Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of prostate-specific antigen testing in Medicare beneficiaries

Objective Determine uptake of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing in Medicare beneficiaries according to previous receipt of PSA testing. Methods A 5% random sample of men aged 67 years or older without a previous diagnosis of prostate cancer was identified through 2009–2012 Medicare claims. We measured the annualized frequency of PSA screening among men due for PSA testing, stratified by PSA testing use in the previous 2 years, and clustered by ordering provider. Results Throughout the study period, PSA testing use was consistently higher for men with previous screening than for men without previous screening. For men without previous screening, there was a decline in testing that was most pronounced in 2012. Compared with 2009, the corresponding odds ratios were 0.98 [95% confidence interval (CI) (0.96–1.00)] in 2010, 0.94 [95% CI (0.92–0.95)] in 2011, and 0.66 [95% CI (0.65–0.68)] in 2012. In contrast, for men with previous screening, PSA testing frequency was stable from 2009 to 2011, and declined to a lesser extent in 2012 [odds ratio 0.80, 95% CI (0.79–0.81)]. Conclusion Receipt of PSA testing is highly dependent on whether an individual was tested in the recent past. In previously unscreened men, the largest decrease occurred in 2012, which may reflect in part the publication of US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, but there was much less impact among men already being screened.
Improving the Cooling Process of Heavy-Duty Engines through Three Dimensional Simulation of Fluid Flow in its Coolant Centrifugal Pump

Published: To extract optimum cooling trends in a heavy duty engine, the 3D flow in a centrifugal pump from the Detroit Diesel company was numerically simulated. For this aim, a computational fluid dynamic model is developed using ANSYS CFX for a wide span of flow rates and a number of shaft angular velocities. The variation of constituting parameters are examined using dimension-less descriptive parameters of flow, head and power coefficients, finally, the efficiency of the pump is examined. In this analysis, ( ) turbulent model is employed which is a combination of two different models for pumps and turbomachines. The characteristic curves of the pump are derived by analyzing the velocity and pressure profile of the coolant (water). This provides a new conceptual relations from graphs and useful evaluation of the pump performance at all working conditions. Moreover, engineering and design interpretations from the evolution of the characteristic curves are provided to better engine performance. Numerical results show that prolonged cooling duty cycles of the vehicle should accompany a flow factor of 10%. In addition, the peak of the vehicle’s loading should match the maximum efficiency of the pump that can be increased to 62% by augmentation of flow rate and flow coefficient.
EVALUATION OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR BUSINESS: CASE STUDY OF THE CZECH AND SLOVAK REPUBLIC

The growing amount of businesses and the increasing number of businesses in the countries of central Europe in the first two decades of the 21st century has resulted in the expansion of study programs of economics. The inclination of these entrepreneurs to start a business is affected by several factors. A university education does not guarantee that a student after completion of a university course of study will become an entrepreneur. One of the important factors is the perception of the social environment and access to financial resources in the country of the student. The comparison of attitudes of students in the Czech and Slovak Republics to the social environment as well as the relationship of students to entrepreneurship is the aim of the article. The research sample represented 409 students from 14 universities active in the Czech Republic and 568 students acting at universities in the Slovak Republic. For the verification of the statistical hypotheses descriptive characteristics of statistics and the methods of mathematical statistics were used. In the conclusions, the authors summarize the basic common characteristics and the diversity of the perception of the social environment between selected countries.
Greenland subglacial lakes detected by radar

Subglacial lakes are an established and important component of the basal hydrological system of the Antarctic ice sheets, but none have been reported from Greenland. Here we present airborne radio echo sounder (RES) measurements that provide the first clear evidence for the existence of subglacial lakes in Greenland. Two lakes, with areas ~8 and ~10 km2, are found in the northwest sector of the ice sheet, ~40 km from the ice margin, and below 757 and 809 m of ice, respectively. The setting of the Greenland lakes differs from those of Antarctic subglacial lakes, being beneath relatively thin and cold ice, pointing to a fundamental difference in their nature and genesis. Possibilities that the lakes consist of either ancient saline water in a closed system or are part of a fresh, modern open hydrological system are discussed, with the latter interpretation considered more likely.
BOARD DIVERSITY, EXTERNAL GOVERNANCE, OWNERSHIP STRUCTURE AND PERFORMANCE IN ETHIOPIAN MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS

This research investigated the effect of governance dimensions such as board diversity, external governance and ownership structures on the sustainability and outreach performance of Ethiopian MFIs. A panel data of 13 MFIs for 6 years (2003-2008) is used for the study. No study of such type is conducted in the past for the Ethiopian environment. The result indicates that more women on board of directors help in depth of outreach whereas board members with a financial skill and local businessmen reduce depth of outreach. Regulation has an opposite effect in that it reduces sustainability without curtailing depth of outreach. Rating of MFIs activity by rating agencies is found to have a good effect of increasing sustainability and at the same time cater for more women borrowers. On ownership structure it is found that MFIs dominantly owned by individual investors lends less to women and more profitable indicating the commercial orientation of their operation.
Symmetry analysis of Black-Scholes equation for small values of volatility and rate of return

In this paper, we present approximate symmetries of the Black-Scholes equation for small values of volatility and rate of return parameters. A novel method for obtaining the approximate symmetry of a singularly perturbed partial differential equation (PDE) is introduced. Further, we compute the optimal system in the singular case. Finally, by combining two methods, a new approach that calculates the approximate generators for admitted Lie groups of asset price is provided.
Influence of jet exit conditions on the passive scalar field of an axisymmetric free jet

The influence of initial flow conditions on the passive scalar field of a turbulent free jet issuing from the round nozzle is investigated in this paper by a review of the literature and a detailed experimental study. Two sets of distinctly different initial conditions are generated using two nozzle types: a smooth contraction and a long straight pipe. The present measurements of the passive scalar (temperature) field were conducted in a slightly heated air jet from each nozzle at a Reynolds number of 16 000 using identical experimental facilities and a single measurement technique. Significant differences between the flows from the two nozzles are revealed throughout the measured flow region which covers the axial range from 0 to 70 jet exit diameters. The study suggests that the differences observed in the statistics of the scalar field may be related to differences in the underlying turbulence structure of the jet in the near field. The present findings support the analytical result of George (1989) that the entire flow is influenced by the initial conditions, resulting in a variety of self-similar states in the far field.
The Chicxulub impact is synchronous with the planktonic foraminifera mass extinction at the cretaceous/paleogene boundary: New evidence from the Moncada section, Cuba

The Moncada section, western Cuba, is one of the few sections across the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/Pg) boundary in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean where an Ir anomaly has been identified toward and above the top of a clastic unit, locally called the Moncada Formation (Fm.). The Moncada Fm. is enriched in ejecta (altered glass spherules, shocked quartz, melt rock fragments, etc.) and represents the local Complex Clastic Unit (CCU) linked to the Chicxulub impact event. This CCU is overlain by a 2-3cm thick bed of Ir-rich, dark, calcareous claystone which represents the “K/T Boundary Clay” at Moncada. All lowermost Danian Planktonic Foraminiferal zones and Acme-Stages (PFAS) were identified, suggesting stratigraphic continuity across the Danian and indicating that the Moncada Fm. is K/Pg boundary in age. High-resolution biostratigraphic data suggest that the mass extinction event of planktonic foraminifera at the K/Pg boundary was more severe than previously suggested. The absence of cosmopolitan, generalist Cretaceous species in the Danian deposits of Moncada supports the hypothesis that only Guembelitria survived the mass extinction triggered by the Chicxulub impact event. The high Ir-concentration and the ejecta-rich clay laminations identified in the lowermost Danian of Moncada (Ancon Fm.) are explained partly as the redeposition of ejecta material eroded and reworked from higher topographic levels, still contaminated by toxic trace elements (e.g,. Cu and Ni) of meteoritic origin. These pollutants of meteoritic origin could have affected the ecological conditions of the pelagic environment for thousands of years after the K/Pg boundary, being particularly intense just after the Chicxulub impact. The ecological stress due to the pollutants partly explains the catastrophic mass extinction of planktonic foraminifera at the K/Pg boundary and their subsequent evolutionary radiation.
Nitrogen allocation of Gracilaria tikvahiae grown in urbanized estuaries of Long Island Sound and New York City, USA: a preliminary evaluation of ocean farmed Gracilaria for alternative fish feeds

Copyright © 2014 The Korean Society of Phycology 227 http://e-algae.kr pISSN: 1226-2617 eISSN: 2093-0860 Nitrogen allocation of Gracilaria tikvahiae grown in urbanized estuaries of Long Island Sound and New York City, USA: a preliminary evaluation of ocean farmed Gracilaria for alternative fish feeds Ronald B. Johnson*, Jang K. Kim, Lisa C. Armbruster and Charles Yarish Resource Enhancement and Utilization Technologies Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 2725 Montlake Blvd. E, Seattle, WA 98112, USA Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut, One University Place, Stamford, CT 06901, USA Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Connecticut, One University Place, Stamford, CT 06901, USA
Dietary selenium supplementation of pigs and broilers as a way of producing selenium enriched meat

Serbia is a selenium (Se) deficient area. In the food chain animals accumulate Se in tissues, thus meat is a good source of this microelement. The aim of the research is to study the effects of different forms and doses of dietary Se in pigs and broilers on muscle and liver tissue Se concentrations, as well as to assess the possibility of using selenized meat as a Se source in the Belgrade area. Pigs (24) were randomly assigned in 4 groups: control and groups supplemented with Na-selenite: 0.10, 0.30 mgSe/kg feed and selenized yeast 0.30 mgSe/kg. Chicks (42) were assigned in 7 groups supplemented with 0.05, 0.10 and 0.30 mgSe/kg feed as Na-selenite or selenized yeast. Se content in muscle and liver samples was determined by AAS. Serum Se content in 54 healthy adult subjects (13 from Barajevo and 41 from inner city area) was determined by AAS. In all supplemented broilers Se-yeast was more effective in raising muscle Se content than Na-selenite. The most efficient increase in tissue Se content in pigs was obtained with 0.30 mg Se/kg feed supplemented as Se-yeast. Plasma Se levels in man were low, being significantly lower in subjects from Barajevo compared with the inner city residents (p<0.05). The use of Se-enriched pork and poultry meat in quantities according to dietary habits would have beneficial health effects specially in Se deficient rural areas where home grown feedstuffs are commonly used.
Water Salinity and Benthic Macrophyte Communities Are the Key Variables Defining the Distribution Pattern of Benthic Faunal Assemblages in the Shallow Water Areas of the Gulf of Riga

The distribution of shallow water macrozoobenthic assemblages of the Gulf of Riga is analysed in relation to water current velocity, salinity, sediment type, ice disturbance, eutrophication, and benthic macrophytes. Salinity and benthic macrophyte communities described most of the variability in both the abundance and biomass structure of benthic invertebrates. In addition, surface chlorophyll a also contributed to the variability of benthic invertebrate biomass. Benthic invertebrate assemblages in the vicinity of the Daugava and Parnu rivers experience higher nutrient loading and were therefore characterized by a lower species number and higher biomass of benthic suspension feeders. Benthic invertebrate communities in other regions of the Gulf of Riga were typical for the mildly disturbed areas of the northern Baltic Sea. Compared to the situation in the 1960s, no substantial increase in the abundance and biomass values of macrozoobenthos was observed as could be expected from the basinwide trend of increasing eutrophication.
Assessing Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) Genetic Diversity and Population Structure Using Rapd and Microsatellite Molecular Markers

ABSTRACT. Two molecular marker systems, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and microsatellites, were used to evaluate population diversity and differentiation in 4 northern Nevada Bromus tectorum populations. From 80 RAPD primers, we found 16 (20%) that yielded 165 strong repeatable bands. Of those bands, 60 (35.8%) were polymorphic. Of those, 21 met data-pruning guidelines for final analysis. RAPD variation was moderate ( = 0.363, S = 0.022), ranging from 0.312 to 0.404. Microsatellite variation was similar ( = 0.234, S = 0.051) but varied more widely, ranging from 0.009 to 0.551. All populations were out of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, as expected in a predominantly selfing species. RAPDs revealed significant differentiation (P < 0.0001) across populations, whereas microsatellites only resolved 2 of the 4 populations. RAPDs revealed a considerable amount of variation in the 2 populations, Hot Springs and Truckee, which had nearly identical microsatellite profiles. Of 184 individuals, we found 182 unique RAPD phenotypes. We found 51 microsatellite genotypes across individuals, one of which was present in 95.3% of the individuals in the Hot Springs-Truckee group and 29% of the Stillwater individuals. The UPGMA phenograms were similar in grouping Hot Springs with Truckee, and Stillwater with Peavine, and were highly correlated but not significantly. Both marker systems proved useful in assessing population genetic variation. One population-specific RAPD marker and 6 new microsatellite-length polymorphisms were identified. Both marker systems may also prove useful in studying other closely related species such as red brome (Bromus nibens).
Determinants of Use of Skilled Birth Attendance among Mothers Who GaveBirth in the Past 12 months in Raya Alamata District, North East Ethiopia

Background: A large number of women are dying due to factors related to pregnancy and childbirth, especially in developing countries including Ethiopia, where maternal mortality ratio is one of the highest in the world. It is known that having a skilled birth attendant at every delivery can lead to marked reductions in maternal mortality. In Ethiopia, most births take place at home, particularly in rural areas, being not attended by a skilled birth attendant. The utilization of maternal health services is a complex phenomenon and it is influenced by several factors. Objectives: This study assessed factors that determine the utilization of skilled birth attendants among mothers who gave birth in the past 12 months in Raya Alamata District, Ethiopia. Methods: Community-based cross sectional study was conducted among mothers who gave birth in the past 12 months. A total of 600 study participants were recruited for the study. Logistic regression was performed using SPSS version 16.0 software and thematic interpretation based on main categories was done for the qualitative data. Results: A total of 584 mothers (189 urban and 395 rural) were included in the analysis. Only 23.5% of births were attended by Skilled Birth Attendants. Over 43% of urban women delivered with skilled assistance compared to 13.9% of rural women. In multivariate analysis urban residence, Age at interview, maternal formal education, Ante Natal Care visit during the last pregnancy, joint final decision making, knowledgeable and favorable attitude towards danger signs of pregnancy, child birth and delivery services were most significant determinants of skilled birth attendant use by mother. Conclusion and recommendation: Utilization of skilled delivery attendance services was still low with a high number of deliveries being attended by unqualified persons at home. Promotion of universal Ante Natal Care followup and encouragement of mothers regarding the need for Skilled Birth Attendants during childbirth is of paramount importance.
Is the export-led growth hypothesis valid for African countries? An application of panel data approach

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the export-led growth (ELG) hypothesis for African countries. The data used is a panel data covering 30 African countries for the period of 1990 to 2005. The paper uses four panel data models: pooled ordinary least square (OLS), fixed effects model (FE), random effects model (RE) and two-stage least-squares (2SLS). The results from these models provide some modest support for the export-led growth paradigm in Africa – a 1% increase in export leads to 0.1% increase in economic.
Some exact solutions describing unsteady plane gas flows with shocks

A new class of exact solutions of plane gasdynamic equations is found which describes piston-driven shocks into non-uniform media. The governing equations of these flows are taken in the coordinate system used earlier by Ustinov, and their similarity form is determined by the method of infinitesimal transformations. The solutions give shocks with velocities which either decay or grown in a finite or infinite time depending on the density distribution in the ambient medium, although their strength remains constant. The results of the present study are related to earlier investigations describing the propagation of shocks of constant strength into non-uniform media.
α-Tocopherol, Flavonoid, and Phenol Contents and Antioxidant Activity of Ficus carica. Leaves

Abstract The aim of the current study was to evaluate the α. -tocopherol content and to investigate the antioxidant capacities of the extracts prepared from the leaves of Ficus carica. L. (Moraceae). The antioxidant capacities of the extracts were evaluated by the phosphomolibdenum spectrophotometric method. α. -Tocopherol content was determined by using a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-UV method. Total flavonoid content was determined by using the aluminium chloride method. Total phenol content was estimated by a modified colorimetric method using Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. The results clearly demonstrate that these extracts have antioxidant capacity. Antioxidant capacity results are consistent with total flavonoid and phenol contents. The α. -tocopherol content of the n. -hexane extract was found to be 3.2788%, whereas it was calculated as 0.0570% on the dry-weight basis of the leaves.
Drinking water as a risk factor to poultry health

In the poultry industry, the use of water with adequate physical, chemical and microbiological quality it is of fundamental importance. Since many birds have access to the same water source, quality problems will affect a great number of animals. The drinking water plays an important role in the transmission of some bacterial, viral and protozoan diseases that are among the most common poultry diseases. Important factors to prevent waterborne diseases in broiler production are the protection of supply sources, water disinfection and the quality control of microbiological, chemical and physical characteristics. Water is an essential nutrient for birds and therefore quality preservation is fundamental for good herd performance. The farmer may prevent many diseases in bird flocks by controlling the quality of the ingested water, will certainly result in decreased costs and increased profit, two essential aims of animal production nowadays.
Information Asymmetry, Disclosure and Foreign Institutional Investment: An Empirical Investigation of the Impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Do foreign institutional investors (FII) regard the introduction of rigorous disclosure requirements as a major incentive to invest in U.S. equities? We investigate the role of information asymmetry and the impact of firm-level disclosure on FII decisions. We use a unique context for analysis -- the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), and find that foreign institutional investors increase their equity holdings in U.S. listed firms following the passage of SOX. The increase in U.S. equity holdings is largely accounted by passive, non-monitoring FII, who have the most to gain from the SOX-led reduction in the value of private information.
Inter-comparison of NO 2 column densities measured by Pandora and OMI over Seoul, Korea

Total Vertical Column Density (VCD) of NO 2, a key component in air quality and tropospheric chemistry was measured using a ground-based instrument, Pandora, in Seoul from March 2012 to October 2013. The NO 2 measurements using Pandora were compared with those obtained by satellite remote sensing from Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) where the intercomparison characteristics were analyzed as a function of measurement geometry, cloud amount and aerosol loading. The negative biases of the OMI NO 2 VCD were larger when cloud amount and Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) were higher. The correlation coefficient between NO 2 VCDs from Pandora and OMI was 0.53 for the entire measurement period, whereas the correlation coefficient between the two was 0.74 when the cloud amount and AOD were low (cloud amount<3, AOD<0.4). The low bias of OMI data was associated with the shielding effect of the cloud and the aerosols.