Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lagrangian relaxation procedure for cardinality-constrained portfolio optimization

This paper studies a portfolio-selection problem subject to a cardinality constraint, that is, the number of securities in a portfolio is restricted to a certain limit. The problem is formulated as a cardinality-constrained quadratic programming problem, and a dedicated Lagrangian relaxation method is developed. In contrast to many existing Lagrangian relaxation methods, the approach presented in the paper is able to take advantage of the special structure of the objective function rather than the special structure of the constraints. The algorithm developed here has been applied to track the major market indices, such as the S&P 500, S&P 100, FTSE 100, and FTSE 250, using real data, and the computational results are promising.
Early maladaptive schema factors, pain intensity, depressiveness and pain disability: an analysis of biopsychosocial models of pain

Purpose: To test different biopsychosocial models of pain within two different samples. Method: Early maladaptive schemas, pain intensity, depressiveness and pain disability were assessed using questionnaire data from 271 first visit pain patients and 276 municipal employees as controls. Exploratory factor analysis was used as the early maladaptive schema factor extraction method and path analysis as the model specification and estimation method. Results: Cross-sectionally, early maladaptive schema factors were predictors of depressiveness in both groups. The effect size of depressiveness on pain disability was 11 times that of the pain intensity in the pain patient group. The situation was opposite in the control group, where effect size of pain intensity was 5.6 times that of depressiveness. In subgroups of pain duration, the effect size of pain intensity on pain disability became insignificant when pain duration was more than 2 years in pain patients. Conclusions: The study supported the importance of early emotional adversities in predicting depressiveness especially among pain patients. Depressiveness was the main predictor of pain disability in the pain patient group and as the pain duration increased, the significance of pain intensity on disability vanished. Pain intensity was the main predictor of pain disability in the control group. Implications for Rehabilitation To decrease disability among chronic pain patients is mainly to treat their depressiveness. To decrease disability among people with mild pain is mainly to treat their pain intensity. The focus of psychotherapy among depressive chronic pain patients should be a pattern of inadequacy, shame, submission, failure, social isolation and dependence.
The Impact of Lease Financing on Financial Performance of Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry

This study is about lease financing and financial performance of companies. It aimed at examining the impact of lease financing on the financial performance (measured by Return on Asset (ROA)) of Nigerian oil and gas companies. The data for the study was collected from annual reports and accounts of 6 sampled companies in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, that are engaged in lease financing and were also listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) not later than January, 2005. Robust OLS regression analysis is used to analyze the impact of lease financing on return on assets (ROA). The results of the study revealed that lease financing has significant impact on the ROA of oil and gas companies in Nigeria. Therefore, the research recommends that firms should embrace lease financing as a method of financing their operations as evidence suggests that value is added through the use of lease financing. Keywords: lease finance, operating lease, finance lease, financial performance, Return on Asset
School Board Governance and Student Achievement: School Board Members' Perceptions of Their Behaviors and Beliefs.

The intent of this study is to determine whether there was a difference between school board members’ perceptions of their own behaviors and beliefs related to student achievement in California’s high-performing poverty districts as opposed to such perceptions in lowperforming poverty districts. Due to the findings of this study, the author calls on policymakers to place more attention and provide greater support to school boards for the good of public education.
A polymorphism in the ATM gene modulates the penetrance of hereditary non‐polyposis colorectal cancer

Germ‐line mutations in MLH1 and MSH2 genes predispose to hereditary non‐polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome, but they do not predict a specific phenotype of the disease. We speculated that the ataxia‐telangiectasia mutated gene (ATM) was a candidate gene to modulate the phenotypic expression of HNPCC, as heterozygous individuals for germ‐line ATM mutations have been considered at higher risk of developing epithelial malignancies. The frequency of the ATM D1853N polymorphism was evaluated in 167 individuals from 20 HNPCC families in which MLH1 or MSH2 germ‐line mutations co‐segregated with the disease. Among the 67 MLH1 or MSH2 mutation carriers, the ATM 1853N variant was associated with a significantly higher incidence of colorectal and other HNPCC‐related cancers, when compared with individuals carrying the ATM 1853D variant [12/13 (92%) vs. 31/54 (57.5%); p = 0.02]. MLH1 and MSH2 mutation carriers who concomitantly carried the ATM 1853N variant, had an 8 times increased risk of developing colorectal and other HNPCC‐related cancers (OR: 8.9; p = 0.02), when compared with MLH1 or MSH2 mutation carriers with the ATM 1853D variant. Our results suggest that the ATM D1853N polymorphism modulates the penetrance of MLH1 and MSH2 germ‐line mutations. Int. J. Cancer 88:928–931, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Impact of a 12-Week Resistance Training Program on Strength, Body Composition, and Self-Concept of Hispanic Adolescents

Velez, A, Golem, DL, and Arent, SM. The impact of a 12-week resistance training program on strength, body composition, and self-concept of Hispanic adolescents. J Strength Cond Res 24(4): 1065-1073, 2010-Current evidence suggests that a resistance training program may be physically and psychologically beneficial for adolescents. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a structured resistance training program on strength, body composition, and self-concept in normal and overweight Hispanic adolescents. Male and female participants (n = 28; 16.1 ± 0.2 y; 164.5 ± 1.4 cm; 63.3 ± 2.5 kg; 20.0 ± 1.7% body fat [BF]) were recruited from a predominantly Hispanic high school. Prior to the 12-week program, strength, body composition, and self-concept were assessed. Subjects were randomly assigned to a control group (CON; n = 15) or to a resistance training group (RT; n = 13) that participated in supervised strength training 3 days/week. All measures were repeated at the end of the 12-week program. RT had significantly greater strength increases for bench press (p < 0.001), seated row (p = 0.002), shoulder press (p < 0.001), and squats (p = 0.002). RT had significant reductions in %BF (p = 0.001), whereas CON had slightly increased %BF. RT had an increase in condition/stamina competence (p = 0.008), attractive body adequacy (p = 0.017), and global self-worth (p = 0.013) from pretest to posttest, whereas no change was observed for CON. In conclusion, resistance training resulted in significant physiological and psychological improvements in Hispanic adolescents compared to typical school-based activities. These findings indicate that resistance training can be incorporated into the activities of Hispanic adolescents to promote improved health and fitness.
Plasma Insulin-Like Growth Factor I Levels in the Elderly: Relation to Plasma Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Levels, Nutritional Status, Health and Mortality

Background: Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) has beneficial metabolic effects. Because plasma IGF-I levels have been reported to be enhanced by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) administration, it has been suggested that the IGF-I may be implicated in some of the reported associations between low DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) levels and impaired health measures in elderly subjects. The nutritional status, which also regulates plasma IGF-I levels, is also an important determinant of health outcome. Objective: We sought to investigate the associations between plasma IGF-I levels and plasma DHEAS levels, nutritional status, health, and mortality in the elderly. Methods: In 256 community-dwelling subjects aged 65–101 years, enrolled in the Paquid study, a health questionnaire was used to acertain their functional disabilities, any history of medical disorders, self-perceived health, depressive symptoms, and their cognitive function. Biological measurements included levels of plasma IGF-I, albumin, transthyretin, and DHEAS. Mortality data were available for 6 years following blood sampling. Results: In this elderly population with no impairment in nutritional status, the plasma IGF-I levels decreased significantly with age (p = 0.02). The plasma IGF-I levels correlated positively with those of transthyretin (p = 0.0001). IGF-I also correlated with DHEAS (p = 0.04), but the correlation did not remain significant after adjustment for age. As opposed to SDHEA, the plasma IGF-I levels did not correlate with the results from the health questionnaire. The baseline IGF-I values in the highest tertile were associated with a higher risk of short-term mortality than those in the lowest tertile (RR = 8.4 at 2 years, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Our results suggest that IGF-I is not connected with the association between low plasma DHEAS levels and the impaired results from the health questionnaire. The relationship between plasma IGF-I highest levels and mortality should be further explored.
Outcome after radical prostatectomy with a pretreatment prostate biopsy Gleason score of ≥8

The use of radical prostatectomy to treat patients with high‐grade prostate cancer is the subject of much discussion, and the authors from Miami present their considerable experience in this field. They show that patients with a pre‐treatment biopsy of Gleason score of ≥8 may benefit from radical prostatectomy, assuming a clinical stage of T1–T2, and particularly if their PSA level is <20 ng/mL.
PENERAPAN TEKNIK AUDIT BERBANTUAN KOMPUTER DAN COMPUTER SELF EFFICACY PADA KINERJA AUDITOR

This study was to determine the effect of the application of Computer Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATs) and Computer Self Efficacy (CSE) on the performance of auditors.This study uses Computer Assisted Audit Techniques and Computer Self Efficacy as independent variables and the performance of auditors as the dependent variable. The variable in this study was measured using a questionnaire with 4 Likert scale. This study was conducted in public accounting firms that are members of the Indonesian Institute of Certified Public Accountants (IAPI) area of ? Bali. Data was collected by distributing questionnaires to auditors as respondents using purposive sampling method of sampling. Techniques of analysis using multiple linear regression analysis.These results indicate that the variable Computer Self Efficacy Computer Assisted Audit Techniques and significant positive effect on the performance of auditors.
Synapse independence breaks down during highly synchronous network activity in the rat hippocampus

The discharge pattern of hippocampal pyramidal cells (PC) varies depending on the behaviour of the animal and on the accompanying network states. During theta activity, PCs fire asynchronously at low rates whereas during sharp waves PCs increase their firing frequency and many cells fire synchronously. In the present study, we addressed how the presynaptic activity of CA1 PCs influences the precise operation of their output synapses. Asynchronous presynaptic discharge was mimicked by activating only a single PC during paired recordings, whereas the highly synchronous presynaptic firing was emulated by extracellularly stimulating the axons of ≈ 70 PCs in acute hippocampal slices. By using low‐ and high‐affinity glutamate receptor competitive antagonists to monitor the synaptic glutamate concentration transient, we show that the synaptic transmitter concentration varies depending on the release probability (Pr) when many fibres are synchronously activated. Our kinetic analysis revealed that an ≈ 5‐fold increase in Pr from the beginning to the end of an action potential train resulted in a slowing down of the decay of evoked EPSCs, suggesting neurotransmitter spillover between neighbouring synapses. In agreement with this prediction, the slowing of the decay was reversed by the application of the low‐affinity antagonist γ‐D‐glutamyl‐glycine. In contrast, altering Pr had no effect on the kinetics of unitary EPSCs. Our data demonstrate that synapse independence breaks down during synchronous presynaptic activity, but the point‐to‐point communication is preserved when PCs fire asynchronously.
Crop demand-driven site-specific nitrogen applications in rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum): some recent advances

Management of fertilizer nitrogen in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol.) in India typically consists of blanket recommendations, developed for large tracts having similar climate and land forms. It cannot help the increase N-use efficiency beyond a limit. Further improvement can be achieved only by planning strategies for fertilizer N management responsive to temporal variations in crop N demand and fieldiito- field variability in soil-N supply. Improvement in the synchrony between crop N demand and the N supply from soil or the applied N fertilizer is likely to be the most promising strategy to improve N-use efficiency. It can be achieved by following real-time N management based on periodic assessment of plant-N status and delayed application of fertilizer N until the N level goes below a critical level. Gadgets like chlorophyll-meter (SPAD-meter) and inexpen- sive leaf colour chart (LCC) have proved quick and reliable tools to decide the time when fertilizer N needs to be applied to the crop. Recently significant progress has been made in the development and on-farm evaluation of LCC-based real-time N management in rice, but there is a need to work out appropriate criteria for using need- based N-management strategy in wheat. Optical sensors offer an opportunity to take into account both plant N sta- tus (or leaf colour) as well as crop biomass for making crop-demand-driven fertilizer-N recommendations. Combi- nation of preventive location-specific split schedule with corrective LCC or SDAD-meter or optical sensor-based N management constitutes another attractive strategy for achieving high N-use efficiency in rice and wheat. The fixed-time or adjustable-dose approach seems very promising for wheat, because unlike in rice, the fertilizer appli- cations need to be synchronized with irrigation events. Appropriate preventive fertilizer-N management scenarios need to be worked out that can be used before using the SPAD meter, LCC or optical sensors to guide corrective fertilizer-N application at a given crop-growth stage.
A Nested Case-Control Study of Residential and Personal Magnetic Field Measures and Miscarriages

We conducted a nested case-control study (177 cases, 550 controls) to assess the relation between retrospective magnetic field measures and clinical miscarriage among members of the northern California Kaiser Permanente medical care system. We also conducted a prospective substudy of 219 participants of the same parent cohort to determine whether 12-week and 30-week exposure assessments were similar. We evaluated wire codes, area measures, and three personal meter metrics: (1) the average difference between consecutive levels (a rate-of-change metric), (2) the maximum level, and (3) the time-weighted average. For wire codes and area measures we found little association. For the personal metrics (30 weeks after last menstrual period), we found positive associations. Each exposure was divided into quartiles, with the lowest quartile as referent. Starting with the highest quartile, adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were 3.1 (95% CI = 1.6–6.0), 2.3 (95% CI = 1.2–4.4), and 1.5 (95% CI = 0.8–3.1) for the rate-of-change metric; 2.3 (95% CI = 1.2–4.4), 1.9 (95% CI = 1.0–3.5), and 1.4 (95% CI = 0.7–2.8) for the maximum value; and 1.7 (95% CI = 0.9–3.3), 1.7 (95% CI = 0.9–3.3), and 1.7 (95% CI = 0.9–3.3) for the time-weighted average. The odds ratio conveyed by being above a 24-hour time-weighted average of 2 milligauss was 1.0 (95% CI = 0.5–2.1). Exposure assessment measurements at 12 weeks were poorly correlated with those taken at 30 weeks. Nonetheless, the prospective substudy results regarding miscarriage risk were consistent with the nested study results.
Susceptibility to HIV infection and AIDS in Italian haemophiliacs is HLA associated

Summary. We compared the frequencies of HLA antigens in two matched groups of 31 HIV‐seronegative and 31 HIV‐seropositive haemophiliacs, exposed during the years 1981–85 to comparable amounts and batches of presumably infectious clotting factor concentrates. The frequency of A2 was significantly higher in HIV‐seropositive than in seronegative haemophiliacs, with a relative risk (RR) of seroconversion of 3–92, whereas both Bw52 and DR4 were negatively associated with it. We also studied the distribution of HLA antigens in a larger group of 76 HIV‐seropositive haemophiliacs, who were at different clinical stages of HIV infection (CDC classes II‐IV) but were comparable for age and time elapsed since seroconversion. DR3 and DQw2 antigens were, particularly when concomitantly present, associated with a high risk of developing symptomatic HIV infection (RR = 11.79 and 25.33). Our data suggest that the HLA region controls susceptibility to infection with HIV and its progression to symptomatic disease in Italian haemophiliacs.
Separating the effects of acoustic and phonetic factors in linguistic processing with impoverished signals by adults and children

ABSTRACT Cochlear implants allow many individuals with profound hearing loss to understand spoken language, even though the impoverished signals provided by these devices poorly preserve acoustic attributes long believed to support recovery of phonetic structure. Consequently, questions may be raised regarding whether traditional psycholinguistic theories rely too heavily on phonetic segments to explain linguistic processing while ignoring potential roles of other forms of acoustic structure. This study tested that possibility. Adults and children (8 years old) performed two tasks: one involving explicit segmentation, phonemic awareness, and one involving a linguistic task thought to operate more efficiently with well-defined phonetic segments, short-term memory. Stimuli were unprocessed (UP) signals, amplitude envelopes (AE) analogous to implant signals, and unprocessed signals in noise (NOI) that provided a degraded signal for comparison. Adults’ results for short-term recall were similar for UP and NOI, but worse for AE stimuli. The phonemic awareness task revealed the opposite pattern across AE and NOI. Children's results for short-term recall showed similar decrements in performance for AE and NOI compared to UP, even though only NOI stimuli showed diminished results for segmentation. Conclusions were that perhaps traditional accounts are too focused on phonetic segments, something implant designers and clinicians need to consider.
Bracing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A systematic review of the literature of effective conservative treatment looking for end results 5 years after weaning

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to investigate long-term radiological and clinical outcomes of brace treatment, comparing to those of the natural history or surgical treatment. Method. Review of literature. Results. Most of the ling-term follow-up study of brace treatment showed initial improvement with use of the brace, slight improvement compared with the original curve at the time of the brace discontinuation, and an additional loss of correction at the time of the follow-up. The rate of loss of correction was comparable to the progression rate observed in the natural history after skeletal maturity, and the effect of the brace treatment remained even with some loss of correction after the treatment. Clinical outcomes investigated were pain, function, and activity of the patients, including marital status, child bearing, and job performance. Most of the studies concluded that quality of life of the patients treated by brace was comparable to that of the control, with some exception reported regarding back pain and some kind of activities. Conclusion. Brace treatment is effective even in the long-term for the treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Curve progression after the treatment was equivalent to that in the natural history. Quality of life of the patients treated by brace was comparable to that of the normal control.
Three-dimensional macro-scale assessment of regional and temporal wall shear stress characteristics on aortic valve leaflets

The aortic valve (AV) achieves unidirectional blood flow between the left ventricle and the aorta. Although hemodynamic stresses have been shown to regulate valvular biology, the native wall shear stress (WSS) experienced by AV leaflets remains largely unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify computationally the macro-scale leaflet WSS environment using fluid–structure interaction modeling. An arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian approach was implemented to predict valvular flow and leaflet dynamics in a three-dimensional AV geometry subjected to physiologic transvalvular pressure. Local WSS characteristics were quantified in terms of temporal shear magnitude (TSM), oscillatory shear index (OSI) and temporal shear gradient (TSG). The dominant radial WSS predicted on the leaflets exhibited high amplitude and unidirectionality on the ventricularis (TSM>7.50 dyn/cm2, OSI < 0.17, TSG>325.54 dyn/cm2 s) but low amplitude and bidirectionality on the fibrosa (TSM < 2.73 dyn/cm2, OSI>0.38, TSG < 191.17 dyn/cm2 s). The radial WSS component computed in the leaflet base, belly and tip demonstrated strong regional variability (ventricularis TSM: 7.50–22.32 dyn/cm2, fibrosa TSM: 1.26–2.73 dyn/cm2). While the circumferential WSS exhibited similar spatially dependent magnitude (ventricularis TSM: 1.41–3.40 dyn/cm2, fibrosa TSM: 0.42–0.76 dyn/cm2) and side-specific amplitude (ventricularis TSG: 101.73–184.43 dyn/cm2 s, fibrosa TSG: 41.92–54.10 dyn/cm2 s), its temporal variations were consistently bidirectional (OSI>0.25). This study provides new insights into the role played by leaflet–blood flow interactions in valvular function and critical hemodynamic stress data for the assessment of the hemodynamic theory of AV disease.
On The Use Of The Multivariate Regression-Model In Event Studies

A Multivariate Regression Model (MVRM) methodology to measure the effect of new information on asset prices was first suggested in Gibbons [1980, appendix H]. In this paper I outline the use of that methodology to measure abnormal returns and to test hypotheses about these returns. Included are advantages of the MVRM methodology over other event study methodologies and some of its problems in hypothesis testing.1 Section 2 discusses the MVRM technique relative to better-known methodologies. In section 3 I compare these methodologies and argue that the primary advantage of the MVRM is in testing joint hypotheses. Section 4 provides small sample evidence on several test statistics used in the MVRM; section 5 summarizes the paper.