Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microcirculation in open vs. minimally invasive dorsal stabilization of thoracolumbar fractures

Standard open and percutaneous minimally invasive surgical procedures co-exist in the treatment of fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. Shorter skin incisions just above the pedicles are used in minimally invasive procedures. Full-length skin incisions and invasive preparations are applied in the standard open approach. While both methods show equivalent rates of intraoperative surgical complications and comparable clinical and radiological outcomes, blood loss and operation time have shown to be decreased in minimally invasive treatment. However, no study so far has investigated differences in microcirculation. This study hypothesized less impairment of microcirculation in the minimally invasive approach compared to the open approach and an improvement of microcirculation over time. A prospective cohort study was conducted using non-invasive laser-Doppler spectrophotometry (an O2C “oxygen to see” device) for measurement of cutaneous and subcutaneous blood oxygenation (SO2), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), and blood flow at depths of 2, 8, and 15 mm at six locations on the skin. Measurements were performed before surgery, 8 and 24 h after surgery, and 2, 4, 7, 12 and 20 days after surgery, however the number of patients measured decreased towards the later time points. Forty patients were included in the study, 20 with each approach (18 females and 22 males). Pair-wise comparison of the types of surgical procedure for each measurement point revealed a significantly higher flow value in the minimally invasive group at one of the measurement points located between the incisions (P = .041). The point-wise analyses of SO2 and Hb did not show significant differences between the approaches. In conclusion, significantly albeit moderately higher flow values could be found in minimally invasive procedures compared to open operations of thoracolumbar fractures in the area of skin that is spared by the incisions.
Unpacking Corruption

Unpacking corruption has advantages over using aggregate measures of corruption when theory generates different predictions about the effects of political institutions on different kinds of corruption. We take advantage of the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance surveys conducted in 1999, 2002, and 2005 to investigate the effect of veto players on state capture and bureaucratic corruption in the postcommunist countries. According to our results, a greater number of veto players is associated with less state capture. By contrast, the number of veto players does not have a significant impact on bureaucratic corruption.
Aprendizagem Tecnológica e Inovação Industrial em Economias Emergentes: uma Breve Contribuição para o Desenho e Implementação de Estudos Empíricos e Estratégias no Brasil

The theme of industrial innovation strategies was formally brought into the government agenda in Brazil during the late-1960s. Since then, there has been a profusion of studies based on descriptions and analysis relative to the design and implementation of industrial innovation strategies. Despite the merit of the existing works in this field in Brazil, there still is a scarcity of both conceptual and, in particular, management approaches to contribute to improving innovation strategies in Brazil. Thus, the focus of this article is centred on two tasks. The first is to clarify some definitions underlying the design and implementation of empirical studies and industrial innovation strategies from the perspective on technological learning in emerging economies. The second is to present some metrics associated with the design and implementation of such strategies and empirical studies, particularly in Brazil. The article seeks to clarify and enlarge the understanding of the intricate process of technological development in the context of emerging economies and, thus, assist researchers and managers involved with industrial innovation management in Brazil.
Economic, social and environmental dimension of sustainable competitiveness of European countries

Over the last decade, promotion of competitiveness represents one of the central goals of economic policy of most of the countries. Moreover, in recent years, the promotion of competitiveness has been seen as a way of achieving desirable changes in economy and society. While there is no unity of views in the theory regarding the conceptual definition of the phenomenon of competitiveness, it is becoming less arguable that in strictly economic terms, competitiveness is a synonym for productivity. However, it should be noted that productivity growth that is accompanied by increasing social imbalance (for example, inequality in income distribution), on the one hand, and environmental pollution, on the other hand, cannot be a guarantee of improving the competitiveness of countries in the long run. Acknowledging precisely this fact and using the data from World Economic Forum on Global Competitiveness 2013, this paper elaborates on the phenomenon of sustainable competitiveness and tests the hypothesis about the positive impact of its social and environmental dimension on the economic dimension of sustainable competitiveness that is represented by the value of the Global Competitiveness Index. The survey of 34 countries confirmed the indisputable positive impact of the social dimension of sustainability, but also variable direction of the impact of the environmental dimension of sustainability (depending on the level of GDP per capita) on the economic dimension of sustainable competitiveness of European countries in 2013.
Critical success factors for the successful implementation of six sigma projects in organisations

Six sigma is a popular approach to drive out variability from processes using powerful statistical tools and techniques. Although originally introduced by Motorola in 1986 as a quality performance measurement, six sigma has evolved into a statistically oriented approach to process and product quality improvement. Many organisations have reported significant benefits as a result of six sigma project implementation, though not all are yet success stories. This paper reviews the literature related to the critical success factors for the effective implementation of six sigma projects in organisations.
Traits controlling body size in copepods: separating general constraints from species-specific strategies

A new synthesis of laboratory measurements of food-saturated development and growth across diverse copepod taxa was conducted in a theoretical framework that distinguishes general allometric constraints on copepod physiology from contingent strategies that correlate with size for other reasons. After temperature correction, the allometry of growth rate is inconsistent between the ontogeny of Calanus spp. , where it follows the classic -0.3 power-law scaling, and a broader spectrum of adult size Wa(0.3 to 2000 μg C, Oithona spp. to Neocalanus spp.), across which the classic scaling appears to represent only an upper limit. Over the full size spectrum, after temperature correction, a growth rate g0 relative to the -0.3 power law correlates with adult size better than does relative (temperature-corrected) development rate u0; in contrast, at a finer scale of diversity (among Calanus spp., or among large (>50 μg C) calanoids in general), u0 is the better correlate with adult size and the effect of g0 is insignificant. Across all these scales, the ratio of relative growth and development rates g0/u0 is a better predictor of adult size than g0 or u0 alone, consistent with a simple model of individual growth.
Efficacy of independence sampling in replica exchange simulations of ordered and disordered proteins

Recasting temperature replica exchange (T‐RE) as a special case of Gibbs sampling has led to a simple and efficient scheme for enhanced mixing (Chodera and Shirts, J. Chem. Phys., 2011, 135, 194110). To critically examine if T‐RE with independence sampling (T‐REis) improves conformational sampling, we performed T‐RE and T‐REis simulations of ordered and disordered proteins using coarse‐grained and atomistic models. The results demonstrate that T‐REis effectively increase the replica mobility in temperatures space with minimal computational overhead, especially for folded proteins. However, enhanced mixing does not translate well into improved conformational sampling. The convergences of thermodynamic properties interested are similar, with slight improvements for T‐REis of ordered systems. The study re‐affirms the efficiency of T‐RE does not appear to be limited by temperature diffusion, but by the inherent rates of spontaneous large‐scale conformational re‐arrangements. Due to its simplicity and efficacy of enhanced mixing, T‐REis is expected to be more effective when incorporated with various Hamiltonian‐RE protocols. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimal Price and Selling Effort from the Perspectives of the Broker and Seller

This paper uses numerical solutions of a dynamic optimization model to examine the principal-agent relationship between the seller and broker in residential real estate markets. Potential conflict of interest is quantified in two dimensions, the level of selling effort the broker puts forth, and the reservation price for the property. The dynamic optimization model reveals that the use of a finite duration listing contract will induce the broker to increase his or her effort level compared to an unlimited duration contract, and that the broker's optimal effort will increase over time, becoming greater as the listing contract expiration time draws nearer ("rational procrastination"). The numerical analysis indicates that with plausible parameter values, conflict of interest problems regarding broker effort level are minor or nonexistent near the end of the listing contract, but potentially important near the beginning of the contract. In contrast, the conflict of interest regarding reservation price is more severe near the end of the listing contract and is exacerbated by the use of finite duration contracts, the more so the shorter the contract. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
The impact of work on the night blood pressure dipping profile

Objective. The purpose of this study was to elucidate whether ambulatory blood pressure (ABPM) performed during a work day and a non‐work day had any impact on the night dipping profile. Study design. A crossover randomized ABPM study in primary healthcare was retrospectively analysed for the occurrence of non‐dipping (ND), dipping (D) or extreme (XD) nightly dipping. Non‐dippers were defined as subjects with less than 10% and extreme dippers as subjects with more than 20% nightly blood pressure fall measured as mean arterial pressure (MAP). Subjects. Forty treated hypertensives and 40 normotensives (20 men and 20 women in each group), who had performed ABPM twice in a fortnight. They had been randomly allocated to perform a work day or a non‐work day as the first period. Result. Only one of the 16 subjects who at any time was a non‐dipper remained so during both monitoring periods. Extreme dipping was more often reproduced in nine persons out of 29. Of all 80 subjects, 43.8% (35 persons) remained dippers during both periods. No one changed from a non‐dipper to an extreme dipper or the reverse. The odds of being an ND were 3.8 times more common on a non‐work day, p = 0.010. XDs were slightly more common (1.7 times) on a work day than on a non‐work day, p = 0.040. There was no correlation as to the degree of MAP and the dipping profile, p = 0.629. Conclusions. More subjects were non‐dippers at the end than at the beginning of the work week. It is essential to consider this when attempting to identify a non‐dipper by ABPM.
A Structural Relationship Analysis of Hotel Employees' Turnover Intention

Since human resources management has become more important in the hospitality industry, managers and academics have shown interest in studies related to human resources such as job satisfaction, organizational commitment, relationship quality, and so on. Recently, the turnover rate of hotel employees has increased rapidly. Therefore, this study will examine the key factors directly and indirectly influencing turnover intention. The probability sampling method was conducted to select samples from five-, four- and three-star hotels in Busan. Questionnaire surveys were mailed between 12 and 26 April 2004. Of the 500 questionnaires sent to hotel employees, 375 were returned, for a 75.0% response rate. Structural equation modeling by LISREL8.14 was employed to verify hypotheses. The result of the analysis revealed that the proposed model was supported by a variety of fit indexes (χ2 = 258.50, df = 94, GFI = 0.91, AGFI = 0.87, NFI = 0.93, NNFI = 0.94, RMSR = 0.040). Furthermore, seven hypotheses were confirmed, and this outcome shows the same result as previous research.
Relative profit maximization and Bertrand equilibrium with quadratic cost functions

We study the Bertrand equilibrium in duopoly in which two firms produce a homogeneous good under quadratic cost functions, and they seek to maximize the weighted sum of their absolute and relative profits. We show that there exists a range of the equilibrium prices in duopolistic equilibria. This range of equilibrium prices is narrower and lower than the range of the equilibrium prices in duopolistic equilibria under pure absolute profit maximization, and the larger the weight on the relative profit, the narrower and lower the range of the equilibrium prices. In this sense relative profit maximization is more aggressive than absolute profit maximization.
The human dorsal premotor cortex facilitates the excitability of ipsilateral primary motor cortex via a short latency cortico‐cortical route

In non‐human primates, invasive tracing and electrostimulation studies have identified strong ipsilateral cortico‐cortical connections between dorsal premotor‐ (PMd) and the primary motor cortex (M1HAND). Here, we applied dual‐site transcranial magnetic stimulation (dsTMS) to left PMd and M1HAND through specifically designed minicoils to selectively probe ipsilateral PMd‐to‐M1HAND connectivity in humans. A suprathreshold test stimulus (TS) was applied to M1HAND producing a motor evoked potential (MEP) of about 0.5 mV in the relaxed right first dorsal interosseus muscle (FDI). A subthreshold conditioning stimulus (CS) was given to PMd 2.0–5.2 ms after the TS at intensities of 50‐, 70‐, or 90% of TS. The CS to PMd facilitated the MEP evoked by TS over M1HAND at interstimulus intervals (ISI) of 2.4 or 2.8 ms. There was a second facilitatory peak at ISI of 4.4 ms. PMd‐to‐M1HAND facilitation did not change as a function of CS intensity. Even at higher intensities, the CS alone failed to elicit a MEP or a cortical silent period in the pre‐activated FDI, excluding a direct spread of excitation from PMd to M1HAND. No MEP facilitation was present while CS was applied rostrally over lateral prefrontal cortex. Together our results indicate that our dsTMS paradigm probes a short‐latency facilitatory PMd‐to‐M1HAND pathway. The temporal pattern of MEP facilitation suggests a PMd‐to‐M1HAND route that targets intracortical M1HAND circuits involved in the generation of indirect corticospinal volleys. This paradigm opens up new possibilities to study context‐dependent intrahemispheric PMd‐to‐M1HAND interactions in the intact human brain. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular imaging of glucose uptake in oral neoplasia following topical application of fluorescently labeled deoxy‐glucose

The clinical value of assessing tumor glucose metabolism via F‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging in oncology is well established; however, the poor spatial resolution of PET is a significant limitation especially for early stage lesions. An alternative technology is optical molecular imaging, which allows for subcellular spatial resolution and can be effectively used with topical contrast agents for imaging epithelial derived cancers. The goal of this study was to evaluate the potential of optical molecular imaging of glucose metabolism to aid in early detection of oral neoplasia. Fluorescently labeled deoxyglucose (2‐NBDG (2‐[N‐(7‐nitrobenz‐2‐oxa‐1,3‐diazol‐4‐yl)amino]‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose)) was applied topically to tissue phantoms, fresh oral biopsies (n = 32) and resected tumors specimens (n = 2). High‐resolution imaging results show that 2‐NBDG can be rapidly delivered to oral epithelium using topical application. In normal epithelium, the uptake of 2‐NBDG is limited to basal epithelial cells. In contrast, high‐grade dysplasia and cancers show uptake of 2‐NBDG in neoplastic cells throughout the lesion. Following 2‐NBDG labeling, the mean fluorescence intensity of neoplastic tissue averages 3.7 times higher than that of matched nonneoplastic oral biopsies in samples from 20 patients. Widefield fluorescence images of 8‐paired oral specimens were obtained pre and postlabeling with 2‐NBDG. Prior to labeling, neoplastic samples showed significantly lower autofluorescence than nonneoplastic samples. The fluorescence of neoplastic samples increased dramatically after labeling; the differential increase in fluorescence was on average 30 times higher in neoplastic samples than in normal samples. Topical application of 2‐NBDG can therefore provide image contrast in both widefield and high‐resolution fluorescence imaging modalities, highlighting its potential in early detection of oral neoplasia. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Laminar organization of optic nerve fibres in the tectum of goldfish

Potentials in the tectum of large (12─20 cm) goldfish, evoked by stimulation of the optic nerve, were recorded extracellularly with double-barrelled electrodes (d. c., saline and a. c., Woods metal─Pt). Four fibre groups (E, M1, M2, M3) were recorded at latencies of approximately 2, 3, 5 and 8 ms after stimulation (conduction velocities of approximately 7, 5, 3 and 2 m/s). The same four groups were recorded from the optic nerve when the tectum was stimulated. The fastest fibre group (E) did not give rise to a postsynaptic wave. Fibre groups M1, M2 and M3 gave rise to postsynaptic potentials which, following computation of their second spatial derivatives with depth, were found to have current sinks at depths of approximately 100─50 μm, 150─200 μm and 250-350 μm respectively. Thus the fastest conducting retinotectal fibres make their synapses most superficially, the opposite of the arrangement in the frog tectum. These postsynaptic waves fatigued at repetitive stimulus rates of 20─50 per second, and in twin pulses at interstimulus intervals of 10─15 ms; and they were reversibly blocked by topical application of pentobarbitol. The fibre potentials, however, were virtually undecremented under these conditions. To compare these electrophysiological findings with the anatomy, the cobalt procedure was used to visualize the profiles of the optic fibres in the various tectal laminae. A thick dense projection filled the superficial grey and white (s. g. w.) layer, and there was a thin satellite band just superficial to it. In addition, there were two deeper bands of sparse innervation, in the middle of the central grey zone (c. g.) and in the deep white (d. w.) layer. These bands were associated with the field potential sinks through lesions made with recording electrodes. The two deep bands correspond to the M3 fibre group. The dense s. g. w. innervation contains both the M1 and M2 fibre groups, the M1 just superficial to the M2. The fastest fibre group, E, which had no postsynaptic wave associated with it, persisted at least six weeks after retinal removal, and probably represents efferent cells with fibres projecting back through the optic nerve to the retina. Filled cell profiles could not be positively identified with the cobalt technique, but could be seen with the HRP technique, when the optic afferents were first allowed to degenerate. The filled cells were the pyramidals of the s. g. w. layer.
The Rise of the Chicago Packers and the Origins of Meat Inspection and Antitrust

The Meat Inspection Act of 1891 and the Sherman Act of 1890 are shown to be closely tied. This link makes clearer Congress' intent in enacting the legislation. Both laws were products of conditions in the economy after 1880, and they reflected in part, a common concern about the Chicago packers, or Beef trust. The concerns of local slaughterhouses, which were being displaced by new, low-cost refrigerated beef, and of farmers, who sold their livestock to the large Chicago packers, were echoed elsewhere by other small businesses and farmers, who feared for their competitive positions during a time of structural change in the economy.
Hitting the “tipping point” of TRICC?

“This is what is meant by translation. What Mavens and Connectors and Salesmen do to an idea in order to make it contagious is to alter it in such a way that extraneous details are dropped and others are exaggerated so that the message itself comes to acquire a deeper meaning. If anyone wants to start an epidemic, then . he or she has to find some person or some means to translate the message . into something the rest of us can understand. ” (Chapter 6: Case Study: Rumors, Sneakers, and the Power of Translation, p. 203)
Victimization and Violent Offending

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the victim–offender overlap among a nationally representative sample of Native American adolescents and young adults. Data for this study were obtained from 338 Native American youth who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) Waves I-IV. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to estimate trajectories of violence and victimization separately. Bivariate tests were used to assess the overlap between victimization and violent trajectory groups. Multinomial regression procedures were used to assess the predictors of victimization, offending, and the overlap category of both victimization and offending. Three trajectory groups were found for violence (nonviolent, escalators, and desistors) and victimization (nonvictim, decreasing victimization, and increasing victimization). We found substantial evidence of an overlap between victimization and offending among Native Americans, as 27.5% of the sample reported both victimization and offending. Those in the overlap group had greater number of risk factors present at baseline. These results suggest that the victim–offender overlap is present in Native American adolescents. Explanations and implications are discussed.
Reduced Expression of Human DNA Repair Genes in Esophageal Squamous-Cell Carcinoma in China

Epidemiological studies indicated that the incidence of esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) is associated with exposure to a variety of environmental factors. To determine whether the baseline expression of genes involved in DNA damage and repair induced by these carcinogens is associated with higher risk for ESCC, a case-control study was undertaken and the relative expression levels of six DNA repair genes (MGMT, hOGG1, XRCC1, XPD, hMLH1, and hMSH2) were determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). One hundred patients with newly diagnosed, untreated ESCC and 117 healthy controls matched for age, gender, and residence were recruited. Expression levels of six genes were measured by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Compared with controls, the relative expression levels of hMLH1, hMSH2, XRCC1, XPD, and MGMT, were significantly altered in ESCC patients. Using the median of relative expression level in controls as the cutoff point, results also demonstrated an increased risk for ESCC associated with reduced expression of hMSH2, XRCC, XPD, and MGMT. The expression levels of four genes (hMSH2, XRCC1, XPD, MGMT) present in PBMC were significantly correlated with increased risk for ESCC, in which there was reduced expression of MGMT, suggesting an important etiology role for MGMT expression in the initiation of ESCC in Huaian of China.