Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Aging on the Strength of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Longitudinal Study Over 40 Years

Background The knowledge of the impact of cardiovascular risk factors at different ages has mainly been based on different studies performed at different ages. This study aimed to investigate the change in impact of traditional cardiovascular risk factors over the aging process in subjects followed for 4 decades. Methods and Results In the ULSAM (Uppsala Longitudinal Study of Adult Men) study, 2322 men originally investigated in 1970 to 1974 have been followed regarding cardiovascular diseases until the end of 2013. This cohort has been investigated physically at ages 50, 60, 70, 77, and 82 years regarding body mass index, low‐density lipoprotein‐ and high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, and smoking. These data were used to model the interactions between risk factors and age regarding incident myocardial infarction (n=540), ischemic stroke (n=343), or heart failure (n=397). Significant interactions were observed between age and the set of traditional risk factors regarding all 3 outcomes (P<0.05 for all). Generally, a decline in the rate ratios was seen with aging for most risk factors, being most pronounced for body mass index regarding myocardial infarction and for systolic blood pressure regarding ischemic stroke and heart failure. However, low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol was significantly related to incident myocardial infarction, whereas both body mass index and fasting glucose were significantly related to incident heart failure also at a high age. Conclusions Using a longitudinal design in middle‐aged men spanning 4 decades showed that the impact of traditional cardiovascular risk factors generally declined with aging. However, some of the risk factors remained significantly associated with incident cardiovascular disease also at old age.
Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics Does wage rigidity make firms riskier? Evidence from long-horizon return predictability

We explore the relationship between sticky wages and risk. Like operating leverage, sticky wages are a source of risk for the firm. Firms, industries, regions, or times with especially high or rigid wages are especially risky. If wages are sticky, then wage growth should negatively forecast future stock returns because falling wages are associated with even bigger falls in output, and increases in operating leverage. Indeed, this is the case in aggregate, industry, and U.S. state level data. Furthermore, this relation is stronger in industries and U.S. states with higher wage rigidity.
Anterior Fontanelle Size in Scottish Infants

Very limited information is available on the normal size of the anterior fontanelle but this measurement may be of value in the early diagnosis for example of bone diseases, and of hypothyroidism. The purpose of this study was to provide a reference range applicable to the first two years of life, using a larger sample population than previous studies. Measurements were made of the anterior-posterior and transverse dimensions in 334 full term infants between birth and the age of 24 months. Despite the wide variation, both in size and age of closure, it proved possible to define a reference range and also, for the first time, to present a centile chart.
Role of NtrC in biofilm formation via controlling expression of the gene encoding an ADP‐glycero‐manno‐heptose‐6‐epimerase in the pathogenic bacterium, Vibrio vulnificus

To identify the genetic elements required for biofilm formation, we screened a pool of random Vibrio vulnificus mutants for their ability to form biofilms. One mutant displaying significantly decreased biofilm‐forming activity was found to contain a transposon insertion in the ntrC gene. The ntrC gene encodes a well‐known transcriptional activator. We examined how this regulator modulates a biofilm‐forming process in V. vulnificus by searching for NtrC target gene(s). Comparison of the proteomes of ntrC mutant and wild‐type strains grown under planktonic and biofilm stages revealed that synthesis of the protein homologous to GmhD (ADP‐glycero‐manno‐heptose‐6‐epimerase) was elevated during the growth period for biofilm formation and was strongly influenced by NtrC. A luxAB‐transcriptional fusion with the gmhD promoter region indicated that gmhD expression was positively regulated by both NtrC and RpoN. The function of the gmhD gene product in V. vulnificus was assessed by constructing and phenotypic analyses of an isogenic mutant. The gmhD mutant was defective in production of mature lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and exopolysaccharides (EPS), and demonstrated an attenuated ability to form a biofilm. These results suggest that NtrC acts as a key regulator of both LPS and EPS biosyntheses and, thereby, modulates critical steps in biofilm development of V. vulnificus.
Determination of acrylamide in banana based snacks by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Fried and baked banana-based snacks are popular in South East Asia and banana chip is popular in other countries, such as India, Indonesia, China, African countries, etc; these snacks may contain acrylamide in concentration which may be of concern due to its toxicity. This study was carried out to determine acrylamide concentration in popular banana based snacks in Malaysia using a modified method of gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation of the modified method are 5 and 15 μg/kg, respectively. Acrylamide concentration of five types of Malaysian popular fried and baked banana based snacks from different local markets ranged from 74.0 to 7468.8 μg/ kg for banana fritter (pisang goreng), 28.9 to 243.7 μg/kg for banana chips (kerepek pisang), 160.7 to 500.4 μg/kg for sweet banana chips (kerepek pisang manis), not detected to 154.4 μg/kg for banana cake (kek pisang) and 31.7 to 609.1 μg/kg for banana balls (cekodok pisang). Analysis of variance showed a significant difference (P<0.05) in acrylamide concentration between different food types. From the estimate of banana fritter consumption data, the highest exposure to acrylamide in Malaysia is 1.2 μg/kg body weights.
Myths and perceptions of back pain in the Norwegian population, before and after the introduction of guidelines for acute back pain

Aim: Deyo's seven ``myths'' about back pain are based on common misconceptions of causality and therapy of back pain. These myths were alive in the Norwegian population in 2001; this report investigates whether this is true two years later. Methods: A representative sample of the Norwegian population in 2003 (n=1,014) were asked to rate their agreement with the seven myths. Results: There is significantly less acceptance of all myths except ``Most back pain is caused by injuries or heavy lifting'' in 2003. Myths concerning the use and importance of X-ray were still common: 43% agreed that ``X-ray and newer imaging tests can always identify the cause of pain'' and 50% that ``Everyone with back pain should have a spine X-ray''. Low level of education is still associated with high acceptance of the myths, but the changes from 2001 are most pronounced for these groups. Conclusion: Perceptions in the general population in Norway are slowly changing to be more in accordance with existing knowledge on accurate behaviour and treatment of back pain. This may be related to introduction of new evidence-based guidelines. The difference between educational groups is reduced, but is still a challenge to health professionals and health authorities.
Linking card sorting to browsing performance – are congruent municipal websites more efficient to use?

ABSTRACT Card sorting is a method for eliciting mental models and is frequently used for creating efficient website navigation structures. The present studies set out to validate card sorting by linking browsing performance to the degree of match between the mental model and the navigation structure. First, a card sorting study was conducted (n = 27) to elicit users’ mental model of municipal websites. Second, performance was measured for a number of search tasks with varying degrees of congruence with users’ mental model (n = 50). Analysis by linear mixed-effect models suggests that the match between mental model and website structure has no effect on browsing performance. We discuss possible reasons and consequences of the failure to validate card sorting for designing navigation structures of informational websites.
Effect of a variable prosthetic neck-shaft angle and the surgical technique on replication of normal humeral anatomy.

BACKGROUND Replicating the normal anatomy of the shoulder is an important principle in the design of prosthetic devices and the development of surgical techniques. In this study, we used a three-dimensional surgical simulation to compare the abilities of an adjustable neck-shaft angle prosthesis and a fixed neck-shaft angle prosthesis to restore the normal geometry of the proximal part of the humerus. METHODS A total of 2058 cadaveric humeri were measured to define the normal distribution of neck-shaft angles. Thirty-six humeri were selected to represent a wide variation in neck-shaft angles, and computed tomographic scans with three-dimensional reconstruction were made of these specimens. With use of a three-dimensional computer surgical simulator, the humeral head was then cut at the anatomic neck to replicate a normal neck-shaft angle and version or it was cut at a fixed 135 degrees angle with anatomic version. The anatomy of an adjustable-angle prosthesis and that of a fixed-angle prosthesis of the same design were both compared with native humeral anatomy in three dimensions. RESULTS The average neck-shaft angle of the 2058 humeri was 134.7 degrees (range, 115 degrees to 148 degrees), and the angle was between 130 degrees and 140 degrees in 77.84% of the humeri. In the setting of a high varus or valgus neck-shaft angle, an adjustable-angle prosthesis allowed optimal reconstruction when the humeral head was cut along the anatomic neck and allowed a standard and consistent surgical technique with use of anatomic landmarks. A fixed-angle prosthesis also replicated the anatomic center of rotation, tuberosity-head height, and head volume if the surgical procedure was altered to adapt to variations in humeral anatomy. There was no significant difference in anatomic parameters between the two types of prostheses, except that in all cases the head thickness was decreased when a fixed-135 degrees-angle prosthesis was used in a humerus with a high valgus or high varus neck-shaft angle, resulting in a smaller articular arc and percent articular surface match. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the ability of both an adjustable and a fixed neck-shaft angle prosthesis to replicate humeral anatomy. However, the fixed-angle device requires specific modifications of the surgical technique to accommodate the specific prosthetic design and optimize the surgeon's ability to replicate normal anatomic parameters in humeri with an extreme neck-shaft angle.
Regime Change and the Role of International Markets on the Stock Returns of Small Open Economies

We examine the influence of US, UK and German macroeconomic and financial variables on the stock returns of two relatively small, open European economies, Ireland and Denmark. Within a nonlinear framework, we allow for time variation via regime switching using a smooth transition regression (STR) model. We find that US (global) and UK and German (regional) stock returns are significant determinants of returns in both markets. Further, global information represented by oil and US asset price movements drive changes between states in each market. Significantly, the role of country-specific domestic variables is typically confined to a single state while global and regional variables pervade all states.
Switched Fuzzy Output Feedback Control and Its Application to a Mass–Spring–Damping System

This paper investigates the dynamic output feedback control problem for interval type-2 (IT2) fuzzy systems. A switched output feedback controller, which depends on the values of membership functions, is constructed. The membership functions of IT2 fuzzy systems contain parameter uncertainties and are different from the type-1 Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy systems. Based on the IT2 fuzzy set theory, the parameter uncertainties can be effectively obtained by upper and lower membership functions. A novel IT2 switched output feedback controller is designed to ensure that the closed-loop system is asymptotically stable with an H∞ performance. Finally, a mass-spring-damping system is proposed to show the feasibility and the merit of the proposed scheme over the other existing ones.
Order Imbalances and Market Efficiency: Evidence from the Taiwan Stock Exchange

Abstract Data from the Taiwan Stock Exchange identify the originator of each submitted order, and there are no designated dealers or specialists. We study marketable order imbalances, i.e., the net order flow resulting from trades that demand immediacy. We distinguish imbalances by trader type (individuals, domestic institutions, foreign institutions) and by the usual size of each trader's order. Day-to-day persistence in order imbalance is strongest for small foreign institutions and weakest for large individual traders. Such persistence emanates both from splitting orders over time and from herding, and there is little evidence that aggregate price pressures from such persistence last beyond a trading day, indicating that de facto market making is quite effective. We attempt to discern which types of traders are de facto liquidity providers, which are likely to be informed, and which trade for liquidity reasons. The evidence indicates that all trader classes are successful market makers, large domestic institutions conduct the most informed trades, and large individuals are noise or liquidity traders.
The effect of corporate social responsibility on stock performance: new evidence for the USA and Europe

This paper provides new empirical evidence for the effect of corporate social responsibility on corporate financial performance. In contrast to former studies, we examine two different regions, namely the USA and Europe, and disentangle firm and sector specific impacts. Our econometric analysis shows that environmental and social activities of a firm compared with other firms within the industry are valued by financial markets in both regions. However, the respective positive effects on average monthly stock returns between 2003 and 2006 are more robust in the USA and, in addition, non-linear. Our analysis furthermore points to biased parameter estimates if incorrectly specified econometric models are applied: the seemingly significantly negative effect of environmental and social performance of the industry to which a firm belongs strongly declines and mostly becomes insignificant if the explanation of stock performance is based on the Fama–French three-factor or the Carhart four-factor models instead of the simple Capital Asset Pricing Model.
Sourcing Premia with Incomplete Contracts: Theory and Evidence

Abstract Drawing on Grossman & Helpman (2004) and Antràs & Helpman (2004), we identify general conditions that result in an unambiguous mapping of a firm’s productivity level into the organizational form and location of its input sourcing. Using a detailed 2006-2008 data set for Spanish manufacturing firms, we then establish a number of stylized facts about firm-level heterogeneity in sourcing strategies that have largely gone unnoticed in existing literature on input sourcing. Finally, we explore this heterogeneity through econometric estimation of productivity premia associated with different sourcing strategies. We find a robustly significant premium on a strategy that features offshore production of intermediate inputs through a related party (vertical integration). Lower productivity premia are found for strategies that rely on outsourcing to unrelated parties abroad or on vertical integration within the home economy. Across all specifications employed, estimated mean productivity is lowest for domestic-outsourcing firms.
Socioeconomic determinants of primary school dropout: The logistic model analysis

This paper attempts to examine the socioeconomic determinants of primary school dropout in Uganda with the aid of a logistic model analysis using the 2004 National Service Delivery Survey data. The Objectives were to establish the household socioeconomic factors that influence dropout of pupils given free education and any possible policy alternatives to curb dropout of pupils. Various logistic regressions of primary school dropout were estimated and these took the following dimensions; rural-urban, gender, and age-cohort. After model estimation, marginal effects for each of the models were obtained. The analysis of the various coefficients was done across all models. The results showed the insignificance of distance to school, gender of pupil, gender of household head and total average amount of school dues paid by students in influencing dropout of pupils thus showing the profound impact Universal Primary Education has had on both access to primary education and pupil dropout. Also the results vindicated the importance of parental education, household size and proportion of economically active household members in influencing the chances of pupil dropout. The study finally calls for government to; keep a keen eye on non-school fees payments by parents to schools as these have the potential to increase to unsustainable levels by most households especially in rural areas; roll-out adult education across the entire country; and expand free universal education to secondary and vocational levels as it would allow some of those who can not afford secondary education to continue with schooling. This has the effect of reducing the number of unproductive members in the household.
Financing R&D in mature companies: An empirical analysis

We study financing patterns of publicly traded R&D-intensive manufacturing firms in Israel. We further characterize R&D-intensive firms by size, physical capital intensity, and whether they issued stocks in the United States, asking whether these features are associated with particular financing patterns. To address these issues, we present, for the first time, adjusted flow of funds charts that treat R&D expenses as a capital outlay (rather than an operating cost that reduces profits, as standard accounting principles prescribe). We also address the question of how R&D inputs should be measured - using R&D expenses or R&D personnel. We construct both expenditure- and personnel-based R&D measures for each firm in our sample, and investigate to what extent these measures are mutually consistent.
Awareness of women regarding analgesia during labour.

BACKGROUND Delivery pain is one of the most severe pains that women experience during their life so a change can affect all dimensions of pregnant women and her family life. Aim of this study was to assess the women's knowledge of pain relief during labour, and their beliefs, fears, and misconceptions regarding epidural analgesia. METHODS It was descriptive study conducted in Obstetric and Gynaecology OPD of Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Hyderabad from September 2007 to January 2008. Women were selected randomly. All pregnant females who had delivered previously were interviewed. Primigravida were excluded from study. Information was collected on self-made questionnaire after an informed consent. Information was collected on computer software programme of SPSS 11 frequencies and percentages were calculated to express the results. RESULTS Total 131 women were included in this study. Out of these 65, (49.6%) had no education while 41 (31.2%) had primary education. Majority of women (82, 62.5%) had knowledge about injections while few (12, 9.1%) women had knowledge about epidural analgesia. Seventy-nine (60.3%) had chosen the injections as preferred method during next labour. Regarding attitude towards labour pains, 61 (46.5%) feels that labour pains as severe pain. Regarding epidural analgesia 4 (3%) women thought that epidural analgesia will lead to weakness of limbs and 3 (2.2%) women thought that it will cause permanent backache. CONCLUSION There was poor general awareness of women about the role of epidural analgesia in labour leading to a low patient demand for such services. Most of the women had gained knowledge regarding pain relief from past experience or from friends and relatives.
The Use of Queueing and Simulative Analyses to Improve an Overwhelmed Pharmacy Call Center

Like many others, the St. Louis Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) Pharmacy help desk receives far more calls than can be processed by current staffing levels. The objective of the study is to improve pharmaceutical services provided by the call center, by using queueing theory and discrete event dynamic simulation to analyze incoming telephone traffic to the help desk. Queueing and simulation models using both archival and hand-gathered data over a 1-year period were created, compared, and presented in order to determine the minimum quantities of staff needed to reach the desired service threshold. The simulation model was validated in comparison with real-world data. Results suggest that telephone traffic congestion in this setting may be alleviated by increasing the number of staff responsible for telephone services from 2 to 6 throughout the week, with an additional one serving on Monday. Both queueing and simulative models can be used to improve overwhelm pharmacy call centers, by determining the theoretical minimal staff needed to reach a service threshold.
Converging Agendas? Energy and Climate Change Policies in the UK

In the UK climate change and energy have converged on the policy agenda. We discuss the implications for theories of policy change based on well-defined networks located within single, discrete, policy domains. We suggest that such approaches struggle to account for the dynamics of change in conditions of policy convergence. The issue of climate change has opened up and destabilised the UK energy policy sector, but this process has been surprisingly free of conflict, despite radical policy shifts. To date, convergence of the energy and climate change sectors has largely occurred at a discursive level, and we focus our attention on a number of different, but largely complementary, storylines about solutions to climate change. We draw on ideas about sociotechnical regime transitions, first, to explore why the storylines are not in obvious conflict, and, second, to identify small-scale niches where tensions in storylines do emerge as discourse is translated into material reality.
The impact of training participation and training costs on firm productivity in Belgium

Recent studies have shown that human resource management practices such as training, participation or incentive compensation significantly contribute to firm performance (see, e.g., Huselid 1995; Ichniowski, Shaw and Prennushi 1997; Black and Lynch 1998; Bartel 2000; Zwick 2006). Although the human capital of the firm is not explicitly shown on the balance sheet, the value of the firm is at least in part driven by the value of the people who run the show. In this era of knowledge and information, continuous education and training of workers and employees is no longer an option but a must for most firms. This paper looks at the possible relation between employer provided training and firm performance for a sample of over 10,000 large Belgian firms. We first estimate a standard Cobb–Douglas production function to assess the firms' expected performance based on the input of capital and labour. Our results show that the extent to which a firm performs either better or worse than expected, can partly be explai.