Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Crotaline snake bite in the Ecuadorian Amazon: randomised double blind comparative trial of three South American polyspecific antivenoms

Abstract Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of three polyspecific antivenoms for bites by pit vipers. Design Randomised double blind comparative trial of three antivenoms. Setting Shell, Pastaza, southeastern Ecuador. Participants 210 patients with incoagulable blood were recruited from 221 consecutive patients admitted with snake bite between January 1997 and December 2001. Intervention One of three antivenoms manufactured in Brazil, Colombia, and Ecuador, chosen for their preclinical potency against Ecuadorian venoms. Main outcome measures Permanent restoration of blood coagulability after 6 and 24 hours. Results The snakes responsible for the bites were identified in 187 cases: 109 patients (58%) were bitten by Bothrops atrox, 68 (36%) by B bilineatus, and 10 (5%) by B taeniatus, B brazili, or Lachesis muta. Eighty seven patients (41%) received Colombian antivenom, 82 (39%) received Brazilian antivenom, but only 41 (20%) received Ecuadorian antivenom because the supply was exhausted. Two patients died, and 10 developed local necrosis. All antivenoms achieved the primary end point of permanently restoring blood coagulability by 6 or 24 hours after the start of treatment in > 40% of patients. Colombian antivenom, however, was the most effective after initial doses of 20 ml (two vials), < 70 ml, and any initial dose at both 6 and 24 hours. An initial dose of 20 ml of Colombian antivenom permanently restored blood coagulability in 64% (46/72) of patients after 6 hours (P = 0.054 compared with the other two antivenoms) and an initial dose of < 70 ml was effective at 6 hours (65%, P = 0.045) and 24 hours (99%, P = 0.06). Early anaphylactoid reactions were common (53%, 73%, and 19%, respectively, for Brazilian, Colombian, and Ecuadorian antivenoms, P < 0.0001) but only three reactions were severe and none was fatal. Conclusions All three antivenoms can be recommended for the treatment of snakebites in this region, though the reactogenicity of Brazilian and Colombian antivenoms is a cause for concern.
On The Labor Market Inequalities Across Regions

Wages, unemployment and the labor market size vary considerably across regions in U.S. To explain these differences I develop a general equilibrium model in which each region is characterized by a labor market with search frictions: workers search for a job both when unemployed and when employed and firms post wages that maximize their profits. Firms and workers decide where to locate given labor market conditions in each region. Central to their decisions are the probabilities of finding a productive match. These probabilities are derived from a meeting technology that displays increasing returns of scale and is endogenously given by the number of workers and firms in each market. Workers and firms are assumed to be equally productive, however workers differ in the way that they value each region. Within this framework equilibria with unequal and non-empty labor markets can arise even for equally productive workers and firms. The model predicts a positive relationship between wages and markets size and a negative relationship between unemployment and size for a group of identical workers. Both relationships are supported by empirical literature.
Preliminary and Incomplete , Do Not Cite Prenatal Nutrition and Adult Outcomes : The E ¤ ect of Maternal Fasting During Ramadan

We use the Islamic holy month of Ramadan as a natural experiment for evaluating the long-term e¤ects of fasting during pregnancy. Preliminary results using Michigan natality data show that babies of Arab descent who were in utero during Ramadan have lower birthweight compared to those who were not in utero during Ramadan. Using Census data in Uganda we also nd that Muslim adults who were born nine months after Ramadan are 22 percent (p =0.02) more likely to be disabled. E¤ects are found for vision, hearing, and mental disabilities and may reect neurological impairments from disruptions to early fetal development. We nd no evidence that negative selection in conceptions during Ramadan accounts for our results. We urge caution in interpreting these results since we cannot directly link the incidence of adult disability with adverse fetal conditions. We thank Ana Rocca, Kenley Barrett and Shyue-Ming Loh for excellent research assistance. We gratefully acknowledge comments from seminar participants at the NBER Cohort Studies Meeting in Salt Lake City, UC Davis, the Harris School, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. We thank Carlos Dobkin and Janet Currie for extremely helpful suggestions. The views expressed here do not reect the views of the Federal Reserve system.
SIMULATION OF UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS IN PORTUGAL

This paper simulates the introduction of Unemployment Insurance Savings Accounts (UISA) in Portugal, similar to those proposed by Feldstein and Altman (1998) to the United States. We analyse the viability conditions and potential redistributive consequences of replacing the current unemployment benefits system with UISA. The simulation was performed on hypothetic lifetime labour market histories of individuals estimated from a representative sample from the Portuguese Employment Survey. We conclude that the UISA would be viable, as 64 percent of individuals would retire with positive balances, and a change to the UISA would result in a benefit for individuals of all income quintiles on average, although better off individuals would benefit the most from it.
On the properties of variational approximations of Gibbs posteriors

The PAC-Bayesian approach is a powerful set of techniques to derive non- asymptotic risk bounds for random estimators. The corresponding optimal distribution of estimators, usually called the Gibbs posterior, is unfortunately intractable. One may sample from it using Markov chain Monte Carlo, but this is often too slow for big datasets. We consider instead variational approximations of the Gibbs posterior, which are fast to compute. We undertake a general study of the properties of such approximations. Our main finding is that such a variational approximation has often the same rate of convergence as the original PAC-Bayesian procedure it approximates. We specialise our results to several learning tasks (classification, ranking, matrix completion),discuss how to implement a variational approximation in each case, and illustrate the good properties of said approximation on real datasets.
Becoming an Exemplary Teacher: Integrating Professional, Interpersonal, and Intrapersonal Knowledge.

This paper explores how exemplary teachers integrate three forms of knowledge in order to help student learn. This triad of knowledge is composed of professional knowledge (subject matter, curricular, and pedagogical knowledge), interpersonal knowledge (relationship with students, the education community and the local community), and intrapersonal knowledge (reflection, ethics, and dispositions). An extensive literature review and research with exemplary elementary, middle, and high school teachers revealed that the teachers' understanding of what it means to be a teacher involves developing and integrating professional, interpersonal, and intrapersonal knowledge in ways that allow them to structure the physical, social, and intellectual environment of their classrooms. These teachers indicated that students need to learn more than subject matter in order to be ready for life beyond the classroom. Also, development of the triad of knowledge is a lifelong process that is easier if habits and dispositions are formed when children are young. A number of ways exemplary teachers help students learn are briefly described. (Contains 29 reference). (ND) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.
Effects of Microtubule Stabilization by Epothilone B Depend on the Type and Age of Neurons

Several studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of applying microtubule- (MT-) stabilizing agents (MSAs) that cross the blood-brain barrier to promote axon regeneration and prevent axonal dystrophy in rodent models of spinal cord injury and neurodegenerative diseases. Paradoxically, administration of MSAs, which have been widely prescribed to treat malignancies, is well known to cause debilitating peripheral neuropathy and axon degeneration. Despite the growing interest of applying MSAs to treat the injured or degenerating central nervous system (CNS), consequences of MSA exposure to neurons in the central and peripheral nervous system (PNS) have not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we have examined and compared the effects of a brain-penetrant MSA, epothilone B, on cortical and sensory neurons in culture and show that epothilone B exhibits both beneficial and detrimental effects, depending on not only the concentration of drug but also the type and age of a neuron, as seen in clinical settings. Therefore, to exploit MSAs to their full benefit and minimize unwanted side effects, it is important to understand the properties of neuronal MTs and strategies should be devised to deliver minimal effective concentration directly to the site where needed.
PMHT for multiple platform path exploration planning

This paper considers the problem of automatically coordinating multiple platforms to explore an unknown environment. The goal is a planning algorithm that provides a path for each platform in such a way that the collection of platforms cooperatively sense the environment in a globally efficient manner. A collection of discrete locales of interest is assumed to be known and the platforms use these as waypoints. The key feature of the method is to treat the assignment of locales to platforms as a target tracking problem and to use the Probabilistic Multi Hypothesis Tracker (PMHT) as a method of performing multi-platform batch data association. The locales are treated as measurements without time information, leading to a general framework also applicable in target tracking problems where the temporal information is noisy or unreliable.
The Extreme Value Method for Estimating the Variance of the Rate of Return

The random walk problem has a long history. In fact, its application to the movement of security prices predates the application to Brownian motion. ' And now it is generally accepted that, at least to a good approximation, ln (S), where S is the price of a common stock, follows a random walk.2 The diffusion constant characterizing that walk for each stock thus becomes an important quantity to calculate. In Section II, we describe the general random walk problem and show how the diffusion constant is traditionally estimated. In Section III, we discuss another way to estimate the diffusion constant, the extreme value method. In Section IV, we compare the traditional and extreme value methods and conclude that the extreme value method is about 21/2-5 times better, depending on how you choose to measure the difference. In Section V, we discuss the use of this method for the estimation of the variance of the rate of return of a common stock. If S is the price of a common stock, it is now generally accepted that In (S) follows a random walk, at least to a very good approximation. The diffusion constant characterizing that walk, which is the same as the variance of the rate of return, thus becomes an important quantity to calculate and is traditionally estimated using closing prices only. It is shown that the use of extreme values (the high and low prices) provides a far superior estimate.
Algorithmic Clustering of Music Based on String Compression

Cilibrasi, Vitanyi, and de Wolf Computer Music Journal, 28:4, pp. 49–67, Winter 2004 2004 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Rudi Cilibrasi,* Paul Vitanyi,*† and Ronald de Wolf* *Centrum voor Wiskunde en Informatica Kruislaan 413 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands †Institute for Logic, Language, and Computation University of Amsterdam Plantage Muidergracht 24 1018 TV Amsterdam, The Netherlands {Rudi.Cilibrasi, Paul.Vitanyi, Ronald.de. Wolf}@cwi.nl Algorithmic Clustering of Music Based on String Compression
Emotion Regulation as a Proximal Bio-Behavioral Mechanism Linking Religion/Spirituality and Mindfulness to Positive Health Outcomes

by Brandy S. Martinez The current study examined whether Religion/Spirituality (R/S) or mindfulnessbased interventions attenuate negative emotional experiences and concomitant physiological responses via emotion regulation. Secondary aims examined whether trait levels of R/S or mindfulness influenced affective and physiological responding over and above the interventions. Participants (Mage = 21.301 ± 3.588) were randomly assigned to either a R/S or mindfulness intervention, or a control condition. R/S (n = 28) or mindfulness (n = 26) intervention groups were required to Decrease (i.e., attenuate) affective responses to negative images via cognitive reappraisals drawn from a biblical excerpt or poem, respectively. Control participants (n = 29) were instructed to Maintain their emotions (i.e., respond naturally). Paired T-tests constrained to the Control group indicated that negative picture blocks were rated higher on average arousal (t(27) = 10.042, p < . 001), valence (t(27) = 11.298, p < . 001), and state NA (t(27) = 8.500, p < . 001) compared to neutral-blocks. Tests of the primary aims were restricted to the
Capital Controls and Capital Flows in Emerging Economies: Policies, Practices, and Consequences

Some scholars argue that the free movement of capital across borders enhances welfare; others claim it represents a clear peril, especially for emerging nations. In "Capital Controls and Capital Flows in Emerging Economies", an esteemed group of contributors examines both the advantages and the pitfalls of restricting capital mobility in these emerging nations. In the aftermath of the East Asian currency crises of 1997, the authors consider mechanisms that eight countries have used to control capital inflows and evaluate their effectiveness in altering the maturity of the resulting external debt and reducing macroeconomic vulnerability. This volume is essential reading for all those interested in emerging nations and the costs and benefits of restricting international capital flows.
Characterizing visitor groups from web data streams

The efficacy of a Web site is not only measured in terms of the ingoing traffic or the number of users but rather with respect to the knowledge of the user profiles who have visited it. In this paper we propose an approach for discovering the profiles of visitor groups of a Web site. Such knowledge could be especially useful for business applications. To this purpose, we begin by mapping user interests into symbolic objects which represent the user navigational behaviour resulting from a successful interaction with the site. We then identify groups of users with similar behavior by means of a dynamic clustering algorithm applying a proximity function, which is an original point of view. The convergence of the algorithm is guaranteed at the best partitions of the symbolic objects in k classes. We have applied our approach to identify visitor groups of a Web site in the educational domain and also to analyze the traces of different user behaviour. This application allows us to validate the proposed procedure and to suggest it as a useful tool in the Web Usage Mining framework.
Massive overloaded MIMO signal detection via convex optimization with proximal splitting

In this paper, we propose signal detection schemes for massive overloaded multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, where the number of receive antennas is less than that of transmitted streams. Using the idea of the sum-of-absolute-value (SOAV) optimization, we formulate the signal detection as a convex optimization problem, which can be solved via a fast algorithm based on Douglas-Rachford splitting. To improve the performance, we also propose an iterative approach to solve the optimization problem with weighting parameters update in a cost function. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme can achieve much better bit error rate (BER) performance than conventional schemes, especially in large-scale overloaded MIMO systems.
The Short-Run Impact of Gas Prices on Toll Road Use

One of the primary functions of transportation planning is to predict future travel behavior. Using estimated travel patterns, planners can then help decision makers select the array of projects that will best suit the needs of their community. Travel behavior is a function of many variables, with cost being among the most important. Recent fluctuations in the price of gas provide an excellent opportunity to observe the impact of the price of gas on travel behavior. This project goes a step beyond looking at the elasticity of travel with respect to gas price by examining how recent changes in gas prices have impacted travel on specific facilities: toll facilities. Data from around the US was used to examine how traffic levels on toll roads have been affected by fluctuations in gas prices over the last several years. This study developed models that account for the many other exogenous factors influencing toll road use (such as local economy, population, and toll rates), and provide an elasticity of toll road demand with respect to gas price independent of those other factors. This study will provide planners and toll road authorities with valuable information on how travelers react to increasing cost of travel when already selecting a mode with an added cost (the toll). The research findings indicated that travel demand elasticity estimates with respect to gas price were inelastic and mostly negative. Elasticities found here for the period from 2000 to 2010 ranged from −0.36 to +0.14, similar to those found in the literature for non-toll facilities. However, the average value of the elasticities found here were much smaller (closer to −0.06) than those found for non-toll facilities.
Scenarios for Global Ageing: An Investigation with the Ingenue 2 World Model

This paper explores the consequences of pension reforms in Western Europe in a world economy setting. Whereas various economic and social consequences of population ageing have been investigated in OECD countries, very few analyses have explicitly taken the worldwide aspect of the problem into account. In order to do so, this report relies on the latest version of the INGENUE World Model (2). This applied, international, overlapping-generations, general-equilibrium model of the world economy has been built specifically to analyse the international capital flows and growth dynamics induced by the different degrees of population ageing taking place in the various regions of the world. After a description of the major features of the baseline scenario of the model for the world economy over the next 50 years, the authors explore the domestic and international macroeconomic consequences of two scenarios of pension reform in Western Europe as well as their intergenerational distributional effects. These scenarios are then compared with a specific migration scenario, making use of the new features of the INGENUE 2 model.
A Good Teacher Can Teach Anything

This paper examines issues fundamental to educating thoughtful, competent, intelligent teachers by highlighting arguments against out-of-field teaching in physical education teacher education programs. It discusses the inaccurate notion among some people that a good teacher can teach anything, noting what actually constitutes a good teacher in physical education teacher preparation. The paper explains that physical education teacher education programs have the potential to fall under the guise of out-of-field teaching. Teacher preparation programs house an array of courses from the applied sciences and allied fields of physical education, which can stand alone as separate fields of study yet are possible out-of-field teaching assignments. People who are pursuing employment in predominantly undergraduate institutions within physical education teacher education programs must be able to teach within several content areas, yet more than half of the doctoral degree granting programs in physical education-pedagogy offer only specialized curriculums. When teachers are assigned to courses outside their area of study, the curriculum is weakened by fragmented content knowledge. Departments should make every effort to help faculty develop the content knowledge necessary to suitably teach out-of-field assignments. (Contains 10 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the oinal document.
A FIRST LOOK AT ROTATION IN INACTIVE LATE-TYPE M DWARFS

We have examined the relationship between rotation and activity in 14 late-type (M6−M7) M dwarfs, using high-resolution spectra taken at the W. M. Keck Observatory and flux-calibrated spectra from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Most were selected to be inactive at a spectral type where strong Hα emission is quite common. We used the cross-correlation technique to quantify the rotational broadening; six of the stars in our sample have v sin i ⩾ 3.5 km s−1. Our most significant and perplexing result is that three of these stars do not exhibit Hα emission, despite rotating at velocities where previous work has observed strong levels of magnetic field and stellar activity. Our results suggest that rotation and activity in late-type M dwarfs may not always be linked, and open several additional possibilities, including a rotationally dependent activity threshold, or a possible dependence on stellar parameters of the Rossby number at which magnetic/activity “saturation” takes place in fully convective stars.
Synapse Plasticity in Motor, Sensory, and Limbo-Prefrontal Cortex Areas as Measured by Degrading Axon Terminals in an Environment Model of Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Still little is known about naturally occurring synaptogenesis in the adult neocortex and related impacts of epigenetic influences. We therefore investigated (pre)synaptic plasticity in various cortices of adult rodents, visualized by secondary lysosome accumulations (LA) in remodeling axon terminals. Twenty-two male gerbils from either enriched (ER) or impoverished rearing (IR) were used for quantification of silver-stained LA. ER-animals showed rather low LA densities in most primary fields, whereas barrel and secondary/associative cortices exhibited higher densities and layer-specific differences. In IR-animals, these differences were evened out or even inverted. Basic plastic capacities might be linked with remodeling of local intrinsic circuits in the context of cortical map adaptation in both IR- and ER-animals. Frequently described disturbances due to IR in multiple corticocortical and extracortical afferent systems, including the mesocortical dopamine projection, might have led to maladaptations in the plastic capacities of prefronto-limbic areas, as indicated by different LA densities in IR- compared with ER-animals.