Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a Clinical Prediction Rule for Guiding Treatment of a Subgroup of Patients With Neck Pain: Use of Thoracic Spine Manipulation, Exercise, and Patient Education

Background and Purpose To date, no studies have investigated the predictive validity of variables from the initial examination to identify patients with neck pain who are likely to benefit from thoracic spine thrust manipulation. The purpose of this study was to develop a clinical prediction rule (CPR) to identify patients with neck pain who are likely to experience early success from thoracic spine thrust manipulation. Subjects This was a prospective, cohort study of patients with mechanical neck pain who were referred for physical therapy. Methods Subjects underwent a standardized examination and then a series of thoracic spine thrust manipulation techniques. They were classified as having experienced a successful outcome at the second and third sessions based on their perceived recovery. Potential predictor variables were entered into a stepwise logistic regression model to determine the most accurate set of variables for prediction of treatment success. Results Data for 78 subjects were included in the data analysis, of which 42 had a successful outcome. A CPR with 6 variables was identified. If 3 of the 6 variables (positive likelihood ratio=5.5) were present, the chance of experiencing a successful outcome improved from 54% to 86%. Discussion and Conclusion The CPR provides the ability to a priori identify patients with neck pain who are likely to experience early success with thoracic spine thrust manipulation. However, future studies are necessary to validate the rule.
Credit Rationing and Implicit Contract Theory

THE RECENT SURVEY by Baltensperger [S] shows that the question of why bankers undertake nonprice rationing of credit is still very much unanswered. Previous attempts to address the question have ended up merely assuming the answer. For example, the attempts prior to the 1960s all involved the assumption that interest rates could not adjust so as always to clear the market for credit, the attempt by Hodgman [9] did not really address the issue of interest rate determination, and the later attempt by Jaffee and Modigliani [10] involved the assumption that banks cannot charge different rates to all of their customers. The only analysis in the literature that is free from this criticism is that of Jaffee and Russell [11], which focuses on adverse selection concerning default by dishonest customers. Meanwhile, recent developments in the theory of labor contracts (e.g., [1, 2, 3, 4, 7]) have made progress in answering the closely analogous question of why firms lay workers off rather than adjust wages. The purpose of the present paper is to show how these developments can be used and extended so as to provide a tentative answer to the question of why bankers ration credit. 1
Pros and cons of various fiscal measures to stimulate the economy

We review the theoretical and empirical literature on the effects of discretionary fiscal policies, against the background of renewed fiscal policy activism. In this sense, we analyze the main pros and cons of various fiscal tools to stimulate the economy. We show that it is extremely difficult to elaborate an unambiguous catalogue of measures defining an ? optimal? fiscal package. Among the requirements that fiscal measures should be ? timely, targeted and temporary? (TTT), the implementation of the first one ? timeliness ? is the least controversial criterion in the current situation. On the basis of the literature review, we provide some hints on the appropriate composition of a fiscal stimulus packages. The review of the pros and cons of short-term fiscal stimulus packages cannot be decoupled from the discussion of the ? exit strategies? , i.e. the means of financing fiscal expansions, and the intertemporal consistency of fiscal plans.
Turning Points in the Civil War: Views from the Greenback Market

In early 1862, the United States government began issuing Greenbacks, a legal tender currency that was not convertible into gold. The government promised to redeem the Greenbacks in gold eventually, but speculators understood that the probability of redemption depended on Union Army military fortunes and political developments that affected the total cost of the war. To serve the speculative interest in gold, a market emerged for the purpose of trading Greenbacks for gold dollars. Because the market price of a Greenback reflected the public's perceptions of future war costs, the movement of these prices provides unique insights into how people at the time perceived various events. We use daily quotations of the gold price of Greenbacks to identify a set of dates during the Civil War that market participants regarded as turning points. In some cases, these dates coincide with events familiar from conventional historical accounts of the war. In other instances, however, market participants reacted strongly to events that historians have not viewed as very significant.
Hedging and the Competitive Firm under Price Uncertainty

Recent models of the competitive firm under uncertainty have explored ways in which the competitive firm's decisions would deviate from those of a firm operating with certainty and have explored the effects of increasing risk aversion on the firm's decisions (see, for example, Agnar Sandmo; David Baron; Hayne Leland; R. N. Batra and Aman Ullah; and the author). These models all assume that the firm's only response to uncertainty is to adjust its output or input levels. In practice, however, a number of institutions have been developed to aid firms in the management of risk. One of the most common methods used to deal with price uncertainty is hedging. Futures markets exist for many agricultural products and some metals. Firms may also use forward contracts to fix the price at which output or inputs are traded in the future. Although there is a large literature dealing with futures markets, few attempts have been made to incorporate futures or forward trading in the theory of the firm. ' Such a model is developed in this paper. A risk-averse, competitive firm is assumed to face price uncertainty. It must choose its level of output before the price uncertainty is resolved and may, at the same time, buy or sell output in a forward market at a fixed price. The major result of the paper is that the firm will produce a level of output which depends only on the forward price and is, in particular, independent of the firm's degree of risk aversion and the probability distribution of the uncertain price. In addition, if the forward price is less than the expected future price, the firm will generally hedge some, but not all, output in the forward market; it will hedge more, the more risk averse it is; and it will hedge more as the riskiness of the uncertain price increases. Finally, the existence of a forward market will generally induce the firm to produce a greater output than it would have in the absence of such a market.
A Test of Endogenous Trade Bloc Formation Theory on EU Data

This paper empirically confronts one explanation of spreading regionalism with the European experience. The domino theory asserts that forming a preferential trade area, or deepening an existing one, produces trade diversion that generates new political-economy forces in third nations as third-nation exporters seek to redress the new discrimination and profit from newly deepened preferences. The pressure increases with the bloc’s size yet bloc size depends upon how many nations join, so a single incidence of regionalism may trigger several rounds of membership requests from nations that were previously happy to stay out. We estimate a time-series of EU trade creation and diversion over the last five decades and use these to estimate a model EU membership demands. The results provide broad support for the model and show that trade diversion has a more powerful impact on membership than trade creation.
Information Search Behavior and Tourist Characteristics

SUMMARY The Internet as a new form of media is impacting tourist information provision and acquisition. A better understanding of the use of the Internet and other information sources by tourists will benefit the marketing efforts of destination organizations. Based on a general consumer behavior theory by Berkman and Gilson (1986), this study examined the relationships between tourists' use of the Internet vs. other information sources and their characteristics. It was found that demographic characteristics of gender and household income and situational factors of trip purpose and travel party type were significantly related to tourists' choices of information sources; and such behavior was associated with their trip outcomes of accommodation types and expenditure. The study's implications were discussed in the context of destination marketing.
A comparison of single-photon emission CT lung scintigraphy and CT pulmonary angiography for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND This study compared single-photon emission CT (SPECT) ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scintigraphy with multislice CT pulmonary angiography (CTPA). METHODS In a prospective, observational study, 100 patients who were >or= 50 years of age were recruited. Seventy-nine patients underwent both diagnostic 16-detector CTPA, and planar and SPECT V/Q scintigraphy. The agreement between the CTPA and the SPECT V/Q scintigraphy for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) was calculated. The sensitivity and specificity of blinded SPECT scintigraphy reporting was calculated against a reference diagnosis made by a panel of respiratory physicians that was provided with CTPA and planar V/Q scintigraphy reports, clinical information, and 3-month follow-up data. RESULTS The observed percentage of agreement between SPECT V/Q scintigraphy and CTPA data for the diagnosis of PE was 95%. When calculated against the respiratory physicians' reference diagnosis, SPECT V/Q scintigraphy had a sensitivity of 83% and a specificity of 98%. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that SPECT V/Q scintigraphy is a viable alternative to CTPA for the diagnosis of PE and has potential advantages in that it was feasible in more patients and had fewer contraindications; lower radiation dose; and, arguably, fewer nondiagnostic findings than CTPA. TRIAL REGISTRATION Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Registration Number: ACTRN12609000089235.
Telomerase Inhibitory Effects of Red Pigment Rubropunctatin and Statin Monacolin L Isolated from Red Yeast Rice

In addition to the cholesterol-lowering activity of red yeast rice (RYR), its anticancer activities have been frequently reported. However, the mechanism of action of the anticancer activity of RYR is not yet fully understood. The objective of the current study was to elucidate anticancer compositions and anticancer mechanism of actions of RYR. The isolated compounds from RYR were subjected to anti-proliferation assay, apoptosis assay via flow cytometry, and telomerase inhibitory assay via telomeric repeat amplification protocol-PCR (TRAP-PCR) assay, and Western blotting assay in an in vitro cell culture system. The results showed that a statin, monacolin L, and a red pigment, rubropunctatin, from RYR exhibited very strong cancer cell proliferation inhibitory effects; the rubropunctatin was comparable with anticancer drug cis-platinum, taxol, and 10-hydroxy-camptothecin (HCPT) in their IC50 values. Monacolin L and rubropunctatin exerted their anticancer activity via telomerase inhibitory effects. Monacolin L and rubropunctatin presented the similar telomerase inhibitory effects as the anticancer drug cis-platinum, while the anticancer drug HCPT presented a weak telomerase inhibitory effect in the TRAP-PCR assay. Meanwhile, rubropunctatin and cis-platinum did not present strong apoptosis induction activity as the momacolin L and HCPT did. These results indicate that the RYR may exert anticancer effects through the telomerase inhibitory effect of rubropunctatin and the apoptosis-induction effect of monacolin L.
Cultural intelligence and export performance of small and medium enterprises in Thailand: Mediating roles of organizational capabilities

This article explores the influence of the cultural intelligence of business owners upon the international performance of their firms, noting the mediating roles of international knowledge acquisition capability and adaptive capability. Using a questionnaire survey, data from 129 small and medium firms in Thailand were collected. Results from the partial least squares regression analysis found a positive effect of cultural intelligence on export performance; this was mediated through international knowledge acquisition capability but not through adaptive capability.
Secondary students' perfectionism and their response to different programming learning tools

In this study, we examined the effect of perfectionism on learning programming using different computer applications, and the levels of motivational and attainment. Three representative multimedia-oriented programming tools are used: Visual Basic Express, Scratch and a 2D-Programmable PyGame Based Computer Game. A total of 591 of secondary school students located in Perak region were sampled. The respondents were categorized according to the degree of perfectionisms using the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionisms Scale (FMPS). We found that there were significant differences in both motivational and attainment levels between different programming learning tools. Specifically, for both low-positive and high-positive perfectionist groups, the students who use Scratch and PyGame tend to score high in the motivational and attainment variables when compared to the Visual Basic Express. Scratch and PyGame seem to be more attractive and thus make learning programming more effective. Our findings provide insights to educators in schools who are selecting and using appropriate software for teaching programming courses.
Gender and diversity

Among trade unions, women, black, disabled and lesbian and gay members are increasingly recognised as significant in the drive for increases in membership. In turn, unions have come under mounting pressure from these constituencies to ensure that their interests and concerns are represented within the union and at the bargaining table. The challenge is how to reformulate notions and practices of trade union democracy to recognise that membership is increasingly diverse and diversely politicised. Here we examine how traditional approaches to trade union democracy have been revised following demands for gender democracy and the need to reflect membership diversity, and consider whether such strategies are sufficient. We do so by drawing on research with two unions; the print union, the GPMU, a private sector industrial union where women make up only 17 per cent of the membership, and the public service union UNISON, where women are three‐quarters of the members.
Vitamin C and glycohemoglobin revisited.

Blood glucose (BG) concentrations averaged over a 2- to 3-month period are represented by blood glycohemoglobin (GHb) as a percentage of total hemoglobin. Strict glycemic control is important to the successful outcome of diabetic pregnancy and in avoiding development of many diabetic complications (1). Hyperglycemia in nondiabetics is a major risk factor in cardiovascular disease and cancer (2). Thus, knowledge of an individual’s true GHb value is vital. This need has prompted continuing investigations of potential interferences in GHb assays (3)(4), including conflicting reports on the effect of vitamin C on GHb (5)(6)(7). …
Unemployment and Diabetes

Unemployment was examined in a random sample of diabetic clinic attenders and a group of non‐diabetic control subjects aged 17–65 years, selected from eight different centres in Great Britain. Data on employment were obtained using a postal questionnaire and medical details were collected from diabetic clinic notes. Out of a 61 % response rate, 22 % of males and 12 % of females with diabetes were unemployed compared with 8 and 5 % of the control group (both p < 0.001). A greater percentage of people with diabetes were economically inactive, that is retired, unable to work, ill or housewives compared with the control group (29 vs 14 %, p < 0.001). Young people with diabetes (16–25 years) had the highest rates of unemployment. A matched pairs analysis confirmed that diabetic men had higher unemployment rates than their controls (14 vs 7 %, p < 0.001). Comparisons were made between unemployment rates for the eight geographical areas and published unemployment statistics; unemployment rates were significantly higher for men with diabetes except at one centre. A stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that variables which were predictive of unemployment were similar to those expected for people without diabetes. Unemployment is apparently a problem for the person with diabetes, especially for the young.
Predictors of Audience Interest in Adopting Digital Television

Although the deadline for mandated digital transmission for broadcast television (DTV) is fast approaching, we still know relatively little about viewer knowledge about and interest in adopting the new, higher resolution television receivers. This study profiles likely DTV adopters in terms of social locators, media adoption, orientation toward adopting new media, and affective measures. The relative success of the latter in distinguishing between likely DTV adopters and nonadopters underscores the utility of a new set of attitudinal variables to supplement demographics and technology adoption measures. These elements were less successful in explaining DTV awareness levels, which were relatively low.
New Trading Practices and Short-Run Market Efficiency

We document a large decrease in autocorrelation and increase in variance of recent short-run returns on several broad stock market indexes, over the 1983-89 period, 15-minute returns went from being highly positively serially correlated to practically uncorrelated. Over the past twenty years, daily and weekly autocorrelations have also fallen, we use transactions data to decompose short-run index autocorrelation into three components: bid-ask bounce, nontrading effects, and noncomtemporaneous cross-stock correlations in specialists' quotes. The first two factors do not explain the autocorrelation's decline. We argue that new trading practices have improved the processing of market-wide information, and that the recent decreases in autocorrelation and increases in volatility simply reflect these improvements.
Comparison of the Counter Cyclical Program to a Proposed Counter Cyclical Revenue Program

The Secretary of Agriculture recently provided Congress with a report entitled “2007 Farm Bill Proposals” prepared by USDA. The report contains a large number of proposed changes to the 2002 Farm Bill, which could directly impact the incomes of crop producers. One such proposal calls for replacing the counter cyclical payment (CCP) program with a counter cyclical revenue (CCR) program.
An Analysis of the Content of Corporate Submissions on Proposed Accounting Standards in the UK

Abstract In this paper, ‘content analysis’ is used to investigate corporate submissions on proposed accounting standards on two levels. First, the written submissions of companies on 28 of the first 31 UK Exposure Drafts (EDs) are examined in detail for any economic or political references. A moderate level of evidence is found to support the hypothesis that some potential economic and political consequences of ED proposals are a major interest of corporate management. The second ‘content analysis’ endeavours to identify the relative significance to corporate management of 27 EDs by simply comparing the absolute and relative numbers both of respondents and also of lines in their ‘comments’. This approach could be used to derive ‘weights’ for analytical models that consider the economic and political consequences of groups of ED ‘comments’ together. It is found that there are statistically significant high positive correlations between the results of the two content analyses. That is, EDs that in their ‘co.
From Neural Sentence Summarization to Headline Generation: A Coarse-to-Fine Approach

Headline generation is a task of abstractive text summarization, and previously suffers from the immaturity of natural language generation techniques. Recent success of neural sentence summarization models shows the capacity of generating informative, fluent headlines conditioned on selected recapitulative sentences. In this paper, we investigate the extension of sentence summarization models to the document headline generation task. The challenge is that extending the sentence summarization model to consider more document information will mostly confuse the model and hurt the performance. In this paper, we propose a coarse-to-fine approach, which first identifies the important sentences of a document using document summarization techniques, and then exploits a multi-sentence summarization model with hierarchical attention to leverage the important sentences for headline generation. Experimental results on a large real dataset demonstrate the proposed approach significantly improves the performance of neural sentence summarization models on the headline generation task.
RNase/Anti-RNase Activities of the Bacterial parD Toxin-Antitoxin System

ABSTRACT The bacterial parD toxin-antitoxin system of plasmid R1 encodes two proteins, the Kid toxin and its cognate antitoxin, Kis. Kid cleaves RNA and inhibits protein synthesis and cell growth in Escherichia coli. Here, we show that Kid promotes RNA degradation and inhibition of protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. These new activities of the Kid toxin were counteracted by the Kis antitoxin and were not displayed by the KidR85W variant, which is nontoxic in E. coli. Moreover, while Kid cleaved single- and double-stranded RNA with a preference for UAA or UAC triplets, KidR85W maintained this sequence preference but hardly cleaved double-stranded RNA. Kid was formerly shown to inhibit DNA replication of the ColE1 plasmid. Here we provide in vitro evidence that Kid cleaves the ColE1 RNA II primer, which is required for the initiation of ColE1 replication. In contrast, KidR85W did not affect the stability of RNA II, nor did it inhibit the in vitro replication of ColE1. Thus, the endoribonuclease and the cytotoxic and DNA replication-inhibitory activities of Kid seem tightly correlated. We propose that the spectrum of action of this toxin extends beyond the sole inhibition of protein synthesis to control a broad range of RNA-regulated cellular processes.
Structural and functional MRI from a cross-sectional Southwest University Adult lifespan Dataset (SALD)

Recently, the field of development neuroscience aims to uncover the developmental trajectory of the human brain and understand the changes that occur as a function of aging. Here we present an adult lifespan dataset of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data including structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI. 494 healthy adults (age range: 19-80 years; Males=187) were recruited and completed two multi-modal MRI scan sessions in the Brain Imaging Central of Southwest University, Chongqing, China. The goals of the dataset are to give researchers the opportunity to map the developmental trajectory of structural and functional changes of human brain to replicate previous findings.
Initiating U.S. Free Trade Agreements: How Do Potential Partners Stack Up?

We use fitted values from a standard gravity equation to rank countries as possible U.S. free trade agreement partners based on trade and investment potential. The European Union and Japan are ranked highest based on this methodology and individual Bush administration FTA initiatives generally generally are ranked very low. However, the combined affects of completed and proposed Bush FTAs have the potential to rank almost as high as the EU and Japan separately. This result is consistent with the view that, despite widespread criticism of the Bush administration's choices of FTA partners, the overall impact may be significant.