Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blood pressure levels post mechanical thrombectomy and outcomes in non-recanalized large vessel occlusion patients

Objective Permissive hypertension may benefit patients with non-recanalized large vessel occlusion (nrLVO) post mechanical thrombectomy (MT) by maintaining brain perfusion. Data evaluating the impact of post-MT blood pressure (BP) levels on outcomes in nrLVO patients are scarce. We investigated the association of the post-MT BP course with safety and efficacy outcomes in nrLVO. Methods Hourly systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) values were prospectively recorded for 24 hours following MT in consecutive nrLVO patients. Maximum, minimum, and mean BP levels were documented. Three-month functional independence (FI) was defined as modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores of 0–2. Results A total of 88 nrLVO patients were evaluated post MT. Patients with FI had lower maximum SBP (160±19 mmHg vs 179±23 mmHg; P=0.001) and higher minimum SBP levels (119±12 mmHg vs 108±25 mmHg; P=0.008). Maximum SBP (183±20 mmHg vs 169±23 mmHg; P=0.008) and DBP levels (105±20 mmHg vs 89±18 mmHg; P=0.001) were higher in patients who died at 3 months while minimum SBP values were lower (102±28 mmHg vs 115±16 mmHg; P=0.007). On multivariable analyses, both maximum SBP (OR per 10 mmHg increase: 0.55, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.79; P=0.001) and minimum SBP (OR per 10 mmHg increase: 1.64, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.60; P=0.033) levels were independently associated with the odds of FI. Maximum DBP (OR per 10 mmHg increase: 1.61; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.36; P=0.014) and minimum SBP (OR per 10 mmHg increase: 0.65, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.90; P=0.009) values were independent predictors of 3-month mortality. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that wide BP excursions from the mean during the first 24 hours post MT are associated with worse outcomes in patients with nrLVO.
Subintimal angioplasty for superficial femoral artery occlusion: poor patency in critical ischaemia.

INTRODUCTION Subintimal angioplasty has been proposed for the treatment of long segment occlusive disease and for patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI) with significant co-morbidity. There is no consensus as to short- and long-term patency. We present our experience with this technique. METHODS Between 1995 and 2000, 43 consecutive patients (48 limbs) underwent subintimal angioplasty for superficial femoral artery occlusions. Outcome measures were haemodynamic and/or symptomatic patency. RESULTS Technical success was achieved in 14/17 limbs with CLI (82%) and 30/31 (97%) with intermittent claudication (IC). There were 7 complications (15%), 6 occurring in the claudicant group. The median occlusion length was 10 cm for CLI and 6 cm for IC. Patency at 12 and 36 months, on an intention-to-treat basis, was 69% and 58% for claudicants and 25% and 25% for patients with CLI (P = 0.0005 and P = 0.0044, respectively). Following only technically successful procedures, 12-month patency was 72% (IC) and 31% (CLI) (P = 0.009). Patients with occlusions > or = 10 cm were more likely to re-occlude than those < 10 cm (12-month patency 60% versus 25%;P = 0.037). CONCLUSIONS In this series, short- and long-term patency in patients with CLI is poor. Subintimal angioplasty in the treatment of CLI should be reserved for those patients not fit for surgical bypass.
A digitally programmable ring oscillator in the UWB range

The increasing interest in impulse radio UWB communication links focuses the research interest on building blocks optimized for these specific systems. In this context, this paper proposes a ring oscillator for an impulse radio UWB transmitter. A multiloop ring oscillator is considered because it holds the potential of both high oscillation frequency and fast switch-on time. The novelty of the proposed inverter cell is found in the possibility to adjust the oscillation frequency digitally, rather than with an analog voltage. This leads to larger tuning range and less sensitivity to control noise. The digitally controlled oscillator is designed in 0. 13µm CMOS technology and according to simulations the tuning range is from 4 GHz to 12.5 GHz. The power consumption is below 8 mW.
Ictal Scalp EEG Findings in Patients with Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

The syndrome of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is a well-defined clinical entity that responds to surgical treatment in a considerable number of patients. Although it has been subjected to intensive clinical research, few investigators have published the ictal scalp EEG findings and looked for specific features that might predict postoperative outcome. This study was designed to examine ictal scalp EEG characteristics in detail, in a group of patients with pathologically confirmed hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Patients who underwent long-term video-EEG monitoring at our center during a 3-year period and were diagnosed to have MTLE and pathologically proven HS were included in this retrospective study. All ictal scalp EEGs were investigated in a common reference montage, paying attention to the localization, morphology and frequency of ictal discharges that were accepted to represent a specific phase if the findings were sustained for at least 3 seconds. Any significant change in localization, morphology or frequency of discharges was said to represent a different phase. The ictal EEG patterns in different phases were later compared among seizures of different patients. In addition, the ictal EEG characteristics of the patients in Group I (Engel's classification) were compared with the ictal EEG findings in patients who were included in another group. All the patients have been followed for more than 5 years. Seventy-one ictal EEGs were investigated in 25 adult patients (11 M, 14 F). Onset patterns were lateralized in 81.7% and localized in 76% of the seizures. Thirteen different patterns of onset were detected, the most common of which was the cessation of interictal discharges (35.2%). The most common ictal pattern following the initial changes was ipsilateral temporal rhythmic theta-delta activity (85.2%) that occurred on the average 13.4 seconds after onset. Nonlocalized/lateralized seizure onset of all the seizures or bilateral independent onset was present in 75% of the patients in Groups II-III, whereas this ratio was 14.3% in the patients in Group I (p=0.031). In conclusion, ictal scalp EEG in MTLE allows correct lateralization and localization in most of the seizures. Onset patterns may vary considerably; however, a later significant pattern consisting of rhythmic ipsilateral temporal build-up develops in the majority of seizures. Some ictal EEG characteristics may be related to post-operative outcome.
Serum levels of IGF‐I, IGFBP‐3 and colorectal cancer risk: results from the EPIC cohort, plus a meta‐analysis of prospective studies

Several prospective studies have shown a moderate positive association between increasing circulating insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) levels and colorectal cancer risk. However, the associations were often statistically nonsignificant, and the relationship of cancer risk with IGF‐I's major binding protein, IGFBP‐3, showed major discrepancies between studies. We investigated the association of colorectal cancer risk with serum IGF‐I, total and intact IGFBP‐3, in a case‐control study nested within the EPIC cohort (1,121 cases of colorectal cancer and 1,121 matched controls). Conditional logistic regression was used to adjust for possible confounders. Our present study results were combined in a meta‐analysis with those from 9 previous prospective studies to examine the overall evidence for a relationship of prediagnostic serum IGF‐I with colorectal cancer risk. In the EPIC study, serum concentrations of IGF‐I and IGFBP‐3 showed no associations with risk of colorectal cancer overall. Only in subgroup analyses did our study show moderate positive associations of IGF‐I levels with risk, either among younger participants only (and only for colon cancer) or among participants whose milk intakes were in the lowest tertile of the population distribution (RR for an increase of 100 ng/ml = 1.43 [95% CI = 1.13–1.93]). Nevertheless, in the meta‐analysis a modest positive association remained between serum IGF‐I and colorectal cancer risk overall (RR = 1.07 [1.01–1.14] for 1 standard deviation increase in IGF‐I). Overall, data from our present study and previous prospective studies combined indicate a relatively modest association of colorectal cancer risk with serum IGF‐I.
How Does Trade Openness Affect Regional Demographic Transitions? Evidence from China's Provincial Panel Data

This paper investigates the effect of trade openness and other variables on the demographic transition in China using the instrumental variables regression method based on provincial panel data for the period between 1981 and 2013. The results indicate that trade openness is one of the determinants of China's demographic transition and has two distinct effects: (i) an income effect that accelerated the demographic transition by increasing per capita income; and (ii) a human capital effect that suppressed the demographic transition by reducing human capital accumulation. The effects of trade on demographic transition vary across different regions. This study identifies the important determinants of demographic transition in China's regions, and has rich policy implications for demographic transition and the upgrading of trade structure.
Plasma Catecholamine and Lymphocyte beta2 -adrenergic Receptor Alterations in Elderly Alzheimer Caregivers under Stress

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of chronic stress on beta-adrenergic physiology in elderly spousal caregivers to Alzheimer patients. Methods: Thirty-seven elderly spousal caregivers and matched noncaregiver controls (mean age 73 years, SD = 6) were studied. Life stress categorization (presence of marked threat) covering the previous 6 months was determined using a semistructured interview based on the Psychiatric Epidemiological Research Inventory and the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule. beta2 -adrenergic receptor sensitivity (isoproterenol-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation) and density were determined in lymphocytes. Results: Caregivers with high life stress had higher plasma norepinephrine levels (p <.04) but no change in plasma cortisol. For beta-receptor sensitivity, 30% of the variance was accounted for by high life stress rating, increased age, being male, and lower norepinephrine (p =.018); 17% of the variance in beta-receptor density was accounted for by plasma norepinephrine (p =.03). Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that chronic high stress may be associated with changes in adrenergic physiology and may provide a mechanism through which chronic stress alters cellular immunity.
Effects of Strike on the Academic Performance of Business Education Students in Nigerian Universities

This paper discusses the effects of strike on the academic performance of business education students in Nigerian Universities. It also discussed the labour disputes and their settlement recorded strikes, 1960-77, academic staff union of universities history and struggles, the effects of academic staff union of universities strikes on business education students as well as possible remedy. This paper uses historical survey in evaluating the views of various scholars in an attempt to inform researchers, business educators, scholars on current reasoning on the issue of effects of strike on the academic performance of business education students in Nigerian Universities. Conclusion and recommendations such as a matter of policy the executives and legislators of both Federal and States should have their children in public universities in Nigeria, both federal and state governments should always respect the agreed negotiated agreement between them and the Academic staff Union of Universities to avoid incessant strike actions etc. were made.
Feasibility and effectiveness of adding object-related bilateral symmetrical training to mirror therapy in chronic stroke: A randomized controlled pilot study

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adding object-related bilateral symmetrical training to mirror therapy (MT) to improve upper limb (UL) activity in chronic stroke patients. Method: Sixteen patients with moderate UL impairment were randomly allocated to either the experimental (EG) or control (CG) group. Both groups performed 1 hour sessions, 3 days/week for 4 weeks, involving object-related bilateral symmetrical training. EG performed the tasks observing their nonparetic UL reflected in the mirror, while CG observed the paretic UL directly. The primary outcome measure was unilateral and bilateral UL activity according to the Test d’Évaluation des Membres Supérieurs de Personnes Âgées (TEMPA). All measurements were taken at baseline, post-training, and follow-up (2 weeks). Results: TEMPA total score showed the main effect of time. Significant improvement was found for bilateral but not unilateral tasks. Both groups showed gains after training, with no differences between them. Conclusions: This study showed the feasibility of adding object-related bilateral training to MT. Both types of training improved UL bilateral activity; however, a larger sample is required for a definitive study. Other studies need to be carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of combining more distal-oriented movements and object-related unilateral training to improve these effects in chronic stroke patients.
Characterization of Cesium Iodide-Coated Carbon-Fiber Aluminum Cathode for an  $S$ -Band High-Efficiency Vircator

Carbon-fiber-aluminum (CFA) cathode is characterized to generate high-power microwave (HPM) from a high-efficiency three-cavity virtual-cathode oscillator (vircator). Plasma expansion velocity associated with the cesium iodide (CsI)-coated CFA cathode is determined in the experiment. It is found that the stationary plasma expansion velocity is diminished by CsI-coating to about 3 cm/μs when driving by a 300-kV electrical pulse. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations indicate that the proposed vircator is capable of generating 550-MW S-band HPM at a central frequency of 2.1 GHz, when the diode voltage and current are 420 kV and 9.2 kA, respectively. The corresponding power conversion efficiency is as high as 14%. The generated HPM is with the TE10 mode of rectangular waveguide, which can give rise to an on-axis radiation pattern without requiring mode converter.
What are the new milestones in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis?

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease involving the connective tissue of the skin and various internal organs. In recent years research on SSc has evolved to provide a better understanding of the interdependence of the three major systems involved—namely, the vascular system, the immune system and the connective tissue. Hypoxia is increasingly recognised as a decisive factor in modulating the inflammatory process in SSc, activating fibroblasts and changing their phenotype. In addition, several mediators synthesised by immune cells, including cytokines such as transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), cooperate in inducing the activation of fibroblasts and their differentiation into myofibroblasts. Therefore, a variety of intracellular and extracellular strategies to inhibit the activity of TGFβ and PDGF are currently receiving intense investigation. To further improve our therapeutic strategies for this paradigmatic fibrotic disease, an improved understanding of connective tissue remodelling as it takes place in the different stages of SSc will be imperative.
Foreign nationals as offenders and victims in Malaysian crime news

Foreign nationals in Malaysia come from all corners of the world. They are here as migrant labour, highly skilled and professional migrants (expatriates), illegal migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers (Burmese asylum seekers with UNHCR card), forced migrants (human trafficking victims), students, and tourists. The influx of foreign nationals residing in Malaysia coincides with greater number of crime news featuring foreign nationals. This study explores the social construction of foreign nationals as the ‘other’ in the local crime news published by Malaysian newspapers. 94 news headlines and lead sentences of local crime news involving foreign nationals were identified and analysed for this study. Findings suggest that Malaysian newspapers magnify foreign nationals’ migration status in each crime news.
Stopping the Traffick? The problem of evidence and legislating for the ‘Swedish model’ in Northern Ireland

In 2015, after two years of controversy, the so-called ‘Swedish model’—the criminalisation of paying for sex—became law in Northern Ireland as an anti-trafficking measure. Evidence from the ground in Northern Ireland, however, questions the enforceability and appropriateness of a sex purchase ban to significantly reduce or eradicate trafficking in the sex industry. First, it is unclear that criminalisation will change the behaviour of male purchasers, many of whom thought that their actions were already illegal; second, sex workers do not support the law; and third, there are significant difficulties in law enforcement in the context of Northern Ireland, including a lack of police resources.This article examines mitigating evidence drawn from two sources: findings from a mixed methods study commissioned by the Department of Justice of Northern Ireland—in which we were amongst several co-authors—to support the reform process; and contributions to the consultation held within it.We argue that the sex purchase ban in Northern Ireland is essentially meant to send a moral message about the unacceptability of commercial sex rather than effectively reduce trafficking. With this conclusion, we aim to contribute to an open and honest debate about the moral foundations of anti-trafficking measures, the role of research evidence in the policy process, and the gap between stated intentions and likely effects of neo-abolitionist measures such as the sex purchase ban in both Northern Ireland and more generally.
Is herpes zoster a marker for occult or subsequent malignancy?

BACKGROUND It has been suggested that herpes zoster may be a marker for occult malignancy. AIM To examine the emergence of a subsequent cancer diagnosis in patients with and without herpes zoster. DESIGN OF STUDY Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Results were based on the database of Intego, an ongoing Belgian general practice-based morbidity registry, covering 37 general practitioners and including about 311 000 patient years between the years 1994 and 2000. METHOD Survival analysis comparing the emergence of malignancy in patients with and without herpes zoster. RESULTS The number of patients below the age of 65 years with herpes zoster, cancer or both was too low to draw any sensible conclusions. Above the age of 65 years we identified a significant increase of cancer emergence in the whole group and in females (hazard ratio = 2.65, 95% confidence interval = 1.43 to 4.90), but not in males. No difference could be identified in the first year after the herpes zoster infection. CONCLUSION Our results do not justify extensive testing for cancer in herpes zoster patients. The association we identified, however, leaves open a number of questions with respect to the physiopathology behind it.
Assessment, Modelling, and Optimization of Efficiency in Rice Supply Chain from a Farmer’s Perspective: Study of Rice Supply Chain in India

Agriculture has been the backbone of most of the developing nations, but inefficiencies in agri-food supply chains, lead to poor economy and poverty. In order to appraise the success of supply chains, an adequate efficiency measurement system is needed to be developed. In this investigation cost of production, cost of distribution, cost of transaction, profit, return on invest and inventory have been taken as the measures of efficiency. Varieties of rice, requirement level and farmer types has been considered as the process parameters to supply chain efficiency. In this paper the variation of different aspects of efficiency as well as efficiency with respect to various input parameters of rice supply chain has been studied and demonstrated efficiently. Furthermore, an innovative application of statistical tool, analysis of variance with the integration of principal component analysis for chalking out the significance, percentage contribution and optimal process parameter setting has been implemented successfully.
The relevance of wear-mechanism maps to mild-oxidational wear

The presence of oxygen in the environment in which a steel sliding system operates will promote a mild form of wear with wear debris consisting mainly of iron oxides. Of the oxidation-dominated mechanisms, mild-oxidational wear (the prefix describes the extent of oxidation and not the wear rate) has been most extensively investigated. In this paper, examples will be used to show that the wear-mechanism map for the unlubricated sliding of steels can adequately predict the occurrence of mild-oxidational wear and the trend of wear rates as well as describe the resultant features on the worn surfaces. It is also shown that this map is relevant to delamination wear and to test geometries other than the pin-on-disk configuration. It is suggested that the more-recently constructed wear maps for aluminium and magnesium alloys could similarly be used to predict the wear characteristics of these alloys during sliding.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Charles A. Dice Center for Research in Financial Economics Municipal Bond Liquidity and Default Risk

This paper examines the pricing of bonds issued by states and local governments. I use three distinct, complementary approaches to decompose municipal bond spreads into default and liquidity components, finding that default risk accounts for 74% to 84% of the average municipal bond spread after adjusting for tax-exempt status. The first approach estimates the liquidity component using transaction data, the second measures the default component with credit default swap data, and the third is a quasi-natural experiment that estimates changes in default risk around pre-refunding events. The price of default risk is high given the rare incidence of municipal default and implies a high risk premium. ∗This paper is based on a chapter of my PhD dissertation at Stanford GSB. I thank Michael Roberts, an anonymous associate editor and three referees, Andrew Ang, Jonathan Berk, Darrell Duffie, Peter Feldhutter, Marco Giacoletti, Lorenz Kueng, Robert Novy-Marx, Josh Rauh, Bill Schwert, René Stulz, Ilya Strebulaev, Edward Watts, Toni Whited, and seminar participants at the LBS Trans-Atlantic Doctoral Conference and Ohio State for helpful comments and suggestions. I thank the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board for providing the municipal bond transaction data and Francis Longstaff for sharing his marginal tax rate estimates. The Appendix is available at my website: https://sites.google. com/site/mwschwert/. †Email: schwert.6@osu.edu.
Developing Local Currency Bond Markets in Asia

ABSTRACT Local currency bond markets in emerging Asian economies have expanded dramatically since governments took steps to end the currency and maturity mismatches that savaged borrowers in the region’s financial crisis 20 years ago. However, much more needs to be done to strengthen market infrastructure and institutions, address inconsistent policies and regulations, and enhance corporate governance. This article presents evidence that better macroeconomic performance and stronger institutions help develop larger local currency bond markets and also create conditions for the growth in local currency sales of corporate debt and bonds with longer maturities. Regional integration can be stepped up to support the key determinants for developing efficient local currency bond markets in emerging Asia.