Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hip and knee joint rotations differ between patients with medial and lateral knee osteoarthritis: Gait analysis of 30 patients and 15 controls

The motions and moments in the hip and knee in female patients on the waiting list for knee prosthesis surgery with medial (n = 15) or lateral (n = 15) osteoarthritis (OA) were compared with a control group (n = 15). We hypothesized that not only the kinematics and kinetics of the knee but also of the hip would differ between patients the medial and lateral groups. At midstance, patients with lateral OA showed slightly (2°) more maximal (peak) adduction (p = 0.015) of the hip joint and patients with medial OA had 7° more abduction (p < 0.001) than did controls. In patients with lateral OA, the femur was positioned in about 7° more maximum external rotation (p = 0.001), but femur position did not differ between medial OA and controls (p ≥ 0.8). There was a tendency to higher internal hip rotation moment in lateral OA compared to controls (p = 0.021). The maximum values of the internal knee abduction moments were 52% higher in medial OA (p = 0.005) and 63% lower in lateral OA (p < 0.001) compared to controls. Cases with medial OA had 9° more, whereas those with lateral OA had 6° less external tibial rotation than controls (medial vs. lateral OA, p = 0.001). We found an association between presence of lateral OA of the knee and the biomechanics of the hip joint. It remains to be evaluated if the changed biomechanics of the hip joint is a reason for development of lateral OA or an observation that is a result of this disease. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
Corporate Boards and Company Performance: Review of Research in Light of Recent Reforms

Recent US corporate governance reforms introduced extensive regulations and guidelines for public corporations, particularly corporate boards. This article evaluates the extent to which empirical research on corporate boards and firm performance supports these reforms. Building on the meta-analysis conducted by Zahra and Pearce (1989), we review 105 studies published between 1989 and 2005. We find most of the practices mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the regulations issued by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ, had not been subject to prior study. Where board characteristics have been studied, we find limited guidance for policymakers on identifying governance practices that result in more effective firm performance. In an effort to increase the relevance of future research on boards and firm performance, we provide a framework on corporate boards.
Policy Experiments, Democratic Ownership and Development Assistance

In an effort to enhance the impact of development aid, recipients are called on to provide democratically sustained ‘ownership’ for development policies, and donors to align their interventions with these ownership-dictated strategies of their partners. This article illustrates the weaknesses of such an approach. From a political-economy perspective, severe tensions exist between concepts of democratic ownership, on the one hand, and the experimental and iterative organisation of a society's encompassing interests in democratic settings, on the other. These tensions are even more pronounced in emerging democracies, making democratic ownership as a prerequisite for aid effectiveness an illusion, and provoking the re-emergence of traditional donor-recipient problems.
Multisystem Sarcoidosis in a Patient on Interferon-α Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C

Sarcoidosis is a chronic multisystemic granulomatous disease that is triggered by an autoimmune process. Nowadays, this pathology represents a well-recognized but uncommon complication for antiviral treatment in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Herein, we report a remarkable case of 47-year-old woman treated for chronic HCV infection; the patient has developed interferon alfa-induced sarcoidosis involving the central nervous system. The evolution was fatal despite disrupting the antiviral therapy and initiating a high-dose corticotherapy. This complication of interferon alfa treatment was reported in the literature in only one case. Through this case and a review of the literature, we aim to underline the importance of screening for sarcoidosis before and during the follow-up of HCV patients undergoing antiviral therapy.
Clinical efficacy of growth factors to enhance tissue repair in oral and maxillofacial reconstruction: a systematic review.

PURPOSE Provide a comprehensive overview on the clinical use and the efficacy of growth factors in different reconstructive procedures in the oral maxillofacial area. MATERIALS AND METHODS A systematic review of the literature on the clinical use of human and human recombinant growth factors in oral maxillofacial reconstruction has been performed. RESULTS The use of autogenous growth factors in platelet concentrates (PCs) has shown to be beneficial in the treatment of intrabony pockets at a reasonable level of evidence by improving probing depth and clinical attachment levels as well as linear bone fill within the limits of the observation periods. The application in conjunction with non-autogenous graft materials has been superior to the use of PCs only or grafting materials alone. No benefits have been shown for the use of PCs in recession treatment. When used in furcation treatment, probing depth, clinical attachment level and linear bone fill have been reported to improve significantly, however, without clinical benefit. No benefit for the final outcome could be shown for the use of PCs neither in sinus lift procedures nor in lateral / vertical crest augmentations. The use of human recombinant growth factors has been so far limited almost exclusively to rhPDGF-BB and rhBMPs (BMP-2, BMP-7 and GDF-5). The use of rhPDGF in the treatment of intrabony pockets has shown a reliable increase in linear bone fill but weaker evidence for permanent improvements of clinical attachment level. So far there is no evidence to support the use in recession treatment, sinus lift procedures and socket healing as well as lateral / vertical augmentations of the alveolar crest. rhBMPs have shown to be effective in enhancing bone formation in socket healing (rhBMP-2) and sinus lift procedures (rhBMP-2 and GDF-5). No controlled studies are available for the use in mandibular segmental repair. Successful reports on this application appear to be limited to primary reconstruction after ablative surgery for benign pathology with preservation of the periosteum. CONCLUSION Evidence of clinical efficacy of growth factors in reconstructive procedures in the oral and maxillofacial area is limited.
Changes in Relative Consumer Prices and the Substitution Bias of the Laspeyres Price Index - Ireland, 1985-2001

This paper shows that Irish relative consumer prices have changed significantly, 1985- 2001, at the ten commodity-group level. A “true” cost-of-living index is derived from Madden’s (1993) parameter estimates for an Almost Ideal Demand System. Despite relative price changes, the substitution bias of a computed Laspeyres index is small, and the official Consumer Price Index tracks the computed index closely. Superlative indices are also constructed, but are not satisfactory cost-of-living indices in this context. Cost-of-living indices are computed for different income groups, and the impact of inflation in recent years is found to be negatively correlated with income.
The Most Technologically Progressive Decade of the Century

There is now an emerging consensus that over the course of U.S. economic history, multifactor productivity grew fastest over a broad plateau between 1905 and 1966, and within that period, in the two decades following 1929. This paper argues that the bulk of the achieved productivity levels in 1948 had already been attained before full scale war mobilization in 1942. It was not principally the war that laid the foundation for postwar prosperity. It was technological progress across a broad frontier of the American economy during the 1930s.
Forecasting Stock Returns: Does Switching Between Models Help?

Research examining the usefulness of non-linear models for stock market returns has almost reached an impasse. While there is general recognition of the superior ability of non-linear models to describe the data, there is less certainty about their ability to forecast the data. As such simple linear models often dominate in forecasting exercises due to their simplicity and any loss with respect to non-linear models is not economically significant. This paper primarily examines not whether a non-linear model can beat a linear model in a straight horse race but whether allowing for the forecast to be given by either the non-linear or linear model depending upon some in-sample criteria provides for improved forecasts. Using a sample of eight international stock markets over the period 1990-2007 our results suggest that on the basis of a trading rule simulation then this model switching approach may provide for forecast improvement although general results based on forecast error metrics are mixed. Nonetheless, the results support the view that this model switching approach is certainly an avenue whereby the value of non-linear forecasts can be realised and is worthy of further exploration.
Is all domestic water consumption sensitive to price control?

This paper presents a model of residential water demand based on the Stone–Geary utility function, which explicitly considers a threshold of water that is insensitive to price and a quantity that can adapt instantaneously to price changes. First, the threshold is assumed constant, being then allowed to vary according to past levels of consumption, a proxy for households' water-using equipment and habits. A measure of the depreciation rate of habits is derived and the effectiveness of price and non-price conservation measures are compared. The results provide useful policy recommendations for the studied case of Seville (Spain).
Dietary vitamins E and C and prostate cancer risk

Background. The epidemiologic evidence on dietary vitamins E and C and prostate cancer is controversial. Therefore, a case-control study was carried out to investigate the role of dietary intake of vitamins E and C in the etiology of prostate cancer. Material and methods. Cases were 1 294 men with incident, histologically confirmed prostate cancer, admitted to the major teaching and general hospitals of five Italian areas between 1991 and 2002. Controls were 1 451 men admitted for acute, non-neoplastic conditions to the same hospitals. Information on dietary habits and nutrient intake was elicited using a validated food frequency questionnaire including 78 food groups and recipes. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for increasing levels of vitamin intake were estimated after allowance for total energy intake and other confounding factors. Results. Vitamin E showed a significant inverse association with prostate cancer (OR = 0.78 for the highest versus the lowest tertile of intake, 95% CI: 0.58–0.96; p-value for trend = 0.02), whereas for vitamin C the inverse association was of borderline statistical significance (OR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.65–1.08). Results were consistent in strata of age, body mass index, and family history of prostate cancer. Discussion. The present study shows an inverse association between dietary intake of vitamins E and prostate cancer incidence. This finding is likely to reflect the influence of diet itself since supplementation or food fortification with vitamins is rare in the Italian population.
A sector nulling technique for broadband arrays

The paper presents a technique for designing broadband arrays with a controlled null in a given sector and a specified response in the look direction without using steering delays. The method is applicable for any array geometry and has potential for parallel processing to increase computational speed in real time. An example is presented to show the effectiveness of the method.
The Association of Race/Ethnicity With Objectively Measured Sleep Characteristics in Older Men

This study examined the association between race/ethnicity and objectively measured sleep characteristics in a large sample of older men. Black men had significantly shorter total sleep time (6.1 hr vs. 6.4 hr), longer sleep latency (28.7 min vs. 21.9 min), lower sleep efficiency (80.6% vs. 83.4%), and less slow-wave sleep (4.9% vs. 8.8%) than White men, even after controlling for social status, comorbidities, body mass index, and sleep-disordered breathing. Hispanic men slept longer (6.7 hr) at night than Black (6.1 hr) and Asian American men (6.1 hr). This study supports significant variations in sleep characteristics in older men by race/ethnicity.
Overinvestment in College Training

The college job market underwent an unprecedented downturn in the 1 970s when the earnings of graduates relative to other workers, the rate of return to investing in higher education, and employment opportunities dropped sharply, especially for new graduates. This paper examines the quantitative dimensions, causes, and consequences of the "new depression" in the market. It explains the downturn by slackened demand due to changes in the industrial structure and continued growth of supply. A major finding is that the fraction of young men choosing college fell in the seventies, apparently the result of responsive supply behavior to the depressed market. One of the major labor market developments of the 1960s, and to a lesser extent of the 1950s as well, was the enormous expansion of individual and social investments in higher education. The proportion of GNP allocated to colleges and universities jumped from 0.8 percent to 2.2 percent between 1950 and 1970; college enrollments more than tripled; the number of BA graduates rose by 91 percent; master's and doctorate production more than tripled. These increases in the supply of college-trained specialists notwithstanding, the ratio of the earnings of the college-trained to the educated workers was quite stable [14], and the rate of return to investment in higher education remained high [2, 15]. Toward the end of the 1960s and the outset of the 1970s, however, the market for college graduates began to change, with the boom of previous decades coming to an end. What are the dimensions of this turnaround in the college labor market? Has the rate of return to investing in higher education fallen? What has been the enrollment response of students to changes in rates of The author is Associate Professor of Economics, Harvard University. * The author wishes to thank the National Institute of Education for their support under Grant No. G-00-0202. [Manuscript received September 1974; accepted January 1975.j The Journal of Human Resources * X * 3 This content downloaded from 157.55. 39.104 on Mon, 20 Jun 2016 05:57:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor. org/terms
Hedge Fund Replication Beyond Alphas and Betas

The concept of the gamma of a financed return as the highest level of stress that a return distribution can withstand is introduced. The various stress levels passed describe convex cones of acceptable cash flows that start with positive expectation and finish with arbitrage at infinity. Stress is measured by positive expectation under a concave distortion. Four distortions are employed. It is shown that the skewness, peakedness and tailweightedness of the centered and scaled random variable accessed by investment significantly affects the Sharpe ratio required to enter a target cone of acceptability. Results are illustrated on data for hedge fund returns and we raise the question of whether the gamma or acceptability levels of hedge fund returns can be replicated by portfolios seeking to access just the alphas and betas.
Radioactive Synoviorthesis in Hemophilic Hemarthrosis: Materials, Techniques, and Dangers

Radioactive synoviorthesis with 198Au, 90Y, 186Re, and 32P would seem to be the treatment of choice for recurrent hemarthroses in hemophilia. The clinical results, obtained by different centers, show a definite diminution of hemarthroses in 88% of cases. The advantages of radioactive synoviorthesis compared with surgical synovectomy are: better results, the requirement of substantially reduced antihemophilic factor, the possibility of performing the procedure on multiple cases concurrently on an ambulatory basis, no interference with articular range of movement, and the low cost of the procedure. In cases of failure, the procedure can be repeated after 6 months, and on as many as 3 occasions. Studies performed on the chromosomal changes that could be attributed to the radioactive material show the disappearance of these alterations a few years after treatment. No physical changes have been found that could be attributed to cytogenic alteration (hematologic or other) in any reported patients.
Camellia sinensis (green tea) extract attenuate acrylamide induced testicular damage in albino rats

Acrylamide is a proved toxin for testicular function, found in food when heated for long period of time. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is a potent antioxidant; the aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of green tea extract against the toxic effects of acrylamide in rat testes. Methods: acrylamide was administered orally to rats in different doses and also the extract of green tea was administered orally to different groups of animals in combination with the acrylamide. The weight of animals, testosterone hormone level and histopathological effect upon testicles were evaluated. Results: Testosterone hormone level in serum, and histopathological findings were significantly improved with the co‐administration of green tea extract with the acrylamide. Green tea extract reversed all the toxic effects of acrylamide even in high dose for long period (90 days). Conclusion: Green tea extract is a potent antioxidant antidote for the acrylamide toxic effects upon testicular function. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 1155–1161, 2014.
Regional Unemployment and the Restructuring of Distressed State-owned Enterprises: Evidence from China

Abstract: Using Chinese listed companies as the sample, we investigate the effects and corresponding consequences of regional unemployment rates on the restructuring behavior of distressed state-owned enterprises (SOEs). We find that layoffs and asset downsizing of local SOEs will be limited greatly when the unemployment rates of the areas where SOEs are located are high, even though these firms are already in distress. Additional evidence shows that this kind of limitation causes these firms to show a long-term decline in performance. The CEOs of these firms, however, are not easily dismissed after the distress. These results provide empirical support for the “grabbing hand“ theory.
Fetal hyperechogenic bowel may indicate congenital cytomegalovirus disease responsive to immunoglobulin therapy

Objective: To determine whether fetal hyperechogenic bowel is associated with a poor outcome with or without immunoglobulin therapy. Methods: Sixteen pregnant women whose 17 fetuses had hyperechogenic bowel were followed by a protocol of offering additional serologic testing, amniocentesis, hyperimmunoglobulin (HIG), serial ultrasounds, and evaluation of their children. Results: Of 17 fetuses with hyperechogenic bowel, 13 showed hyperechogenic bowel as a single or first ultrasound sign compared to four who showed it concomitantly or after other ultrasound abnormalities appeared (P = 0.02). Of the 17 fetuses with hyperechogenic bowel, nine were treated with HIG. Eight of the nine were normal at birth and during a follow-up of 3–8 years. One treated fetus is deaf at 4 years of age. A significantly different result (P < 0.0004) occurred among seven untreated fetuses who were each severely affected at 2–7 years of age, and the remaining one died soon after preterm birth. Among seven of nine fetuses (77.8%) of treated mothers the fetal hyperechogenic bowel resolved after HIG administration. There were no significant differences between treated and untreated fetuses for gestational age at maternal infection, gestational age at birth, and birth weight. Conclusion: Hyperechogenic bowel may be a marker of congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease, which may be prevented by HIG.
Alliances and Asymmetry: An Alternative to the Capability Aggregation Model of Alliances

This paper proposes an alternative logic of alliances to the capability aggregation model where both allies receive security from an alliance. In this alternative logic, one partner receives autonomy benefits, and the other, security benefits from the alliance. The former type of alliances are called symmetric and the latter asymmetric. The paper develops both logics from a model of alliance choices in the face of trade-offs between autonomy and security and provides a precise definition of those two concepts. It then derives a series of critical tests that show the trade-off model is superior to the capability aggregation model. First, asymmetric alliances will be easier to form and last longer than symmetric alliances. Second, regardless of the type of alliance, the greater the change in its members' individual capabilities, the more likely it will be broken. Third, second-rank major powers will be more likely to form asymmetric alliances as their capabilities increase. All the hypotheses are supported by a statistical examination of military alliances formed between 1815 and 1965. The implications of the argument for several topics in international relations theory are drawn out.
New estimates of continental discharge and oceanic freshwater transport [poster]

New estimates of freshwater discharge from continents were derived using stream-flow records from the world's largest 921 rivers, supplemented with estimates of discharge from unmonitored areas based on the ratios of runoff and drainage area between the unmonitored and monitored regions. The farthest downstream river-flow data were extrapolated to the river mouth using river transport model simulations forced by a runoff field. This new continental discharge estimate was then applied to estimate the meridional transport of freshwater within the oceans. The relatively new estimates of net water fluxes (P-E) over ocean surfaces derived from atmospheric moisture budget analyses based on the NCEP/NCAR and ECMWF reanalyses were used in the calculation of oceanic freshwater transport. Our results, which are improved in many aspects compared with previous estimates, show that global continental discharge is about 37288 km 3 yr -1 (1.2 Sv, 1 Sv = 1×10 6 m 3 s -1 ) or about 35% of terrestrial precipitation. Compared with earlier indirect estimates of oceanic freshwater transport, our new estimates derived using the 921- river based discharge and the ECMWF reanalysis based P-E show improved agreement with available direct estimates for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Ocean basins. The new estimates also show increased southward transports in the Atlantic Ocean and increased northward transports in the South Pacific Ocean.