planning of intangible investment projects we have developed a set of tools where several decision aids are integrated to support the different phases of the investment planning process.
Time Preference, Productivity, and the Growth Effects of Integration

Traditional trade theory emphasizes static gains form trade, whereas the growing literature on endogenous growth is able to explain dynamic gains from trade, i.e., how trade influences economic growth. Empirical studies suggest that dynamic gains are likely to be significantly more important than static gains. More recently, a debate has evolved around the question: do welfare improving effects of trade still prevail when countries are "unequal" in some sense? This paper extends the discussion by investigating how differences in time preference rates and R&D productivity under alternative assumptions concerning knowledge diffusion affect the effect growth. We show that even when a developing country completely looses competitiveness in R&D, it experiences positive welfare improving effects with opening trade.
HALO DENSITY REDUCTION BY BARYONIC SETTLING?

We test the proposal by El-Zant et al. that the dark matter density of halos could be reduced through dynamical friction acting on heavy baryonic clumps in the early stages of galaxy formation. Using N-body simulations, we confirm that the inner halo density cusp is flattened to 0.2 of the halo break radius by the settling of a single clump of mass ≳0.5% of the halo mass. We also find that an ensemble of 50 clumps, each having masses ≳0.2%, can flatten the cusp to almost the halo break radius on a timescale of ∼9 Gyr, for a Navarro–Frenk–White profile halo of concentration 15. We summarize some of the difficulties that need to be overcome if this mechanism is to resolve the apparent conflict between the observed inner densities of galaxy halos and the predictions of ΛCDM.
Prospective EFL Teachers' Perceptions of ICT Integration: A Study of Distance Higher Education in Turkey

This paper aims to investigate the perceptions of prospective EFL teachers in the distance higher education system toward ICT implementation in teaching English as a foreign language. The majority of respondents who expressed negative attitudes to ICT integration found the nature, level and delivery of the training inadequate and accordingly affirmed that they do not feel sufficiently competent to use ICT in their future subject teaching without having sufficient prior knowledge of ICT dissemination. The results of the study imply that training that will enable teachers to become competent in and receptive to ICT is quite critical in distance education realms.
On event-based optical flow detection

Event-based sensing, i.e., the asynchronous detection of luminance changes, promises low-energy, high dynamic range, and sparse sensing. This stands in contrast to whole image frame-wise acquisition by standard cameras. Here, we systematically investigate the implications of event-based sensing in the context of visual motion, or flow, estimation. Starting from a common theoretical foundation, we discuss different principal approaches for optical flow detection ranging from gradient-based methods over plane-fitting to filter based methods and identify strengths and weaknesses of each class. Gradient-based methods for local motion integration are shown to suffer from the sparse encoding in address-event representations (AER). Approaches exploiting the local plane like structure of the event cloud, on the other hand, are shown to be well suited. Within this class, filter based approaches are shown to define a proper detection scheme which can also deal with the problem of representing multiple motions at a single location (motion transparency). A novel biologically inspired efficient motion detector is proposed, analyzed and experimentally validated. Furthermore, a stage of surround normalization is incorporated. Together with the filtering this defines a canonical circuit for motion feature detection. The theoretical analysis shows that such an integrated circuit reduces motion ambiguity in addition to decorrelating the representation of motion related activations.
Evaluation of a modified arthritis self-efficacy scale for an ankylosing spondylitis UK population.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate an Ankylosing Spondylitis-specific Arthritis Self-Efficacy Scale (ASES-AS) United Kingdom (UK) secondary care population. METHODS The ASES-AS is based on the 8-item ASES with minor alterations in phraseology. Patients from ten secondary care rheumatology centres across England were asked to complete a postal questionnaire concerning sociodemographic and clinical characteristics: Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), numerical pain rating scale (NRS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Short Form 36 (SF-36), Evaluation of AS Quality of Life questionnaire (EASi-QoL) and ASES-AS. Respondents received repeat questionnaires at 2 weeks and 6 months including health transition questions assessing change in AS-specific and general health. The ASES-AS was assessed for data quality, reliability, validity, and responsiveness. RESULTS Response rate was 64% (n=612), 72% (n=438) were male, mean age 50.8yrs (SD 12.2 yrs), mean disease duration 17.3 yrs (SD 11.7 yrs) and mean symptom duration 22.4 yrs (SD 12.4 yrs). Missing data for each item/total score range was 0.7%-3.1%. Item-total correlations range was 0.66 to 0.83. Cronbach's alpha was 0.93 and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient) 0.77. A priori hypothesised associations between ASAS-AS and disease status measures were supported. Social variables potentially related to self-efficacy demonstrated evidence of convergent validity (employment p<0.001, educational level p<0.005). A Modified Standard Response Mean (MSRM) of 0.44 and 0.26 in AS-specific and general health respectively at 6 months indicates moderate responsiveness. CONCLUSIONS ASES-AS has good evidence supporting its application as an AS-specific self-efficacy measure in research including clinical trials at a group level.
Dialectics Between Theory and Practice: Theoretical Issues and Aspects of Practice from an Early Algebra Project.

Our teaching conception acknowledges the teacher’s central role as a decision maker, influenced by knowledge, beliefs, and emotions. We believe that teachers’ education must be focused on teachers’ awareness of the complexity of the teaching process, of the incidence of these factors in it, and of the importance of looking at theory as a strong component of their professional development. In this framework, we face the question of the relationship between theory and practice, taking into account some aspects of our Project on Early Algebra (ArAl), which is also an in-service education process. We present the main features of the Project, highlighting not only its influence on teachers’ knowledge and beliefs – and, consequently, on their practice – but also the way in which an analysis of such practice has given us a greater awareness of teachers’ difficulties in reshaping their teaching, as well as some indications for our future research.
Specific Measurement of Tethered Running Kinetics and its Relationship to Repeated Sprint Ability

Abstract Repeated sprint ability has been widely studied by researchers, however, analysis of the relationship between most kinetic variables and the effect of fatigue is still an ongoing process. To search for the best biomechanical parameter to evaluate repeated sprint ability, several kinetic variables were measured in a tethered field running test and compared regarding their sensitivity to fatigue and correlation with time trials in a free running condition. Nine male sprint runners (best average times: 100 m = 10.45 ± 0.07 s; 200 m = 21.36 ± 0.17 s; 400 m = 47.35 ± 1.09 s) completed two test sessions on a synthetic track. Each session consisted of six 35 m sprints interspersed by 10 s rest under tethered field running or free running conditions. Force, power, work, an impulse and a rate of force development were all directly measured using the sensors of a new tethered running apparatus, and a one-way ANOVA with Scheffé post-hoc test used to verify differences between sprints (p < 0.05). Pearson product-moment correlation measured the relationship between mechanical variables and free running performance. A total impulse, the rate of force development and maximum force did not show significant differences for most sprints. These three variables presented low to moderate correlations with free running performance (r between 0.01 and -0.35). Maximum and mean power presented the strongest correlations with free running performance (r = -0.71 and -0.76, respectively; p < 0.001), followed by mean force (r = -0.61; p < 0.001) and total work (r = -0.50; p < 0.001). It was concluded that under a severe work-to-rest ratio condition, power variables were better suited to evaluating repeated sprint ability than the other studied variables.