Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mortality Predictors in Patients with Severe Dengue in the State of Amazonas, Brazil

Dengue is a major public health problem in tropical and subtropical areas worldwide. There is a lack of information on the risk factors for death due to severe dengue fever in developing countries, including Brazil where the state of Amazonas is located. This knowledge is important for decision making and the implementation of effective measures for patient care. This study aimed to identify factors associated with death among patients with severe dengue, in Amazonas from 2001 to 2013. We conducted a retrospective cohort study based on secondary data from the epidemiological surveillance of dengue provided by the Fundação de Vigilância em Saúde do Amazonas, FVS (Health Surveillance Foundation) of the Secretaria de Saúde do Amazonas, SUSAM (Health Secretariat of the State of Amazonas). Data on dengue cases were obtained from the SINAN (Notifiable Diseases Information System) and SIM (Mortality Information System) databases. We selected cases of severe dengue with laboratory confirmation, including dengue-related deaths of residents in the state of Amazonas from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2013. The explanatory variables analyzed were sex, age, level of education, spontaneous hemorrhagic manifestations, plasma extravasation and platelet count. Patients who died due to severe dengue had more hematuria, gastrointestinal bleeding, and thrombocytopenia than the survivors. Considering the simultaneous effects of demographic and clinical characteristics with a multiple logistic regression model, it was observed that the factors associated with death were age >55 years (odds ratio [OR] 4.98), gastrointestinal bleeding (OR 10.26), hematuria (OR 5.07), and thrombocytopenia (OR 2.55). Gastrointestinal bleeding was the clinical sign most strongly associated with death, followed by hematuria and age >55 years. The study results showed that the best predictor of death from severe dengue is based on the characteristic of age >55 years, together with the clinical signs of gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria, and low platelet count.
Oblivious routing schemes in extended generalized Fat Tree networks

A family of oblivious routing schemes for Fat Trees and their slimmed versions is presented in this work. First, two popular oblivious routing algorithms, which we refer to as S-mod-k and D-mod-k, are analyzed in detail. S-mod-k is the default routing algorithm given as an example in the first works formally describing Fat Tree networks. D-mod-k has been independently proposed and investigated by several authors, who conclude in their evaluations that it achieves better performance than a random or adaptive routing approach. First, we identify the reasons why these algorithms perform well. Using this insight we extend these algorithms, originally intended for full bisection networks, to slimmed networks. Based on the lessons learned we propose a new generalized family of algorithms that provides a better oblivious solution than the existing ones for this class of networks. Moreover, this family extends the previous work from k-ary n-trees to the more general class of extended generalized fat trees.
Posterior Midline Activation during Symptom Provocation in Acute Stress Disorder: An fMRI Study

Functional imaging studies of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder showed wide-spread activation of midline cortical areas during symptom provocation, i.e., exposure to trauma-related cues. The present study aimed at investigating neural activation during exposure to trauma-related pictures in patients with acute stress disorder (ASD) shortly after the traumatic event. Nineteen ASD patients and 19 healthy control participants were presented with individualized pictures of the traumatic event and emotionally neutral control pictures during the acquisition of whole-brain data with a 3-T fMRI scanner. Compared to the control group and to control pictures, ASD patients showed significant activation in midline cortical areas in response to trauma-related pictures including precuneus, cuneus, postcentral gyrus, and pre-supplementary motor area. The results suggest that the trauma-related pictures evoke emotionally salient self-referential processing in ASD patients.
Land and Economic Growth

This paper incorporates land in a neoclassical model of economic growth. Saving and investment functions are modified due to the existence of land and these modifications yield some interesting results concerning the rate of capital accumulation: First, the maximum consumption path is unattainable; and second, the rate of capital accumulation depends negatively on both the equilibrium rate of growth and the relative share of land in national income. The latter result is a quantification of an effect claimed by many observers to characterize certain underdeveloped countries; namely, that saving motives are satisfied by land holdings (and the increase in real land prices) rather than by capital accumulation. Equilibrium in neoclassical growth models with two assets was first examined by James Tobin (1965). Most of the subsequent work on two asset models has continued to use Tobin's assumption that the asset other than capital is government debt and that its importance for equilibrium growth obtains solely from its role
Reform and resistance in aboriginal education : the Australian experience

Despite years of policy directives, research projects and curriculum initiatives, Aboriginal students remain the most disadvantaged group in terms of education. Their early exiting from schooling, lack of close connections to mainstream educational settings, disproportional representation in ‘disciplinary techniques’ within schools, and their over-representation in the criminal justice system, all clearly indicate that Aboriginal youth have been given short shift within mainstream education – and see little of value in it in terms of their current and future lives. Evidence that something is seriously wrong has been available for a long time; what to do about it remains the unanswered question. The authors of Reform and Resistance in Aboriginal Education present a number of different answers, seeking a more holistic and constructive way forward.
Using Collaborations for Distributed Argumentation with Defeasible Logic Programming

In this paper, we extend previous work on distributed argumentation using Defeasible Logic Programming. There, several agents form a multi agent setting, in which they are able to generate arguments for a given query and counterarguments to the arguments of other agents. The framework is monitored by a moderator, which coordinates the argumentation process and can be seen as a judge overlooking the defender and accuser in a legal case. We extend this framework by allowing the agents to form alliances. We introduce a notion of cooperation for agents called collaborations , which allow the agents not only to argue with one another, but to share their beliefs in order to jointly generate new arguments. We give a declarative deﬁnition as well as an algorithmic characterization of the argument generation process and relate our framework with general Defeasi-ble Logic Programming.
Diurnal Variation in Martian Dust Devil Activity Journal Item

We show that the dust devil parameterisation in use in most Mars Global Circulation Models (MGCMs) results in an unexpectedly high level of dust devil activity during morning hours. Prior expectations of the diurnal variation of Martian dust devils are based mainly upon the observed behaviour of terrestrial dust devils: i.e. that the majority occur during the afternoon. We instead find that large areas of the Martian surface experience dust devil activity during the morning in our MGCM, and that many locations experience a peak in dust devil activity before mid-sol. We find that the diurnal variation in dust devil activity is governed by near-surface wind speeds. Within the range of daylight hours, higher wind speeds tend to produce higher levels of dust devil activity, rather than the activity simply being governed by the availability of heat at the planet’s surface, which peaks in early afternoon. Evidence for whether the phenomenon we observe is real or an artefact of the parameterisation is inconclusive. We compare our results with surface-based observations of Martian dust devil timings and obtain a good match with the majority of surveys. We do not find a good match with orbital observations, which identify a diurnal distribution more closely matching that of terrestrial dust devils, but orbital observations have limited temporal coverage, biased towards the early afternoon. We propose that the generally accepted description of dust devil behaviour on Mars is incomplete, and that theories of dust devil formation may need to be modified specifically for the Martian environment. Further surveys of dust devil observations are required to support any such modifications. These surveys should include both surface and orbital observations, and the range of observations must encompass the full diurnal period and consider the wider meteorological context surrounding the observations.
Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior

A leading evolutionary psychologist probes the hidden instincts behind our working, shopping, and spending Evolutionary psychology-the compelling science of human nature-has clarified the prehistoric origins of human behavior and influenced many fields ranging from economics to personal relationships. In "Spent" Geoffrey Miller applies this revolutionary science's principles to a new domain: the sensual wonderland of marketing and status seeking that we call American consumer culture. Starting with the basic notion that the goods and services we buy unconsciously advertise our biological potential as mates and friends, Miller examines the hidden factors that dictate our choices in everything from lipstick to cars, from the magazines we read to the music we listen to. With humor and insight, Miller analyzes an array of product choices and deciphers what our decisions say about ourselves, giving us access to a new way of understanding-and improving-our behaviors. Like "Freakonomics" or "The Tipping Point, Spent" is a bold and revelatory book that illuminates the unseen logic behind the chaos of consumerism and suggests new ways we can become happier consumers and more responsible citizens.
A new digital camera zooming solution

A new zooming algorithm suitable for single-sensor imaging devices is introduced. The proposed method is capable of zooming and enlarging data acquired by single sensor cameras operating on the Bayer color filter array (CFA) pattern. The approach allows for operations on noise-free data at the hardware level. Complexity and cost implementation are thus greatly reduced. Based on a color difference model and an adaptive edge-sensing mechanism, the proposed method produces sharp, visually pleasing outputs. At the same time, it yields excellent performance, in terms of both subjective and objective image quality measure.
Production versus Revenue Efficiency with Limited Tax Capacity: Theory and Evidence from Pakistan

To fight evasion, many developing countries use production-inefficient tax policies. This includes minimum tax schemes whereby firms are taxed on either profits or turnover, depending on which tax liability is larger. Such schemes create nonstandard kink points, which allow for eliciting evasion responses to switches between profit and turnover taxes using a bunching approach. Using administrative data on corporations in Pakistan, we estimate that turnover taxes reduce evasion by up to 60–70 percent of corporate income. Incorporating this in a calibrated optimal tax model, we find that switching from profit to turnover taxation increases revenue by 74 percent without reducing aggregate profits.
Image Retargeting by Texture-Aware Synthesis

Real-world images usually contain vivid contents and rich textural details, which will complicate the manipulation on them. In this paper, we design a new framework based on exampled-based texture synthesis to enhance content-aware image retargeting. By detecting the textural regions in an image, the textural image content can be synthesized rather than simply distorted or cropped. This method enables the manipulation of textural & non-textural regions with different strategies since they have different natures. We propose to retarget the textural regions by example-based synthesis and non-textural regions by fast multi-operator. To achieve practical retargeting applications for general images, we develop an automatic and fast texture detection method that can detect multiple disjoint textural regions. We adjust the saliency of the image according to the features of the textural regions. To validate the proposed method, comparisons with state-of-the-art image retargeting techniques and a user study were conducted. Convincing visual results are shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Do angiotensin II receptor blockers increase the risk of myocardial infarction?

AIMS The uncertainty surrounding safety of angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) increased after publication of experimental and clinical studies which suggested an excess risk of myocardial infarction (MI) in people treated with ARBs. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials, which compared ARBs with either a placebo or active drugs different from ARBs. Overall, ARBs were not associated with an excess risk of MI [odds ratio (OR): 1.03 in a random-effect model and 1.02 in a fixed-effect model]. In pre-specified subgroup analyses, incidence of MI did not differ between ARBs and either placebo (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.84-1.10) or angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-Inhibitors (OR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.91-1.07). Incidence of MI was slightly higher with ARBs than with drug classes different from ACE-Inhibitors (OR: 1.16; P=0.06 in a random-effect model and 0.017 in a fixed-effect model). Cardiovascular mortality did not differ between ARBs and drugs different from ARBs (OR: 1.00 in a random-effect model and 0.99 in a fixed-effect model) and it was slightly lesser with ARBs than with placebo (OR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.83-0.99; P=0.042) in a pre-specified subgroup analysis. CONCLUSION Our findings do not support the hypothesis that ARBs increase the risk of MI.
Perceived organizational support, career satisfaction, and performance outcomes: A study of hotel employees in Cameroon

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to develop and test a research model that examines career satisfaction as a mediator of the effect of perceived organizational support on service recovery performance and job performance.Design/methodology/approach – Based on data obtained from frontline hotel employees with a time lag of one month and their immediate supervisors in Cameroon, the hypothesized relationships were tested using LISREL 8.30 through structural equation modeling.Findings – The results suggested that the fully mediated model had a better fit to the data when compared to the partially mediated model. As hypothesized, perceived organizational support influenced service recovery performance and job performance only via career satisfaction.Research limitations/implications – Investigating the study relationships over a longer period of time than was done in this study would be useful for making causal inferences conclusively. Replication studies with larger sample sizes in different hospitality .
THE DIVERGING EFFECTS OF THE BUSINESS CYCLE ON THE EXPECTED DURATION OF JOB-SEARCH

Where rigid wages prevent labor-market clearing, employers become more choosy and job-seekers accept lower-ranked jobs in cyclical downturns. Thus, the duration of job-search of highly-qualified job-seekers should be less cyclically sensitive than for low-skilled job-seekers and, controlling for personal characteristics, job-seekers will find lower-ranked jobs during the downturn. These predictions are tested for the Netherlands, 1982-85. Individual transition rates from job-search to employment are estimated. Employment is classified by occupation to distinguish job ranks. Transition rates by occupation are estimated. Copyright 1993 by Royal Economic Society.
Characterization of Fixed Modes in a Structurally Constrained Control System with Input and Output Delays

Abstract The problem of controlling a linear time-invariant (LTI) system subject to input and output delays by means of structurally constrained controllers is considered in this paper. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given to determine if a distinct mode of the system is fixed with respect to a decentralized or overlapping information flow structure. In general, a fixed mode of a time-delay system may not be fixed if the length of the delay varies. However, it is shown that a specific type of fixed modes remain fixed for any value of delay. Conditions are also provided to characterize this type of delay-independent fixed modes. The importance of the results obtained is illustrated by a numerical example.
Regional Foreign Direct Investment and Wage Spillovers: Plant Level Evidence from the UK Electronics Industry

This paper examines the extent to which foreign investment in the UK generates wage spillovers in the domestic sector of the economy using a simultaneous dynamic panel data model and focusing on the electronics sector, possibly the most ‘globalized’ sector of UK manufacturing. It finds evidence that the higher wages paid by foreign firms cause wages in the domestic sector to be bid up. This phenomenon is, however, largely confined to the region where foreign direct investment takes place.
Analyzing Non-Participation in Domestic Tourism: a Combined Framework

ABSTRACT Non-tourists comprise a large potential market, but are rarely studied in research. This paper aims to examine the reasons behind the non-participation of individuals in domestic tourism through a proposed combined framework which incorporates concepts presented in the psychological continuum model and constraint negotiation model from the field of sports and leisure respectively. Data were analyzed using binary logit regression and comparative analysis. The findings indicate that tourism cognition/awareness, tourism affection/interest, and tourism behavior intention, have a significant effect on the non-participation of individuals in domestic tourism while intrapersonal and economic constraints are regarded as the most difficult constraints to be negotiated by non-tourists.
Computation of nutrient pools and fluxes at the entrance to the Baltic Sea , 1974 – 1999

Monthly time series of nutrient pools and transport in the Baltic Entrance were computed for the period 1974–1999 from a combination of hydrodynamic model results and observational data obtained in national monitoring programmes. Significant seasonal variations in both nutrient pools and transport were found. For example, inflowing dense nutrient-rich Skagerrak water causes net transport of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) and inorganic nitrogen (DIN) towards the Baltic during summer where surface concentrations are low. Surface-water concentrations of DIN and DIP increase during winter and the net transport may reverse. The computations indicated that the pools of dissolved inorganic phosphorus and total phosphorus (TP) were larger in the 1980s than in previous and following decades. Variations in pools of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and total nitrogen (TN) were more irregular throughout the period. Computed nutrient transports likewise exhibited long-term variations. Net transport of DIN and DIP was southward, from the Skagerrak to the Kattegat and further into the Belt Sea, during the 1970s. In the same period, the transport of DIN and DIP from the Baltic Sea to the Baltic entrance was below average. In both the Kattegat and the Belt Sea transports reversed during the 1980s. In the 1990s the southward transport of DIP was restored, but the transport of DIN was not restored to the same extent. Between the Kattegat and the Skagerrak the transport diminished while the Belt Sea continued to export DIN to the Kattegat. Northward transports of TN and TP persisted throughout the period. A notable maximum TP transport was found to have taken place during the 1980s. r 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
A Unified Model of Distorted Investment: Theory and Evidence

This paper develops and tests a model of investment that integrates six theories: Tobin's Q, costly external funds, empire building, shirking, debt overhang, and managerial myopia. In contrast to earlier theoretical work that often fails to identify empirically testable hypotheses, we link the CEO's optimality condition and estimation. In particular, a closed-form expression relating the CEO's shadow price of capital to observables is derived. The use of a unified model allows us to empirically distinguish between competing theories. There is strong evidence in favor of empire building incentives, with the effect being strongest when founder status is used as a proxy for empire preferences. In particular, the investment of CEOs that are not members of the founding family is consistent with their deriving an annual benefit of $0.40 per $1000 of installed capital, while the investment of CEOs that are members of the founding family is consistent with a benefit of $3.30 per $1000 of capital. We find substantial evidence in favor of managerial myopia, and modest evidence of costly external funds and overhang. The Q and shirking theories are rejected.
The power of priors: How confirmation bias impacts market prices

One form of confirmation bias is the tendency for people to ignore information that is inconsistent with their current beliefs. While confirmation bias is the subject of both analytical models and experiments in accounting and finance, its effect on market prices has not been studied due to limitations associated with traditional financial markets. In eleven real-money movie box office prediction markets, confirmation bias was induced in all traders via the explanation effect, i.e. a requirement to submit a box office forecast and an explanation prior to trading. When all traders are subject to confirmation bias, market prices do not accurately reflect new, value-relevant information. However, in comparable a set of seven real-money movie prediction markets that included both traders who have not been subject to explanation requirement and those who have, we find efficient incorporation of new information into market prices. This study extends our knowledge of the conditions under which individual trader biases affect market prices and provides potential insights into open questions about forecasting errors among financial analysts.
The Effect of the EEC and EFTA on European Trade: A Temporal Cross-Section Analysis

Utilizing a cross-sectional trade flow model of the type developed by Hans Linnemann and Jan Tinbergen, this study attempts to isolate empirically the major forces which have shaped European trade relations over the period 1951-67. We first estimate via the use of dummy variables the impact of the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on member trade. For each year of the European integration period (1959-67), a crosssectional equation is estimated ancl used to test for the existence and approximate size of the respective integration effects. The equation is also calculated for the eight years prior to the integration period to obtain a clear picture of the forces which were at work before the formation of the EEC. Secondly, a base year equation is used to make projection estimates of the gross trade creation and European trade diversion effects of the two communities.