Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of economic growth using Grey Cobb-Douglas production function: an application for US economy

Purpose- In this paper, we apply the Grey Cobb-Douglas production model to predict the GDP, examine the effects of the variation rate of capital, and labor inputs to economic growth. Many factors contribute to economic growth, such that technological progress, labor force, capital accumulation, the optimal using of sources, energy, institutional innovation ext. In reality, a variate of economic factors often intertwine with each other. Methodology- The capital and labor are main elements of economic growth. Improving the capital and labor performance plays important role in increase the wealth of a country. Traditionally, Cobb-Douglas (C-D) production model use only capital stock and labor to describe the economic growth. In this study, firstly C-D production function is established and confirmed that the capital and labor has a positive impact on economic growth (GDP). Then GM(1,1) prediction model is used to predict the future values of capital stock and labor force inputs. Findings- The future GDP values are predicted by the estimated capital and labor values putting into the Cobb-Douglas model. We also obtained the production elasticities of capital and labor inputs. Findings suggest that the contribution rate of capital is 0.403 and labor is 1.094 to economic growth. The sum of the contributions of factors is 1.497 and greater than one. Conclusion- Findings of this empirical studies shows that percentage of the increase in GDP is greater than that of the increase in capital stock and labor.
Evaluation of postoperative early mobilization in patients with repaired flexor tendons of the wrist, the spaghetti wrist.

PURPOSE The hands and wrists are very important for performing the activities of daily life independently. The spaghetti wrist may involve major nerves and arteries, as well as the wrist and finger flexors. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rehabilitation results of postoperative early mobilization in patients with repaired flexor tendons of the wrist. METHODS Thirty-three patients with repaired flexor tendon injuries were included. Patients were divided into two groups due to ethylogy. Group 1 included 23 patients who incurred tendon injuries during fights with their family members or friends or due to broken glass after fighting. Two patients had cut their hands with a razor. The other patient had cut his hands during discussion. The Group 2 included 10 patients. The injuries in this group were due to work and home accidents. RESULTS The functional result was excellent in 46% of fingers, good in 22%, fair in 17%, and poor in 15% in the Group 1 patients. The results were excellent in 55% of fingers, good in 17%, fair in 18%, and poor in 10% in the Group 2 patients. CONCLUSION Early primary repair and effective rehabilitation are of great importance during the postoperative period for successful results in the treatment of extensive volar wrist lacerations.
Is there a risk and return relation?

ABSTRACT Traditional finance theory posits that the relation between the risk and return of stocks is positive. Equally, investment practice is often based on the contention that high (low) beta stocks earn higher (lower) returns. However, this fundamental relation is questioned by several researchers, who present mixed evidence. The purpose of this paper is to shed further light on this question by examining both market- and firm-level price data; employing a battery of tests, including individual market, panel and quantile regressions; analysing the nature of the relation during periods of high and low volatility and in bull and bear markets. The results indicate that there is no single robust relation between risk and return. Notably, the results suggest a positive relation when returns are high and during bear markets. Further, the finding of a positive relation is stronger at the market-level than the firm-level and over long time periods. However, a negative relation exists at low return levels, during bull markets and, even more so, at the individual firm level. Overall, the results suggest that the risk-return relation is switching in nature and is primarily driven by changing risk preferences. A positive relation exists when macroeconomic risk plays a larger role.
Effects of Packaging and Food Waste Prevention by Consumers on the Environmental Impact of Production and Consumption of Bread in Norway

Bread is a staple food in Norway, with a yearly per capita consumption of 52 kg. It is an important source of energy, dietary fibre and protein as well as certain minerals and vitamins. Previous studies have shown that bread has a relatively low environmental impact compared with other foods. Food waste studies, however, have shown that bread and other baked goods have a high wastage rate in Norway. On the basis of lower Norwegian wheat yields, it is therefore expected that the environmental impact of bread could be higher than in other European countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the environmental impact of bread from cradle to grave, identify environmental hotspots, examine the role of packaging in bread waste and identify possible remediation measures with a particular focus on the post-farm value chain. The results showed that for every kilogram of bread consumed, the global warming potential was 0.99 kg CO2-eq, the eutrophication potential was 7.2 g PO4-eq, the acidification potential was 8.4 g SO2-eq and the cumulative energy demand was 18 MJ. The principal uncertainty within the calculation was the use of database data for the 21 ingredients. For example, the effect of soil mineralisation, which could give significant CO2 and N2O emissions, was not included because figures have only been quantified for a few ingredients and there is no international agreement on the methodology. The primary hotspot was the production of the ingredients, principally at the agricultural stage, while bread waste took the second place. The highest potential for the reduction of post-farm environmental impact lies in reducing product wastage at the retail and consumer stages. Consumers already employ strategies to reduce wastage, such as using extra packaging and freezing and toasting bread. This study shows that other consumer packaging solutions can keep the bread fresh for longer, thus reducing wastage and the need for the abovementioned consumer strategies. Nevertheless, other researches in this subject have shown that consumer preferences and behaviours play a significant role in the creation of bread waste, and this should therefore be taken into account when planning reduction measures.
Concurrent avian malaria and avipox virus infection in translocated South Island saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus)

Abstract CASE HISTORY: Outbreaks of mortality in South Island saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus) that had been translocated to two offshore islands in the Marlborough Sounds of New Zealand were investigated during the summer of 2002 and 2007. Both outbreaks were associated with a severe decrease in numbers of saddlebacks of up to 60% of approximately 200 birds. CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Many of the surviving birds were in poor condition, and had skin lesions on the legs and head. Necropsy showed pale liver and lungs, and a swollen spleen. Histopathology revealed schizonts resembling Plasmodium spp. within the cytoplasm of many hepatocytes and splenic histiocytes. The skin lesions consisted of epithelial proliferations containing numerous Bollinger bodies typical of avipox virus (APV) infection. Two different APV were isolated, using PCR, from two different birds exhibiting skin lesions. Each isolate had 100% sequence homology with APV members from either Clade A or Clade B. In addition, PCR analysis revealed that the Plasmodium elongatum present in infected birdsbelonged to a strain that was endemic in the population of North Island saddlebacks (Philesturnus carunculatus rufusater). DIAGNOSIS: Concurrent infections with Plasmodium spp. haemoparasites and APV were identified as the likely cause of death in the birds examined. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the Plasmodium spp. identified is thought to be endemic to saddlebacks in New Zealand, the affected birds were likely to be immunocompromised by concurrent APV infection or through lack of genetic diversity. Both the introduced mosquito Culex quinquefasicatus and the native mosquito Culex pervigilans are likely vectors for both these diseases, and the provision of water supplies less favourable to mosquito-breeding is recommended.
Hemodialysis with High Cut-Off Hemodialyzers in Patients with Multi-Drug Resistant Gram-Negative Sepsis and Acute Kidney Injury: A Retrospective, Case-Control Study

Background: Hemodialysis with high cut-off continuous veno-venous hemodialyzer (HCO-CVVHD) removes mediators of organ dysfunction during sepsis. This study assessed the clinical effects of HCO-CVVHD as compared to high-flux (HF) membranes during gram-negative sepsis. Methods: Intensive care unit (ICU), septic patients treated with HCO-CVVHD or HF-CVVHDF for AKI were retrospectively observed (January 2013-December 2014). Mechanical ventilation, vasopressors' requirements, ICU length of stay (LOS) and ICU in-hospital mortality were compared between groups. Results: Sixteen HCO and 8 HF patients were observed. Isolated pathogens included Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Median ratios of days-on-vasopressors and days-on-mechanical ventilation/ICU-LOS were 0.5, 1 and 0.8, 1 for HCO and HF groups (p < 0.03), respectively. ICU-LOS was 16 and 9 days (HCO- and HF-group, p = 0.03). ICU mortality rates were 37.5 and 87.5% for HCO and HF groups, respectively (p = 0.03). No statistical difference was found in in-hospital morality. Conclusion: Patients in HCO-CVVHD group spent lesser number of days on vasopressors and mechanical ventilation as a ratio to total ICU-LOS. In the same group, a reduction in ICU mortality was observed.
A Novel Positioning and Orientation System Based on Three-Axis Magnetic Coils

The positioning and orientation system consists of three-axis generating coils and three-axis sensor coils in quasi-static magnetic field. The three-axis generating coils are fixed orthogonally and excited by the alternating current (AC) signals with different frequencies. They create the magnetic field that is equivalent to that generated by three orthogonal magnetic dipoles. Using the amplitude and phase information of the sensing signals in the sensor coils, the position and orientation parameters of the sensor coils can be computed by using an appropriate algorithm. In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed to determine the position of the sensor coil object by some equations directly, so that its position and orientation parameters can be calculated much easier and faster. Based on this method, a system with support circuitry is designed with some special signal acquisition and sampling methods. Especially, a signal extraction (function fitting) method is proposed to pick up the coupling AC signal magnitude of the sensor coils, which simplifies the hardware circuitry and improves the signal acquisition accuracy. The simulation and real experimental results show that the system works satisfactorily with good accuracy.
Daily transdermal administration of selegiline to guinea‐pigs preferentially inhibits monoamine oxidase activity in brain when compared with intestinal and hepatic tissues

Selegiline has been formulated in an acrylic polymer adhesive mixture to be employed as a constant release topical patch for daily transdermal administration. Application of this selegiline transdermal system (STS) to guinea‐pigs resulted in an average delivery of 1.185 mg selegiline/cm2 patch/24 h. STS dose‐response curves were generated by altering patch size (cm2). A transdermal dose range was identified which inhibited guinea‐pig brain monoamine oxidase‐B (MAO‐B) by greater than 95 % yet provided for a dose‐dependent inhibition of monoamine oxidase‐A (MAO‐A) activity. The ID50 for inhibition of MAO‐A activity in response to a 21‐day daily regimen with transdermal selegiline was approximately 7.5‐fold lower for cortical and striatal brain regions compared with that obtained for duodenum; hepatic MAO‐A was unaffected following the same dosing regimen. By contrast, orally administered selegiline inhibited brain and duodenal MAO‐A to the same extent, and generated a shallower dose–inhibition curve for brain MAO‐A inhibition. In addition, transdermal delivery was approximately 6–8‐times more potent than oral selegiline for the inhibition of brain MAO‐A activity. It is concluded that daily transdermal selegiline administration may provide therapeutic advantages over oral treatment, based on its preferential, dose‐dependent inhibition of brain vs peripheral MAO‐A activity.
Remittance, Exchange Rate and Dutch Disease: The Case of Bangladesh

Bangladesh had historically relished the fortune of being a labor surplus nation and therefore had accumulated remittances in large volumes over the last four decades. Thus, the concept of remittance-effectiveness in shaping the economy of Bangladesh emerges with utmost significance and importance amidst researchers and policy makers all around the globe. The aim of this paper is to identify the dynamics of real exchange rate movements following inflow of remittances in Bangladesh over the period of 1980 to 2013 and whether such movements caused Dutch disease problem in the country. This paper fills the gap in the empirical literature using the ARDL bounds testing approach to investigate the causal relationship between foreign remittance and real exchange rate exclusively in the context of Bangladesh. Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test, ARDL cointegration test, ARDL Error Correction Model (ECM) approach and ARDL Engle-Granger causality test are used in the paper. The results confirm that there is a negative correlation between remittance and real exchange rate which implies that a rise in the volume of remittance inflows exert appreciative pressures on Bangladesh’s real exchange rate. However, such real exchange rate movements were not translated into Dutch disease problems.
A Quantitative Approach to Book-Printing in Sweden and Finland, 1640–1828

Abstract Several cities in Sweden have been providing book-printing facilities since the 1640s. In our quantitative and explorative analysis of library catalogs from the National Library of Sweden and the National Library of Finland we identify the general trends in publishing, how book-printing has been affected by political events, and how printing developed at different paces in different parts of the realm. We have developed a new method for analyzing the totality of publishing through extensive data harmonization and comprehensive statistical analysis, and by treating library catalogs not as an endpoint of bibliographic research but as an inherently rich source of information. This facilitated the quantitative assessment of printing in the Swedish realm based on the metadata contained in library catalogs. Our data-driven approach to the transformation of public discourse demonstrates that whereas the amount of printed material grew steadily, political ruptures affected the development of printing. We also suggest that the culture of books and printing is best understood through the dynamics of competing intellectual hubs consisting of the university cities and the political center in Stockholm. This perspective further challenges the dominant, nationally delineated approach in book history.
Design and Evaluation of Matrix Diffusion Controlled Transdermal Patches of Verapamil Hydrochloride

Abstract Transdermal patches of verapamil hydrochloride were prepared using four different polymers (individual and combination): Eudragit RL100 (ERL100), Eudragit RS100 (ERS100), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 15 cps (HPMC), and ethyl cellulose (EC), of varying degrees of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity. The effect of the polymers on the technological properties, i.e., drug release, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and percentage moisture loss (ML), percentage moisture absorption (MA), folding endurance, and thickness, was investigated. Different formulations were prepared in accordance with the 23 factorial design, with ERL100 being the parent polymer. The patch containing ERL100 alone showed maximum WVTR, % MA, and % ML, which could be attributed to its hydrophilic nature. As expected, substitution with ERS100, HPMC, and EC decreased all the above values in accordance with their decreasing degree of hydrophilicity. In vitro release studies showed zero-order release of the drug from all the patches, and the mechanism of release was diffusion mediated. Moreover, the release of the drug was sustained and it extended over a period of 24 hr in all formulations. A12 emerged as the most satisfactory formulation insofar as its technological properties were concerned. Further, release and permeation of the drug from the most satisfactory formulation (A12) was evaluated through different biological barriers (shed snake skin, rabbit skin, and rat skin) to get an idea of the drug permeation through human skin. Shed snake's skin was found to be most permeable (82.56% drug release at 24 hr) and rat skin was least permeable (52.38%). Percutaneous absorption studies were carried out in rabbits. The pharmacokinetic parameters calculated from blood levels of the drug revealed a profile typical of a sustained release formulation, with the ability to maintain adequate plasma levels for 24 hr. [AUC: 3.09 mg/mL hr, Cmax: 203.95 µg/mL, Tmax: 8 hr]. It can therefore be concluded that the patch containing ERL100 and HPMC in the ratio 8:2 has achieved the objectives of transdermal drug delivery system, such as avoidance of first pass effect, extended release, and reduced frequency of administration.
Haemoglobin response to subcutaneous versus intravenous epoetin alfa administration in iron‐replete haemodialysis patients

Background: Numerous prior studies have reported that a substantially higher dose of epoetin is required to maintain haemoglobin (Hb) concentration when patients are switched from a subcutaneous (SC) to intravenous (IV) route of administration. Many of the reported trials, however, involved patients who did not have adequate serum iron levels. It was hypothesized that patients with adequate iron stores who are switched from one route of administration to the other without a change in dose will experience substantially less change in their Hb concentration.
Strain in the anteromedial bundle of the anterior cruciate ligament under combination loading

Strain within the anteromedial bundle (AMB) of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was measured in 13 human knee specimens in order to determine the combination of external loads most likely to cause injury. Using a load application system that allowed 5 df with the flexion angle being fixed, pure loads of anterior/posterior force, medial/lateral force, varus/valgus torque, and internal/external axial torque were applied at three flexion angles: 0°, 15°, 30°. Combined loads were applied in pairs at two flexion angles: 0° and 30°. Liquid mercury strain gauges were used to measure strain in the ACL. Anterior tibial force was the primary determinant of strain in the anteromedial bundle. This strain was significantly larger at 30° flexion than at 0°. The strain sensitivity of the AMB to medial force was approximately one‐half that to pure anterior force. The effect of anterior and medial forces was additive when applied in combination. Neither pure axial torque nor pure varus/valgus torque was observed to strain significantly the AMB at any of the flexion angles investigated. However, valgus torque in combination with anterior force resulted in a significantly larger strain than pure anterior force. Internal axial torque in combination with anterior force also resulted in a larger strain than pure anterior force.
Effects of diammonium glycyrrhizinate on the pharmacokinetics of aconitine in rats and the potential mechanism

1. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of diammonium glycyrrhizinate on the pharmacokinetics of aconitine in rats and the potential mechanism. 2. After oral administration of diammonium glycyrrhizinate (50 mg kg−1), the peak plasma concentration (Cmax), area under the plasma concentration–time curve from zero to time τ (AUC0–τ), and absolute bioavailability of aconitine (0.2 mg kg−1) significantly increased 1.64-, 1.63- and 1.85-fold, respectively, but there was no significant change in half life (t1/2) or clearance (CL). In the other two routes of administration via the tail vein and hepatic portal vein, diammonium glycyrrhizinate (15 mg kg−1) did not affect any of the pharmacokinetic parameters of aconitine (0.02 mg kg−1). Thus, diammonium glycyrrhizinate can enhance the absorption of aconitine, leading to higher oral bioavailability and plasma levels, but it does not influence its elimination. 3. Moreover, an in vitro everted gut sac model and Ussing chamber model were used to investigate the potential mechanism. Results from bidirectional transport and inhibition studies demonstrated that P-glycoprotein was the main efflux transporter involved in the absorption of aconitine in rats. The absorption enhancement effect of diammonium glycyrrhizinate should be mainly attributed to inhibiting the activity of P-glycoprotein rather than to the influence on the paracellular or transcellular transport.
‘I couldn't hold the whole thing’: the role of gender, individualisation and risk in shaping fertility preferences in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Taiwan has one of the lowest fertility rates in Asia. High direct and indirect costs of childbearing have been identified as key drivers behind this at the macro-level, but little is known about the mechanism of these influences at the individual-level. In 32 qualitative interviews with parents in Taipei, we sought to explore the salient factors for couples in their decisions about having further children. We identified a tension between gendered expectations of childcare responsibilities and women's desire to ‘build a life of one's own’ – a life with options and the freedom to pursue career and social aspirations. Based on our grounded analysis, we reflect on the high relevance of individualisation, risk society and incomplete gender revolution theories for understanding why many couples – and women in particular – choose to cease childbearing at parity one.
Leadership by Default: The ECB and the Announcement of Outright Monetary Transactions

Starting from the striking effect of the ECB’s announcement of Outright Monetary Transactions, this paper examines why and how the ECB emerged as a leader in fighting the Eurozone crisis. Based on a rational institutionalist approach to political leadership, the paper argues that the ECB emerged as a leader because the benefits of preserving the common currency and thus its own existence outweighed the high costs of its politicization. Against the backdrop of superior power resources, homogeneous preferences, and a low institutional constraint, the ECB provided leadership by combining two strategies – namely the provision of common knowledge and unilateral action – which provided it with a first-mover advantage. As a result, the paper argues that the ECB acted as a “leader by default” rather than a power-maximizer. Instead of engaging in a competition about political influence with member states, the ECB refrained from taking the lead as long as possible because it shied away from the high costs that were connected to it. Only once it became clear that it would not be possible to free-ride on the leadership of any other actor, the ECB finally stepped in and assumed leadership.