Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The symptomatic patient with normal phorias at distance and near: what tests detect a binocular vision problem?

PURPOSE Patients often manifest symptoms that appear to be related to binocular distress. Many of these patients have normal heterophoria at distance and near, making the etiology of such symptoms perplexing. We performed a visual examination of patients having normal heterophoria at distance and near in order to investigate which visual analysis tests differentiate symptomatic from asymptomatic patients. METHODS Eighty subjects (30 symptomatic, 50 asymptomatic) with ages between 18 to 35 years of either sex and any race were pooled based on vision-symptom level determined by a 9-question standardized visual-symptoms questionnaire scored using a 100-point scale (asymptomatic: score > or = 85; symptomatic: score < or = 75). Inclusion/exclusion criteria included vision correctable to 6/6 (20/20) Snellen acuity or better in each eye, normal phorias, no latent cyclovertical heterophoria, and normal ocular health. RESULTS Of the 30 symptomatic patients, 18 had reduced vergence facility response using 3 pd base-in/12 pd base-out loose prism at distance (n = 10; t-score = 2.41, p < 0.02, d = 76) and near (n = 15; t-score = 3.32, p < 0.01, df = 78) with a significant difference beyond the 0.02 level. No other test including measurement of accommodation, showed a significant between-group difference. However, three patients with normal vergence facility (distance and near) showed a reduced binocular accommodative facility response (+/-2.00 D at 40 cm). CONCLUSION Given a patent with asthenopia, normal phorias, and visual acuity, a differential diagnosis may be made based primarily on using vergence facility and accommodative facility testing. From a clinical standpoint, the results expedite diagnosis of binocular vision abnormalities and direct treatment.
Epitaxial and non-epitaxial large area GaSb-based thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells

InGaAsSb and GaSb thermophotovoltaic cells were grown lattice-matched to GaSb substrates epitaxially by the Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) method and fabricated non-epitaxially using ion-implantation. TPV cells with 1 × 1 cm dimensions were fabricated. External quantum efficiencies and device characteristics including open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, ideality factor and reverse saturation current density of the TPYs were measured and compared. For the quaternary MBE-grown InGaAsSb, obtaining high Voc was challenging due to the low shunt resistance caused by growth defects in the relatively thick epitaxial design. However, this TPV demonstrated promising fundamental deuce parameters since the lowest ideality factor and reverse saturation current density were observed compared to the others. The MBE-grown GaSb TPV structures had an order of magnitude thinner epitaxy and improved shunt resistance. The implanted GaSb TPYs exhibited similar performance to the MBE TPYs indicating that implant-induced damage was not a limiting factor.
Access to Capital, Capital Structure, and the Funding of the Firm

Based upon a large data set of public and private firms in the United Kingdom, I find that compared to their public counterparts, private firms rely almost exclusively on debt financing, have higher leverage ratios, and tend to avoid external capital markets, leading to a greater sensitivity of their capital structures to fluctuations in performance. I argue that these differences are due to private equity being more costly than public equity. I further examine the private firms subsample to show that private equity is more costly than its public counterpart due to information asymmetry and the desire to maintain control.
Kalahari revisionism, Vienna and the‘indigenous peoples’ debate*

The debate on the notion of ‘indigenous peoples’ is one of the newest facing anthropology. Yet its theoretical foundation is not new. It is implicit in both Kalahari revisionism and its opposite, the ecological approach that treats hunter-gatherers as exemplars of primal culture. It is also reminiscent of the earlier views of Wilhelm Schmidt, whose vision of the earliest culture circle was represented by living hunter-gatherers. That said, the notion of ‘indigenous peoples’ is more complex than earlier models; and its opponents, such as Adam Kuper, must struggle against both philosophical premises (which are relatively easy to challenge) and practical arguments in favour of keeping the notion (which are more resilient). This paper focuses on the ‘indigenous peoples’ debate in Africanist anthropology, but its wider aspects include the interconnections of theoretical premises within diverse schools in the discipline and the general relation between anthropological theory and practical politics.
Seizures in the Jamaica cohort study of sickle cell disease

Although there is some evidence that epilepsy is more common in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), we sought to establish the incidence rates, risk factors for and specific types of seizures in a SCD cohort followed from birth, and how seizure occurrence affects morbidity and mortality. We examined all records of persons in the Jamaica cohort Study of Sickle Cell Disease (JSSCD) clinically identified as having experienced a seizure during their lifetime. At first presentation, seizures were classified as Febrile Convulsion, Acute Symptomatic Seizure or Single Unprovoked Seizure. The seizure classification was revised to include Epilepsy if seizures recurred. Thirty‐eight persons in the JSSCD (N = 543) were identified with seizures. The 5‐year cumulative incidence of febrile convulsions was 2·2%. The incidence rate of epilepsy (all genotypes) was 100/100 000 person‐years, 139/100 000 for the SS genotype. Despite limited availability of diagnostic investigations, clinical seizures were associated with increased all‐cause mortality. Male gender (Odds Ratio [OR]: 4·0[95% confidence interval [CI]; 1·03–20·0]) and dactylitis in childhood (OR: 17·4 [95% CI; 4·82–62·85]) were associated with increased risk of developing epilepsy. Epilepsy in persons with SCD is 2–3 times more common than in non‐sickle populations and is associated with increased all‐cause mortality in all sickle cell genotypes.
Diagnostic boundaries, reasoning and depressive disorder, I. Development of a probabilistic morbidity model for public health psychiatry

Background. In recent years diagnostic practice in psychiatry has become increasingly structured in an attempt to standardize definitions of disorders and improve reliability. At the same time there has been an increasing recognition of the need to take account of uncertainty in the process of diagnostic decision making. For the most part, diagnosis is still represented by a binary outcome while this is known to entail a substantial loss of information. Many diagnostic schemes involve, in part, taking thresholds on the numbers of symptoms required from symptom lists. Methods. A model is proposed here, using ideas derived from latent class analysis to permit generalization from these schemes through moving from a binary to a probabilistic measure of psychiatric case status and replacing thresholds with smoothed transitions. Results. An outcome measure is produced where disorder status is expressed in terms of probabilities without changing the meaning of the original measure. Prevalence estimates (using ICD-10 Depressive Episode criteria) are more stable and can be given with increased precision. Conclusions. Disorder status when expressed in this way retains more diagnostic information and provides a useful extension to traditional binary analyses when looking at prevalence and risk factor estimation.
Creative Destruction and Finance: Evidence from the Last Half Century ψ

The rate of creative destruction increases in the U.S. during the period 1960 through 2008. We document statistically significant, increasing trends in big business turnover, changes in market share, the divergence in growth rates between firms that gain and lose market share, and other measures that show an economy that is increasingly characterized by creative destruction. We document a similar trend in financial dependence, with firm-growth rates increasingly surpassing rates that are sustainable with internal funds. We show that the increases in creative destruction and financial dependence are linked, as firms that gain market share rely on external finance to fund their growth, while firms that lose market share do not. We document similar effects in industry level tests. The results are broadly consistent with the notion that access to finance facilitates creative destruction.
Does Earnings Management Explain the Performance of Canadian Private Placements of Equity?

Abstract Using a sample of 434 Canadian private placements of equity (PPEs) that occurred from 1996 to 2005, we first examine the long-run performance following PPEs, and secondly, we analyze the earnings management hypothesis. We find that Canadian PPEs do underperform on a calendar-time basis as well as on event-time basis. We also find that most aggressive earnings management firms issue larger offerings than most conservative ones but post the worst long term performance. The result for the most aggressive quartile is consistent with the over-optimism hypothesis. However, we find that private placements issuers unlike public issuers are less inclined to manage earnings around the time of the offering.
Adherence to oral bisphosphonates: 30 more minutes in dosing instructions matter

Abstract Objectives Low adherence to treatment with bisphosphonates significantly impedes its effectiveness. The objectives were: (1) to compare adherence to oral weekly and monthly bisphosphonates with emphasis on dosing instructions; and (2) to study associations between adherence and beliefs about the bisphosphonate treatment among women ≥ 55 years. Methods A multicenter survey was performed in secondary-care patients with osteoporosis. Osteoporosis Specific Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (OS-MMAS), questions on compliance with five dosing instructions and Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ) Specific were used. Results As many as 363 questionnaires (response rate 95%) were analyzed. Respondents (mean age 69 years) were treated with weekly bisphosphonates (37%) or monthly ibandronate (63%). Based on OS-MMAS, 67% of respondents showed high adherence with no differences between the subgroups. Only 44% of respondents were compliant with all dosing instructions. Compliance with dosing instructions concerning time interval (fasting and staying upright) was 71% in weekly and 52% in monthly subgroups, respectively (p < 0.001). Compliance with dosing instructions correlated positively with education (p = 0.009). The mean BMQ necessity score of 18.4 was greater than the mean BMQ concerns score of 13.3. OS-MMAS score correlated with necessity (p = 0.010). Persistence derived from OS-MMAS correlated with both necessity (p = 0.014) and concerns (p = 0.041). Conclusion Despite relatively high adherence to the treatment, most patients do not follow dosing instructions. Reduced bioavailability, particularly of monthly ibandronate, can be expected in clinical practice. Adherence-related outcomes are associated with beliefs about the oral treatment with bisphosphonates.
Multi-area coordinated decentralized DC optimal power flow

This paper provides a framework to carry out a multi-area optimal power flow in a coordinated decentralized fashion. A DC nonlinear optimal power flow model is used. Losses are incorporated through additional loads based on cosine approximations. The model makes it possible the independent optimal dispatch of each area while the global economical optimum of the whole electric energy system is achieved. This is possible by means of the Lagrangian relaxation decomposition procedure. Optimal energy pricing rates for the energy traded through the interconnections are derived. The developed algorithm can be run in parallel either to carry out numerical simulations or in an actual multi-area electric energy system.
Review of Power Conditioning for Kinetic Energy Harvesting Systems

In this paper, a summary of published techniques for power conditioning within energy harvesting systems is presented. The focus is on low-power systems, e.g, <;10 mW, for kinetic energy harvesting. Published concepts are grouped according to functionality and results contrasted. The various techniques described are considered in terms of complexity, efficiency, quiescent power consumption, startup behavior, and utilization of the harvester compared to an optimum load. This paper concludes with an overview of power management techniques that aim to maximize the extracted power and the utilization of the energy harvester.
Interleukin-10 and Interleukin-12 Modulation in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis on Therapy with Interferon-beta 1a: Differences in Responders and Non Responders

We examined the effects of interferon (IFN)beta-1a on interleukin (IL)-12p70 and IL-10 secretion in 27 Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) patients, divided in responders and non-responders. In responders, IFNbeta-1a does not change the IL-12p70 concentrations, but it leads to a remarkable increase in the IL-10 production. Besides, a high IL-10/IL-12 ratio is demonstrated during the first six months of therapy. In non-responders, there were not significant alterations in the cytokine profile. We suggest that IFNbeta-1a effect in RRMS patients could be explained by its modifying effect on cytokine pattern. Moreover, we propose a possible role of IL-10/ IL-12 ratio as a serum marker predictive of favorable clinical course.
IN PURSUIT OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE: THE TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

This study, using a common theoretical framework, analyses the process of educational change in the Czech Republic since the political changes in 1989. It starts with a brief introduction to the country and its ed ucational system. Its main concern is focused on the phases and particular dimensions of the transformation process in school education at the primary and secondary level. Social and political incoherence, non-linearity, imbalances, atomization and diffussion as a consequence of tensions between continuity and discontinuity are identified as characteristic features of the process. In spite of positive shifts concerning educational policy, legislation, management, financing regulation, the curriculum, te acher professionalisation and support structure development, there are still barriers, e.g. lack of political consensus and the lack of a steering and monitoring mechanism in the educational sector. Real systemic reform reaching the intermediate and micro levels of the educational system has not been implemented yet.
Indoor Visible Light Positioning with Angle Diversity Transmitter

A new concept for indoor positioning using visible light communication (VLC) is presented in this paper. The feasibility of uplink localization is verified so that the proposed system can work in conjunction with downlink positioning systems to improve overall localization accuracy. We propose to use an angle diversity transmitter (ADT) associated with accelerometers for uplink three-dimensional localization. Unlike other techniques using VLC for positioning, the proposed system can achieve indoor localization without making assumptions about the height or orientation angle of a mobile user. The received signal strength (RSS) method is used to minimize implementation costs while achieving satisfactory positioning accuracy. Simulation results show that an average localization error of less than 0.15 m can be achieved even when the receiver is tilted by 45°. Also, compared with a single light emitting diode (LED), the ADT is found to be more robust to accelerometer measurement errors.
Ammonia and hydrogen sulphide flux and dry deposition velocity estimates using vertical gradient method at a commercial beef cattle feedlot

Ammonia and hydrogen sulphide flux and dry deposition velocity were estimated using micrometeorological vertical gradient flux method at a commercial cattle feedyard of approximately 50,000 head of beef cattle and average 14.4 mÂ²/head (150 ftÂ²/head) stocking density. Ammonia-N and H2S-S loss had general diurnal patterns with the highest fluxes in daytime and lowest fluxes in nighttime that correlated to temperature changes and active evaporation process during daytime. The highest average deposition velocities also occurred during daytime with unstable atmospheric conditions and the lowest during nighttime with very stable conditions. There are exponential relationship between NH3-N flux and ambient temperature with RÂ² = 0.57 for NH3 (NH3-N flux = â€“ 1.46 + 7.96e0.077*Temperature) and RÂ² = 0.22 for H2S-S (H2S-S flux = â€“ 0.75 + 0.8e-0.013*Temperature).
Predictors of Academic Achievement among Students at Hillsborough Community College: Can School Engagement Close the Racial Gap of Achievement?

In the United States today, significant gaps exist among the races along a variety of measures of academic success, including standardized test scores, grade point averages, and drop-out and graduation rates. In recent decades, social scientists and educators alike have sought to uncover the reasons for these gaps, and many have focused on the role of cultural and institutional factors within the school setting. In recent years, researchers have examined such factors as a students‘ school identification (Osborne 1997; Voelkl 1997), students‘ opportunities to learn and the classroom climate (Oakes 1985), students‘ sense of school belonging (Goodenow 1993), and of particular interest to this researcher, sense of school engagement (Fredricks, Blumenfeld and Paris, 2004). Using data drawn from the Community College Survey on Student Engagement (CCSSE) administered by Hillsborough Community College (HCC) in the spring semester of 2007, I explore (1) whether students‘ levels of academic achievement, as measured by grade point average, vary across racial groups, as much of the literature has shown; and (2) whether any of the observed racial differences in academic achievement can be explained by differing levels of school engagement. Results show that black students at HCC do, in fact, report lower academic achievement compared to their white
Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108 Disclosures: Descriptive Evidence from the Revelation of Accounting Misstatements

SYNOPSIS: The purpose of this paper is to provide a descriptive analysis of companies’ previously uncorrected financial statement misstatements using disclosures recently mandated by Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108 (SAB No. 108). We analyze 355 companies that disclose and correct 792 misstatements in their financial statements filed from November 15, 2006, to February 15, 2008. We present descriptive evidence on the size and industry distribution of companies who disclose SAB No. 108 adjustments, showing that larger companies and those in the banking/insurance/real estate industries are most commonly represented in our sample. We also describe the types of audit firms that are associated with these companies. The results show that the concentration of sample companies in the banking/insurance/real estate industries are most often audited by the smallest audit firms in the market, and there is considerable variation in the application of quantitative materiality thresholds for SAB No. 108 disclosures acr.
Status Quo Bias and the Number of Alternatives: An Empirical Illustration from the Mutual Fund Industry

We examine the extent of the status quo bias (SQB) in a real-world repeated decision situation. Individuals who are subject to the SQB tend to choose an alternative that they chose previously (i.e., their status quo), even if it is no longer the optimal choice. We examine the U.S. equity mutual fund market and find strong evidence of the SQB. Furthermore, the SQB is more severe in segments that have more funds to choose from. Thus, we deliver the first empirical confirmation of the experimental results of Samuelson and Zeckhauser [1988] that the SQB depends positively on the number of alternatives.
The Production of Human Capital: Endowments, Investments and Fertility

We study how endowments, investments and fertility interact to produce human capital in childhood. We begin by providing empirical support for two key features of existing models of human capital: that investments and existing human capital are complements in the production of later human capital (dynamic complementarity) and that parents invest more in children with higher endowments due to the complementarity between endowments and investments (static complementarity). For the former, we exploit an exogenous source of investment, the launch of Head Start in 1966, and estimate greater gains from preschool in the IQ of those with the highest stocks of early human capital, consistent with dynamic complementarity. For the latter, we are able to overcome the potential endogeneity and measurement error associated with traditional measures of endowment based on health at birth. When we do, we find that parents invest more in highly endowed children. Moreover, we find that the degree of reinforcement increases with family size. Thus, an increase in quantity leads not only to a decline in average quality (the quantity-quality tradeoff) but to an increase in the variation in quality, due to both greater variation in endowments (from more children) and greater reinforcing investments. These findings can be explained by extending the quantity-quality trade-off model to include heterogeneous child endowments and parental preferences that feature complementarity between quality and quantity and moderate aversion to inequality in child human capital within the household.
Gold Mining Companies and the Price of Gold

This paper studies the exposure of Australian gold mining firms to changes in the gold price. We use a theoretical framework to formulate testable hypotheses regarding the gold exposure of gold mining firms. The empirical analysis based on all gold mining firms in the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index for the period from January 1980 to December 2010 finds that the average gold beta is around one but varies significantly through time. The relatively low average gold beta is attributed to the hedging and diversification of gold mining firms. We further find an asymmetric effect in gold betas, i.e. the gold exposure increases with positive gold price changes and decreases with negative gold price changes consistent with gold mining companies exercising real options on gold.
High-Resolution Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array Analysis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Reveals Numerous Microdeletions and Amplifications

Purpose: Genetic changes in sporadic ovarian cancer are relatively poorly characterized compared with other tumor types. We have evaluated the use of high-resolution whole genome arrays for the genetic profiling of epithelial ovarian cancer. Experimental Design: We have evaluated 31 primary ovarian cancers and matched normal DNA for loss of heterozygosity and copy number alterations using 500K single nucleotide polymorphism arrays. Results: In addition to identifying the expected large-scale genomic copy number changes, >380 small regions of copy number gain or loss (<500 kb) were identified among the 31 tumors, including 33 regions of high-level gain (>5 copies) and 27 homozygous deletions. The existence of such a high frequency of small regions exhibiting copy number alterations had not been previously suspected because earlier genomic array platforms lacked comparable resolution. Interestingly, many of these regions harbor known cancer genes. For example, one tumor harbored a 350-kb high-level amplification centered on FGFR1 and three tumors showed regions of homozygous loss 109 to 216 kb in size involving the RB1 tumor suppressor gene only. Conclusions: These data suggest that novel cancer genes may be located within the other identified small regions of copy number alteration. Analysis of the number of copy number breakpoints and the distribution of the small regions of copy number change indicate high levels of structural chromosomal genetic instability in ovarian cancer.