Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
EEG Recording and Online Signal Processing on Android: A Multiapp Framework for Brain-Computer Interfaces on Smartphone

Objective Our aim was the development and validation of a modular signal processing and classification application enabling online electroencephalography (EEG) signal processing on off-the-shelf mobile Android devices. The software application SCALA (Signal ProCessing and CLassification on Android) supports a standardized communication interface to exchange information with external software and hardware. Approach In order to implement a closed-loop brain-computer interface (BCI) on the smartphone, we used a multiapp framework, which integrates applications for stimulus presentation, data acquisition, data processing, classification, and delivery of feedback to the user. Main Results We have implemented the open source signal processing application SCALA. We present timing test results supporting sufficient temporal precision of audio events. We also validate SCALA with a well-established auditory selective attention paradigm and report above chance level classification results for all participants. Regarding the 24-channel EEG signal quality, evaluation results confirm typical sound onset auditory evoked potentials as well as cognitive event-related potentials that differentiate between correct and incorrect task performance feedback. Significance We present a fully smartphone-operated, modular closed-loop BCI system that can be combined with different EEG amplifiers and can easily implement other paradigms.
Effect of nanomaterials on the compound action potential of the shore crab, Carcinus maenas

Abstract Little is known about the effects of manufactured nanomaterials on the function of nerves. The experiment aimed to test the effects of three different nanomaterials (1 mg l-1 of TiO2 NPs, Ag NPs or SWCNT) on the compound action potential of the shore crab (Carcinus maenas) compared with an appropriate bulk powder or metal salt control (bulk TiO2 powder, AgNO3 and carbon black respectively). In single action potential recordings, there were no effects of any of the nanomaterials on the peak amplitude, duration, rate of rise (depolarisation), or rate of decrease (repolarisation) of the compound action potential in crab saline, despite settling of each nanomaterial directly onto the nerve preparation. The ability of the crab nerve to be stimulated to tetanus was also unaffected by exposure to the nanomaterials compared with the appropriate bulk powder or metal salt control. Solvent controls with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) also had no effect on action potentials. Overall, the study concludes that there were no effects of the materials at the concentrations tested on the compound action potential of the shore crab in physiological saline.
Demand for International Reserves in Turkey

Having an important place in the international monetary system, international reserves held by central bank usually reflect country’s economic strength in terms of international finance and trade. There are many reasons for holding international reserves by central banks such as financing the deficit in the balance of payment, managing the monetary and exchange rate policies, minimizing the negative effects of external shocks and reducing the cost of borrowing. Continuously changing and diversifying characteristics of these reasons affect the demand for reserves depending to the economic conditions of the country. Over the last ten years, there has been a tremendous increase in international reserves held by Turkish Central Bank. From 2002 to 2012, the reserves of the bank have risen from 20 billion dollars to 96 billion dollars, showing an increase more than four times. This sudden and huge increase in the foreign reserves drove us to determine and investigate the factors which induce the Turkish Central Bank to hold high level of reserves. Thus, the purpose of this study is to estimate and analyze the demand for international reserves held by central banks using the buffer stock model in the case of Turkey. The data used in the study is monthly and cover the period of 1990:03-2012:10. The buffer stock model was econometrically estimated by using the OLS method for three different models. Our findings indicate that the opportunity cost affected reserve demand much stronger than the reserve volatility in Turkish case.
Attitudinal variables related to intention, frequency and proficiency of breast self-examination in women 35 and over.

A correlational study was conducted to identify attitudinal variables specified by the Health Belief Model that were related to intent, frequency, and proficiency of breast self-examination. The probability sample consisted of 380 women age 35 and over who were contacted via random digit dialing. Data were collected during in-home interviews. Results supported the combined ability of susceptibility, seriousness, barriers, health motivation, and control to predict intent to practice breast self-examination (R = .61, p. less than or equal to .001). In addition, frequency and total proficiency for breast self-examination were predicted by health motivations, susceptibility, and barriers using discriminant analysis. Results lend support to use of the Health Belief Model variables in predicting women's intention and actual behavior of breast self-examination.
Subglottic Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective Subglottic squamous cell carcinoma (SCCa) is a rare malignancy representing <5% of all laryngeal cancers. Patients often present with late-stage disease, and survival outcomes are reportedly worse than those for SCCa in other regions of the larynx. Study Design Analysis of a population-based tumor registry. Setting Academic medical center. Subjects and Methods The US National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for cases of subglottic SCCa from 1973 to 2011 (889 cases). Resulting data were analyzed, including patient demographics, therapeutic measures, and survival outcomes. Results Subglottic SCCa most frequently occurred in the fifth to seventh decade of life, with a mean age at diagnosis of 65.7 ± 11.3 years. There was a strong male predilection, with a male:female ratio of 3.83:1. Most patients were stage III and IV (64.4%) per the American Joint Committee on Cancer. The most common treatment modality was a combination of radiotherapy and surgery (38.8%), followed by radiotherapy alone (33.9%), and surgery alone (17.0%). Overall 5-year disease-specific survival rate was 53.7%. When stratified by treatment modality, 5-year disease-specific survival was 62.4% for surgery alone, 56.7% for radiotherapy alone, and 55.1% for surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy (P = .3892). Conclusion This study represents the largest cohort of subglottic SCCa. It shows a strong predilection for men in the US population. Surgery with adjuvant radiotherapy was the most commonly employed treatment modality. No statistically significant differences were observed in 5-year DSS by treatment modality.
SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND THEIR MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING COMPETENCE AND AWARENESS OF THE NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAP: A NATIONAL STUDY

There has been a considerable amount of research focused on the multicultural counseling competence (MCC) of counselors, but research examining the MCC of school counselors looking at school counselors’ awareness of the national achievement gap has been quite sparse. The current study was conducted to fill this gap. One hundred and sixty five American School Counselor Association (ASCA) members participated in the current study. The study was a web survey where each participant was contacted through email and invited to participate by Survey Monkey, an on-line survey tool. Survey Monkey was used to post the survey and demographic questionnaire and collect the data. The Multicultural Counseling Competence and Training Survey-Revised (MCCTS-R) (Holcomb-McCoy & Day-Vines, 2004) was used to examine the perceived MCC of school counselors. A Demographic Questionnaire was also added consisting of questions regarding variables such as race/ethnicity, gender, school level, and school urbanicity and questions that examined school counselors’ awareness of the national achievement gap. The results of the current study suggested that school counselors possessed a self-perceived MCC between somewhat competent and competent. The results also suggested that school counselors who had taken a Master’s level or specialty course on multicultural counseling possessed a higher MCC than those who had not, school counselors of Color were found to possess a higher MCC than their White counterparts, and gender was found to have no significant relationship with MCC. In addition, the results suggested that school counselors were School Counselors iii aware of the national achievement gap, believed in the importance of being aware of the national achievement gap, were committed to activities aimed at closing the achievement gap, and believed that it was the duty of school counselors to participate in activities aimed at closing the gap. Finally, using the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (M-C SDS), the results suggested that social desirability may have played a small role in the results of the MCCTS-R. School Counselors iv
Political Gardening in a Post-disaster City: Lessons from New Orleans

The study examines the emergence of urban gardening activities in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Drawing on ethnographic and qualitative research conducted throughout the city between 2009 and 2012, it examines the ways in which various gardening projects in New Orleans exhibit different levels and scopes of political engagement, with a particular focus on how they manifest (sometimes in contradictory ways) in the projects’ missions and practices. On the basis of these findings, it is argued that current conceptualisations of political gardening are too limiting and do not account for the nuances of how politics shape, challenge and materialise in urban gardening activities. By highlighting the ever-shifting social, economic, and political context of the post-disaster recovery, the study illustrates how urban gardening is inherently political, but cautions that the extent to which gardening can subvert social injustice in the city may be limited.
Space‐based remote imaging spectroscopy of the Aliso Canyon CH4 superemitter

The Aliso Canyon gas storage facility near Porter Ranch, California, produced a large accidental CH4 release from October 2015 to February 2016. The Hyperion imaging spectrometer on board the EO‐1 satellite successfully detected this event, achieving the first orbital attribution of CH4 to a single anthropogenic superemitter. Hyperion measured shortwave infrared signatures of CH4 near 2.3 μm at 0.01 μm spectral resolution and 30 m spatial resolution. It detected the plume on three overpasses, mapping its magnitude and morphology. These orbital observations were consistent with measurements by airborne instruments. We evaluate Hyperion instrument performance, draw implications for future orbital instruments, and extrapolate the potential for a global survey of CH4 superemitters.
Industry Information and the 52-Week High Effect

We find that the 52-week high effect (George and Hwang, 2004) cannot be explained by standard risk factors. Instead, it is more consistent with investor underreaction caused by anchoring bias: the presumably more sophisticated institutional investors suffer less from this bias and buy (sell) stocks close to (far from) their 52-week highs. Further, the effect is mainly driven by investor underreaction to industry instead of firm-specific information. The extent of underreaction is more for positive than for negative industry information. The 52-week high strategy works best among stocks with high factor model R-squares and high industry betas (i.e., stocks whose values are more affected by industry factors and less affected by firm-specific information). An industry 52-week high strategy to buy (sell) industries whose total capitalizations are close to (far from) their 52-week highs outperforms an idiosyncratic 52-week high strategy to buy stocks with prices close to their 52-week highs and short stocks in the same industry with prices far from their 52-week highs.
The relationship between Vocational Delay of Gratification and Job Performance and Career Satisfaction: The regulation mechanism

This study is to explore the impact of Vocational Delay of Gratification on Job Performance and Career Satisfaction under Organizational Climate by investigating 251 enterprise staffs. The result shows that the Vocational Delay of Gratification has positive impact both on Job Performance and Career Satisfaction. The Organizational Climate regulates positively when the Vocational Delay of Gratification influences the Job Performance. However, it regulates much less when the former influences the Career Satisfaction. This study aims at enriching the theory of Vocational Delay of Gratification and becomes the guidance for employees' development.
'Civilizations' and Political-Institutional Paths: A Sequence Analysis of the MaxRange2 Data Set, 1789 – 2013

In what sequences have nations changed institutionally in history and does that order matter for later democratization? If so, are there historical-institutional pathways of “civilizations”? These previously neglected research problems are addressed in this paper on the basis of a new, unique, and enormous data set tracking all political institutions and systems in the world monthly since 1789. The aim is both empirical and theoretical: to take steps toward an understanding of the sequential aspects of political-institutional evolution. Results visualize sequences at regime level that show few signs of path dependency. They also show that democracy may emerge in all types of regimes, though at varying paces. Separating religious-majority nations, Muslim systems are less affected by democracy diffusion than other religious-majority nations. Muslim political systems also exhibit larger regime type unpredictability. Taken together with estimates of GDP per capita, majority religions explain a minor share of discrepancies between regime types: wealth of nations is more important than majority religion on a general, regime type diversity level. However, specifications of institutional details will have to be made in future research in this new area of historical political-institutional study.
Habitual Intake of Guaraná and Metabolic Morbidities: An Epidemiological Study of an Elderly Amazonian Population

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the associations of metabolic disorders and anthropometric and biochemical biomarkers of lipid, glucose and oxidative metabolism and the habitual ingestion of guaraná (Paullinia cupana, Mart. Var. sorbilis) by an elderly population residing in the Amazon Riverine region of the Maués municipality (Brazil). A case‐controlled study was performed that included 637 elderly (≥60 years of age) patients classified as either those who habitually drank guaraná (GI, n = 421) or those who never drank guaraná (NG, n = 239) based upon their self‐reported intake of guaraná. Indeed, the prevalence of various metabolic disorders was associated with guaraná ingestion. The prevalence of hypertension, obesity and metabolic syndrome in the GI group was lower than the prevalence found in the NG group. The NG group exhibited lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure values. The males in the GI group exhibited a lower waist circumference, on average, than the circumference found in the NG group, whereas the females in the GI group had lower cholesterol (total and LDL‐c) levels than the control cohort. Additionally, a significant association was found between lower levels of advanced oxidative protein product (AOPP) and habitual guaraná consumption. The results constitute the first epidemiological study to suggest a potentially protective effect of habitual guaraná ingestion against metabolic disorders in elderly subjects. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Horizontal Mergers in a Differentiated Cournot Oligopoly

Using a standard differentiated goods quantity competition setting, we show three facts about horizontal two-firm mergers that are not true for a homogeneous goods Cournot market. First, merger of two firms is profitable for the merging firms provided that goods are sufficiently distant substitutes. Second, merging of two firms can lead to more two-firm mergers. Third, an initially non-profitable two-firm merger can occur in anticipation of subsequent mergers. These facts imply that mergers are more likely to occur in differentiated goods markets than in homogeneous goods markets.
Cytomegalovirus is a potential risk factor for late‐onset hemorrhagic cystitis following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Late‐onset hemorrhagic cystitis (LOHC) is a common complication following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) and is primarily associated with viral infection. We prospectively quantified cytomegalovirus (CMV), BK virus (BKV), and adenovirus in urine and plasma using Q‐RT‐PCR in 50 consecutive patients to define the relationship between virus and LOHC. Of the 50 patients, 21 developed LOHC at a median of 29 days (range 4–64 days), with a cumulative incidence of 42% (±7.1%). The cumulative incidence of LOHC on day 100 in patients with and without CMV viremia (prior to or at the onset of LOHC) were 56.3% (±8.9%) and 16.7% (±9.1%) (P = 0.018), respectively, and it was 59.3% (±9.8%) and 21.7% (±8.8%) in patients with and without CMV viruria (prior to or at the onset of LOHC) (P = 0.021), respectively. The cumulative incidence of LOHC was also higher in patients with a plasma BKV load increased ≥3 log10 or with a urine BKV load increased ≥4 log10 than those without the increase (P < 0.001). Only one patient with LOHC was tested positive for ADV. Both the univariate and multivariate analyses showed that CMV viremia (HR = 3.461, 95% CI: 1.005–11.922, P = 0.049) and a plasma BKV load that was increased ≥3 log10 (HR = 10.705, 95%CI: 2.469–46.420, P = 0.002) were independent risk factors for the development of LOHC. We conclude that both CMV viremia and an increase of plasma BKV are independent risk factors for LOHC. And the role of CMV viremia was firstly demonstrated. Am. J. Hematol. 89:55–61, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
International differences in value relevance of accounting data and explaining country factors

Based on financial reporting and stock market information for 13,768 firms in 23 countries over the period 1995â€“1999, we perform a comparative analysis of the value relevance of reported earnings and their components. We also search the country and market factors explaining the relationship between financial reporting and prices. Our study provides evidence for the value relevance of net earnings figure. Breakdown of earnings into their components provides the investor with incremental information. Both factors related directly with the quantity and quality of the disclosed financial data and others country factors do affect the value relevance of accounting earnings.
Career Advancement in a Family-Owned French Construction Firm Under Changing Labor Legislation and Market Demand, 1946-1985

Personnel data from a small French construction firm’s archives were followed up for 1946-1985 to examine family firm employment practices in historical perspective. The firm had limited scope to favor national origin, seniority, or kinship; kin of management were not paid more than nonkin. Event history analysis reveals macroeconomic context and individual qualification as the main variables explaining wage-level changes. The need to respond to market conditions and maintain good labor relations favored skill over seniority and kinship. Ultimately, however, family-style managerial practices failed to link wages to performance, compromising financial stability and contributing to the firm’s demise.
Are the 'Poor' Different? The Internal Characteristics of Local Authorities in the Five Comprehensive Performance Assessment Groups

The fate of careers, morale, financial assistance and future freedoms depend on English local councils' places in Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) groups. This article explains why the organizational attributes of local authorities are weak predictors of CPA outcomes. The authors' conclusions sit uncomfortably with the overall aims of CPA and raise important questions about the relationship between performance ratings and intervention. The article calls for more reliable data with which to classify local authorities.
Geographic Variation in Diagnosis Frequency andRiskofDeathAmongMedicareBeneficiaries

DISEASE DIAGNOSES ARE CONsidered a fundamental input for adjusting health outcomes as well as expenditures to credit systems that care for patients who are sicker than average. Ideally, a diagnosis would be solely an attribute of the patient, unaffected by the process of observation. A recent investigation demonstrated an association between regional diagnostic practice and the number of diagnoses made in the small proportion of Medicare beneficiaries who changed residence during a 3-year period (approximately 5%). Although patients who moved had a similar number of diagnoses prior to moving, those who moved from low– to high–practice intensity regions accumulated more than twice as many diagnoses than those moving in the opposite direction. The evidence that diagnoses can be associated with system factors led us to explore how frequency of diagnosis might relate to outcomes in the fee-forservice Medicare population as a whole. Specifically, we hypothesized that patients diagnosed with chronic conditions in regions with high diagnosis frequency would have lower all-cause case-fatality rates than those diagnosed in regions with low diagnosis frequency.
Dynamics of Growth and Profitability: The Case of Japanese Manufacturing Firms

Abstract This study investigates interaction between firm growth and profitability using panel data on 1633 Japanese manufacturing firms for 1987–2007. Our estimation results generally confirm that firms face a trade-off between growth and profitability and show that, in Japanese manufacturing firms, the link between prior growth and current profits is much stronger than the link between prior profits and current growth. Therefore, the study confirms that current profits are a pre-requisite for future growth while excessive current growth is detrimental to future profits. It is found, however, that in some sectors, such as the automobile industry and the chemical industry, high growth and high profit rates can be achieved at the same time without damaging profitability.