Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Baroreflex sensitivity and body growth parameters in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE To determine the difference between baroreflex sensitivity expressed in ms/mmHg (BRS) and in Hz/mmHg (BRSf) in relation to body growth parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS Two hundred one children and adolescents aged 10 to 21 years (mean age +/- SD 14.7+/-3.1 years) were examined. This population was analyzed as a whole and subsequently was divided into two groups: group A consisted of normotensive, healthy control subjects (n=154); and group B consisted of children with systolic casual blood pressure on primary diagnosis greater than 140 mmHg, measured three times at least one week apart (n=47). These groups were divided into subgroups according to age. BRS and BRSf were determined by spectral analysis of blood pressure and pulse interval variability (5 min records by Finapres, metronome-controlled breathing at a frequency of 0.33 Hz). Body growth parameters (body height, weight and body mass index [BMI]) were assessed. The Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated between pairs of all parameters (age, pulse interval, BRS, BRSf, height, weight, BMI) for the whole group, for groups A and B, and for age-related subgroups. RESULTS BRS did not correlate with age; it correlated with pulse interval in the whole population, in groups A and B, and in age-related subgroups. BRS correlated significantly only with weight, height or BMI in the oldest group (age 17 to 19 years), but there was no correlation with groups A or B, or with the whole study population. BRSf correlated significantly (P<0.01) with age, and was pulse interval independent in group A and the age-related subgroups. BRSf correlated with weight, height and BMI in group A and in the whole population, but not in the age-related subgroups. CONCLUSION BRS (a mean pulse interval-related parameter) does not correlate with age. On the contrary, BRSf (which is mean pulse interval independent) decreases significantly with age. The significant relation between BRSf and parameters of body growth is related to age.
New Evidence on Targets for Monetary Policy

Monetary policy involves the Federal Reserve's use of select policy instruments to influence general economic conditions. Of the major policy instruments (required reserve ratios, the discount rate, and open market operations), open market operations are commonly manipulated to affect economic conditions. Open market purchases and sales are employed to achieve the operational targets (i.e., levels of free reserves and/or the monetary base). The operational targets influence market interest rates, the monetary aggregates, and/or credit aggregates, the so-called indicators or intermediate targets of monetary policy. The intermediate targets then impact upon the general economic policy goals, (e.g., real growth, GNP, the aggregate price level). Fellner [8] and Davidson-Hafer [6] argue that a variable is "appropriate" as an intermediate target if it is closely related to the objectives considered of substantial importance, is causally prior to such objectives or goals, and follows changes in the policy instruments in a predictable manner (i.e., it is controllable). The appropriate choice of a variable as "the intermediate target" is the source of great debate [20; 19; 1; 16]. This debate involves the ability of the Federal Reserve to control the target variable as well as the relation of the target with the goal variables. Time-series techniques are now utilized to examine both aspects of this debate. Timeseries examinations of the control problem appear in Bomhoff [4], Johannes-Rasche [15], and Davidson-Hafer [6]. Time-series examinations of the target-goal relationship are presented in Davidson-Hafer [6], Friedman [10], and McMillin-Fackler [18]. With the exception of the vector autoregressive (VAR) procedures reported in Friedman [10] and McMillin-Fackler [18], all researchers employ single-equation procedures. Bivariate techniques fail to permit possible feedback from a wide array of sources, many of which are believed to be important. This research employs a multiple autoregressive moving average (MARMA) technique to examine the appropriateness of several intermediate target candidates. The MARMA procedure is more general than, and hence generally preferred to, VAR or univariate procedures (see section III). Equally important, however, is our simultaneous examination of
DISCLOSURE OF NONPROPRIETARY INFORMATION

In this paper, I provide two theories about why management might withhold information which is not proprietary, together with an analysis of the consequences of altering various assumptions underlying these theories. Proprietary information is considered here as any information whose disclosure potentially alters a firm's future earnings gross of senior management's compensation. ' Even if a manager's private information is proprietary, shareholders may benefit occasionally from having this information disclosed (see Verrecchia [1983] and Dye [1984a]), although obvious explanations exist for the rarity of such disclosures. However, it is commonly believed that managers possess information about the firms they run, such as annual earnings' forecasts, whose release would affect the prices of their firms, but not the distribution of their firms' future
Assessing exclusionary displacement through rent gap analysis in the high-rise redevelopment of Santiago, Chile

Abstract Rent gap theory is used here as a way to analyse exclusionary displacement in six high-rise urban renewal areas in Santiago, Chile. Drawing on a survey of 746 original households, this article finds 40 per cent of low-income owner-residents do not have the chance to purchase new replacement accommodation using the portion of rent gap they capture after selling their land to high-rise developers. Whilst the sale price of new apartments rises, a particular type of blockbusting limits the choices of the low-income residents to selling at a good price or staying put. The ratio between the different ground rent levels captured either by developers and original owner-residents confirms the extensive power deployed by the large-scale real estate firms at the moment of gentrifying central areas and the extent to which they generate residential displacement. The ground rent capture is a political economic process, not a function of the market.
The effect of the proximity of patients’ nearest alternative hospital on their intention to search for information on hospital quality

Objective In several countries, patients are encouraged to choose health care providers. Simultaneously, there is a tendency towards the concentration of health care, which might lessen the choice. Our aim was to assess the impact of patients’ distances from their providers on their information-seeking, which is one element of choice. Methods Two thousand members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel were sent a questionnaire that included a question on whether they would search for information about hospitals to inform their choice. Distances from providers were obtained from a database that includes the distances between all postcodes in the Netherlands. To assess the influence of distance on information-seeking, logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results There was a good response (75%). Older, less educated respondents were less inclined to seek information when their nearest alternative was located further away (OR 0.85; 95% CI: 0.79–0.92), and younger, more educated respondents were more inclined to search in this situation (OR 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01–1.22). Conclusions As fewer older, less educated patients would search for information to guide their choice, they might not opt for the best hospital. Additionally, the need for providers to compete for the patronage of these patients might be lessened.
Openness and the Strength of Monetary Transmission: International Evidence

This study explores cross-country variations in the size of the effects of a monetary policy shock on output using the sample of 48 developed and developing countries. The structural vector autoregression model is used to estimate monetary policy effects for each country separately. Based on the estimated impulse responses, we construct a measure of the short-run monetary policy effect on output, which is used as the dependent variable in a cross-country regression. Our results suggest that the effects of monetary policy shock on output are significantly influenced by trade openness, exchange rate regime, correlation with the US and for European countries with the German economy, and the development of the banking sector.
Dopamine-induced proliferation of adult neural precursor cells in the mammalian subventricular zone is mediated through EGF

A reduction in dopaminergic innervation of the subventricular zone (SVZ) is responsible for the impaired proliferation of its resident precursor cells in this region in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we show that this effect involves EGF, but not FGF2. In particular, we demonstrate that dopamine increases the proliferation of SVZ-derived cells by releasing EGF in a PKC-dependent manner in vitro and that activation of the EGF receptor (EGFR) is required for this effect. We also show that dopamine selectively expands the GFAP+ multipotent stem cell population in vitro by promoting their self-renewal. Furthermore, in vivo dopamine depletion leads to a decrease in precursor cell proliferation in the SVZ concomitant with a reduction in local EGF production, which is reversed through the administration of the dopamine precursor levodopa (l-DOPA). Finally, we show that EGFR+ cells are depleted in the SVZ of human PD patients compared with age-matched controls. We have therefore demonstrated a unique role for EGF as a mediator of dopamine-induced precursor cell proliferation in the SVZ, which has potential implications for future therapies in PD.
HLA MATCHING AND CADAVER KIDNEY TRANSPLANT SURVIVAL IN NORTH AMERICA: INFLUENCE OF CENTER VARIATION AND PRESENSITIZATION

SUMMARY In an analysis of 4,851 first cadaver kidney transplants, we found a statistically highly significant correlation between the number of HLA antigens mismatched and graft survival (P < 0.0005 at 1 year). The difference in the survival rates of grafts with no HLA mismatch compared with grafts with four mismatches was 11 to 12%, similar to results of previous analyses. HLA-A locus antigens had a slightly stronger effect than B locus antigens. The correlation of HLA matching with graft survival was most significant at centers with poor overall transplant outcome, and there was no correlation at centers with very good overall results. Presensitization also had the strongest effect at centers with poor overall graft survival.
Meningococcal disease in Los Angeles County, California, and among men in the county jails.

BACKGROUND From January through March 1993, there were 54 cases of meningococcal disease in Los Angeles County, California, of which 9 occurred among men incarcerated in the county's jail system, which was 40 percent above capacity at the time. Several of the 45 patients from the community had had contact with men recently released from a county jail. METHODS We interviewed patients from the community (n=42) and neighborhood controls matched with the patients for age, race, and ethnic group (n=84) about potential exposures. We collected and cultured pharyngeal swabs for Neisseria meningitidis from men entering the central jail (n=162), men leaving the central jail (n=379), members of the jail staff (n=121), and patients at a community health center (n=214). Meningococcal isolates were identified by serotyping and multilocus enzyme electrophoresis. RESULTS The presence of community-acquired meningococcal disease was strongly associated with exposure to a person who had been in or worked at one of the county jails (multivariate matched odds ratio, 18.5; 95 percent confidence interval, 3.8 to 90.8; P<0.001). Pharyngeal carriage of meningococcus was significantly more frequent among men released from jail (19 percent) or entering jail (17 percent) than among workers at the jails (3 percent) or community residents seen at the clinic (1 percent). Among men entering jail, those who had previously been incarcerated were more often carriers than those who had not (21 percent vs. 7 percent, P=0.03). Of the isolates from nine community residents with serogroup C meningococcal disease, eight were the same strain as that isolated from the eight inmates with serogroup C disease. CONCLUSIONS In this outbreak of meningococcal disease in Los Angeles County, nearly half of community residents with the disease had contact with persons who had been in a county jail. The high rates of carriage among recidivists and released inmates suggests that the men became meningococcal carriers while in jail.
Internet Gaming Disorder Explains Unique Variance in Psychological Distress and Disability After Controlling for Comorbid Depression, OCD, ADHD, and Anxiety

This study extends knowledge about the relationship of Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) to other established mental disorders by exploring comorbidities with anxiety, depression, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and assessing whether IGD accounts for unique variance in distress and disability. An online survey was completed by a convenience sample that engages in Internet gaming (N = 404). Participants meeting criteria for IGD based on the Personal Internet Gaming Disorder Evaluation-9 (PIE-9) reported higher comorbidity with depression, OCD, ADHD, and anxiety compared with those who did not meet the IGD criteria. IGD explained a small proportion of unique variance in distress (1%) and disability (3%). IGD accounted for a larger proportion of unique variance in disability than anxiety and ADHD, and a similar proportion to depression. Replications with clinical samples using longitudinal designs and structured diagnostic interviews are required.
Pengaruh Tingkat Pemahaman Wajib Pajak Dan Kualitas Pelayanan Fiskus Terhadap Tingkat Kepatuhan Wajib Pajak PPh Orang Pribadi (Studi Empiris Pada KPP Pratama Kota Solok)

This study aims to obtain empirical evidence. (1) Effect of level of understanding of the taxpayer's tax compliance rate of the personal income tax, (2) Effect of quality of service tax authorities on tax compliance rate of the personal income tax. This study is classified as a causative research. The population in this study were all individual income tax taxpayers registered in KPP Solok city. The samples in this study were individual income tax taxpayers who do trading business. The sample was selected using a convenience sampling technique sampling method, by using the formula Slovin. The data analysis technique used is the technique of multiple regression with SPSS. The results showed that: (1). Level of understanding of significantly positive taxpayer against taxpayer compliance rate with t> t table is 9.591> 1.980 (significance 0.000 t table is 2.087> 1.980 (significance 0.039 <α 0.05) which means that H2 is accepted. Suggestions in this study were: (1) It takes a level of understanding of the taxpayer and tax authorities need to pay attention to the quality of service that it provides to taxpayers, so with that will improve tax compliance in meeting their tax obligations. (2) For further research can dila ¬ kukan change variables to find other variables that strongly influence on tax compliance in meeting their tax obligations, as well as conducted an election of change ¬ alternative answers on a questionnaire study. (3) We recommend that for future research it would be better if it comes with an interview or a written statement so as to dig up all the things that the goal of research and reimbursement research sampling techniques. Key words : level of understanding of taxpayer’s, quality of service tax authorities, taxpayer compliance
Stimulation of angiogenesis by cilostazol accelerates fracture healing in mice

Cilostazol, a selective phosphodiesterase‐3 inhibitor, is known to control cyclic adenosine monophosphate (c‐AMP) and to stimulate angiogenesis through upregulation of pro‐angiogenic factors. There is no information, however, whether cilostazol affects fracture healing. We, therefore, studied the effect of cilostazol on callus formation and biomechanics during fracture repair. Bone healing was analyzed in a murine femur fracture stabilized with an intramedullary screw. Radiological, biomechanical, histomorphometric, histochemical, and protein biochemical analyses were performed at 2 and 5 weeks after fracture. Twenty‐five mice received 30 mg/kg body weight cilostazol p.o. daily. Controls (n = 24) received equivalent amounts of vehicle. In cilostazol‐treated animals radiological analysis at 2 weeks showed an improved healing with an accelerated osseous bridging compared to controls. This was associated with a significantly higher amount of bony tissue and a smaller amount of cartilage tissue within the callus. Western blot analysis showed a higher expression of cysteine‐rich protein 61 (CYR61), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐4, and receptor activator of NF‐kappaB ligand (RANKL). At 5 weeks, improved fracture healing after cilostazol treatment was indicated by biomechanical analyses, demonstrating a significant higher bending stiffness compared to controls. Thus, cilostazol improves fracture healing by accelerating both bone formation and callus remodeling. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:1880–1887, 2015.
Influence of the delay-multiply-and-sum beamformer on the ultrasound image amplitude

The Delay-Multiply-And-Sum (DMAS) beamformer has recently been presented in the context of medical ultrasound image formation. Images obtained with the DMAS beamformer present improved contrast resolution and noise rejection when compared to images obtained with the standard Delay-And-Sum (DAS) beamformer. We study here the signal statistics for a homogeneous medium using both the DAS and DMAS beamformers. We show that they are dependent on the coherence between the received signals. The final image amplitude is more dependent on the signal coherence when using the DMAS beamformer than when using the DAS beamformer. Ultrasound images of a phantom illustrate the dependency of the image amplitude with the signal coherence when using the DMAS beamformer. We conclude that the improved image quality obtained using the DMAS beamformer comes from a larger signal amplitude suppression as the signal coherence decreases.
Revisiting the Impact of Large Assets on Real Estate Portfolio Returns

In this article, Esrig, Hudgins, and Cerreta investigate if large properties have outperformed the institutional property market over time. This topic is relevant for real estate investors and portfolio managers considering property size as a way to differentiate portfolio performance. The body of academic literature on large asset performance is inconclusive due to issues in applied methodologies and definitions. This study uses a new methodology that corrects for property type, stale appraisals, and restricts “large” to the relatively selective and well-defined group that would strike a knowledgeable institutional investor as truly large. The authors also look at performance of large assets across major and non-major markets. Key findings are that large assets, as most reasonably defined, have historically outperformed other properties in the NCREIF database on an absolute and a risk-adjusted basis. This finding applies to all three sectors the authors tested: office, multifamily, and retail. Property size remains an important factor after correcting for large asset overrepresentation in six major markets.
Laryngeal Amyloidosis: A Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Review

The clinical nature of laryngeal amyloidosis has not been well established, and the natural history of the disease remains a controversial matter. To address these issues, we reviewed the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of 22 cases (11 men and 11 women; mean age, 56 years) of laryngeal amyloidosis. Hoarseness was the most common symptom, and the most frequent site affected was the false vocal cords. Six patients had concomitant tracheal amyloidosis. Paraffin blocks were available for immunostaining in 20 cases. Nineteen cases were positive for amyloid P component. λ-Light chains were detected in 12 cases and κ-light chains in 5; three cases did not show definite light-chain staining. Ten patients underwent repeated operations for persistent or recurrent respiratory tract disease. One patient died of progressive tracheobronchial amyloidosis, but systemic amyloidosis did not develop in any of the patients. Laryngeal amyloidosis is a form of localized amyloidosis characterized by monoclonal light-chain deposition. Recurrent respiratory tract disease is not uncommon, but the usual clinical course is relatively benign.
Mortality among recipients of the Merck V710 Staphylococcus aureus vaccine after postoperative S. aureus infections: An analysis of possible contributing host factors

In a blinded randomized trial, preoperative receipt of the Merck V710 Staphylococcus aureus vaccine was associated with a higher mortality rate than placebo in patients who later developed postoperative S. aureus infections. Of the tested patients, all 12 V710 recipients (but only 1 of 13 placebo recipients) with undetectable serum IL2 levels prior to vaccination and surgery died after postoperative S. aureus infection. The coincidence of 3 factors (low prevaccination IL-2 levels, receipt of V710, and postoperative S. aureus infection) appeared to substantially increase mortality in our study population after major cardiothoracic surgery. Furthermore, 9 of the 10 V710 recipients with undetectable preoperative IL17a levels and postoperative S. aureus infections died. Although the current study is hypothesis-generating and the exact pathophysiology remains speculative, these findings raise concern that immune predispositions may adversely impact the safety and efficacy of staphylococcal vaccines actively under development. The potential benefits of an effective vaccine against S. aureus justify continued but cautious pursuit of this elusive goal.
Impact of Foreign Capital Inflows on Tax Collection: A Case Study of Pakistan

This paper attempts to examine the impact of foreign direct investment, remittances, foreign aid and trade openness (FCI's) on tax revenue in Pakistan for the period 1975-2012. After data collection different econometric techniques like unit root test of ADF, Co integration and Error correction mechanism have been applied. The result shows that positive relationship exist between Remittances, Trade and tax revenue and negative relationship hold between FDI and total tax revenue in Pakistan during the study period.
Deep cutting injury from the edges of a snowboard

A laceration deep enough to reach the bone occurs very rarely in skiing or snowboarding. Two such cases are presented here. In one case, the popliteal fossa of a skier was cut during a collision with a snowboarder. All structures posterior to the knee were severed and the leg became ischaemic. The other case was of a snowboarder who sustained a deep cut to the distal forearm during landing after a jump, resulting in a “spaghetti wrist”.