Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Melasma with the Photoacoustic Twin Pulse Mode of Low-Fluence 1,064 nm Q-Switched Nd:YAG Laser

Background Low-fluence 1,064 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser has been widely used for the treatment of melasma. Although new Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers with photoacoustic twin pulse (PTP) mode have been recently developed for high-efficiency, there is limited information available for the new technique. Objective This study was designed to investigate the efficacy and adverse effects after few sessions of repeated low fluence 1,064 nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment with PTP mode in Asian women with melasma. Methods Twenty-two Korean women were treated with a total of five sessions of low-fluence PTP mode Nd:YAG laser treatment (Pastelle®) at 2 weeks interval. Responses to treatments were evaluated by using Melasma Area and Severity Index (MASI) scoring, colorimeter measurement, and the investigators' and patients' overall assessments. Adverse events were recorded at each visit. Results Investigators' and patients' overall assessment showed that 'significantly improved' was assessed by 13 (59.1%) and 19 of 22 patients (86.4%), respectively. MASI scores were significantly reduced by 20.4%. The lightness, measured by using a colorimeter, was significantly increased by 1.3 point. Notable adverse events were not observed. Conclusion After 5 sessions of laser therapy alone, about 60% of the subjects showed significant improvement. Few sessions of repeated laser toning treatment using the PTP mode is a safe and effective way to treat facial melasma.
Shapes of clusters and groups of galaxies: comparison of model predictions with observations

We study the properties of the 3-dimensional and projected shapes of haloes using high resolution numerical simulations and observational data where the latter comes from the 2PIGG (Eke et al. 2004) and SDSS-DR3GC group catalogues (Merchan & Zandivarez 2005). We investigate the dependence of halo shape on characteristics such as mass and number of members. In the 3-dimensional case, we find a significant corre- lation between the mass and halo shape; massive systems are more prolate than small haloes. We detect a source of strong systematics in estimates of the triaxiality of a halo, which is found to be a strong function of the number of members; �CDM haloes usually characterised by triaxial shapes, slightly bent toward prolate forms, appear more oblate when taking only a small subset of the halo particles. The ellipticities of observed 2PIGG and SDSS-DR3GC groups are found to be strongly dependent on the number of group members, so that poor groups appear more elon- gated than rich ones. However, this is again an artifact caused by poor statistics and not an intrinsic property of the galaxy groups, nor an effect from observational bi- ases. We interpret these results with the aid of a GALFORM mock 2PIGG catalogue. When comparing the group ellipticities in mock and real catalogues, we find an excel- lent agreement between the trends of shapes with number of group members. When carefully taking into account the effects of low number statistics, we find that more massive groups are consistent with more elongated shapes. Finally, our studies find no significant correlations between the shape of observed 2PIGG or SDSS-DR3GC groups with the properties of galaxy members such as colour or spectral type index.
Effective Linewidth in Raman Spectra of Titanium Dioxide Nanocrystals

Raman spectra of nanocrystals titanium dioxide are discussed and the correlation between the band shape of the allowed A1g Raman mode and the crystals dimensions is discussed. Data on Raman spectra are reconsidered in the frame- work of a modified "hard confinement" model (MHC). The proposed model is based on the idea of using an effective linewidth parameter, which is a function of the effective dimension of the nanostructure, in spite of the intrinsic Raman band linewidth. The comparison with standard hard confinement model reveals better agreement with the experimental results for the MHC model up to 6 nm. Moreover, the analysis permits to improve the knowledge of the phonon dispersion curve as well as the intrinsic Raman bulk parameters. An analytical form of the size-dependent peak-position in nanocrystals, useful for an approximated size estimation, has been explicated. The general structure of the model permits to extended the MHC to other nano-sized materials.
Elections and Market Provision of Information

Economists usually think that rational voters have little incentives to acquire costly information. We present a theoretical model to show that, in contrast to this widely held belief, rational voters acquire considerable amounts of information if media technology is available because then they do not condition their informational decisions on being pivotal. The model also shows that the quality of media coverage is inefficiently low because voters have incentives to free-ride. Further, we show how the quality of information depends on the size of the electorate, the prior knowledge of voters and on the technology to produce information.
Associations between Online Friendship and Internet Addiction among Adolescents and Emerging Adults Online Friendship

The past decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of youths using the Internet, especially for communicating with peers. Online activity can widen and strengthen the social networks of adolescents and emerging adults (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2011), but it also increases the risk of Internet addiction. Using a framework derived from Griffiths (2000a), this study examined associations between online friendship and Internet addiction in a representative sample (n ϭ 394) of Czech youths ages 12–26 years (M ϭ 18.58). Three different approaches to friendship were identified: exclusively offline, face-to-face oriented, Internet oriented, on the basis of the relative percentages of online and offline associates in participants' friendship networks. The rate of Internet addiction did not differ by age or gender but was associated with communication styles, hours spent online, and friendship approaches. The study revealed that effects between Internet addiction and approaches to friendship may be reciprocal: Being oriented toward having more online friends, preferring online communication, and spending more time online were related to increased risk of Internet addiction; on the other hand, there is an alternative causal explanation that Internet addiction and preference for online communication conditions young people's tendency to seek friendship from people met online. Over the past 15 years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of young people with access to the Internet and a proliferation of Internet programs that young people use for entertainment and social interaction. These changes have raised concerns that some adolescents or emerging adults may be using the Internet so extensively that it interferes with face-to-face interaction or other aspects of daily living. In fact, some scholars have termed such extensive use as Internet addiction, which seems to endanger especially adolescents To date, however, little is known about the rate of Internet addiction or factors that are associated with it. Much of the concern, however, involves the Internet's role in young people's friendship patterns. Consequently, this article focuses on associations between Internet addiction and approaches to online friendship among adolescents and emerging adults. Adolescents and emerging adults are faced with the developmental task of establishing close relationships with their peers and intimate relations with romantic partners (B. B. Brown & Larson, 2009). These relationships reflect young people's need to learn new patterns of communication with peers, seek a position within a group, and share their experiences. Adolescents report that friends are their most important sources …
Risk Factors for Childhood Myopia: Findings From the NICER Study.

PURPOSE We explored risk factors for myopia in 12- to 13-year-old children in Northern Ireland (NI). METHODS Stratified random sampling was performed to obtain representation of schools and children. Cycloplegia was achieved using cyclopentolate hydrochloride 1%. Distance autorefraction was measured using the Shin-Nippon SRW-5000 device. Height and weight were measured. Parents and children completed a questionnaire, including questions on parental history of myopia, sociodemographic factors, childhood levels of near vision, and physical activity to identify potential risk factors for myopia. Myopia was defined as spherical equivalent ≤-0.50 diopters (D) in either eye. RESULTS Data from 661 white children aged 12- to 13-years showed that regular physical activity was associated with a lower estimated prevalence of myopia compared to sedentary lifestyles (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46 adjusted for age, sex, deprivation score, family size, school type, urbanicity; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23-0.90; P for trend = 0.027). The odds of myopia were more than 2.5 times higher among children attending academically-selective schools (adjusted OR = 2.66; 95% CI, 1.48-4.78) compared to nonacademically-selective schools. There was no evidence of an effect of urban versus nonurban environment on the odds of myopia. Compared to children with no myopic parents, children with one or both parents being myopic were 2.91 times (95% CI, 1.54-5.52) and 7.79 times (95% CI, 2.93-20.67) more likely to have myopia, respectively. CONCLUSIONS In NI children, parental history of myopia and type of schooling are important determinants of myopia. The association between myopia and an environmental factor, such as physical activity levels, may provide insight into preventive strategies.
Analog Encoding Voltage—A Key to Ultra-Wide Dynamic Range and Low Power CMOS Image Sensor

Usually Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) sensors that autonomously adjust their integration time to fit intra-scene illumination levels use a separate digital memory unit. This memory contains the data needed for the dynamic range. Motivated by the demands for low power and chip area reduction, we propose a different implementation of the aforementioned WDR algorithm by replacing the external digital memory with an analog in-pixel memory. This memory holds the effective integration time represented by analog encoding voltage (AEV). In addition, we present a “ranging” scheme of configuring the pixel integration time in which the effective integration time is configured at the first half of the frame. This enables a substantial simplification of the pixel control during the rest of the frame and thus allows for a significantly more remarkable DR extension. Furthermore, we present the implementation of “ranging” and AEV concepts on two different designs, which are targeted to reach five and eight decades of DR, respectively. We describe in detail the operation of both systems and provide the post-layout simulation results for the second solution. The simulations show that the second design reaches DR up to 170 dBs. We also provide a comparative analysis in terms of the number of operations per pixel required by our solution and by other widespread WDR algorithms. Based on the calculated results, we conclude that the proposed two designs, using “ranging” and AEV concepts, are attractive, since they obtain a wide dynamic range at high operation speed and low power consumption.
Serum Levels of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide as a Prognostic Marker in Early Arthritis

Objective Suitable biomarkers are essential for the design of therapeutic strategies in personalized medicine. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) has demonstrated immunomodulatory properties in autoimmune murine and ex vivo human models. Our aim was to study serum levels of VIP during the follow-up of an early arthritis (EA) cohort and to analyze its value as a biomarker predicting severity and therapeutic requirements. Methods Data from 91 patients on an EA register were analyzed (76% rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 24% undifferentiated arthritis, 73% women, and median age 54 years; median disease duration at entry, 5.4 months). We collected per protocol sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic data. VIP levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay in sera harvested from the 91 patients (353 visits; 3.9 visit/patient) and from 100 healthy controls. VIP values below the 25th percentile of those assessed in healthy population were considered low. To determine the effect of independent variables on VIP levels, we performed a longitudinal multivariate analysis nested by patient and visit. A multivariate ordered logistic regression was modeled to determine the effect of low VIP serum levels on disease activity at the end of follow-up. Results VIP concentrations varied considerably across EA patients. Those fulfilling the criteria for RA had the lowest values in the whole sample, although no significant differences were observed compared with healthy donors. Disease activity, which was assessed using DAS28, inversely correlated with VIP levels. After a two-year follow-up, those patients with low baseline levels of VIP displayed higher disease activity and received more intensive treatment. Conclusion Patients who are unable to up-regulate VIP seem to have a worse clinical course despite receiving more intense treatment. Therefore, measurement of VIP levels may be suitable as a prognostic biomarker.
Influence of Fatigue Loading in Shear Failures of Reinforced Concrete Members without Transverse Reinforcement

Shear fatigue of reinforced concrete members without transverse reinforcement has been observed to be potentially governing for the strength of some structural members subjected to large live loads of repetitive nature (as traffic, wind or wave actions). Although extensive experimental programmes have been performed in the past and a rational approach to the problem can be performed on the basis of Fracture Mechanics, most design codes still ground shear fatigue design on empirical equations fitted on the basis of existing data. These empirical formulas show inconsistency amongst them and some neglect potentially relevant parameters as the ratio of maximum and minimum fatigue load levels. In this paper, a consistent design approach is presented, by using the principles of Fracture Mechanics applied to quasi-brittle materials in combination with the Critical Shear Crack Theory. This approach leads to a simple, yet sound and rational, design equation incorporating the different influences of fatigue actions (minimum and maximum load levels) and shear strength (size and strain effects, material and geometrical properties). The accuracy of the design expression is checked against available test data in terms of Wohler (S-N) and Goodman diagrams, showing consistent agreement to experimental evidence. In addition, the estimate of the number of cycles until failure is shown to be significantly more accurate and with lower scatter than current empirical shear fatigue formulations of Eurocode 2 or fib-Model Code 2010.
Three‐dimensional tropospheric water vapor in coupled climate models compared with observations from the AIRS satellite system

Changes in the distribution of water vapor in response to anthropogenic forcing will be a major factor determining the warming the Earth experiences over the next century, so it is important to validate climate models' distribution of water vapor. In this work the three‐dimensional distribution of specific humidity in state‐of‐the‐art climate models is compared to measurements from the AIRS satellite system. We find the majority of models have a pattern of drier than observed conditions (by 10–25%) in the tropics below 800 hPa, but 25–100% too moist conditions between 300 and 600 hPa, especially in the extra‐tropics. Analysis of the accuracy and sampling biases of the AIRS measurements suggests that these differences are due to systematic model errors, which might affect the model‐estimated range of climate warming anticipated over the next century.
New data on the systematics and interrelationships of sawfishes (Elasmobranchii, Batoidea, Pristiformes)

New characters based on the arrangement and morphology of dermal denticles show that sawfishes can be divided into two distinctive groups. The first group, comprising the knifetooth sawfish Anoxypristis cuspidata, is characterized by tricuspid denticles variably located on both dorsal and ventral parts of the body. The second group is represented by species of the genus Pristis, showing an uniform and homogenous dermal covering of monocuspidate denticles on both dorsal and ventral sides of the body and within the buccopharyngeal cavity. Pristis is further divided into two subgroups: the first comprises species with denticles lacking any keels and furrows (the smalltooth sawfish Pristis pectinata, the green sawfish Pristis zijsron and the dwarf sawfish Pristis clavata); the second comprises species with denticles presenting keels and furrows well differentiated on their anterior part (the common sawfish Pristis pristis, the largetooth sawfish Pristis perotteti and the greattooth sawfish Pristis microdon). This investigation of the dermal covering provides results which agree with studies that separate the same two species groups of Pristis on the basis of other morphological data.
Latin America after neoliberalism : developmental regimes in post-crisis states

Introduction: The Political Economy of Development and Crisis PART I: COMPARATIVE THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES AND DEBATES The Rise of Developmentalism in Latin America: Beyond the Washington Consensus? From Developmental States to Developmental Regimes: Lessons from Asia for Contemporary Latin America PART II: SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE: THE CASES OF ARGENTINA AND BRAZIL The Economic Policies of Nestor Kirchner's Argentina 2003-2007 Argentina, Kirchnerismo, and Neodesarrollismo: Argentine Development under Nestor Kirchner 2003-2007 The Economic Policies of Lula's Regime in Brazil Neoliberalism or Developmentalism? The Political Economy of Brazil 2003-2010 PART III: POST-CRISIS POLITICAL ECONOMY IN LATIN AMERICA: GLOBAL Lessons? Crisis and Post-Crisis States in a Regional and Global Comparative Perspective Conclusion: Continuity and Change in Post-Crisis Political Economy - The Rise of Latin America?
The Effect of Attitudinal and Sociodemographic Factors on the Likelihood of Buying Locally Produced Food

This study explores the factors associated with Canadian consumers locally produced food purchase intention. Data from an Internet-based survey of consumers (n = 1,139) was analyzed using a bivariate probit model. The bivariate probit model related attitudinal, behavioral and sociodemographic factors to the intention to purchase fresh and nonfresh locally produced foods. Although sociodemographic characteristics play a limited role in shaping local food purchase intentions, attitudinally based variables have far greater influence. Positive views towards local farmers and agriculture in general, as well as food quality, are positively related to purchase intention. The importance placed on brand-specific quality is inversely related to the intention to buy local food. Consumers with heightened levels of food involvement, either growing food or preparing most meals from scratch, are more likely to purchase local foods. (EconLit Citations: L660; Q130; Q180)
1 FIELD DEPENDENCY AND BRAND COGNITIVE STRUCTURES

The research reported here examines the impact of field dependency on the way people structure brand information in memory. The authors propose that an individual's level of field dependency is an important determinant of the way information is stored in one's mind. Specifically, the authors argue that field independents are more likely to extract and integrate episodic information to form overall brand beliefs. On the other hand, field dependents tend to store more detailed, episodic information in memory and are less likely to generalize information across product categories. The authors further propose that this effect is moderated by level of expertise and such differences have important implications for how individuals evaluate marketing communications. Results from five studies support their propositions. 4 Understanding how consumers represent and organize brand information in memory has been a topic of enduring interest in the marketing literature. The way information is structured in one's mind affects what information is retrieved, used, perceived and stored (Cowley and Mitchell 2003; Wyer and Srull 1989). As new brand information is acquired and integrated with existing knowledge in memory, individuals form brand cognitive structures in memory (Christensen and Olson 2002). These cognitive structures represent the interpreted meanings of brands and have important implications for many consumer behavior issues such as brand equity, brand extension evaluation, and brand personality (Keller 2003; Lawson 2002). Thus, it is important to gain a good understanding of how information is stored and used. Traditionally, it is assumed that people structure information in memory hierarchically (Cowley and Mitchell 2003). However, recent studies found that many factors (e.g., goals and expertise) may affect the way one structures information in memory. For instance, Huffman and Houston (1993) show that consumers tend to organize information learned around the goal(s) that drives the experiences. Luna and Peracchio (2002) found that language affects the linkages among concepts in memory. Cowley and Mitchell (2003) further show that provision of usage occasion information at encoding affects how information is structured subsequently. Other research also shows that environmental variables (e.g., socialization process) and cognitive abilities (John and Whitney 1986; Wyer and Srull 1989) are important variables to consider. Collectively, the above-cited research suggests that the way information is stored in memory is influenced by a number of individual and situational factors. However, despite extensive research on this topic, there has been minimal research on how processing styles may affect cognitive structures for brands. …
Factor-1 Involves Metal Response Elements and Metal Transcription Activation of Metallothionein Gene Expression by Hypoxia

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of stress-induced proteins with diverse physiological functions, including protection against metal toxicity and oxidants. They may also contribute to the regulation of cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and malignant progression. We reported previously that the human (h)MT-IIA isoform is induced in carcinoma cells (A431, SiHa, and HT29) exposed to low oxygen, conditions commonly found in solid tumors. The present study demonstrates that the genes for hMT-IIA and mouse (m)MT-I are transcriptionally activated by hypoxia through metal response elements (MREs) in their proximal promoter regions. These elements bind metal transcription factor-1 (MTF-1). Deletion and mutational analyses of thehMT-IIA promoter indicated that the hMRE-a element is essential for basal promoter activity and for induction by hypoxia, but that other elements contribute to the full transcriptional response. Functional studies of themMT-I promoter demonstrated that at least two other MREs (mMRE-d and mMRE-c) are responsive to hypoxia. Multiple copies of either hMRE-a or mMRE-d conferred hypoxia responsiveness to a minimalMT promoter. Mouse MT-I gene transcripts in fibroblasts with targeted deletions of bothMTF-1 alleles (MTF-1; dko7 cells) were not induced by zinc and showed low responsiveness to hypoxia. A transiently transfected MT promoter was unresponsive to hypoxia or zinc in dko7 cells, but inductions were restored by cotransfecting a mouse MTF-1 expression vector. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays detected a specific protein-DNA complex containing MTF-1 in nuclear extracts from hypoxic cells. Together, these results demonstrate that hypoxia activates MT gene expression through MREs and that this activation involves MTF-1.