Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ossiculoplasty Using Incus Interposition: Hearing Results and Analysis of the Middle Ear Risk Index

To determine the immediate hearing result and the long-term stability of sculpted incus interposition in ossiculoplasty and evaluate the utility of the middle ear risk index in predicting hearing outcome in these cases. Patients: One hundred thirty-seven surgical patients. Study Design: Review of 137 patients who underwent ossiculoplasty using autologous or homologous sculpted incus interposition. Interventions: Ossiculoplasty using autologous or homologous sculpted incus interposition. Methods: Retrospective chart review, using the guidelines delineated by the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium of the Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery for the evaluation of results for the treatment of conductive hearing loss. Results: The mean preoperative air bone gap was 26.8 dB, and the mean postoperative gap was 18.6 dB. Twenty-seven percent of patients were closed to within 10 dB, and 66.4% were brought to within 20 dB of the postoperative bone conduction line. Average time to the last postoperative audiometric testing was 15.8 months, with a range of 2 to 62 months. A mean air bone gap change of −0.2 dB was noted. Four patients had more than a 10 dB deterioration in conductive hearing loss. There were no cases of graft extrusion. Each ear operated upon in our series was fully scored using the middle ear risk index, and an index total was calculated. No statistical associations could be demonstrated in any group between the postoperative air bone gap and the middle ear risk index subcategories or total. Conclusions: Sculpted autologous or homologous incus interposition provides hearing success comparable with current allograft prosthesis studies, has a very low extrusion rate, and remains stable over time. We were not able to demonstrate an association between the middle ear risk index and hearing results in this subset of patients.
Foreign Direct Investment Inward and Foreign Direct Investment Outward: Evidence from Panel Unit Root and Cointegration Tests with a Certain Number of Structural Changes

This article examines empirically the association between foreign direct investment inward and foreign direct investment outward. Using a panel data set for 35 economies over the period 1981-2004 as well as the methodology of panel unit root and panel cointegration tests with a certain number of structural changes, the empirical findings show that FDI inward does exhibit a significant (long-run) relationship with FDI outward.
Is the Chinese Health Bureaucracy Incapable of Leading Healthcare Reforms?: The Case of Fujian Province

The competency of the Chinese health bureaucracy has long been questioned in light of past healthcare reform failures. This article, however, by analysing the case of the Fujian Provincial Health Bureau and a policy intervention led by it aimed at curbing rampant cost inflation, demonstrates that with a conducive political environment and firm policy determination, it is possible to achieve effective cost containment without touching fundamental economic levers. The health bureaucracy is not inherently incapable. It still possesses essential authority and policy instruments to exercise strong stewardship. The reassertion of its legitimacy, reinforcement of government stewardship, restoration of the collapsed accountability mechanisms and realignment of government tools epitomise the experiences of Fujian's healthcare reforms.
Fairness Matters Equity and the Transition to Democracy

most anyone expected, either inside the region or out. Most of the 27 countries that emerged from the former Communist bloc have largely privatized their economies and elected democratic governments, and most have a semblance, at least, of competing political parties and a free press. By the end of this year, ten East European states will be members of NATO, and eight will belong to the European Union. Nobody expected such rapid change when communism imploded a dozen years ago. Despite these successes, citizens of the postcommunist states in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union remain discontented, dissatisfied with the economy, and cynical about politics, and are increasingly staying away from the polls on election day. Opinion surveys in these countries reveal that large percentages of the population in every country, and majorities in many, believe that they were better off in the Communist era than they are now.1 Both academic analysts and political pundits have tended to see economic decline and the dislocations of the transition period as the reasons why people have soured on both the new politics and the new economy. With renewed economic growth and employment, they say, the citizens of these states will increasingly support the governments and political parties. Much of the academic debate on this subject has revolved around the "egocentric" vs. "sociotropic" dimensions of public opinion, that is, whether support for governments or for a political system are due more to an individual's personal economic experiences (egocentric) or to that individual's sense of how the economy as a whole is doing (sociotropic). There is, however, another factor that seems to account for popular assessments of the postcommunist transitions: the perceived fairness of the transition process. Yet the question of fairness has barely been addressed in academic discussions of the dem-
[Effects of acupuncture on clinical symptoms and pulmonary function in the patient of bronchial asthma].

OBJECTIVE To explore the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture on bronchial asthma. Methods One hundred and four cases of asthma at persistent period and remission stage were divided into a treatment group and a control group with stratified random method of illness degrees. The treatment group were treated with antiasthma agents plus acupuncture at Quchi (LI 11), Lieque (LU 7), Yuji (LU 10), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), once each day, 10 sessions constituting one course, and the control group with anti-asthma agents at the same dose. Changes of clinical symptoms and pulmonary function after treatment were investigated. Results Clinical symptoms significantly improved, the score for asthma symptoms decreased and the wheeze in the lung reduced, severity and grading of the disease significantly improved in the treatment group with significant differences as compared with those in the control group (all P< 0.05). And the first second forced expiratory volume (FEV1), peak of forced expiratory flow rate (PEF), FEF(25%-75%) (% PRED), FEF(75%-85%) (% PRED), FEF50% (%PRED), FEF75% (% PRED) more significantly improved in the treatment group than in the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01 or P < 0.001). Six months later, the incidence rate of asthma acute attack in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the dose of anti-asthma agents in the 50% of patients in the treatment group was reduced by 1/3-1/4. CONCLUSION Acupuncture can improve clinical symptoms and pulmonary function and reduce the dose of anti-asthma agents, and has a certain long-term therapeutic effect.
The Interpretation of Documents and Material Culture

This invention is addressed to the preparation of organic dyes which are soluble in an organic solvent and which are prepared by contacting an aqueous solution of a dye which is soluble in water but insoluble in an organic media with a solution of an organic solvent of an anionic emulsifier, and then separating the aqueous phase from the organic phase containing the dye dissolved therein.
A clinical study to compare between resting and stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH before and after complete denture placement in different age groups

Purpose: This study compared the flow rate and pH of resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva before and after complete denture placement in different age groups. Materials and Methods: Fifty healthy, non-medicated edentulous individuals of different age groups requiring complete denture prostheses were selected from the outpatient department. The resting (unstimulated) and stimulated whole saliva and pH were measured at three stages i.e., Before complete denture placement; Immediately after complete denture placement; and After 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. Saliva production was stimulated by chewing paraffin wax. pH was determined by using a digital pH meter. Results: Statistically significant differences were seen in resting(unstimulated) and stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. No statistically significant differences were found between the different age groups in resting (unstimulated) as well as stimulated whole salivary flow rate and pH. Conclusion: Stimulated whole salivary flow rates and pH were significantly higher than resting (unstimulated) whole salivary flow rates and pH obtained before, immediately after, and after 2 to 3 months of complete denture placement. No age related variations in whole salivary flow rate and pH were observed in healthy, non-medicated individuals. Clinical Implications: The assessment of salivary flow rate, pH in different age groups is of prognostic value, which is an important aspect to be considered in the practice of removable prosthodontics.
Activities of Life: The COPD Patient

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic, progressive and debilitating disease. With worsening disease, a COPD patient will progressively become less physically active, will have reduced social contacts, and this will create a downward vicious circle. This review discusses the significant sequelae of physical inactivity in the COPD patient, approaches to assessment and management, and the impact of COPD exacerbations on the activities of daily life. Patients with COPD are markedly inactive in daily life. Referral to pulmonary rehabilitation and self-management education to promote increase physical activities should be an important part of the management of COPD. Acute exacerbations in COPD patients are severely distressing events that impact greatly on health status, loss of symptom control and functional state with limitation on activities of daily living. If we are to progress in the treatment of acute exacerbation of COPD, it is evident that the effects of interventions on activities of daily living should be considered as an essential component of our goal of treatment.
Association of diurnal patterns in salivary cortisol with type 2 diabetes in the Whitehall II study.

CONTEXT The hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal axis is thought to play a role in Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). However, the evidence for an association between diurnal cortisol patterns and T2D is equivocal. OBJECTIVE The aim was to examine the association of cortisol patterns throughout the day with T2D status in a community-dwelling population. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study of T2D status and salivary cortisol from phase 7 (2002-2004) of the Whitehall II study, United Kingdom. SETTING The occupational cohort was originally recruited in 1985-1988. PARTICIPANTS Three-thousand, five-hundred eight white men and women including 238 participants with T2D aged 50-74 years with complete information on cortisol secretion participated. OUTCOME MEASURES We measured diurnal cortisol (nmol/L) patterns from six saliva samples obtained over the course of a normal day: at waking, +30 min, +2.5, +8, +12 hours, and bedtime. The cortisol awakening response and slope in diurnal secretion were calculated. RESULTS T2D status was associated with a flatter slope in cortisol decline across the day (b = 0.004; confidence interval [CI], 0.001-0.007; P = .014) and greater bedtime cortisol (b = 0.063; CI, 0.010-0.117; P = 0.020) independent of a wide range of covariates measured at the time of cortisol assessment. There was no association between morning cortisol, the cortisol awakening response, and T2D (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS In this nonclinical population, T2D was associated with a flatter slope in cortisol levels across the day and raised bedtime cortisol values.
Labour Market Effects of the 2006 Soccer World Cup in Germany

This study analyses for the first time on the basis of a multivariate analysis ex post the effects on the jobs market of a soccer World Cup, in this case the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. In addition to three methods already used for other analyses in studies of sporting events, an extended “Difference-in-Difference” estimate is used in order to compare the development of the numbers of unemployed in the 12 World Cup venues with the development of the numbers of unemployed in 62 other German cities. The results demonstrate that in none of the respective match venues did the effect of the sporting event on unemployment differ significantly from zero.
Web‐based technology in support of construction supply chain networks

Supply chain networks are generally associated with inter‐organisational communications, leading to reduction of time delays in services and information flows. Recognising the importance of communication, this paper deals with the management of information across a network of organisations that are involved in the design and construction process. The paper presents an overview of problems associated with the process of managing construction project information and explores the key role Web‐based technology systems can play in making this process more effective. The paper also reports on the utilisation of such a system on a number of construction projects. It discusses the efficiency gained in the traditional process of architectural drawings transmittal, and reports on a questionnaire survey targeting system users to gain some insight into their perception of its usefulness, performance and role in improving communications amongst the entire project team.
Analysis of human serum proteins by liquid phase isoelectric focusing and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry

Direct matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) analysis of human serum yielded ion signals from only a fraction of the total number of peptides and proteins expected to be in the sample. We increased the number of peptide and protein ion signals observed in the MALDI‐TOF mass spectra analysis of human serum by using a prefractionation protocol based on liquid phase isoelectric focusing electrophoresis. This pre‐fractionation technique facilitated the MALDI‐TOF MS detection of as many as 262 different peptide and protein ion signals from human serum. The results obtained from three replicate fractionation experiments on the same serum sample indicated that 148 different peptide and protein ion signals were reproducibly detected using our isoelectric focusing and MALDI‐TOF MS protocol.
The morphogenesis of the zebrafish eye, including a fate map of the optic vesicle

We have examined the morphogenesis of the zebrafish eye, from the flat optic vesicle at 16 hours post fertilization (hpf) to the functional hemispheric eye at 72 hpf. We have produced three‐dimensional reconstructions from semithin sections, measured volumes and areas, and produced a fate map by labeling clusters of cells at 14–15 hpf and finding them in the 24 hpf eye cup. Both volume and area increased sevenfold, with different schedules. Initially (16–33 hpf), area increased but volume remained constant; later (33–72 hpf) both increased. When the volume remained constant, the presumptive pigmented epithelium (PE) shrank and the presumptive neural retina (NR) enlarged. The fate map revealed that during 14–24 hpf cells changed layers, moving from the PE into the NR, probably through involution around the margin of the eye. The transformation of the flat epithelial layers of the vesicle into their cup‐shaped counterparts in the eye was also accompanied by cellular rearrangements; most cells in a cluster labeled in the vesicle remained neighbors in the eye cup, but occasionally they were separated widely. This description of normal zebrafish eye development provides explanations for some mutant phenotypes and for the effects of altered retinoic acid. Dev Dyn;218:175–188. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Perceived Effect of Accounting Controls on U.S.‐Chinese Joint Venture Transaction Costs and Performance

Research in international joint ventures speculates that partner transaction risks attributable to information asymmetries, asset specific investments, and strategic objectives adversely affect alliance performance. This study empirically examines these claims. The impact of accounting controls on the reduction of transaction costs and on alliance performance is also investigated. Contractual controls that are examined include equity control, majority board governance, and legal safeguards. Managerial controls examined include decision rights, incentives, communications, and financial planning. Results of the study confirm that transaction costs decrease performance. Contractual and managerial accounting controls significantly reduce the negative impact of partner transaction costs and are positively associated with joint venture performance.
A prognostic model for assessment of the outcome of endodontic treatment: Effect of biologic and diagnostic variables.

OBJECTIVE Many biological variables, endodontic treatment factors, and restorative considerations have been suggested in the literature to affect the outcome of endodontic treatment. However, few attempts have been made recently to study these variables further. The purpose of this study was to identify the biologic and endodontic treatment-associated variables that are most predictive of treatment outcome for conventional endodontic therapy and to determine the magnitude of risk these variables pose on the outcome. STUDY DESIGN The population of this historical prospective cohort study comprised a total of 200 teeth with 441 root canals. Diagnostic and treatment information was abstracted from the original patient records. An endodontic follow-up examination was conducted 4 +/- 0.5 years after obturation. Each tooth/root was analyzed according to 3 indices of periradicular status at 2 time points. The main outcome measure was the presence of apical periodontitis. The criteria used for evaluation of the outcome were modified from Strindberg. Data were subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis. Logistic regression models were fit by using various clinical measures to determine which combination of biologic and treatment-associated factors best predicted treatment outcome. RESULTS The preoperative pulp diagnosis, the periapical diagnosis, the preoperative periapical radiolucency size, and the sex of the patients were revealed, by means of univariate analysis, to exert a significant influence on endodontic treatment outcome (P <.05). In the logistic regression model, the strongest effect on postoperative healing was the presence and magnitude of preoperative apical periodontitis. In the presence of this variable, no other factor contributed value to the prediction. The correct prediction of this model was 74.7% (P <.05). CONCLUSION The major biologic factors influencing the outcome of endodontic treatment appear to be the extent of microbiological insult to the pulp and periapical tissue, as reflected by the periapical diagnosis and the magnitude of periapical pathosis.
Psychological testing for selection purposes: a guide to evidence-based practice for human resource professionals

In order to be effective, HR practitioners need to be informed of best practice in a wide array of activities (Pfeffer 1994; Griffeth and Hom 2001). A key activity that is crucial to firm performance is recruitment and selection, yet many practitioners are poorly informed of the latest findings. In this review, evidence on the use of psychological testing for selection purposes was examined. Specifically, the focus of this paper is evidence that can be applied to ensure that psychological tests (ability and personality tests) are used in a way that ensures their effectiveness is maximized. A review of the extant literature identified five broad issues that relate to the use of psychological tests for selection purposes. These are: (1) how constructs for a particular job should be identified for selection purposes; (2) how test scores should be reported to a manager; (3) whether test information should be previewed prior to the interview;, (4) how psychological test scores and interview data should be combined; and, (5) whether a hiring recommendation should be given by the provider of candidate psychological test scores. The evidence on each of these issues is summarized and recommendations are made for effective HRM practices.
Optimal Risk-Sharing Rules and Equilibria With Non-Additive Expected Utility

This paper explores the consequences of non-additive expected utility on risk-sharing and equilibrium in a general equilibrium set-up. We establish that convexity of an agent's preferences (or strong uncertainty aversion) is equivalent to the convexity of his capacity and concavity of his utility index. We also characterize a weaker form of uncertainty aversion.
A 2.4-GHz 1.5-mW Digital Multiplying Delay-Locked Loop Using Pulsewidth Comparator and Double Injection Technique

In this paper, we propose a low-jitter low-power digital multiplying delay-locked loop (MDLL) with a self-calibrated double reference injection scheme. To reduce jitter, the noisy edge of the oscillator is replaced by both the rising and falling edges of the clean reference, which results in 6-dB reduction in phase noise compared with a conventional single-edge injection MDLL. Reference spur caused by a frequency error of the oscillator, duty-cycle error of the reference, and circuit imperfection, such as offset and mismatch, is removed by employing three background feedback loops with a shared analog pulsewidth comparator. Implemented in 28-nm CMOS, the proposed digital MDLL generates 2.4-GHz clock and achieves a spur of −51.4 dBc and an rms jitter of 699 ${\mathrm{ fs}}_{\mathrm{ rms}}$ while consuming 1.5 mW from 1-V supply.
Secrecy versus Transparency—A Comparative Study of Social and Environmental Disclosure Practice in Croatian and Swedish Corporations

Both agency, institutional, and cultural factors seem to explain transparency and disclosure practice. The aim of this study is to make a comparative study of disclosure practice among listed corporations in Croatia and Sweden. The study shows that Swedish corporations disclose significantly more social disclosures than Croatian corporations. Size and industry have a strong explanatory power in Sweden. In Croatia, industry has some explanatory power but surprisingly not firm size. However, unlike Sweden, the variable audit firm has an explanatory power in Croatia.