Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Very Early Versus Delayed Mobilization After Stroke

BACKGROUND Very early mobilisation is performed in some stroke units and recommended in acute stroke clinical guidelines. It is unclear whether very early mobilisation independently improves outcome after stroke. OBJECTIVES To determine the benefits and harms of very early mobilisation (commenced within 48 hours of stroke) compared with conventional care. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group Trials Register (last searched April 2008). In addition, we searched 25 databases including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2007), MEDLINE (1950 to August 2007), EMBASE (1980 to September 2007), CINAHL (1982 to December 2006), and AMED (1985 to January 2007). We also searched relevant ongoing trials and research registers (searched January 2007) and the Chinese medical database Wanfangdata (searched March 2007), handsearched journals, searched reference lists and contacted researchers in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA Unconfounded RCTs of acute stroke patients, comparing an intervention group that started out of bed mobilisation within 48 hours of stroke and aimed to reduce time to first mobilisation and/or increase the amount or frequency (or both) of mobilisation, with conventional care. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS One review author eliminated obviously irrelevant records; two review authors independently applied selection criteria to remaining studies. The primary outcome was death or poor outcome (dependency or institutionalisation) at the end of scheduled follow up. Secondary outcomes included mortality, dependency, institutionalisation, activities of daily living (ADLs), quality of life, time to walking, adverse events (e.g. deep vein thrombosis) and patient mood. MAIN RESULTS One study, involving 71 participants, was included. In this study the experimental group had earlier and more frequent mobilisation than the control group (median 18.1 hours post stroke for experimental group versus 30.8 hours control; 167 minutes of mobilisation (interquartile range (IQR) 62 to 305) during admission for experimental group versus 69 (IQR 31 to 115) minutes control). Fewer patients who received early and frequent mobilisation were dead or disabled at three months, but this was not statistically significant and the confidence intervals were wide (odds ratio (OR) 0.67, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 1.79, P = 0.42). No significant difference on any secondary outcomes of interest were found. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We found insufficient evidence to support or refute the efficacy of routine very early mobilisation after stroke, compared with conventional care. More research is required to determine the benefits and harms of very early mobilisation after stroke.
Evaluating sex hormone levels in reproductive age women with multiple sclerosis and their relationship with disease severity

Background: Sex-related differences in the severity of multiple sclerosis (MS) could be influenced by the sex hormones. Materials and Methods: This cohort (historical) study evaluated the sex hormone levels during menstrual cycle and their correlation with disease severity in MS. Result: Patients with MS had significantly lower testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and prolactin levels than controls in the follicular and luteal phase but lower estradiol levels only in the follicular phase. A positive correlation coefficient between follicle stimulating hormone and disease severity, and a reverse correlation with estradiol were found. Conclusion: The hormone-related modulation of disease severity supports the suggestion that sex hormones play a role in MS disease.
Trade Credit and the Bank Lending Channel

The bank lending channel theory posits that during monetary contractions banks restrict some firms' loans, thus reducing their desired investment independently of interest rates. Previous research finds small firms reduce, while large firms accelerate, loan growth. We find that small firms increase trade credit, a substitute credit, indicating a strong loan demand. It supports the bank lending channel: they do not voluntarily cut bank loans since they increase a less-desirable alternative. Using trade credit is propitious since unlike commercial paper (investigated by previous researchers), it is widely used by the small firms suffering the loan decline. Surprisingly, we also find large firms increase trade credit, a puzzle since they are typically assumed to have wide access to other credit. Using individual manufacturing firm data, we find the reasons large firms use trade credit are financial in nature: those without a bond rating increase trade credit (that is, without access to open market credit). As relatively few firms have this mark of quality, it implies that more firms are affected by credit constraints than previously believed.
Baseline characteristics of enrollees in the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Registry of alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency. Alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency Registry Study Group.

OBJECTIVE alpha 1-Antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT) deficiency is a hereditary disorder characterized by a high risk for the development of emphysema at an early age. In 1988, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, initiated a registry of individuals with alpha 1-AT deficiency to help define the natural history and clinical course of this disorder. This article describes demographic and clinical characteristics of subjects enrolled in the Registry at baseline. DESIGN Prospective longitudinal natural history study. SETTING Thirty-seven clinical centers in the United States (36 centers) and Canada (one center). PATIENTS There were 1,129 subjects 18 years of age or older with severe deficiency of alpha 1-AT, defined as having serum alpha 1-AT levels < or = 11 mumol/L confirmed by a Central Phenotyping Laboratory, or a ZZ or ZNull genotype identified by genomic DNA analysis. RESULTS Most enrollees were symptomatic white subjects in their fourth to sixth decade, with a ZZ phenotype, a history of having smoked cigarettes, and pulmonary function tests demonstrating a pattern consistent with emphysema. Interestingly, only a small percentage were current smokers on enrollment, suggesting that this population is amenable to smoking cessation. A subgroup of individuals in the Registry with relatively normal lung function were younger, more likely to have never smoked and more likely to have come to medical attention owing to a family history of alpha 1-AT deficiency rather than symptomatic involvement. CONCLUSIONS These results emphasize the need for increased awareness and early detection of alpha 1-AT deficiency. In this endeavor, dissemination of the information contained in the Registry to health-care professionals and the general population, along with initiation of appropriate preventative measures before significant lung damage has occurred, could have considerable benefits for individuals with this condition.
Convex Optimization

This textbook is based on lectures given by the authors at MIPT (Moscow), HSE (Moscow), FEFU (Vladivostok), V.I. Vernadsky KFU (Simferopol), ASU (Republic of Adygea), and the University of Grenoble-Alpes (Grenoble, France). First of all, the authors focused on the program of a two-semester course of lectures on convex optimization, which is given to students of MIPT. The first chapter of this book contains the materials of the first semester ("Fundamentals of convex analysis and optimization"), the second and third chapters contain the materials of the second semester ("Numerical methods of convex optimization"). The textbook has a number of features. First, in contrast to the classic manuals, this book does not provide proofs of all the theorems mentioned. This allowed, on one side, to describe more themes, but on the other side, made the presentation less self-sufficient. The second important point is that part of the material is advanced and is published in the Russian educational literature, apparently for the first time. Third, the accents that are given do not always coincide with the generally accepted accents in the textbooks that are now popular. First of all, we talk about a sufficiently advanced presentation of conic optimization, including robust optimization, as a vivid demonstration of the capabilities of modern convex analysis.
A new Volterra predistorter based on the indirect learning architecture

Nonlinear compensation techniques are becoming increasingly important. We present a new Volterra-based predistorter, which utilizes the indirect learning architecture to circumvent a classical problem associated with predistorters, namely that the desired output is not known in advance. We utilize the indirect learning architecture and the recursive least square (RLS) algorithm. Specifically, we propose an indirect Volterra series model predistorter which is independent of a specific nonlinear model for the system to be compensated. Both 16-phase shift keying (PSK) and 16-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the new approach.
Market Penetration Strategy of Smartphone Companies from China for India Market : A Multiple-case study

This paper reports a study of early and rapid internationalization experience of young Smartphone firms from China, a large emerging market. Following the most popular methodology of building theories with multiple-case study methodology, we distilled research findings about the successful set of marketing strategies from the interviews with the managers of four popular Chinese cell phone makers/brands in their entry into Indian market. This set of qualitative data can support our “Conceptual Framework of Successful Entry of Chinese Smartphone Companies into Indian Market” with propositions about relationships between the constructs. The paper then enfolds and compares literature relevant to late movers, new international ventures and marketing and strategies that involve product innovation and adaptation, pricing tactics along with Integrated Market Communications (IMC) to target another emerging market different from one’s home market. The findings of this study will serve as a base for further empirical study.
Interplay between molecular simulation and neutron scattering in developing new insights into the structure of water

For three decades, molecular models for water, nature's most important liquid, have been developed and refined by fitting to structure measured by neutron scattering. The decade-old widely accepted structure of water at room temperature and pressure was recently revised as a byproduct of attempts to understand the structure of high-temperature/high-pressure water for which, in a remarkable reversal of roles, molecular models successfully pinpointed inaccuracies in scattering data. Subsequent improvements in analyzing scattering data have led to reevaluation of water structure at normal conditions. This remarkable interplay between molecular modeling and experiment suggests molecular methods can effectively complement scattering experiments.
Differential effects of SPARC and cationic SPARC peptides on DNA synthesis by endothelial cells and fibroblasts

SPARC (secreted protein, acidic and rich in cysteine), also known as osteonectin, is an extracellular Ca+2‐glycoprotein that inhibits the incorporation of [3H]‐and delays the onset of S‐phase in synchronized cultures of bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells. This effect appears not to be dependent on the functional properties of SPARC associated with changes in cell shape or inhibition of cell spreading. In this study we investigate the conditions under which cell cycle modulation occurs in different types of cells. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells, a transformed fetal BAE cell line, and bovine capillary endothelial cells exhibited a sensitivity to SPARC and a cationic peptide from a non‐Ca+2‐region of SPARC (peptide 2.1, 0.2—0.8 mM) similar to that observed in BAE cells. In contrast, human foreskin fibroblasts and fetal bovine ligament fibroblasts exhibited an increase in the incorporation of [3H]‐in the presence of 25 μM—0.2 mM peptide 2.1; inhibition was observed at concentrations in excess of 0.4 mM. This biphasic modulation could be further localized to a sequence of 10 amino acids comprising the N‐terminal half of peptide 2.1. A synthetic peptide from another cationic region of SPARC (peptide 2.3) increased [3H]‐incorporation by BAE cells and fibroblasts in a dose‐dependent manner. In endothelial cells, a stimulation of 50% was observed at a concentration of 0.01 mM; fibroblasts required ∼ 100‐fold more peptide 2.3 for levels of stimulation comparable to those obtained in endothelial cells. The observation that SPARC and unique SPARC peptides can differentially influence the growth of fibroblasts and endothelial cells in a concentration‐dependent manner suggests that SPARC might regulate proliferation of specific cells during wound repair and remodeling. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Null mutations in the a PS2 and b PS integrin subunit genes have distinct phenotypes

phenotype with that of the locus that encodes the b PS subunit, myospheroid ( mys ), reveals that while the b PS subunit is required for the adhesion of the epidermis along the dorsal midline, the a PS2 subunit is not. In if mutant embryos, the muscles remain attached to the other cell layers signiﬁcantly longer than in a mys mutant embryo. This shows that the a PS2 b PS integrin only contributes part of the adhesive activity at the sites of PS integrin adhesion, and rules out a model where PS integrin function occurs solely by the direct interaction of the two PS integrins.
Modeling of political web pages spreading in WeChat networks

Modern social media has greatly facilitated the ability and efficiency of people to access and consume information, as well as intentionally or unintentionally spread political rumors and nationalist sentiments. This paper addresses the problem of modeling of political web pages spreading in WeChat networks. At first, a large number of web pages diffused in WeChat are collected, in which more than two hundred million users are involved. The widely disseminated pages are extracted and divided into two categories: political and non-political pages. Then the topological and temporal features of these web pages are analyzed and compared with respect to cascade size, life span, width, height, average depth, and average path length. The properties of involved user's behaviors are examined in terms of viewing delay, sharing delay, and sharing probability. At last, the Unknown-View-Share-Removed (UVSR) model is employed to characterize the dynamic diffusion process of political web pages. The model is driven and validated by the empirical observations of political web pages diffused in WeChat networks. Our findings contribute to predicting and even regulating political rumors and nationalist sentiments.
Accounting for intraclass correlations and controlling for baseline differences in a cluster-randomised evidence-based practice intervention study.

BACKGROUND In health care and community-based intervention studies, cluster-randomised designs have been increasingly used because of administrative convenience, a desire to decrease treatment contamination, and the need to avoid ethical issues that might arise. While useful, cluster-randomised designs present challenges for data analysis. First, because of dependencies that exist among subjects within a cluster, methods that account for intra-class correlations have to be used. Second, on many occasions, because of unavailability of large numbers of clusters, lack of balance on baseline measures has to be carefully examined and appropriately controlled for. AIM/METHODOLOGY Two strategies are presented that can be used when analysing data from a cluster-randomised design; both account for baseline differences. Examples of these challenges are provided by a pain management intervention study designed to promote the adoption of evidence-based pain management practices. One approach involves use of a mixed model via SAS PROC MIXED. The other approach involves use of a marginal model: Generalised estimating equations using SAS PROC GENMOD. IMPLICATIONS In cluster-randomised design, one must adjust for intra-class correlation when evaluating the intervention effect. Although the parameter estimates and their standard errors might be comparable with both random effect and marginal strategies for certain link functions (identity link or log link only), the interpretations are quite different and the two approaches are suitable for indicating answers to different questions. If differences are present concerning baseline measures between experimental and control groups, accounting for baseline measures is important. The choice between a mixed model or marginal approach should be dictated by whether the primary interest is a population or individual.
International Competitiveness in the Economics Literature: A Bibliometric Study

This paper has as its main aim to consolidate the state of the art of academic research on international competitiveness, based on a bibliometric study of the economics literature published over the past 70 years. Citation data is collected from the ISI WEB of Science website, Scopus and Google Scholar and is analysed using Histcite and Vosviewer software. The growth pattern of the international competitiveness literature is investigated by using bibliometric indicators and coâ€“citation analysis, and the core journals, authors and key international competitiveness research domains are identified. The results of the analysis show that international competitiveness is still an important and popular subject of studies in economics. Publications by Krugman, Fagerber and Balassa have made the greatest contributions to the development of international competitiveness concept. Journals with a general economic profile such as the American Economic Review, the Economic Journal and the Journal of International Economics have been most significant in terms of knowledge diffusion on international competitiveness. Additionally, coâ€“citation analysis allows four main topics in international competitiveness research to be identified: skill & innovation; place & globalization; technology and environment.
Complex Iron Smelting and Prehistoric Culture in Tanzania

Western scientists and students of history have long explaind th iron bloomery process by evidence available from European archeology. Ethnographic, technological, and archeological research into the technological life of the Haya of northwestern Tanzania show that these people and their forebears 1500 to 2000 years ago practiced a highly advanced iron smelting technology based on preheating principles and, as a result, produced carbon steel. This sophisticated technology may have evolved as an adaptation to overexploited forest resources. These discoveries are significant for the history of Africa and the history of metallurgy.
Microrheology of complex fluids

The field of microrheology is concerned with how materials store and dissipate mechanical energy as a function of length scale. Recent developments in the theory and instrumentation of the microrheology of complex fluids are reviewed. Equal emphasis is given to the physical phenomena probed, advances in instrumentation, and specific experimental systems in which this field has already had an impact. The inversion of the compliance data, measurement of sample heterogeneity, high frequency viscoelasticity, effects of shear flow, single molecule experiments, surface viscoelasticity and time evolution studies are considered. The techniques highlighted include particle tracking microrheology, diffusing wave spectroscopy, laser tracking, magnetic tweezers and atomic force microscopy. Specific examples of complex fluid systems are chosen from the fields of polymers, colloids and biological assemblies.
Transport Mechanism of the Cloned Potato H+/Sucrose Cotransporter StSUT1*

The transport mechanism of the potato StSUT1 H+/sucrose cotransporter expressed in Xenopus oocytes was investigated using the 2-electrode voltage clamp and radiotracer flux methods. Sucrose induced inward currents through the transporter that were dependent on the extracellular sucrose and H+ concentrations and the membrane voltage. The activation of StSUT1 by H+ and sucrose displayed Michaelis-Menten-type kinetics suggestive of a 1:1 H+:sucrose stoichiometry. This was confirmed by simultaneously measuring inward currents and sucrose flux in voltage-clamped oocytes. The apparent affinities K0.5 for H+ and sucrose were voltage-dependent. At −150 mV Ksuc0.5 was 0.5 ± 0.07 mM at 10 μM H+o, and KH0.5 was 0.1 ± 0.05 μM at 20 mM sucroseo. StSUT1 exhibited presteady-state transient currents, which relaxed with time constants between <1 and 4 ms and fitted to the Boltzmann equation: maximum charge transfer Qmax ≈1.8 nanocoulombs; apparent valence z ≈ 1; potential for 50% charge transfer V0.5 ≈ −15 mV at 0.032 μM H+o and −45 mV at 10 μM H+o. The steady-state data were used to formulate a kinetic model for sucrose transport, and computer simulations were performed to obtain rate constants for the partial reaction steps. Our model is consistent with protons binding to StSUT1 before sucrose with both ligands transported simultaneously across the membrane.
Soluble intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (sICAM‐1) in sera of patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy and thyroid diseases

Intercellular adhesion molecule, a ligand for the leucocyte integrins CDlla/CD18 (LFA‐1) and CD11b/CD18 (Mac‐1), that plays an important role in a variety of inflammatory and immune‐mediated mechanisms, is strongly expressed in rctroocular connective tissue from patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) and involved in lymphocyte attachment to cultured retroocular fibroblasts via the ICAM‐1/LFA‐1‐mediated pathway. Here, we report the detection and functional activity of a soluble form of the ICAM‐1 molecule (sICAM‐1) in sera from patients with GO and other thyroid diseases. Serum concentrations for sICAM‐1 were determined using a highly sensitive ELISA. Compared with normal controls, patients with hyperthyroid or euthyroid GO and patients with Riedcl's invasive fibrous thyroiditis revealed markedly elevated sICAM‐1 serum concentrations (all P 0.0001). In patients with Graves’ disease (GD) without clinical GO and in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), sICAM‐1 levels were elevated to a lesser degree (both P < 0.001). sICAVI‐l serum levels in patients with non‐autoimmune hyperthyroidism due to a toxic adenoma were not significantly different from normal controls. In a separate group of 12 patients with severe inflammatory GO, sICAM‐1 serum levels markedly declined (P < 0.0001) within 3 months of glucocorticoid therapy in nine patients who responded to this form of treatment with a decrease in periorbital inflammation. In contrast, sICAM‐1 serum levels remained unchanged in three patients with poor response to steroids and persistent inflammatory periorbital disease. When tested in a cell adhesion assay, GO sera containing elevated concentrations of sICAM‐1 were found to enhance the attachment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ)‐treated retroocular fibroblasts in a dose‐dependent manner, up to a maximal stimulation of approximately 5×5‐fold (P 0.001). This effect was abolished by preabsorption of sera with a MoAb against ICAM‐1 and inhibited, in a dose‐dependent manner, by coincubation with increasing concentrations of purified sICAM‐1. In conclusion, sICAM‐1 concentrations are markedly elevated in sera from patients with GO, and changes in sICAM‐1 serum levels during glucocorticoid therapy closely parallel changes in the degree of inflammation. Given the capacity of sICAM‐l to modulate the adhesion of lymphocytes to retroocular fibroblasts in vitro, sICAM‐1 may play a role in the ongoing immune process within the connective tissue in GO.