Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation on Morbidity and Mortality: A Nationwide Cohort Study and Propensity Score Analysis

Background—This study examined the effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) on reducing morbidity and mortality among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results—A retrospective cohort of patients with AF without prior stroke or heart failure (HF) who underwent RFA between 2003 and 2009 was identified using Taiwan’s National Health Insurance claims database. Outpatients with AF who met the same enrollment criteria but did not receive RFA were matched (⩽1:20) by hospitals and dates to serve as controls. Outcomes of interest were death, stroke, or hospitalization for HF. A proportional hazard Cox regression model adjusted by propensity scores (based on age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, comorbidities, medications, and medical resource utilization) was applied to estimate the hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval. A total of 846 patients with AF who received RFA and 11 324 matched AF controls were included, with a mean follow-up of 3.74 and 3.96 years, respectively. RFA was associated with a lower hazard for stroke (hazard ratio, 0.57; 95% confidence interval, 0.35–0.94; P=0.026). The reduction in the hazard for death and HF did not reach statistical significance (hazard ratio, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.62–1.23; P=0.451 and hazard ratio, 0.78; 95% confidence interval, 0.55–1.12; P=0.185, respectively). Additional analysis using death as a competing risk showed similar results for stroke and HF. Conclusions—RFA did not reduce mortality or hospitalization for HF during the immediate 3.5-year follow-up. Although a beneficial effect on stroke prevention associated with RFA was suggested, residual confounding attributable to unmeasured factors remains a concern.
Is covered interest parity arbitrage extinct? Evidence from the spot USD/Yen

We investigate the long-term covered interest parity (CIP) relationship between the US dollar and the Japanese yen. We find that the CIP relation tends to be one way and favours those with the ability to borrow US dollars. Regression analysis reveals that negative changes in spot exchange rates, positive changes in US interest rates and negative changes in yen interest rates generally affect the deviation from parity. Evidence of declining deviations from equilibrium over the sample period is consistent with a more efficient trading environment.
Alterations in Cerebral Blood Flow after Resuscitation from Cardiac Arrest

Greater than 50% of patients successfully resuscitated from cardiac arrest have evidence of neurological disability. Numerous studies in children and adults, as well as in animal models have demonstrated that cerebral blood flow (CBF) is impaired after cardiac arrest. Stages of cerebral perfusion post-resuscitation include early hyperemia, followed by hypoperfusion, and finally either resolution of normal blood flow or protracted hyperemia. At the level of the microcirculation the blood flow is heterogeneous, with areas of no flow, low flow, and increased flow. CBF directed therapies in animal models of cardiac arrest improved neurological outcome, and therefore, the alterations in CBF after cardiac arrest likely contribute to the development of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Current intensive care after cardiac arrest is centered upon maintaining systemic oxygenation, normal blood pressure values for age, maintaining general homeostasis, and avoiding hyperthermia. Assessment of CBF and oxygenation is not routinely performed after cardiac arrest. Currently available and underutilized techniques to assess cerebral perfusion include transcranial doppler, near-infrared spectroscopy, and arterial spin labeling magnetic resonance imaging. Limited clinical studies established the role of CBF and oxygenation monitoring in prognostication after cardiac arrest and few studies suggest that guiding critical care post-resuscitation to mean arterial pressures above the minimal autoregulatory range might improve outcome. Important knowledge gaps thus remain in cerebral monitoring and CBF and oxygen goal-directed therapies post-resuscitation from cardiac arrest.
The Economic Effect of Information Technology in Japanese Local Governments

Due to the current fiscal crisis faced by many Japanese local governments, we decided to conduct research to assist local governments in reducing costs, by reviewing previous studies, as well as investigate the factors affecting wasteful expenditure. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the efficiency of local governments in Japan, applying an econometric technique. Further, we calculate indices of cost efficiency using the stochastic cost frontier method. For the purpose of this research we have focused specifically on city areas of municipal governments to examine whether or not information technology contributes to cost efficiency. The hypotheses that we tested were whether or not, the use of information technology equipment and outsourcing of information technology operations by local governments would result in greater cost efficiency. The results show that outsourcing information technology operations increases cost efficiency.
Anisotropic mechanical and optical response and negative Poisson’s ratio in Mo2C nanomembranes revealed by first-principles simulations

Transition metal carbides include a wide variety of materials with attractive properties that are suitable for numerous and diverse applications. A most recent experimental advance could provide a path toward the successful synthesis of large-area and high-quality ultrathin Mo2C membranes with superconducting properties. In the present study, we used first-principles density functional theory calculations to explore the mechanical and optical response of single-layer and free-standing Mo2C. Uniaxial tensile simulations along the armchair and zigzag directions were conducted and we found that while the elastic properties are close along various loading directions, the nonlinear regimes in stress-strain curves are considerably different. We found that Mo2C sheets present negative Poisson’s ratio and thus can be categorized as an auxetic material. Our simulations also reveal that Mo2C films retain their metallic electronic characteristic upon uniaxial loading. We found that for Mo2C nanomembranes the dielectric function becomes anisotropic along in-plane and out-of-plane directions. Our findings can be useful for the practical application of Mo2C sheets in nanodevices.
Negotiated order in inter-organizational relations: Toward an institutional theory of stakeholder negotiations

In this study we analyze possible links between new institutional economics and stakeholder management models. The authors' preliminary findings fit with the traditional political organization argument: namely that firms organizational decision-making include explicit and implicit aspects, shaped by institutional and technical constraints, and that decisions have to be balanced from this perspective. As an illustrative empirical material the authors use failed merger and acquisition process between United Airlines and US Airways 2000 2001. The basic theorizing methods used in this paper are the alternate template strategy, and comparative analysis between the two readings (texts). The authors suggestion is that the two theoretical frameworks are complementary, and could be useful when studying / estimating the influence of inter-organizational negotiations to organizational decisionmaking, and especially strategizing.
Effects of granulation on the visibility of solar oscillations

Context. The interaction of solar oscillations with near surface convection is poorly understood. These interactions are likely the cause of several problems in helio- and astero-seismology, including the so-called surface effect and apparently unphysical travel time shifts as a function of center to limb distance. There is thus a clear need for further theoretical understanding and observational tests. Aims. The aim is to determine how the observed modes are affected by the convection. Methods. I use HMI velocity and intensity images to construct k-$\omega$ diagrams showing how the oscillation amplitude and phase depend on the local granulation intensity. Results. There is a clear and significant dependence of the observed properties of the oscillations on the local convection state.
Three‐dimensional assessment of impingement risk in geometrically parameterised hips compared with clinical measures

Abnormal bony morphology is a factor implicated in hip joint soft tissue damage and an increased lifetime risk of osteoarthritis. Standard 2‐dimensional radiographic measurements for diagnosis of hip deformities, such as cam deformities on the femoral neck, do not capture the full joint geometry and are not indicative of symptomatic damage.
Role of Kinase Suppressor of Ras-1 in Neuronal Survival Signaling by Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 1/2

Scaffolding proteins including kinase suppressor of Ras-1 (KSR1) determine specificity of signaling by extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), enabling it to couple diverse extracellular stimuli to various cellular responses. The scaffolding protein(s) that contributes to ERK1/2-mediated neuronal survival has not yet been identified. In cultured rat cortical neurons, BDNF activates ERK1/2 to enhance neuronal survival by suppressing DNA damage- or trophic deprivation-induced apoptosis. Here we report that in this system, BDNF increased KSR1 association with activated ERK1/2, whereas KSR1 knockdown with a short hairpin (sh) RNA reduced BDNF-mediated activation of ERK1/2 and protection against a DNA-damaging drug, camptothecin (CPT). In contrast, BDNF suppression of trophic deprivation-induced apoptosis was unaffected by shKSR1 although blocked by shERK1/2. Also, overexpression of KSR1 enhanced BDNF protection against CPT. Therefore, KSR1 is specifically involved in antigenotoxic activation of ERK1/2 by BDNF. To test whether KSR1 contributes to ERK1/2 activation by other neuroprotective stimuli, we used a cAMP-elevating drug, forskolin. In cortical neurons, ERK1/2 activation by forskolin was protein kinase A (PKA) dependent but TrkB (receptor tyrosine kinase B) independent and was accompanied by the increased association between KSR1 and active ERK1/2. Forskolin suppressed CPT-induced apoptosis in a KSR1 and ERK1/2-dependent manner. Inhibition of PKA abolished forskolin protection, whereas selective PKA activation resulted in an ERK1/2- and KSR1-mediated decrease in apoptosis. Hence, KSR1 is critical for the antiapoptotic activation of ERK1/2 by BDNF or cAMP/PKA signaling. In addition, these novel data indicate that stimulation of cAMP signaling is a candidate neuroprotective strategy to intervene against neurotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents.
Motives for Private Income Transfers

Private income transfers are becoming increasingly recognized as a key aspect of the U.S. economy. The majority of private income transfers occur inter vivos (i.e., between living persons), but very little is known about this type of transfer behavior. This paper tests alternative hypotheses concerning motivation for inter vivos transfers. Two motives are considered: altruism and exchange. Evidence presented here casts doubt on the altruistic model of transfer behavior. Observed patterns for inter vivos transfers are more consistent with exchange-related motives. This finding has important implications for the effects of public transfer programs on the distribution of economic well-being. Copyright 1987 by University of Chicago Press.
Contrast ultrasound dispersion imaging of different tumor types

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound imaging is a promising approach for prostate cancer detection by analysis of ultrasound-contrast-agent (UCA) transport kinetics. We have recently proposed the assessment of UCA dispersion kinetics as a valuable tool for characterizing prostate cancer microvascular architectures. To this end, a convective dispersion model is fitted to measured UCA time concentration curves. In this study, spatial coherence analysis is introduced as an alternative reliable method for estimation of UCA dispersion. An analytical monotonic relation between spatial coherence and UCA dispersion is derived. Coherence analysis is therefore proposed for classification of different tumor types. To this end, DU-145 and PC-3 human prostate cancer lines are studied in mice xenograft models. These models are investigated by coherence analysis, aiming at the characterization of their microvascular architecture. The results show a good correlation between microvascular density (MVD) and the obtained UCA dispersion (coherence) maps with p-value <; 0.01, suggesting contrast ultrasound dispersion imaging as a valuable non invasive option for characterization of MVD.
New primers for sex identification in the Chinese Egret and other ardeid species

Using the universal P2/P8 primers, we were able to obtain the gene segments of chromo‐helicase‐DNA binding protein (CHD)‐Z and CHD‐W from ten species of ardeid birds including Chinese egret (Egretta eulophotes), little egret (E. garzetta), eastern reef egret (E. sacra), great egret (Ardea alba), grey heron (A. cinerea), Chinese pond‐heron (Ardeola bacchus), cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), black‐crowned night‐heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), cinnamon bittern (Ixobrychus cinnamomeus) and yellow bittern (I. sinensis). Based on conserved regions inside the P2/P8‐derived sequences, we designed new PCR primers for sex identification in these ardeid species. Using agarose gel electrophoresis, the PCR products showed two bands for females (140 bp derived from CHD‐W and the other 250 bp from CHD‐ZW), whereas the males showed only the 250 bp band. The results indicated that our new primers could be used for accurate and convenient sex identification in ardeid species.
Origin and evolution of the neural crest: A hypothetical reconstruction of its evolutionary history

The neural crest has long been regarded as one of the key novelties in vertebrate evolutionary history. Indeed, the vertebrate characteristic of a finely patterned craniofacial structure is intimately related to the neural crest. It has been thought that protochordates lacked neural crest counterparts. However, recent identification and characterization of protochordate genes such as Pax3/7, Dlx and BMP family members challenge this idea, because their expression patterns suggest remarkable similarity between the vertebrate neural crest and the ascidian dorsal midline epidermis, which gives rise to both epidermal cells and sensory neurons. The present paper proposes that the neural crest is not a novel vertebrate cell population, but may have originated from the protochordate dorsal midline epidermis. Therefore, the evolution of the vertebrate neural crest should be reconsidered in terms of new cell properties such as pluripotency, delamination–migration and the carriage of an anteroposterior positional value, key innovations leading to development of the complex craniofacial structure in vertebrates. Molecular evolutionary events involved in the acquisitions of these new cell properties are also discussed. Genome duplications during early vertebrate evolution may have played an important role in allowing delamination of the neural crest cells. The new regulatory mechanism of Hox genes in the neural crest is postulated to have developed through the acquisition of new roles by coactivators involved in retinoic acid signaling.
Energy-efficient sensor scheduling scheme for target tracking in wireless sensor networks

Although prolonging network life time in target tracking has been extensively studied in the literature of wireless sensor networks, the problem of energy efficiency with well tracking performance is still an open issue. In lots of exited works about target tracking in WSN, energy cost and uniform sampling interval was taken into consideration. While it ignored the remaining energy selected sensors as well as the changing of the target dynamic. In this paper, a target tracking scheme based on minimizing the ratio between the total energy cost and the remaining energy and maximizing the sampling interval is proposed. It contains two parts: the target sensing based on the Kalman-Consensus filer that active sensors receive/broadcast information with its active neighbors and estimate the position of target, the sensors scheduling scheme that selecting the tasking sensors by a predicted objective function. In this function, the tradeoff between tracking performance and network energy costs is obtained. Simulation results show its better performance in target tracking.
The impact of oral health on the quality of life of young patients with congenital cardiac disease

Abstract The purposes of our study were, first, to determine the prevalence of dental caries in young patients with congenital cardiac disease, second, to determine the effect of oral health in their quality of life, third, to examine parental knowledge about associations between oral health and cardiac health, and fourth, to examine parental perceptions regarding access to dental care. A standardized questionnaire was given to a convenience sample of parents of 43 children with cardiac disease and 43 healthy controls from 12 to 71 months of age. In every patient, we performed a dental examination. Descriptive statistics, the two-tailed t-test, and Fisher’s exact test were used for statistical analysis. Of the children with cardiac disease, 17% had caries, compared to 13% of the control group. Almost half of those with cardiac disease had never seen a dentist, compared to 35% of the control subjects. Of the parents of those with cardiac disease, one-fifth did not know whether oral health was important for the heart, compared to one-tenth of controls. Insurance and access to care were not barriers to obtain dental treatment. Statistically significant differences were, first, parents of children with congenitally malformed hearts felt more guilt about their child’s oral health than control parents (p = 0.026), second, they were more upset about the dental problems and/or treatments of their children (p = 0.012), and third, they thought that dental problems and/or dental treatment made their children more irritable (p = 0.012). Our findings indicate that it is of paramount importance that cardiologists and their associated staff educate patients and families about oral health and other issues associated with congenital cardiac disease.
The clinicopathological features of patients with membranous nephropathy

Background Membranous nephropathy (MN) represents a distinct glomerular disease which has been considered as a major cause of nephrotic syndrome (NS) in adults. Evidences show that the clinicopathological features of MN are various among MN cases. This study aimed to summarize and analyze the clinicopathological features of patients with MN. Methods A total of 231 MN patients were recruited in this study. Their clinical and pathological features were collected and analyzed according to their age, gender, pathological stages, and anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R) antibodies tests. Results Among the 231 MN cases, the ratio of male to female was 1.47 and the mean age was 47.43±14.32 years. Altogether, 163 (70.6%) cases were positive for NS. Their serum antiPLA2R, body mass index, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, D2, IgA, and IgE were increased, but IgG was decreased. The majority of the patients were middle aged and old aged. In addition, the pathological stage was significantly correlated with gender (P=0.038), creatinine, (P=0.021) and IgE (P=0.003). A total of 74.9% MN patients were found to be positive for anti-PLA2R antibodies, and they were more likely to have abnormal serum indices. Conclusion The major clinicopathological characteristics of MN patients are summarized in this study. Male and elder MN cases are likely to have rapid disease progression. Advanced pathological stages and being positive for anti-PLA2R antibodies may be potential indicators for disease activity of MN.
Understanding communication channel choices in team knowledge sharing

Purpose – The goal of this paper is to develop and test a model that explains information and communication channel (ICC) choice for knowledge sharing in work teams. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews relevant literature in information and knowledge sharing and communication channel choices to develop the four-layered model. From the four-layered model, an online questionnaire was developed to look at the ICCs that participants have available to them, the ICCs they actually use when sharing information in teams, and their motivations for making their ICC choices. Findings – Although participants reported having access to a wide variety of ICCs, they tended to rely on face-to-face interactions, telephone and e-mail for sharing knowledge. In accordance with the four-layer model, participants reported that ICC choice was impacted by the type of knowledge being shared. In addition, ease of use, reliability, convenience, and the ability of the channel to document communications were all factors m.
Local Feature Descriptors for 3D Object Recognition in Ubiquitous Virtual Reality

This paper represents 3D object recognition, which is an extension of the common feature point-based object recognition, based on novel descriptors utilizing local angles (for shape), gradient orientations (for texture of corners), and color information. First, the proposed algorithm extracts complementary feature points by randomly sampling the positions of the object edges. Then, it generates the proposed descriptors combining local angle patterns, gradient orientations, and color information. After making the descriptors, the method learns a codebook to enable the proposed algorithm to integrate the extracted feature points into a histogram through this codebook. Finally, the method classifies the query histogram based on a classifier. We expect that the proposed algorithm is robust to less textured and similar-shaped objects. The proposed method could be used as a core technology of the initial step of the information retrieval.
The Conquering Balkan Orthodox Merchant

The origins of a Balkan Orthodox merchant class or classes may be traced back to the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Not until the eighteenth century, however, did it become sufficiently strong in wealth and number to capture the trade of Hungary, South Russia, and the eastern Mediterranean. The eighteenth century was a time of expansion of French, German, English, and Russian trade in the Balkans. It was also a time of growth of the trade of Moslem Albanian and Bosnian merchants. But, in terms of its significance to the cultural, political, and general historical evolution of the Balkan peoples, most important of all was the expansion of the Balkan Orthodox merchant: the Greek trader of Constantinople, Salonika, and Smyrna, the Greek and Orthodox Albanian merchant, sailor, and shipper of the smaller Aegean islands, the Greek, Vlach, and Macedo-Slav muleteer and forwarding agent of Epirus, Thessaly, and Macedonia, the Serbian pig-merchant of Šumadija, the “Illyrian” muleteer and forwarding agent of Herzegovina and Dalmatia, who set up business in Ragusa (Dubrovnik) or Trieste, the “Rascian” of Pannonia, and the Greek or Bulgarian of the eastern Rhodope. The Balkan Orthodox merchants were Ottoman, Habsburg, and Russian subjects, but their principal business was to bring goods into or out of the Ottoman Empire. The area of their primary business concentration stretched north and west of the political limits of the Ottoman Empire to Nezhin in South Russia, Leipzig in Germany, Vienna in Austria, and Livorno and Naples in Italy. In western Europe, they succeeded in creating an area of secondary commercial penetration.