Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficiency Analysis of Local Government Spending of Regencies and Cities in West Java, 2001-2010

This paper has two objectives. The first is to estimate technical efficiency scores for local government expenditurein regencies and cities in West Java. The second is to analyze the other environmental factors that play animportant role in the technical efficiency scores of local government expenditure in the same regencies and cities.This research uses a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method to estimate technical efficiency scores and usesa Tobit method for analyzing environmental factors. The DEA method uses capital expenditure per capita,employment of government expenditure per capita, and goods and services expenditure per capita as input anduses Gross Regional Product (GRP) per capita, human capital index (HDI) and road infrastructure length perwide area as output. The Tobit method uses the total of investment credit funds, total labor and total governmentemployment per 1000 civil servants. The results showed that there are many region that have high spendingbut can not achieved the maximum score of efficiency. The Tobit estimation shows that the total of investmentcredit funding and total labor have positive and significant marginal effects in creating optimal technical efficiencyscores. Total government employment per 1000 civil servants has a negative and insignificant marginal effect onoptimal technical efficiency scores.
Projections of nucleus angularis and nucleus laminaris to the lateral lemniscal nuclear complex of the barn owl

Interaural phase and intensity are cues by which the barn owl determines, respectively, the azimuth and elevation of a sound source. Physiological studies indicate that phase and intensity are processed independently in the auditory brainstem of the barn owl. The phases of spectral components of a sound are encoded in nucleus magnocellularis (NM), one of the two cochlear nuclei. NM projects solely and bilaterally to nucleus laminaris (NL), wherein interaural phase difference is computed. The other cochlear nucleus, nucleus angularis (NA), encodes the amplitudes of spectral components of sounds. We report here the projections of NA and NL to the lateral lemniscal nuclei of the barn owl.
Effects Of An In-Service Teacher Education Course On Language Teachers’ Research Knowledge And Practice

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether Current Issues in In-service Teacher education (INSET) course, one of the components of a Masters of Art (MA) program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), helps participating teachers develop as teacher-researchers. Seventeen non-native English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers participated in the study. The differences in participants’ research knowledge and practice were investigated through Teachers’ Research Knowledge Questionnaire, and other sources. The findings indicated that the participants’ research knowledge was broadened as a result of the instruction and the hands-on experience they gained throughout the course.
Hypoxia-Inducible Genes Encoding Small EF-Hand Proteins in Rice and Tomato

Rice has evolved metabolic and morphological adaptations to low-oxygen stress to grow in submerged paddy fields. To characterize the molecular components that mediate the response to hypoxia in rice, we identified low-oxygen stress early response genes by microarray analysis. Among the highly responsive genes, five genes, OsHREF1 to OsHREF5, shared strong homology. They encoded small proteins harboring two EF-hands, typical Ca2+-binding motifs. Homologous genes were found in many land plants, including SlHREF in tomato, which is also strongly induced by hypoxia. SlHREF induction was detected in both roots and shoots of tomato plants under hypoxia. With the exception of OsHREF5, OsHREF expression was unaffected by drought, salinity, cold, or osmotic stress. Fluorescent signals of green fluorescent protein-fused OsHREFs were detected in the cytosol and nucleus. Ruthenium red, an inhibitor of intracellular Ca2+ release, repressed induction of OsHREF1-4 under hypoxia. The HREFs may be related to the Ca2+ response to hypoxia.
Tumor biopsy cells participating in systems in which cytotoxicity of lymphocytes is generated. Autologous and allogeneic studies

Freshly separated tumor cells from sarcomas and carcinomas were used in various roles in lymphocyte‐target cell interaction assays. They were poorer allogeneic stimulators than lymphocytes. They were however good allotargets for the cytotoxicity generated in mixed lymphocyte cultures. They were also killed as third party targets by lymphocytes activated in MLC. In a proportion of experiments, lymphocytes activated in MLC killed autologous tumor cells. Autotumor killer effect was generated in the majority of mixed cultures containing lymphocytes and tumor biopsy cells from the same individual. Generation of cytotoxicity against K562 was a good measure of lymphocyte activation and could be used as a sensitive indicator for the occurrence of the recognition step in the mixed cultures. We propose that for the search of lymphocytes with specific receptors, activation is a more reliable parameter than specific cytotoxicity since the latter function is also influenced by the sensitivity of the target. The results confirmed that patients with carcinomas and sarcomas possess autotumor‐reactive lymphocytes. These can be activated for cytotoxicity by in vitro confrontation with the tumor cells and occasionally through stimulation which is unrelated to the tumor cells.
A Statistically-Oriented Asymmetric Localization (SOAL) Model for Neuronal Outgrowth Patterning by Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-5 (UNC5) and UNC-40 (DCC) Netrin Receptors

Neurons extend processes that vary in number, length, and direction of “outgrowth”. Extracellular cues help determine outgrowth patterns. In Caenorhabditis elegans, neurons respond to the extracellular UNC-6 (netrin) cue via UNC-40 (DCC) and UNC-5 (UNC5) receptors. Previously, we presented evidence that UNC-40 asymmetric localization at the plasma membrane is self-organizing, and that UNC-40 can localize and mediate outgrowth at randomly selected sites. Here, we provide further evidence for a statistically-oriented asymmetric localization (SOAL) model in which UNC-5 receptor activity affects patterns of axon outgrowth by regulating UNC-40 asymmetric localization. According to the SOAL model, the direction of outgrowth activity fluctuates across the membrane over time. Random walk modeling predicts that increasing the degree to which the direction of outgrowth fluctuates will decrease the outward displacement of the membrane. By differentially affecting the degree to which the direction of outgrowth activity fluctuates over time, extracellular cues can produce different rates of outgrowth along the surface and create patterns of “extension”. Consistent with the SOAL model, we show that unc-5 mutations alter UNC-40 asymmetric localization, increase the degree to which the direction of outgrowth fluctuates, and reduce the extent of outgrowth in multiple directions relative to the source of UNC-6. These results are inconsistent with current models, which predict that UNC-5 mediates a “repulsive” response to UNC-6. Genetic interactions suggest that UNC-5 acts through the UNC-53 (NAV2) cytoplasmic protein to regulate UNC-40 asymmetric localization in response to both the UNC-6 and EGL-20 (Wnt) extracellular cues.
Management of 1000 vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas): surgical management and results with an emphasis on complications and how to avoid them.

OBJECTIVE To identify the actual benefits and persisting problems in treating vestibular schwannomas by the suboccipital approach, the results and complications in a consecutive series of 1000 tumors surgically treated by the senior author were analyzed and compared with experiences involving other treatment modalities. METHODS Pre- and postoperative clinical statuses were determined and radiological and surgical findings were collected and evaluated in a large database for 962 patients undergoing 1000 vestibular schwannoma operations at Nordstadt's neurosurgical department from 1978 to 1993. RESULTS By the suboccipital transmeatal approach, 979 tumors were completely removed; in 21 cases, deliberate partial removal was performed either in severely ill patients for decompression of the brain stem or in an attempt to preserve hearing in the last hearing ear. Anatomic preservation of the facial nerve was achieved in 93% of the patients and of the cochlear nerve in 68%. Major neurological complications included 1 case of tetraparesis, 10 cases of hemiparesis, and caudal cranial nerve palsies in 5.5% of the cases. Surgical complications included hematomas in 2.2% of the cases, cerebrospinal fluid fistulas in 9.2%, hydrocephalus in 2.3%, bacterial meningitis in 1.2%, and wound revisions in 1.1%. There were 11 deaths occurring at 2 to 69 days postoperatively (1.1%). The techniques that were developed for avoidance of complications are reported. The analysis identifies preexisting severe general and/or neurological morbidity, cystic tumor formation, and major caudal cranial nerve deficits as relevant risk factors. CONCLUSION The current treatment options of complete tumor resection with ongoing reduction of morbidity are well fulfilled by the suboccipital approach. By careful patient selection, the mortality rate should be further reduced to below 1%.
Interspecific Comparison of the Mechanical Properties of Mussel Byssus

Byssally tethered mussels are found in a variety of habitats, including rocky intertidal, salt marsh, subtidal, and hydrothermal vents. One key to the survival of mussels in these communities is a secure attachment, achieved by the production of byssal threads. Although many studies have detailed the unique biomechanical properties of byssal threads, only a few prevalent species have been examined. This study assesses the variation in the mechanical properties of byssus in a broad range of mussel species from diverse environments, including intertidal and subtidal Mytilus edulis, Modiolus modiolus, Geukensia demissa, Bathymodiolus thermophilus, and Dreissena polymorpha. A tensometer was used to measure quasi-static and dynamic mechanical properties of individual threads, and several aspects of morphology were quantified. The results indicate that thread mechanical properties vary among mussel species, and several novel properties were observed. For example, of the species examined, D. polymorpha threads were the strongest, stiffest, least resilient, and fastest to recover after partial deformation. Threads of M. modiolus were characterized by the presence of two distinct yield regions prior to tensile failure. This comparative study not only provides insight into the ecological limitations and evolution of mussels, but also suggests new models for the design of novel biomimetic polymers.
Clinical Implications of Exenatide as a Twice-Daily or Once-Weekly Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract Exenatide (exendin-4) is a 39-amino acid peptide belonging to the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist class that has been demonstrated to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Exenatide can be injected twice daily (ExBID) before meals or once weekly (ExQW) when encompassed within dissolvable poly-(D,L -lactide-co-glycolide) microspheres. The primary difference between these formulations is the plasma concentration of exenatide over time, with the long-acting form providing continuous delivery. Clinical trials have examined the similarities and differences in the efficacy and safety/tolerability outcomes of these formulations. In 2 clinical studies spanning 24 and 30 weeks, significant (P < 0.05) reductions from baseline were observed in fasting plasma glucose (ExBID, −12 and −25 mg/dL; ExQW, −35 and −41 mg/dL), postprandial glucose (ExBID, −124 mg/dL; ExQW, −95 mg/dL), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1) (ExBID, −0.9% and −1.5%; ExQW, −1.6% and −1.9%). Reductions in body weight from baseline were significant and similar with both treatments (ExBID, −1.4 and −3.6 kg; ExQW, −2.3 and −3.7 kg). Reductions in systolic blood pressure from baseline were observed with both formulations, particularly in patients who were hypertensive at baseline. Beneficial improvements in lipid profiles were small and fluctuated in significance. Patients reported greater treatment satisfaction with ExQW compared with ExBID dosing. Gastrointestinal adverse events were commonly observed with both formulations but were less frequent with ExQW. These events were of mild-to-moderate intensity and rarely led to discontinuation. Real-world data for ExBID demonstrated decreases in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, and body weight that were consistent with clinical trial results. Cases of pancreatitis or renal impairment have been reported in patients treated with ExBID, although no causal relationship with treatment has been shown. This review describes the similarities and differences between exenatide delivered as a twice-daily or as a once-weekly injection to provide a better understanding of the clinical effects and potential clinical uses of each.
Prevalence and Surgical Significance of a High-Origin Anterior Tibial Artery

Purpose. To assess the prevalence of proximal high-origin anterior tibial artery and its surgical significance. Methods. 100 knees were prospectively studied using colour Doppler ultrasonography. No patient had a history of lower-limb arterial pathology or previous knee surgery. All ultrasound images were assessed by a single experienced vascular technician to eliminate inter-observer variability. Results. The mean age of the patients was 56 years (range, 21–96 years). Prevalence of the high-origin anterior tibial arterial pattern was 6%, greater than that reported by previous angiographic or cadaveric studies. In all patients with high-origin anterior tibial artery, the artery was in direct contact with the posterior cortex of the tibia. Conclusion. This highlights the danger of using sharp instruments in knee procedures that involve extension of osteotomy to the posterior tibial cortex, particularly high-tibial osteotomy and total knee replacement. Knowledge of the anatomical variations in the branching of the popliteal artery is important because damage to its branches can be limb- or life-threatening.
The usefulness of a new method of testing for a relative afferent pupillary defect in patients with ocular hypertension and glaucoma.

PURPOSE To evaluate the validity of different methods of relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) detection and assess the usefulness of detecting an RAPD in glaucoma patients. METHODS For this prospective observational study, we enrolled 70 of 153 consecutive glaucoma patients coming for examination. Exclusion criteria were cloudy corneas, recent surgery, fixed pupils, and other diseases producing RAPDs. Inclusion criteria were any type of glaucoma and absence of any exclusion criterion. Patients were examined for an RAPD by the swinging flashlight method (SFM), a magnifier-assisted swinging flashlight method (MAM), and automated pupillography. The SFM and MAM results were compared with those obtained by pupillography. Receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC) were determined. Correlations of other optic disc and visual field indices of glaucoma damage with RAPD were determined. RESULTS We confirmed RAPDs in 39 (56%) of the subjects by pupillography, finding a sensitivity of 41% and 84% and a specificity of 90% and 76% for SFM and MAM, respectively. The AUC was 0.86 for MAM and 0.61 for SFM. The correlations (r) between RAPD with intereye differences in the optic disc and visual field indices of glaucoma damage were moderate. CONCLUSIONS A modified swinging flashlight test with magnification increases the sensitivity of the test in detecting an RAPD. Because the detection of an RAPD may precede apparent optic disc and visual field damage, looking for an RAPD may be an important part of the assessment of patients with glaucoma.
A prospective study of passive smoking and coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND Several epidemiological studies have suggested an association of passive smoking with coronary heart disease (CHD). However, few studies have taken account of exposure to passive smoking in the workplace. Additionally, several studies have been unable to control for the full range of potential confounding factors. We examined prospectively the relationship of passive smoking with risk of CHD in a cohort of women. METHODS AND RESULTS The study was carried out in an ongoing prospective cohort of US female nurses, in whom we assessed exposure to passive smoking at home and at work as well as duration of years spent living with someone who smoked regularly. We studied 32046 women 36 to 61 years of age in 1982 who had never smoked and were free of diagnosed CHD, stroke, and cancer. During 10 years of follow-up (1982 to 1992), 152 incident cases of CHD (127 nonfatal myocardial infarction and 25 fatal CHD) occurred. Compared with women not exposed to passive smoking, the relative risks of total CHD-adjusted for a broad range of cardiovascular risk factors-were 1.58 (95% CI, 0.93 to 2.68) among those reporting occasional exposure and 1.91 (95% CI, 1.11 to 3.28) among women reporting regular exposure to passive smoking at home or work. There was no relation apparent between duration of living with a smoker and risk of CHD. CONCLUSIONS Despite the fact that exposure to passive smoking was assessed by self-report and only at baseline (as well as other limitations), these data suggest that regular exposure to passive smoking at home or work increases the risk of CHD among nonsmoking women.
Violent crime arrests and paranoid schizophrenia: the White House case studies.

We have previously reported on typically paranoid schizophrenic patients who attempted to see the President or other prominent American political figures based on hallucinations or delusional beliefs. By obtaining arrest records on these White House Cases (WHCs), we were able to determine which individuals had murder or assault arrests before and/or after their WHC hospitalizations. During the 9-12 years following discharge, 31 of the 217 male WHCs (for whom adequate clinical records were available) had murder or assault arrests. Demographic characteristics such as prior violent crime arrest and male gender proved to be much better predictors of future violence than clinical symptom, history, or behavior items. Hospital incidents requiring seclusion and a history of weapons possession were both associated with later violence in WHCs with prior violent crime arrests, while certain clinical symptoms (e.g., persecutory delusions and command hallucinations) may be linked to future violence in WHCs without prior violent crime arrests. These data need replication in other patient samples.
The radio/X-ray domain of black hole X-ray binaries at the lowest radio luminosities

We report on deep, coordinated radio and X-ray observations of the black hole X-ray binary XTE J1118+480 in quiescence. The source was observed with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array for a total of 17.5 h at 5.3 GHz, yielding a 4.8 ± 1.4 µJy radio source at a position consistent with the binary system. At a distance of 1.7 kpc, this corresponds to an integrated radio luminosity between 4 and 8 × 10 25 ergs −1 , depending on the spectral index. This is the lowest radio luminosity measured for any accreting black hole to date. Simultaneous observations with the Chandra X-ray Telescope detected XTE J1118+480 at 1.2 × 10 −14 ergs −1 cm −2 (1–10 keV), corresponding to an Eddington ratio of ∼4 × 10 −9
Racial variability of glaucoma risk factors between African Caribbeans and Caucasians in a Canadian urban screening population.

BACKGROUND The significance of race in the development and progression of glaucoma remains controversial, although in most cases the evidence shows greater prevalence and progression of the disease in African American populations. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of the African Caribbean race on the variability of risk factors for glaucoma in an urban Canadian screening population. STUDY DESIGN Population-based, cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS Participants with high risk for development of open-angle glaucoma. METHODS Participants underwent confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph),frequency-doubling technology (FDT) perimetry, and complete ophthalmic examination during a high-risk glaucoma screening clinic. Statistical analysis was performed comparing the data gathered from these tests in the different racial groups. Student's t tests as well as Pearson's c2 tests were done. RESULTS Racial breakdown included 64 African Caribbeans (22%) and 224 Caucasians (78%). Racial groups had similar female/male ratios, but Caucasians were significantly older (66 [SD 12] years) than African Caribbeans (56 [SD12] years) ( p = 0.001). African Caribbeans had significantly higher intraocular pressure (IOP) ( p < 0.001); thinner central corneal thickness (CCT) ( p < 0.001); greater cup/disc ratio ( p = 0.016), disc area ( p < 0.001), cup area ( p = 0.002), and cup/disc area ratio ( p = 0.009); and smaller rim/disc area ratio ( p = 0.009). The latter optic disc parameter differences were not statistically different when corrected for disc area differences. CONCLUSIONS In this study, African Caribbeans in a Canadian urban setting were associated with increased risk factors for open-angle glaucoma development, including higher IOP and thinner CCT. The larger cup/disc and cup/disc area ratios of the African Caribbean group were directly correlated to disc area differences between the 2 groups.
Mechanism of action of thrombin on fibrinogen. Direct evidence for the involvement of phenylalanine at position P9.

The following peptides were synthesized by classical methods in solution: Ac-Phe-Leu-Ala-Glu-Gly-Gly-Gly-Val-Arg-Gly-Pro-NHCH3 (F-6) and Ac-Leu-Ala-Glu-Gly-Gly-Gly-Val-Arg-Gly-Pro-NHCH3 (F-7). The rates of hydrolysis of the Arg-Gly bond in these peptides by thrombin were measured, and the rate for the Phe-containing peptide F-6 was found to be much larger than that for F-7. Previous work [van Nispen, J. W. , Hageman, T. C. , & Scheraga, H. A. (1977) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 182, 227] has demonstrated the importance of Phe-Leu at positions P9-P8 of the A alpha chain of fibrinogen for the thrombin-fibrinogen interaction. This work demonstrates that the presence of Leu (P8) alone is insufficient to account for the enhanced hydrolysis rates and that the presence of Phe (P9) is essential for normal action of thrombin on the A alpha chain of fibrinogen.
‘As if eavesdropping on actual filming’: The origins of the wildlife making-of documentary genre

The wildlife making-of documentary genre has become a routine appendage to most prestige natural history series. However, the genre is a fairly recent one. The first attempt at producing a wildlife MOD was in 1963 the half-hour long Unarmed Hunter. The first wildlife MOD accompanying a natural history programme was in 1984 The Making of the Living Planet. In between these two films, the televising of natural history became a profession revolving around the technical mastery of the filmmaking apparatus. The article examine this history, and suggests that the MOD helped filmmakers to secure credibility as producers of knowledge.