Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of head tilt on stereopsis.

PURPOSE Depth perception is an important part of many everyday tasks such as driving, catching a ball, and threading a needle. Binocular cues such as horizontal retinal image disparity (HRID) are significant cues to depth and play an important role in overall depth perception. Stereoscopic threshold (stereoacuity) is directly proportional to the interpupillary distance (IPD). Therefore, decreasing the IPD would predictably decrease streoacuity. Tilting the head toward one shoulder or the other will decrease the horizontal separation between the eyes thereby decreasing the IPD. This results in a decrease in stereoacuity. Although this has been demonstrated mathematically it has yet to be shown to have clinical significance. METHODS All subjects had normal vision, eye alignment, and ocular health. Stereoacuity was evaluated using the BVAT distance stereoacuity test with the subject's head upright as well as when tilted to the right and left at 10, 20 and 30 degrees. A digital potograph verified the head tilt and IPD. The median stereoacuity for each head position was analyzed using the Friedman Test and pair-wise comparisons were made between different head positions using the Paired T-Test. RESULTS 77.2% (44/57) of subjects exhibited a decrese in stereoacuity of at least 15 arc-sec with head tilt. The median change in stereoacuity from the upright was 22.5 to 45 arc-sec for the 6 head tilt positions (P 0.001). Although statistically the decrease in stereoacuity was not linear with regard to head tilt, there was an almost linear correlation between increasing head tilt and decreasing stereoacuity. CONCLUSIONS Head tilt to either the left or right creates a relative decrease in interpupillary distance with regards to the horizontal plane. This effective decrease in IPD results in a decrease in a subject's stereoacuity. Additionally, the greater the head tilt, the greater the loss of stereoacuity. This information is useful in counseling individuals, especially those engaged in activities where stereoacuity is critical to performance, to make a special effort to maintain a straight head position.
Internal control and employees’ occupational fraud on expenditure claims

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the weaknesses of internal control in expenditure claim procedure and to identify the opinions of employees regarding an occupational fraud. This study also attempts to examine the most popular occupational fraud committed by the employee and whether a company’s working environment contributed to the fraud. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was adopted to investigate and analyse the weaknesses of the internal control and occupational fraud incidents. A mixed method of data collection, specifically, survey questionnaire and document analysis were used. Findings This study found that the internal control of the expenditure claim procedure was weak and needed improvement. This study also found that a strong internal control and a better remuneration paid to the employees could reduce the risk of the occupational fraud committed in the company. In terms of fraud types, this study discovered that claims on mileage, followed by petrol, accommodation and suppliers’ invoice were the most popular occupational frauds committed by the employees. Finally, employee dissatisfaction and poor working-environment culture influence occupational fraud’s level in the organizations. Research limitations/implications The results provide further confirmation of the fraud triangle theory on the causes of fraud, i.e. opportunity because of a weak internal control and financial pressure because of low and non-standardized salary. This study, however, was conducted only on one company. Practical implications This study provides some recommendations to overcome the weak internal control and improve employees’ satisfaction which lead to better working environment. Thus, opportunities for fraud in the company can be reduced. Originality/value This study is original, as it focusses specifically on occupational fraud which is rare in fraud literature, particularly for a study that is conducted in developing markets like Malaysia. It also has examined various related sensitive documents and reports of employee frauds that are generally difficult to be accessed by researchers.
Different Signal Enhancement Pathways of Attention and Consciousness Underlie Perception in Humans

It is not yet known whether attention and consciousness operate through similar or largely different mechanisms. Visual processing mechanisms are routinely characterized by measuring contrast response functions (CRFs). In this report, behavioral CRFs were obtained in humans (both males and females) by measuring afterimage durations over the entire range of inducer stimulus contrasts to reveal visual mechanisms behind attention and consciousness. Deviations relative to the standard CRF, i.e., gain functions, describe the strength of signal enhancement, which were assessed for both changes due to attentional task and conscious perception. It was found that attention displayed a response-gain function, whereas consciousness displayed a contrast-gain function. Through model comparisons, which only included contrast-gain modulations, both contrast-gain and response-gain effects can be explained with a two-level normalization model, in which consciousness affects only the first level and attention affects only the second level. These results demonstrate that attention and consciousness can effectively show different gain functions because they operate through different signal enhancement mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The relationship between attention and consciousness is still debated. Mapping contrast response functions (CRFs) has allowed (neuro)scientists to gain important insights into the mechanistic underpinnings of visual processing. Here, the influence of both attention and consciousness on these functions were measured and they displayed a strong dissociation. First, attention lowered CRFs, whereas consciousness raised them. Second, attention manifests itself as a response-gain function, whereas consciousness manifests itself as a contrast-gain function. Extensive model comparisons show that these results are best explained in a two-level normalization model in which consciousness affects only the first level, whereas attention affects only the second level. These findings show dissociations between both the computational mechanisms behind attention and consciousness and the perceptual consequences that they induce.
The Role of Food Crisis and Trade Costs in the Hungarian Maize Exports

Maize is one of the most important agricultural export products in Hungary. The paper investigates the role of economic crisis and trade costs on the pattern of Hungarian maize exports over the period from 1996 to 2015. The authors employ standard gravity model to explain the drivers of Hungarian maize exports at the world market. The results suggest that on the demand side both importers’ market size and the importers’ income have positive and significant impacts on Hungarian maize exports. the distance and crisis have negative impacts, whilst the eU membership positively influ enced Hungarian maize exports.
Positive skin tests to aero‐allergens and month of birth

The month of birth distribution for 1301 French patients born between 1953 and 1975 with at least one positive skin test was compared to that of the whole population. A chisquare test was performed, and the expected birth month distribution of the groups calculated from the INSEE * data for 1953‐1975. All patients underwent skin testing with house dust, Dermatophagoides pternyssinus (Dpt), cat and dog allergens, grass, tree and weed pollens, and moulds. The only study criterion was a positive skin test unrelated to any specific disorder. A significant difference in month of birth distribution was observed 1) for patients with positive skin test to grass pollen, with a high rate of births from January to May, and 2) for patients with mould sensitization, with a low rate of births in April, May and December. Tree and weed pollens, house dust and Dpt showed no significant relation with month of birth. For cat and dog allergens, the observed and expected distributions of birth month were similar. For the whole sensitized population the birth rate tended to be low in December except for the cat and dog sensitized. Our study confirms the well‐known seasonal peak of births in the first 5 months of the year for grass pollen sensitized patients. No consistent monthly or seasonal tendency could be statistically demonstrated for other allergens except moulds.
Performance, biochemical, and endocrine changes during a competitive football game.

PURPOSE This study represents the first time that anaerobic power performance was examined during an actual intercollegiate American football game. In addition, biochemical and endocrine responses also were examined to assess the physiological stress imposed by this competitive contest. METHODS Twenty-one members of a NCAA Division III football team were divided into two groups. Group one (ST) were starters (N = 11). The second group (RS) consisted of red-shirt players (N = 10). Blood samples were obtained 24 h (Pre1) and 2.5 h (Pre2) before the game and within 15 min of game conclusion (IP). Anaerobic power measures were recorded approximately 10 min before kickoff (pre) and following the first (Q1), second (Q2), third (Q3), and fourth (Q4) quarters. RESULTS Peak force (PF) and power (PP) in both squat and countermovement jumps decreased (P < 0.05) from pre to Q2 in both ST and RS; however, all variables returned to baseline levels by Q4. When averaged across trials, PF and PP in both jumps were greater (P < 0.05) in ST than RS. No significant changes in testosterone concentrations with respect to time or between groups were seen. Cortisol concentrations were significantly higher for ST at IP than RS. No significant changes in creatine kinase, alanine aminotransferase, urea, or uric acid were observed in either group from Pre2 to IP. In addition, no between group differences were seen in these variables. Myoglobin and aspartate aminotransferase significantly increased from Pre2 to IP in ST, and a significant difference in myoglobin concentrations was seen between the groups at IP. CONCLUSIONS Performance, biochemical, and endocrine changes in these NCAA Division III football players reflected the stress and muscle damage that occurs as a result of a competitive American football game.
Implantation: Leukaemia inhibitory factor in human endometrium during the menstrual cycle: cellular origin and action on production of glandular epithelial cell prostaglandin in vitro

Leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a pleiotrophic cytokine which plays an obligatory role in mouse implantation. To investigate its potential role in the regulation of uterine function in the human, LIF secretion by isolated human endometrial glandular epithelial and stromal cells in primary culture was determined. Endometrial cells secreted a detectable amount of LIF protein during the first 48 h of culture. In the follicular and late-luteal phases, LIF secretion by both cell types was low. At every stage of the menstrual cycle, the epithelial cells secreted significantly more LIF than did stromal cells. Glandular epithelial cells of the mid-luteal phase, at the expected time of implantation in the human, secreted significantly more LIF than at other stages of the cycle. Stromal cells showed a similar, but nonsignificant, LIF secretion pattern. It could be concluded that endometrial LIF expression was dependent on cell type and stage of the menstrual cycle, and might thus play a role in human implantation. Oestradiol-17 beta stimulated both prostaglandin (PG) F and E release by the epithelial cells in both follicular and luteal phases. PGE release during the luteal phase was greater than in the follicular phase. However, addition of recombinant human LIF did not change either PGF or PGE release in either follicular or luteal phases, in the presence or absence of oestradiol.
Thermal environment and human birth weight.

Human birth weight is known to be influenced by several factors, including maternal energy supply, maternal stature, disease status, smoking status and gestation length. This article proposes that the thermal environment may be a further factor influencing birth weight. Experimental animal studies demonstrate clear effects of thermal stress on placental function and birth weight, but may have limited relevance for humans due to between-species differences in pregnancy physiology. Observational studies suggest an inverse relationship between environmental temperature and birth weight within and between human populations. Variation in maternal size, body fatness, pregnancy weight gain and heat production is predicted to influence maternal thermoregulatory capacity, as are the size and composition of the foetus. These associations generate the hypothesis that low birth weight in hot environments may in part represent an adaptation to environmental heat stress.
Municipalities and regions in locational competition – Relevant factors for success and political implications

Improving the business conditions of municipalities and regions, competitiveness concerning the location of new businesses and attraction of highly qualified labor are considered classical topics within regional economics and industrial location theory. Locational competition has intensified over recent years in the wake of the process of globalization, the general development towards a knowledge-based economy, and the dynamic of the international and the national division of labor. This analysis will be carried out in three steps. Firstly, traditional (e.g. industrial location theory) and newer economic approaches (e.g. new economic growth theory, innovative milieu approach etc.) will be outlined by means of discussing their insights and implications regarding the process of industrial location. This discussion shows that modern economies are increasingly developing into service and knowledge societies, in which factors formerly viewed as relevant within locational competition are becoming less important. Secondly, the paper analyzes the empirical evidence for these theoretical findings. According to existing empirical work, the evidence suggests that present studies mainly support the theoretically derived thesis of a shift in the classical ranking of locational factors. Finally, the paper seeks to explore conclusions concerning the design of local and regional economic policy at multiple governance levels.
Treating Patients with Eating Disorders: An Examination of Treatment Providers' Experiences

Patients with eating disorders bring unique challenges to treatment providers. The purpose of this study was to explore treatment providers' experiences working with patients with eating disorders. Specifically, we investigated 1) the frequency and management of commentary about the treatment providers' appearance from patients, 2) personal changes in affect, vigilance around appearance, and eating behaviors in treatment providers, and 3) feedback and suggestions about effectively working with these patients. Using quantitative and qualitative methods, 43 professional eating disorder treatment providers attending the Multiservice Eating Disorder Association (MEDA) annual conference completed a questionnaire created for this study. Results suggest that most treatment providers experienced direct and indirect commentary about their appearance from patients and experienced notable changes in their view of food, eating behaviors, and vigilance of their own and others' appearance while working with these patients. Recommendations and suggestions from treatment providers about effectively treating these patients and managing personal changes are explored.
Hypereosinophilic Syndrome: Lymphoproliferative and Myeloproliferative Variants

Idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome is a largely heterogeneous disorder defined as persistent, marked hypereosinophilia of unknown origin complicated by end-organ damage. Recent research in cellular and molecular biology has led to the characterization of distinct underlying hematological disorders, primitively involving cells of the myeloid or lymphoid lineage. The ability to classify many hypereosinophilic syndrome patients on the basis of pathogenesis of hypereosinophilia has radically changed therapeutic perspectives. Indeed, imatinib mesylate has become first-line therapy for patients in whom the FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha fusion gene is detected, whereas corticosteroids remain the mainstay for management of patients in whom hypereosinophilia is secondary to the overproduction of interleukin 5 by abnormal T-cells. Use of monoclonal anti-interleukin-5 antibodies in the latter group of patients has a strong rationale and could decrease cumulative corticosteroid doses and toxicity. As far as prognosis of these disease variants is concerned, hypereosinophilic syndrome patients with the FIP1L1-PDGFRalpha fusion gene may develop acute myelogenous (eosinophilic) leukemia, whereas those with clonal interleukin-5-producing T-cells have an increased risk of developing T-cell lymphoma. It is currently unclear whether timely therapeutic intervention in such patients could interfere with long-term progression toward malignant hematological disorders.
Pharmacokinetics of Sirolimus (Rapamycin) in Subjects With Severe Hepatic Impairment

Nine subjects with severe hepatic impairment (Child‐Pugh grade C) and 9 healthy matched control subjects were given a single 15‐mg dose of sirolimus by oral solution. Increases (P ≥ .002) in mean whole‐blood sirolimus t1/2 (168%), AUC0‐∞ (210%), and MRToral (261%), together with a decrease (P = .001) in CL/F (−67%), were observed in subjects with severe hepatic impairment compared with healthy matched controls. Sirolimus pharmacokinetic data in Child‐Pugh grade A (n = 13, mild) and B (n = 5, moderate) subjects from a previous identically designed study were available for an inter‐study comparison. Overall, mean t1/2, weight‐normalized AUC, and MRToral increased steadily, whereas mean CL/F decreased steadily, with increasing degrees of hepatic impairment. CL/F showed large intersubject variabilities within subject types and extensive overlap among the subject types. The results of this study suggest that an initial sirolimus dose reduction of approximately 60% is appropriate in patients with acute severe hepatic impairment; this should be followed by further dose adjustment, based on therapeutic drug monitoring, until the trough concentrations have stabilized at sirolimus levels existing prior to the onset of acute liver failure.
Relation of serum ascorbic acid to serum lipids and lipoproteins in US adults.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relation of serum ascorbic acid level to serum lipid and lipoprotein levels among a random sample of the US adult population. METHODS Using linear regression, the relation of serum ascorbic acid level to serum lipid and lipoprotein levels was examined among 5,412 women and 5,116 men enrolled in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II), 1976-1980. Age, race, body mass index, level of physical activity, level of education, alcohol intake, and dietary energy, cholesterol, and fat intakes, and other potential confounders were included in the multivariate models. RESULTS Serum ascorbic acid level was independently associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) among women; each 1 mg/dl increase in serum ascorbic acid level (range 0.1 to 2.7 mg/dl) was associated with a 2 mg/dl increase in HDL-C level (p = 0.001). Because other investigators have demonstrated an inverse relation between ascorbic acid intake or blood levels and total serum cholesterol in individuals with elevated total serum cholesterol levels, we analyzed four subgroups of NHANES II participants with total serum cholesterol levels > 200 mg/dl. Among women with total serum cholesterol levels > or = 200 mg/dl, each 1 mg/dl increase in serum ascorbic acid level was independently associated with an increase of 2 to 3 mg/dl in HDL-C level (p < or = 0.05). Serum ascorbic acid level was not significantly associated with other serum lipids or lipoproteins. CONCLUSIONS If the observed associations are linked causally, they would suggest that ascorbic acid is a factor in cholesterol homeostasis among women and may be particularly important for women at increased risk for coronary heart disease.
Male Antenatal Attendance and HIV Testing Are Associated With Decreased Infant HIV Infection and Increased HIV-Free Survival

Objective:To investigate the relationship between male involvement in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services and infant HIV acquisition and mortality, a prospective cohort study was undertaken between 1999 and 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya. Methods:HIV-infected pregnant women were enrolled and followed with their infants for 1 year with infant HIV DNA testing at birth, 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum. Women were encouraged to invite male partners for prevention counseling and HIV testing. Results:Among 456 female participants, 140 partners (31%) attended the antenatal clinic. Eighty-two (19%) of 441 infants tested were HIV infected by 1 year of age. Adjusting for maternal viral load, vertical transmission risk was lower among women with partner attendance compared with those without [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 0.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.33 to 0.98; P = 0.042] and among women reporting versus not reporting previous partner HIV testing (aHR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.32 to 0.84; P = 0.008). The combined risk of HIV acquisition or infant mortality was lower with male attendance (aHR = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.88; P = 0.012) and report of prior male HIV testing (aHR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.34 to 0.88; P = 0.01) when adjusting for maternal viral load and breastfeeding. Conclusions:Including men in antenatal prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services with HIV testing may improve infant health outcomes.
Can American Management Concepts Work in Russia

ussia, a country with a rich culture and a history filled with dramaticturning points, is once again in the midst of far-reaching changes. Inwhat some describe as "one of the greatest natural experiments" of ourtime, Russia has introduced a series of sweeping economic and politicalreforms J, According to the opinion of Archie Dunham, president and CEO ofConoco (a maJOT investor in the sizable Russian oil industry), "Russians . have made incredible strides toward a market economy in an extremely shorttime. "^ There has been an unmistakable upturn in the Russian economy, withfalling inflation, a stabilization of the ruble, bottoming-out of the factory output,and rapid privatization of state-owned enterprises. ' Moreover, Russia has offeredWestern investors an enormous wealth of natural resources, advanced tech-nology in some critical areas, highly skilled scientists, and almost t50 millionpotential consumers. "* In the words of Dana McGinnis, president of San AntonioCapital Management, "if investors don't get [in Russia] now, they might as wellnever. The best buys are available now. "^ Almost weekly, new firms join theexisting 116 registered U.S. firms with Moscow-based operations. * To assist withthe effort of expanding U.S. business in Russia, the U.S. Department of Com-merce has announced plans to open several American Business Centers (ABCs)in the country.However, many Americans who have been attracted by the abundantbusiness opportunities in Russia have encountered some serious obstacles. Asit has been suggested by a number of studies, the Russian environment is verycomplex and the Russian culture is significantly different from Western cul-tures. ^ For example, one experienced international business researcher contendsthat "foreign firms found the [Russian] business environment difficult becausethe concept of business that Westerners had was very different from the one that