Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Botulinum toxin type A for the treatment of arm and hand spasticity in stroke patients

Background: Focal spasticity can be a major drawback in the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Previous studies suggest a beneficial effect for botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) for relief of spasticity. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of BTX-A in the treatment of spasticity in a homogeneous group of stroke patients. Methods: In this phase III open label trial 19 stroke patients stable for at least six months were enrolled (mean age 53.1 (SD 3.27) years; range 26-72). There were 16 males and 4 females. Assessments: Clinical (Ashworth spasticity rating scale, scores for joint mobility, pain and frequency of spasms, Frenchay arm test (FAT)) and subjective (semi-quantitative rating scale filled out by the patient). Only hand and finger flexors were injected. The maximum dosage was 150 U BOTOX® (25 U/muscle), the mean dosage was 92.1 ± 31.6 U BOTOX®. Results: Ashworth rating scale and joint mobility scores improved from a median value of 2 at baseline to a median value of 1 one month after treatment, FAT scores also improved from a median value of 0 at baseline to a median value of 1 one month after treatment (Kruskall-Wallis test p < 0.01). Two-thirds of the patients rated their functional improvement as none or mild. Conclusions: Our study confirmed that BTX-A has an anti-spastic effect but its functional impact needs further evaluation.
MVA and the Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns

The authors examine the cross–section of expected stock returns between 1985 and 1994 and find a strong negative relationship between market value added per share (MVA) and average returns. When the joint effect of MVA, firm size, and the ratio of price–to–book value is examined, the explanatory power of size and the price–to–book value for the cross–section of average returns is substantially diminished, but MVA is still strongly related to returns. These results suggest three possibilities: that MVA is serving as a proxy for a risk factor that affects equilibrium expected returns, that current poor performance will be reversed in the future as the mean–reverting hypothesis suggests, or that low MVA firms are relatively underpriced.
The shamans of wall street: a real conundrum in finance. Why systematically poor performing asset managers survive?

In this paper we propose a behavioral explanation for the survival of poorly performing asset managers. We argue that, in general, asset managers make use of copious amounts of correct but useless information to convince investors about their supposed superior ability to interpret the market. Their marketing skills and motivational speeches seem to be enough to maintain asset managers in business regardless of the results. We present data that show how bad a number of asset managers can be. We also show how prevalent asset managers’ underperformance is. We argue that some Wall Street professionals are able to fool almost all of their clients most of the time into believing that they add value in the services they provide while the data show that this is not true. What we cannot show with this data is whether managers actually believe they are as good as they claim they are, or are not just shamans, albeit shameless as well.
Active Site Mapping of Human Cathepsin F with Dipeptide Nitrile Inhibitors

Cleavage of the invariant chain is the key event in the trafficking pathway of major histocompatibility complex class II. Cathepsin S is the major processing enzyme of the invariant chain, but cathepsin F acts in macrophages as its functional synergist which is as potent as cathepsin S in invariant chain cleavage. Dedicated low‐molecular‐weight inhibitors for cathepsin F have not yet been developed. An active site mapping with 52 dipeptide nitriles, reacting as covalent–reversible inhibitors, was performed to draw structure–activity relationships for the non‐primed binding region of human cathepsin F. In a stepwise process, new compounds with optimized fragment combinations were designed and synthesized. These dipeptide nitriles were evaluated on human cysteine cathepsins F, B, L, K and S. Compounds 10 (N‐(4‐phenylbenzoyl)‐leucylglycine nitrile) and 12 (N‐(4‐phenylbenzoyl)leucylmethionine nitrile) were found to be potent inhibitors of human cathepsin F, with Ki values <10 nM. With all dipeptide nitriles from our study, a 3D activity landscape was generated to visualize structure–activity relationships for this series of cathepsin F inhibitors.
Use of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty for secondary hypospadias repair or repair in circumcised patients.

PURPOSE To retrospectively review our experience of the tubularized incised plate (TIP) urethroplasty in a series of re-operative hypospadias repairs or circumcised children. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between September 2001 and September 2007, 17 children (mean 4.6 years, range 7 months to 15 years), were referred for hypospadias re-operation. Some of these patients had previously undergone circumcision and missed hypospadias. In all cases, the TIP urethroplasty was covered with an additional layer of subcutaneous tissue or dartos flap. The original location, associated complications and results were recorded. RESULTS There were 4 (30.7%), incidences of complications of TIP re-operation, 2 meatal stenosis, one stenosis with small fistula and one dehiscence. Re-operation was necessary in only one patient of our series (7.6%) and the others were cured by dilatation. No complications occurred in the circumcised patents. CONCLUSION Using TIP urethroplasty as described by Snodgrass, is a suitable method for treating primary and re-operative cases. It can also be used successfully in patients, who do not have a healthy skin flap and in circumcised patients when there is a lack of foreskin.
The Effects of Shifts in a Return Distribution on Optimal Portfolios

When the distribution of the returns of a risky asset undergoes a stochastically dominating shift, a risk-averse investor may not necessarily increase the investment in that asset. This paper provides restrictions on the investor's utility function that are necessary and sufficient for a dominating shift to bring about no decrease in the investment in the respective asset if there are two risky assets in the portfolio. These conditions are also necessary if there are n > 2 assets, and are necessary and sufficient if the utility function exhibits constant absolute risk aversion. Copyright 1990 by Economics Department of the University of Pennsylvania and the Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association.
Economies of Scale and Scope at Large Commercial Banks: Evidence from the Fourier Flexible Functional Form

This study contributes new evidence on bank cost efficiency by computing efficiency measures from estimated cost functions. It overcomes deficiencies of previous studies by restricting the sample to homogeneous banks and by estimating Fourier flexible cost functions. A Fourier flexible cost function, which has the translog nested within it, can potentially approximate an arbitrary cost function well over the function's entire range. Functions consistent with both the 'intermediation' and 'production' approaches are estimated using 1986 and 1990 Call Report data for large banks. The computed efficiency measures show little evidence of scale and scope economies. In addition, tests reveal translog cost functions to be biased. Copyright 1996 by Ohio State University Press.
On the use of a non-singular linear transformation of variables data envelopment analysis

In this paper, we consider non-singular linear transformation of the inputand outputvariables in the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The transformation is useful in selecting variables and dealing, for instance, with interval scale variables. We will develop general theory and show that the results are invariant due to non-singular linear transformation provided the concept of “dominance” is defined accordingly. The invariance property is valid only for non-singular linear transformation. Finally, we briefly discuss in singular linear transformation and illustrate some pitfalls, which may lead to wrong results.
Fair Value Accounting for Financial Instruments: Does It Improve the Association Between Bank Leverage and Credit Risk?

ABSTRACT : Many have argued that financial statements created under an accounting model that measures financial instruments at fair value would not fairly represent a bank's business model. In this study we examine whether financial statements using fair values for financial instruments better describe banks' credit risk than less fair-value-based financial statements. Specifically, we assess the extent to which various leverage ratios, which are calculated using financial instruments measured along a fair value continuum, are associated with various measures of credit risk. Our leverage ratios include financial instruments measured at (1) fair value; (2) U.S. GAAP mixed-attribute values; and (3) Tier 1 regulatory capital values. The credit risk measures we consider are bond yield spreads and future bank failure. We find that leverage measured using the fair values of financial instruments explains significantly more variation in bond yield spreads and bank failure than the other less fair-value-based lev.
The impact of country culture on the adoption of new forms of work organization

Purpose – This paper aims at understanding the relationship between the adoption of new forms of work organizations (NFWOs) and measures of country impact, in terms of national culture and economic development.Design/methodology/approach – The adoption of NFWO practices is measured through data from the fourth edition of the International Manufacturing Strategy Survey, while Hofstede's measures are adopted for national culture, and gross national income (GNI) per capita is used as an economic development variable. Multivariate linear regression is applied to investigate relationships, using company size as a control variable. A cluster analysis is utilized to identify groups of countries with similar cultural characteristics and to highlight different patterns of adoption of NFWO practices.Findings – The authors show that it is possible to explain different patterns in the adoption of NFWO practices when considering company size and cultural variables. GNI is instead only significant for some practices an.
Initial Stage of Transformation of Permissive Cells by Simian Virus 40: Development of Resistance to Productive Infection

A quantitative assay has been used to determine the conditions leading to acquisition of resistance of permissive cells to lytic infection. The number of cell colonies surviving infection depends on the occurrence of several cell divisions after infection. High yields of resistant colonies were obtained when infected, confluent cultures were released from contact inhibition 10 to 14 hr after infection. Infection of actively growing cells produced similar results, but halting further division by seeding these growing cells on confluent monolayers prevented the development of colonies. Colony formation was a direct function of multiplicities lower than 5. An inverse killing response was observed with higher multiplicities, yet colonies were produced at a multiplicity of infection as high as 50. Brief exposure of input simian virus 40 to ultraviolet light stimulated colony formation. Irradiation of the virus for longer periods of time led to reduction of colony formation at a rate slower than the rate of inactivation of viral infectivity. It was concluded that resistance is induced by simian virus 40 and that this alteration represents one of the earliest detectable characteristics of the transformation of permissive cells.
Surprise as a Catalyst for Including Climatic Change in the Strategic Environment

This article examines what prompted electricity supply organizations to include changing climatic conditions as key elements of the strategic environment. Utilizing themes emerging from inductive analysis, the authors explain how and why surprising climatic events drove the organizations to begin including climate trends in their strategy development and planning processes. Results indicate that organizations were surprised climate was becoming more unpredictable, was directly affecting their operations, and was challenging long-held assumptions about climatic patterns. Our findings suggest that adaptation to climate change occurs predominantly as a reaction to climatic surprise, rather than a preemptive response to increasing awareness, and perceived uncertainty and risks as suggested by previous studies. Results also show that organizations are beginning to conceptually link changes in local climatic conditions to the global issue of climate change; though such linkages are not necessarily important to the inclusion of climate in the strategic environment.
Information Externalities Along the Supply Chain: The Economic Determinants of Suppliers’ Stock Price Reaction to Their Customers’ Earnings Announcements

We study the economic determinants of the information externality suppliers experience at the time of their customers’ quarterly earnings announcements (QEAs). We measure the information externality as suppliers’ stock price reaction to their customers’ QEAs. We expect information externalities to arise because the information revealed in customers’ QEAs can revise investors’ expectations about the level of suppliers’ future earnings and cash flows, and or because it resolves uncertainty about those future earnings and cash flows. We find that the information externality experienced by suppliers is increasing in the: (1) magnitude of the new information disclosed at customers’ QEAs; (2) strength of the economic bond between the firms, (3) components of the earnings information disclosed by a customer, (4) level of macroeconomic uncertainty prevailing at the time of customers’ QEAs; and decreasing in suppliers’ earnings persistence. We also find that the information contained in customers’ QEAs leads to both a revision in beliefs about the level of suppliers’ future earnings, as well as to a resolution of uncertainty about such earnings. Our study adds to the literature which seeks to understand the economic factors that lead to cross-sectional differences in earnings informativeness. However, unlike prior studies which have focused on examining the factors that determine “own-firm” stock price reactions to earnings, we identify the economic factors that lead to cross-sectional differences in the informativeness of one firm’s earnings (e.g., a customer’s) to investors of a another, non-announcing firm (e.g., a supplier). Our study also extends prior research by documenting that information externalities are not limited to firms in the same industry but also extend to firms in the supply chain.
High performance switched reluctance motor drive for automobiles using C-dump converters

Small electric motors in an automobile perform various tasks such as engine cooling, pumping, and in heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. At present, most of DC motors are supplied by 12 V or 24 V batteries. However, DC motors suffer from lack of efficiency, low life cycles and unreliability. Therefore, there is a growing interest in substituting DC motors for advanced AC motors including switched reluctance motors. Although there are several other forms SRM converters, they are either unsatisfactory to the control performance or unsuitable for the 12 V-battery powered 3-phase SRM drives. Taking into account the requirement for effective operation and simplicity structure of converter in the limited internal environment of automobiles, the author inclines toward selecting the modified C-dump converter as well as the energy efficient C-dump converter. This is so that more economical and efficient converter topology in automobile industries can be utilized. This paper describes the foundation for the design and development of a 12 V-250 W-3000 rpm SRM drives for automobiles. Furthermore, complete circuit, computer simulation and experiment results are presented to verify the performance of the C-dump converters.
Ignition sequence: on mentorship.

Objective The author reflects on lessons in becoming and being a psychiatry journal editor. Methods The author describes his transition from a writer to an editor and his development as an editor. Results Editors need to consider the originality, novelty, methodological rigor of manuscripts, as well as their prose and ethical integrity. Conclusion The author hopes that others undertake the role of editor.
Retrofitting technique to improve voltage sags ride-through capability of ASD using SEPIC rectifiers

The main cause of ultimately arrest in automated systems, which use adjustable speed drives (ASDs), are temporary voltage sags. Based in this context, this paper presents an analysis of a hybrid three-phase rectifier developed for power factor correction and to promote voltage sag ride-through capability to ASDs. In order to prove the effectiveness of the proposed solution, this paper also presents results of experimental analysis for several case studies, evaluating the performance of the proposed hybrid rectifier before the voltage sags types A, B, and E. Considering all these cases studied, it was shown that the proposed solution is effective and very attractive for applications under high power. Experimental results under normal power supply for an output power of 5 kW are also included.
Design of an Intrusion Detection System for Unknown-attacks based on Bio-inspired Algorithms

Signature-based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can detect only known attacks that have signatures. As new unknown-attacks are appearing continuously, the detection of unknown-attacks has become the essential part of IDS. This paper presents a novel design of IDS by combining two existing bio-inspired machine learning algorithms; Artificial Immune System (AIS) and Ant Clustering Algorithm (ACA), and evaluates the pros and cons of the approach. In our approach, after ACA makes clusters by using unsupervised learning, AIS categorizes the network traffic to self and non-self as normal and abnormal profiles, respectively. Our design presents better performance than other existing similar design.
An Implementation of an Adaptive Control Algorithm for a Three-Phase Shunt Active Filter

This paper deals with the hardware implementation of a shunt active filter (SAF) for compensation of reactive power, unbalanced loading, and harmonic currents. SAF is controlled using an adaptive-linear-element (Adaline)-based current estimator to maintain sinusoidal and unity-power-factor source currents. Three-phase load currents are sensed, and using least mean square (LMS) algorithm-based Adaline, online calculation of weights is performed and these weights are multiplied by the unit vector templates, which give the fundamental-frequency real component of load currents. The dc bus voltage of voltage source converter (VSC) working as a SAF is maintained at constant value using a proportional-integral controller. The switching of VSC is performed using hysteresis-based pulsewidth-modulation indirect-current-control scheme, which controls the source currents to follow the derived reference source currents. The practical implementation of the SAF is realized using dSPACE DS1104 R&D controller having TMS320F240 as a slave DSP. The MATLAB-based simulation results and implementation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SAF with Adaline-based control for load compensation.
A Simple Multistatic Radar Based on Alamouti Space-time Code

Bistatic and multistatic radar plays an important role in modern warfare. A simple multistatic radar is proposed based on Alamouti space-time code. The structure of the multistatic radar and signal model is studied. The detection performance of the multistatic radar is also analyzed. Taking advantage of spatial diversity gain, the radar performance is dramatically improved compared to the current multistatic radar
Mass Spectrometric Analysis of 40 S Ribosomal Proteins from Rat-1 Fibroblasts*

Although sequences of most mammalian ribosomal proteins are available, little is known about the post-translational processing of ribosomal proteins. To examine their post-translational modifications, 40 S subunit proteins purified from Rat-1 fibroblasts and their peptides were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry. Of 41 proteins observed, 36 corresponded to the 32 rat 40 S ribosomal proteins with known sequences (S3, S5, S7, and S24 presented in two forms). The observed masses of S4, S6-S8, S13, S15a, S16, S17, S19, S27a, S29, and S30 matched those predicted. Sa, S3a, S5, S11, S15, S18, S20, S21, S24, S26-S28, and an S7 variant showed changes in mass that were consistent with N-terminal demethionylation and/or acetylation (S5 and S27 also appeared to be internally formylated and acetylated, respectively). S23 appeared to be internally hydroxylated or methylated. S2, S3, S9, S10, S12, S14, and S25 showed changes in mass inconsistent with known covalent modifications (+220, −75, +86, +56, −100, −117, and −103 Da, respectively), possibly representing novel post-translational modifications or allelic sequence variation. Five unidentified proteins (12,084, 13,706, 13,741, 13,884, and 34,987 Da) were observed; for one, a sequence tag (PPGPPP), absent in any known ribosomal proteins, was determined, suggesting that it is a previously undescribed ribosome-associated protein. This study establishes a powerful method to rapidly analyze protein components of large biological complexes and their covalent modifications.
Analysis of cagA in Helicobacter pylori Strains from Colombian Populations with Contrasting Gastric Cancer Risk Reveals a Biomarker for Disease Severity

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for the development of gastric cancer, and the bacterial oncoprotein CagA contributes to gastric carcinogenesis. Methods: We analyzed H. pylori isolates from persons in Colombia and observed that there was marked variation among strains in levels of CagA expression. To elucidate the basis for this variation, we analyzed sequences upstream from the CagA translational initiation site in each strain. Results: A DNA motif (AATAAGATA) upstream of the translational initiation site of CagA was associated with high levels of CagA expression. Experimental studies showed that this motif was necessary but not sufficient for high-level CagA expression. H. pylori strains from a region of Colombia with high gastric cancer rates expressed higher levels of CagA than did strains from a region with lower gastric cancer rates, and Colombian strains of European phylogeographic origin expressed higher levels of CagA than did strains of African origin. Histopathologic analysis of gastric biopsy specimens revealed that strains expressing high levels of CagA or containing the AATAAGATA motif were associated with more advanced precancerous lesions than those found in persons infected with strains expressing low levels of CagA or lacking the AATAAGATA motif. Conclusions: CagA expression varies greatly among H. pylori strains. The DNA motif identified in this study is associated with high levels of CagA expression, and may be a useful biomarker to predict gastric cancer risk. Impact: These findings help to explain why some persons infected with cagA-positive H. pylori develop gastric cancer and others do not. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 20(10); 2237–49. ©2011 AACR.