Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding Treatment Adherence With the Health Belief Model in Children With Cystic Fibrosis

Objective. Children’s health beliefs are significantly related to their adherence; however, pediatric literature has rarely tested health-related theories as a whole. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the use of the health belief model (HBM) in understanding children’s adherence, both globally and to individual treatment components. Method. Thirty-three patient–parent dyads completed questionnaires regarding health beliefs and adherence to medical regimens. Results. Multiple linear regressions found a significant relationship among the HBM variables and reports of global adherence for children and parents. For children, the HBM variables were significantly related to adherence to aerosol medications, aerosol antibiotics, metered dose inhalers, and vitamins. For parents, the HBM variables were significantly related to children’s adherence to airway clearance, oral antibiotics, and vitamins. Paired sample t tests found children and parents had significantly discrepant heath beliefs. Conclusion. These findings provide further support for the HBM in evaluating pediatric adherence, with evidence that barriers and cues to action may be targets for early intervention. Future research using this model to identify a comprehensive way to assess, understand, and elicit change in the adherence to medical regimens for youth with chronic illness would be beneficial.
The Cost of Financing Education: Can Student Debt Hinder Entrepreneurship?

We find that student debt is negatively related to the propensity to start a firm, particularly larger and more successful ventures. An exogenous change due to the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, which made student debt completely nondischargeable through personal bankruptcy, reduced the likelihood of entrepreneurship by student loan borrowers that were already in four-year college at the time of this regulation. Moreover, an exogenous shock to the level of student debt due to the Higher Education Amendments of 1992 negatively impacts entrepreneurship rates for students already in four-year college at the time of this regulation. Entrepreneurs with more student debt are more likely to fall behind on their student debt payments, and this relation is mitigated when their ventures are successful. Our evidence indicates that student debt inhibits entrepreneurship by exacerbating the effect of negative business outcomes on the individual. Data and the internet appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.
Super-Resolution with Deep Adaptive Image Resampling

Deep learning based methods have recently pushed the state-of-the-art on the problem of Single Image Super-Resolution (SISR). In this work, we revisit the more traditional interpolation-based methods, that were popular before, now with the help of deep learning. In particular, we propose to use a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to estimate spatially variant interpolation kernels and apply the estimated kernels adaptively to each position in the image. The whole model is trained in an end-to-end manner. We explore two ways to improve the results for the case of large upscaling factors, and propose a recursive extension of our basic model. This achieves results that are on par with state-of-the-art methods. We visualize the estimated adaptive interpolation kernels to gain more insight on the effectiveness of the proposed method. We also extend the method to the task of joint image filtering and again achieve state-of-the-art performance.
Stability estimates for the X-ray transform of tensor fields and boundary rigidity

We study the boundary rigidity problem for domains in Rn: is a Riemannian metric uniquely determined, up to an action of diffeomorphism fixing the boundary, by the distance function g.x; y/ known for all boundary points x andy? It was conjectured by Michel that this was true for simple metrics. In this paper, we study the linearized problem first which consists of determining a symmetric 2-tensor, up to a potential term, from its geodesic X-ray integral transformIg . We prove that the normal operator Ng D I g Ig is a pseudodifferential operator provided that g is simple, find its principal symbol, identify its kernel, and construct a microlocal parametrix. We prove hypoelliptic type of stability estimate related to the linear problem. Next we apply this estimate to show that unique solvability of the linear problem for a given simple metric g, up to potential terms, implies local uniqueness for the non-linear boundary rigidity problem near that g.
Salespeople's Selling Orientation: Reconceptualization, Measurement and Validity Assessment

A study of Elite Salespeople (ES), those salespeople who maintain and sustain consistent high performance in the sales task was completed to discover and understand elite salesperson behavior. Analysis of participants’ responses to structured depth interview questions led to the emergence of a construct called a Selling Orientation (SO). SO is made up of behaviors that guide salespeople to build, maintain, and monitor their personal credibility both with customers and industry members, as well as within the company. A number of field pre-tests were performed to derive a measurement scale for SO. This process was followed by a field survey that measured SO in a sales force. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to assess the validity of the measurement scale and results support internal consistency and construct validity of a short 9 item scale for SO. This study advances the understanding of sales performance related theory by illuminating attributes of ES’s. Additionally, this study introduces the concept of a Selling Orientation that is associated with high sales performance and key account management. Finally, the study introduces a measurement scale useful in the study of salespeople’s selling orientation.
Origin of directionality in the fish stripe pattern

The formation of stripe patterns in animal skin has been explained by the reaction‐diffusion (RD) system, a hypothetical chemical reaction proposed by A. Turing. Although animal stripes usually have directionality, the RD model alone cannot explain how the direction is specified. To investigate the mechanism regulating the direction of stripes, we studied stripe pattern formation in two species of Genicanthus during sexual conversion. These species share almost identical morphologic properties, except for their stripe direction. In both species, spots transiently arise at random positions and then combine and rearrange to form directional stripes. Computational analysis has shown that diffusion anisotropy is very effective at specifying the direction of stripes formed by the RD system. Model simulations reproduce the transient dynamics of directional pattern formation observed in fish as well as the resulting stripes. In cases where the magnitude and direction of diffusion anisotropy of the substances are identical, the resulting stripes are not directional. However, if they differ, stripes become directional. As only a small difference in anisotropy is required for this effect, any kind of structure with directional conformation might cause a marked change in stripe direction. Scales are the most likely candidate structure for generating anisotropic interactions in skin. Developmental Dynamics 226:627–633, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Handbook of Statistical Distributions with Applications

The targeted audience for this book is graduate students in engineering and medical statistics courses, and it may be useful for a senior undergraduate statistics course. To get the maximum benefit from this book, one should have a good knowledge and understanding of calculus and sufficient background in elementary probability theory to understand the central limit theorem and the law of large numbers. Some more sophisticated probability terminologies and concepts are defined for a smooth reading of the monograph. This monograph has 10 chapters, including the introduction. Chapter 2 deals with the ageing concept and some usual parametric families of probability distribution are presented in Chapter 3. Parametric and nonparametric statistical inference are nicely treated in Chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 5 also offers tests for exponentiality, which is one of the main feature of the monograph. Chapters 7 and 8 cover two-sample and regression problems, respectively. All of the preceding chapters showcase results for both complete and censored data. One of the interesting contributions is with regard to the analysis of competing risk, which is presented in Chapter 9. Finally, Chapter 10 introduces repairable systems. One of the main strengths of this book is that it introduces the public domain R software and nicely explains how it can be used in computations of methods presented in the book. This book has sufficient material and examples to cover a one semester (13week) course. However, I would be reluctant to adopt this book for one simple reason—there are no exercises. Having said that, the monograph would be useful to some applied researchers in related fields.
Open Innovation – The Dutch Treat: Challenges in Thinking in Business Models

This article covers the subject of the practical application of the principles of open innovation in Dutch industry. Open innovation is considered to be the third stage in evolving systems for innovation management. The results of the study showed that innovative Dutch companies have successfully adopted the principles of open innovation regarding open innovation culture and importing mechanisms. Some challenges are found in the use of exporting mechanisms; but the biggest challenges for innovative Dutch companies lie in the flexible and open way of handling their business models.
Activin Bioactivity Affects Germ Cell Differentiation in the Postnatal Mouse Testis In Vivo1

The transforming growth factor beta superfamily ligand activin A controls juvenile testis growth by stimulating Sertoli cell proliferation. Testicular levels are highest in the first postnatal week, when Sertoli cells are proliferating and spermatogonial stem cells first form. Levels decrease sharply as Sertoli cell proliferation ceases and spermatogenic differentiation begins. We hypothesized that changing activin levels also affect germ cell maturation. We detected an acute and developmentally regulated impact of activin on Kit mRNA in cocultures of Sertoli cells and germ cells from Day 8, but not Day 4, mice. Both stereological and flow cytometry analyses identified an elevated spermatogonium:Sertoli cell ratio in Day 7 testes from InhbaBK/BK mice, which have decreased bioactive activin, and the germ cell markers Sycp3, Dazl, and Ccnd3 were significantly elevated in InhbaBK/BK mice. The flow cytometry measurements demonstrated that surface KIT protein is significantly higher in Day 7 InhbaBK/BK germ cells than in wild-type littermates. By Day 14, the germ cell:Sertoli cell ratio did not differ between genotypes, but the transition of type A spermatogonia into spermatocytes was altered in InhbaBK/BK testes. We conclude that regulated activin signaling not only controls Sertoli cell proliferation, as previously described, but also influences the in vivo progression of germ cell maturation in the juvenile testis at the onset of spermatogenesis.
Los determinantes de la contratación externa de servicios municipales en España

El principal objetivo de esta tesis doctoral es determinar que factores influyen en la decision de contratar los servicios publicos locales con empresas privadas. El trabajo se estructura en tres apartados que corresponden a la secuencia logica en la que se ha desarrollado esta investigacion: revision de la literatura, analisis descriptivo y modelizacion e inferencia. Se presentan por tanto, en primer lugar, los argumentos teoricos y la creciente evidencia empirica sobre los determinantes de la contratacion externa, agrupados en las categorias de: consideraciones presupuestarias, costes de transacion y factores politicos. A continuacion se describe la situacion actual de la contratacion externa en Espana, a traves de una encuesta de elaboracion propia sobre veinte servicios municipales, realizada a una muestra de municipios de mas de mil habitantes. Por ultimo, se modeliza la decision de externalizar los servicios, mediante un analisis multivariante de regresion logistica, y se comprueba la influencia de las variables explicativas propuestas sobre la decision de contratar. Los resultados obtenidos con esta investigacion se resumen en que, en primer lugar, se estima, con un error muestral inferior al 5%, el porcentaje de municipios que contrata con empresas privadas la prestacion de sus servicios publicos, observandose que la contratacion externa tiene en la actualidad una presencia notable pero no es en general el metodo mayoritario, salvo en el caso del servicio de recogida de residuos urbanos. En segundo lugar, los modelos logit, estimados con la evidencia empirica obtenida de la encuesta, permiten detectar gran parte de los determinantes de la contratacion externa, avalando en generla las hipotesis teoricas utilizadas para explicar por que unos ayuntamientos contratan los servicios municipales con empresas privadas, mientras que otros los desarrollan mediante produccion propia.
Extended-release : A Review of its Use in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Objective: To review the basic pharmacology and published literature regarding use of guanfacine extended-release (GXR) for the treatment of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents. Methods: A literature review was conducted using the search terms: ‘guanfacine’, with limits set to: Human trials, English Language, and All Child (Age 0-18). Articles pertaining to guanfacine immediate-release or for indications other than attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were not included for analysis. Additional articles were identified from reference information and poster presentation data. Results: Six prospective, randomized controlled trials (RCT) and four open-label trials (including two long-term safety extension trials) were identified for GXR in the treatment of ADHD. All published RCTs showed superiority over placebo on the primary outcome measure. Subgroup analysis of available RCT data showed no efficacy of GXR at any dose in adolescents. Adverse effects in GXR trials were generally mild to moderate. High rates of early discontinuation were observed in long-term open-label extension trials. Conclusion: GXR is an effective option for treatment of ADHD in patients 6-12 years of age as monotherapy, or as adjunctive treatment to psychostimulants.
Excessive Holdings and Equilibrium Asset Prices

In this paper, I study the equilibrium implications when some investors in the economy overweight a subset of stocks within their portfolio. I find that the excess returns for the overweighted stocks are lower, all else being equal. This has strong testable implications for stock returns. In the special case of logarithmic preferences, the riskfree rate increases and the market price of risk for the overweighted stock decreases, which create extra incentive for unconstrained agents to exit the stock market and hold bonds, hence clearing the market. The changes of stocks' volatilities are ambiguous. Finally, I provide an accurate quantification for agents' welfare. I also discuss the implications of my model in the context of defined contribution pension plans where workers hold large shares of their employer.
In vitro synthesis of müllerian-inhibiting hormone by seminiferous tubules isolated from the calf fetal testis.

Fetal calf testicular tissue was submitted to microdissection. Whole testicular tissue, isolated seminiferous tubules and interstitial tissue were cultured in association with fetal rat reproductive tracts. Mullerian inhibition was achieved only in explants containing seminiferous tubules. The possibility that the mullerian-inhibiting hormone is produced by the fetal Sertoli cells is suggested. (Endocrinology 93: 829, 1973)
Threshold perimetry in tilted disc syndrome.

Twelve consecutive patients (17 eyes) with tilted disc syndrome underwent quantified visual field examination with the G1 Octopus program (Interzeag AG, Schlieren, Switzerland). Visual fields were abnormal in all cases. Although field loss was more pronounced in the superotemporal quadrant (P less than .001), it also involved the other three quadrants, thus demonstrating that optic nerve hypoplasia in tilted disc syndrome is apparently not entirely sectorial. Linear regression analysis showed that an increase in mean defect correlated with increase in myopic refractive error (P less than .05). However, the increase in myopic refractive error was found to be related to a decrease in corrected loss variance (P less than .05), indicating that in tilted discs with higher myopia, field loss is more homogeneous. With this series of patients, short-term fluctuation was within normal ranges in all visual fields, showing that this may be an additional clue for differential diagnosis from acquired disorders.
Muscle glycogen depletion alters oxygen uptake kinetics during heavy exercise.

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that muscle fiber recruitment patterns influence the oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetic response, constant-load exercise was performed after glycogen depletion of specific fiber pools. METHODS After validation of protocols for the selective depletion of Type I and II muscle fibers, 19 subjects performed square-wave exercise at 80% VT (moderate) and at 50% of the difference between VT and VO2max (heavy) without any prior depleting exercise (CON), after HIGH (10 x 1-min exercise bouts at 120% VO2max), and after LOW (3 h of exercise at 30% VO2max) exercise. RESULTS Differences in VO2 kinetic parameters were only observed in heavy exercise AFTER HIGH: the VO2 primary component was higher (1.75 +/- 0.12 L x min) compared with CON (1.65 +/- 0.11 L x min, P < 0.05), and the VO2 slow component was lower (0.18 +/- 0.03 L x min) compared with CON (0.24 +/- 0.04 L x min, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that the VO2 response to heavy constant-load exercise can be altered by depletion of glycogen in the Type II muscle fibers, lending support to the theory that muscle fiber recruitment influences both the VO2 primary and slow component amplitudes during heavy intensity exercise.
Incidence of NESTROFT - Positives and Haemoglobin S Among the Lotha Nagas of Nagaland

Abstract Naked eye single tube osmotic fragility test (NESTROFT) was performed on the blood samples of 315 randomly selected Lotha individuals. 280 individuals were also tested for the presence of sickle cell haemoglobin. 12.70 percent NESTROFT-positive and 3.81 percent doubtful cases were detected. Not a single case of HbS was found.
Association between DNA Repair Gene Polymorphisms and p53 Alterations in Japanese Patients with Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Objective: DNA repair enzymes play a vital role in protecting the genome from carcinogens, several of which can cause mutations in the TP53 gene in bladder cancer. Some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes reportedly modulate the repair capacity. This study aimed to clarify the effect of these functional SNPs on the alteration of p53 in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Methods: We investigated the association between SNPs in xeroderma pigmentosum complementation groups C (XPC), D and G and X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 and 3 genes, and p53 expression and allelic imbalance at the TP53 locus in Japanese patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. p53 expression and the allelic imbalance were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and a microsatellite marker, respectively. Results: Positive p53 expression was significantly less frequent in patients with the CC genotype of the XPC gene than in those with the AA or AC genotype (p = 0.0005). C alleles of the XPC gene were also less frequent in patients with positive p53 expression (p = 0.01). Conclusion: Our results suggested that the XPC polymorphism might affect p53 alteration and the molecular pathway defined by the p53 alteration in the development of muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Payment Instruments as Perceived by Consumers - a Public Survey

Survey results show that Dutch consumers perceive paying in cash as an inexpensive way to pay, while they regard electronic payment cards as relatively expensive. This finding partly explains the low usage of electronic payment cards in point-of-sale (POS) payments. The survey also highlights several non-price features that contribute to the unpopularity of electronic payment cards. The objective of the survey was to identify price and non-price features of payment instruments that can be used to stimulate the use of electronic payment cards. Their attractiveness can be increased, through 1) technological modifications to e-purses and debit cards that enhance their convenience, 2) by increasing the number of acceptance points and 3) by drawing public attention to the speed of e-purse payments. Making it more expensive for consumers to pay in cash could also increase the usage of electronic payment instruments.
Luxury and sustainability: a common future? The match depends on how consumers define luxury

Sustainability issues have become a challenge for the luxury sector whose continuous success and growth - despite recessions, economic crises and increasing social inequality - appear as a paradox or even a provocation for some critics. Based on a program of multiple surveys involving actual luxury customers, we explain why customers are not concerned about sustainability considerations when they purchase a luxury product. But this apparent uninvolvement hides a more complex reality with high latent expectations towards luxury brands. Fundamentally, the perceived contradiction between luxury and sustainability depends on how luxury is defined by consumers: it is lower for consumers defining luxury in terms of exceptional quality. This is crucial for the defence of the legitimacy of the luxury sector as a whole, and of its most iconic brands for the future.
Improving Corporate Governance. The role of Audit Committee Disclosures by Indian Corporations

Now-a-days, an AC is being looked upon as a distinct culture for CG and has received a wide-publicity across the globe. Government authorities, regulators and international bodies all have indicated that they view an AC as a potentially powerful tool that can enhance the reliability and transparency of financial information. Being mandatory under SEBI’s Clause 49 of the Listing Agreement, an AC can be of great help to the board in implementing, monitoring and continuing ‘good’ CG practices to the benefit of the corporation and all its stakeholders. This study performs a ‘content’ analysis on the AC reports of the top 500 listed companies in India during 2005 to 2008 to determine the information content of these reports and the extent to which these reports conform to the Clause 49 requirements of the SEBI. Also, discussed are the various trends about an AC characteristics viz., size, composition, activity, as well as, the extent of non-audit services provided by auditors in the top 500 listed Indian companies. No doubt, it is essential for the Indian corporations to accept and continue with the CG reforms that are ‘demarcated’ by the challenges of the ‘new’ millennium.