Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with control of blood pressure among elderly people diagnosed with hypertension in a rural area of South Korea: The Chungju Metabolic Disease Cohort Study (CMC study)

Abstract Objective. Control of blood pressure is important in old age for prevention of hypertension-associated complications. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with control of hypertension in elderly people (≥60 years old) diagnosed with hypertension. Methods. The subjects were those who had a self-reported diagnosis of hypertension (532 men and 1078 women) from a stratified random cluster sample of 4201 people aged 60 years or older. Controlled hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) <140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) <90 mmHg, and SBP <130 mmHg and DBP <80 mmHg for subjects with diabetes. Results. The prevalence of controlled hypertension (25.9%) was low. In older women, the prevalence of isolated uncontrolled SBP was increased. After adjusting for other covariates, uncontrolled hypertension was positively associated with body mass index (BMI≥23 kg/m2), and negatively associated with balanced diet and a past history of cardiovascular disease in men, whereas in women it was positively associated with waist circumference (≥80 cm). Conclusions. In elderly people diagnosed with hypertension general obesity (high BMI) appears to have an important influence on uncontrolled hypertension in men, whereas abdominal obesity (high waist circumference) appears to be an important factor in women.
CEO Compensation and Board Structure Revisited

Chhaochharia and Grinstein (JF, 2009) estimate that CEO pay decreases by 17% more in firms that were not compliant with the recent NYSE/NASDAQ board independence requirement than in firms that were compliant. We document that 74% of this magnitude is attributable to two outliers out of 865 sample firms. In addition, we find that the compensation committee independence requirement increases CEO total pay, particularly in the presence of effective shareholder monitoring. Our evidence casts doubt on the effectiveness of independent directors in constraining CEO pay as suggested by the managerial power hypothesis.
The shadow of death model revisited with an application to French firms

This article provides an empirical model of the shadow of death in which the exit probability of a firm depends on the firm’s productive performance and the firm’s level of sunk costs, which are viewed as barriers to exit. The shadow of death effect is treated by assuming a relationship between the propensity to exit and both the contemporaneous and lagged values of efficiency and sunk costs. To estimate the unobserved productive efficiency, we use the Ackerberg et al. (2006) estimator extended by the addition of a correction for selection bias. We use an unbalanced sample of approximately 100 000 French firms over the period 1997 to 2002. Our results indicate that the probability of exit is negatively affected by unobserved individual efficiency and the level of sunk costs. The shadow of death effect applies mainly in manufacturing, where both productive efficiency and sunk costs decrease during several years before exit. In service sectors, the exit process seems to occur more suddenly.
Detection of momentum effects using an index out-performance strategy

The literature shows a substantial portion of momentum profits come from illiquid investments and short-selling, entailing abnormal transaction costs. Concentrating on liquid long-only investments, we investigate momentum using index out-performance portfolio selection (via a modified Sortino ratio) from universes defined by 11 S&P international equity indices. The probability a stock out-performed its index for n weeks, conditional on out-performance during the preceding year, successfully predicts momentum effects, allowing partition of the indices into those exhibiting strong, weak or no evidence of momentum. We find evidence of significant momentum profits (including reasonable transaction costs) in seven indices. Comparable conventional momentum analysis found significant profits for one index.
The role of collaboration in environmental management: an evaluation of land and resource planning in British Columbia

Recent literature on land-use planning proposes the use of innovative collaborative planning (CP) models to resolve planning disputes. This paper uses a participant survey based on 25 evaluative criteria to evaluate an application of CP to land-use planning in British Columbia, Canada. The results show that CP is an effective means of resolving environmental conflict and produces significant additional benefits such as improved stakeholder relations, skills, and knowledge. The case study evaluation also identifies the keys to successful CP management including factors related to process design and external circumstances.
Asset Proportions in Optimal Portfolios

The paper is concerned with conditions under which the proportion of a given asset in the optimal portfolio of a risk averse agent is at least as large as some given proportion. The paper provides a condition that is necessary and sufficient for such a result to hold. The analysis is then confined to portfolios in which the distributions of assets differ by either a first-degree stochastic dominance shift or by a mean-preserving shift. Examples are provided to show that under some conditions a risk averter may invest a smaller proportion of his wealth in the dominating asset than in the dominated asset. The paper then provides conditions that are necessary and sufficient for a risk averter to invest more in the dominating asset.
Trading Volume and Transaction Costs in Specialist Markets

Prior work with competitive rational expectations equilibrium models indicates that there should be a positive relation between trading volume and differences in beliefs or information among traders. We show that this result is sensitive to whether and how transaction costs are modeled. In a specialist market with endogenous transaction costs we show that trading volume can be negatively related to the degree of informational asymmetry in the market. Our analysis highlights the dependence of volume on market structure, and our results suggest that the 'volume effects' of corporate or macroeconomic events reflect a decrease, rather than an increase, in heterogeneity of beliefs or asymmetry of information. Copyright 1994 by American Finance Association.
Is Turkey coming to terms with its past? Politics of memory and majoritarian conservatism

There is unprecedented domestic and international interest in Turkey's political past, accompanied by a societal demand for truth and justice in addressing past human rights violations. This article poses the question: Is Turkey coming to terms with its past? Drawing upon the literature on nationalism, identity, and collective memory, I argue that the Turkish state has recently taken steps to acknowledge and redress some of the past human rights violations. However, these limited and strategic acts of acknowledgment fall short of initiating a more comprehensive process of addressing past wrongs. The emergence of the Justice and Development Party as a dominant political force brings along the possibility that the discarded Kemalist memory framework will be replaced by what I call majoritarian conservatism, a new government-sanctioned shared memory that promotes uncritical and conservative-nationalist interpretations of the past that have popular appeal, while enforcing silence on critical historiographies that challenge this hegemonic memory and identity project. Nonetheless, majoritarian conservatism will probably fail to assert state control over memory and history, even under a dominant government, as unofficial memory initiatives unsettle the hegemonic appropriation of the past.
GIS-based approach for optimised collection of household waste in Mostaganem city (Western Algeria)

This work proposes an optimisation of municipal solid waste collection in terms of collection cost and polluting emissions (carbon oxides, carbon dioxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter). This method is based on a simultaneous optimisation of the vehicles routing (distance and time travelled) and the routing system for household wastes collection based on the existing network of containers, the capacity of vehicles and the quantities generated in every collecting point. The process of vehicle routing optimisation involves a geographical information system. This optimisation has enabled a reduction of travelled distances, collection time, fuel consumption and polluting emissions. Pertinent parameters affecting the fuel consumption have been utilised, such as the state of the road, the vehicles speed in the different paths, the vehicles load and collection frequencies. Several scenarios have been proposed. The results show the importance of the construction of a waste transfer station that can reduce the cost of household waste collection and emissions of waste transfer pollutants. Among the proposed five scenarios, we have noticed that the fourth scenario (by constructing a waste transfer centre) was the most performing. So, the routes of optimised travelled distance of the new circuits have been reduced by 71.81%. The fuel consumption has been reduced by 72.05% and the total cost of the collection has been reduced by 46.8%. For the polluting emissions, the reduction has been by 60.2% for carbon oxides, by 67.9% for carbon dioxides, by 74.2% for nitrogen oxides and by 65% for particulate matter.
Alveolar uptake of lipid and protein components of surfactant.

We investigated the clearance of radiolabeled natural surfactant from the alveolar space of the isolated perfused rat lung. 3H, 35S-natural surfactant was prepared from rat lungs that had been perfused with [methyl-3H]choline and [35S]methionine. The biosynthesized material contained greater than 95% of 3H in phosphatidylcholine (PC) and approximately 80% of 35S in surfactant protein A. Natural surfactant (1 mumol PC) was instilled into the trachea; lungs were analyzed 5 min later or after 2 h perfusion to determine surfactant uptake, defined as lung lavage-resistant 3H or 35S [% of instilled disintegrations per minute(dpm)]. Uptake at 5 min was 31.4 +/- 0.37% for 3H and 31.9 +/- 0.85% for 35S (mean +/- SE, n = 4). At 2 h, uptake was 46.6 +/- 0.96% for 3H and 45.8 +/- 1.1% for 35S (n = 7). In the presence of 0.1 mM 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcAMP), uptake at 2 h for both 3H and 35S was stimulated to approximately 57% of instilled dpm (n = 4). Microsomes and plasma membranes isolated from lung homogenates had a ratio of 3H to 35S that was similar to the original surfactant, whereas 3H/35S in isolated lamellar bodies was increased 2.1-fold. Degradation of lipid was indicated by finding 13.4 +/- 0.65% of homogenate 3H in the aqueous fraction of lung extract after 2 h perfusion; only 2.3 +/- 0.47% of 35S dpm were soluble in trichloroacetic acid, suggesting significantly less protein breakdown. Lipid degradation was increased more than twofold by 8-BrcAMP, whereas protein degradation was not changed significantly. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Navigating gender structure: women's leadership in a Brazilian participatory conservation project

Though women's empowerment remains a central topic in feminist scholarship and a growing focus within international development, leadership has not received much attention, particularly in the context of natural resource management. Interventions tend to focus on participation rather than leadership as a means of empowerment. The introduction of a participatory conservation program to the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve in Amazonas, Brazil1 has had a striking impact on gender relations, increasing not only women's participation in organized groups but also female leadership in social, economic, and political spheres. This paper examines how rural women succeed in overcoming structural obstacles to leadership. Through field observation, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews, I investigate the opportunities for leadership, the environmental, and social factors that condition women's ability to assume leadership roles, and the assistance they do or do not receive in overcoming barriers. The paper concludes with a discussion of how the social structures that shape women's lives vary between leader and non-leader categories and how conservation programing might be altered to increase both women's participation and leadership. 1. Names of individuals and villages have been changed to protect the identity of research participants. Names of regional urban centers and Mamirauá Sectors are real.
A quantitative approach to identify morphological features relevant for visual function in ranibizumab therapy of neovascular AMD.

PURPOSE To quantitatively analyze morphological features in eyes with neovascular AMD (nAMD) at baseline, after 12 months, and after 24 months of intravitreal ranibizumab treatment and to perform a structure/function correlation. METHODS Eyes with treatment-naïve nAMD were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab according to a standardized dosing regimen over 2 years and followed continuously in a prospective study design. The central foveal area of 1000 μm (horizontal)×960 μm (vertical) of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) volume scans was evaluated quantitatively (using proprietary software) for the following pathologies: alteration of the external limiting membrane (ELM), alteration of the ellipsoid zone, subretinal fluid, pigment epithelium detachment, drusen, intraretinal cysts, subretinal mass, and subretinal pigment epithelium mass. The total area of each pathology was calculated in mm2 at baseline and after 1 and 2 years of ranibizumab therapy and correlated with BCVA results. RESULTS In total, 480 central SD-OCT scans of 20 consecutive patients were evaluated. In the multivariate regression analysis, the area of ELM alteration, the area of intraretinal cysts, and foveal retinal thickness were significant variables influencing visual acuity at baseline (R=-0.827; R2=0.684; P<0.001). The area of ELM alteration was the only significant factor to be directly associated with visual acuity at 12 months (R=-0.846; R2=0.716; P<0.001) and 24 months (R=-0.778; R2=0.606; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The integrity of the ELM appears to be the most important feature correlating with visual acuity in native nAMD as well as nAMD treated with intravitreal ranibizumab at each time interval, but not prospectively. In general, no significant predictors for an individual gain or loss in mid- (12 months) or long-term BCVA results (24 months) were found by OCT.
Stock Market Interdependence and Trade Relations: A Correlation Test for the U.S. and Its Trading Partners

Based on the well-established trade relations between the U.S. and its major trading partners, this paper examines the robustness of the trade relation hypothesis which, in some recent studies, argues that difference in trade relations among countries can significantly explain difference in the stock market interdependence. The generalized VDC analysis is employed to measure the stock market interdependence, and the correlation test with bootstrap procedure is applied to test the hypothesis. The results indicate that the hypothesis is hardly as a general rule.
Optical coherence tomography platform for microvascular imaging and quantification: initial experience in late oral radiation toxicity patients

Abstract. An optical coherence tomography (OCT) microvascular imaging platform, consisting of Doppler (DOCT) and speckle variance (svOCT) modalities, and microvascular image quantification tools are developed. The quantification methods extract blood flow-related parameters from DOCT images and vessel morphological parameters from svOCT images. This platform is used to assess the microvascular (DOCT and svOCT) images obtained during a clinical study on late oral radiation toxicity. This specific pathology was considered a suitable scenario for verifying the performance of the developed quantification platform because late oral radiation toxicity is known to involve microvascular damage. The derived parameters are compared between several DOCT and svOCT images from one patient and one healthy volunteer as proof-of-principle, and the significance of the observed differences is discussed. Given the low number of OCT clinical studies that measure and quantify microvascular images and considering the importance of such quantification in a number of pathologies, this newly developed platform can serve as a useful tool in studying diseases and treatments with microvascular involvement.
Editorial Commentary Product Innovation in China: Opportunities and Challenges

Nobody doubts the growth and size of the Chinese economy. Even a casual observer of the global market views China as among the most prominent developing economic regions, and China’s rapid economic expansion has been widely reported. In the early part of this decade, China’s GDP had been estimated at almost $6 trillion (compared to about $15 trillion for the U.S. economy). Furthermore, when adjusted for purchasing power parity, the gap between the U.S. and China is far narrower – some would argue that China has surpassed U.S. in purchasing power (Gjelten 2011). Chinese exports to the U.S. surpassed the $100 billion mark as far back as 2006 (Anonymous 2006). China is also a leading destination for Western manufacturing capital investment. Between 2000 and 2008, U.S. firms spent a total of $18 billion on manufacturing capital expenditures; China is the eighth largest investment destination for U.S. manufacturers (US-China Business Council 2011). These investments are an indication of Western firms’ belief in China’s future potential, and the need to expand their marketing efforts in China. It is no wonder, then, that hundreds of leading Western companies, from consumer retailers (Starbucks) and frequently-purchased consumer goods (Pepsico) to cars (General Motors) and services (Disney, Federal Express) have greatly expanded their business commitments in China in recent years, marketing a wide range of manufactured products and services to the increasingly affluent Chinese market. Chinese firms also have evolved during this period in terms of their commitment to the global marketplace. In many industries, Chinese firms are only recently establishing a global presence. For example, Lenovo was a personal-computers maker for IBM for years, and other Chinese firms such as Haier (appliances), Pearl River (pianos), and TCL International (televisions) were also generic-goods manufacturers for big Western firms. Most of these were unknown in Western markets as recently as ten years ago, but now have established themselves as multinational competitors. (Lenovo bought IBM’s PC division; Haier acquired U.S. appliance maker Maytag) (Crowell 2005). Multinational expansion presents challenges for Chinese firms; rather than being “order-takers” manufacturing products for big Western companies such as IBM or Maytag, these firms now must be able to design, develop, and produce globally competitive products themselves. Among other things, this will require them to make adjustments in their new product development (NPD) processes, and also to improve their marketing research efforts
Quality of life in health care workers with latex allergy.

BACKGROUND Exposure to latex gloves and glove powder makes health care workers (HCWs) particularly susceptible to developing an allergy to latex. AIMS To assess the impact on the quality of life (QOL) of HCWs who are allergic to latex products before removal from latex exposure and after removal from exposure. METHODS We studied 39 latex allergic HCWs from the Health & Safety Executive south area. Twenty-nine attended for an assessment with the occupational physician and were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Spirometry, immunoglobulin E levels and latex radioallergosorbent test levels were measured. RESULTS In total, 29/39 (74%) of patients responded. All of the participants had a type 1 allergy to latex. All individuals reported a significant improvement of symptoms once latex was removed from their working environment. Of those that reported skin complaints, 83% reported that their skin no longer had an impact on their QOL once latex was removed. Over 90% (n = 26) of all participants stated that their eye/nose symptoms had no longer an impact on their QOL and 86% (n = 25) of all participants stated that their respiratory symptoms had no impact on their QOL following the removal of latex from their working environment. Overall, 45% of the respondents had changed jobs: 61% of this group changed to a completely nonclinical post. CONCLUSIONS On average, 86% of latex allergic HCWs reported that their QOL had improved significantly since their removal from latex. In employees who are latex allergic/sensitized, taking latex avoidance measures results in cessation or diminution of symptoms.
Learning and Convergence to a Full-Information Equilibrium are not Equivalent

Convergence to a full-information equilibrium (FIE) in the presence of persistent shocks and asymmetric information about an unknown payoff-relevant parameter θ is established in a classical infinite-horizon partial equilibrium linear model. It is found that, under the usual stability assumptions on the autoregressive process of shocks, convergence occurs at the rate n−1/2, where n is the number of rounds of trade, and that the asymptotic variance of the discrepancy of the full-information price and the market price is independent of the degree of autocorrelation of the shocks. This is so even though the speed of learning θ from prices becomes arbitrarily slow as autocorrelation approaches a unit root level. It follows then that learning the unknown parameter θ and convergence of the equilibrium process to the FIE are not equivalent. Moreover, allowing for non-stationary processes of shocks, the distinction takes a more stark form. Learning θ is neither necessary nor sufficient for convergence to the FIE. When the process of shocks has a unit root, convergence to the FIE occurs but θ can not be learned. When the process is sufficiently explosive and there is a positive mass of perfectly informed agents, θ is learned quickly but convergence to the FIE does not occur.
Trademark Dilution: Empirical Measures for an Elusive Concept

Consumer researchers have conceptualized brand name dilution in terms of the potentially damaging effects that a company's own brand extensions can have on beliefs and attitudes toward parent brands. A different form of dilution, trademark dilution, can also occur through the unauthorized use of a mark (e.g., brand, logo) by an entity other than its owner. With passage of the Federal Trademark Dilution Act of 1995, an increasing number of trademark dilution cases are being litigated. A recurring issue in these cases has been how to measure trademark dilution. The authors review the concept of trademark dilution and explore how recognition and recall-based methods can be used for empirically assessing trademark dilution. The authors also investigate the impact of brand familiarity and product category similarity on the extent of trademark dilution and discuss implications, limitations, and areas for further research.