Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Process control and economic cost design for total quality management

For decades quality management has been developed based on the statistical techniques and quality improvement activities. This was achieved through better understanding of process control and economic cost design, which plays an important role in the statistical techniques and quality improvement activities. The integration of process control and economic cost design successfully reduced process output variability and improved process efficiency. In this paper, a review and recent works on the economic cost design, process control, and their applications are provided. Specifically, we summarise the related topics regarding the integrated process between process control and statistical techniques, explaining process controllers, process efficiency, and economic cost designs. The integration of process control and statistical techniques is shown as a research area and we promote further interest in its development and application in industry. A discussion of some research topics is also given, including future research topics.
Unconventional U.S. Monetary Policy: New Tools, Same Channels?

In this paper, we compare the transmission of a conventional monetary policy shock with that of an unexpected decrease in the term spread, which mirrors quantitative easing. Employing a time-varying vector autoregression with stochastic volatility, our results are two-fold: First, the spread shock works mainly through a boost to consumer wealth growth, while a conventional monetary policy shock affects real output growth via a broad credit/bank lending channel. Second, both shocks exhibit a distinct pattern over our sample period. More specifically, we find small output effects of a conventional monetary policy shock during the period of the global financial crisis and stronger effects in its aftermath. This might imply that when the central bank has left the policy rate unaltered for an extended period of time, a policy surprise might boost output particularly strongly. By contrast, the spread shock has affected output growth most strongly during the period of the global financial crisis and less so thereafter. This might point to diminishing effects of large-scale asset purchase programs.
Electrical and mechanical responses of guinea‐pig bladder muscle to nerve stimulation

1 The electrical and mechanical responses to transmural stimulation of intrinsic nerves have been recorded from smooth muscle strips dissected from the dome of the guinea‐pig bladder, by use of intracellular microelectrodes, and conventional tension recording techniques. 2 Stimulation of intrinsic nerves evoked action potentials in all cells studied. Hyperpolarization of the cells by extracellular current injection revealed subthreshold excitatory junction potentials (e.j.ps) in about a quarter of the cells studied. 3 Action potentials could still be evoked in the presence of atropine and neostigmine, but were abolished after desensitization of the cells to α,β‐methylene ATP, a stable analogue of ATP. 4 In the presence of neostigmine, the evoked action potential was followed by a slow depolarization of the membrane. The mechanical response increased in amplitude and duration. 5 The contractile response to transmural nerve stimulation was reduced but not abolished in the presence of either atropine or desensitizing doses of α,β‐methylene ATP. Atropine was more effective at high frequencies of stimulation (≥ 30 Hz), and α,β‐methylene ATP at low frequencies (≤ 15 Hz). In combination the drugs abolished the response. 6 The results suggest that the mechanical response to excitatory nerve stimulation is biphasic. The early transient reponse is elicited by e.j.ps and evoked spikes, is resistant to atropine, but sensitive to desensitization of purinoceptors. The late response is mediated through muscarinic receptors, involves little membrane depolarization, and is unaffected by desensitization of purinoceptors. These responses are analogous to the responses seen in rabbit bladder, and in the sympathetically innervated rat tail artery and guinea‐pig vas deferens.
The Other Third Shift?: Women’s Emotion Work in Their Sexual Relationships

Sociological theories of gendered “emotional labor” have often been examined in relation to domestic work, sex work, and jobs that demand emotional caretaking and physical “pampering” of clients (e.g., hairdressers, nail salon workers, medical workers). The concepts of emotional labor have been used far less often to address inequalities within private interpersonal relationships, particularly heterosexual romantic relationships. This paper utilized thematic analysis of qualitative data from a community sample of 20 women (mean age = 34, SD = 13.35) from a wide range of backgrounds. We identified four areas of emotion work present in these women’s sexual lives, including 1) faking orgasms; 2) tolerating sexual pain; 3) defining sexual satisfaction based on the partner’s pleasure; and 4) narrating sex they call “bad sex” as acceptable because of a partner’s satisfaction. Nearly all women mentioned emotion work as part of their current or past sexual experiences, as women described frequently enduring unsatisfying sex to provide their (male) partners with feelings of power, sexual skillfulness, and dominance, particularly during heterosex. We discuss the implications for gendered elements of sexual satisfaction, feelings about sex that women do not expect to feel pleasurable, expectations about deservingness and entitlement to sexual pleasure, sexual agency, and diverse interpretations of the significance of orgasm.
Acquired Long QT Syndrome and Electrophysiology of Torsade de Pointes

Congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS) has been the most investigated cardiac ion channelopathy. Although congenital LQTS remains the domain of cardiologists, cardiac electrophysiologists and specialised centres, the much more frequently acquired LQTS is the domain of physicians and other members of healthcare teams required to make therapeutic decisions. This paper reviews the electrophysiological mechanisms of acquired LQTS, its ECG characteristics, clinical presentation, and management. The paper concludes with a comprehensive review of the electrophysiological mechanisms of torsade de pointes.
Detecting filamentary pattern in the cosmic web: a catalogue of filaments for the SDSS

The main feature of the spatial large-scale galaxy distribution is its intricate network of galaxy filaments. This network is spanned by the galaxy locations that can be interpreted as a three-dimensional point distribution. The global properties of the point process can be measured by different statistical methods, which, however, do not describe directly the structure elements. The morphology of the large-scale structure, on the other hand, is an important property of the galaxy distribution. Here, we apply an object point process with interactions (the Bisous model) to trace and extract the filamentary network in the presently largest galaxy redshift survey, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We search for filaments in the galaxy distribution that have a radius of about 0.5 h −1 Mpc. We divide the detected network into single filaments
Residual volume in vials of antibiotics used in pediatrics.

OBJECTIVE Quantifying residual volume contained in vials of antibiotics used in pediatrics. METHOD This is an experiment involving samples from vials of antibiotics used in a pediatric hospital. Residual volume was identified by calculating the difference in weight measurement before and after the vials were washed. Evaluation of the residual volume difference in the vials was determined by the Wilcoxon non-parametric test for a sample and established at a significance level of 5%. RESULTS 105 samples of antibiotics were selected. The correct use of the antibiotics oxacillin (88.57%) and ceftriaxone (94.28%) predominated with low residual values. The same did not occur for procaine benzylpenicillin + potassium benzylpenicillin, since a greater residual volume was discarded in 74.28% of the vials. CONCLUSION We highlight the need for improvements in managing antibiotics in the institution under study, so that the excess volume of the antibiotics in the vials is used within the acceptable stable time. It is also necessary that the disposal of the residual volume be adequately disposed, since it presents a risk to public health and the environment. OBJETIVO Quantificar o volume residual contido em frascos-ampola de antibióticos utilizados na pediatria. MÉTODO Trata-se de um experimento com amostras de frascos-ampola de antibióticos utilizados em hospital pediátrico. O volume residual foi identificado calculando-se a diferença da aferição do peso antes e após a lavagem do frasco-ampola. A avaliação da diferença dos volumes residuais nos frascos-ampola foi determinada pelo teste não paramétrico de Wilcoxon para uma amostra e estabelecido o nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS Foram selecionadas 105 amostras de antibióticos. Predominou o correto aproveitamento dos antibióticos oxacilina (88,57%) e ceftriaxona (94,28%), com baixos valores residuais. O mesmo não ocorreu com a benzilpenicilina procaína + potássica, pois em 74,28% dos frascos houve descarte de volume residual superior. CONCLUSÃO Destaca-se a necessidade de melhorias na gestão dos antibióticos na instituição em estudo, para que o volume excedente do antibiótico em frasco-ampola seja aproveitado até o tempo de estabilidade permitido, assim como é necessário que haja a adequação da forma de descarte do volume residual, que apresenta risco à saúde pública e ao meio ambiente.
Melatonin modulates TLR4‐mediated inflammatory genes through MyD88‐ and TRIF‐dependent signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated RAW264.7 cells

Abstract: Increasing evidence demonstrates that melatonin has an anti‐inflammatory effect. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms remain obscure. In this study, we investigated the effect of melatonin on toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4)‐mediated molecule myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)‐dependent and TRIF‐dependent signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated macrophages. RAW264.7 cells were incubated with LPS (2.0 μg/mL) in the absence or presence of melatonin (10, 100, 1000 μm). As expected, melatonin inhibited TLR4‐mediated tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, and IL‐10 in LPS‐stimulated macrophages. In addition, melatonin significantly attenuated LPS‐induced upregulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in macrophages. Further analysis showed that melatonin inhibited the expression of MyD88 in LPS‐stimulated macrophages. Although it had no effect on TLR4‐mediated phosphorylation of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK), p38, and extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK), melatonin significantly attenuated the activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) in LPS‐stimulated macrophages. In addition, melatonin inhibited TLR4‐mediated Akt phosphorylation in LPS‐stimulated macrophages. Moreover, melatonin significantly attenuated the elevation of interferon (IFN)‐regulated factor‐3 (IRF3), which was involved in TLR4‐mediated TRIF‐dependent signaling pathway, in LPS‐stimulated macrophages. Correspondingly, melatonin significantly alleviated LPS‐induced IFN‐β in macrophages. In conclusion, melatonin modulates TLR4‐mediated inflammatory genes through MyD88‐dependent and TRIF‐dependent signaling pathways.
Moderating mycorrhizas: arbuscular mycorrhizas modify rhizosphere chemistry and maintain plant phosphorus status within narrow boundaries.

Pastures often experience a pulse of phosphorus (P) when fertilized. We examined the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the uptake of P from a pulse. Five legumes (Kennedia prostrata, Cullen australasicum, Bituminaria bituminosa, Medicago sativa and Trifolium subterraneum) were grown in a moderate P, sterilized field soil, either with (+AMF) or without (-AMF) addition of unsterilized field soil. After 9-10 weeks, half the pots received 15 mg P kg(-1) of soil. One week later, we measured: shoot and root dry weights; percentage of root length colonized by AMF; plant P, nitrogen and manganese (Mn) concentrations; and rhizosphere carboxylates, pH and plant-available P. The P pulse raised root P concentration by a similar amount in uncolonized and colonized plants, but shoot P concentration increased by 143% in uncolonized plants and 53% in colonized plants. Inoculation with AMF decreased the amount of rhizosphere carboxylates by 52%, raised rhizosphere pH by ∼0.2-0.7 pH units and lowered shoot Mn concentration by 38%. We conclude that AMF are not simply a means for plants to enhance P uptake when P is limiting, but also act to maintain shoot P within narrow boundaries and can affect nutrient uptake through their influence on rhizosphere chemistry.
Using Social Cognitive Career Theory to Predict the Academic Interests and Goals of Chinese Middle Vocational-Technical School Students

Students' academic self-efficacy, interests, goals, and perceptions of social supports and barriers critically influence their career development and career management. In this study, we used the social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to predict the academic interests and goals of Chinese Middle Vocational-Technical School Students. Five hundred and Seventy-eight (578) Chinese middle vocational-technical school students majoring in electric power engineering were investigated. Participants performed measures of self-efficacy, outcome expectation, academic interests, academic goals, and social supports and barriers relative to the achievement of their majors. The data offered adequate fit to the basic SSCT model across gender and homeplace. However, self-efficacy and outcome expectation did not directly predict academic goals. The implication of findings was discussed.
Trends in diagnostic patterns and mortality in emergency ambulance service patients in 2007−2014: a population-based cohort study from the North Denmark Region

Objective Demand for ambulances is growing. Nevertheless, knowledge is limited regarding diagnoses and outcomes in patients receiving emergency ambulances. This study aims to examine time trends in diagnoses and mortality among patients transported with emergency ambulance to hospital. Design Population-based cohort study with linkage of Danish national registries. Setting The North Denmark Region in 2007–2014. Participants Cohort of 148 757 patients transported to hospital by ambulance after calling emergency services. Main outcome measures The number of emergency ambulance service patients, distribution of their age, sex, hospital diagnoses, comorbidity, and 1-day and 30-day mortality were assessed by calendar year. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to estimate both age-and sex-adjusted relative risk of death and prevalence ratios for Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to allow comparison by year, with 2007 as reference year. Results The annual number of emergency ambulance service patients increased from 24.3 in 2007 to 40.2 in 2014 per 1000 inhabitants. The proportions of women increased from 43.1% to 46.4% and of patients aged 60+ years from 39.9% to 48.6%, respectively. The proportion of injuries gradually declined, non-specific diagnoses increased, especially the last year. Proportion of patients with high comorbidity (CCI≥3) increased from 6.4% in 2007 to 9.4% in 2014, corresponding to an age- and sex-adjusted prevalence ratio of 1.27 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.39). The 1-day and 30 day mortality decreased from 2.40% to 1.21% and from 5.01% to 4.36%, respectively, from 2007 to 2014, corresponding to age-adjusted and sex-adjusted relative risk of 0.43 (95% CI 0.37 to 0.50) and 0.72 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.79), respectively. Conclusion During the 8-year period, the incidence of emergency ambulance service patients, the proportion of women, elderly, and non-specific diagnoses increased. The level of comorbidity increased substantially, whereas the 1-day and 30-day mortality decreased.
Antidiabetic effect of milk fermented using intestinal probiotics

Purpose Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that accounted for 6 per cent of total Indonesian deaths in 2016. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of milk fermented using intestinal origin Lactobacillus casei strains to alleviate hyperglycemia in rats. Design/methodology/approach L. casei strains AP and AG were previously isolated and identified from feces of breastfed Indonesian infants (<1 month-old) and confirmed to be probiotics in vitro. These strains were used as bacterial starters to ferment milk, and the fermented product was fed to 25 diabetic rats for 15 days; metformin was used as a positive control. Blood glucose concentration, lipid profiles and total lactic acid bacteria counts were analyzed before and after treatment. Findings The results showed that feeding rats with milk fermented using L. casei strain AP decreased blood glucose concentration from 172.4 ± 2.1 to 147.2 ± 6.0 mg/dL (p < 0.05), whereas metformin reduced blood glucose concentration from 173.5 ± 6.5 to 124.2 ± 16.9 mg/dL (p < 0.05). Feeding milk fermented either L. casei AP or AG decreased low density lipoprotein but increased high density lipoprotein levels (p < 0.05). Research limitations/implications This research finding is expected to increase the development of fermented dairy products as functional food, solutions for the prevention of hyperglycemia diseases which have a higher risk to occur on humans. Practical implications Further study is needed to examine the effect of L. casei AP-fermented milk on humans with hyperglycemia. Social implications This research finding is expected to increase the development of fermented dairy products as functional food. Originality/value Oral administration of L. casei AP-fermented milk reduced hyperglycemia in rats similar to metformin. Further study is needed to examine the effect of L. casei AP-fermented milk on humans with hyperglycemia.
The Impact of Agri-environmental Schemes on Farm Performance in Five E.U. Member States: A DID-Matching Approach

The agri-environmental schemes (AESs) of the European Union employ the highest share of the public budget allocated to rural development programs. Our study applies a difference-indifferences propensity score matching estimator to perform a comparative analysis of the effects of these schemes on farmers’ performance across five E.U. member states. The effects of the AESs adoption largely depend on the share of the agri-environmental payment on farm revenue. If this share is larger than 5%, participation in AESs is effective in promoting greener farming practices in all countries but Spain, where a negative effect on farm income is also shown. (JEL Q15, Q18)
A Systematic Review of Treatment Strategies for Degenerative Lumbar Spine Fusion Surgery in Patients With Osteoporosis

Purpose: To evaluate the current evidence in the literature on treatment strategies for degenerative lumbar spine fusion in patients with osteoporosis. Methods: A systematic review of the literature from 1950 to 2015. Results: The review of the literature yielded 15 studies on the effect of treatment options for osteoporosis on lumbar fusion rates. This study evaluated only degenerative lumbar spine conditions and excluded deformity patients. One study demonstrated an association between low bone mass as measured by Hounsfield units and lower fusion rates. Six studies evaluated perioperative medical treatment of osteoporosis and showed higher fusion rates in patients treated with alendronate and teriparatide. The strongest evidence was for perioperative teriparatide. Eight studies evaluated surgical treatment strategies in patients with osteoporosis and showed that cement augmentation of pedicle screws and expandable pedicle screws demonstrated improved fusion rates than traditional pedicle screws. The strongest evidence was for expandable pedicle screws. Conclusion: There are 15 articles evaluating osteoporosis in patients undergoing lumbar fusion and the highest level of evidence is for perioperative use of teriparatide.
High-Resolution Ultrasonography of Peripheral Nerves: Measurements on 14 Nerve Segments in 56 Healthy Subjects and Reliability Assessments

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess different aspects of reliability in high-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS) of the peripheral nerves and to establish reference values for the most frequently examined nerve segments. Materials and Methods: A nerve size parameter, the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the C5, C6 and C7 cervical roots, the median, ulnar, radial, superficial radial, peroneal, tibial, and the sural nerves was measured using HRUS at a total of 14 predefined anatomical sites in two different cohorts of healthy subjects (n = 56), and the inter-rater, intra-rater and inter-equipment reliability of measurements was assessed. Results: The mean CSA of the 14 nerve segments ranged from 2 to 10 mm2. The intra-rater, inter-rater and inter-equipment reliability was high with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.93, 0.98, and 0.86, respectively. The CSA values showed no consistent correlation with age, height, and body weight, but males had significantly larger values than females for nerve segments on the arm after correcting for age, weight and height in multivariate analysis. CSA values did not differ when two independent cohorts were compared. Conclusion: Peripheral nerve ultrasonography is a reliable and reproducible diagnostic method in the hands of experienced examiners. Normal values for several upper and lower extremity nerves are provided by our study.
Responses of Taxus chinensis and Phoebe chekiangensis seedlings to controlled-release fertilizer in various formulations and application rates

Abstract: Decline of species population, low natural regeneration, and heavy competition on field sites require the planting of large seedling stocks to restore Taxus chinensis and Phoebe chekiangensis in tropical China. In this study, we examined the effects of different formulations and application rates of controlled-release fertilizers (CRF) of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on nursery seedling growth and nutritional attributes. The objective was to determine optimum formulation (N:P2O5 ratio) and application rate to increase nutrient reserves of the seedlings before transplanting to the field. Four formulations (17-9-13 to 19-6-14 N-P2O5-K2O ratios) and four application rates (1.5 kg m-3 to 4.5 kg m-3) were used in a double-factors factorial design with 3 replications. The results showed that CRF formulation can affect nutritional attributes, while application rate modified seedling growth and nutritional attributes. The optimum seedling response occurred with the 17-6-16 formulation at the rate of 3.5kg m-3. These findings will guide nursery practice in the production of high-quality seedlings for optimum survival and growth in the field.
In Search of Anomalies

This paper develops a systematic method to search for asset pricing anomalies in the context of technical analysis. First, seeking strategies with positive and significant abnormal returns and low transaction costs, we document three trend-following anomalies whose returns cannot be explained by CAPM, Fama and French three- and four-factor models. This mechanism is able to search for anomalies with regard to any underlying asset pricing model and can be extended to include additional objective functions and other types of input information. Furthermore, we evaluate the overall performance of standard models to price technical trading rules. Surprisingly, we find CAPM as the best performing model while in general, the models exhibit poor performance.