Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender interests and Indonesian democracy

Using a distinction between practical and strategic gender interests, this paper examines the implications which democracy has for women in Indonesia. A comparison between the 1950s, when Indonesia experienced a period of liberal democracy, and the current New Order era, reveals that the different records of the two regimes in fulfilling women's gender interests can be explained both by the relative success of governments in promoting development and by the level of civil and political liberties tolerated by them. In the present political transition in Indonesia, the prospect of greater freedoms of expression and association offers hope to women seeking to pursue strategic gender interests and the practical gender interests of poorer women.
Intragastric pH during continuous infusion with pantoprazole in patients with bleeding peptic ulcer

OBJECTIVES:In managing patients with bleeding peptic ulcers, prevention of rebleeding is a particular challenge to hemostasis and fibrinolysis, both of which involve reactions that are impaired in acidic gastric environment. Therefore, such patients are expected to benefit from profound acid suppression. The present investigation aimed to establish a safe and, with regard to pH elevation, effective treatment that, based on in vitro evidence, should provide clinical benefit in this patient population.METHODS:Patients with acute bleeding peptic ulcers (Forrest Ia, Ib, IIa) after successful endoscopic hemostasis were enrolled in two pilot studies (N = 20 each). They were given an intravenous bolus injection of 80 mg of pantoprazole immediately followed by continuous infusion of either 6 mg/h or 8 mg/h pantoprazole for 72 h. Intragastric pH was measured continuously over 24 h and, if possible, for up to 48 h.RESULTS:Intragastric pH increased rapidly to values of about 6 with both treatments. For the 0–24 h period, the median pH values were 6.1 (68% range 4.5–7.4) and 6.1 (68% range 5.2–6.7) in patients receiving 6 mg/h and 8 mg/h continuous infusion, respectively; the values for the 0–48 h period were 5.9 (4.9–6.7) and 6.3 (5.5–7.0), respectively. The median percentage time that pH was ≥6 during the 0–48 h interval was 47% (68% range 28–89) for the 6 mg/h treatment group and 64% (68% range 41–84) for the 8 mg/h treatment group. Both treatment regimens with pantoprazole were well tolerated based on electrocardiographic measurements, vital signs, clinical laboratory values, and adverse events.CONCLUSIONS:Compared with the infusion with 6 mg/h pantoprazole, the continuous infusion of 8 mg/h pantoprazole showed a lower interindividual variability of the intragastric pH and a greater percentage of time that pH was ≥6. Thus, with regard to safety and efficacy, an initial 80-mg bolus injection, followed by 8 mg/h continuous infusion, seems to be the adequate treatment in patients with a high risk of rebleeding.
Corporate social responsibility and financial performance: correlation or misspecification?

Researchers have reported a positive, negative, and neutral impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on financial performance. This inconsistency may be due to flawed empirical analysis. In this paper, we demonstrate a particular flaw in existing econometric studies of the relationship between social and financial performance. These studies estimate the effect of CSR by regressing firm performance on corporate social performance, and several control variables. This model is misspecified because it does not control for investment in R&D, which has been shown to be an important determinant of firm performance. This misspecification results in upwardly biased estimates of the financial impact of CSR. When the model is properly specified, we find that CSR has a neutral impact on financial performance. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SPATIAL COMPARISONS OF PRICES AND EXPENDITURE IN A HETEROGENEOUS COUNTRY: METHODOLOGY WITH APPLICATION TO INDIA

This study addresses two significant limitations in the literature on cross-country expenditure comparisons: (a) treatment of all countries, large and small, as single entities with no spatial differences inside the countries, and (b) use of Divisia price indices, rather than Rank 3 preference-based “exact price” indices, in the expenditure comparisons. This paper compares alternative preference consistent methods for estimating spatial price differences in a large heterogeneous country, namely India, that are benchmarked against the spatial prices generated by the Laspyeres and Tornqvist price indices. Unlike the use of conventional price indices, the use of demand-systems-based methods allows the incorporation of price-induced substitution effects between items. The paper illustrates the usefulness of the methodology by using the “exact” spatial price indices, in conjunction with the inequality-sensitive welfare measure due to Sen, to rank the Indian states and examine changes in ranking during one of the most significant periods in independent India. The results have methodological and empirical implications that extend far beyond India.
Global Development and Happiness: How Can Data on Subjective Well-Being Inform Development Theory and Practice?

While research on subjective well-being (SWB) has recently attracted much attention in richer nations, its potential in a development context remains underexploited. This paper, therefore, considers conventional development theory through an SWB lens. The Human Development approach with its three key elements of material conditions, health and education is re-assessed by examining to what extent these factors actually matter for people's life satisfaction in different nations. Using data from the World Values Survey for 100 000 people from 70 nations, considerable heterogeneity is identified and a new country ranking in the form of an SWB-adjusted Human Development Index, or ‘Happy Development Index’, is devised.
PET imaging of liposomes labeled with an [18F]-fluorocholesteryl ether probe prepared by automated radiosynthesis

A novel [18F]-labeled cholesteryl ether lipid probe was prepared by synthesis of the corresponding mesylate, which was [18F]-fluorinated by a [18F]KF, Kryptofix-222, K2CO3 procedure. Fluorination was done for 10 minutes at 165°C and took place with conversion between 3 and 17%, depending on conditions. Radiolabelling of the probe and subsequent in situ purification on SEP-Paks were done on a custom-built, fully automatic synthesis robot. Long-circulating liposomes were prepared by hydration (magnetic stirring) of a lipid film containing the radiolabeled probe, followed by fully automated extrusion through 100-nm filters. The [18F]-labeled liposomes were injected into nude, tumor-bearing mice, and positron emission tomography (PET) scans were performed several times over 8 hours to investigate the in vivo biodistribution. Clear tumor accumulation, as well as hepatic and splenic uptake, was observed, corresponding to expected liposomal pharmacokinetics. The tumor accumulation 8 hours postinjection accounted for 2.25 ± 0.23 (mean ± standard error of the mean) percent of injected dose per gram (%ID/g), and the tumor-to-muscle ratio reached 2.20 ± 0.24 after 8 hours, which is satisfactorily high for visualization of pathological lesions. Moreover, the blood concentration was still at a high level (13.9 ± 1.5 %ID/g) at the end of the 8-hour time frame. The present work demonstrates the methodology for automated preparation of radiolabeled liposomes, and shows that [18F]-labeled liposomes could be suitable as a methodology for visualization of tumors and obtaining short-term pharmacokinetics in vivo.
The burden of cardiovascular diseases mortality in Europe. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology on Cardiovascular Mortality and Morbidity Statistics in Europe.

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death in adults and the elderly in the majority of the developed countries and in many developing countries. Cardiovascular diseases result in substantial disability and loss of productivity and contribute in large part, to the escalating costs of health care, especially in the presence of an ageing population. Papers published by the World Health Organization of the United Nations (WHO) and others have previously reported trends in cardiovascular mortality over time. These reports showed large international between-country differences both in the levels and in the trends in mortality from cardiovascular diseases, especially from ischaemic heart disease. More recent analysis of mortality data points to a substantial increase in cardiovascular diseases in countries of Central and Eastern Europe concomitant with recent nutritional, economical and political changes. Although most European countries perform analysis of mortality at the sub-national (regional) level, international analysis using sub-national data have been made only for selected diseases, for example cancer mortality by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon. The advantage of this type of analysis is that spatial variability in mortality patterns can be shown across borders. This may help in identifying factors responsible for this variation. The importance of population control of cardiovascular diseases was highlighted by the European Union in article 129 of the Treaty on European Union, which contains specific provisions on public health and focuses on the ‘prevention of disease, in particular the major health scourges’. The Council Resolution recognized the need for monitoring and surveillance of cardiovascular diseases within the general framework of health monitoring. Accordingly, the Board of the European Society of Cardiology upon recommendation from the Committee for Scientific and Clinical Initiatives, set up a Task Force to study the latest available data on cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in order to assess the burden of these diseases in Europe. This report reviews total cardiovascular, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular and all causes mortality in European countries for the years 1990–1992. Regional mortality rates are presented for the years 1990–1991. Finally, the country mortality trends for the period 1970 to 1992 are analysed.
New evidence on absenteeism and presenteeism

This paper provides a statistical method to explore both absenteeism and presenteeism from the same data set. It allows us to elicit the link between these phenomena and then to put under light new evidence on them. We clarified the effect of several known variables (gender, age, cost of absence, etc.). Moreover, we were able to balance these effects on both absenteeism and presenteeism, which still remains uneasy when operating separate treatments.
Location and Political Influence: A Further Elaboration of Their Effects on Voting in Recent Russian Elections

This essay explores voting patterns in the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections and the 1999 Duma elections in the search for evidence of political boss influence on rayon-level election returns. Extending a previous study, we show how a change in two assumptions—that regional governors were at best neutral in their support of Yel'tsin in 1996 rather than in full support, and that their influence is greater on average in outlying rayons than in regional centers—brings various patterns in the data from all three elections in line with the hypothesis that part of the observed correlation between reform and voting patterns in the 1996 election should be attributed to political boss influence. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: H10, H19, R50. 6 figures, 11 references.
Brain style control scheme: Simultaneous forward and inverse model identification and controller design

Brain Style control scheme is presented inspired by the brains hability to implement the most efficient and robust control systems available to date. It represents the first attempt to perform simultaneous and on-line (a) forward model identification, (b) controller design and (c) inverse model learning. For that we have simultaneously implemented the concepts of Vertex Placement Principle and Feedback Error Learning. The paper contributes in our attempt to demonstrate the potential of Piecewise Bilinear models for nonlinear control systems.
Direct Restart of a Replication Fork Stalled by a Head-On RNA Polymerase

When Polymerases Collide Genomes must be replicated by DNA polymerase and copied by RNA polymerase. The two processes occur concurrently in bacteria and, although the majority of bacterial genes are co-oriented with replication, head-on collisions still occur and can result in double-strand breaks in the genome. Pomerantz and O'Donnell (p. 590) show, in vitro, that both Escherichia coli DNA and RNA polymerases grind to a halt when they collide bumper to bumper but that the replication fork remains intact, with the RNA polymerase being shunted off the DNA and out of the way. Mfd, a transcription-repair coupling factor, promotes DNA replication restart probably by rewinding separated DNA stands ahead of the halted transcription complex, promoting its displacement from the DNA. Head-on collisions between DNA and RNA polymerases are resolved in vitro. In vivo studies suggest that replication forks are arrested by encounters with head-on transcription complexes. Yet, the fate of the replisome and RNA polymerase (RNAP) after a head-on collision is unknown. We found that the Escherichia coli replisome stalls upon collision with a head-on transcription complex, but instead of collapsing, the replication fork remains highly stable and eventually resumes elongation after displacing the RNAP from DNA. We also found that the transcription-repair coupling factor Mfd promotes direct restart of the fork after the collision by facilitating displacement of the RNAP. These findings demonstrate the intrinsic stability of the replication apparatus and a previously unknown role for the transcription-coupled repair pathway in promoting replication past a RNAP block.
Body composition analysis by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and exercise performance in underweight patients with COPD.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine the effect of body composition on maximal exercise performance in patients with COPD. METHODS The study was carried out on 27 patients with COPD and was confirmed by pulmonary function testing. Body composition was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Exercise performance was conducted on a cycle ergometer and was measured as maximal work rate (WRmax) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Bone mineral content (BMC), lean mass (LEAN), and fat mass (FAT) were assessed by DXA and were expressed as a percentage of ideal body weight, BMC, LEAN, and FAT. RESULTS LEAN% correlated significantly with VO2max (r = 0.66, p = 0.0002) and WRmax (r = 0.70, p < 0.0001). No significant correlation was found between FAT% and exercise performance. By stepwise regression analysis, variables significantly contributing to WRmax and VO2max were LEAN% and the maximal voluntary ventilation. Total variance explained in these models was 81% for WRmax aid 82% for VO2max. CONCLUSION Lean mass was an important determinant of maximal exercise performance in patients with COPD.
A MULTI-REGION INPUT–OUTPUT TABLE BASED ON THE GLOBAL TRADE ANALYSIS PROJECT DATABASE (GTAP-MRIO)

Understanding the drivers of many environmental problems requires enumerating the global supply chain. Multi-region input–output analysis (MRIOA) is a well-established technique for this purpose, but constructing a multi-region input–output table (MRIOT) can be a formidable challenge. We constructed a large MRIOT using the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) database of harmonised economic, IO, and trade data. We discuss the historical development of the GTAP-MRIO and describe its efficient construction. We provide updated carbon footprint estimates and analyse several issues relevant for MRIO construction and applications. We demonstrate that differences in environmental satellite accounts may be more important than differences in MRIOTs when calculating national carbon footprints. The GTAP-MRIO is a robust global MRIOT and, given its easy availability and implementation, it should allow the widespread application of global MRIOA by a variety of users.
Genetic Algorithm Based Wireless Sensor Network Localization

In most sensor network applications, the information gathered by sensors will be meaningless without the location of the sensor nodes. Node localization has been a topic of active research in recent years. Accurate self-localization capability is highly desirable in wireless sensor network. This paper proposes a genetic algorithm based localization (GAL). The proposed genetic algorithm adopts two new genetic operators: single-vertex-neighborhood mutation and the descend-based arithmetic crossover. Four example problems are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm. Simulation results show that our algorithm can achieve higher accurate position estimation than semi-definite programming with gradient search localization (SDPL) [11] and simulated annealing based localization (SAL)[13]. Compared to the usual crossover operator: simple arithmetic crossover, whole arithmetic crossover and single-point crossover, the proposed crossover can obtain a lower mean position error.
Treating Helicobacter pylori--the best is yet to come?

Introduction In 1983 Warren and Marshall' successfully cultured Helicobacter pylori from the stomachs of patients with chronic gastritis. Their discovery has revolutionised our understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Yet despite the passage of 13 years and over 700 publications on eradication therapy, consensus on the optimum treatment for H pylori infection remains elusive. Antibacterial treatment of H pylori is difficult because of the habitat occupied by the organism below the layer of mucus adherent to the gastric mucosa. It is also difficult because of resistance to antimicrobial agents, especially to nitroimidazoles and increasingly to macrolides, which develops rapidly during treatment, or preexists in the community.2 These factors have led to the concurrent use of several drugs, as exemplified by triple
Knowledge of Campaign Finance Regulation Reduces Perceptions of Corruption

We use an experimental survey design to measure how campaign finance regulation influences perceptions of political corruption and trust in politicians when citizens are exposed to information about regulation. Unlike most observational studies, results of this experimental study suggest that knowledge of campaign finance regulation substantially reduces citizens’ perceptions of corruption but has only limited effect on trust in politicians. Findings have crucial implications for public policy. At a time when public cynicism about politics is high, a significant reduction in perceptions of political corruption through successful dissemination of campaign finance regulation would be a boost to the legitimacy of democracies.
Too Much of a Good Thing? The Adequacy of International Reserves in the Aftermath of Crises

This paper has a number of purposes. First, it revisits the older theory of reserve adequacy and optimality to see whether this can still be used and perhaps strengthened in ways that would inform the current debate. Second, it explores the connection between reserve adequacy and currency crisis in the light of recent experience and empirical research. Third, it critically investigates alternative rule-of-thumb measures of reserve adequacy. Fourth, and drawing on the foregoing analysis, it examines the extent to which crisis countries should seek to replenish and build up their international reserves in the post-crisis period. Additional owned reserves represent a guaranteed and unconditional source of liquidity; is this what is needed?
The Private Market for Long-Term Care Insurance in the United States: A Review of the Evidence

This article reviews the growing literature on the market for private long-term care insurance, a market notable for its small size despite the fact that long-term care expenses are potentially large and highly uncertain. After summarizing long-term care utilization and insurance coverage in the United States, the article reviews research on the supply of and the demand for private long-term care insurance. It concludes that demand-side factors impose important limits on the size of the private market and that we currently have a limited understanding of how public policies could be designed to encourage the growth of this market.
Characterisation of naturally occurring radionuclides in the Lower Rhone River (France): preliminary results from suspended solid monitoring

Long term time series acquired in the frame of radioecological monitoring programmes are useful tools for exploring the variability of naturally occurring radionuclide contents. The data set was established in order to investigate the role of discharge, flood type and flood chronicles on such variability within the suspended sediments. Preliminary results show that radionuclide geochemical properties as well as suspended sediment nature and particle residence time may in some particular cases significantly affect the U-Th series nuclide equilibrium.
Coatings Based on Side-chain Ether-linked Poly(ethylene glycol) and Fluorocarbon Polymers for the Control of Marine Biofouling

The preparation of side group modified polystyrene-based surface-active block copolymers (SABC) for use as marine fouling resistance/release applications is described. Modifying moieties such as poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and semifluorinated segments were used. A novel bilayer methodology has been employed that provides both suitable mechanical properties through the use of an elastomeric primer layer of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) and control of surface-chemistry through use of the SABCs. This approach has potential as a cost-effective technology for environmentally benign coatings that resist and release marine biofouling. Initial testing of these materials included determination of captive bubble contact angles and protein adsorption. Testing against marine fouling organisms was performed using settlement and adhesion bioassays with zoospores of the green alga Enteromorpha . The results showed that all surfaces had markedly reduced levels of zoospore settlement compared with glass controls and that adhesion strength was strongly affected by the semifluorinated SABC. The results are discussed in terms of surface properties.