Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FINE STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN HEART MUSCLE IN RELATION TO THE LENGTH-TENSION CURVE

Methods. -Papillary muscles were obtained from the right ventricles of cats (1.0-1.5 kg) anaes- thetized with intraperitoneal sodium pentobarbital (25 mg/kg). Details of this preparation have been described elsewhere.3 Papillary muscles measured 5 to 11 mm unstretched with a cross- sectional area (calculated on the basis of weight, assuming the muscle to be a cylinder) of 0.9 to 1.3 mm.2 The muscle was placed in Krebs solution bubbled with a mixture of 95% 02 and 5% CO2. The base of the muscle was firmly fixed while its upper free end was tied by wire to a tension transducer (Statham G1-1000). The tension transducer could be moved with a microm- eter stage allowing the length of the muscle to be changed at will. The muscle was stimulated with a Grass Pulse Generator (Model S4). Resting (or passive) and active isometric tension were continuously recorded on a Sanborn multichannel oscillograph. initial (Lo) of the in order to avoid compression artifacts.6 Sections were examined in a well-alibrated RCA EMU 3F electron microscope with care being taken to normalize all lenses to insure reproducibility in electron optical magnification. Preservation of cytological structure was noted to be excellent.
Corporate Investment and Analyst Pressure

This paper empirically investigates whether executives alter capital budgeting decisions to meet or beat analysts' earnings per share (EPS) consensus forecasts. I find that (i) firms reduce investment when analyst pressure to increase EPS is high and that (ii) firms increase their likelihood of meeting or beating annual or quarterly analysts' EPS consensus forecasts by reducing investment. Investment has a direct impact on EPS through depreciation expenses and collateral costs. The observed reduction in investment to meet forecast targets occurs primarily within firms with better investment opportunities, better governance, high CEO compensation, and high levels of opacity. This pattern is consistent with information asymmetries driving the passing up of valuable investment opportunities in order to create positive earnings surprises and short-term focus. This practice was widespread between 1981 and 2007, but exhibited a dramatic surge after the passage of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on July 30, 2002.
Implications of Internet Usage Policy on Personal Web Usage from the Perspective of Senior Management and Other Staff Members

i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii List of Tables v List of Figures vi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Research Problem and Research Objectives 2 1.2 Research Questions 3 1.3 Definition of Terms 4 1.4 Thesis Structure 5 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6 2.1 Concepts for non-work-related Internet use 6 2.1.1 Personal web usage (PWU) 6 2.1.2 Internet Abuse 8 2.1.3 Cyberloafing 9 2.2 Internet Acceptable Usage Policy (IAUP) 10 2.3 Electronic Monitoring 12 2.4 Summary 13 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 14 3.1 Research Methods 14 3.2 Research Design 15 3.2.1 Online Survey 15 3.2.2 Online Survey Description 16 3.2.3 Survey Questionnaire 17 3.2.4 Measures 18 3.3 Data Collection 19 3.3.1 Sample size consideration 19 3.3.2 Sampling 20 3.3.3 Survey Procedure 21 3.4 Instrument validity 23
SQP algorithms for solving Toeplitz matrix approximation problem

Given an n × n matrix F, we find the nearest symmetric positive semi‐definite Toeplitz matrix T to F. The problem is formulated as a non‐linear minimization problem with positive semi‐definite Toeplitz matrix as constraints. Then a computational framework is given. An algorithm with rapid convergence is obtained by l1 Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) method. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Body waves in poroelastic media saturated by two immiscible fluids

A study of body waves in elastic porous media saturated by two immiscible Newtonian fluids is presented. We analytically show the existence of three compressional waves and one rotational wave in an infinite porous medium. The first and second compressional waves are analogous to the fast and slow compressional waves in Biot's theory. The third compressional wave is associated with the pressure difference between the fluid phases and dependent on the slope of capillary pressure-saturation relation. Effect of a second fluid phase on the fast and slow waves is numerically investigated for Massillon sandstone saturated by air and water phases. A peak in the attenuation of the first and second compressional waves is observed at high water saturations. Both the first and second compressional waves exhibit a drop in the phase velocity in the presence of air. The results are compared with the experimental data available in the literature. Although the phase velocity of the first compressional and rotational waves are well predicted by the theory, there is a discrepancy between the experimental and theoretical values of attenuation coefficients. The causes of discrepancy are explained based on experimental observations of other researchers.
Noninvasive ventilation in patients with acute hypercapnic exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who refused endotracheal intubation

ObjectiveTo determine the long-term outcome of noninvasive ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who refused intubation for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. DesignProspective, observational study. SettingNoninvasive ventilation unit in an acute regional hospital in Hong Kong. MethodsThe study recruited 37 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients who had the do-not-intubate code and developed acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. They were offered noninvasive ventilation, and their long-term outcomes were followed. Survival and event-free survival (an event is death or recurrent acute hypercapnic respiratory failure) were analyzed by survival analysis. Their disease profile and outcome were compared with another 43 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients without the do-not-intubate codes, who had acute hypercapnic respiratory failure and received noninvasive ventilation during the study period (usual care group). ResultsPatients in the do-not-intubate group were significantly older (p = .029), had worse dyspnea score (p < .001), worse Katz Activities of Daily Living score (p < .001), worse comorbidity score (p = .024), worse Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score (p = .032), lower hemoglobin (p = .001), and longer stay in the hospital during the past year (p = .001) than patients who received usual care. In the do-not-intubate group, the median survival was 179 days, and 1-yr actuarial survival was 29.7%; in the usual care group, the median survival was not reached during follow-up, and 1-yr actuarial survival was 65.1% (p < .0001). In the do-not-intubate group, the median event-free survival was 102 days, and 1-yr event-free survival was 16.2%; in the usual care group, median event-free survival was 292 days, and 1-yr event-free survival was 46.5% (p = .0004). ConclusionsA 1-yr survival of about 30% was recorded in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with the do-not-intubate code who developed acute hypercapnic respiratory failure requiring noninvasive ventilation. The majority of survivors developed another life-threatening event in the following year. Information generated from this study is important to physicians and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients when they are considering using noninvasive ventilation as a last resort.
PROJECT FOR THE ANALYSIS OF LAND TENURE AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA

The paper arises out of the Land Market Project and covers detailed data at the individual farm level and in-depth analyses of legal and historical processes. The agricultural sector in Macedonia is characterized by two very different farm enterprise types: small family farms operating on privately owned land, and large socially owned farms. About 30 percent of the total arable land in Macedonia belongs to socially owned farms. Most of the balance belong to the private farm sector; the cooperative sector occupies a small percentage of the arable land. The Land Markets Project addressed five tasks during the six-month term of the project: (1) assess the appropriateness of legislation, regulations, and institutions affecting land tenure and land use, (2) document and assess the land-related constraints to increased productivity and profitability of private farms, (3) document and assess the land-related constraints to increased productivity and profitability of socially owned farms, (4) propose land policy adjustments that would promote increased productivity and profitability of the agricultural sector, (5) identify financial and technical assistance to support the development of land markets that promote efficient, sustainable, and equitable increases in agricultural incomes. This paper reports the results of the first three tasks and then presents a comparative review of the land tenure and productivity results for both the private and the social sector. This comparison forms a basis for policy dialogue. The paper also includes a comprehensive discussion of the policy recommendations that stem from the Land Markets Project.
Firm Performance as a Function of Entrepreneurial Orientation and Strategic Planning Practices

New business creation is essential for our nation‘s economy and accounts for all net new job creation. However, 56% of small businesses fail within four years of startup. One way to address this issue is to employ an approach combining an entrepreneurial orientation (EO) with key strategic management planning practices for firms seeking to gain a competitive advantage and improve firm performance. Entrepreneurial orientation is the propensity of firms to be innovative, proactive, and be willing to take risks, and strategic planning processes are the firm-level activities that decide the firm‘s mission and goals, explore the competitive environment, identify and analyze strategic alternatives, and coordinate implementation activities across the entire organization. This research project empirically investigated the relationship among a firm‘s scanning intensity, locus of planning, planning flexibility and entrepreneurial orientation and firm performance. Also studied was the moderating effect of the external environment as it relates to firm performance. The sample for this research involved the owners and principal managers of Northeastern Ohio small businesses, all of whom are members of COSE, the largest local small business organization in the country, and all of whom participated and completed a COSE-sponsored strategic planning course. The results of this research indicate that a firm‘s entrepreneurial orientation is positively related to the firm performance. However, the positive relationship between strategic planning processes and firm performance were not supported. Environmental uncertainty was shown to have an effect on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and performance.
Type D personality and cardiac output in response to stress

Type D personality is predictive of adverse clinical outcome and psychological distress in cardiac patients. However, the mechanisms by which Type D affects health are largely unknown. This study (1) investigated the relationship between Type D and cardiovascular reactivity to experimentally induced stress and (2) tested the influence of Type D on subjective feelings of stress. Eighty four healthy young adults (50% males, mean (SD) age 22 (6.84) years), completed measures of Type D personality, stress arousal and a stress-inducing procedure involving a taxing mental arithmetic task. Cardiovascular measures were recorded throughout the experiment. Mixed measures ANOVA showed a significant main effect of Type D and a significant group by time effect of Type D on cardiac output in male participants. Type D males exhibit significantly higher cardiac output during the stressor phase compared to non-Type D males. However, there was no relationship between Type D and cardiovascular reactivity in females. In addition, Type D individuals exhibited significantly higher feelings of subjective stress compared to non-Type D's. These findings provide new evidence on Type D and suggest that Type D may affect health through increased cardiac output and higher subjective feelings of stress following acute stress.
Deep learning in breast cancer risk assessment: evaluation of convolutional neural networks on a clinical dataset of full-field digital mammograms

Abstract. To evaluate deep learning in the assessment of breast cancer risk in which convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with transfer learning are used to extract parenchymal characteristics directly from full-field digital mammographic (FFDM) images instead of using computerized radiographic texture analysis (RTA), 456 clinical FFDM cases were included: a “high-risk” BRCA1/2 gene-mutation carriers dataset (53 cases), a “high-risk” unilateral cancer patients dataset (75 cases), and a “low-risk dataset” (328 cases). Deep learning was compared to the use of features from RTA, as well as to a combination of both in the task of distinguishing between high- and low-risk subjects. Similar classification performances were obtained using CNN [area under the curve (AUC)=0.83; standard error (SE)=0.03] and RTA (AUC=0.82; SE=0.03) in distinguishing BRCA1/2 carriers and low-risk women. However, in distinguishing unilateral cancer patients and low-risk women, performance was significantly greater with CNN (AUC=0.82; SE=0.03) compared to RTA (AUC=0.73; SE=0.03). Fusion classifiers performed significantly better than the RTA-alone classifiers with AUC values of 0.86 and 0.84 in differentiating BRCA1/2 carriers from low-risk women and unilateral cancer patients from low-risk women, respectively. In conclusion, deep learning extracted parenchymal characteristics from FFDMs performed as well as, or better than, conventional texture analysis in the task of distinguishing between cancer risk populations.
Effects of coarse grain size distribution and fine particle content on pore fluid pressure and shear behavior in experimental debris flows

Debris flows are typically a saturated mixture of poorly sorted particles and interstitial fluid, whose density and flow properties depend strongly on the presence of suspended fine sediment. Recent research suggests that grain size distribution (GSD) influences excess pore pressures (i.e., pressure in excess of predicted hydrostatic pressure), which in turn plays a governing role in debris flow behaviors. We report a series of controlled laboratory experiments in a 4 m diameter vertically rotating drum where the coarse particle size distribution and the content of fine particles were varied independently. We measured basal pore fluid pressures, pore fluid pressure profiles (using novel sensor probes), velocity profiles, and longitudinal profiles of the flow height. Excess pore fluid pressure was significant for mixtures with high fines fraction. Such flows exhibited lower values for their bulk flow resistance (as measured by surface slope of the flow), had damped fluctuations of normalized fluid pressure and normal stress, and had velocity profiles where the shear was concentrated at the base of the flow. These effects were most pronounced in flows with a wide coarse GSD distribution. Sustained excess fluid pressure occurred during flow and after cessation of motion. Various mechanisms may cause dilation and contraction of the flows, and we propose that the sustained excess fluid pressures during flow and once the flow has stopped may arise from hindered particle settling and yield strength of the fluid, resulting in transfer of particle weight to the fluid. Thus, debris flow behavior may be strongly influenced by sustained excess fluid pressures controlled by particle settling rates.
Antimicrobial resistance of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius.

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus intermedius and Staphylococcus delphini together comprise the S. intermedius group (SIG). Within the SIG, S. pseudintermedius represents the major pathogenic species and is involved in a wide variety of infections, mainly in dogs, but to a lesser degree also in other animal species and humans. Antimicrobial agents are commonly applied to control S. pseudintermedius infections; however, during recent years S. pseudintermedius isolates have been identified that are meticillin-resistant and have also proved to be resistant to most of the antimicrobial agents approved for veterinary applications. This review deals with the genetic basis of antimicrobial resistance properties in S. pseudintermedius and other SIG members. A summary of the known resistance genes and their association with mobile genetic elements is given, as well as an update of the known resistance-mediating mutations. These data show that, in contrast to other staphylococcal species, S. pseudintermedius seems to prefer transposon-borne resistance genes, which are then incorporated into the chromosomal DNA, over plasmid-located resistance genes.
New multivalent cationic lipids reveal bell curve for transfection efficiency versus membrane charge density: lipid–DNA complexes for gene delivery

Gene carriers based on lipids or polymers—rather than on engineered viruses—constitute the latest technique for delivering genes into cells for gene therapy. Cationic liposome–DNA (CL‐DNA) complexes have emerged as leading nonviral vectors in worldwide gene therapy clinical trials. To arrive at therapeutic dosages, however, their efficiency requires substantial further improvement.
Tandem chromosomal duplications: role of REP sequences in the recombination event at the join‐point.

We show that a family of prokaryotic repetitive sequences, called REP (repetitive extragenic palindromic), (Stern et al., 1984) is involved in the formation of chromosomal rearrangements such as duplications. The join‐points of seven RecA+ tandem duplications previously characterized in Salmonella typhimurium, that fuse the hisD gene to distant foreign promoters, were cloned and sequenced. In all seven cases they are shown to have originated by recombination between distant REP sequences. Importantly, several join‐points had also occurred at REP sequences even in a RecA‐background. Thus, REPs can recombine with each other by a RecA(‐)‐independent mechanism involved in the generation of chromosomal rearrangements. While all RecA+ duplications analysed resulted from recombination between REP sequences, some RecA‐duplications did occur also outside of REP sequences, in one case by recombination within a 7 bp homology. Possible roles for the known interaction between DNA gyrase and REP in chromosomal rearrangements are discussed.
THE VALUE RELEVANCE OF EARNINGS IN A TRANSITION ECONOMY: EVIDENCE FROM ROMANIAN STOCK MARKET

The paper examines the value relevance of accounting information in Romaniancapital market between 2005 and 2010. Value relevance can be interpreted as the usefulnessof accounting data for decision making process of investors and usually its existence is givenby a positive correlation between market and book values. The paper main focus is thevariation of value relevance over the 6 years period and the influence Romania‘s adhesion toEU and consequently IFRS implementation had on it. Additionally issues like transitionprocess, accounting reforms and conservatism of financial reporting are taken intoconsideration as potential explanatory factors for the variation of this fundamental quality ofaccounting.
Continental breakup and UHP rock exhumation in action: GPS results from the Woodlark Rift, Papua New Guinea

We show results from a network of campaign Global Positioning System (GPS) sites in the Woodlark Rift, southeastern Papua New Guinea, in a transition from seafloor spreading to continental rifting. GPS velocities indicate anticlockwise rotation (at 2–2.7°/Myr, relative to Australia) of crustal blocks north of the rift, producing 10–15 mm/yr of extension in the continental rift, increasing to 20–40 mm/yr of seafloor spreading at the Woodlark Spreading Center. Extension in the continental rift is distributed among multiple structures. These data demonstrate that low‐angle normal faults in the continents, such as the Mai'iu Fault, can slip at high rates nearing 10 mm/yr. Extensional deformation observed in the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, the site of the world's only actively exhuming Ultra‐High Pressure (UHP) rock terrane, supports the idea that extensional processes play a critical role in UHP rock exhumation. GPS data do not require significant interseismic coupling on faults in the region, suggesting that much of the deformation may be aseismic. Westward transfer of deformation from the Woodlark Spreading Center to the main plate boundary fault in the continental rift (the Mai'iu fault) is accommodated by clockwise rotation of a tectonic block beneath Goodenough Bay, and by dextral strike slip on transfer faults within (and surrounding) Normanby Island. Contemporary extension rates in the Woodlark Spreading Center are 30–50% slower than those from seafloor spreading‐derived magnetic anomalies. The 0.5 Ma to present seafloor spreading estimates for the Woodlark Basin may be overestimated, and a reevaluation of these data in the context of the GPS rates is warranted.
Creative and knowledge-intensive groups in Sofia. The views of high-skilled employees, managers and transnational migrants

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Estimating Risk Attitudes in Denmark: A Field Experiment

We estimate individual risk attitudes using controlled experiments in the field in Denmark. The experiments were carried out across Denmark using a representative sample of 253 people between 19 and 75 years of age. Risk attitudes are estimated for various individuals differentiated by socio-demographic characteristics. Our results indicate that the average Dane is risk averse, and that risk neutrality is an inappropriate assumption to apply. We also find that risk attitudes vary significantly with respect to several important socio-demographic variables such as age and education. However, we do not find any effect of sex on risk attitudes.
Variation in inbreeding depression among populations of the seed beetle, Stator limbatus

Inbreeding depression has been documented in many insect species, but the degree to which it varies among traits within populations and among populations within species is poorly understood. We used a single‐generation factorial breeding design to examine variation in inbreeding depression among three populations of the seed‐feeding beetle, Stator limbatus Horn (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), from the southwestern USA. Eggs from sib matings were less likely to develop and hatch, and larval hatch‐to‐adult mortality was higher for offspring of sib matings. Overall, inbreeding resulted in a reduction in the proportion of eggs that produced an adult from >80% for outbred matings in all three populations to an average of only 54% for inbred matings. Of those larvae that survived to adult, inbred beetles took ∼1.5 days (>5%) longer to reach adult. The only measured trait not affected by inbreeding was adult body mass. The degree to which inbreeding increased mortality varied among the populations – inbreeding depression was lowest in the population that is most isolated. Although populations of S. limbatus are generally large in nature our results suggest that increased inbreeding associated with population fragmentation can have substantial effects on fitness of S. limbatus.