Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conceptualising Mobility as a Service

We agree with the common perception that Mobility as a Service (MaaS) has strong potential to address the growing mobility needs of the world's population in a sustainable way. However there is a significant lack of understanding of what MaaS actually is on conceptual level. Reviewing the state-of-the-art of MaaS research we deduct that MaaS has all the attributes of a `hyped' socio-technical phenomenon: it seems to be a loosely connected patchwork of optimistic political dogma, activists' enthusiasm, anecdotal evidence of successful services and a firm belief of investors in companies such as Uber. However, as a paradigm shift, MaaS has electrified public decision makers and unleashed a wave of innovation in SMEs. In addition, MaaS forces researchers to work in multi-disciplinary collaborations, transcending `traditional' competence areas, such as traffic planning, computer science, social sciences, transport systems and organisational psychology. Consequently, while embracing the innovative spirit of the MaaS paradigm shift, we aim to outline key conceptual issues of MaaS. These issues are 1) the nature of travel (including purpose, mode, means, distance etc.); 2) MaaS interoperability within intelligent traffic services; 3) the end-user perspective, with a focus on user attitudes and behaviours; and 4) sustainability, including work during the journey, and ultimately not traveling at all (e.g. teleworking). We exemplify our tentative concept through applying it to the existing mobility services Uber, Lyft, Car2Go, DriveNow, Tuup, UbiGo and Moovel. Through our study, we provide an initial research based conceptual foundation for MaaS researchers, developers and implementers.
Avoiding Momentum Crashes: Dynamic Momentum and Contrarian Trading

High momentum returns cannot be explained by risk factors, but they are negatively skewed and subject to occasional severe crashes. I explore the timing of momentum crashes and show that momentum strategies tend to crash in 1-3 months after the local stock market plunge. Next, I propose a simple dynamic trading strategy which coincides with the standard momentum strategy in calm times, but switches to the opposite contrarian strategy after a market crash and keeps the contrarian position for three months, after which it reverts back to the momentum position. The dynamic momentum strategy turns all major momentum crashes into gains and yields an average return, which is about 1.5 times as high as the standard momentum return. The dynamic momentum returns are positively skewed and not exposed to risk factors, have high Sharpe ratio and alpha, persist in different time periods and geographical markets around the globe
A retrospective study of equine actinobacillosis cases

Several Actinobacillus spp. are common commensal bacteria of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive tract of horses and can cause disease in both foals and adults. The current retrospective study was designed to review Actinobacillus spp. isolated from clinical samples or necropsies of 99 horses during 1999–2011. The cases consisted of 43 foals (<6 months of age), 4 young adults (6 months–2 years), 39 adults (>2 years of age), 2 aborted fetuses, and 11 with unspecified ages. Clinical history, signs, bacterial species isolated, and associated lesions were documented. Actinobacillus spp. were isolated 111 times. The most common isolates were Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli (38.7%) and hemolytic Actinobacillus spp. (24.3%). Other isolates were Actinobacillus lignieresii (5.4%), Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae (1.8%), and unclassified Actinobacillus spp. (28.8%). Actinobacillus equuli subsp. equuli was most commonly isolated from clinical and necropsy cases of septicemia and respiratory disease in both foals and adults. Embolic nephritis, the classical septicemic lesion of equine neonatal actinobacillosis, was also present in several adult septicemic actinobacillosis cases. Predisposing factors such as failure of passive transfer of colostral antibodies as well as concurrent pathogenic bacterial or viral infections were present in numerous actinobacillosis cases. There were many cases, however, for which a predisposing factor or concurrent infection was not documented or apparent, suggesting that Actinobacillus spp. can be primary pathogens under the right circumstances and in the right location.
Does interest rate exposure explain the low-volatility anomaly?

We show that part of the outperformance of low-volatility stocks can be explained by a premium for interest rate exposure. Low-volatility stock portfolios have negative exposure to interest rates, whereas the more volatile stocks have positive exposure. Incorporating an interest rate premium explains part of the anomaly. We also find that the interest rate risk premium in equity markets exhibits time variation similar to bond markets, but that the level of the interest rate premium, as estimated from the cross-section of stocks, is much higher than the premium observed in the bond market.
SEGMENTAL POLYMETHYLMETHACRYLATE‐AUGMENTED PEDICLE SCREW FIXATION IN PATIENTS WITH BONE SOFTENING CAUSED BY OSTEOPOROSIS AND METASTATIC TUMOR INVOLVEMENT: A CLINICAL EVALUATION

OBJECTIVEInstrumentation of the osteoporotic spine may result in bone failure because of pedicle screw loosening and pullout. A clinical evaluation of a novel fenestrated bone tap used in pedicle screw augmentation was performed to determine the performance and safety of this technique. METHODSOver a 2.5-year period, the clinical and radiographic results of 119 consecutive patients who underwent instrumented arthrodesis were reviewed. Of these patients, 23 had bone softening secondary to osteoporosis and/or metastatic spinal tumor involvement. These patients underwent surgical decompression and spinal instrumentation. RESULTSSix patients (26%) had metastatic spine disease (squamous cell lung carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, bladder carcinoma, breast, prostate, and uterine adenocarcinoma); five patients (22%) had a degenerative spondylolisthesis; and 12 patients (52%) had burst fractures, eight as a result of benign causes and four as a result of metastatic disease. Four (17%) patients underwent revision surgery of previous pedicle screw failure resulting from bone softening and pseudarthrosis. A total of 98 levels were fused using 158 polymethylmethacrylate-augmented screws. None of the patients experienced operative death, myocardial infarction, hypoxemia, intraoperative hypotension, radiculopathy, or myelopathy. Asymptomatic anterior cement extravasation was observed in nine patients (39%). There was one asymptomatic polymethylmethacrylate pulmonary embolus and one wound infection. There was no significant relationship between cement extravasation and the quantity used, levels augmented, or location (P > 0.05). There were no construct failures. CONCLUSIONPolymethylmethacrylate-augmented pedicle screw fixation reduces the likelihood of pedicle screw loosening and pullout in patients with osteoporosis requiring instrumented arthrodesis.
The burden and patterns of disability in activities of daily living among community-living older persons.

BACKGROUND The onset of disability in activities of daily living (ADLs) is considered a sentinel event in the life of an older person, but recent evidence suggests that newly disabled elders have high rates of recovery. We performed a longitudinal study to determine the burden and patterns of ADL disability among previously nondisabled, community-living older persons. METHODS We studied 754 community-living persons, aged 70 years or older, who were categorized into three groups according to their risk for disability (low, intermediate, high). Participants were interviewed each month for 2 years to determine the presence and severity of disability in four key ADLs: bathing, dressing, walking, or transferring. RESULTS Among the 690 nondecedents, the rates of any disability were 17.7%, 48.7%, and 65.2%, respectively, for the low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. Whereas only 6.9% of nondecedents in the low-risk group had more than 1 month of disability, 38.2% and 50.6% of nondecedents in the intermediate- and high-risk groups (i.e., physically frail), respectively, had multiple months and/or episodes of disability. The patterns of disability were quite diverse, with no single pattern representing the disability experience of more than half the decedents or nondecedents in any of the risk groups. CONCLUSIONS Disability among community-living older persons, particularly those who are physically frail, is a highly dynamic process with considerable diversity. Our results provide strong evidence to support an emerging paradigm of disability as a reversible, and often recurrent, event.
Submaximal exercise testing in the assessment of interstitial lung disease secondary to systemic sclerosis: reproducibility and correlations of the 6-min walk test

Background: The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is increasingly used as an outcome measure in interstitial lung disease (ILD). Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of the 6MWT in a cohort of patients with ILD secondary to systemic sclerosis (SSc) and to correlate with established physiological parameters. Methods: 163 patients with SSc-ILD were recruited for a multicentre, randomised, double-blind clinical trial. Available data at protocol screening included repeated 6MWTs, pulmonary function testing with diffusing capacity, Doppler echocardiography and high-resolution computed tomography of the thorax. Borg Dyspnoea Index was evaluated before and after 6MWT. Results: Mean (standard deviation (SD)) distance walked during walk test 1 was 396.6 (84.55) m compared with 399.5 (86.28) m at walk test 2. The within-subject, intertest correlation as determined by Pearson’s correlation coefficient testing was 0.95 (p<0.001). However, only weak correlations of 6MWT with percentage forced vital capacity and the Borg Dyspnoea Index were observed, and no correlation was observed with percentage diffusing capacity. Conclusion: These data confirm the high reproducibility of the 6MWT in patients with SSc-ILD and therefore the validity of the test in this cohort. The lack of correlation of 6MWT with standard physiological parameters of ILD suggests a multifactorial basis for limited exercise capacity in patients with SSc and calls into question the utility of the 6MWT as a measure of outcome in future studies on SSc-ILD.
Conditional commitments: Why states use caveats to reserve their efforts in military coalition operations

ABSTRACT Why do states make substantial military contributions to coalition operations, while at the same time apply reservations, or caveats, to how the coalition can use the military contributions? Caveats rose to prominence in defense and policy circles with NATO’s campaign in Afghanistan. In the scholarly security literature, the term remains a buzzword for all types of reserved efforts by states in coalition warfare, but there are few theoretical accounts addressing caveats. This article contributes to the knowledge gap on caveats through a comparative case study of Denmark’s, the Netherlands’, and Norway’s contributions to NATO’s intervention in Libya in 2011. It demonstrates that caveats can occur through three different causal pathways: compromises from domestic bargaining, handling of alliance commitments, and implementation and civil–military relations. Insights into the complexity that causes caveats are highly relevant for both political and military decision-makers that are trying to coordinate states’ effort in coalition operations.
Incidence and Determinants of Severe Morbidity among HIV-Infected Patients from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, 2000–2010

Background Reliable information on severe morbidity is essential for identifying priorities for case management and to guide resource allocation within the health sector. Methods This study describes overall, AIDS- and non-AIDS-related severe morbidity as well as mortality and its determinants in an urban cohort of HIV-infected individuals from a public healthcare institution, the Evandro Chagas Research Institute (IPEC) of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Severe morbid events were defined as all clinical diagnoses listed in hospitalization discharge records; all diagnoses were checked and validated. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate incidence rates while adjusting for within-subject correlation. Results Between 2000 and 2010, 3,537 patients were followed for a total of 16,960 person-years (PY) of follow-up. Over the years, annual incidence rate of severe morbid events, AIDS-related events, non-AIDS-related events, and deaths significantly decreased from, respectively, 36.6, 12.9, 23.7 and 3.2 per 100 PY in 2000 to 25.3, 7.9, 17.4 and 1.9 per 100 PY in 2010. Patients’ immunological profiles significantly improved with time; 84% of the patients used combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) per year. Immunodeficiency was associated with a higher incidence rate of AIDS- and non-AIDS-related events as well as with the incidence rate of specific non-AIDS events (bacterial infections, toxicities, cardiovascular, renal and respiratory diseases). Conclusions Our results show that in a middle income country with access to cART, non-AIDS-related events represent an important cause of severe morbidity alongside a still high incidence rate of AIDS-related events.
Inflation and unemployment in South Africa: Is the Phillips curve still dead?

It is regularly contended that the overly strict application of inflation targeting stifles employment growth in South Africa, with the contentious Phillips curve often used as seemingly authoritative reference. Proponents of this hypothesis argue that there is a trade-off between inflation and unemployment, which might be exploited to reduce the unemployment rate. Inflation-targeting central banks are consequently lambasted for their attempts to keep inflation low – attempts which could arguably contribute to higher unemployment. In response to conflicting results in the literature, a number of Phillips curve formulations are estimated to test this hypothesis in the modern South African economy. The article addresses a significant shortcoming in the existing South African literature by directly testing the relationship between inflation and the unemployment rate, instead of relying on traditional approximations of this relationship through variables such as the output gap or economic growth which might have contributed to the confusion in the first place. In the short run it finds no evidence of a trade-off between inflation and the unemployment rate, thus confirming the orthodox view, while there is conflicting evidence of a positive relationship between inflation and employment growth. The long-run estimation finds strong evidence of a negative relationship between inflation and employment, which leads to the conclusion that inflation harms employment creation. Keywords: employment creation, error correction, inflation, Phillips curve, unemployment rate
Consistency versus Responsiveness

While democratic theory suggests that representatives should be willing to adjust their issue positions to adapt to new circumstances, politicians face serious political risks from “flip flopping. ” How do members of Congress balance these risks? Using an original data set of district economic conditions and opinion from 2007 to 2010 and sets of repeated roll call votes, I leverage the exogenous shock of the Great Recession to explain position change on three major economic policies. I find that position change occurs in response to the constituency on final passage votes, but that partisan pressures exert greater influence, especially on procedural votes. This novel test of responsiveness has implications for the nature of policy representation and the mechanisms behind aggregate responsiveness.
Researching HIV/AIDS and education in sub-Saharan Africa: Examining the gaps and challenges

In this paper we argue that research in HIV/AIDS within the education sector is largely influenced by dominant discourses within economics, medicine and epidemiology sectors which, by and large, fail to take into consideration the social and cultural embeddedness of the disease. Through a critique of the current research conducted in the last ten years, we trace three major trends of research in HIV/AIDS and education and suggest that these trends, while useful, neglect the situated context in which messages, knowledge, experience and practice are produced, reproduced and expressed. We suggest that new research has to pay close attention to developing an understanding of where and how knowledge is produced and reproduced if this sector is to contribute to enabling teachers and learners to make informed choices about their behavioural practices.
Melatonin reduces microvascular damage and insulin resistance in hamsters due to chronic intermittent hypoxia

Abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes intermittent hypoxia (IH) associated with hypertension, insulin resistance and a systemic inflammatory response. We evaluated the effects of melatonin on vasodilation, capillary perfusion in hamster cheek pouch and insulin resistance, hypertension, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitrate/nitrite levels after IH for 4 wk. Syrian hamsters were divided into four groups: control group (CON), IH group, and melatonin (10 mg/kg) intraperitoneally administered daily for 4 wk/30 min before intermittent air (MEL) or IH (IH + MEL) exposure. IH alone caused elevated blood pressure, increased hematocrit, fasting hyperglycemia, elevated ROS and nitrite/nitrate levels, and vasoconstriction and reduced microvascular perfusion. Melatonin treatment of IH‐exposed animals decreased blood pressure, blood glucose, and ROS and nitrite/nitrate levels, and increased vasodilation and capillary perfusion. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed after 4 wk of IH. During the last 30 min of the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp, blood glucose, and insulin levels were identically matched between groups, but the glucose infusion rate was significantly reduced in IH (29.9 ± 1.9 mg/kg/min) versus IH + MEL group (45.4 ± 1.5 mg/kg/min, P < 0.05) demonstrating a decrease in insulin sensitivity. These results suggest that ROS and nitrite/nitrate levels play important roles in the microvascular dysfunction in IH and that this process is attenuated by melatonin. In conclusion, protection induced by melatonin against functional and metabolic impairment in IH is related to the regulation of ROS and nitrite/nitrate levels in the microcirculation. These observations may have importance to OSA pathological changes.
TNFalpha suppresses human colonic circular smooth muscle cell contractility by SP1- and NF-kappaB-mediated induction of ICAM-1.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) receptors are expressed at low levels on human colonic circular smooth muscle cells (HCCSMCs) and their expression is increased in patients with Crohn's disease. We investigated the roles of transcription factors Sp1 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) in the regulation of ICAM-1 expression on HCCSMCs and examined whether ICAM-1 expression mediates the suppression of contractility in response to TNFalpha. METHODS Experiments were performed on primary cultures of HCCSMCs and fresh human colonic circular muscle strips. RESULTS TNFalpha treatment of HCCSMCs induced rapid and prolonged accumulation of ICAM-1 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein. NF-kappaB inhibition before, but not after, 1 hour of TNFalpha-stimulation blocked the expression of ICAM-1. TNFalpha significantly enhanced Sp1/DNA binding. Sp1 bound to the 3' flanking region of a variant kappaB site in the -192/-172 region of ICAM-1 promoter. Mutation of this region abolished the response to TNFalpha. The treatment of HCCSMCs with Sp1 antisense oligonucleotides (ODNs) blocked the expression of ICAM-1, but sense ODNs had no effect. Protein kinase C zeta (PKCzeta) inhibition before or 3 hours after stimulation with TNFalpha also blocked the expression of ICAM-1. TNFalpha treatment of circular muscle strips pretreated with ICAM-1 sense ODNs or control medium significantly reduced their response to acetylcholine, whereas pretreatment with antisense ODNs blocked this effect. CONCLUSIONS The expression of ICAM-1 on HCCSMCs in response to TNFalpha is regulated by transcription factors Sp1 and NF-kappaB binding independently to the -192/-172 region of the ICAM-1 promoter. The expression of ICAM-1 plays a critical role in the suppression of cell contractility in response to TNFalpha.
Histological and biochemical distinctiveness of atypical aldosterone‐producing adenomas responsive to upright posture and angiotensin

Fifteen patients with primary aldosteronism were classified as anglotensin II‐unresponsive aldosterone‐producing adenoma (All‐U APA, n = 9), or anglotensin II‐responsive aldosterone‐producing adenoma (All‐R APA, n= 6), based on the responsiveness of aldosterone to upright posture and to anglotensin II infusion. Lack of aldosterone response to anglotensin II Infusion immediately post‐operatively In the All‐R APA subtype was consistent with previous responsiveness residing solely within the adenoma. Cortisol levels In five of the six patients with All‐R APA failed to suppress normally with dexamethasone consistent with some autonomous production of cortisol by the adenoma. In contrast, cortisol levels suppressed normally during dexamethasone administration In all patients with All‐U APA. This biochemical distinction can be added to the previously described overproduction of 18‐oxo cortisol in All‐U APA but not in All‐R APA. Histological examination of adenoma sections revealed predominantly (±‐50%) zone fascicuiata type cells in All‐U APA. In contrast, All‐R APA contained less than 20% zona fasciculata type. Thus, biochemical differences between All‐U APA and All‐R APA subtypes of primary aldosteronism may be due to underlying differences In cellular composition of the aldosterone‐producing adenomas.
Increased Risk of Neoplasm in Appendicitis Treated with Interval Appendectomy: Single-Institution Experience and Literature Review

Appendicitis is a common diagnosis encountered by the acute care surgeon. Management of complicated appendicitis is controversial and often involves initial nonoperative therapy with interval appendectomy. This study reviews single-institutional experience with management of complicated appendicitis with interval appendectomy and addresses an unusually high occurrence of incidental appendiceal malignancies observed with a review of relevant literature. A retrospective review of all diagnoses of appendicitis was performed over 5 years at a tertiary care center. Patient demographics, time to surgery, operative technique, pathologic diagnosis, and clinical outcomes were examined. Three hundred fifteen patients were diagnosed with acute appendicitis. Of these, 24 (7.6%) were deemed complicated and did not undergo immediate appendectomy, and 18 ultimately underwent appendectomy at our institution and were included in analysis. There were no statistical demographic or symptomatic differences between the immediate and interval appendectomy patients. Ninety-nine per cent of the immediate appendectomy patients were treated laparoscopically; 78 per cent of the interval group underwent attempted laparoscopic treatment with 56 per cent completed without conversion to open (P < 0.01). Neoplasms were discovered in 1 per cent of the acute appendectomy group and 28 per cent of the interval appendectomy group (P < 0.0001). Two of the three neoplasms in the acute group were carcinoid, whereas three of the five neoplasms in the interval group were adenocarcinoma. Surgeons should consider appendiceal or colonic neoplasms in cases of complicated appendicitis when nonoperative management is considered. This is most important in patients older than 40 years, in those who forego interval appendectomy, or in those who could be lost to follow-up.