Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regulation and time: temporal patterns in regulatory development

Given the complex decision-making that goes into policy choices for regulatory regimes, it would seem intuitive that such regimes might develop under distinct national styles. By revisiting several historical models of regulatory development, including Bernstein's classic life-cycle model, and then by analyzing six case studies from the US and UK, for example, we explore the possibility that regulatory regimes vary more prominently along the temporal dimension rather than along spatial ones. We conclude that regulatory regimes have similar developmental patterns, although the time spent at each stage in the process can vary significantly according to unique domestic factors. Points for practitioners Existing theories of regulation would suggest that regulatory activity should either follow identical development trajectories in different countries or it should be entirely idiosyncratic in every jurisdiction in which it is used. Clearly neither is true, as some regulatory regimes display similar qualities and development patterns, while others appear to be unique. A comparison of regulatory activities in the US and UK reveals that regulatory regimes in these countries develop through similar stages along similar pathways, but that the rate of development and the transition through the stages can occur at different speeds. This development is mainly stimulated by periodic crises that force changes in regulation.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder risk for heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder is age specific.

BACKGROUND This study was designed to assess age specificity in the risk for heavy drinking and alcohol use disorder (AUD) among adolescents and young adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosed in childhood. METHOD Children diagnosed with ADHD (n=364 probands) were interviewed an average of 8 years later in the Pittsburgh ADHD Longitudinal Study, either as adolescents (11-17 years old) or as young adults (18-28 years of age). Demographically similar age-matched participants without ADHD were recruited as adolescents (n=120) or as adults (n=120) for comparison with the probands. Alcohol involvement was assessed comprehensively to include measures of heavy drinking that are standard in alcoholism research and prognostic of later alcohol-related problems. RESULTS Results revealed age specificity in the association such that episodic heavy drinking (measured as 5+ drinks per occasion), drunkenness, DSM-IV AUD symptoms, and DSM-IV AUD were elevated among 15- to 17-year-old probands, but not among younger adolescents. Among young adults, drinking quantity and AUD were elevated among probands with antisocial personality disorder. Childhood predictors indexing antisocial behavior were also examined. CONCLUSIONS The age- specificity of these findings helps to explain prior inconsistencies across previous studies regarding risk for alcohol-related outcomes among children with ADHD.
Power transfer in fused biconical-taper single-mode fiber couplers: dependence on external refractive index.

It is demonstrated that through control of the refractive index surrounding a fused biconical-taper single-mode coupler the coupling coefficient can be changed from 0% to 96%. Data are also presented that show the coupling mechanism cannot be attributed to power transfer between the modal fields guided by the fiber cores in the taper-waist region. The results support the model of the coupling mechanism as a beat phenomenon between modes guided by a glass core with a dumbbell cross section and an external refractive index.
An easy-to-use image labeling platform for automatic magnetic resonance image quality assessment

In medical imaging, images are usually evaluated by a human observer (HO) depending on the underlying diagnostic question which can be a time-demanding and cost-intensive process. Model observers (MO) which mimic the human visual system can help to support the HO during this reading process or can provide feedback to the MR scanner and/or HO about the derived image quality. For this purpose MOs are trained on HO-derived image labels with respect to a certain diagnostic task. We propose a non-reference image quality assessment system based on a machine-learning approach with a deep neural network and active learning to keep the amount of needed labeled training data small. A labeling platform is developed as a web application with accounted data security and confidentiality to facilitate the HO labeling procedure. The platform is made publicly available.
Inner hair cell Cre‐expressing transgenic mouse

Cochlear hair cells of the inner ear are mechanosensory transducers critical for sound reception in mammals. A mouse with a specific expression of Cre recombinase activity in hair cells is essential for hair cell‐specific gene targeting. Here we report a transgenic mouse in which Cre activity is detected in inner hair cells, not in supporting cells, in the cochlea. The Cre activity was visualized with both X‐gal staining and β‐galactosidase immunostaining in progeny of a cross between our Cre line and the reporter ROSA26R line. In inner hair cells, the Cre activity started at postnatal day 14 and was maintained throughout adulthood. Starting at postnatal day 50, a few outer hair cells in the outermost row of cochlear apical and middle turns displayed the Cre activity. In vestibular hair cells and spiral ganglia, the Cre activity was also detected. Cre activity was present in cells widely distributed throughout brain, testis, and retina, but was absent in many other tissues such as kidney, heart, liver, and intestine. This Cre mouse line can thus be used for conditional gene targeting in mature inner hair cells of the cochlea. genesis 39:173–177, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Security Constrained Unit Commitment in Regulated and Deregulated Power Markets

In this paper, Security-Constrained Unit Commitment (SCUC) model is proposed in a restructured power system. This model consists of a closed-loop modified Unit Commitment (UC) and Security-constrained Optimal Power Flow (SCOPF). An elastic model for load has been used. The objective of this SCUC model is to obtain the maximum social welfare-based system operating cost while maintaining the system security. In conventional power systems, the demand was forecasted before market operation and determined as a fixed constant. Supplying this demand was therefore considered as a constraint. However, in restructured power system which is based on Standard Market Design (SMD), DISCOs offer the demand and their proposed prices; therefore the demand is modeled as an elastic load. Independent System Operator (ISO) is responsible for operating the power market. The ISO performed the power market using the SCUC software to obtain feasible and economical operation as much as possible. In this paper, SCUC problem in both conventional and restructured power systems is compared and simulation results for these models are presented.
Biological Aging and the Future of Geriatric Psychiatry

Advances in understanding the biological bases of aging have intellectually revitalized the field of geriatric psychiatry and broadened its scope to include promoting successful aging and studying resilience factors in older adults. To describe the process by which this paradigm shift has occurred and illustrate its implications for treatment and research of late-life brain disorders, late-life depression is discussed as a prototype case. Prior phases of geriatric psychiatry research were focused on achieving depressive symptom relief, outlining pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic differences between older and younger adults, and identifying moderators of treatment response. Building on this work, current geriatric psychiatry researchers have begun to disentangle the etiologic complexity in late-life depression by focusing on the causative aging-related processes involved, identifying both neurobiological and behavioral intermediates, and finally delineating depression subtypes that are distinguishable by their underlying biology and the treatment approach required. In this review, we discuss several age-related processes that are critical to the development of late-life mood disorders, outline implications of these processes for the clinical evaluation and management of later-life psychiatric disorders, and finally put forth suggestions for better integrating aging and developmental processes into the National Institute of Mental Health's Research Domain Criteria.
Clinical Predictors of Fatigue in Men With Non-Metastatic Prostate Cancer Receiving External Beam Radiation Therapy.

BACKGROUND Fatigue is one of the most distressing symptoms experienced by people with cancer receiving radiation therapy. OBJECTIVES The goal of this study is to evaluate clinical predictors of worsening fatigue during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in men with non-metastatic prostate cancer. METHODS Thirty-five men with non-metastatic prostate cancer scheduled for EBRT were followed at baseline, midpoint, and completion of EBRT. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Fatigue scale was administered. Demographic and clinical data were obtained by chart review. Paired t-tests, correlations, general linear models, and logistic regressions were used to determine associations between fatigue scores and clinical data. FINDINGS Red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit levels were highly intercorrelated and, therefore, were grouped as one composite variable termed heme. Heme levels at baseline and androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) were significantly correlated with worsening of fatigue symptoms from baseline to midpoint and endpoint. ADT alone did not have a significant correlation with fatigue, but it indirectly affected fatigue levels by influencing heme markers as treatment progressed. These findings provide evidence that hematologic markers and the use of ADT assist in predicting radiation therapy-related fatigue and guide symptom management.
Lung Sounds: An Advanced Signal Processing Perspective

Abstract Lung sounds auscultation is often the first noninvasive resource for detection and discrimination of respiratory pathologies available to the physician through the use of the stethoscope. Hearing interpretation, though, was the only means of appreciation of the lung sounds diagnostic information for many decades. Nevertheless, in recent years, computerized auscultation combined with signal processing techniques has boosted the diagnostic capabilities of lung sounds. The latter were traditionally analyzed and characterized by morphological changes in the time domain using statistical measures, by spectral properties in the frequency domain using simple spectral analysis, or by nonstationary properties in a joint time–frequency domain using short-time Fourier transform. Advanced signal processing techniques, however, have emerged in the last decade, broadening the perspective in lung sounds analysis. The scope of this book is to present up-to-date signal processing techniques that have been applied.
Long live patents: the increasing life expectancy of patent applications and its determinants

Relying on a comprehensive dataset including detailed information on all patent applications filed to the EPO from 1980 to 2000 and on the renewal of those of them that were granted, this paper presents the first survival time analysis of the determinants of patent length. The results are twofold: first, they clearly establish that the life expectancy of patent rights has significantly increased over the past decades despite a small decline in the average grant rate. Second, they show that some filing strategies very strongly influence the overall length of patents, possibly due to induced delays in the examination process. This suggests that such strategies may result in higher and longer lasting legal uncertainty on the markets, with unknown consequences on the dynamic efficiency of the patent system.
Income Per Capita and the Structure of Industrial Exports: An Empirical Study

T HIS paper sets out to analyze the empirical relationship between the structure of industrial exports and the level of income per capita across 30 countries. To do so, industrial exports are classified according to (a) the factor intensity of their production functions-for the purpose of providing an indirect test of the factor proportions theory of international trade-and (b) the income elasticity of the demand for various goods-for the purpose of testing part of Linder's (1961) hypothesis. Tariffs, subsidies, differential exchange rates, and other bafriers to trade are of crucial importance in the determination of the actual flows of goods between countries. A single variableincome per capita-therefore cannot by itself explain the structure of trade. However, since per capita income reflects the effects of a variety of economic processes and is usually regarded as an indicator of a country's level of development, I believe it worthwhile to analyse the empirical links between the structure of industrial exports and a country's level of development as measured by its per capita income. The sample of 30 countries with a per capita income above U.S. $500 in 1970 includes all the industrial countries and most of the more advanced developing countries. 1,2 I. The Factor Proportions Theory
PUBLIC GOODS AND CLUB GOODS

Public goods contrast with private goods. Pure public goods have the unique characteristics of non-excludability and non-rivalry in consumption while private goods are sold to those who can afford to pay the market price. The under-supply equilibrium of a public goods provision is an important aspect of the provision of public goods. The economic theory of clubs represents an attempt to explain the under-supply equilibrium of a public goods provision. It raises many different and controversial issues which impinge on government policy in the public sector. In many respects, a club provision proffers an alternative to a central government provision of local public goods. The salient characteristic of a club, the excludability factor, may militate against an equal and democratic distribution of the club good. At the level of voluntary clubs, with which Buchanan was originally concerned, club theory can critically appraise the efforts at achieving optimal membership of the club and the maximum utility of club members. As the literature introduces increasing problems with cooperation then it behoves law and economics scholars to research and develop non-market and/or non-cooperative solutions to an optimal provision of public goods. JEL classification: D60, D71, K00.
Noninvasive investigations of the normal ocular circulation in humans.

PURPOSE To compare the reproducibility of laser interferometric measurements of fundus pulsation, pneumatonometric measurement of pulse amplitude (PA) and pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF), and Doppler ultrasonic measurements of blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OA) and the posterior ciliary arteries (PCAs) and to investigate the association of the results obtained with these methods and to characterize ocular hemodynamics during Valsalva maneuver and isometric handgrip. METHODS All studies were performed in healthy subjects. Fundus pulsation (n = 48), POBF (n = 24), and blood flow velocities (n = 24) were measured at baseline and during the Valsalva maneuver and isometric handgrip. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated for test/retest variability, for short-term variability, and for interobserver variability. RESULTS Intraclass correlation coefficients were between 0.95 and 0.98 for fundus pulsation measurements, between 0.54 and 0.76 for pneumatonometric measurements, between 0.44 and 0.88 for Doppler sonographic measurements in the OA and between 0.32 and 0.60 in the PCAs. There was a high degree of association between pneumatonometric parameters and fundus pulsation amplitude. Valsalva maneuver significantly reduced fundus pulsations, PA, and POBF, whereas isometric handgripping did not change these parameters. CONCLUSIONS The reproducibility of fundus pulsation measurements was excellent. Reproducibility of pneumatonometric parameters and ultrasonographic measurements in the OA was satisfactory. Reproducibility of ultrasonographic measurements in the PCAs was low. Data obtained during the autonomic stimuli experiments argue against the sole use of systems to measure pulsatile blood flow, if no additional data on flow pulsatility are available. At least in cases when changes in blood pressure are likely to occur the ratio of pulsatile to nonpulsatile blood flow might not be constant and POBF might not be an adequate measure of total ocular blood flow.
Timing of the initial functionality development as a key to sustainable functionality: comparative analysis of copying machine development in Canon and Ricoh

Purpose: Sustainable functionality development (FD) is decisive to firm's profitability in their new innovation in a competitive market. While functionality instills attractive values in innovative goods leading to a dramatic increase in profit through increasing demand and higher prices, it obsolesces immediately in a competitive market. Therefore, how to maintain sustainable FD trajectory is decisive to firm survival strategy within the context of mega‐competition in a globalizing economy. Notwithstanding an increasing significance of this subject, dynamism enabling a sustainable FD trajectory still remains inside a black box. The purpose of this paper, on the basis of an empirical comparative analysis of the diffusion trajectories for copying machines developed by Canon and Ricoh, is to attempt to elucidate this dynamism. Design/methodology/approach: This paper employed a bi‐logistic growth model utilizing patent data for copying machine technologies. Findings: It was found that early undertaking of 2nd generational copying machinery initiated by Canon played a more decisive role in terms of its higher level of sustainable FD than with its competitor. Originality/value: This paper provides significant insight to firm's management of technology strategy in a competitive market.
Retinal photoreceptors and visual pigments in Boa constrictor imperator.

The photoreceptors of Boa constrictor, a boid snake of the subfamily Boinae, were examined with scanning electron microscopy and microspectrophotometry. The retina of B. constrictor is duplex but highly dominated by rods, cones comprising 11% of the photoreceptor population. The rather tightly packed rods have relatively long outer segments with proximal ends that are somewhat tapered. There are two morphologically distinct, single cones. The most common cone by far has a large inner segment and a relatively stout outer segment. The second cone, seen only infrequently, has a substantially smaller inner segment and a finer outer segment. The visual pigments of B. constrictor are virtually identical to those of the pythonine boid, Python regius. Three different visual pigments are present, all based on vitamin A(1.) The visual pigment of the rods has a wavelength of peak absorbance (lambda(max)) at 495 +/- 2 nm. The visual pigment of the more common, large cone has a lambda(max) at 549 +/- 1 nm. The small, rare cone contains a visual pigment with lambda(max) at 357 +/- 2 nm, providing the snake with sensitivity in the ultraviolet. We suggest that B. constrictor might employ UV sensitivity to locate conspecifics and/or to improve hunting efficiency. The data indicate that wavelength discrimination above 430 nm would not be possible without some input from the rods.
Maintenance of Oxygenation During Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Emergency Department.

Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is the most common method of airway control in the emergency department (ED). 1,2 Administration of an anesthetic agent and a neuromuscular blocking agent (NMBA) optimizes conditions for tracheal intubation and is thought to minimize the risk of aspiration.3-10 Evidence suggests that RSI improves first pass success and reduces complications in the critically ill.11-14 This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A Monte Carlo Model of DNA Double-Strand Break Clustering and Rejoining Kinetics for the Analysis of Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Data

Abstract Pinto, M. , Prise, K. M. and Michael, B. D. A Monte Carlo Model of DNA Double-Strand Break Clustering and Rejoining Kinetics for the Analysis of Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis Data. Radiat. Res. 162, 453–463 (2004). In studies of radiation-induced DNA fragmentation and repair, analytical models may provide rapid and easy-to-use methods to test simple hypotheses regarding the breakage and rejoining mechanisms involved. The random breakage model, according to which lesions are distributed uniformly and independently of each other along the DNA, has been the model most used to describe spatial distribution of radiation-induced DNA damage. Recently several mechanistic approaches have been proposed that model clustered damage to DNA. In general, such approaches focus on the study of initial radiation-induced DNA damage and repair, without considering the effects of additional (unwanted and unavoidable) fragmentation that may take place during the experimental procedures. While most approaches, including measurement of total DNA mass below a specified value, allow for the occurrence of background experimental damage by means of simple subtractive procedures, a more detailed analysis of DNA fragmentation necessitates a more accurate treatment. We have developed a new, relatively simple model of DNA breakage and the resulting rejoining kinetics of broken fragments. Initial radiation-induced DNA damage is simulated using a clustered breakage approach, with three free parameters: the number of independently located clusters, each containing several DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), the average number of DSBs within a cluster (multiplicity of the cluster), and the maximum allowed radius within which DSBs belonging to the same cluster are distributed. Random breakage is simulated as a special case of the DSB clustering procedure. When the model is applied to the analysis of DNA fragmentation as measured with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), the hypothesis that DSBs in proximity rejoin at a different rate from that of sparse isolated breaks can be tested, since the kinetics of rejoining of fragments of varying size may be followed by means of computer simulations. The problem of how to account for background damage from experimental handling is also carefully considered. We have shown that the conventional procedure of subtracting the background damage from the experimental data may lead to erroneous conclusions during the analysis of both initial fragmentation and DSB rejoining. Despite its relative simplicity, the method presented allows both the quantitative and qualitative description of radiation-induced DNA fragmentation and subsequent rejoining of double-stranded DNA fragments.
Influence of liver-X-receptor on tissue cholesterol, coenzyme Q and dolichol content

Abstract The organ content of the mevalonate pathway lipids was investigated in liver-X-receptor (LXR) α, β and double knock-out mice. An extensive or moderate increase of total cholesterol in the double KO mice was found in all organs elicited by the increase of the esterified form. In LXRα and double KO mice, coenzyme Q (CoQ) was decreased in liver and increased in spleen, thymus and lung, while dolichol was increased in all organs investigated. This effect was confirmed using LXR- agonist GW 3965. Analysis of CoQ distribution in organelles showed that the modifications are present in all cellular compartments and that the increase of the lipid in mitochondria was the result of a net increase of CoQ without changing the number of mitochondria. It appears that LXR influences not only cellular cholesterol homeostasis but also the metabolism of CoQ and dolichol, in an indirect manner.