Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
To Innovate or Not to Innovate ? Agency Environment , Proximity to Insolvency and Innovation *

We provide evidence on how agency issues between shareholders and debtholders, and the firm’s proximity to financial distress, influence innovation. The 1991 Credit Lyonnais court ruling expanded the fiduciary duties of managers towards debtholders in near-insolvent Delaware firms. Differences-in-differences tests reveal that Delaware firms close to (far from) insolvency reduced (expanded) their innovation output. Further, both sets of firms exhibit an increase in dedicated institutional ownership, and an overall improvement in solvency. We conclude that expanding fiduciary duties towards debtholders created a focus on survival near insolvency and one on innovation away from insolvency, a trade-off that was consistent with the preferences of debtholders as well as shareholders with longer horizons.
Cigarette smoking and its risk factors among elementary school students in Beijing.

OBJECTIVES This study investigated patterns of and risk factors for smoking among elementary school children in Beijing, China. METHODS In 1988, anonymous questionnaires were administered to a multistage stratified cluster sample of 16996 students, aged mostly 10 to 12, in 479 fourth- to sixth-grade classes from 122 Beijing elementary schools. RESULTS Approximately 28% of boys and 3% of girls had smoked cigarettes. The most frequently cited reasons for smoking initiation were "to imitate others' behavior" and "to see what it was like. " Girls were more likely to get cigarettes from home than to purchase their own. Having close friends who smoked and being encouraged by close friends to smoke were strong risk factors for smoking. Smoking was also associated with lower parental socioeconomic status; having parents, siblings, or teachers who smoked; buying cigarettes for parents; performing poorly in school; and not believing that smoking is harmful to health. CONCLUSIONS Gender differences in smoking prevalence among adolescents in China are larger than those among US teenagers, whereas the proximal risk factors for smoking are similar. Major efforts are needed to monitor and prevent smoking initiation among Chinese adolescents, particularly girls.
Recognizing partially visible objects using feature indexed hypotheses

A common task in computer vision is to recognize the objects in an image. Most computer vision systems do this by matching models for each possible object type in turn, recognizing objects by the best matches. This is not ideal, as it does not take advantage of the similarities and differences between the possible object types. The computation time also increases linearly with the number of possible objects, which can become a problem if the number is large. This paper describes a new recognition method, the feature indexed hypotheses method, which takes advantage of the similarities and differences between object types, and is able to handle cases, where there are a large number of possible object types, in sub-linear computation time. A two-dimensional occluded parts recognition system using this method is described.
A Comparison of Average Pitch Height and Interval Size in Major- and Minor-key Themes: Evidence Consistent with Affect-related Pitch Prosody

An analysis of 9,788 instrumental themes shows that minor-key themes are, on average, slightly lower in pitch than major-key themes. The lower pitch is not merely an artifact of structural differences in the scales. In addition, instrumental themes in minor keys show a weak though significant tendency to use smaller pitch intervals. Both results are consistent with observations in speech prosody, where sad speakers exhibit a lower F0 and narrower pitch fluctuation compared with normal or happy speakers. Submitted 2008 March 5; accepted 2008 March 12.
Investigation of outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in waterfowl and wild birds in Hong Kong in late 2002

Outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza have occurred in Hong Kong in chickens and other gallinaceous poultry in 1997, 2001, twice in 2002 and 2003. High mortality rates were seen in gallinaceous birds but not in domestic or wild waterfowl or other wild birds until late 2002 when highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza occurred in waterfowl (geese, ducks and swans), captive Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) and other wild birds (Little Egret Egretta garzetta) at two waterfowl parks and from two dead wild Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and a Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) in Hong Kong. H5N1 avian influenza virus was also isolated from a dead feral pigeon (Columba livia) and a dead tree sparrow (Passer montanus) during the second outbreak. The first waterfowl outbreak was controlled by immediate strict quarantine and depopulation 1 week before the second outbreak commenced. Control measures implemented for the second outbreak included strict isolation, culling, increased sanitation and vaccination. Outbreaks in gallinaceous birds occurred in some live poultry markets concurrently with the second waterfowl outbreak, and infection on a chicken farm was detected 1 week after the second waterfowl park outbreak was detected, on the same day the second grey heron case was detected. Subsequent virus surveillance showed the outbreaks had been contained.
Hypohydration Adversely Affects Lactate Threshold in Endurance Athletes

The purpose of this investigation was to observe the effect of hypohydration (-4% body mass) on lactate threshold (LAT) in 14 collegiate athletes (8 men and 6 women; age, 20.9 ± 0.5 years; height, 171.1 ± 2.4 cm; weight, 64.8 ± 2.3 kg; Vo2max, 62.8 ± 1.9 ml.kg-1.min-1; percentage of fat, 11.4 ± 1.5%). Subjects performed 2 randomized, discontinuous treadmill bouts at a dry bulb temperature (Tdb) of 22° C to volitional exhaustion in 2 states of hydration, euhydrated and hypohydrated. The hypohydrated condition was achieved in a thermally neutral environment (Tdb, 22° C; humidity, 45%), with exercise conducted at a moderate intensity as defined by rating of perceived exertion (RPE, approximately 12) 12–16 hours before testing. On average, subjects decreased 3.9% of their body mass before the hypohydration test. Blood lactate, hematocrit, Vo2, minute ventilation (VE), R value, heart rate (HR), and RPE were measured during each 4-minute stage of testing. In the hypohydrated condition, LAT occurred significantly earlier during exercise and at a lower absolute Vo2, VE, respiratory exchange ratio, RPE, and blood lactate concentration. Also, the blood lactate concentration was significantly lower in the hypohydrated condition (6.7 ± 0.8 mmol) compared with the euhydrated condition (10.2 ± 0.9 mmol) at peak exercise. There were no differences in HR or percentage of maximum HR at LAT nor did plots of Vco2:Vo2 reveal differences in bicarbonate buffering during exercise between the 2 conditions. From these results, we speculate that hypohydration did not significantly alter cardiovascular function or buffering capacity but did cause LAT to occur at a lower absolute exercise intensity.
Hypovascular nodules in patients with chronic liver disease: risk factors for development of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE To identify patient characteristics and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings associated with subsequent hypervascularization in hypovascular nodules that show hypointensity on hepatobiliary phase gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR images in patients with chronic liver diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS Institutional review board approval was obtained, and informed consent was waived. At multiple follow-up gadoxetic acid-enhanced MR imaging examinations of 68 patients, 160 hypovascular nodules were retrospectively reviewed. A Cox regression model for hypervascularization was developed to explore the association of baseline characteristics, including patient factors (Child-Pugh classification, etiology of liver disease, history of local therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC], and coexistence of hypervascular HCC) and MR imaging findings (fat content, signal intensity on T2-weighted images, and nodule size). In addition, the growth rate was calculated as the reciprocal of tumor volume doubling time to investigate its relationship with subsequent hypervascularization by using receiver operating characteristic and Kaplan-Meier analyses. RESULTS The prevalence of subsequent hypervascularization was 31% (50 of 160 nodules). Independent Cox multivariable predictors of increased risk of hypervascularization were hyperintensity on T2-weighted images (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6, 20.8), previous local therapy for hypervascular HCC (HR = 5.0; 95% CI: 1.8, 13.6), Child-Pugh B cirrhosis (HR = 3.6; 95% CI: 1.4, 9.5) and coexistence of hypervascular HCC (HR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.0, 3.8). The mean growth rate was significantly higher in nodules that showed subsequent hypervascularization than in those without hypervascularization. Kaplan-Meier analysis based on the receiver operating characteristic cutoff level (1.8 × 10(-3)/day [tumor volume doubling time, 542 days]) showed that nodules with a higher growth rate had a significantly higher incidence of hypervascularization (P = 5.2 × 10(-8), log-rank test). CONCLUSION Hyperintensity on T2-weighted images is an independent and strong risk factor at baseline for subsequent hypervascularization in hypovascular nodules in patients with chronic liver disease. Tumor volume doubling time of less than 542 days was associated with a high rate of subsequent hypervascularization.
Oversnow Traverse from McMurdo to the South Pole: Elevations and ice thicknesses are reported by the first U.S. scientific oversnow party to reach the South Pole.

Articles World Population Growth: An International Dilemma: H. F. Dorn . 283 To control his numbers man will soon be forced to choose between high mortality and low fertility. Oversnow Traverse from McMurdo to the South Pole: A. P. Crary and E. S. Robinson 291 Elevations and ice thicknesses are reported by the first United States scientific oversnow party to reach the South Pole. Radon in the Upper Atmosphere: L. Machta and H. F. Lucas, Jr. 296 Radon measurements near the equatorial and polar tropopause suggest the nature of atmospheric transport.
The Introduction of Emotion Coaching as a Whole School Approach in a Primary Specialist Social Emotional and Mental Health Setting: Positive Outcomes for All

Background : This paper describes the impact upon well-being of pupils, staff, and families following the introduction of Emotion Coaching as a whole school approach. Objective : This paper’s objective is an attempt to redress the lack of published evidence about the use of Emotion Coaching in schools and to highlight how a school has been able to adopt a humanistic relational approach in a climate in which behaviorist principles are dominant in schools. Method : A case study approach using mixed methods was used. Data were examined from an outcomes model perspective where the benefits and changes intended from Emotion Coaching were the starting point. Perspectives from pupils, staff, and families were gained via interviews and structured questionnaires alongside quantitative measures of pupil academic progress and staff and pupil behavior. Results : Results indicate that Emotion Coaching improved the pupil’s ability to regulate their feelings and had a positive effect upon teacher-pupil relationships. Family-school relationships were supported by the school’s use of and modeling of Emotion Coaching with families and the ethos of attunement and non-judgemental interactions implicit in Emotion Coaching. Emotion Coaching promoted an increase in shared emotional language and trust. Shared emotional language and trust were key in the development of both teacher-pupil and family-school relationships. There was an improvement in well-being in that: rates of pupil restraint decreased, pupils made better than expected academic progress, staff absenteeism reduced, and families reported improved family life. Conclusion : We conclude that Emotion Coaching contributes to the promotion of sustainable, holistic improvement in wellbeing for pupils, school staff, and families.
Response time in man-computer conversational transactions

The literature concerning man-computer transactions abounds in controversy about the limits of "system response time" to a user's command or inquiry at a terminal. Two major semantic issues prohibit resolving this controversy. One issue centers around the question of "Response time to what? " The implication is that different human purposes and actions will have different acceptable or useful response times.
Impact of Two-Component Regulatory Systems PhoP-PhoQ and PmrA-PmrB on Colistin Pharmacodynamics in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT The in vitro pharmacodynamics of colistin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 wild-type and isogenic knockout strains of phoP and pmrA were evaluated. Colistin killing at subinhibitory concentrations was greater against the phoP and pmrA mutants than the wild type within the first 8 h: the concentration that results in 50% of maximal effect (EC50) of the pmrA mutant (0.413 mg/liter) was less than that of the wild type (0.718 mg/liter) (P < 0.05). An in vitro pharmacodynamic model simulating human colistin regimens displayed initial killing followed by regrowth in the phoP mutant and gradual regrowth in the pmrA mutant and wild type.
Forecasting the Stock Return Distribution Using Macro-Finance Variables

This paper evaluates combinations of density forecasts for S&P 500 returns. The contribution of the paper is to use a new set of density forecasts in the combination exercise, including density forecasts based on quantile regressions using macro-finance variables, along with various standard EGARCH and stochastic volatility specifications. In all, 30 density forecasting models are considered in an out-of-sample forecasting exercise. Using macro-finance variables is found to help substantially in prediction; the best forecasts are obtained when all 30 models are combined. The proposed density forecasts are also shown to be useful to an investor with a CRRA utility function who is trying to construct an optimal portfolio. Depending on the investor’s utility function, using the proposed density forecasts yields a certainty equivalent return that is up to 0.35% per month higher than can be obtained with the EGARCH model with a fat-tailed specification. JEL Classification: C32, C53, E32, E37.
Limiting comorbid conditions and breast cancer stage at diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Contrasting hypotheses exist regarding the relationship between comorbidity and breast cancer stage at diagnosis. One suggestion is that disabling comorbid conditions would result in a later stage diagnosis of breast cancer because such conditions would limit mobility and thus access to medical care. This article examines this hypothesis by building a comorbidity summary measure of functionally limiting comorbid conditions and by testing the effectiveness of this measure in predicting the stage at which breast cancer is diagnosed. METHODS Cases with newly diagnosed breast cancer were identified through the population-based Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System, a participant of the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute. Of 1191 eligible cases, 1011 (85%) were interviewed 2-4 months following diagnosis. The analyses for this study were limited to 731 cases for which there were complete data on all variables. Five individual comorbid conditions that predicted functional limitation were combined into a comorbidity summary measure: arthritis, eye conditions, gastrointestinal conditions, kidney conditions, and respiratory conditions. Breast cancer stage was categorized in relation to whether women had local or advanced (regional or remote) disease. RESULTS Women with two or more of these five functionally limiting conditions were about half as likely as those with none of these conditions to receive an advanced stage diagnosis of breast cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 0.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.28-0.86, p = .01). CONCLUSIONS These findings do not support the suggestion that the presence of disabling comorbid conditions results in later stage breast cancer. The five conditions summarized by this measure, although functionally limiting, may also require greater medical monitoring due to associated symptoms and/or treatment requirements and thus lead to increased opportunities for cancer screening.
Iris Recognition based on Local Mean Decomposition

The increasing need for information security has led to more attention being given to biometrics-based, automated personal identification. Among existing biometric approaches, the human iris is the mos t promising technique. In general, an iris recognition algorithm includes four basic steps: image quality assessment, image preprocessing, image feature extraction, and image matching. This paper proposes an iris image matching and recognition method based on local mean decomposition (LMD). The LMD is a multi- resolution decomposition technique employed as a low-pass filter and utilizes discriminating features for iris recognition. To evaluate the performance of this novel approach, several similarity measures were used to assess the results based on experiments using both the CASIA and ICE iris image databases. The results showed promising performance using any of the three measures. Therefore, the LMD method is a useful tool for iris feature extraction and recognition.
Dislocation-Driven Deformations in Graphene

Moving Dislocations The mechanical properties of crystalline materials are limited by the presence and motion of defects caused by extra or missing atoms in the crystal lattice. Plastic deformation of a material causes these defects, known as dislocations, to move and multiply. Much is known about the motion of dislocations in three dimensions but less so in two. Warner et al. (p. 209; see the Perspective by Bonilla and Carpio) used graphene as a model material to track dislocation dynamics in real time. The strain fields in the graphene sheet were mapped, which suggests that the dislocation motion is connected to the stretching, rotating, and breaking of individual carbon bonds. Two-dimensional dislocation dynamics and the resulting strain fields are studied at high resolution in graphene. The movement of dislocations in a crystal is the key mechanism for plastic deformation in all materials. Studies of dislocations have focused on three-dimensional materials, and there is little experimental evidence regarding the dynamics of dislocations and their impact at the atomic level on the lattice structure of graphene. We studied the dynamics of dislocation pairs in graphene, recorded with single-atom sensitivity. We examined stepwise dislocation movement along the zig-zag lattice direction mediated either by a single bond rotation or through the loss of two carbon atoms. The strain fields were determined, showing how dislocations deform graphene by elongation and compression of C-C bonds, shear, and lattice rotations.
Polarized Indoor MIMO Channel Measurements at 2.45 GHz

In this paper, a 4 times 4 indoor multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) measurement campaign at a frequency of 2.45 GHz is presented. The main contribution of this work is the analysis of the impact of radio-wave polarization in MIMO systems operating at a typical indoor scenario through the calculation-from the measurements carried out-of a great deal of parameters such as the mean path loss, the cross polarization discrimination (XPD), and the RMS delay spread, which are all essential to estimate the performance of real MIMO systems. In this sense, some path loss models-which have been adjusted according to the measurements-are given, taking into account polarization, attenuation through walls, and the effect of T-junctions existing in the considered indoor scenario. Moreover, additional parameters such as the K-factor and statistical distribution, as well as spatial parameters, are discussed.
Pre‐operative fasting: a nationwide survey of German anaesthesia departments

Background: Shorter pre‐operative fasting improves clinical outcome without an increased risk. Since October 2004, German Anaesthesiology Societies have officially recommended a fast of 2 h for clear fluids and 6 h for solid food before elective surgery. We conducted a nationwide survey to evaluate the current clinical practice in Germany.
Electronic and optical properties of all polymorphic forms of silicon dioxide.

With use of the self-consistent orthogonalized linear combination of atomic orbitals method in the local-density approximation, the electronic structures and the optical properties of eight different polycrystalline phases of SiO{sub 2} have been studied: They are {alpha}-quartz, {beta}-quartz, {beta}-tridymite, {alpha}-cristobalite, {beta}-cristobalite, keatite, coesite, and stishovite. The band structure, density of states, and valence-charge distribution for each phase are studied in relation to their local-bonding structure. The octahedrally coordinated stishovite phase has a higher covalent binding character than the 4:2-coordinated polycrystals. The interband optical absorption for each crystal is also calculated, thus allowing the dielectric function and the electron-energy-loss function to be derived. For {alpha}-quartz, for which much experimental data are available, the calculated optical absorption and the electron-energy-loss function are in good agreement with the measurements. Apart from the main strong excitonic peak at 10.3 eV, the other three structures at 11.4, 14.2, and 17.0 eV in the absorption curve are reproduced by the calculation without the need to invoke excitonic resonances.
NERVE CONDUCTION TIMES IN NEUROLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS EVIDENCE OF NEUROPATHIC COMPONENT IN SOME CASES OF SPINOCEREBELLAR DEGENERATION

Careful measurement of the conduction velocity in peripheral nerves has recently been shown to be of diagnostic value in clinical neurology. The conduction velocity of normal nerves has now become well established. In peripheral neuropathy due to diabetes and peroneal muscular atrophy conduction velocity has been shown to be reduced (1, 3, 5, 8, 10). The purpose of this communication is to present measurements of nerve conduction velocity in 126 cases of neuromuscular disorders in which the test was used for investigative purposes. In particular, nerve conduction was tested in a series of patients with spinocerebellar degeneration, in order to provide further information regarding peripheral nerve function in this disorder, since there is clinical evidence to suspect neuropathic disorder in some cases (7, 11, 13).
The effects of persuasive communication and planning on intentions to be more physically active and on physical activity behaviour among low-active adolescents

The purpose of the present study was to examine, using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) combined with a self-regulatory behaviour change approach, whether persuasive communication based on adolescents’ salient beliefs (SBCondition) and planning (PCondition) could promote the intention and physical activity (PA) behaviour of low-active adolescents participating in less than 1 h/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The protocol tested the effectiveness of two strategies used separately (i.e. SBC or PC) or in combination (i.e. CC = NSBC-SBC-PC) compared to a group receiving a message based on non-salient beliefs (NSBCondition). The 116 low-active students from ten 10th and 11th grade classes were assigned, using a cluster randomisation, into one of the four conditions (i.e. NSBC, SBC, PC and CC). Baseline data were collected two weeks before the intervention. The post-test data collection occurred directly after the intervention, and the follow-up took place two weeks later. Results showed that (1) the NSBC was the least effective strategy, (2) the SBC had no significant effect on PA behaviour and the TPB variables, (3) the PC had no significant effect on PA behaviour but increased the intention and perceived behavioural control and (4) the effects of the PC and the CC were not significantly different.