Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fgt Old‐Age Poverty Measures and the Mortality Paradox: Theory and Evidence

Incomeâ€ differentiated mortality, by reducing the share of poor persons in the population, leads to the â€œMortality Paradoxâ€ : the worse the survival conditions of the poor are, the lower is the measured poverty. We show that FGT measures (Foster et al., ) are, in general, not robust to variations in survival conditions. Then, following Kanbur and Mukherjee (), we propose to adjust FGT poverty measures by extending the income profiles of the prematurely dead, and we identify the condition under which soâ€ adjusted FGT measures are robust to mortality changes. Finally, we show, on the basis of data from 2007 on oldâ€ age poverty in 11 European economies, that the effect of extending income profiles of the prematurely dead on poverty measurement varies with: (1) the fictitious income assigned to the prematurely dead; (2) the degree of poverty aversion; (3) the shape of the (unadjusted) income distribution; and (4) the strength of the income/mortality relationship.
Eye Blinking Patterns, Corneal Staining and Compliance in a Group of Soft Contact Lens Wearers

Many factors influence the success of contact lens wear, including lens surface moisture, which is affected by blinking. This study was conducted to determine the eye blinking patterns, corneal staining, and compliance in a group of soft contact lens (CL) wearers. Forty-one soft CL wearers and 41 age-matched control subjects (non-CL wearers) were recruited in this study. Blinking patterns were assessed with a digital camera attached to a slit lamp biomicroscope. Corneal staining was graded using Institute for Eye Research (IER) grading scale with 0.1 increments. The subject’s compliance level was determined using a questionnaire. There was no difference in eye blinking patterns between the CL wearers and control group (Mann-Whitney, p = 0.231). The average grades of corneal staining in CL wearers and control group were 0.38 ± 0.39 and 0.01 ± 0.08 unit, respectively. There was a significant difference in corneal staining between the two groups (Mann-Whitney, p = 0.021). A significant positive correlation was found between blinking patterns and corneal staining (Spearman ρ = 0.378, p = 0.015). Our results also showed that 63.4% of the CL wearers had good compliance towards lens care. In our multiple linear regression analysis, blinking patterns contributed significantly to corneal staining (B = 0.140, p = 0.015), while compliance level did not (B = -0.038, p = 0.471). Overall, eye blinking patterns in CL wearers influenced the risk of corneal staining.
Milk Fat Composition Affects Mechanical and Rheological Properties of Processed Cheese

Abstract Laboratory-scale experiments were carried out to explore the influence of the composition of the fat phase on mechanical and rheological properties of processed model cheeses. Cheeses made from caseinates, emulsifying salts and a milk fat fraction liquid at 24°C, which was achieved by thermal separation, showed much lower moduli than processed model cheeses manufactured with a fat fraction solid at 30°C. Processed model cheeses made from caseinates, emulsifying salts and a hard butter with a low amount of unsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher in firmness than cheeses made with soft butter with a higher amount of unsaturated fatty acids. In experiments using mature Gruyère and emulsifying salts, processed cheeses made from summer Gruyère were less firm than processed winter Gruyère. The results indicate that fat composition strongly affects mechanical properties of processed cheese, and a model is provided to explain structural changes during deformation.
A Preliminary Assessment of the Marine Aquarium Export Trade in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico's export trade in marine aquarium organisms was characterized through a series of informal interviews and inspection of export shipment species lists. A total of 106 species, or species groups, of fish and invertebrates was estimated as exported in 1990-1991, totalling between 160,000 and 200,000 organisms for 1991. Seventy percent of this volume was composed of six species or species groups. Six export businesses employ up to 100 fulland part-time personnel between them. The industry is not regulated. An urgent need for monitoring and regulating this growing activity is recognized and recommendations are developed for managing the industry. Particular concern is expressed over methods employed in the collection, handling and shipping of fishes and invertebrates, the lack of comprehensive inspection of export shipments, and the virtual absence of enforcement of existing laws and regulations.
Nurses' Attitudes Toward Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) System: A Feasibility Study Prior to Implementation

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to understand the nurses' attitudes in implementation and adoption of CPOE system through Rogers’ innovation diffusion theory. Methods: This study was cross-sectional and performed in four months (from March to June, 2017). In order to understand the acceptance of the CPOE investigated level of nursing staff’s computer literacy. The major factors influencing the nursing staff’s acceptance and use of the CPOE system were examined through Rogers’ innovation diffusion theory. Data were collected using a researcher. Results: Majority of the nursing staff adopt this innovation. The level of nursing staff’s computer literacy was high (71.32%). Highly educated nursing staff were more likely to accept computer work. The acceptance or rejection of the use of a computer is related to experiencing the HIS system in nursing. Our finding showed that the received relative advantages, compatibility, the complexity of the system were 66.29%, 71.94% and 40.36% for the nursing staff. Conclusions: Majority of the nursing staff had a good degree of computer literacy. The analysis of the finding shows that CPOE systems improve the quality and safety of healthcare. CPOE increases the security and quality of health care and reduces errors.
Delayed phase explosion during high-power nanosecond laser ablation of silicon

An important parameter for high-irradiance laser ablation is the ablation crater depth, resulting from the interaction of individual laser pulses on a targeted surface. The crater depth for laser ablation of single-crystal silicon shows a dramatic increase at a laser intensity threshold of approximately 2×1010 W/cm2, above which, large (micron-sized) particulates were observed to eject from the target. We present an analysis of this threshold phenomenon and demonstrate that thermal diffusion and subsequent explosive boiling after the completion of the laser pulse is a possible mechanism for the observed dramatic increase of the ablation depth. Calculations based on this delayed phase explosion model provide a satisfactory estimate of the measurements. In addition, we find that the shielding of an expanding mass plasma during laser irradiation has a profound effect on this threshold phenomenon.
Human Nutrition and Metabolism Development and Regulation of Calcium Metabolism in Healthy Girls 1 , 2 , 3

The major components of calcium metabolism, as evaluated by a dual-tracer stable isotope method, were determined in 100 studies of 68 healthy girls, aged 5–18 y and analyzed from a developmental and regulatory viewpoint. Bone calcium deposition and removal rates were closely correlated with the size of the exchangeable bone calcium compartment. All three quantities, as well as intestinal calcium absorption, peaked at or near menarche. Both bone calcium deposition and removal rates were positively and linearly correlated with calcium absorption. However, in this correlation, because bone calcium deposition increased 70% faster than calcium absorption, most of the increase in the bone calcium compartment and its turnover must have occurred in response to something other than intestinal calcium input; presumably this occurred in response to developmental signals. Nevertheless, the constancy of the serum calcium in the face of a large intestinal calcium input and the modest way in which excretion overcame the calcium load in this population point to the importance of the exchangeable bone calcium compartment, in dynamic equilibrium with the bone mineral, as the site at which most of the load is taken up. In this population of girls, as in older women, this increase in the skeletal calcium balance resulted from a decrease in the bone calcium removal rate that was greater than the corresponding increase in the bone calcium deposition rate. J. Nutr. 128: 1474–1480, 1998.
Dynamic time warping-based averaging framework for functional near-infrared spectroscopy brain imaging

We investigate the problem related to the averaging procedure in functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) brain imaging studies. Typically, to reduce noise and to empower the signal strength associated with task-induced activities, recorded signals (e.g., in response to repeated stimuli or from a group of individuals) are averaged through a point-by-point conventional averaging technique. However, due to the existence of variable latencies in recorded activities, the use of the conventional averaging technique can lead to inaccuracies and loss of information in the averaged signal, which may result in inaccurate conclusions about the functionality of the brain. To improve the averaging accuracy in the presence of variable latencies, we present an averaging framework that employs dynamic time warping (DTW) to account for the temporal variation in the alignment of fNIRS signals to be averaged. As a proof of concept, we focus on the problem of localizing task-induced active brain regions. The framework is extensively tested on experimental data (obtained from both block design and event-related design experiments) as well as on simulated data. In all cases, it is shown that the DTW-based averaging technique outperforms the conventional-based averaging technique in estimating the location of taskinduced active regions in the brain, suggesting that such advanced averaging methods should be employed in fNIRS brain imaging studies. © 2017 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) [DOI: 10.1117/1.JBO. 22.6. 066011]
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHRONIC LIVER DISEASE IN NIGERIA: A REVIEW

Chronic liver disease is one of the major health issues which occur throughout the world irrespective of age, sex, region or race. Liver diseases have being ranked the fifth most common cause of death and the second leading cause of mortality amongst all digestive diseases with approximately 2 million deaths per year worldwide. Aimed at determining the relative prevalence of chronic liver diseases in Nigeria, this shows that up to 46% of global diseases and 59% of the mortality is due to chronic liver diseases and almost 35 million people in the world die of chronic diseases with liver disease rate steadily increasing over the years. In Nigeria, (35 million) 2-20% of the population, are infected with hepatitis B and C virus with a prevalence rate of 4.3%-23.3% and 0.5-15% been reported respectively from different part of the country depending on the geographical location. A prevalence rate of 4.3% was reported from Port Harcourt, 5.7% from Ilorin, 11.6% from Maiduguri, and 8.3% from Zaria, 6.78% from Ado-Ekiti among pregnant women, 13.50% from Lagos, 11.50% from Abuja Urban among HIV Patients with a seroprevalence of 23.3% been reported among patients attending all clinics in Kano.
Resource Use Efficiency in Vegetable Production in the High Hills of Eastern Nepal 79 Resource Use Efficiency in Vegetable Production in the High Hills of Eastern Nepal

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the resource use efficiency and factors influencing inefficiency in vegetable production in the high hills of Eastern Nepal. This study used secondary data set of Nepal vegetable crops survey (2010) collected by the Central Bureau of Statistics, Government of Nepal, and adopted the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). The results from the maximum likelihood estimates revealed that the mean technical efficiency score was 0.79 which indicated high potential in increasing vegetable production from the existing resources and technology. The major contributing input factors for resource use efficiency were land, labor, seeds, compost, fertilizers, pesticides, and farm capital. The farm-specific factors such as seed types, credit access, and technical support significantly affected inefficiency in vegetable production. The study recommends policies to focus on improving land, developing skilful labour, encouraging vegetable farmers to promote compost, easy access to farm capital, fertilizers, and pesticides. Policies need to focus also on innovating and adopting improved seed varieties, easy access to credit facilities, and technical supports and backstopping to farmers, and encouraging women farmers in vegetable production.
Preliminary Study on Association of EDNRB Gene with Heterochromia Iridis in Cats (Felis catus)

This study conducted an investigation on three exons of the endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB) gene of Thai odd-eyed cats to find out the association between the variations in the gene and heterochromia iridis. DNA sequencing analysis was performed on 11 odd-eyed cats compared to 11 normal-eyed cats. Seven variations were found across the studied region (XM_003980457.2: c.610A>G, c.820+40C>T, c.821-14C>T, c.916A>G, c.1025+36G>T, c.1025+69A>T, and c.1025+138C>T) with two of them (c.610A>G and c.916A>G) causing amino acid changes (P.Asn128Ser and P.Val230Ala). There was no statistical association between the variations near the three exons of EDNRB and feline heterochromia iridis (chi-square test, P-value >0.05).
Mesoscale Processes during the Genesis of Hurricane Karl (2010)

Observations from the Pre-Depression Investigation of Cloud Systems in the Tropics (PREDICT), Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP), and Intensity Forecast Experiment (IFEX) field campaigns are analyzed to investigate the mesoscale processes leading to the tropical cyclogenesis of Hurricane Karl (2010). Research aircraft missions provided Doppler radar, in situ flight level, and dropsonde data documenting the structural changes of the predepression disturbance. Following the pre-Karl wave pouch, variational analyses at the meso-β and meso-α scales suggest that the convective cycle in Karl alternately built the low- and midlevel circulations leading to genesis episodically rather than through a sustained lowering of the convective mass flux from increased stabilization. Convective bursts that erupt in the vorticity-rich environment of the recirculating pouch region enhance the low-level meso-β- and meso-α-scale circulation through vortex stretching. As the convection wanes, the resulting stratiform precipitation strengthens the midlevel circulation through convergence associated with ice microphysical processes, protecting the disturbance from the intrusion of dry environmental air. Once the column saturation fraction returns to a critical value, a subsequent convective burst below the midlevel circulation further enhances the low-level circulation, and the convective cycle repeats. The analyses suggest that the onset of deep convection and associated low-level spinup were closely related to the coupling of the vorticity and moisture fields at low and midlevels. Our interpretation of the observational analysis presented in this study reaffirms a primary role of deep convection in the genesis process and provides a hypothesis for the supporting role of stratiform precipitation and the midlevel vortex.
Theory-Testing in Psychology and Physics: A Methodological Paradox

Because physical theories typically predict numerical values, an improvement in experimental precision reduces the tolerance range and hence increases corroborability. In most psychological research, improved power of a statistical design leads to a prior probability approaching 1/2 of finding a significant difference in the theoretically predicted direction. Hence the corroboration yielded by "success" is very weak, and becomes weaker with increased precision. "Statistical significance" plays a logical role in psychology precisely the reverse of its role in physics. This problem is worsened by certain unhealthy tendencies prevalent among psychologists, such as a premium placed on experimental "cuteness" and a free reliance upon ad hoc explanations to avoid refutation.
Physical and frictional properties of pomegranate arils as a function of fruit maturity

In this study, some physical properties (three axial dimensions, geometric mean diameter, sphericity, volume, surface area, unit mass, true and bulk density) and frictional characteristics (angles of repose and static and dynamic coefficients of friction against four structural surfaces namely aluminium, plywood, galvanized iron and rubber) as a function of maturity indices for Ashraf variety of pomegranate arils were investigated. All physical properties of pomegranate arils were significantly (P<0.05) affected by changing maturity in the studied stages. The obtained results showed that studied physical properties (except sphericity and true density) and frictional characteristics increased with an increase in maturity. The highest static coefficient of friction for pomegranate arils was against the rubber surface, followed by plywood, galvanized iron, and finally aluminium surfaces. In addition, static coefficient of friction values were higher than the dynamic coefficient of friction at similar maturity stages of the samples and on the same surfaces. The emptying angle of repose found to be higher than the filling angle of repose for pomegranate arils at all maturity stages. Static and dynamic coefficient of friction as well as empting angle of repose increased linearly with advancement of maturity.
Runoff and Sediment from Row-crop, Row-crop with Grass Strips, Pasture, and Forest Watersheds

Comparisons of runoff and sediment loss from row-crop with and without riparian buffers, pasture and grass filter strips are limited. Effects of precipitation, landuse and buffer condition on runoff and sediment loss were examined from 1997 to 1999 in eight watersheds with varying proportions of row-crop, pasture, riparian buffers and grass filter strips. Runoff volume and sediment mass from row-crop watersheds were inversely related to the percentage of forest and pasture cover. Forest (n = 2), pasture (n = 3), row-crop (n = 2) and a row-crop watershed with grass filter strips (RC-GFS) had 3‑yr mean runoff of 939, 1,560, 3,434 and 1,175 m3 ha‑1 yr‑1, respectively. Runoff was greater from all landuses in a year when precipitation was 36% above normal (1998). The largest single runoff event from each watershed accounted for 11 to 25% of its total runoff. Forest, pasture, row-crop and RC-GFS watersheds lost 1,017, 1,241, 3,679 and 2,129 kg ha‑1 yr‑1 of sediment, respectively. In 1998, the RC-GFS watershed lost more sediment than row-crop watersheds and had less runoff and sediment loss in years with normal or below normal precipitation. Row-crop watersheds with 55% pasture reduced runoff and sediment loss by 55 and 66%, respectively, compared to row-crop watersheds. During 90% of the runoff events, more soil was lost from row-crop watersheds than pasture or forest watersheds. Results suggest that 3‑4 m grass filter strips, maintenance of 55% or more pasture/CRP land within row-crop watersheds and intact riparian buffers significantly reduce runoff and sediment losses from row-crop watersheds.
China's Provincial Growth Dynamics

China’s rapid overall growth since 1978 masks significant differences in relative economic performance across its provinces. This paper finds that, while per capita income of poor provinces are catching up with those in the rich, the relative income distribution appears to be stratifying into a bimodal distribution—the coastal provinces gravitating toward one mode, and the remaining provinces toward the other—with economic structure and policies playing important roles in the growth dynamics.
Higher Mortality in Bacteremic Sepsis - A Propensity Score Matched Study

BackgroundSepsis is a highly heterogenous disease which needs to be thoroughly mapped. The aim of this study was to describe characteristics and outcome for critically ill patients with sepsis-3 with either culture-positive or -negative sepsis.Methods Patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were retrospectively identified in the local quality registry from a general mixed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at a University Hospital in 2007-2014. Data were collected through manual review of medical charts. Patients were included if they fulfilled sepsis-3 criteria and at least one blood culture was sampled ±48h from ICU admission. In a propensity score analysis bacteremic and non-bacteremic patients were matched 1:1 with regard to age, comorbidities, site of infection and antimicrobial therapy prior to blood cultures. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was performed to identify unmeasured class membership.Results784 patients were identified as treated in the ICU with a sepsis diagnosis. Blood cultures were missing in 140 excluded patients and additionally 95 patients did not fulfill a sepsis diagnosis and were also excluded. In total 549 patients were included, 295 (54%) with bacteremia, 90 (16%) were non-bacteremic but had relevant pathogens detected from another body location and in 164 (30%) no relevant pathogen was detected in microbial samples. After the propensity score analysis (n=172 in each group) 90-day mortality was higher in bacteremic patients, 47%, than in non-bacteremic patients, 36%, p =0.04. Patients without antibiotic treatment before sample collection (n=352) were more often bacteremic, 63%. Non-bacteremic patients without prior antibiotic treatment had lower mortality, 31% (n=129), compared to non-bacteremic patients with prior antibiotic treatment, 51% (n=124), p <0.01. The LCA identified 8 classes, with different mortality rates, where pathogen detection in microbial sampleswere important factors for class distinction andoutcome.ConclusionsBacteremic patients had higher mortality than their non-bacteremic counter-parts. Bacteremia is more common in sepsis than previously reported, when studied in a clinical review. Clinical chart review should be considered gold standard since a significant proportion of the patients in the proposed sepsis cohort, did not have sepsis, but would have been included in ICD- or electronic health record (EHR) algorithm approaches.