Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using Bayesian graphical models to model biases in observational studies and to combine multiple data sources : Application to low birthweight and water disinfection by-products

Data in the social, behavioral and health sciences frequently come from observational studies instead of controlled experiments. In addition to random errors, observational data typically contain additional sources of uncertainty such as missing values, unmeasured confounders, and selection biases. Also, the research question is often different to that which a particular data source was designed to answer, and so not all relevant variables are measured. As a result, multiple data sources are often necessary to identify the biases and inform about different aspects of the research question. Bayesian graphical models provide a coherent way to connect a series of local sub-models, based on different data sets, into a global unified analysis. In this manuscript, we present a unified modeling framework that will account for multiple biases simultaneously and give more accurate parameter estimates than standard approaches. We illustrate our approach by analyzing data from a study of water disinfection by-products and adverse birth outcomes in the U.K.
Prognostic value of rapid response to enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy in a routine clinic sample of eating disorder outpatients.

OBJECTIVE This study examined whether rapid response to enhanced cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT-E) was associated with superior treatment outcomes in a transdiagnostic sample of patients with an eating disorder. METHOD Participants were 105 patients with a primary eating disorder diagnosis who received individual CBT-E at a community-based outpatient clinic. Patients completed measures of eating disorder and related pathology at baseline and post-treatment. The Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) was administered at baseline and again, on average, 4.6 weeks after commencing treatment to assess rapid response to CBT-E. Patients achieving reliable change on the EDE-Q at this point were classified as rapid responders. RESULTS No baseline differences distinguished rapid and nonrapid responders. Rapid responders had significantly lower scores on EDE-Q global at post-treatment, were more likely to achieve full remission, and required significantly fewer treatment sessions than nonrapid responders. One-quarter of the nonrapid responders went on to achieve full remission. There were no group differences on measures of anxiety and depression symptoms at the end of treatment. DISCUSSION Early change in treatment is encouraged to achieve the best possible prognosis in CBT-E. Those who did not achieve rapid response still had an overall significant improvement in symptoms from pretreatment to post-treatment, but a lower rate of full remission. Nonrapid responders are an important group of patients to study because they offer researchers an opportunity to improve clinical decision-making and treatment outcomes for patients who are at risk of suboptimal response.
A tale of six states: How similar are the Gulf Cooperation Council countries?

This paper reports the convergence rates for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries using a Bayesian shrinkage estimator. The estimated convergence rates using a panel dataset covering period from 1972 to 2008 across six countries vary from 9% to 22% per year. The results of a Bayesian change point calculations indicate that following a dramatic change in the crude oil prices in 1985, the pattern of σ-convergence reversed. Based on the estimated steady states for each country, the rank order is hypothesized to be a function of the percentage of foreign workers in the labor force.
Detection of titin fragments in urine in response to exercise-induced muscle damage

Many studies have attempted to determine the associations between blood biomarkers and exercise-induced muscle damage. However, poor correlations between the changes in biomarker levels and the magnitude of muscle symptoms have been reported. Recent advances in proteomic tools offer a strategy for the comprehensive analysis of protein expression, which can be used to identify biomarkers. Here, we used a proteomic analysis to identify urinary proteins that appear in response to a calf-raise exercise, including repetitive eccentric muscle contractions, and found that a titin (also known as connectin) N-terminal fragment molecule appears in the urine after eccentric exercise. We measured the titin fragment in urine samples from nine individuals before and after eccentric exercise using a newly-established enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and found that the titin fragment excretion rate increased 96 h after the exercise (5.1 to 77.6 pg/min, p <0.01). The changes in the titin fragment excretion rate were correlated strongly with blood markers of muscle damage and with muscle symptoms. These findings suggest that the urinary titin fragment is potentially a noninvasive biomarker of muscle damage.
Information Environment, Dividend Changes, and Signaling: Evidence from ADR Firms

While theory suggests that dividends can be an important signal for firm performance, prior studies have been unable to provide strong evidence of dividend signaling among publicly listed U.S. companies. One potential explanation for this inconsistency between theory and empirical evidence is that the cross-sectional variation in information asymmetry across U.S. firms is insufficient to provide adequate test power. In this study, we revisit the link between dividend signaling and firms’ information environment by examining the dividend behavior of foreign firms that cross-list on the U.S. stock market in the form of American Depository Receipts (ADRs). Our evidence suggests that ADR firms with poorer information environments have stronger incentives to adopt dividend increases as a signaling device. We also find that such firms experience an increase in one-year-ahead earnings and a decline in systematic risk following a dividend increase. Additional analysis shows that ADR firms have fewer other information channels compared to similar U.S. firms. Overall, we provide evidence consistent with the importance of dividend signaling, especially for firms with poorer information environments.
First Report of the Epiphytic Benthic Dinoflagellates Coolia canariensis and Coolia malayensis in the Waters off Jeju Island, Korea: Morphology and rDNA Sequences

Coolia spp. are epiphytic and benthic dinoflagellates. Herein, we report for the first time, the occurrence of Coolia canariensis and Coolia malayensis in Korean waters. The morphology of the Korean strains of C. canariensis and C. malayensis isolated from the waters off Jeju Island, Korea was similar to that of the original Canary lslands strains and Malaysian strains, respectively. We found several pores and a line of small knobs on the pore plate, and perforations within the large pores of both C. canariensis and C. malayensis. The plates of the Korean strains of C. canariensis and C. malayensis were arranged in a Kofoidian series of Po, 3′, 7′′, 6c, 6s, 5′′′, and 2′′′′, and Po, 3′, 7′′, 7c, 6–7s, 5′′′, and 2′′′′, respectively. When properly aligned, the large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequence of the Korean strain of C. canariensis was identical to that of the Biscayan strains, but it was 2–3% different from the Canary lslands strain VGO0775 and the Australian strain. In addition, the sequences of small subunit (SSU) and/or LSU rDNA from the two Korean strains of C. malayensis were < 1% different from the Malaysian strains of C. malayensis and the Florida strain CCMP1345 and New Zealand strain CAWD39 (“Coolia monotis”). In phylogenetic trees based on LSU rDNA sequences, the Korean strains of C. malayensis belonged to a clade including the Malaysian strains and these two strains. Therefore, based on genealogical analyses, we suggest that the Korean strain of C. canariensis is closely related to two Atlantic strains and the Australian strain, whereas the Korean strains of C. malayensis are related to the Malaysian strains of C. malayensis and the Florida and New Zealand strains.
The predicted earnings differential and immigrant self-employment in Sweden

This paper investigates the influence of the predicted earnings differential between self-employment and wage-employment on self-employment propensities among immigrants in Sweden. Immigrants from non-European countries have essentially lower earnings from self-employment and wage-employment than immigrants from European countries. It is found that the difference between an immigrant's predicted earnings in self- and wage-employment has a strong influence on an immigrant's self-employment decision. A one unit increase in the log differential between self-employment and wage-employment earnings increase the self-employment rate among immigrants by about 5 percentage points, suggesting that discriminatory wages in the wage-employment sector may push immigrants towards self-employment.
The Urban Student and Higher Education in the UK

Increasing the take-up of University places by students from backgrounds of relative deprivation has become a major component of the education policy of the UK government. A four-year intervention programme designed to supplement the school-based education of a cohort of inner-city students was delivered by a University team. The content and delivery of the evaluated programme are reported. Data relating to changes in aspirations, attitudes and transformations of outlook, as well as some indicators of performance in national tests, are presented. Socio-economic parameters of relative deprivation, coupled with personality traits and cognitive factors, are evaluated so as to support the approach of the programme model and recommended it for national and international replication.
Establishing The Relative Competitiveness Of South African Banking Shares: A Kalman Filter Approach

It is argued that the Basel III Accord will undermine the ROE of South African banks, and with the downgrading of South African banks during August 2014, will force investors to revaluate South African banking shares as attractive investment options. However, results from the Sharpe and Omega ratios, based on returns forecast using the Kalman filter, accentuate the likelihood that the South African industry can still be expected to be a competitive and feasible investment option after the downgrade. Evidence suggests that Capitec Bank Holdings Limited and Standard Bank Group Limited will perform the worst of all the South African banks, whereas FirstRand Limited, Investec Limited, and Barclays African Group will exhibit more promise in the future, outperforming world indices, such as the DAX, FTSE 100 and the S&P 500.
Drug Problems and Drug Policies in Ireland: A Quarter of a Century Reviewed

This article aimed to fill a perceived gap in the analysis of Irish social policy, by reviewing social policy relating to drug problems and alleviation policies over the previous 25 years. The period was divided into three phases: 1966-70 - The early years; 1980-85 - The opiate epidemic; 1986-91 - The AIDS connection. Within these periods, changes in policy and legislation were presented chronologically. In his discussion, the author examined the following questions: How clearly have drug problems been defined and which institutions have been given responsibility for their control? What have been the major external influences on Irish drug policy? Have causal relationships been sought/accepted between drug problems and other social problems? What policy-making structures have evolved in Ireland over the years?
The Effect of Economic Knowledge on Public Opinion of Economic Issues

Economic events and issues were a major concern of the American public in 1991 and 1992. This concern arose because the national economy experienced a recession from mid-1990 through the first quarter of 1991 and a weak recovery thereafter. Joblessness rose as the unemployment rate climbed from 5.5 percent in mid-1990 to 7.6 percent in mid-1992. Frequent news reports about corporate restructuring and layoffs reminded the public of the poor condition of the job market. During this two-year period, the Congress and the president engaged in debates over fiscal policy and whether the economy should be stimulated by capital gains tax cuts or increased government spending, and the weak economy became the central issue of the 1992 presidential election. Fears also grew about the size of the federal budget deficit because it was expected to increase from $270 billion in 1991 to about $400 billion in 1992. Finally, the Federal Reserve made front-page news each time it cut the discount rate (five times in 1991 and once in 1992). Despite the attention given to economics in national discourse, little is known about public understanding and opinions about such national issues as unemployment, economic growth, budget deficits, tax policy, government spending, monetary policy, inflation, corporate profits, trade deficits, or the value of the dollar. The Gallup Organization conducted a national survey on American eco-
Reassessing the Link Between City Structure and Fiscal Policy

This study assesses the proposition that local government structure affects municipal expenditure levels. Despite decades of research, this question remains unsettled. Early on, analyses of this topic confirmed a linkage between municipal structure and fiscal policy, but more recent works have challenged this finding. Despite the widespread view that municipal structures are increasingly complex, many scholars continue to use simple measures of structure based on the use of the mayor—council or council—manager form. This gap between structures in practice and the measures used in research designs may explain the increasing frequency of studies with null findings. This proposition is examined through an analysis of the link between the per capita expenditures of 263 Michigan cities and four approaches to classifying local government structure. Regardless of the approach used or the complexity of the measure, no evidence was found that city structure is linked to per capita spending in these cities.
Circulating ghrelin exists in both lipoprotein bound and free forms

Introduction Ghrelin is a gastric peptide that has been implicated in the development of obesity and cardiovascular disease. It has been reported that ghrelin binds to lipoproteins, although the different binding patterns of acylated ghrelin (AG) and unacylated ghrelin (UAG) are still to be determined. Methods Lipoprotein fractions were generated using a self-generating iodixanol gradient. AG and UAG were measured using specific enzyme immunoassays. Results AG bound to all lipoproteins in approximately equal concentrations (VLDL 26%, LDL 22%, HDL 23%) and was present as a plasma protein (27%). UAG bound more specifically to HDL (49%) and was present as a plasma protein (48%). Conclusions The different binding patterns of AG and UAG may have significant implications for their biological effects, including roles in energy metabolism, the development of obesity and potentially in the modulation of cardiovascular disease.
Money and the Mechanism of Exchange

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the mechanism of exchange for money. The object that temporarily intervenes in sale and purchase is money. It might seem that the use of money only doubles the trouble, by making two exchanges necessary where one was sufficient; however, a slight analysis of the difficulties inherent in simple barter shows that the balance of trouble lies quite in the opposite direction. The first difficulty in barter is to find two persons whose disposable possessions mutually suit each other's wants. In the present day, barter still goes on in some cases, even in the most advanced commercial countries, but only when its inconveniences are not experienced. Money remedies these inconveniences and, thereby performs two distinct functions of high importance, acting as—(1) a medium of exchange, and (2) a common measure of value. In its first form, money is simply any commodity esteemed by all persons, any articles of food, clothing, or ornament which any person will readily receive, and which every person desires to have by him in greater or less quantity, in order that he may have the means of procuring necessaries of life at any time.
Cognitive performance and functional status are the major factors predicting survival of centenarians in Poland.

BACKGROUND Clinical and biochemical predictors of extreme longevity would be useful in geriatric practice but have still not been clearly defined. METHODS To identify the best nongenetic predictors of survival in centenarians, we examined 340 individuals aged 100+ years. A detailed questionnaire was completed, and comprehensive geriatric assessment and blood analyses were performed. Survival of study participants was checked annually over the period of 10 years. RESULTS In the univariate Cox proportional hazards model, a longer survival of centenarians was correlated with a higher adjusted Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE(adj)) score (p < .000001), higher Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and adjusted Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL(adj)) scores (p < .000001 and p = .00008, respectively), and younger age at the time of testing (p = .005). Blood pressure, lipid profile, and C-reactive protein and hemoglobin concentrations were not associated with survival. Multivariate analysis including age, sex, and the MMSE(adj) and ADL scores showed that both MMSE(adj) and ADL predicted survival (HR = 0.978 per each MMSE(adj) point, 95% CI: 0.964-0.993, p = . 004; HR = 0.900 per each ADL point, 95% CI: 0.842-0.962, p = . 002, respectively). In multivariate analysis with the ADL score substituted by the IADL(adj) score, the only predictor of survival was MMSE(adj) (HR = 0.973 per each MMSE(adj) point, 95% CI: 0.958-0.988, p = . 0006). CONCLUSIONS Cognitive and functional performances are predictors of survival in centenarians.
Trends and Projections in Income Replacement during Retirement

This article calculates retirement income–replacement rates for all labor market cohorts across the last 25 years and describes the changing contributions made by private pensions, social security, and assets. The factors on which replacement rates are sensitive include position in the income distribution, the use of after‐tax instead of pretax incomes, the changing family composition of households between their pre‐ and postretirement years, and differential underreporting of income by age. The debate about reforming the U.S. retirement income system starts from a base where the current system offers high income‐replacement rates for most households, especially low‐income households.
Selected Issues in Modelling Mortality by Cause and in Small Populations

ABSTRACT Actuarial practice as regards mortality analysis and projection is changing rapidly. This paper provides a short introduction to some of the limitations and risks in using trends in cause of death as a means for projecting future mortality rates. It also covers recent developments in analysing the mortality of smaller populations, including survival models and “piggyback” models.
Intramyocellular lipid quantification from 1H long echo time spectra at 1.5 and 3 T by means of the LCModel technique

To introduce a method of independent determination of CH2 and CH3 components of intramyocellular lipids (IMCLs) by using long TE for spectra measurement and LCModel for spectra evaluation, to test this technique in controls and insulin‐resistant subjects, and to compare results at 1.5 and 3 T.
Global Gains from Liberalising Trade in Telecommunications and Financial Services

This paper uses a general equilibrium model to assess the effects of liberalising trade in telecommunications and financial services for 19 regions of the world. Results suggest that economies gain from removing barriers to the establishment of new operations (domestic or foreign), and by liberalising the operations of existing operators. For the world as a whole, the one-off gains are estimated to be at least 0.2 per cent of combined GNP, or about US$50 billion.
Computer-aided 3-D simulation and prediction of craniofacial surgery: a new approach.

Background: In plastic and reconstructive craniofacial surgery, careful preoperative planning is essential. In complex cases of craniofacial synostosis, rapid prototyping models are used to simulate the surgery and reduce operating time. Recently, 3-D CT model surgery has been introduced for presurgical planning and prediction of the postoperative result. Objective: For simulation of craniofacial surgery a computer-based system was developed that allows visualization and manipulation of CT-data using computer graphics techniques. Surgical procedures in all areas of the bony skull can be performed interactively. Results: The case of a child with scaphocephalus is presented. Surgery is planned using the craniofacial surgery simulator described above. Conclusion: The computer-based interactive surgery simulation systems presented here allow precise visualization of craniofacial surgery. The accurate computer-aided 3-D simulation of bone displacements is also the prerequisite for transfer of the simulated surgery using a navigation system for surgery. Thus the preoperatively planned procedure could be transferred directly to the operating table. Copyright 2001 European Association for Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery.
Randomized controlled trial of interventions designed to reduce the risk of progression to first-episode psychosis in a clinical sample with subthreshold symptoms.

BACKGROUND Most disability produced by psychotic illnesses, especially schizophrenia, develops during the prepsychotic period, creating a case for intervention during this period. However, only recently has it been possible to engage people in treatment during this phase. METHODS A randomized controlled trial compared 2 interventions in 59 patients at incipient risk of progression to first-episode psychosis. We termed this group ultra-high risk to emphasize the enhanced risk vs conventional genetic high-risk studies. Needs-based intervention was compared with specific preventive intervention comprising low-dose risperidone therapy (mean dosage, 1.3 mg/d) and cognitive behavior therapy. Treatment was provided for 6 months, after which all patients were offered ongoing needs-based intervention. Assessments were performed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS By the end of treatment, 10 of 28 people who received needs-based intervention progressed to first-episode psychosis vs 3 of 31 from the specific preventive intervention group (P=.03). After 6-month follow-up, another 3 people in the specific preventive intervention group became psychotic, and with intention-to-treat analysis, the difference was no longer significant (P=.24). However, for risperidone therapy-adherent patients in the specific preventive intervention group, protection against progression extended for 6 months after cessation of risperidone use. CONCLUSIONS More specific pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy reduces the risk of early transition to psychosis in young people at ultra-high risk, although their relative contributions could not be determined. This represents at least delay in onset (prevalence reduction), and possibly some reduction in incidence.