Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Endoscopic Sinus Surgery and Nasal Surgery in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Objectives To evaluate the impact of combined nasal surgery and endoscopic sinus surgery on the objective measurements of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sleep architecture by comparing polysomnographic data before and after combined surgery in patients with OSA. Study Design Case series with chart review. Setting A single clinical site. Subjects and Methods Patients with OSA and chronic rhinosinusitis who underwent combined nasal surgery and endoscopic sinus surgery and preoperative and postoperative polysomnography were identified. Patient charts were reviewed and preoperative and postoperative body mass index, apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), mean and minimum oxygen saturation, sleep efficiency, and sleep staging were compared. Results Fifty-six patients were included in our study. Patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of the severity of OSA: those with mild OSA (n = 9), those with moderate OSA (n = 23), and those with severe OSA (n = 24). After combined nasal and sinus surgery, the mean AHI significantly decreased from 33.5 ± 22.0 to 29.4 ± 20.8 (P = .009) in our overall population. Specifically, AHI improved significantly in patients with moderate OSA (from 22.3 ± 4.8 to 20.7 ± 8.2, P = .023) and severe OSA (from 52.3 ± 21.4 to 43.6 ± 23.9, P = .034), while patients with mild OSA did not have significant changes in AHI. Successful surgical procedures were achieved in only 2 of 56 patients. Conclusion Although combined nasal and sinus surgery may slightly improve AHI in a certain group of patients, it does not cure OSA or have a significant clinical impact.
Neuro-anatomic evidence for the maturational delay hypothesis of ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been hypothesized to be related to a delay rather than a deviance of normal brain development before it was first defined by the DSM-III (1). The hypothesis was initially based on the behavioral observation that children with ADHD behave like younger children who are naturally more active, more impulsive, and have a shorter attention span than older children. This is well expressed in the definition of the disorder in the DSM-IV, where ADHD is characterized by an age-inappropriate display of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. The behavioral observation is further supported by the cognitive profile of ADHD children: They show deficits in late developing higher cognitive functions of inhibitory self-control, attention, and temporal foresight (2, 3). The fact that ADHD symptoms tend to improve with age and up to 80% of children (depending on the follow-up length and definition of persistence) grow out of ADHD in adulthood (4) further supports the theory of a maturational lag that eventually normalizes in a considerable proportion of children. Indirect neurobiological support comes from cross-sectional structural imaging studies finding reduced size in cortico-striatal brain regions that are known to develop late in adolescence (5) and functional imaging studies showing reduced brain activation in ADHD compared with their age-matched peers in precisely those brain areas whose functions develop progressively with age between childhood and adulthood (6–10). Cross-sectional studies, however, are confounded by cohort effects; direct testing of the maturational delay hypothesis requires longitudinal imaging studies that map the developmental trajectories of brain maturation in healthy and ADHD children. In a recent issue of PNAS, Shaw et al. (11) study largely longitudinal data to provide direct neurobiological evidence for the maturational delay hypothesis of ADHD.
Prognostic value of serum cholesterol level in Japanese patients with coronary artery disease.

To determine the prognostic value of serum cholesterol level in Japanese patients with established coronary artery disease, we followed 330 consecutive patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction of > or = 50%. Over a period of 4.0 +/- 2.5 years, 53 patients (16%) experienced cardiac events. Multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard modeling revealed that obesity (risk ratio 4.3; p = 0.0001), the number of diseased vessels (risk ratio 1.9; p = 0.0001) and a serum cholesterol level > or = 220 mg/dl (risk ratio 2.3; p = 0.01) or > or = 200 mg/dl (risk ratio 2.1; p < 0.02) increase the risk of cardiac events. These results suggest that patients with established coronary artery disease and a serum cholesterol level > or = 200 mg/dl have a similar risk of experiencing a cardiac event as patients without left ventricular dysfunction and a serum cholesterol level > or = 220 mg/dl. Although the prevalence of coronary artery disease is low in Japan, the serum cholesterol level should be strictly controlled in subjects with established coronary artery disease to avoid future cardiac events.
CEO Overconfidence or Stock Mispricing and Growth? Reexamining the Effect of CEO Option Exercise Behavior on Corporate Investment

Malmendier and Tate (2005) use CEO late option exercise to proxy for unobservable CEO overconfidence and argue that managerial overconfidence can account for investment distortion. Consistent with CEO rationality, this paper provides an alternative explanation to their findings. By breaking the market-to-book ratio into firm mispricing, industry mispricing and growth opportunity, I find that industry mispricing and growth opportunity influence both CEO option exercise and corporate investment. When firms are overvalued or have better growth opportunities, CEOs are more likely to postpone their option exercise and at the same time invest more using internal cash. Moreover, CEO late option exercise fails to explain investment decisions after controlling for mispricing and growth opportunity. These findings suggest that CEO's personal portfolio decision may not be an appropriate proxy for managerial overconfidence.
Alignment and leadership in ICT strategies of private and public organizations

Hyvonen, Harri Alignment and Leadership in ICT Strategies of Private and Public Organizations Jyvaskyla: University of Jyvaskyla, 2015, 77 p. (+articles) (Jyvaskyla Studies in Computing ISSN 1456-5390; 216) ISBN 978-951-39-6231-9 (nid.) ISBN 978-951-39-6232-6 (PDF) Finnish summary Diss. This research contains case studies of information and communications technology (ICT) in the strategic reference framework of the investigated organizations operates in both private and public sector organizations. The dissertation includes five publications, each associated with information management processes, leadership, strategic frame of reference, or the methods used. Finnish small and middle-sized municipalities have limitations concerning the utilization of information technology because their limited resources are dedicated on running the existing systems. Smaller municipalities, especially, have worked in relative isolation, and there has not been any wider networked model between their organizations. The dissertation suggests a concrete model about how a small municipality could plan and implement information management and its related architecture. Small municipalities also have the option of joining into larger units or a network, where development projects can be jointly carried out, financed and achieved results with lower investments. Strategic positioning of ICT has begun to change gradually from the 1990's to the present. Information and communications technology strategies today are well integrated into the overall strategy framework and its implementation, especially in the private sector. Large Finnish companies operate well in a globalized environment and form part of large networks in which information technology is not only enabler for global businesses but also an important competitive factor. Companies in product businesses and related maintenance services have entered the outsourcing business by offering their customers ICT-based services. Traditional support functions such as IT and Human Resources have suddenly become an important part of companies' business enablers. The role of outsourcing in increasing the efficiency of ICT remains still significant. Whilst outsourcing has been carried out and widely studied during decades, a large number of outsourcing projects fail. In our studies, we found that when outsourcing projects in challenging markets are launched little attention is paid to how work is to be organized and what kind of talent is needed.
Equity and Debt Financing Constraints

I construct a structural model in which firms maximize value conditional on being restricted from issuing equity and unsecured debt. Using GMM estimation, I find that a model with both equity and debt constraints fits better than models without constraints or with only one constraint. The estimated financing constraint measures are consistent with financing behavior and firm characteristics believed of constrained firms, with debt being the limiting constraint. Furthermore, equity constrained firms decrease R&D expenses over the next period while debt constrained firms decrease capital expenditure. Finally, I find a positive but insignificant risk premium for debt constraints amounting to 3.0% over one year that does not exist for equity constraints.
Measurement and Verification of the Voltage Distribution on High Voltage Insulators

The paper presents a study into the potential and electric field distribution along an insulator string, which is used for the suspension of 150 kV overhead transmission lines. In order to calculate the voltage distribution, a model of the insulator string was set up using OPERA, an electromagnetic analysis program based on the finite elements method. Simulation results have been compared with experiments which were successfully conducted in the High Voltage Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens. The experimental procedure is also presented in the paper and discrepancies between simulated results and experiment are discussed
The dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene–a genetic risk factor in heavy smoking?

Indications of a genetic predisposition to nicotine dependence have been derived from numerous epidemiological data and from individual genetic studies suggesting the involvement of the dopaminergic D2 receptor. Previous association studies defined the TaqlA polymorphism as a risk factor for addiction, in particular for alcoholism and tobacco dependence. Results of investigations into this polymorphism in 110 severely addicted smokers and a control group of 60 population‐matched German non‐smokers did not support these findings. However, our results indicate an association between the DRD2‐Fokl‐1 allele and the onset and intensity of smoking.
Use of an integrated Atlas of Mental Health Care for evidence informed policy in Catalonia (Spain)

Background. This paper aims to present the Integrated Atlas of Mental Health of Catalonia (2010) focusing on: (a) the importance of using a taxonomy-based coding and standard system of data collection when assessing health services; and (b) its relevance as a tool for evidence-informed policy. Method. This study maps all the care-related services for people with mental disorders available in Catalonia in 2010, using the ‘Description and Evaluation of Services and Directories in Europe for long-term care’ (DESDE-LTC). The unit of analysis is the Basic Stable Input of Care (BSIC), which is the minimal organisation unit composed by a set of inputs with temporal stability. We presented data on: (a) availability of BSICs and their capacity; (b) the adequacy of the provision of care, taking into account availability and accessibility; (c) the evolution of BSCIs from 2002 to 2010; and (d) the perceived relevance of Atlas of Mental Health as a tool for evidence-informed policy. Results. We identified a total of 639 BSICs. A lack of Health services was detected in highly rural areas, although there was moderate availability of Social Services. Overall, more than 80% of the small mental health areas in Catalonia had an adequate core mental health service. Since 2002 the availability of mental health services has increased. Decision makers found the Atlas a useful and relevant tool for evidence informed policy. Conclusions. Policy makers can use Atlases to detect gaps and inequities in the provision of care for people with mental health needs.
Measurement of Intangible Investments by Industry and Its Role in Productivity Improvement Utilizing Comparative Studies between Japan and Korea

Using the Japan Industrial Productivity (JIP) database and other primary statistics, we estimate intangible investments in Japan at the industry level. Comparing our estimates with Korean ones measured by Professor Chun, intangible investment/gross value added (GVA) ratios in Japan are higher than those in Korea in many industries. However, in some service industries, Korean intangible investments are larger than their Japanese counterparts. Although intangible capital stock in 2008 was 136 trillion yen, the growth rate in intangibles became negative in some industries in Japan in the 2000s due to harsh restructuring. When we examine the impacts of intangible investments on total factor productivity (TFP) growth, we find a significant and positive effect on it in the market economy after the IT revolution. However, in the service sector, we do not find any clear evidence of the effect of intangibles. The estimation results show that the government should improve its management skills to utilize intangible assets effectively through deregulation in the service sector.
Diversification and Survival of Young, Small Firms

Young firm diversification is examined investigating whether diversifying firms have higher survival chances. We use extensive longitudinal data containing information on firms’ characteristics and environmental conditions, and their evolution over time. Firms that are born diversified are more likely to survive, suggesting that pre-entry capabilities play an important role in early diversification. Firms diversifying after birth are more likely to survive the older they are at the moment of diversification, suggesting that early diversification may be associated with entry mistakes by firms that have not yet accumulated the required resources and capabilities to diversify successfully.
Investor Sentiment and Beta Pricing

We investigate whether the pricing of market beta varies with sentiment. We hypothesize that periods of optimism attract equity investment by unsophisticated and overconfident traders who under-assess risk, while such traders stay along the sidelines during pessimistic periods. In turn, we argue that pessimistic (optimistic) periods may accentuate (suppress) beta pricing. Controlling for well-known return determinants, we find that beta is positively priced in pessimistic periods (but not in optimistic ones), with a reasonable estimate of the market risk premium. There is some evidence that beta is negatively priced during optimistic periods, but this evidence is less robust. * Antoniou, c.antoniou@exeter.ac. uk, Xfi Centre for Finance and Investment, University of Exeter Business School, Streatham Court, Rennes Drive, Exeter, EX4 4ST, U.K., Tel: 44-(1392) 726256. Doukas, doukas@odu.edu, Old Dominion University, Graduate School of Business, Constant Hall, Suite 2080, Norfolk, VA 23529-0222, Tel: 1-(757) 683-5521. Subrahmanyam (corresponding author), subra@anderson.ucla. edu, The Anderson School, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1481, Tel: 1-(310) 825-5355. We thank Peter DaDalt, Pasquale Della Corte, Arie Gozluklu, Tony Hewitt, Rustam Ibragimov, Roman Kozhan, Yul Lee, Anthony Neuberger, Vikas Raman, Raghu Rau, Richard Taffler, Julian Xu, Pedro Saffi, James Sefton, Katrin Tinn, Tong Yu, Paolo Zaffaroni, and seminar participants at the University of Cambridge, Imperial College, University of Warwick, and the University of Rhode Island for useful comments and suggestions. Investor Sentiment and Beta Pricing
External Financing Costs and Banks Loan Supply: Does the Structure of the Bank Sector Matter?

This paper investigates whether banks loan supply depend on internally generated capital in a fashion that varies according to the size-structure of the bank sector. Banks may experience liquidity constraints if it is costly to raise uninsured funds and recent evidence suggests that external financing costs may be particularly high for small banks. Considering that retail loan markets are predominately local in nature, this paper ask whether the potential significance of individual-bank constraints carry over to a regional level in a manner that affects the overall supply of bank credit to local loan markets. Panel data for US states is used to study how state-level loan supply covaries with cash flow in bank systems with different size-structure. Shifts in the demand for loans induced by the Tax Reform Act of 1986 is used to identify loan supply. The results produce strong evidence of state-level supply effects. It is shown that loan supply of bank systems with a high percentage of small banks depends pro-cyclically on banks internal generation of capital and that no systematic covariation is present in bank systems with relatively few small banks.
Personality Pathology and Relationship Satisfaction in Dating and Married Couples

Personality disorders (PDs) are inherently associated with deficits in relating to other people. Previous research has shown consistent negative associations between categorical PD symptoms and relationship satisfaction. The present studies extend on these findings by examining the role of maladaptive traits in a number of ways. Self- and partner-reported maladaptive traits of both partners are included. Moreover, the present studies add a couple-centered approach by investigating the effects of actual similarity, perceptual similarity, and perceptual accuracy of the maladaptive trait profile on relationship satisfaction. PDs are conceptualized using 2 dimensional maladaptive trait models, that is, the Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology—Basic Questionnaire in Study 1 and the Personality Inventory for DSM–5 in Study 2. A total of 167 heterosexual couples participated in Study 1 and 52 heterosexual couples in Study 2. The actor–partner interdependence model was used to examine the associations between traits and relationship satisfaction, whereas the coefficient of profile agreement was used for the couple-centered analyses. Overall, results showed that the presence of maladaptive traits within romantic relationships has a detrimental effect on relationship satisfaction. Self-ratings on maladaptive traits, how we perceive our partners, and how we are perceived by our partners on maladaptive traits make significant contributions to our relationship (dis)satisfaction. Among the maladaptive traits, negative affect and detachment were most consistently negatively associated with relationship satisfaction. The couple-centered perspective showed less explanatory value but nontrivial associations between perceptual similarity and relationship satisfaction were found in Study 2.
Duration as a Contrast Enhancer in a northern German Dialect

This study investigates durational differences of the fricatives /ç/ and /∫/ in three minimal pairs, elicited in isolation and in carrier phrases, in German. Data was collected from five groups of speakers in Berlin and – as a contrast from a group of high school students in a northern German small town. Both, Berlin and the small town near Hamburg belong to the lower German dialect area, however, speakers from these two areas differ with regard to the acoustic realization of these two fricatives. Berlin speakers in general have a stronger tendency to merge [ç] and [∫] to various degrees while speakers from the north keep these two sounds quite separate on various acoustic dimensions. In this study, we are investigating the duration of these two contrasting fricatives in these two German varieties. Berlin speakers across five different speaker groups show similar durational patterns in the carrier phrase condition while the northern speakers have a greater durational difference, showing that the contrast is also preserved in [∫] being longer than [ç] when normalized for word duration. We attribute the durational differences between the Berlin speakers and the northern German speakers as a prosodic guise of contrast enhancement between these two fricatives.
Improving E-Business Design through Business Model Analysis

To a rapidly increasing degree, traditional organizational structures evolve in large parts of the world towards online business using modern Information and Communication Technology (ICT) capabilities. For efficient applications of inter-organizational information systems, the alignment between business and ICT is a key factor. In this context, business analysis using business modelling can be regarded as a first step in designing economically sustainable e-business solutions.This thesis examines how business modeling can be used to improve e-business design. We examine how business stakeholder intentions and different objectives of business collaborations can be used to obtain an explorative business model that can be used as a basis for designing e-business solutions. The thesis proposes a set of artifacts for business modeling and e-service design. In regard to business modeling, we propose methods that consider internal aspects such as strategic intentions of actors and external aspects such as business collaborations among them. Considering stakeholder intentions, we introduce a method to design business models based on goal models. A set of templates for designing goal models and a set of transformation rules to obtain business models based on goal models are proposed. To further improve business models considering business collaborations, we suggest a classification of business transactions that considers underlying business objectives of business collaborations. Utilizing the suggested business transactions, we then propose a method to improve business modeling. Finally, we propose a method for designing e-services using business models. The methods suggested support business modelers as well as process and services designers in executing their tasks effectively. The methods have been assessed through applications in two cases.
Tryptophan 7-Halogenase (PrnA) Structure Suggests a Mechanism for Regioselective Chlorination

Chlorinated natural products include vancomycin and cryptophycin A. Their biosynthesis involves regioselective chlorination by flavin-dependent halogenases. We report the structural characterization of tryptophan 7-halogenase (PrnA), which regioselectively chlorinates tryptophan. Tryptophan and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) are separated by a 10 angstrom–long tunnel and bound by distinct enzyme modules. The FAD module is conserved in halogenases and is related to flavin-dependent monooxygenases. On the basis of biochemical studies, crystal structures, and by analogy with monooxygenases, we predict that FADH2 reacts with O2 to make peroxyflavin, which is decomposed by Cl–. The resulting HOCl is guided through the tunnel to tryptophan, where it is activated to participate in electrophilic aromatic substitution.