Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cost-effectiveness of rotavirus vaccination in peru.

BACKGROUND There are plans to introduce the oral rotavirus vaccine Rotarix (GlaxoSmithKline), 1 of 2 recently developed vaccines against rotavirus, in Peru. METHODS We modeled the cost-effectiveness of adding a rotavirus vaccine to the Peruvian immunization program under 3 scenarios for the timing of vaccination: (1) strictly according to schedule, at 2 and 4 months of age (on time); (2) distributed around the target ages in the same way as the actual timings in the program (flexible); and (3) flexible but assuming vaccination is not initiated for infants >12 weeks of age (restricted). We assumed an introductory price of US $7.50 per dose, and varied the annual rate of price decrease in sensitivity analyses. RESULTS The discounted cost per disability-adjusted life-year averted for restricted, flexible, and on-time schedules was $621, $615, and $581, respectively. For each of the 3 scenarios, the percentage reduction in deaths due to rotavirus infection was 53%, 66%, and 69%, respectively. The cost per disability-adjusted life-year averted for alternative "what-if" scenarios ranged from $229 (assuming a 1-dose schedule, administered on time) to $1491 (assuming a 2-dose schedule, with half the baseline vaccine efficacy rates and a restricted timing policy). CONCLUSIONS On the basis of current World Health Organization guidelines, rotavirus vaccination represents a highly cost-effective intervention in Peru. Withholding the vaccine from children who present for their first dose after 12 weeks of age would reduce the number of deaths averted by approximately 20%. A single dose may be more cost-effective than 2 doses, but more evidence on the protection conferred by a single dose is required.
Hyper-parameter selection in deep neural networks using parallel particle swarm optimization

The need of manual hyper-parameter selection can seriously hamper the model optimization of Deep Neural Networks (DNNs). Conventional automated approaches tackling this problem suffer from poor scalability or fail in certain scenarios. In this paper, we introduce a parallel method that applies Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for the hyper-parameter selection in DNNs. To estimate the best hyper-parameters, a population of particles is evolved, with their fitness calculated in parallel. The experimental results demonstrate very desirable scalability properties for different DNNs. We show that the parallel PSO can further optimize existent models designed by experts in an affordable amount of time.
Clinical performance of a novel ultrathin strut, low-dose, sirolimus-eluting stent with abluminal-only biodegradable polymeric coating for patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in the daily practice.

BACKGROUND The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical performance, in the daily practice of a busy catheterization laboratory, of a novel drug-eluting stent (DES) built with an ultra-thin-strut metallic platform, eluting sirolimus at low doses, abluminal coated with biodegradable polymers, and mounted in a low-compliant delivery system. METHODS Prospective, single-arm study, comprising all consecutive patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with the Inspiron™ sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) (Scitech, Aparecida de Goiania, Brazil). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) [cardiac death, non-PCI related myocardial infarction (MI), or target vessel revascularization (TVR)]. RESULTS A total of 470 patients were included, from which 51.3% were diabetics, 33.8% had triple-vessel disease, 15.3% had heart failure, 38.9% had at least one bifurcation treated, 19.8% were treated for a bare metal stent restenosis, and 61.9% had at least one type C lesion; one or more of these features were found in 96.0%. At 300 days, the rate target lesion revascularization was 5.4% and the rate of MACE was 8.1%. The incidence of definite or probable stent thrombosis was 0.4%, with no cases between 30 and 300 days. CONCLUSIONS The novel stent is associated with excellent short and mid-term clinical outcomes in patients treated with PCI in the daily practice.
The social‐psychological bases of far‐right support in Europe and the United States

The roles of authoritarianism, social dominance orientation (SDO), and prejudice in the prediction of far-right support were examined in Europe and the United States (U.S.). A meta-analysis shows remarkably similar, positive and strong associations of far-right support with these three variables in previous studies conducted in Europe, the United Kingdom (U.K.), and the United States. Results from two cross-sectional studies in the U.S. further indicated that higher levels of authoritarianism and SDO related to higher voting intentions and support for Trump, via increased prejudice. In a three-wave longitudinal study in the U.K., authoritarianism and SDO predicted pro-Brexit attitudes and support for the United Kingdom Independence Party, again via prejudice. These results shed a new light on the widely-held beliefs in “American and British exceptionalism”, as Trump and Brexit adherents share the same social-psychological underpinnings as far-right supporters observed in several European countries.
Detection of clot retraction through changes of the electrical impedance of blood during coagulation.

The impedance method for the determination of the clotting time of whole blood has been found useful for the determination of clot retraction time. Although in previous attempts clotting and clot retraction affected the impedance in the same direction, the measuring cells used in the present work enable separation of the changes caused by the two processes. The introduction of disposable cells may enable easy and accurate determination of clot retraction time during routine impedance measurements of blood clotting time.
Government-Mandated Benefits, Taxes, and Wages

This paper contributes to an ongoing policy debate over government-mandated benefits [6; 9; 10; 13; 17; 22; 24; 27]. Current government mandates or "statuatory employee benefits," include social security, unemployment insurance, workers' compensation, maternity leave, etc. However, policy initiatives at every level of government routinely recommend new mandates. Among today's proposals, targeted employers would be required to offer new benefits from childcare to health care. Debates over proposals for new government mandates usually center on two related questions: i) do the advantages outweigh the costs? , and ii) what are the alternatives? Assuming government intervention can be justified [17], those in favor of employer mandates contend compulsory benefits packages are less disruptive than a government tax/transfer program that offers the same benefits [22]. If employer-provided benefit mandates are fully valued by employees, wages fall to offset the cost of benefits, and there will be no efficiency cost. Alternatively, when government-provided benefits are financed with a tax, there is a deadweight loss. A generally conceded drawback of employer mandates is that they often ignore part-time workers and the unemployed [5]. However, critics of employer mandates go further, emphasizing that higher mandated labor costs creates unemployment [11], and/or induces firms to rely more heavily on part-time workers [15; 21]. If instead of shedding labor or turning to part-time workers, targeted employers reduce wages (or wage growth) to offset the costs of new mandates,1 then employee valuation becomes the central issue. For example, employees who prefer cash to the new benefits might keep their jobs, but their well-being declines. This paper offers a straightforward extension of the traditional utility
An experimental test of processes underlying self-disclosure in computer-mediated communication

A consistent finding in computer-mediated communication (CMC) and Internet research is that, compared to face-toface communication, CMC results in higher levels of self-disclosure. We identified four possible mediators that may carry the influence of CMC on self-disclosure: self-presentation, similarity, self-awareness, and direct questioning. The validity of these mediators was tested in an experiment in which 81 cross-sex dyads were randomly assigned to three experimental conditions: a text-only CMC condition, a visual CMC condition, and a face-to-face condition. Selfdisclosure was lower in the face-to-face condition than in the text-only CMC condition and the visual CMC condition. Between the two CMC conditions, no differences in self-disclosure were found. Of the four possible mediators, only direct questioning mediated the effect of CMC on self-disclosure. CMC dyads engaged in more direct questioning and therefore displayed higher levels of self-disclosure.
Cocaine use among heroin users in Spain: the diffusion of crack and cocaine smoking. Spanish Group for the Study on the Route of Administration of Drugs.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence and patterns of use of crack and cocaine hydrochloride among heroin users in Spain. To explore if the expansion of heroin smoking is accompanied by a similar phenomenon for cocaine. DESIGN: Cross sectional study in 1995. Face to face interviews using a structured questionnaire. SETTING: Three cities with different prevalences of heroin use by smoking: high (Seville), intermediate (Madrid), and low (Barcelona). PARTICIPANTS: 909 heroin users, 452 in treatment and 457 out of treatment. MAIN RESULTS: Last month prevalence of crack use was 62.3% in Seville, 19.4% in Madrid, and 7.7% in Barcelona. Most users in Madrid (86.5%) and Barcelona (100%) generally prepared their own crack, usually with ammonia as alkali; in Seville most users (69.7%) bought preprocessed crack. The proportion of users who began taking cocaine (crack or cocaine hydrochloride) by smoking has increased progressively since the seventies, rising to 74.1% in Seville, 61.5% in Madrid, and 28% in Barcelona in 1992-1995, with the earliest increase in Seville. The factors associated with crack use were: residence in Seville (odds ratio (OR) = 16.3), cocaine hydrochloride use mainly by smoking (OR = 5.0), by sniffing (OR = 2.7) or by injecting (OR = 2.5), heroin use mainly by smoking (OR = 2.8) and weekly use of cannabis (OR = 1.9). CONCLUSIONS: In Spain smoking cocaine may be progressively diffusing from the south west to the north east, similar to what has happened with smoking heroin, but beginning later in time. The factors associated with smoking cocaine are basically ecological or cultural in nature (characteristics of the available drugs and the main route of heroin administration in each city).
Momentum Returns in the Spanish Stock Market: Model Misspecification or Investor Irrationality?

Previous evidence has demonstrated that the momentum effect is present in the Spanish stock market, and that it can not bee explained neither by the CAPM nor the Fama & French (1993) three factor model. The aim of this paper is to deepen in the possible explanations of such phenomenon by analyzing two new items. In the first part, the possibility that the momentum profits were the recompense for bearing some kind of risk not incorporated in this two models has been studied. Given the failure of this first approach, in the second part, the behavioural models of Daniel et al. (1998) and Hong and Stein (1999) have been tested, by facing the momentum profits to the size, book-to-market and analyst coverage characteristics. While the results show that the momentum profits focus on small stocks, restrictions in the data hinder to obtain conclusive results regarding the validity of these two models in explaining the Spanish momentum.
Identifying benefits and barriers to respite for carers of children with complex health needs: A qualitative study

Abstract Background: Increasing numbers of children with complex health needs (CWCHN) are being cared for in their own homes. Caring for a child with complex health needs is an enormous task for a family and so access to suitable respite is critical for the wellbeing of all members of the family. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the concept of ‘suitable’ respite from the perspective of the carer and whether suitable respite is currently available. Method: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Five people who acted as a carer for a child with complex health agreeing to participate in the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the home of the carers and interview data analyses with a thematic analysis. Results: This study identified some of the barriers and enablers for families when accessing respite services for CWCHN. Carers describe optimal respite for these children to be similar to a family home with suitable facilities, equipment and activities for children. Flexible respite services and enthusiastic competent staff were considered very important by the family carers. Conclusion: Further research is needed to better understand the complexities of care for CWCHN and to identify effective strategies to support family carers.
Experience of Symptoms, Sexual Function, and Attitudes Toward Counseling of Women Newly Diagnosed With Vulvodynia

Objective This study aimed to assess health beliefs and behaviors, experience of pain, coping mechanisms, sexual function, and attitudes toward counseling of patients newly diagnosed with vulvodynia. Materials and Methods Participants were enrolled from all newly diagnosed vulvodynia patients seen at the University of Michigan Vulvar Disease Clinic at Chelsea. Participants completed a questionnaire assessing perceptions and beliefs about their vulvodynia, coping ability, sexual function, and interest in counseling. Results Thirty-one women were enrolled, ranging in age from 21 to 81 years; 68% had current partners. On a scale of 1 to 10 (low to high), participants rated their symptoms as severe—(mean [SD] = 7.42 [1.50]), perceived little control over symptoms (2.61 [2.64]); were very concerned about symptoms (8.77 [1.73]); and were very emotionally affected by their disorder (7.00 [2.82]). During the previous 4 weeks, 52% reported low to no sexual desire; 71% reported being dissatisfied with their overall sex life; 26% were not comfortable saying no to partner sex; 23% to 36% did not attempt penetration; and for 36%, their pain was rated as high or very high. Sixty-one percent of women indicated that they would consider counseling for coping with vulvar pain. In addition, 29% (9/31) said they “would” and 48% (15/31) said they “maybe would” consider seeing a sex therapist for their vulvar pain. Conclusions Women with newly diagnosed vulvodynia report substantial impact of vulvar pain but feel little control over symptoms. Sexual desire and sexual satisfaction are low. Most of the respondents would consider counseling to help address these issues.
Completeness and timeliness of treatment for chlamydia within a sexual health service

Prompt treatment of genital Chlamydia trachomatis infection will reduce the duration of infectiousness and further transmission of infection. In 2002, an audit was conducted to assess the completeness and timeliness of treatment for uncomplicated chlamydial infection at the Sydney Sexual Health Centre, Australia. Over a nine-month period, chlamydia was diagnosed in 250 patients, 97% of whom received appropriate treatment. The median duration between initial attendance and treatment was two days. Prompt delivery of treatment was facilitated by: initial treatment of patients likely to be chlamydia-infected; rapid availability of test results; urgent communication of positive test results; and effective procedures for recalling untreated patients.
Enhancing Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research with Technology

Shalin Hai-Jew works as an instructional designer at Kansas State University (K-State); she teaches from a distance for WashingtonOnline (WAOL). She has taught at the university and college levels for many years (including four years in the People’s Republic of China) and was tenured at Shoreline Community College but left tenure to pursue instructional design work. She has Bachelor’s degrees in English and psychology, a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the University of Washington (Hugh Paradise Scholar), and an Ed.D in Educational Leadership with a focus on public administration from Seattle University (where she was a Morford Scholar). She reviews for several publications — Educause Review Online and MERLOT’s Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, and is editor of several IGI Global titles. Dr. Hai-Jew was born in Huntsville, Alabama, in the U.S. Released: September 2014 An Excellent Addition to Your Library!
THE EFFECT OF SEQUENTIAL INFORMATION RELEASES ON THE VARIANCE OF PRICE CHANGES IN AN INTERTEMPORAL MULTI-ASSET MARKET

This paper considers several determinants of the magnitude of price reactions to information releases from a theoretical perspective, and indicates how those factors affect the magnitude of price responses to new information. We model the change in price to a sequence of public information releases about the liquidating dividends of two risky assets. The market possesses prior information about the mean and variance of the liquidating dividends of the two assets, as well as their cross-sectional correlation. There are two information releases about each of the risky assets and each information release is received simultaneously by all
H2B Ubiquitin Protease Ubp8 and Sgf11 Constitute a Discrete Functional Module within the Saccharomyces cerevisiae SAGA Complex

ABSTRACT The SAGA complex is a multisubunit protein complex involved in transcriptional regulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. SAGA combines proteins involved in interactions with DNA-bound activators and TATA-binding protein (TBP), as well as enzymes for histone acetylation (Gcn5) and histone deubiquitylation (Ubp8). We recently showed that H2B ubiquitylation and Ubp8-mediated deubiquitylation are both required for transcriptional activation. For this study, we investigated the interaction of Ubp8 with SAGA. Using mutagenesis, we identified a putative zinc (Zn) binding domain within Ubp8 as being critical for the association with SAGA. The Zn binding domain is required for H2B deubiquitylation and for growth on media requiring Ubp8's function in gene activation. Furthermore, we identified an 11-kDa subunit of SAGA, Sgf11, and showed that it is required for the Ubp8 association with SAGA and for H2B deubiquitylation. Different approaches indicated that the functions of Ubp8 and Sgf11 are related and separable from those of other components of SAGA. In particular, the profiles of Ubp8 and Sgf11 deletions were remarkably similar in microarray analyses and synthetic genetic interactions and were distinct from those of the Spt3 and Spt8 subunits of SAGA, which are involved in TBP regulation. These data indicate that Ubp8 and Sgf11 likely represent a new functional module within SAGA that is involved in gene regulation through H2B deubiquitylation.
The Operational Airline Crew Scheduling Problem

This paper describes the operational airline crew scheduling problem and represents a first published attempt to solve it. The problem consists of modifying, as necessary, personalized planned monthly assignments of airline crew members during day-to-day operations. It requires overing, at minimal cost, all flight segments from a given time period with available crew while minimizing the disturbances of crew members. To generate modified pairings for selected crew members, both the classical crew pairing problem and the problem of constructing personalized monthly assignments must be treated simultaneously. An optimization approach is proposed for the problem in which the flight schedule is fixed and represents input data. The problem is mathematically formulated as a Set Partitioning type problem, and a column generation method embedded in a branch-and-bound search tree has been implemented to solve it. Good results, from the point of view of both solution times and achieved objectives, have been obtained on generated test problems. Because the solution time is reasonable, several different scenarios of the same problem may be solved. A final decision can then be made by considering all scenarios and choosing the one whose solution is the best in the given situation.
Current therapy with nucleoside/nucleotide analogs for patients with chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND Currently, more and more nucleos(t)ide analogs are appearing as therapeutic options in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Their efficacy and safety profile in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection have already been studied in detail worldwide. This review summarizes the efficacy of lamivudine, adefovir, entecavir and newer antiviral agents such as emtricitabine, telbivudine and clevudine in the treatment of hepatitis B in different clinical situations. DATA SOURCES An English-language literature search using OVID and MEDLINE was performed and a total of 40 articles on the treatment of chronic hepatitis with nucleos(t)ide analogues were selected. RESULTS Nucleos(t)ide analogs such as lamivudine, adefovir and entecavir are well tolerated and induce a decrease in serum HBV-DNA levels associated with normalization of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. But their sustained response with HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion is rarely obtained and HBsAg loss is exceptional. The response is maintained during therapy which needs to be continued indefinitely in the majority of patients since withdrawal of treatment is generally followed by a rapid reactivation of hepatitis B. However, drug resistant mutations can be induced in long-term treatment. Other newer antiviral agents such as emtricitabine, telbivudine and clevudine in the treatment of hepatitis B are still under phase II or III clinical trials. CONCLUSIONS Nucleos(t)ide analogs play an important role in the therapy of hepatitis B now and in the future. Lamivudine is limited by the frequent emergence of drug-resistant (HBV) mutants (YMDD). Adefovir and entecavir appear to be effective against both YMDD mutation and wild type. Therapeutic options against hepatitis B virus remain a major clinical challenge.
A voxel-based morphometry study of patterns of brain atrophy in ALS and ALS/FTLD

Objective: To investigate the patterns of MRI brain atrophy in patients with ALS with and without clinically evident frontotemporal lobar dementia (FTLD) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Methods: Voxel-based morphometry was used to compare T1-weighted MRI images obtained from ten ALS patients with FTLD, ten ALS patients who were cognitively and behaviorally normal, and 22 control subjects. Images from patients and controls were spatially pre-processed using a study-specific, customized template and a priori images. A statistical threshold of p < 0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons determined significance. Results: A common pattern of gray matter atrophy was seen in both ALS and ALS/FTLD patients when compared to controls that involved the bilateral motor/premotor cortices, the left middle and inferior frontal gyri, the anterior portion of the superior frontal gyri, the superior temporal gyri, the temporal poles and left posterior thalamus. Most of the frontal regions were significantly more atrophied in the ALS/FTLD group than in the ALS group. No significant differences were found in white matter volumes. Conclusions: Patients with ALS and ALS associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration exhibit widespread gray matter atrophy in frontotemporal regions. This finding supports the idea of a clinical and anatomic continuum between ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration.