Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of in vivo biocompatibility of different devices for interventional closure of the patent ductus arteriosus in an animal model

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the in vivo biocompatibility of three different devices following interventional closure of a patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS A medical grade stainless steel coil (n = 8), a nickel/titanium coil (n = 10), and a polyvinylalcohol foam plug knitted on a titanium wire frame (n = 11) were used for interventional closure of PDA in a neonatal lamb model. The PDA had been maintained by repetitive angioplasty. Between one and 278 days after implantation the animals were killed and the ductal block removed. In addition to standard histology and scanning electron microscopy, immunohistochemical staining for biocompatibility screening was also undertaken. RESULTS Electron microscopy revealed the growth of a cellular layer in a cobblestone pattern on the implant surfaces with blood contact, which was completed as early as five weeks after implantation of all devices. Immunohistochemical staining of these superficial cells showed an endothelial cell phenotype. After initial thrombus formation causing occlusion of the PDA after implantation there was ingrowth of fibromuscular cells resembling smooth muscle cells. Transformation of thrombotic material was completed within six weeks in the polyvinylalcohol plug and around the nickel/titanium coil, and within six months after implantation of the stainless steel coil. An implant related foreign body reaction was seen in only one of the stainless steel coil specimens and in two of the nickel/titanium coil specimens. CONCLUSION After implantation, organisation of thrombotic material with ingrowth of fibromuscular cells was demonstrated in a material dependent time pattern. The time it took for endothelium to cover the implants was independent of the type of implant. Little or no inflammatory reaction of the surrounding tissue was seen nine months after implantation.
Blockholders are More Common in the United States than You Might Think

Finance scholars have long characterized the large publicly traded U.S. company as having a fragmented ownership structure with a diffuse shareholder base - significantly more diffuse than comparable companies in most other countries. But the findings of the author's recent study, which includes large amounts of “hand-collected data” on the share ownership of U.S. companies, are strikingly at odds with this characterization. As reported in the study, 96% of a sample of 375 randomly chosen, publicly traded U.S. corporations - including companies like American Express and McDonald's - had at least one shareholder who owned at least 5% of the firm's common stock. In fact, such blockholders as a group owned almost 40% of the typical U.S. company. There was, to be sure, an inverse relation between ownership concentration and firm size, but ownership was unexpectedly concentrated even among the largest companies, with 89% of the S&P 500 companies in the sample having at least one 5% blockholder. What's more, the ownership concentration of U.S. public companies turned out to be remarkably similar to the average ownership concentration of large samples of listed companies from 22 European and East Asian countries. More specifically, the ownership structure of U.S. companies - after controlling for differences in company size - appears to all in the middle of the distribution of those countries, whether one looks at the proportion of companies with block-holders or the blockholders' average percentage holdings.
Stroke in the very old : clinical presentation and determinants of 3-month functional outcome: A European perspective. European BIOMED Study of Stroke Care Group.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The oldest old represent the fastest-growing segment of the elderly population in developed countries. Knowledge of age-specific aspects of stroke is essential to establish diagnostic and therapeutic pathways and to set up prevention and rehabilitation programs. We sought to evaluate stroke features and functional outcome in patients aged >/=80 years compared with the younger age groups. METHODS In a European Union Concerted Action involving 7 countries, 4499 patients hospitalized for first-in-a-lifetime stroke were evaluated for demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, resource use, and 3-month disability (Barthel Index) and handicap (Rankin Scale). RESULTS Overall, 3141 patients (69.8%) were aged <80 years, and 1358 (30.2%) were aged >/=80 years. At baseline, female sex, prestroke institutionalization, and a worse prestroke Rankin score were significantly more frequent in the older patients, as were coma, paralysis, swallowing problems, and urinary incontinence in the acute phase (all P values <0.001). Brain imaging and other diagnostic tools were significantly less used in the older patients. Paralysis, swallowing problems, and incontinence during hospitalization independently predicted 3-month disability or handicap in both groups. For the older patients, prestroke institutionalization proved a further strong and independent determinant of 3-month disability (odds ratio, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.22 to 4.45) and handicap (odds ratio, 7.04; 95% CI, 1.62 to 30. 69). CONCLUSIONS In the very old, both medical and sociodemographic factors may significantly influence stroke outcome, showing peculiar characteristics. Knowledge of these determinants may reduce the burden on health systems, improving quality of care.
Adjuvanticity of the oil-in-water emulsion MF59 is independent of Nlrp3 inflammasome but requires the adaptor protein MyD88

Oil-in-water emulsions have been successfully used to increase the efficacy, immunogenicity, and cross-protection of human vaccines; however, their mechanism of action is still largely unknown. Nlrp3 inflammasome has been previously associated to the activity of alum, another adjuvant broadly used in human vaccines, and MyD88 adaptor protein is required for the adjuvanticity of most Toll-like receptor agonists. We compared the contribution of Nlrp3 and MyD88 to the adjuvanticity of alum, the oil-in-water emulsion MF59, and complete Freund's adjuvant in mice using a three-component vaccine against serogroup B Neisseria meningitidis (rMenB). Although the basal antibody responses to the nonadjuvanted rMenB vaccine were largely dependent on Nlrp3, the high-level antibody responses induced by alum, MF59, or complete Freund's adjuvant did not require Nlrp3. Surprisingly, we found that MF59 requires MyD88 to enhance bactericidal antibody responses to the rMenB vaccine. Because MF59 did not activate any of the Toll-like receptors in vitro, we propose that MF59 requires MyD88 for a Toll-like receptor-independent signaling pathway.
A Three-Phase Current Reconstruction Technique Using Single DC Current Sensor Based on TSPWM

Three-phase current reconstruction technique using dc current information in conventional two-level inverters can be used for the purpose of cost reduction and sensor fault tolerance. A novel phase current reconstruction scheme, with reduced immeasurable area and common mode voltage, is proposed in this paper. A tristate pulse-width modulation technique has been employed, in which three adjacent switching states are used to construct the reference voltage. The active switching states are arranged at the edge and the center of a PWM cycle. Fixed sampling and simultaneous three-phase currents can be easily achieved with very little hardware and software requirements. A detailed analysis of the effects of nonidealities leads to regional modifications of the switching sequence resulting in almost the whole hexagon as the feasible area. The usefulness of the proposed reconstruction algorithm has been verified by experimental results obtained from a 4-kW induction motor drive system. Smooth transitions between the redundant and fault-tolerant modes were observed.
Hypoxia induces the expression of a 43-kDa protein (PROXY-1) in normal and malignant cells.

This study was designed to determine the expression of cellular factors that may participate in phenotypic changes that occur under conditions of hypoxia. Using the RT-PCR differential display method, we isolated a cDNA fragment corresponding to a gene whose expression was induced in trophoblast and breast carcinoma cells cultured under 1 or 2% oxygen vs 4% oxygen or higher. This gene encodes a 43-kDa protein initially identified in homocysteine-treated endothelial cells and later shown to be upregulated in various human and mouse cell types (termed RTP, Drg1, Cap43, rit42, Ndr1). Herein we refer to this gene product as PROXY-1, for Protein Regulated by OXYgen-1. Elevated mRNA and protein levels were first observed in cells cultured in 1% oxygen for 8 h. Although PROXY-1 mRNA levels returned to near-control values within 2 h of reexposure to 20% oxygen, protein levels remained high 72 h after reexposure to 20% oxygen. Treatment of cells with hypoxia mimics such as cobalt or iron chelators also increased PROXY-1 expression. Moreover, presence of 30% carbon monoxide in the hypoxic atmosphere abrogated the upregulation of PROXY-1 expression. These findings suggest that hypoxia upregulates PROXY-1 levels through a heme protein-dependent pathway and that assessment of PROXY-1 expression may be of potential use in evaluating tissue hypoxia.
Closed-Form Oriented Modeling and Analysis of Wireless Power Transfer System With Constant-Voltage Source and Load

In many practical applications of wireless power transfer, the battery, which can be modeled as a voltage source, is charged wirelessly from the voltage-source inverter via the transmitter and the receiver. Therefore, it is crucial to analyze such a wireless power transfer system. In this paper, the closed-form oriented modeling and analysis of the wireless power transfer system with the constant-voltage source and load are conducted. Two cases are studied: both the transmitter and the receiver are under resonance, and only the receiver is under resonance. In the latter case, the transmitter is set to be inductive for the implementation of zero voltage switching. The battery current, the output power, and the transfer efficiency of both cases are analyzed and compared in detail. The voltage gain, the power factor, and the output power of the latter case are studied to offer physical insights and design guidelines. An experimental prototype is implemented to verify the analysis. The experiments agree with the calculations.
Mainland Chinese shopping preferences and service perceptions in the Asian gaming destination of Macau

The purpose of this article is to investigate Chinese shopping preferences and service perceptions in a gaming destination. Based on a sample drawn from Macau, the world gambling capital, differences in the product preferences in regard to gender and place of origin of tourists are observed. A comparison of product preferences as well as shopping service attributes between Chinese tourists in Macau and Hong Kong is also made. In addition, the relationship between shopping service attributes and satisfaction is examined. Findings of this study provide an update of the literature and reveal business opportunities to develop Macau and other Asian gaming destinations into a major shopping destination that could potentially mimic the Las Vegas counterpart. The findings also provide insight for other destinations that target Chinese tourists and expand the literature pertaining to Chinese shopping preferences.
The Reversed Clock Drawing Test Phenomenon in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Perfusion SPECT Study

Aim: To unveil a brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) pattern in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients, showing a reversed clock drawing test (CDT) phenomenon. Patients and Methods: Among 1,005 consecutive subjects, 9 AD patients who drew a reversed CDT (AD-R) underwent SPECT, which was analysed (SPM2) versus a group of 10 AD patients performing the CDT correctly (AD+) and versus 15 controls (CTR). Brain SPECT in 11 AD patients who mistook the CDT in a common way (AD–) was compared with AD+ and CTR groups. Results: Relative hypoperfusion was found in AD-R versus CTR in right medial frontal, parahippocampal and subcallosal gyri, and in left insula and superior temporal gyrus. Hypoperfusion was found in AD-R versus AD+ in the right uncus, superior temporal and parahippocampal gyri. In the AD– versus CTR comparison, hypoperfusion was found in left hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and superior parietal lobule. In AD-R versus AD+ and CTR merged together, the analysis showed hypoperfusion in the right parahippocampus, medial frontal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus and uncus, in the left insula and superior temporal gyrus. Conclusion: Fronto-temporal dysfunction, especially in the right hemisphere, plays a role in the reversed CDT phenomenon in AD patients, whereas matched AD patients mistaking the CDT in a common way show left posterior temporo-parietal hypoperfusion.
Developing with Foreign Investment: Malaysia

Over the past two decades, there has been a decisive shift in trade and industry policy in developing countries (DCs) away from import substitution and towards export‐orientation. As part of this policy shift, an increasing number of DCs have become more receptive to foreign direct investment (FDI). Despite its policy relevance, the literature on the role of FDI in the export expansion of manufactured exports from DCs is sparse. This article attempts to fill this gap through a case study of the role of export‐oriented FDI in Malaysia's rapid industrialisation. The overall conclusion of the article is that export‐oriented FDI has brought significant returns to Malaysia principally because the general economic climate has been favourable for the internationalisation of production for a considerable period of time.
U.S. Domestic Money, Inflation and Output

Recent empirical research documents that the strong short-term relationship between U.S. monetary aggregates on one side and inflation and real output on the other has mostly disappeared since the early 1980s. Using the direct estimate of flows of USD abroad we find that domestic money (currency corrected for the foreign holdings of dollars) contains valuable information about future movements of U.S. inflation and real output. Statistical evidence suggests that the Friedman-Schwartz stylized facts can be reestablished once the focus of analysis is back on the correct measure of domestic monetary aggregates.
CEO Inside Debt and Accounting Conservatism

We examine whether inside debt held by managers in the form of pension benefits and deferred compensation affects corporate financial reporting practice. We find significant evidence of less conservative financial reporting at firms where CEOs hold more inside debt. This is consistent with the hypothesis that inside debt dampens managerial risk taking incentive and alleviates debtholders’ concern for asset substitution and expropriation, thereby reducing firms’ need for accounting conservatism to address agency costs of debt. We also find that the negative effect of inside debt on accounting conservatism exhibits several cross-sectional variations as theory predicts and that it is robust to correcting for the endogeneity of inside debt.
SFS feature selection technique for multistage emotion recognition

Feature selection is very relevant for speech emotion recognition task. Still, there is no consensus on optimal feature set and classification scheme for this task. Sequential forward selection (SFS) technique for multistage emotion classification scheme is proposed in this paper. Feature sets were formed from initial collection of 6552 speech emotion features. Experimental study was performed using Berlin emotional speech and Lithuanian spoken language emotions databases. The proposed multistage classification scheme was compared with single stage scheme. Multistage scheme determined higher order of feature sets and demonstrated higher classification accuracy than single stage scheme by 0.5-4.3 %. The superiority of SFS technique against maximal individual efficiency and minimal cross-correlation selection criterions in multistage classification scheme was 20 % approximately.
Atomic force microscope.

The scanning tunneling microscope is proposed as a method to measure forces as small as 10 N. As one application for this concept, we introduce a new type of microscope capable of investigating surfaces of insulators on an atomic scale. The atomic force microscope is a combination of the principles of the scanning tunneling microscope and the stylus profilometer. It incorporates a probe that does not damage the surface. Our preliminary results in air demonstrate a lateral resolu0 0 tion of 30 A and a vertical resolution less than 1 A.
Country of Production Biases on Consumer Perceptions of Global Brands: Evidence From an Emerging Market

ABSTRACT Globalization has created significant opportunities of cost reductions for players to take advantage of location specific benefits. Simultaneously, it has presented significant opportunities for countries, such as China, to actively participate in global trade, attract foreign direct investment, and improve the economic wealth of their nations. However, literature cautions marketers about consumers’ biased evaluations of products based on their country of production. Moving production to low-cost countries could potentially harm brand trust, quality evaluations, and purchase intentions due to unfavorable biases for the country of production. The objective of this study is to investigate country of production biases of Turkish consumers for two global brands, Philips and Adidas. Data for the study (N = 1,608) were collected using mall-intercepts from the 17 largest cities of Turkey. Study findings show that brand trust, perceived quality, and purchase intentions declined sharply for both brands when consumers learned that the product was manufactured in China.
Economic Development and Income Inequality: An Overlooked Regression Constraint

Simon Kuznets proposed the important hypothesis that during the course of secular economic growth of a country income inequality first increases but begins to decline after reaching a peak. ' The hypothesis has received enormous attention in the literature on growth, development, and distribution. Several explanations and theoretical models for the phenomenon have been suggested by Kuznets himself and other scholars, including J. Cromwell, G. S. Fields, J. B. Knight, J. B. Nugent, and S. Robinson.2 Although the explanations differ in detail, most of them rest on postulates of economic growth within a dualistic framework or "measurement errors" of some kind.
The effects of acute and prolonged muscle vibration on the function of the muscle spindle’s reflex arc

Abstract Purpose: Localized mechanical vibration, applied directly to a muscle, is known to have powerful, duration-dependent effects on the muscle spindle’s reflex arc. Here, the conditioning of the function of the spindle reflex arc via vibration was examined with considerations for use as a non-invasive, sensorimotor research tool. Methods: Muscle spindle function was examined with patellar tendon taps prior to and following exposure to muscle vibration applied to the quadriceps femoris for acute (<5 s) and prolonged (20 min) durations. Surface electromyography (sEMG), torque, and accelerometry signals were obtained during the taps to quantify various measures of reflex magnitude and latency. Results: Our findings suggest that acute vibration had no effect on normalized reflex torque or sEMG amplitude (p > 0.05), but increased total reflex latency (p = 0.022). Alternatively, prolonged vibration reduced normalized reflex torque and sEMG amplitude (p < 0.001), and increased reflex latency (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our findings support the use of prolonged vibration as a practical means to decrease the function of the muscle spindle’s reflex arc. Overall, this suppressive effect was evident in the majority of subjects, but the extent was variable. This approach could potentially be used to help delineate the muscle spindle’s role in various sensory or motor tasks in which more direct measures are not feasible. Acute vibration, however, did not potentiate muscle spindle function as hypothesized. Rather, our results suggest that acute vibration increased total reflex latency. Accordingly, potential mechanical and neurophysiological mechanisms are discussed.
Javanese voters / a case study of election under a hegemonic party system

some notable exceptions. For example, the Political Affairs Chief in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, J. Boon, stressed in a memo of February 16, 1949, that skillful diplomacy in New-York had given the Netherlands an additional two months to reach a constructive solution, but to no avail. During that period, the Dutch government had, in effect, ignored all U.N. resolutions. Republican leaders still had not been released, Dutch military operations had continued, and any kind of recognition of the Republic had been left in abeyance. Boon stated that "the limits" of what was possible had now been reached and the only hope lay in giving the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "complete freedom to negotiate" with Indonesian leaders (pp. 575-76). The 379 documents included in this volume give an excellent record of these six weeks. Accounts of Dutch Cabinet minutes, diplomatic reports, and politicaleconomic overviews from various regional officials add a special flavor to the actionpacked events of this short period. The information assembled will enable scholars to supplement, corroborate, or possibly correct information in such standard sources in English as George McT. Kahin's Nationalism and Revolution in Indonesia (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1952) and Alastair M. Taylor's Indonesian Independence and the United Nations (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, I960). Scholars also will benefit greatly from finding in each volume of the series information it would take an immense amount of time and effort to retrieve from the Dutch General National Archives. The present volume continues the tradition of having a subject-and-place index as well as an index of participant individuals showing name and position held at the time. Presumably, another three volumes are needed to complete the series.
Cameroon - Fostering skills for inclusive workforce development, competitiveness, and growth : a framework for action

The overarching goal of this study is to facilitate Cameroon’s strategic objective of ensuring a well-educated human resources base in support of its quest to emerge as a strong middle-income economy by 2035. This study is intended to support Cameroon in preparing a national strategy for skills development, related policies, and institutions to boost competitiveness and productivity, and job creation - while being aware that many factors other than skills can limit productivity and job creation, including weak governance, bureaucracy, infrastructure, and taxation policies that directly affect the business environment. The study focuses on skills development for the informal and formal labor markets. For this purpose the authors have undertaken empirical analyses on growth accumulation effects, skills development through the education, and training system that is presented by examining skills accumulation effects, and value-chain analysis that shows the constraints for the demand and supply of skilled and unskilled labor in Cameroon. This report also presents a comprehensive diagnostic of skills development policies and institutions in Cameroon. It analyzes the various mechanisms for skills development and their alignment with emerging sector demand. The study attempts to bridge a knowledge gap about the skills mismatch in Cameroon, and address the question of how education and training can make valuable contributions to developing skills, spurring growth, increasing competitiveness, and helping Cameroon evolve to higher-value products and services. This study attempts to understand the skills in demand by employers, the constraints on the development of those skills, and the skills that make a difference in raising productivity.