Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing Market Power at Home And Abroad: Evidence from Austrian Banks And Their Subsidiaries in CESEE

In this study, we examine markups of Austrian banks and their subsidiaries in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe (CESEE) on an unconsolidated level. Markups are evaluated by means of the Lerner index by simultaneously estimating a price and a cost function derived from oligopoly theory. For that purpose, we use a novel fixed effects seemingly unrelated regression approach and a unique supervisory dataset covering around 800 banks over the period from the first quarter of 2008 to the second quarter of 2016. We find evidence for positive markups for Austrian subsidiaries in CESEE. These markups are even higher than the markups of Austrian parent banks, which emphasizes the importance of the CESEE markets for the overall profitability of the Austrian banking sector. Looking at the determinants of markups for Austrian subsidiaries in CESEE, we find that higher Lerner indices are associated with better capitalization, higher loan loss provisions and, more generally, greater size – the latter effect is especially true for banks in more developed host countries. Also, there is a negative correlation between the Lerner indices of subsidiaries and parent banks. This implies that opportunity costs in the home country play a role in determining market power in the host country.
Neoadjuvant therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is generally a highly aggressive malignancy with early and mostly distant recurrences. Cisplatin-based combinations have been established as neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to radical cystectomy (RC) providing overall survival as well as disease-free survival benefit. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma and are being tested in the neoadjuvant setting as well. Areas covered This review covers the existing guidelines for the management of MIBC. It summarizes the use of different NAC regimens. It also discusses the published literature of ICIs in this setting and explores future perspectives. Expert opinion Cisplatin-based NAC is the standard of care in MIBC prior to RC. Cisplatin-ineligible MIBC patients have not demonstrated to clearly benefit from a chemotherapy regimen and proceed directly to RC, although novel agents have been evaluated in this setting. Pembrolizumab and atezolizumab as monotherapy have shown feasibility and promising pathologic response rates. The combination of cisplatin-based chemotherapy with ICIs and chemotherapy-free ICI alone approaches are being investigated in randomized trials. Molecular subclassification and development of predictive biomarkers in MIBC will further help to identify optimal treatment strategies in these patients.
A Genetic Algorithm-Assisted Inverse Convective Heat Transfer Model for Tailoring Weld Geometry

Although heat transfer and fluid flow models have provided significant insight about the welding processes and welded materials, currently they are not widely used, mainly because of two difficulties. First, the model predictions do not always agree with experiments because the values of energy absorption efficiency and other parameters cannot be prescribed from scientific principles. Second, the available models are unidirectional and cannot currently predict welding variables necessary to attain a target weld attribute. Here we provide a rigorous proof that the heat transfer and fluid flow models can be combined with an appropriate genetic algorithm (GA) to enhance reliability of computational results and achieve inverse modeling capability. The new capability enables systematic tailoring of weld attributes based on scientific principles. In particular, the GA-based optimization of arc efficiency, arc radius, effective thermal conductivity, and effective viscosity using a limited volume of experimental data led to superior weld geometry computations for a wide variety of welding conditions. Furthermore, the inverse model's ability to calculate multiple combinations of arc current, voltage, and welding speed needed to achieve a target weld geometry was developed and rigorously tested by welding experiments.
Usefulness of mean number of adenomas per positive screenee for identifying meticulous endoscopists among those who achieve acceptable adenoma detection rates

Abstract Background Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is a quality indicator for colonoscopy. However, many missed adenomas have subsequently been identified after colonoscopies performed by endoscopists with ADR ≥ 25 %. Adenomas per positive participant (APP; mean number of adenomas detected by an endoscopist among screenees with positive findings) correlates well inversely with adenoma miss rate. This study aimed to evaluate whether APP added additional information on the detection rate for advanced adenomas (AADR) and proximal adenomas (pADR) and among endoscopists with acceptable ADRs (≥ 25 %). Methods A total of 47 endoscopists performed 7339 screening colonoscopies that were retrospectively reviewed. Using a cutoff APP value of 2.0, endoscopist performance was classified as high or low APP. Endoscopist ADRs were also classified as acceptable (25 % – 29 %), high standard (30 % – 39 %) and aspirational (≥ 40 %). Generalized linear models were used to assess the relationship between AADR or pADR, and ADR and APP, after adjusting for potential confounders. Results After adjusting for endoscopist performance and patient characteristics, endoscopists with high APP had a significant 2.1 percentage point increase in AADR (95 %CI 0.3 to 3.9; P = 0.02) and a 2.1 percentage point increase in pADR (95 %CI – 0.8 to 5.1; P = 0.15) compared to endoscopists with low APP. In total, 11 (24 %), 18 (38 %), and 18 (38 %) endoscopists were classified as having acceptable, high standard, and aspirational ADRs, respectively. APP values higher than the cutoff were found in 18 %, 44 %, and 72 % of endoscopists with acceptable, high standard, and aspirational ADRs, respectively (P = 0.02). Conclusion APP is helpful for identifying more meticulous endoscopists who can detect a greater number of advanced adenomas. Endoscopists who achieved an only acceptable ADR had the lowest APP.
ON MINIMUM AUDIBLE SOUND FIELDS*

The minimum audible field (M.A.F.) has been determined from data taken on 14 ears over the frequency range from 100 to 15,000 c.p.s. The observer is placed in a sound field which is substantially that of a plane progressive wave, facing the source and listening monaurally. The M.A.F. is expressed as the intensity of the free field, measured prior to the insertion of the observer. Similar data are presented for binaural hearing, over the range from 60 to 15,000 c.p s. , obtained with 13 observers. At 1000 c.p.s. the average M.A.F. observed is 1.9X 10 -•6 watts per cm 2, corresponding to a pressure 71 db below 1 bar. Included are data showing how the M.A.F. varies with the observer's azimuth relative to the wave front. Another type of threshold data refers to minimum audible pressures (M.A.P.) as measured at the observer's ear drum. The differences obviously to be expected between M.A.F. and M.A.P. values are due to wave motion in the ear canal and to diffraction caused by the head. The M.A.F. data are discussed in relation to the M.A.P. determinations from several sources. Some possible causes of difference between the two, which are due to experiment*xl procedure and may add to the causes already mentioned, are pointed out. TnR•sao•. •) oR H•ARI•rO--G•S•A•. D•scussm• Ideally, an absolute measurement of the least audible sound would state the stimulus in terms independent of the particular apparatus used to produce it. With this in view, most threshold eterminations roughly * Presented before Acoustical Society of America, at Ann Arbor, Michigan, November 29, 1932.
Hormesis and Ginseng: Ginseng Mixtures and Individual Constituents Commonly Display Hormesis Dose Responses, Especially for Neuroprotective Effects

This paper demonstrates that ginseng mixtures and individual ginseng chemical constituents commonly induce hormetic dose responses in numerous biological models for endpoints of biomedical and clinical relevance, typically providing a mechanistic framework. The principal focus of ginseng hormesis-related research has been directed toward enhancing neuroprotection against conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases, stroke damage, as well as enhancing spinal cord and peripheral neuronal damage repair and reducing pain. Ginseng was also shown to reduce symptoms of diabetes, prevent cardiovascular system damage, protect the kidney from toxicities due to immune suppressant drugs, and prevent corneal damage, amongst other examples. These findings complement similar hormetic-based chemoprotective reports for other widely used dietary-type supplements such as curcumin, ginkgo biloba, and green tea. These findings, which provide further support for the generality of the hormetic dose response in the biomedical literature, have potentially important public health and clinical implications.
Effects of wheelchair Tai Chi ball exercise on physical and mental health and functional abilities among elderly with physical disability

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 12-week Wheelchair Tai Chi Ball (WTCB) intervention, a combination of mind-body exercise with strength training, on physical and mental health and functional abilities among elderly with disability. Twenty-six elderly persons participated in the study, nine WTCB group participants and ten control group participants completed the study. The WTCB group practised WTCB12 twice/week for one hour each time. The control group did their daily routine without WTCB intervention. The outcomes measures were: Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ), SF-36v2 for physical and mental health, heart rate, blood pressure, range of motion and muscle strength of the dominant arm at the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. The Mixed Model ANOVA was employed to examine the differences between and within the two groups using pre-test and post-test scores. The results demonstrated the WTCB group had significant improvements on PSEQ, general physical health and had positive effects on maintaining muscle strength at the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints as compared to the control group. The WTCB12 exercise had positive effects on self-efficacy for pain management, general physical health, and maintain upper extremity muscle strength and is a feasible exercise for elderly with disability.
Power and politics: the case for linking resilience to health system governance

Since the watershed moment of the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa and again in the midst of the current COVID-19 crisis, the concept of health system resilience has been a recurring theme in global health discussions.1 2 Although most frequently used in the context of epidemic response, resilience has also been framed as a ‘key pillar’ of health,3 and invoked in high-level calls for countries to ‘lead the work on building health system resilience’. 4 Yet, as the authors of one of several recent reviews observed, the concept of health systems resilience remains ‘highly confusing’ and ‘still polysemic’. 5 What it means ‘depends on one’s perception, one’s discipline, one’s function and what one wants to achieve’. 5 In this editorial, I will, from the perspective of a health policy and systems researcher, draw out and reflect on some of these tensions, and make some suggestions about how we might achieve greater clarity. Building on the observations of Turenne et al , the first point is definitional. In both peer reviewed and grey literature, there is still confusion about whether the concept of resilience (as it relates to health systems) should be understood as an outcome or an ability. This distinction is not semantic. Understood as an outcome , some in the field have suggested that health system resilience can and should be measured and monitored.6 By measuring resilience, it is argued, we can help to build more resilient health systems through identification of areas for action.7 8 But an important consequence of this framing is the implication that health system resilience is an uncomplicated, even monolithic ‘good’; a goal synonymous with optimised performance. But a question that then arises is whether health systems that produce suboptimal health outcomes are somehow less resilient than those producing …
Nature Prescriptions for Health: A Review of Evidence and Research Opportunities

Nature prescription programs have emerged to address the high burden of chronic disease and increasingly sedentary and screen-based lifestyles. This study examines the base of evidence regarding such programs. We conducted a narrative review of published literature using four electronic databases. We included case studies, research design articles, and empirical studies that discussed any type of outdoor exposure or activities initiated by a health-care provider from an outpatient clinic. We examined articles for information on target populations, health outcomes, and structural and procedural elements. We also summarized evidence of the effectiveness of nature prescription programs, and discussed needs and challenges for both practice and research. Eleven studies, including eight empirical studies, have evaluated nature prescription programs with either structured or unstructured formats, referring patients either to nearby parks or to formal outdoor activity programs. Empirical studies evaluate a wide variety of health behaviors and outcomes among the most at-risk children and families. Research is too sparse to draw patterns in health outcome responses. Studies largely tested program structures to increase adherence, or patient follow-through, however findings were mixed. Three published studies explore providers’ perspectives. More research is necessary to understand how to measure and increase patient adherence, short and long-term health outcomes for patients and their families, and determinants of provider participation and participation impacts on providers’ own health.
Duality in Diversity: How Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Cultural Heterogeneity Relate to Firm Performance

How does cultural heterogeneity in an organization relate to its underlying capacity for execution and innovation? Cultural diversity is commonly thought to present a tradeoff between task coordination and creative problem solving, with diversity arising primarily through cultural differences between individuals. In contrast, we propose that diversity can also exist within persons when individuals hold multiple cultural beliefs about the organization. We refer to these different forms as interpersonal and intrapersonal cultural heterogeneity. We argue that the former tends to undermine coordination and portends worsening firm profitability, while the latter facilitates creativity and supports greater patenting success and more positive market valuations. To evaluate these propositions, we use computational linguistics to identify cultural content in employee reviews of nearly 500 publicly traded firms on a leading company review website and then develop novel, time-varying measures of cultural heterogeneity. Our empirical results lend support for our two core propositions, suggesting the need to rethink the performance tradeoffs of cultural heterogeneity: it may be possible to reap the creativity benefits of higher intrapersonal heterogeneity and, at the same time, the efficiency benefits of lower interpersonal heterogeneity.
Rooting of semi-hardwood stem cuttings from current year shoots of Drymis brasiliensis

Drimys brasiliensis Miers is an Angiosperm native to the Atlantic Rainforest, commonly known as cataia. Because of dormancy of its seeds, due to embryonic immaturity, production of cataia seedlings presents challenges regarding propagation of the species. Thus, cuttings emerged as a possible technique to be applied, diminishing plants production time and ensuring uniformity of rooting. Stem cuttings from current year shoots were collected in autumn/2012, prepared with 10-12cm in length, a bevel cut on base and straight on top, keeping two leaves, one leaf or no leaves in the apical portion. After disinfestation, bases of cuttings were submitted to the following treatments with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) in 50% hydro-alcoholic solution: 100% water, 0, 500, 1500, 3000, 4500 and 6000mg L-1 IBA. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with 3 types of cutting x 7 IBA concentrations, with four replicates of 10 cuttings per experimental unit. After 120 days, the variables percentage of rooted cuttings, number of roots per cutting, length of the three longest roots per cutting, percentage of cuttings with callus, alive and dead, with new shoots and the cuttings maintaining the original leaves were assessed. The application of IBA had no influence on any of the assessed variables. Cuttings with two leaves presented the best rooting percentage (51.1%) and the lowest mortality (5.4%), when compared to cuttings with one leaf (35.0%) or without leaves (0.4%). Cuttings without leaves are to be avoided, since they present the highest mortality percentage (93.6%).
Serum microRNA expression levels in Turkish patients with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract Objectives To determine the serum expression levels of seven candidate microRNAs (miRNA); miR-19a, miR-19b, miR-29a, miR-29c, miR-181, miR-195 and miR-221 in Turkish patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and explored their potential role in the diagnosis of PD. We further described the relationship between these miRNAs with the clinical findings and treatment of PD. Materials and methods The study included 51 PD patients and 20 healthy controls. The clinical severity of disease was assessed using the Hoehn Yahr staging scale and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Venous blood samples were taken after fasting for 12 h, then centrifuged. Obtained serum samples were stored until analysis of miRNA. In the laboratory, expression levels of these miRNAs were analyzed using a real-time PCR instrument. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis and area-under the-curve (AUC) was used to evaluate these miRNA levels as potential diagnostic biomarkers for PD. Results miR-29c expression levels were increased significantly for PD patients compared to healthy controls. There were no significant differences in levels of other miRNAs between PD patients and controls. The AUC of miR-29c was 0.689. The sensitivity and specificity of this diagnostic test was 54.9% and 80.0%, respectively. miR-195 level was found to have a significant positive correlation only with age. Significant negative correlation was found between miR-29a level and UPDRS total score. miR-19b was found higher in ropinirole drug used group than that of pramipexole group. Conclusion This study suggests that serum miR-29c expression level might be potential biomarker in the diagnosis of Turkish Parkinson patients.
Enhanced Phosphorus Release from Phosphate Rock Activated with Lignite by Mechanical Microcrystallization: Effects of Several Typical Grinding Parameters

Recently, microcrystallization technology has gained much interest because of the enhanced dissolution of the target sample and promotion of the sustainable development of agriculture. Phosphorus (P) is one of the most important nutrients for increasing crop yield; the increase in effective P ratio directly from raw phosphate rock (PR) powder by mechanical grinding to increase its microcrystallinity is believed to be the best choice for this purpose. This study reports the improvement in the activation property of PR powder with different lignite ratios (1%, 2%, 3%, and 5%), particularly the relationship between particle-size distribution, specific surface area, granule morphology, and the citric acid-soluble P. It was found that a 3% lignite addition was the optimal treatment for increasing the release of citric acid-soluble P. The maximum total amount of dry matter from rapeseed cultivation and the available P after the test increased by 56.1% and 89.6%, respectively, with direct use of PR and microcrystallized PR powder (PR2), compared with the control test without any addition of phosphate minerals.
Policy Framework Prototype for ONOS

The Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualization (NFV) paradigms can provide increased levels of flexibility, automation and programmability to fields related to Cloud and 5G technologies. One field that can benefit greatly from SDN/NFV is that of policy-based network management. Building upon previous work, this paper presents a network policy framework prototype for the ONOS SDN controller. This paper presents an architecture, where the policy manager and the different policy types are disaggregated as different applications (communicating through dedicated REST APIs). This allows for the ad-hoc installation and removal of new policy types to the policy framework, without causing system-wide disruptions. Details of the underlying framework design are provided, together with concrete insight on the network policy prototype implementation. The prototype is then validated through three Proof of Concept (PoC) policy types, a firewall, a NAT and a connectivity policy.
Selection on Ability and the Early Career Growth in the Gender Wage Gap

This paper analyzes the effect of selection on ability on the evolution of the gender wage gap during the first years of professional life. We use longitudinal data with 16 years of the early career history of formal sector workers in Brazil. The panel allows us to build a measure of unobserved ability that we use to analyze the dynamics of labor market selection across genders as individuals age. We focus on the cohort born in 1974, for which we have a close to complete history of formal labor market participation. For this cohort, the average ability of formally employed men improved in relation to that of women during the first years of professional life. The selection of men and women into the labor market was similar at age 21, but by age 31 high-ability men (one standard deviation above the mean) had a probability of employment 1.6 percentage point higher than their high-ability female counterparts. This contributed to the increase in the conditional gender wage gap observed in the early career, as the ability distribution of employed women deteriorated in relation to that of employed men. Our estimates suggest that, for the 1974 cohort, this mechanism explains 32% of the cumulative growth in the conditional gender wage gap between ages 21 and 36.