Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a symptom-based activity index for adults with eosinophilic esophagitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Standardized instruments are needed to assess the activity of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) and to provide end points for clinical trials and observational studies. We aimed to develop and validate a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument and score, based on items that could account for variations in patient assessments of disease severity. We also evaluated relationships between patient assessment of disease severity and EoE-associated endoscopic, histologic, and laboratory findings. METHODS We collected information from 186 patients with EoE in Switzerland and the United States (69.4% male; median age, 43 y) via surveys (n = 135), focus groups (n = 27), and semistructured interviews (n = 24). Items were generated for the instruments to assess biologic activity based on physician input. Linear regression was used to quantify the extent to which variations in patient-reported disease characteristics could account for variations in patient assessment of EoE severity. The PRO instrument was used prospectively in 153 adult patients with EoE (72.5% male; median age, 38 y), and validated in an independent group of 120 patients with EoE (60.8% male; median age, 40.5 y). RESULTS Seven PRO factors that are used to assess characteristics of dysphagia, behavioral adaptations to living with dysphagia, and pain while swallowing accounted for 67% of the variation in patient assessment of disease severity. Based on statistical consideration and patient input, a 7-day recall period was selected. Highly active EoE, based on endoscopic and histologic findings, was associated with an increase in patient-assessed disease severity. In the validation study, the mean difference between patient assessment of EoE severity (range, 0-10) and PRO score (range, 0-8.52) was 0.15. CONCLUSIONS We developed and validated an EoE scoring system based on 7 PRO items that assess symptoms over a 7-day recall period. Clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT00939263.
An Investigation into a White Painted Airfield on Permafrost: Thule Air Base, Greenland

In the late 1950's white painting of the airfield at Thule Air Base, Greenland, was initiated to prevent thawing of ice-rich native permafrost soils that supposedly was the cause of localized depressions in the runway and taxiways. The entire airfield, and most specifically the runway, is currently painted white, and this reduces the braking ability of the aircraft, and dramatically increases maintenance and labor costs. A multi-phase investigation was conducted to understand the reasoning and efficacy of the painting, and to suggest alternatives to the white painting that could be applied during the next runway repaving cycle. The results of the study show that white painting can be effective if the color is maintained in pristine condition, however, through the half century of paint application, a moderate white condition has existed at best. Additionally, and most importantly, ice-rich permafrost does not exist at shallow, thaw susceptible depths under the entire airfield. Cost effective alternatives to the extensive white painting are available, such as sub-grade insulation, or 'over-excavation' of ice-rich soils. These localized solutions can be implemented during the next runway repaving cycle, and white painting can be eliminated over the airfield entirely, saving future costs on material and manpower.
Impact of Test-Taking Skills in Mathematics on Adolescents Academic Performance in Lagos, Nigeria: Assessment and Sociological Implications

ne of the ways to prepare students for both internal O and external examinations is constant exposure to test-taking skills. The rationale behind test-taking is to build students' courage priori to examination period especially in mathematics where many students perform below expectations. Of course, several factors could be responsible for students' poor performances but one of effective approach to eliminate this poor performance is to prepare students' mind towards test-taking. Hence, the study was carried out to examine the impact of test-taking skills in Mathematics on adolescents' academic performance in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State. The study was a descriptive research survey. Three (3) null hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance in the study. The population for the study were all senior secondary students in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos-State. A self-developed questionnaire titled Use of Test-Taking Strategy, Test Anxiety Attitude and Motivation towards Mathematics Learning Questionnaire (UTTSTAAMML) and a mathematics Achievement Test (MAT) were used as instruments for data collection. The instruments had reliability coefficients of 0.58 and 0.64 respectively when tested during the pilot study. The study revealed that the use of test-taking skills in mathematics significantly impact on adolescents' level of test anxiety, motivation, attitude and academic performance. It was therefore concluded among others that test-taking skills remain a viable tool in adjusting students' perception towards mathematics. This study among others therefore recommends that the school authorities should organize capacity building trainings and programmes which should be effective on student's test-taking skills and orientating their mathematics teacher on the expected skills as this will improve student's skills in mathematics tests.
The value of time together: a longitudinal investigation of mentor-prot (cid:1) eg (cid:1) e interactions in an online game

Purpose – The study aims to determine the outcomes of mentorship in an online game system, as well as the characteristics of good mentors. Design/methodology/approach – A combination of anonymized survey measures and in-game behavioral measures were used to power longitudinal analysis over an 11-month period in which prot (cid:1) eg (cid:1) es and non-mentored new players could be compared for their performance, social connections and retention. Findings – Successful people were more likely to mentor others, and mentors increased prot (cid:1) eg (cid:1) es ’ skill. Prot (cid:1) eg (cid:1) es had significantly better retention, were more active and much more successful as players than non-prot (cid:1) eg (cid:1) es. Contrary to expectations, younger, less wealthy and educated people were more likely to be mentors and mentors did not transfer their longevity. Many of the qualities of the mentor remain largely irrelevant — what mattered most was the time spent together. Researchlimitations/implications – Thisisastudyofanonlinegame,whichhasunknowngeneralizability to other games and to offline settings. Practical implications – The results show that getting mentors to spend dedicated time with prot (cid:1) eg (cid:1) es matters more than their characteristics. Social implications – Good mentorship does not require age or resources to provide real benefits. Originality/value – This is the first study of mentorship to use survey and objective outcome measures together, over time, online.
, in ad-Short communication: Hypolipidemic and antiinflammatory effects of fermented Maillard reaction products by Lactobacillus fermentum H9 in an animal model

This study examined the effects of Maillard reaction products reacted by casein and lactose (cMRP) and of cMRP fermented by Lactobacillus fermentum H9 (F-cMRP) on hypolipidemic and antiinflammatory effects in rats fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet (HD). The HD-fed rats had significantly increased hepatic triglyceride concentrations compared with the rats fed a normal diet. It was shown that treatment with simvastatin, L. fermentum H9 (H9), cMRP, and F-cMRP decreased total triglycerides in the liver compared with the HD group. On histological analysis, a reduction of lipid accumulation in the liver and aortic tissues was observed in the cMRP, F-cMRP, and H9-fed rats. Also, F-cMRP and cMRP reduced intima-media thickness in the HD group. In addition, the H9, cMRP, and F-cMRP treatments significantly reduced the expression levels of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 , but not of MCP-1 . In particular, the expressions of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were significantly decreased in the F-cMRP group compared with the HD group. These results of the present study suggest that cMRP and F-cMRP in dairy foods could potentially be used to prevent or treat cardiovascular diseases, especially atherosclerosis.
Streaming potential from multiphase flow

In trying to understand the affect of electrokinetics on the spontaneous potential (SP) log, the focus has generally been on the solid‐brine streaming potential. Within the accuracy of the measurements, the streaming‐potential coupling coefficient is shown to be independent of the permeability of the rock. The solid‐brine streaming potential is of much smaller magnitude than the electrostatic potentials from gas‐liquid and liquid‐liquid flow. Air bubbles were found to increase the streaming potential coupling coefficient by more than two orders of magnitude over the value for single‐phase brine flow. Thus, two‐phase gas‐liquid flow is more likely to have a significant impact on the SP log than is single phase liquid flow. Two‐phase oil‐brine flow may also produce a larger electrokinetic potential than single‐phase flow. The magnitude of the electrokinetic potential caused by oil‐brine flow will depend on the composition of the oil and the brine. Trace materials can have a major impact on the electrokineti.
ADAPTATION E INCENTIVES IN No . 2011-120 FFECTIVENESS AND FREE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGREEMENTS

While an international agreement over the reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions proves to be elusive, there is a large and growing support for investment in developing more e¤ective technologies to adapt to climate change. We show that an increase in e¤ectiveness of adaptation will diminish the incentive of individual countries to free-ride on a global agreement over emissions. Moreover, we show that this positive e¤ect of an increase in adaptations e¤ectiveness can also be accompanied by an increase in the gains from global cooperation over GHGs emissions. JEL Classi cations: Q54, Q59
Comparison between temperature based thaw weakening prediction model and field observations

Structures like roads and port yards located in cold climate are affected by freezing and thawing every year. The global trend of a warmer climate and temperatures around 0°C for longer periods of time will change the freezing/thawing behaviour in many locations. The tendency will change to have several freezing /thawing cycles in a given location every year. The bearing capacity of low volume roads and simple port yards will be affected by a prolonged thawing period with lower bearing capacity as a consequence. Bearing capacity problems can lead to increased costs for traffic as well as increased maintenance costs. Due to very high costs for destroyed structures during thaw, a lot can be gained if bearing capacity problems at a given site can be forecasted well in advance in order not to destroy the structure. Such a method should preferably be based upon simple measurements like air temperatures to make it easy to use also in remote areas. In the described temperature based model air and ground temperatures are used to develop an accumulated thaw index and corresponding limits. When the thaw index limit is reached, the construction at the evaluated depth thaws, leading to increased pore water pressure and reduction of strength and bearing capacity. This paper presents a study of the application of the model at low volume roads in Sweden. Bearing capacity at the road was evaluated from field tests by falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test carried out 24 times during the thawing season i.e. March 4 through June 9. Predictions made by the model were compared with the subgrade module evaluated from the FWD series. The results show that the model might be possible to use in Sweden and elsewhere if minor adjustments are carried out.
Improved Inference in Regression with Overlapping Observations

We present an improved method for inference in linear regressions with overlapping observations. By aggregating the matrix of explanatory variables in a simple way, our method transforms the original regression into an equivalent representation in which the dependent variables are non-overlapping. This transformation removes that part of the autocorrelation in the error terms which is induced by the overlapping scheme. Our method can easily be applied within standard software packages since conventional inference procedures (OLS-, White-, Newey-West-standard errors) are asymptotically valid when applied to the transformed regression. Through Monte Carlo analysis we show that it performs better in finite samples than the methods applied to the original regression that are in common usage. We illustrate the significance of our method with three empirical applications.
The metastable states of a pseudo-single-domain ferrimagnetic grain

The requirements for the reliability of paleomagnetic data constrain the choice of objects studied. The rocks containing magnetic minerals in the form of small, almost single-domain, particles are believed to be most acceptable. The remanent magnetization of such rocks is stable with respect to chemical, thermal, and other actions. However, the presence of the metastable magnetic states of the particles involved may substantially affect the preservation of the remanence, which plays an important role in the diagnostics of its type.
Effect of work: rest cycle duration on VO2 fluctuations during intermittent exercise

The succession of on-transient phases that induce a repetition of metabolic changes is a possible mechanism responsible for the greater response to IT. The objective of this study was to quantify metabolic fluctuations during intermittent exercise characterized by the same work:rest ratio, but different durations and identify which duration leads to the greatest fluctuations. Ten participants (24±5 years; V̇O $%&' : 42±7 mL · min -1 · kg -1 ) performed: 1) an incremental test to exhaustion to determine peak work rate (WR peak ) and oxygen uptake ( V̇O $%&' ), 2), and three 1-hour intermittent exercises alternating work period at 70% WR peak with passive recovery period of different 1:1 work:recovery duty-cycles (30s:30s, 60s:60s, 120s:120s). V̇O $ response analysis revealed differences in the fluctuations across the intermittent conditions despite an identical total energy expenditure. The sum of the cycle’s nadir-to-peak V̇O $ differences ( ΣΔ V̇O $ ) and the oxygen fluctuation index (OFI) were both greater in the 60s:60s condition ( ΣΔ V̇O $ : +38±13%and +19±18% vs. 120s:120s and 30s:30s, p<0.05; OFI: +41±29% and +67±62% vs. 120s:120s and 30:30s, p<0.05). V̇O $ fluctuations analysis was successful in identifying the intermittent condition associated with the greatest disturbances: the 60s:60s duty-cycle induces more V̇O $ fluctuations. The present findings also demonstrate that the selection of the duty-cycle duration for submaximal intermittent exercise prescription is of interest to produce high V̇O $ fluctuations.
Evidence That Intellectual Humility Can Be Heightened via a Self-Affirmation Induction

The dispositional trait of intellectual humility (IH) refers to the degree to which people recognize their beliefs might be fallible. For the most part, it has been conceptualized as a “trait” variable that reflects a stable individual difference, however, in the current study, we examined whether IH also has “state”-like characteristics by testing whether it is susceptible to modification via a self-affirmation (SA) induction, which in previous research has been shown to reduce defensiveness in the face of information that threatens the self. To test this hypothesis, we first threatened participants by having them read a counter-attitudinal essay that contradicted their belief in God and then allowed half of the participants to affirm the self by writing about an important value that they hold. Following this SA induction, all participants completed a brief IH measure. Consistent with our hypothesis, statistical analyses revealed that participants in the SA condition reported significantly higher IH than participants in the control (no affirmation) condition. These findings suggest that in addition to having features associated with relatively fixed personality traits, IH is also amenable to change on the basis of a simple situational manipulation under conditions of self-threat.
La importancia del color: morfos florales, tasas de visita y éxito reproductivo en el arbusto Sarothamnus scoparius

The study of the intraspecific variability in the flower color may help us to better understand the role of pollinators as selective agents end their effect on the local abundance of floral morphs. We studied the influence of intraspecific variation of flower color on the floral visitation rate and the fitness of Sarothamnus scoparius , a common exotic shrub in Northern Patagonia. Particularly, we determined whether the higher abundance of shrubs with yellow-flowers compared with those with red or orange flowers was consequence of a differential visitation rate of potential pollinators. We 1) measured the visitation rate to yellow flowers and their variants red and orange in natural conditions and in flowers where their color was manipulated; 2) determined whether the visitation rate to red and orange flowers depended on their distance to yellow flowers, and 3) estimated the production of fruit set and seed set in yellow and red flower morphs. We found that: 1) in both, natural and color-modified conditions, yellow flowers received 1-4 times more visits than red or orange flowers; 2) the visitation rate to red and orange flowers decreased abruptly as the distance to yellow flowers increases (7 times in only 100 cm), and 3) both fruit and seed set were ~40% higher in shrubs with yellow flowers compared with those with red flowers. These results suggest that the higher abundance of shrubs with yellow flowers is consequence of a higher visitation rate of potential pollinators, which in turn produce a higher fitness in this floral morph. This work illustrates the importance of pollinators modeling flower characteristics and the influence of floral neighborhood in such process.
The thermal and energy performance comparison of extruded polystyrene foam insulation for an apartment building in different climate zones,Egypt

-The energy sector continually grapples with formidable challenges, particularly in nations characterized by burgeoning populations, where the construction industry faces mounting pressure to curtail energy consumption. Among the influential factors impacting a building's energy usage and environmental building performance, thermal insulation materials stand out prominently. Consequently, this research selected a residential building, situated in diverse climatic conditions, to assess the implications of applying thermal insulation materials to the building's envelope on indoor thermal comfort and energy consumption, both in the current period and in the context of climate changes. Utilizing Design Builder software, an apartment was simulated for three major climate zones: semi-arid, Mediterranean, and arid regions. This assessment encompassed an evaluation of indoor thermal comfort and energy consumption, considering the existing conditions as the base case, and contrasting them with alternative scenarios. The principal findings derived from this study affirmed that the optimal solutions across all climatic zones effectively balanced the twin objectives of energy reduction and improved thermal comfort. The results underscored the significance of a complete wall construction composed of red brick with an additional layer of extruded polystyrene (XPS) thermal insulation as a pivotal strategy for diminishing heat gains and extending thermal comfort in all three climatic conditions. In the optimal scenario, the thermal comfort period increased by 34.9%, 21.9%, and 33.2% in Cairo, Alexandria, and Aswan, respectively. Furthermore, this approach achieved a noteworthy energy savings of 21.7% in Aswan, representing the highest energy conservation ratio when compared to Cairo (13.8%) and Alexandria (19.9%).
Behaviour of Prunus cultivars and hybrids towards Agrobacterium tumefaciens estimated from hardwood cuttings

Summary &mdash; Using the hardwood cuttings method, the behaviour of different Prunus spp, which can be used as root-stocks, was evaluated for susceptibility to the telluric bacteria Agrobacterium tumefaciens that induces crown gall. The results show that: i) for Prunus cerasifera all the clones studied are susceptible (among them the clone P2032 seems the least susceptible)
Sticky Wages and Sectoral Labor Comovement

A defining feature of business cycles is the comovement of inputs at the sectoral level with aggregate activity. Standard models cannot account for this phenomenon. This paper develops and estimates a two-sector dynamic general equilibrium model that can account for this key regularity. My model incorporates three shocks to the economy: monetary policy shocks, neutral technology shocks, and embodied technology shocks in the capital-producing sector. The estimated model is able to account for the response of the U.S. economy to all three shocks. Using this model, I argue that the key friction underlying sectoral comovement is rigidity in nominal wages.
Which should come ﬁ rst? Examining diversity, equity and inclusion

Purpose – Thepurposeofthiscriticalreviewisto addressissueswiththecurrentschoolof thought thatdiversity mustcomebeforeinclusioninthediversity,equityandinclusion(DEI)processandproposeanalternatesolution. Design/methodology/approach – This review takes a critical constructionist lens such that changes in social norms have morphed over time, re ﬁ ning the meaning and implementation of DEI initiatives in research andtheworkplace.This reviewis framed within thecontextof hospitalityorganizations. Findings – The con ﬂ icting results in DEI research (whether DEI practices are positive or negative) are explained by diversity being the core factor. It is proposed that inclusion is the starting place and determinant of success in creatinga diverse workforce. If inclusion comes ﬁ rst and is followed by equitable treatment, then diversity(and diverse representation) naturally follows. Research limitations/implications – This review offers a novel perspective on the relationship between diversity, equity and inclusion, which was previously ambiguous. Research rarely includes all three asvariablesinthe past,anddoes notuse diversity as anoutcome,butratherasa startingpoint. Originality/value – This research suggests that unless an organization begins with an inclusive climate, there will be no bene ﬁ t to having diverse candidates, nor will there be long-term retention of a diverse staff. It is recommended to begin with inclusion, implement equitable practices and diversity will increase through theenacted andespoused values.