Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
South–South Regional Trade Agreements, Comparative Advantage and Industrial Growth: Evidence from MERCOSUR Countries

The authors in this book regard the process of economic expansion as a non-homogeneous and multifaceted phenomenon which has deeply affected human welfare, and cultural, social and political change. The book is a bridge between the theorists (Rosenstein-Rodan, Lewis, Myrdal, and Hirschmann) who in the post-war period analyzed regional inequalities, structural change and dualism, and the modern literature on economic growth. The latter has emphasized the existence of multiple equilibria, bifurcations and various types of dynamic complexity, and clarified the conditions for the emergence of phenomena such as cumulative causation, path dependence and hysteresis. These are the typical ingredients of structural change, economic development or underdevelopment.
Clothing color of surrogate Bicyclist for Pre-Collision System evaluation

Bicyclist Pre-Collision Systems (BPCS) for helping avoid and/or mitigate bicyclist crashes have been equipped on some production vehicles. To support the standardized performance evaluation of BPCS, a surrogate bicyclist has been developed by the Transportation Active Safety Institute (TASI) at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). The surrogate bicyclist was designed to have representative visual and radar characteristics of real bicyclists in the United States. One question to be answered in surrogate bicyclist development is what the representative clothing color should be. This paper presents an approach to determine the clothing color of surrogate bicyclist for the standard evaluation of BPCS. The clothing color of bicyclists was gathered from the TASI-110 car naturalistic driving data collected in the Greater Indianapolis area. A clustering algorithm was used to determine the representative clothing colors of bicyclists.
Mapping of B-cell epitopes in E. coli asparaginase II, an enzyme used in leukemia treatment

Abstract The enzyme L-asparaginase is a crucial component in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As all asparaginases in clinical use are derived from microorganisms, immunological reactions are the most important adverse events associated with asparaginase treatment. Two different methods, phage display and the SPOTs method, were used for the determination of clinically relevant epitopes. Comparison of the results showed that essentially the same domains were identified by the two methods, and thus ascertainment of relevant epitopes can be assumed. Determination of the specificity of the epitopes will be performed with serum from patients with different modes of immunological reactions and from individuals without evidence of an immune response after asparaginase administration.
Major Incident Experience and Preparedness in a Developing Country

Abstract Background Research shows that having previous experience of major incidents has a positive impact on awareness and preparedness of organizations. We investigated the effects of major incident experience on preparedness of health organizations on future disasters in Iran. Methods A qualitative study using a semistructured interview technique was conducted with 65 public health and therapeutic affairs managers. Analysis of the data was performed used the framework analysis technique, which was supported by qualitative research software. Results The study found that prior experience of major incidents results in better performance, coordination, and cooperation in response to future events. There was a positive effect on policy making and resource distribution and an increase in (1) preparedness activities, (2) raising population awareness, and (3) improving knowledge. However, the preparedness actions were predominantly individual-dependent. Conclusions Our findings showed that to increase system efficiency and effectiveness within health organizations, an appropriate major incident management system is needed. The new system can use lessons learned from previous major incidents to better equip health organizations to cope with similar events in the future. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:313-318)
A novel in vitro allometric scaling methodology for aldehyde oxidase substrates to enable selection of appropriate species for traditional allometry

Abstract 1. Failure to predict human pharmacokinetics of aldehyde oxidase (AO) substrates using traditional allometry has been attributed to species differences in AO metabolism. 2. To identify appropriate species for predicting human in vivo clearance by single-species scaling (SSS) or multispecies allometry (MA), we scaled in vitro intrinsic clearance (CLint) of five AO substrates obtained from hepatic S9 of mouse, rat, guinea pig, monkey and minipig to human in vitro CLint. 3. When predicting human in vitro CLint, average absolute fold-error was ≤2.0 by SSS with monkey, minipig and guinea pig (rat/mouse >3.0) and was <3.0 by most MA species combinations (including rat/mouse combinations). 4. Interspecies variables, including fraction metabolized by AO (Fm,AO) and hepatic extraction ratios (E) were estimated in vitro. SSS prediction fold-errors correlated with the animal:human ratio of E (r2 = 0.6488), but not Fm,AO (r2 = 0.0051). 5. Using plasma clearance (CLp) from the literature, SSS with monkey was superior to rat or mouse at predicting human CLp of BIBX1382 and zoniporide, consistent with in vitro SSS assessments. 6. Evaluation of in vitro allometry, Fm,AO and E may prove useful to guide selection of suitable species for traditional allometry and prediction of human pharmacokinetics of AO substrates.
Low-Power Firmware Design Techniques for Wearable Emergency Health Monitoring System

Author(s): Meenakshi Sundaram, Subramanian | Advisor(s): Chou, Pai | Abstract: Embedded wearable medical systems design has been a continuously developing research field. The requirements associated with wearable devices posts severe restrictions on size and battery capacity. Even though battery technology is improving continously, the battery weight and capacity are the issues that influence heavily on how wearable medical devices can be used. Medical devices often require real-time processing capabilities and this demands high throughput. The available energy resource of these system within the posted constraints doesn’t directly meet the demanding requirements. It requires rigorous resource and power management from the firmware to make it feasible. In this thesis we discuss the power constraints of our wearable emergency medical care monitoring device, BlueBox, and our approach in designing low-power firmware for making the optimal use the resource towards fulfilling the demanding requirements.
Sepsis-Associated 30-Day Risk-Standardized Readmissions: Analysis of a Nationwide Medicare Sample*

Objectives: To determine national readmission rates among sepsis survivors, variations in rates between hospitals, and determine whether measures of quality correlate with performance on sepsis readmissions. Design: Cross-sectional study of sepsis readmissions between 2008 and 2011 in the Medicare fee-for-service database. Setting: Acute care, Medicare participating hospitals from 2008 to 2011. Patients: Septic patients as identified by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes using the Angus method. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: We generated hospital-level, risk-standardized, 30-day readmission rates among survivors of sepsis and compared rates across region, ownership, teaching status, sepsis volume, hospital size, and proportion of underserved patients. We examined the relationship between risk-standardized readmission rates and hospital-level composite measures of quality and mortality. From 633,407 hospitalizations among 3,315 hospitals from 2008 to 2011, median risk-standardized readmission rates was 28.7% (interquartile range, 26.1–31.9). There were differences in risk-standardized readmission rates by region (Northeast, 30.4%; South, 29.6%; Midwest, 28.8%; and West, 27.7%; p < 0.001), teaching versus nonteaching status (31.1% vs 29.0%; p < 0.001), and hospitals serving the highest proportion of underserved patients (30.6% vs 28.7%; p < 0.001). The best performing hospitals on a composite quality measure had highest risk-standardized readmission rates compared with the lowest (32.0% vs 27.5%; p < 0.001). Risk-standardized readmission rates was lower in the highest mortality hospitals compared with those in the lowest (28.7% vs 30.7%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: One third of sepsis survivors were readmitted and wide variation exists between hospitals. Several demographic and structural factors are associated with this variation. Measures of higher quality in-hospital care were correlated with higher readmission rates. Several potential explanations are possible including poor risk standardization, more research is needed.
Anti-inflammatory sesquiterpenoids from a sponge-derived Fungus Acremonium sp.

In the course of our search for bioactive metabolites from a sponge-derived fungus Acremonium sp. , new sesquiterpenoids (1-4) were isolated along with known derivatives by bioactivity-guided fractionation. The unique cyclic skeleton of compounds 2 and 3 is unprecedented. The absolute configurations were determined by modified Mosher's method and CD spectroscopy, along with comparison of (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopic data and specific optical rotation values with those reported. The anti-inflammatory activity of the isolated compounds (1, 5, 7-13) was evaluated by measuring their inhibitory effects on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators (NO, IL-6, and TNF-alpha) in RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. Among the compounds tested, compounds 7 and 9 significantly inhibited the production of NO and TNF-alpha at the concentration of 100 microM, while compounds 11 and 12 showed selective inhibition of NO production at the same concentration.
Covering a 3D flat surface with autonomous and mobile wireless sensor nodes

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are used in a wide range of applications due to their monitoring and tracking abilities. Depending on the applications goals, sensor nodes are deployed either in a two dimensional (2D) area or in a three-dimensional (3D) area. In addition, WSN deployment can be either in a distributed or a centralized manner. In this paper, we are interested in a fully distributed deployment of WSN in several 3D-flat-surface configurations using autonomous and mobile nodes. Our goal is to ensure full 3D flat surfaces coverage and maintain network connectivity for these surfaces. To reach our goal we propose 3D-DVFA-FSC, a distributed deployment algorithm based on virtual forces strategy to move sensor nodes over different 3D-flat-surface shapes. Simulation results show that 3D-DVFA-FSC provides a full coverage rate regardless of the 3D-flat-surface configuration while maintaining network connectivity.
Brimonidine Tartrate Poisoning in Children: Frequency, Trends, and Use of Naloxone as an Antidote

BACKGROUND. Brimonidine tartrate, a centrally acting selective α-2 adrenergic agonist with a toxicity that is often compared with that of clonidine, is used as eye drops to lower intraocular pressure in glaucoma. We investigated characteristics of childhood exposures to brimonidine-containing products. METHODS. All brimonidine exposures in children 0 to 5 years of age between 1997 and 2005 were retrieved from the American Association of Poison Control Centers' Toxic Exposure Surveillance System database and the US Food and Drug Administration's Medwatch Adverse Events Reporting System. The design of the study was retrospective, and the main outcome measures were frequency of exposures over time, reason, symptoms/signs of toxicity, dose, management site, treatment, and outcome. RESULTS. There were 413 brimonidine reports in the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System and 340 in the Adverse Events Reporting System during the 9 years under study, of which 185 Toxic Exposure Surveillance System reports involved children ≤5 years of age versus 15 cases in the Adverse Events Reporting System. There were no deaths. The peak age of poisoning in the Toxic Exposure Surveillance System pediatric cases was 2 years of age, and circumstances were unintentional poisoning in 176 cases, usually by ingestion (84.3%). Common symptoms in 176 children included drowsiness (40.9%), ataxia (4.5%), pallor (4.5%), irritability (4.0%), hypotension (4.0%), bradycardia (4.0%), miosis (3.4%), and respiratory depression (3.4%). Of the 176 unintentional pediatric poisonings, 73 children were observed at home and 103 were seen at a health care facility; 28 were hospitalized and 11 received naloxone. Of the 15 pediatric cases in the Adverse Events Reporting System data set, all were hospitalized, and 13 had ocular exposures only. CONCLUSIONS. All children ≤5 years of age with confirmed brimonidine ingestions should be medically evaluated and monitored for an extended period. Indications for the use of naloxone in brimonidine poisoning remain uncertain.
Spatial Trade and Factor Markets

Is it possible to integrate ideas on the spatial equation of labor markets, on trade, and on demand? Examining the problems involved in an overall numerical model, it is argued that current concepts such as demand curves or spatial price equilibria take the system as given and do not allow its derivation. Also, data are not available in the form the models require, incorporating the interactions which need to be studied separately. Simulation models do not suffer from these defects and can employ more realistic formulations. But where they can produce principles of trade-effect interplay, they cannot look at the empirical issue. It is supposed that these can respond better to very aggregate groupings of commodities and services using transfer functions to handle their areal relations.
Kinematic Modeling and Control of Robot Manipulators via Unit Quaternions: Application to a Spherical Wrist

Unit quaternions have become a useful tool for describing rotations in space. This paper shows the application of unit quaternions (also called Euler parameters) to solve the problem of modeling and control of robot manipulators. First, a quaternion-based algorithm that allows to obtain the direct kinematic model of serial manipulators from the Denavit-Hartenberg parameters is introduced. This method is an alternative to the traditional one using homogeneous matrices. Then, a novel kinematic controller that uses Euler parameters as a set of nonminimal state variables is studied, including its Lyapunov stability analysis. Finally, to show the feasibility of the proposed scheme, the kinematic model of a typical spherical wrist is obtained and some simulations are carried out, showing the fulfillment of the control aim
Ultra-wide-band SAW RFID/sensors

During 2-year project “SAWtag” supported in frames of French program “Chaıre d'Excellence” a SAW tag and sensor system operating in the Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) frequency range has been developed. Often SAW tags and sensors operate in 2.44 GHz ISM band using relatively narrow bandwidth B= 82.5 MHz. The characteristics of these devices can be improved using UWB technology. We have developed two prototype devices operating in 200MHz-400 MHz and 2000MHz-2500 MHz UWB frequency ranges. A UWB interrogating device (the “reader”) operating in continuous wave radar mode for 2.0-2.5 GHz range was developed and manufactured by T. Ostertag. The remote measurements show compressed RF pulses of about 2 ns duration, which include unique RF filling of a few sinusoids with amplitude modulation. Precise measurement of the pulse position is possible by correlation methods, avoiding the phase ambiguity problem. The temperature is measured with a precision of about 0.1 °C. This correlation method works even in an environment with strong reflections from metal objects. The short compressed pulses allow measuring a number of sensors simultaneously. For tag application, we measure and identify three different tags at the same time without a collision problem, and this number can easily be greatly increased. Using of Hyperbolically Frequency Modulated (HFM) signals in SAW-tags is also discussed. A UWB SAW-tag with extremely small chip size (0.8mm × 2.1 mm) has been demonstrated. We also briefly discuss the development of 6GHz SAW-tags.
Strong effect of PTH (1-34) on regenerating bone: A time sequence study in rats

This study compares the effects of parathyroid hormone (PTH) treatment on new bone formation and normal baseline remodelling in rats. To study new bone formation we used a titanium bone chamber, and to study normal remodelling we used the femur and vertebrae from the same animals. One titanium bone chamber was inserted in the proximal tibia of each of 37 rats. The rats were randomly assigned to daily injections of human PTH (1-34) 60 w g/kg) or vehicle control and killed after 2, 4 or 6 weeks. The total distance of bone growth into the chamber was slightly increased by PTH. Body weight was not affected, and there was only a minor increase in trabecular density of the vertebral and femoral cancellous bone after 6 weeks. The only dramatic effect of PTH was seen in the chambers. In the controls, a marrow cavity formed in the chamber so that the cancellous density decreased from 44% to 24%, and 11% over 2, 4 and 6 weeks. In the PTH-treated animals, a dense network of bone trabeculae was found in the entire bone chamber at all times. The cancellous density increased from 48% to 60%, and 73% at 2, 4 and 6 weeks, respectively. The results suggest that PTH treatment can reduce the development of a resorption cavity. Thus, PTH in this model had a net antiresorptive effect, probably solely because it stimulated osteoblastic activity. Even though osteoclastic activity was present throughout the PTH specimens, it was not sufficient to resorb all newly formed bone. Since PTH seemed to have a greater effect on new bone formation in the chamber than on normal bone remodeling, it might become useful for improving the incorporation of orthopedic implants and stimulating fracture repair.
Developing Versatile Leadership

Modern models of leadership generally acknowledge that effective leaders must possess a number of seemingly contradictory qualities and skill sets. However, say the authors, inadequate performance is usually defined as displaying a lack of those qualities and skills; the idea that performance problems can just as easily spring from taking a given behavior to an extreme has received far less attention. Therefore, those models miss the chance to identify imbalance, which in the authors' view is the most common impediment to developing effective leadership. The authors view versatility, the absence of imbalance, as the key to high performance levels. Versatile leaders are able to continually adjust their behavior, deftly applying the right approach or blend of approaches to the right degree for the circumstances at hand. The authors' research, comprising comprehensive assessments of scores of senior managers, indicates that most managers, when presented with two opposing approaches, such as forceful vs. enabling leadership, will lean strongly toward one and be biased against the other. Employing a 360-degree survey they designed to measure such imbalance, called the Leadership Versatility Index, they then demonstrate clearly that high performance levels are correlated with balance and versatility. The challenge for the versatile leader is thus to meet what F. Scott Fitzgerald called "the test of a first-rate intelligence": to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function. The authors conclude with a discussion of how leaders can begin to improve themselves and those they manage. They identify a number of root causes of imbalance, ranging from uneven skill development, skewed mental models and one-sided values to fear of inadequacy and a natural human tendency to polarize issues, and they suggest ways to moderate these factors.
Verified Models and Reference Implementations for the TLS 1.3 Standard Candidate

TLS 1.3 is the next version of the Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol. Its clean-slate design is a reaction both to the increasing demand for low-latency HTTPS connections and to a series of recent high-profile attacks on TLS. The hope is that a fresh protocol with modern cryptography will prevent legacy problems, the danger is that it will expose new kinds of attacks, or reintroduce old flaws that were fixed in previous versions of TLS. After 18 drafts, the protocol is nearing completion, and the working group has appealed to researchers to analyze the protocol before publication. This paper responds by presenting a comprehensive analysis of the TLS 1.3 Draft-18 protocol. We seek to answer three questions that have not been fully addressed in previous work on TLS 1.3: (1) Does TLS 1.3 prevent well-known attacks on TLS 1.2, such as Logjam or the Triple Handshake, even if it is run in parallel with TLS 1.2? (2) Can we mechanically verify the computational security of TLS 1.3 under standard (strong) assumptions on its cryptographic primitives? (3) How can we extend the guarantees of the TLS 1.3 protocol to the details of its implementations? To answer these questions, we propose a methodology for developing verified symbolic and computational models of TLS 1.3 hand-in-hand with a high-assurance reference implementation of the protocol. We present symbolic ProVerif models for various intermediate versions of TLS 1.3 and evaluate them against a rich class of attacks to reconstruct both known and previously unpublished vulnerabilities that influenced the current design of the protocol. We present a computational CryptoVerif model for TLS 1.3 Draft-18 and prove its security. We present RefTLS, an interoperable implementation of TLS 1.0-1.3 and automatically analyze its protocol core by extracting a ProVerif model from its typed JavaScript code.
The expression of immunity to Teladorsagia circumcincta in ewes and its relationship to protein nutrition depend on body protein reserves

We hypothesized that expression of immunity to gastrointestinal nematodes and its relationship with dietary metabolizable protein (MP) supply in ewes depended on body protein- but not on body fat reserves. Twin-bearing ewes were trickle infected with Teladorsagia circumcincta. Three mid-pregnancy feeding treatments were used, calculated to maintain body reserves (HH), maintain body protein- and lose body fat reserves (HL), or lose body reserves (LL), and followed by 2 iso-energetic, periparturient feeding treatments, calculated to provide either scarce (LP) or adequate (HP) amounts of MP. At the end of the mid-pregnancy feeding treatment, HL- and LL-ewes had a smaller backfat depth (∼body fat reserves) than HH-ewes, and LL-ewes had a smaller muscle depth (∼ body protein reserves) and higher faecal egg counts (FEC) than HH- and HL-ewes. Overall, LL-ewes had higher periparturient FEC than HH- and HL-ewes, and LP-ewes had higher periparturient FEC than HP-ewes. However, LL-ewes offered the LP feed had higher periparturient FEC than ewes on any of the other combinations of feeding treatments. Feeding treatments affected plasma pepsinogen but not plasma IgA. The results support the view that body protein- but not body fat reserves may overcome consequences of dietary MP scarcity on periparturient breakdown of immunity to gastrointestinal nematodes.