Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Photoacoustic characterization of radiofrequency ablation lesions

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) procedures are used to destroy abnormal electrical pathways in the heart that can cause cardiac arrhythmias. Current methods relying on fluoroscopy, echocardiography and electrical conduction mapping are unable to accurately assess ablation lesion size. In an effort to better visualize RFA lesions, photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasonic (US) imaging were utilized to obtain co-registered images of ablated porcine cardiac tissue. The left ventricular free wall of fresh (i.e., never frozen) porcine hearts was harvested within 24 hours of the animals' sacrifice. A THERMOCOOLR Ablation System (Biosense Webster, Inc.) operating at 40 W for 30-60 s was used to induce lesions through the endocardial and epicardial walls of the cardiac samples. Following lesion creation, the ablated tissue samples were placed in 25 °C saline to allow for multi-wavelength PA imaging. Samples were imaged with a VevoR 2100 ultrasound system (VisualSonics, Inc.) using a modified 20-MHz array that could provide laser irradiation to the sample from a pulsed tunable laser (Newport Corp.) to allow for co-registered photoacoustic-ultrasound (PAUS) imaging. PA imaging was conducted from 750-1064 nm, with a surface fluence of approximately 15 mJ/cm2 maintained during imaging. In this preliminary study with PA imaging, the ablated region could be well visualized on the surface of the sample, with contrasts of 6-10 dB achieved at 750 nm. Although imaging penetration depth is a concern, PA imaging shows promise in being able to reliably visualize RF ablation lesions.
Quantitative trait loci associated with susceptibility to bladder and kidney infections induced by Escherichia coli in female C3H/HeJ mice.

BACKGROUND The C3H/HeJ mouse strain develops severe bladder and kidney infections after receiving intravesical inoculation with uropathogenic Escherichia coli. This susceptibility is genetically determined, but the specific genes involved have not been completely defined. The objective of the present study was to use quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to identify chromosomal sites associated with susceptibility to infection in C3H/HeJ mice. METHODS Female mice from a backcross of C3H/HeJ and (BALB/cxC3H/HeJ)F1 mice were inoculated with E. coli, and the number of E. coli colony-forming units present in the bladder and kidneys was quantified 10 days later. Genomic DNA was scanned using microsatellite markers to localize chromosomal segments derived from parental strains. Statistical analyses associated infection phenotypes with chromosomal sites. RESULTS A highly significant QTL for susceptibility to bladder infection was identified on chromosome 4, and C3H/HeJ alleles at this locus interacted with BALB/c alleles on chromosome 19 to increase the severity of infection. A significant QTL on chromosome 6 was associated with severe kidney infections. CONCLUSIONS Increased susceptibility to E. coli bladder and kidney infections in female C3H/HeJ mice is associated with specific chromosomal sites located near genes contributing to host resistance to infection. The results demonstrate the multigenic nature of susceptibility to urinary tract infections.
Nasal Growth after Pediatric Septoplasty at Long-term Follow-up

Background Septoplasty in children is still a matter of open discussion, because it is thought that a surgical procedure on a developing structure might produce some adverse effects on normal nasal growth. The goal of this retrospective study is to evaluate the effects of pediatric nasal septum surgery in a long-term follow-up by anthropometry. Methods Forty-four Italian patients, 25 male patients and 19 female patients, who had undergone septoplasty during childhood using the endonasal approach, were reassessed after a mean follow-up of 12.2 years. Anthropometric recordings were used to identify any growth retardation due to the operation by a comparison with previously published age-specific normative data of North American white subjects. Nasal measurements consisted of five linear parameters, three angular parameters, and three proportional index. Results There were no significant differences in any of the measures between the sample and controls (p > 0.1) with regard to gender, with the exception of the nasolabial angle measurement. Indeed, the nasolabial angle of the female patients was significantly reduced compared with controls (p = 0.04), whereas that of the male patients was reduced compared with controls (p = 0.08). This measurement seems to be influenced by the type of operation, because it has been noted that the nasolabial angle of patients treated surgically by extracorporeal septoplasty were significantly lower than those of patients treated surgically by conservative septoplasty. Conclusion Pediatric septoplasty may be indicated in selected cases of obstructing nasal septum deformities. The operation, performed via endonasal approach, does not interfere with the normal growing nasal process.
Core Earnings Management: How Do Audit Firms Interact with Classification Shifting and Accruals Management?

This study examines how audit firm characteristics affect the trade-off between engaging in two core earnings management tools: classification shifting (CS) and core accruals management (CAM). CS is management’s intentional misclassification of recurring operational expenses as special items to inflate perceptions of core earnings. For a Norwegian sample of companies with upcoming equity issues and acquisitions, we find that audit firm characteristics are associated with the balance between CS and CAM. The results show that for Big 4 and industry-specialized audit firms’ clients CS substitutes CAM while for non-Big 4 and non-specialized audit firms’ clients CS complements CAM. Future auditor-provided non-audit services also affect the balance between CS and CAM but differently for Big 4 and non-Big 4 firms’ clients. Overall, the results suggest that auditor incentives may be distorted towards tolerating CS, raising the question of the suitability of the current accounting and auditing standards.
The bank lending channel : an empirical assessment of measures to stimulate bank lending in the European Union

This thesis first examines the role of banks in the transmission mechanism of monetary policy by focusing on the eight European new member States of Central and Eastern Europe over the 2004-2013 period. We specifically investigate the influence of monetary policy changes on bank lending activity and if this potential influence is contingent on bank characteristics, such as banks’ size, capital, liquidity, risk factor and market power. Moreover, we focus on the prospective role of banks in the monetary policy transmission mechanism in order to reveal any clear trends in banks’ lending behaviour during the 2008-2011 financial crisis. Secondly, we investigate the impact of a protracted period of low monetary policy rates on loosening of banks’ credit standards regarding enterprises, households and consumer loans through concentrating on the nine Eurozone countries involved since the initiation of the Euro area Bank Lending Survey in the three distinct time frames of pre- (2002Q4-2008Q3), mid- (2008Q4-2010Q4) and post- (2011Q1-2014:Q4) financial crisis. Furthermore, we test the fundamental concept of the risk taking channel by examining excessive risk-taking behaviour by banks in stressed vs. non-stressed countries of the Eurozone. In an additional analysis, the efficacy of the European Central Bank’s 3 year Long-Term Refinancing Operations is evaluated in great depth in order to determine whether banks’ credit standards have been softened and the degree to which demand for loans has increased. Thirdly, we explore the financing structure of bank lending constrained Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in the eleven Eurozone countries by utilising firm-level data over the period of 2009 to 2014. We estimate if bank lending constrained firms demonstrate relatively more usage or requests for alternative financing. Additionally, a comprehensive investigation is presented by unveiling the impact and determinants of various financing constraints including credit lines, bank loans, trade credit and other lending on Eurozone firms. Furthermore, the notion of discouraged borrowers originally formulated by Kon and Storey (2003) is empirically evaluated. Finally, we present the conclusion of our research by further outlining its limitations and prospective scope for future studies
Competition Under Retail Price and Manufacturer Service

This research studies a case where there are two manufacturers producing competing products and selling them through a common retailer. The consumer demand depends on two factors: (1) retail price, and (2) service level provided by the manufacturer. Game-theoretic framework is applied to obtained the equilibrium solutions for every entities. This article studies and compares results from three possible supply chain scenarios, (1) Manufacturer Stackelberg, (2) Retailer Stackelberg, and (3) Vertical Nash. Our research concludes that consumers receive more service when every channel members possess equal bargaining power (e.g., Vertical Nash). An interesting but less intuitive result shows that as market base of one product increases, the competitor also benefits but at a less amount than the manufacturer of the first product. Furthermore, when one manufacturer has some economic advantage in providing service, the retailer will act to separate market segment by selling the product with low service at a low price and selling the product with high service at a high price.
ERM functions , EGF and orthodontic movement or Why doesn ' t orthodontic movement cause alveolodental ankylosis ?

Can orthodontic movement induce alveolodental ankylosis? This question is often asked and the answer involves further questioning: Why don't the teeth naturally evolve to alveolodental ankylosis if they are separated from the bone by only 0.2 to 0.4 mm (the minimum and maximum thickness of the periodontal ligament)? The periodontal ligament is richly cellularized and vascularized, featuring numerous elastic and reticular collagen fibers, typical of connective tissues (Figs 1, 2 and 3). In between these structures it has a "gel", namely, the extracellular matrix. Among the fibers, fibroblasts, vessels and nerves of the periodontal ligament there is a network of epithelial cords and islands that continuously release mediators, especially EGF, i.e., Epithelial or Epidermal Growth Factor (Fig 2). Areas on the surface of the bone tissue that contain EGF stimulate bone resorption, hindering the formation of new layers. This epithelium network interposed between bone and tooth in the ligament tissue is known as Epithelial Rests of Malassez (ERM), derived from apoptosis in Hertwig's Epithelial Root Sheath (HERS). Malassez' original drawings (Fig 4) depicted these epithelial cords and islands in the same manner as we analyze them microscopically today. It was long believed that ERM comprised latent or quiescent cells devoid of structure and function, often associated with the genesis of cysts and tumors. However, these epithelial periodontal components are active, produce mediators and fulfill key functions in maintaining periodontal health and root integrity even during orthodontic movement. In this paper we will discuss these wonderful structures and their functions to assist us in understanding the relevant responses to the two questions posed above.
An implantable foot drop stimulator

A novel partially implantable system for correction of foot drop has been developed and is being tested in three volunteer subjects. The system consists of a two-channel implantable stimulator, a multi-polar nerve cuff electrode implanted on the peroneal nerve proximal to the knee, and an external system including battery, control and telemetry unit and a heel switch. Although the work is still in progress and the first patient has used the system for only six months, the results are very promising.
Effect of Carbon Dioxide Concentration on Cereal Yield in Sudan

To estimate the long-term effect of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission on cereal yield in Sudan, we employed an autoregressive distributed lagged (ARDL) bound test for cointegration analysis. The ARDL results reveal evidence of cointegration between the dependent variable (cereals yield) and two independent variables (CO2 emission) and agricultural GDP. The estimation results of the error correction model indicate that change in CO2 has a positive and significant impact on the cereal yield in the long and short terms, as 1% increase in CO2 leads to a cereal yield increase by 3% in the short term and by 0.7% in the long term. This result adds two important findings to the existing literature: First, the positive impact of CO2 on cereal yield in Sudan supports previous research findings in other countries of warm and arid climates. Second, the effect of CO2 on cereal yield differs from short to long term, as our finding indicates that CO2 has a greater positive effect in the short term compared to that in the long term, implying that the effect of CO2 on cereal yields is not linear, as commonly perceived, but it decreases as time duration extends to longer periods. This may be due to the CO2 effect on global warming that emanates from cumulative CO2 concentration, which leaves a disproportionate impact on crops over time.
EXACT CONTROLLABILITY TO THE TRAJECTORIES OF THE HEAT EQUATION WITH FOURIER BOUNDARY CONDITIONS: THE SEMILINEAR CASE ∗

This paper is concerned with the global exact controllability of the semilinear heat equation (with nonlinear terms involving the state and the gradient) completed with boundary conditions of the form ∂y + f(y) = 0. We consider distributed controls, with support in a small set. The null controllability of similar linear systems has been analyzed in a previous first part of this work. In this second part we show that, when the nonlinear terms are locally Lipschitz-continuous and slightly superlinear, one has exact controllability to the trajectories. Mathematics Subject Classification. 35K20, 93B05.
Frequency of vacA Genotypes and Cytotoxin Activity in Helicobacter pylori Associated with Low-Grade Gastric Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma

ABSTRACT The vacA genotypes s1,m1 and s1,m2 were detected in 44 and 30% of Helicobacter pylori isolates, respectively, from patients with gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, compared to 26 and 56% of isolates, respectively, from individuals with gastritis. The vacA s1 genotype was significantly associated with, but not predictive of, the presence of vacuolating cytotoxin activity.
The role of technological capabilities in the competitive advantage of companies in the Campinas, SP Tech Hub

Purpose This study aims to examine the role of technological capabilities in the competitive advantage of supply chains for the “countryside” hub of São Paulo state. Design/methodology/approach An interdisciplinary approach was adopted by combining the strategic orientation of supply chain management as a link between market and operational activities, with technological capabilities as an essential factor for competitive advantage. This exploratory, mixed-method study was conducted in the Campinas technology hub, which has become important for its available skilled workforce, and broad and structured supply chain. The study sample included ten companies and dealt with the techniques of content analysis and non-parametric statistics – the Mann–Whitney U technique. Findings The results revealed that strategic supply chain management has an impact on technological capabilities and competitive advantage. Originality/value They also showed that technological capabilities have a partial mediating effect on competitive advantage.
The return from exile in the biblical theology of Isaiah = Die terugkeer uit ballingskap in die bybelse teologie van Jesaja

Biblical scholars frequently recognize the association of the return from exile with the themes of creation and redemption in Isaiah, and in the Prophets generally. However, since the publication of von Rad's article, "The theological problem of the Old Testament doctrine of creation" (1936), the focus of modem biblical scholarship has been, almost exclusively, on the relationship between creation and exodus typology (the new exodus) and not on the return from exile itself as a biblical theological theme. Therefore, the aim of this study is to cany out a thorough investigation of the biblical theological significance of the return from exile in Isaiah. Our main objective is to demonstrate that there is a significant, unifying explanation of the association of the return from exile with the themes of creation and redemption. From our survey of the return from exile in modem biblical scholarship, we find that, generally, scholars explain the linking of the return from exile with the themes of creation and redemption, just as a means of assuring the exiles that the LORD will redeem them again, and will do so in a more glorious way than in the exodus. The bulk of this paper is taken up with a grammatical-historical and biblical theological analysis of the book of Isaiah in order to identify the biblical theological themes associated with the return from exile. Subsequently, we show that in Isaiah the return from exile plays an increasingly significant role as a type of the greater, spiritual and eschatological redemption. From this footing, our thesis is substantiated and defended by comparing the biblical data and our findings with the explanations given by other scholars. Thus, we conclude that the return from exile is itself a type of redemption by new creation pointing to a greater, spiritual and eschatological "return fiom exile," accomplished in Christ.
Renal impairment as a surgical indication in primary hyperparathyroidism: do the data support this recommendation?

CONTENT Management of primary hyperparathyroidism has evolved over the past two decades, yet impaired renal function has consistently been a surgical indication. This recommendation has been based upon the historical association between primary hyperparathyroidism and renal impairment, and a review of the literature is needed to determine whether such a recommendation is warranted. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION AND SYNTHESIS PubMed was utilized to identify English-language articles published between January 1990 and February 2014 using keywords related to hyperparathyroidism and renal function. The keywords were "primary hyperparathyroidism," "surgery," "parathyroidectomy," "kidney," "renal," "glomerular filtration rate," and "creatinine. " Of the 1926 articles obtained with this search, all articles germane to the topic that quantified the relationship between primary hyperparathyroidism and renal function were included. All references within these articles were investigated for inclusion. When helpful, data tables were constructed to summarize the results succinctly. CONCLUSIONS A secondary elevation of PTH levels has not been consistently shown to occur at the threshold currently indicated for surgical intervention. While renal impairment is seen with more significant disease, mild asymptomatic primary hyperparathyroidism has not been conclusively associated with renal impairment. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that surgically curing primary hyperparathyroidism via a parathyroidectomy has any impact upon renal function.
Women’s Control Over Economic Resources Effect to Family Welfare

Within the framework of neo-classical analysis, each individual is assumed homogeneous. However, homogeneity assumption becomes incompatible when discussing human behavior. Latest literatures conclude that men and women allocated resources under their control in different ways systematically. This study was intended to see whether there is an increase in the household’s welfare if the head of household is a women and granted credit access to financial institutions. Women’s access to all financial services, is essential to allow them to benefit fully from economic opportunities. The data used came from the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) for two last waves (IFLS 2007 and 2014). Analyses were performed using fixed effect model to overcome the unobserved heterogeneity, especially in terms of the individual character. The results indicated that the credit received by the female head of households can significantly increase household income. These results support the policy of increasing women empowerment in order to improve family welfare.
Can Corporate Social Responsibility Fill Institutional Voids?

Institutional voids refer to the absence of institutions or intermediaries that are instrumental in supporting business operations in a country. We conjecture that the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm valuation relation is moderated by the institutional frameworks that firms operate in, such that the presence of greater institutional voids will result in greater firm valuation for its CSR and vice versa. Using 134,823 observations of 2,542 firms across 44 countries from 2009 to 2014, we find supporting empirical evidence. Moreover, among different types of CSR activities, firms’ environmentally and socially responsible actions receive higher valuation in countries with weaker institutions. Overall, our findings suggest that CSR creates value for firms by filling institutional voids in their home country. JEL Code: A13, G15, O11, M14
Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Concentrations and Death Due to Intraparenchymal Hemorrhage: The Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study

Background— Few studies have examined the association between low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and risk of intraparenchymal hemorrhage. Methods and Results— A total of 30 802 men and 60 417 women, 40 to 79 years of age with no history of stroke or coronary heart disease, completed a baseline risk factor survey in 1993 under the auspices of the Ibaraki Prefectural Health Study. Systematic mortality surveillance was performed through 2003, and 264 intraparenchymal hemorrhage deaths were identified. LDL cholesterol levels were calculated with the Friedewald formula. Persons with LDL cholesterol ≥140 mg/dL had half the sex- and age-adjusted risk of death due to intraparenchymal hemorrhage of those with LDL cholesterol <80 mg/dL. After adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, the multivariable hazard ratio compared with persons with LDL cholesterol <80 mg/dL was 0.65 (95% CI 0.44 to 0.96) for those with LDL cholesterol 80 to 99 mg/dL, 0.48 (0.32 to 0.71) for 100 to 119 mg/dL, 0.50 (0.33 to 0.75) for 120 to 139 mg/dL, and 0.45 (0.30 to 0.69) for ≥140 mg/dL. These inverse associations were not altered substantially after the exclusion of persons with hypertriglyceridemia, after analysis with a Cox proportional hazard model with time-dependent covariates, or in sensitivity analysis for the potential effect of competing risks. Conclusions— Low LDL cholesterol levels are associated with elevated risk of death due to intraparenchymal hemorrhage.