Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tirofiban and sirolimus-eluting stent vs abciximab and bare-metal stent for acute myocardial infarction: a randomized trial.

CONTEXT Bare-metal stenting with abciximab pretreatment is currently considered a reasonable reperfusion strategy for acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Sirolimus-eluting stents significantly reduce the need for target-vessel revascularization (TVR) vs bare-metal stents but substantially increase procedural costs. At current European list prices, the use of tirofiban instead of abciximab would absorb the difference in cost between stenting with sirolimus-eluting vs bare-metal stents. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical and angiographic impact of single high-dose bolus tirofiban plus sirolimus-eluting stenting vs abciximab plus bare-metal stenting in patients with STEMI. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled study (Single High Dose Bolus Tirofiban and Sirolimus Eluting Stent vs Abciximab and Bare Metal Stent in Myocardial Infarction [STRATEGY]) of 175 patients (median age, 63 [interquartile range, 55-72] years) presenting to a single referral center in Italy with STEMI or presumed new left bundle-branch block and randomized between March 6, 2003, and April 23, 2004. INTERVENTION Single high-dose bolus tirofiban regimen plus sirolimus-eluting stenting (n = 87) vs standard-dose abciximab plus bare-metal stenting (n = 88). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary end point was a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or binary restenosis at 8 months. Secondary outcomes included freedom, at day 30 and month 8, from major cardiac or cerebrovascular adverse events (composite of death, reinfarction, stroke, and repeat TVR). RESULTS Cumulatively, 14 of 74 patients (19%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 10%-28%) in the tirofiban plus sirolimus-eluting stent group and 37 of 74 patients (50%; 95% CI, 44%-56%) in the abciximab plus bare-metal stent group reached the primary end point (hazard ratio, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.18-0.60; P<.001 [P<.001 by Fischer exact test]). The cumulative incidence of death, reinfarction, stroke, or TVR was significantly lower in the tirofiban plus sirolimus-eluting stent group (18%) vs the abciximab plus bare-metal stent group (32%) (hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.28-0.92; P = .04), predominantly reflecting a reduction in the need for TVR. Binary restenosis was present in 6 of 67 (9%; 95% CI, 2%-16%) and 24 of 66 (36%; 95% CI, 26%-46%) patients in the tirofiban plus sirolimus-eluting stent and abciximab plus bare-metal stent groups, respectively (P = .002). CONCLUSION Tirofiban-supported sirolimus-eluting stenting of infarcted arteries holds promise for improving outcomes while limiting health care expenditure in patients with myocardial infarction undergoing primary intervention.
Predicting turning points in business cycles by detection of slope changes in the leading composite index

A Bayesian statistical method to detect turning points in the leading composite index is introduced. Under the assumption of causal priority of the leading composite index to the business cycle, the turning points in business cycles are predicted by detection of them in the index. The underlying process of the leading composite index is described by a dynamic linear model with random level and slope, where the random slope is distorted by a random shock at each turning point. The turning point is detected by obtaining a large value of the posterior probability that one of the previous slope components has undergone a major change. The intensity of the change causing a turn in the business cycle is quantified by estimating the size of the random shock. The application of the results to the US leading composite index are compared with results of earlier studies.
Advanced Oxidation Degradation of Dichlorobenzene in Water by the UV/H2O2 Process

Through UV/H2O2 photocatalytic advanced oxidation technique the performance, kinetics, pathway, and mechanism of ortho-dichlorobenzene (O-DCB) in water and the effect parameters of degradating reaction were studied systematically. The results showed that the reaction of photocatalytic degradation of O-DCB was fast and accorded well with the pseudo-first-order kinetics. The roles of some parameters, such as the pH, the initial concentrations of O-DCB, H2O2, and some anions in reaction solution, were examined in detail. It was found that weak acidic or neutral environment was favorable to the degradation reaction and some anions slowed down the photocatalytic degradation rate. Input amount of H2O2 possessed the best value under specified condition. The intermediates of O-DCB degradation were also tentatively identified 2,3-dichlorophenol, 3,4-dichlorophenol, formic acid, acetic acid, and oxalic acid mainly adopting GC/MS and ion chromatogram (IC) techniques. According to this, the pathway and mechanism of UV/H2O2 photocatalytic degradation of O-DCB were deduced and led.
Altitudinal neglect

Previous clinical observations on patients with hemispatial neglect from unilateral hemispheric lesions suggest the brain's attentional mechanisms are organized along the horizontal dimensions of extrapersonal space. We now report a patient with Balint's syndrome caused by bilateral parieto-occipital infarctions, who demonstrated altitudinal neglect. On visual and tactile bisection of vertical rods, the patient consistently placed her mark well above the true midpoint, and this performance remained unchanged when the stimuli were simultaneously explored visually and tactually. She also showed altitudinal inattention in the visual modality by extinguishing the stimulus presented in the lower quadrants during double simultaneous stimulation across the horizontal meridian. These findings suggest that bilateral damage to the parietal lobes can lead to multimodal attentional and exploratory deficits along the vertical dimensions of extrapersonal space.
Global Imbalances in Current Account Balances

Persistent current account deficits were observed in some developing countries that are received substantial foreign capital in the last decades. This has raised the issue of sustainability and increased the volume of studies about the measures of sustainable current account deficits in the economic literature. Researchers especially concentrated on the issue that whether the deficits result with a balance of payments crisis or not. In this paper, we use Markov Switching Auto Regressive models with three regimes in 1975â€“2009 periods annually for analyzing the current account balances of some developing countries; Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey. Since oil exports (or imports) constitute large amounts in trade balances of these countries and current account balances represent persistency in their nature, we have used oil prices together with the current account balances itself in order to explain the structure of the current account balance levels of these countries. Results indicate that behavior of the current account balances differs in response to a being an oil exporter or importer which highlights the structural part of the current account balances.
Hotel Management Contracts and Deficiencies in Owner-Operator Capital Expenditure Goal Congruency

A review of the findings of prior empirical research concerning hotel management contracts between owners and operators is undertaken. It is noted that management contracts have become increasingly commonplace in the international hotel sector and that gross revenue and gross operating profit are the most extensively used determinants of operator incentive fee remuneration. These findings present a platform for examining how revenue and gross operating profit are deficient in promoting owner—operator goal congruency. In light of this, return on investment (ROI) and residual income (RI) are examined as potential alternative determinants of operator reimbursement. Although it is appears that both ROI and RI as determinants of hotel operator fees would represent an advance in promoting owner—operator goal congruency, a rationale outlining how RI is preferable to ROI is outlined.
Cocoa Market Liberalization in Retrospect

World cocoa production and exports are dominated by West Africa. Post-independence governments inherited and maintained marketing board or caisse de stabilisation institutions which organized and, in certain cases also monopolized, both internal and external marketing of cocoa exports. These institutions were dismantled or otherwise reformed in a move towards liberalized marketing which started in the mid nineteen eighties. The liberalization objectives were to increase competition in the marketing chain, reduce the costs associated with bureaucratic administration, to ensure that cocoa marketing ceased to be a burden on the state and on donors and to obtain a higher share of world prices for the farmers. I assess the extent to which these objectives have been realized and comment on the current policy agenda.
Vertical Jump Assessment on Volleyball: A Follow-Up of Three Seasons of a High-Level Volleyball Team

Borràs, X, Balius, X, Drobnic, F, and Galilea, P. Vertical jump assessment on volleyball: A follow-up of three seasons of a high-level volleyball team. J Strength Cond Res 25(6): 1686-1694, 2011—This is a longitudinal descriptive study whose purpose is to assess the physical state of male volleyball players competing at the international level, comparing their jump heights during 3 different seasons. National team sample relies upon trainer decisions, and it was different every season. There were 23, 15, and 13 players in the first, second, and third years, respectively. Subjects underwent a vertical test protocol consisting of rocket jump, squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), CMJ with arms (CMJa), and spike jump (DJb) at the preparation period of the national team season. In 2007, an extra evaluation was performed during the competitive period. A contact mat was used for the assessment. An increase of jump height was observed over the years, with SJ and DJb increasing significantly (FSJ = 5.4; FDJb = 4.7; p < 0.05). The elasticity index decreased significantly between 2007 and 2008 (FEI = 8.5; p < 0.05), whereas arm utilization index and approach index increased, but this increase was not statistically significant. A significant increase in SJ and DJb was also observed between the 2 tests performed in 2007, whereas a nonsignificant increase was observed for CMJ and CMJa. The results indicate a better performance of explosive strength, elastic-explosive strength, and reflex-elastic-explosive strength and a better use of arms during jumps.
A modification of the hemolytic plaque assay for use with protein antigens.

A method is presented which allows the in vitro enumeration of cells producing antibody against a variety of protein antigens. The proteins are covalently linked to red blood cells by means of a carbodiimide reagent. The concentrations of protein required for the plaque assay are greater than those required for passive agglutination. The method is simple and sensitive and the results mimic the kinetics of the response that is seen in in vivo assays of serum antibody. Both direct (probably 19 S) and indirect (probably 7 S) plaque-producing cells are detected.
Paranoia and emotion perception across the continuum.

OBJECTIVES Persons with high levels of paranoid ideation may be more sensitive to emotional stimuli, particularly negative emotions, reflecting the operation of a paranoid schema. However, this finding has not been consistently supported and needs further study. This study examined the effect of paranoia, as measured on a continuum, on emotion perception. It was predicted that higher levels of paranoia would be associated with improved emotion perception scores with better recognition for negative emotions than positive. DESIGN A four-group ANOVA design was used to compare participants with clinical and sub-clinical paranoia to reflect the continuum view of paranoia. METHODS A group with persecutory delusions (N=30) was compared with three sub-clinical groups (N=88) on two posed emotion perception tasks. The sub-clinical participants were divided into high, moderate, and low groups based on scores from the Paranoia Scale, a widely used measure of sub-clinical paranoia. RESULTS Persons with persecutory delusions had lower overall emotion perception scores than all of the sub-clinical groups. For negative emotions, persons with persecutory delusions had lower identification scores than the moderate and low sub-clinical groups, but were no different than the high sub-clinical group. Anger was especially problematic for clinical participants. There were no differences for positive emotions. CONCLUSIONS Instead of an enhanced sensitivity for the recognition of emotional states, higher levels of paranoia were linked to a performance deficit on emotion perception tasks. The deficits in emotion perception may reflect the increased skepticism and scrutiny associated with posed emotion tasks (Davis & Gibson, 2000). Research should begin to focus on the underlying mechanisms of emotion perception deficits in paranoia.
Eps15 Is a Component of Clathrin-coated Pits and Vesicles and Is Located at the Rim of Coated Pits*

Eps15, a phosphorylation substrate of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase, has been shown to bind to the α-subunit of the clathrin-associated protein complex AP-2. Here we report that in cells, virtually all Eps15 interacts with the cytosol and membrane-bound forms of AP-2. This association is not affected by the treatment of cells with EGF. Immunofluorescence microscopy reveals nearly absolute co-localization of Eps15 with AP-2 and clathrin, and analysis by immunoelectron microscopy shows that the localization of membrane-associated Eps15 is restricted to the profiles corresponding to endocytic coated pits and vesicles. Unexpectedly, Eps15 was found at the edge of forming coated pits and at the rim of budding coated vesicles. This asymmetric distribution is in sharp contrast to the localization of AP-2 that shows an even distribution along the same types of clathrin-coated structures. These findings suggest several possible regulatory roles of Eps15 during the formation of coated pits.
Is sexual life influenced by transdermal estrogen therapy?

Two hundred and forty‐two postmenopausal women between 35 and 65 years of age requiring hormone replacement therapy for climacteric symptoms were blindly and randomly allocated to treatment either with transdermal estradiol therapy (Estraderm* 50 μg/24 h) (E) or placebo (P). The patches were changed twice a week and treatment continued for 12 weeks. No progestogen supplement therapy was given during the study. No previous hormone replacement therapy had been given for the last six months and the women had had their last menstruation more than sin months ago. As a part of a larger study assessing women's quality of life, a Swedish version of ‘McCoy's Sex Scale Questionnaire’ was administered at the start of treatment and after 12 weeks. This questionnaire contains nine items regarding different aspects of sexual life. The difference between the scorings at the start of treatment and after 12 weeks were calculated for each item and the values of the E and the P groups were compared. Items regarding ‘satisfaction with frequency of sexual activity, sexual fantasies. degree of enjoyment. vaginal lubrication and pain during intercourse’ were positively influenced in the E group compared to the P group. Items not affected were ‘frequency of orgasm and sexual arousal’. A correlation between improved sexual life and quality of life was also found when the results from the McCoy scale were compared with a battery of quality of life questionnaires.
Your Glasses Know Your Diet: Dietary Monitoring Using Electromyography Sensors

Dietary monitoring can provide valuable information for disease diagnosis, body weight control, and dietary habit management, and thus it is welcomed by patients, dieters, and nutritionists. While various techniques have been used for dietary monitoring in clinical trials and user studies, they are not ready for daily use. Existing solutions either require tedious manual recording or may impede normal daily activities. In this paper, a pair of diet-aware glasses is designed. The key idea here is that when people wear glasses, the temples of the glasses are in touch with the lower part of the temporalis muscle, one of the mastication muscles. By integrating an electromyography (EMG) sensor into glasses, the glasses can measure the muscle activity of the temporalis to detect intake-related events. This paper instantiates the idea by building a prototype equipped with an EMG sensor, a microcontroller, SD shield/card and a Bluetooth radio. When working together with a smartphone, the glasses can provide detailed information on intake schedule, the number of chewing cycles and broad food category. Extensive experiments are conducted on seven subjects and the results show appealing prospects for our diet-aware glasses. The prototype achieves 96% accuracy for counting the number of chewing cycles and up to 90.8% accuracy for classifying five types of food.
A development of navigation system with image segmentation in mosaicplasty of the knee

Mosaicplasty is a surgery that transplants osteochondral grafts for osteochondritis dissecans. In mosaicplasty, cylindrical osteochondral grafts are harvested from normal area, and transplanted to injured area. The one of the most important things of this surgery is that the graft should be perpendicular to the surface of the cartilage. The navigation system that aims improvement of precision has been already studied, however cannot be applied to use an endoscope. In addition, it is a problem to have low precision of the transplant in the freehand. Therefore, we thought that the system would be widely used if we develop the mosaicplasty navigation system under an endoscope. This study proposes a navigation system to determine a proper position and pose for harvesting. In the experiments, a femoral imitation bone was used as a profile of the femoral joint surface. The experiment consists of the following three procedures: Scan and display of the femoral joint surface profile. Display of a normal vector for the femoral joint surface and a harvester. Measurement of the accuracy of the normal vector. In the results, the developed system could display the femoral joint surface and the normal vector for the femoral joint surface virtually. Also, the angle between the surface normal vector and the real normal vector was an average of 6.50 degree. As a future work, the stereographic system using camera should be downsized.
Penalty–Reward-Contrast Analysis: a review of its application in customer satisfaction research

It is widely observed that researchers use Penalty–Reward-Contrast Analysis (PRCA) to identify the asymmetric influences of product/service attributes on overall customer satisfaction, since it readily adapts to typical customer satisfaction data. However, there is no consensus on its application phases. An extensive literature review of PRCA revealed differences in three main issues: (1) definition of low and high performance levels; (2) decision on the regression coefficients (standardised or unstandardised) for penalty and reward values and (3) classification of the attributes. Therefore, in this study, the authors aim to contribute to the existing literature by proposing a standardised process for PRCA application. Moreover, by using the data on a case study, the authors intended to show that different applications may also produce different findings from the same research data.
Inflation, stagflation, relative prices, and imperfect information: Permanent–transitory confusion

This book surveys the imperfect-information approach to inflation and its real effects. Two types of informational limitation are considered. One involves situations in which individuals have asymmetric information about the current general price level and consequently confuse relative and aggregate changes in prices. The other considers situations in which individuals cannot distinguish permanent from transitory changes as soon as they occur, creating a temporary but persistent confusion between such changes. The author presents the arguments within the context of the recent re-evaluations by economists of previously established views concerning inflation and its interaction with real phenomena.
Effects of pravastatin on the pharmacokinetic parameters of nimodipine after oral and intravenous administration in rats: Possible role of CYP3A4 inhibition by pravastatin

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pravastatin on the pharmacokinetics of nimodipine in rats. Materials and Methods: The effect of pravastatin on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4 activity was evaluated. Nimodipine was administered to rats intravenously (3 mg/kg) and orally (12 mg/kg) with pravastatin (0.3 and 1 mg/kg). Results: Pravastatin inhibited CYP3A4 enzyme activity in a concentration-dependent manner with a 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of 14 µM. Compared with the oral control group, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC0-∞) of nimodipine was increased significantly. Consequently, the absolute bioavailability (AB) of nimodipine with pravastatin (1 mg/kg) was 31.1%, which was significantly enhanced compared with the oral control group. Moreover, the relative bioavailability (RB) of nimodipine was 1.12- to 1.31-fold greater than that of the control group. Conclusions: The enhanced oral bioavailability of nimodipine might be mainly due to inhibition of the CYP3A-mediated metabolism of nimodipine in the small intestine and/or in the liver and due to reduction of the total body clearance rather than both to inhibition of the P-gp efflux transporter in the small intestine and reduction of renal elimination of nimodipine by pravastatin. The increase in the oral bioavailability of nimodipine with pravastatin should be taken into consideration of potential drug interactions between nimodipine and pravastatin.
A Ga0.47In0.53As/InP heterophotodiode with reduced dark current

We have used a Ga<inf>0.47</inf>In<inf>0.53</inf>As/InP heterostructure to produce a photodiode (area =<tex>3 \times 10^{-4}</tex>cm<sup>2</sup>) which shows a saturated dark current of 100 pA at 23°C and 1.7 nA at 50°C. At this dark current, these photodiodes have near-unity quantum efficiency at 1.6 μm and show good photoresponse over the<tex>1.0-1.65 \mu</tex>m region of the optical spectrum.
What drives students to complete online courses? What drives faculty to teach online? Validating a measure of motivation orientation in university students and faculty

Although online student enrollment has shown double digit growth for almost a decade and academic leaders recognize that online education is necessary for enrollment growth, little is known about what motivates students to enroll in or faculty to teach face-to-face (F2F) versus online courses. The psychometric properties of a motivation scale were examined with students (n = 235) and faculty (n = 104) at a large, public, urban university in the southeastern USA. Analyses revealed that the scale was reliable as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for online and F2F courses were similarly constructed for students and faculty; additionally, results revealed that motivations for online and F2F education are distinct concepts. Findings also demonstrated that online extrinsic motivation predicted the number of online courses students completed, while F2F intrinsic motivation negatively predicted the number of online courses a faculty member had taught. These results address several limitations with existing motivation measures and enhance the ability to predict student and faculty outcomes in online education.