Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Systematic Risk and the Cross-Section of Hedge Fund Returns

This paper investigates the extent to which market risk, residual risk, and tail risk explain the cross-sectional dispersion in hedge fund returns. The paper introduces a comprehensive measure of systematic risk (SR) for individual hedge funds by breaking up total risk into systematic and fund-specific or residual risk components. Contrary to the popular understanding that hedge funds are market neutral, we find that systematic risk is a highly significant factor explaining the dispersion of cross-sectional returns while at the same time measures of residual risk and tail risk seem to have little explanatory power. Funds in the highest SR quintile generate 6% more average annual returns compared with funds in the lowest SR quintile. After controlling for a large set of fund characteristics and risk factors, systematic risk remains positive and highly significant, whereas the relation between residual risk and future fund returns continues to be insignificant. Hence, systematic risk is a powerful determinant of the cross-sectional differences in hedge fund returns.
Clinical Decision Support and Palivizumab

Summary Background and Objectives: Palivizumab can reduce hospitalizations due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), but many eligible infants fail to receive the full 5-dose series. The efficacy of clinical decision support (CDS) in fostering palivizumab receipt has not been studied. We sought a comprehensive solution for identifying eligible patients and addressing barriers to palivizumab administration. Methods: We developed workflow and CDS tools targeting patient identification and palivizumab administration. We randomized 10 practices to receive palivizumab-focused CDS and 10 to receive comprehensive CDS for premature infants in a 3-year longitudinal cluster-randomized trial with 2 baseline and 1 intervention RSV seasons. Results: There were 356 children eligible to receive palivizumab, with 194 in the palivizumab-focused group and 162 in the comprehensive CDS group. The proportion of doses administered to children in the palivizumab-focused intervention group increased from 68.4% and 65.5% in the two baseline seasons to 84.7% in the intervention season. In the comprehensive intervention group, proportions of doses administered declined during the baseline seasons (from 71.9% to 62.4%) with partial recovery to 67.9% during the intervention season. The palivizumab-focused group improved by 19.2 percentage points in the intervention season compared to the prior baseline season (p < 0.001), while the comprehensive intervention group only improved 5.5 percentage points (p = 0.288). The difference in change between study groups was significant (p = 0.05). Conclusions: Workflow and CDS tools integrated in an EHR may increase the administration of palivizumab. The support focused on palivizumab, rather than comprehensive intervention, was more effective at improving palivizumab administration.
Antiinflammatory activity and acute toxicity (LD50) of the juice of Kalanchoe brasiliensis (comb.) leaves picked before and during blooming

Kalanchoe brasiliensis Comb. (Cassulaceae) extracts from leaves picked before and during plant blooming (extracts 1 and 2, respectively) were tested for their antiinflammatory effect on carrageenin‐induced rat paw oedema and for acute toxicity (LD50). Oral doses of 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 g/kg of extract 1 significantly inhibited the paw oedema during the first 4 h after injection of 2% carrageenin, while oral doses of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg of extract 2 had no inhibitory activity on the paw oedema induced by carrageenin. The results indicate an antiinflammatory effect of extract 1 and a proinflammatory effect of extract 2. K. brasiliensis extracts 1 and 2 presented no acute toxicity on mice at the doses of 0.25 to 5 g/kg administered intraperitoneally. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal point of insertion of the needle in neuraxial blockade using a midline approach: study in a geometrical model

Performance of neuraxial blockade using a midline approach can be technically difficult. It is therefore important to optimize factors that are under the influence of the clinician performing the procedure. One of these factors might be the chosen point of insertion of the needle. Surprisingly few data exist on where between the tips of two adjacent spinous processes the needle should be introduced. A geometrical model was adopted to gain more insight into this issue. Spinous processes were represented by parallelograms. The length, the steepness relative to the skin, and the distance between the parallelograms were varied. The influence of the chosen point of insertion of the needle on the range of angles at which the epidural and subarachnoid space could be reached was studied. The optimal point of insertion was defined as the point where this range is the widest. The geometrical model clearly demonstrated, that the range of angles at which the epidural or subarachnoid space can be reached, is dependent on the point of insertion between the tips of the adjacent spinous processes. The steeper the spinous processes run, the more cranial the point of insertion should be. Assuming that the model is representative for patients, the performance of neuraxial blockade using a midline approach might be improved by choosing the optimal point of insertion.
Evaluating the Operational Efficiency of the Banking Sector in Taiwan: A Two-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis Approach

In this study we adopted two-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) methods, including the Charnes–Cooper–Rhodes and Banker–Charnes–Cooper methods, to evaluate the performance of marketing-orientation and profit-orientation activities on the cost efficiency of Taiwan's banks. The conventional DEA model was modified to take into account the series relationship for dividing two sub-processes in order to identify the causes of inefficiency. Information was obtained from 37 Taiwanese banks for the period from 2008 to 2011. The Malmquist total factor productivity index was employed to measure the effect of productivity changes on the panel data. The empirical results from the two-stage approach indicate the following: (1) the mean efficiency score of profitability stage banks is higher than that of the marketability stage banks; (2) the technical efficiency is significantly different from ranking according to the operating scale and pure technical efficiency, and the scale efficiencies are significantly different from ranking according to fixed assets; and (3) economies of scale and scope exist at small and medium-sized banks.
Type I Pleuropulmonary Blastoma: Pathology and Biology Study of 51 Cases From the International Pleuropulmonary Blastoma Registry

Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB) is a malignant neoplasm of the lung that presents in early childhood. The early form of the disease, cystic type I PPB, can be clinically and pathologically deceptive because of its resemblance to some developmental lung cysts. This study reviews 51 cases of type I PPB and 6 lung cysts from relatives of children with PPB. Type I PPB is a delicate multilocular cyst with variable numbers of primitive mesenchymal cells beneath a benign epithelial surface. Rhabdomyoblasts and cartilage nodules are seen in 49% and 40% of cases, respectively. Tumors in the youngest subset of patients, from birth to 2 months of age, are more uniform in composition and cellularity compared with those in older groups. Early tumors have a subtle transition between normal developing lung and tumor, showing bland interstitial mesenchymal cells uniformly expanding the alveolar septa. Presumed regressive changes including cyst wall necrosis are common. This phenomenon may explain the variable and sometimes sparse tumor cellularity seen in some type I PPBs. On a biologic level, this process supports the concept that not all type I PPBs are fated to progress to a type II or III PPB. Factors that control the balance between progression and regression may be important in predicting tumor behavior and determining which patients will benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. In the meantime, recognition of this lesion as a neoplasm with malignant potential rather than a developmental cystic malformation is vital so the child can receive complete excision and appropriate follow-up care.
Determination of polyamines in organic extracts from roots of Canavalia ensiformis by capillary electrophoresis

A rapid, selective and specific capillary zone electrophoresis method to determine polyamines in organic extracts from roots of Canavalia ensiformis (Jack Beans) was developed using ultra violet (UV) detection. Canavalia ensiformis is relatively free from diseases and it is used as reference in allelopathy studies. Polyamines are widely distributed in plant and it could be involved in plant pathogen interactions. Optimal separation was achieved using 15 mmol.L−1formic acid (pH 3.0) + 4 mmol.L−1 imidazole as a background electrolyte. It was possible to identify and quantify the polyamines on herbal samples in the presence of other phytochemical substances and analyze them quickly (up to 6 min). The applicability of this method was evaluated in crude organic extracts from roots of Canavalia ensiformis.
Plasmonic Nanolaser Using Epitaxially Grown Silver Film

Going Green with Nanophotonics Plasmons are optically induced collective electronic excitations tightly confined to the surface of a metal, with silver being the metal of choice. The subwavelength confinement offers the opportunity to shrink optoelectronic circuits to the nanometer scale. However, scattering processes within the metal lead to losses. Lu et al. (p. 450) developed a process to produce atomically smooth layers of silver, epitaxially grown on silicon substrates. A cavity in the silver layer is capped with a SiO insulating layer and an AlGaN nanorod was used to produce a low-threshold emission at green wavelengths. An atomically smooth layer of silver enhances the performance of nanophotonic devices. A nanolaser is a key component for on-chip optical communications and computing systems. Here, we report on the low-threshold, continuous-wave operation of a subdiffraction nanolaser based on surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. The plasmonic nanocavity is formed between an atomically smooth epitaxial silver film and a single optically pumped nanorod consisting of an epitaxial gallium nitride shell and an indium gallium nitride core acting as gain medium. The atomic smoothness of the metallic film is crucial for reducing the modal volume and plasmonic losses. Bimodal lasing with similar pumping thresholds was experimentally observed, and polarization properties of the two modes were used to unambiguously identify them with theoretically predicted modes. The all-epitaxial approach opens a scalable platform for low-loss, active nanoplasmonics.
IsoRankN: spectral methods for global alignment of multiple protein networks

Motivation: With the increasing availability of large protein–protein interaction networks, the question of protein network alignment is becoming central to systems biology. Network alignment is further delineated into two sub-problems: local alignment, to find small conserved motifs across networks, and global alignment, which attempts to find a best mapping between all nodes of the two networks. In this article, our aim is to improve upon existing global alignment results. Better network alignment will enable, among other things, more accurate identification of functional orthologs across species. Results: We introduce IsoRankN (IsoRank-Nibble) a global multiple-network alignment tool based on spectral clustering on the induced graph of pairwise alignment scores. IsoRankN outperforms existing algorithms for global network alignment in coverage and consistency on multiple alignments of the five available eukaryotic networks. Being based on spectral methods, IsoRankN is both error tolerant and computationally efficient. Availability: Our software is available freely for non-commercial purposes on request from: http://isorank.csail. mit.edu/ Contact: bab@mit.edu
Metacognitive training in schizophrenia: from basic research to knowledge translation and intervention

Purpose of review There has been a marked increase in the study of cognitive biases in schizophrenia, which has in part been stimulated by encouraging results with cognitive–behavioral interventions in the disorder. We summarize new evidence on cognitive biases thought to trigger or maintain positive symptoms in schizophrenia and present a new therapeutic intervention. Recent findings Recent studies indicate that patients with paranoid schizophrenia jump to conclusions, show attributional biases, share a bias against disconfirmatory evidence, are overconfident in errors, and display problems with theory of mind. Many of these biases precede the psychotic episode and may represent cognitive traits. Building upon this literature, we developed a metacognitive training program that aims to convey scientific knowledge on cognitive biases to patients and provides corrective experiences in an engaging and supportive manner. Two new studies provide preliminary evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of this approach. Summary The gap between our advanced understanding of cognitive processes in schizophrenia and its application in clinical treatment is increasingly being narrowed. Despite emerging evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of metacognitive training as a stand-alone program, its most powerful application may be in combination with individual cognitive–behavioral therapy.
Modulation of RhoA—Rho kinase‐mediated Ca2+ sensitization of rabbit myometrium during pregnancy — role of Rnd3

During pregnancy, the uterus undergoes major functional and structural remodelling. It is well known that during the major part of pregnancy, the myometrium normally remains relatively quiescent but is able to generate powerful contractions at the time of parturition. However, the intracellular molecular events regulating myometrial contractility during pregnancy still remain poorly understood. We applied differential gene expression screening using cDNA array technology to probe myometrium samples from non‐pregnant and mid‐pregnant (15 days) rabbits. Among the differentially expressed genes, the farnesylated small G‐protein of the Rho family, Rnd3, was found to be upregulated (3.6‐fold) at mid‐pregnancy. Upregulation of Rnd3 was confirmed at the protein level by a 3.4‐fold increase in Rnd3 expression in mid‐pregnant myometrium. Measurements of contractile properties of β‐escin permeabilized smooth muscle strips revealed that the upregulation of Rnd3 correlated with an inhibition of RhoA‐Rho kinase‐mediated Ca2+ sensitization at mid‐pregnancy. Treatment of muscle strips from mid‐pregnant myometrium with the farnesyl‐transferase inhibitor manumycin A (10 μM) led to the recovery of RhoA‐Rho kinase‐dependent Ca2+ sensitization. At late pregnancy (31 days), upregulation of RhoA and Rho kinase expression was associated with an increase in Ca2+ sensitivity of contractile proteins that was inhibited by the Rho kinase inhibitor Y‐27632 (10 μM). These data thus demonstrate the time‐dependent regulation of the RhoA‐Rho kinase‐mediated Ca2+ sensitization during the course of pregnancy. The depression of this mechanism at mid‐pregnancy followed by its constitutive activation near term is associated with a co‐ordinated modulation of Rnd3, RhoA and Rho kinase expression. The RhoA‐Rho kinase signalling pathway and its regulators might thus represent potential targets for the development of new treatments for pre‐term labour.
Indigenous Probiotic Lactobacillus Isolates Presenting Antibiotic like Activity against Human Pathogenic Bacteria

Background: Indigenous lactic acid bacteria are well known probiotics having antibacterial activity against potentially pathogenic bacteria. This study aims to characterize the curd lactobacilli for their probiotic potentiality and antagonistic activity against clinical bacteria. Methods: Four curd samples were processed microbiologically for the isolation of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The LAB strains obtained were identified by conventional methods: cultural aspect, gram-staining, biochemical and sugar fermentation tests. The probiotic properties were justified with tolerance to low-pH, bile salt and sodium chloride, and the antagonistic activity of the lactobacilli against human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Acinetobacter baumannii and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi) was assessed. Hemolytic activity and antibiotic susceptibility were determined for the lactobacilli isolates, and the cumulative probiotic potential (CPP) values were recorded. Result: Four lactobacilli isolates, L. animalis LMEM6, L. plantarum LMEM7, L. acidophilus LMEM8 and L. rhamnosus LMEM9, procured from the curd samples, survived in low-pH and high bile salt conditions, and showed growth inhibitory activity against the indicator bacteria by agar-well (zone diameter of inhibition; ZDIs: 13.67 ± 0.58–29.50 ± 2.10 mm) and agar overlay (ZDIs: 11.33 ± 0.58–35.67 ± 2.52 mm) methods; the average growth inhibitory activity of lactobacilli ranged 233.34 ± 45.54–280.56 ± 83.67 AU/mL, against the test bacterial pathogens. All the lactobacilli were non-hemolytic and sensitive to most of the test antibiotics. The CPP values of the isolated LAB were recorded as 80–100%. Conclusion: The curd lactobacilli procured might be used as the valid candidates of probiotics, and bio-therapeutics against bacterial infection to humans.
Randomized Comparison of Pain Perception During Radial Head Subluxation Reduction Using Supination-Flexion or Forced Pronation

Objective: To determine if a difference exists in perceived pain between the forced pronation and supination-flexion methods of radial head subluxation (RHS) reduction. Design and Methods: We developed a prospective randomized trial of children aged 6 months to 7 years who presented to the emergency department (ED) at Miami Children's Hospital with an immobile arm and physical findings suggestive of RHS. Children were randomized into 2 groups for RHS reduction: forced pronation and supination-flexion. Parents, physicians, and nurses were given a standard visual analog pain scale for pain assessment before, during, and at 1 minute after successful reduction. Results: Seventy-five children presented to the ED with RHS; 3 children were excluded from the study because of nonadherence to the protocol and another 9 were excluded because of unsuccessful reduction during the first attempt. Of the remaining children, 32 children underwent forced pronation and 31 underwent supination-flexion. Physicians did not find a significant difference in gain scores between their perceptions of the premeasure and postmeasure of pain between those patients receiving supination-flexion and those receiving forced pronation. For nurses (P < 0.031) and parents (P < 0.043), there were statistically significant differences in gain scores. Nurses and parents perceived forced pronation as being less painful. The mean difference for parents was 1.7 cm, which exceeded the value of 1.3 cm identified as clinically significant. Conclusions: Forced pronation is perceived as less painful than the supination-flexion method by parents of children treated for RHS in our ED.
A Bip2arametric variation (Tt-Tg) degrades the performance of TDF-IMC scheme for load frequency control

Sensitivity of the two-degrees of freedom based IMC controller to variation in power plant parameters is studied. Here, we adopted the reduced order model of the plant as the predictive model for the controller design. Selection of tuning parameter is critical and relates to the transient behavior of the steam power plant. Parametric study shows that the frequency regulation of the plant is highly affected by a biparametric variation in turbine and governor time constants (Tt-Tg); regardless of the variation in other plant parameters. Thus signifying the inherent limitations of the scheme used for load frequency control of the plant. Results suggest that avoiding biparametric variation can still enable smooth functioning of the degraded plant.
PHYSICAL METALLURGY OF ALLOY 718

Abstract : This report deals with the physical metallurgy of Alloy 718. Since Alloy 718 was first introduced, it has broadened its areas of application. Primarily, it was intended for use at medium temperatures, 1300 F at most, its main applications being in lightweight welded frames and other assemblies in aircraft turbojet engines. Its good properties in the range of temperatures from -423 to 1300 F make it especially suitable for use in the LOX-LH4 rocket engines. In these applications, Alloy 718 is used for the fuel/oxidizer injector plates, forged rings, thrust chamber jackets, turbine wheels, bellows, and tubing. This report presents information on the effect of composition and heat treatment on mechanical properties; trends in specifications for Alloy 718; microstructure and microconstituents of the alloy and the strengthening mechanism. No attempt has been made to present a complete compilation of design properties in this report.
Artful Liars: Malingering on the Draw-A-Person Task

Malingering is a form of deception in which one fakes illness to earn (positive or negative) reinforcement. The purpose of the current research was to explore the ability of naive participants to malinger distress on a clinical, projective measure (Draw-A-Person; DAP). In two experiments, individuals first drew figures of a man, woman, and self. Then, they imagined they were in a motor vehicle accident and drew the figures again as if they were falsely claiming distress from the accident. In Experiment 1, 65 undergraduates participated and in Experiment 2, 70 undergraduates and 40 high school students participated. The drawings were objectively scored using a standardized protocol and 'honest' and 'malingered' drawings were compared. In both Experiments, participants successfully malingered distress and did so by drawing more "primitively", earning lower cognitive ability scores on their malingered drawings. Hence, objectively-scored DAP tasks are vulnerable to deliberate distortion by naive individuals, though malingering detection may be possible in the future via cognitive skill scores. However, reliance on DAP tasks for diagnostic or forensic purposes currently seems questionable.