Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The noninferiority of the nonparticulate steroid dexamethasone vs the particulate steroids betamethasone and triamcinolone in lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether a nonparticulate steroid (dexamethasone, 10 mg) is less clinically effective than the particulate steroids (triamcinolone, 80 mg; betamethasone, 12 mg) in lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) in subjects with radicular pain with or without radiculopathy. DESIGN Retrospective observational study with noninferiority analysis of dexamethasone relative to particulate steroids. SETTING Single academic radiology pain management practice. SUBJECTS Three thousand six hundred forty-five lumbar TFESIs at the L4-5, L5-S1, or S1 neural foramina, performed on 2,634 subjects. METHODS/OUTCOME MEASURES Subjects were assessed with a pain numerical rating scale (NRS, 0-10) and Roland-Morris disability questionnaire (R-M) prior to TFESI, and at 2 weeks and 2 months follow-up. For categorical outcomes, successful pain relief was defined as either ≥50% reduction in NRS or pain 0/10; functional success was defined as ≥40% reduction in R-M score. Noninferiority analysis was performed with δ = -10% as the limit of noninferiority. Continuous outcomes (mean NRS, R-M scores) were analyzed for noninferiority with difference bounds of 0.3 for NRS scores and 1.0 for R-M scores. RESULTS With categorical outcomes, dexamethasone was demonstrated to be noninferior to the particulate steroids in pain relief and functional improvement at 2 months. Using continuous outcomes, dexamethasone was demonstrated to be superior to the particulate steroids in both pain relief and functional improvement at 2 months. CONCLUSION This retrospective observational study reveals no evidence that dexamethasone is less effective than particulate steroids in lumbar TFESIs performed for radicular pain with or without radiculopathy.
Measuring and modelling risk

This paper will examine some commonly adopted approaches to the measurement of risk in finance and the various shortcomings implicit in the underpinnings of these approaches: early views on the nature of risk and uncertainty (Hume, Bernoulli, Knight, Keynes and Ramsey); the adoption of a mean variance decision choice criteria as a central foundation in financial economics and its accompanying limitations; the various approaches in financial econometrics to modelling volatility (ARCH, GARCH, stochastic volatility, realised volatility and attempts to capture 'tail risk'); the measurement of risk implicit in applications of option pricing models and implied volatility (in particular the VIX index); the Basel Agreements and convention of modelling risk in a value at risk (VaR) framework; and the attractions of conditional value at risk (CVaR) as an alternative metric. I shall conclude with a consideration of the shortcomings of these various approaches when faced with a system wide shock as recently experienced in the global financial crisis.
Modeling Commodity Prices, Inflation And Monetary Policy Response

Inflation is generally defined as the rate of change of some price index. Well known examples are the Consumer Price Index, Wholesale Price Index and the personal consumption expenditure price Index. Measurement and forecasting of these indices has been a subject of ongoing debate and research in recent years. This paper attempts to contribute to the debate within the limits of an empirical and country specific. Section 1 deals with the transmission of Monetary policy to growth. Section 2 examines a simple model of inflation forecasting. Section 3 addresses the unfinished debate on Prices and Monetary management.
Multiband feed using coaxial configuration

In a communication satellite, multiple frequency bands are used for transmitting and receiving communication, data and tracking signals. In this paper we present design, analysis and test results of a dual-aperture coaxial multiband feed horn. The coaxial configuration is particularly useful for the frequency bands that are widely separated. Our design goal was to operate at S-, Ku-, K- and Ka-bands. In our design the Ku through Ka bands are launched through a multiflared circular horn while the S band is launched through a stepped and flared coaxial horn sharing a common axis with the circular horn (Fig. 1). A method of moment (MoM) based software is developed to analyze the structure. It is found that for the S-band, the aperture impedance significantly affects the electrical performance. For the high frequency bands, the mutual coupling between the circular and coaxial apertures plays an important role on the performance. The simulated results including mutual coupling effects agree well with the measured data. This multiband feed design allows a compact, low weight, single offset reflector configuration as opposed to a Cassegrain antenna system that requires two separate feeds and a dichroic subreflector to accommodate multiple bands.
An outlier robust GARCH model and forecasting volatility of exchange rate returns

Since volatility is perceived as an explicit measure of risk, financial economists have long been concerned with accurate measures and forecasts of future volatility and, undoubtedly, the Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model has been widely used for doing so. It appears, however, from some empirical studies that the GARCH model tends to provide poor volatility forecasts in the presence of additive outliers. To overcome the forecasting limitation, this paper proposes a robust GARCH model (RGARCH) using least absolute deviation estimation and introduces a valuable estimation method from a practical point of view. Extensive Monte Carlo experiments substantiate our conjectures. As the magnitude of the outliers increases, the one-step-ahead forecasting performance of the RGARCH model has a more significant improvement in two forecast evaluation criteria over both the standard GARCH and random walk models. Strong evidence in favour of the RGARCH model over other competitive models is based on empirical application. By using a sample of two daily exchange rate series, we find that the out-of-sample volatility forecasts of the RGARCH model are apparently superior to those of other competitive models. Copyright © 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Endovascular treatment with coils of 149 middle cerebral artery berry aneurysms.

PURPOSE To retrospectively evaluate the immediate and long-term clinical results, as well as the angiographic results, of occlusion of middle cerebral artery (MCA) berry aneurysms with coils. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study had institutional review board approval, and informed consent was obtained. One hundred fifty-four MCA aneurysms in 142 patients were intended to be treated. Complications, patient clinical outcomes, and immediate postprocedural and follow-up angiography results were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS One hundred forty-nine (96.8%) of 154 MCA aneurysms (72 ruptured, 77 unruptured) were occluded with coils in 137 patients (99 women and 38 men; age range, 28-76 years; mean, 48 years). Thromboembolic events occurred in 20 (13.4%) and aneurysm perforation occurred in seven (4.7%) of 149 procedures. Endovascular treatment (EVT) was performed without complications for 121 (81.2%) of the treated aneurysms. For ruptured aneurysms, the treatment-related mortality rate was 6% (four of 72 aneurysms) and the treatment-induced permanent morbidity rate was 1% (one aneurysm). For unruptured aneurysms, the treatment-induced mortality rate was 1% (one of 77 aneurysms) and the procedure-related permanent morbidity rate was 3% (two aneurysms). One hundred five (70.5%) of the 149 aneurysms were examined with follow-up angiography at least once. Recurrences were found for 21 (20%) of the 105 aneurysms that were followed up for a cumulative period of 1564 months (mean, 15 months). Of these 21 recurrent aneurysms, 10 increased in size in the interval between follow-up angiography examinations and 11 remained stable. A second treatment was required for 12 aneurysms, and a third treatment was required for one. After repeat EVT, total aneurysm occlusion was attained for nine aneurysms, and a residual neck was seen in two aneurysms. One recurrent aneurysm was surgically clipped. The nine other aneurysms with small recurrences were not candidates for additional treatment. CONCLUSION EVT of MCA aneurysms with coils can be successfully performed without inducing neurologic deficits in most patients with ruptured or unruptured aneurysms.
Monopolistic competition and economic growth

The Dixit-Stiglitz model of monopolistic competition is an important building block of a number of theories of economic growth. We discuss these theories in a general equilibrium framework with two types of research and development (R&D). First, new product lines can be introduced by incurring a sunk cost. Second, incumbent firms can raise productivity by in-house investment in tacit knowledge. Special cases of the model include a dynamic version of the Dixit-Stiglitz model, the semiendogenous growth model, the semi-endogenous growth model based on variety expansion, the endogenous growth model based on in-house R&D, and a combination of the latter two. It is shown that the intensity of competition play quite a different role in the various cases distinguished.
Belief, Doubt, and Legitimacy in a Performance System: National Sport Organization Perspectives

With growing governmental involvement in sport, there has been a corresponding demand on national sport organizations (NSOs) to operate within performance measurement systems. In this study, we analyze data from New Zealand to determine NSO officials� perceptions of (a) their reporting relationship with the central agency (Sport and Recreation New Zealand), and (b) the system of performance contracts (or �investment schedules�). Following Norman (2002), we found differing perceptions regarding the legitimacy of performance systems and three tensions emerged. First, the clarity of focus enabled by performance measurement was tempered by the perception of an ever-changing political environment. Second, NSO officials acted strategically and opportunistically at times, marshalling arguments around performance measures to �capture� their principal. Third, neither trust nor distrust in the system necessarily translated into compliance; some NSOs sought independence from the system. This research speaks to the legitimacy of performance systems, a significant but tenuous element to their sustainability.
Critical incubator dimensions for small firm performance – a study of new technology-based firms localised in 16 incubators

The research proposition in this study relates specifically to the potential for performance associated with cooperation with different actors. The developed analytical model will examine the effects of several different dimensions on small firm performance (sales and employment): background variables (region, branch, etc., four variables), localisation/proximity (11 variables), external networks (14 variables), financing (15 variables) and internal networks – business support (14 variables). This study builds upon data collected from a survey in 2005 of 16 incubators in Sweden. The survey was sent out to the managers of the new technology-based firms (incubatees). Out of the 133 answers (response rate 69%) we were able to use 131 small new technology-based firms localised in 16 incubators in our statistical analysis. From a firms perspective the incubator provides an opportunity of gaining access together with the creation of network links (internal and external) that are important for its daily business activities and performance. However, we found very limited connections between firm performance and internal and external networks. We can also see, regarding the financing situation, that the only statistical connections are between firm performance (both sales and employment) and bank loans (debts). There was very little support overall for the connections between firm performance and the variables.
Subspace Clustering of High-Dimensional Data: An Evolutionary Approach

Clustering high-dimensional data has been a major challenge due to the inherent sparsity of the points. Most existing clustering algorithms become substantially inefficient if the required similarity measure is computed between data points in the fulldimensional space. In this paper, we have presented a robust multi objective subspace clustering (MOSCL) algorithm for the challenging problem of high-dimensional clustering. The first phase of MOSCL performs subspace relevance analysis by detecting dense and sparse regions with their locations in data set. After detection of dense regions it eliminates outliers. MOSCL discovers subspaces in dense regions of data set and produces subspace clusters. In thorough experiments on synthetic and real-world data sets, we demonstrate that MOSCL for subspace clustering is superior to PROCLUS clustering algorithm. Additionally we investigate the effects of first phase for detecting dense regions on the results of subspace clustering. Our results indicate that removing outliers improves the accuracy of subspace clustering. The clustering results are validated by clustering error (CE) distance on various data sets. MOSCL can discover the clusters in all subspaces with high quality, and the efficiency of MOSCL outperforms PROCLUS.
Management Trading in Chinese Entrepreneurial Firms on the ChiNext

ABSTRACT We examine management trading in Chinese entrepreneurial firms on the ChiNext. We find that management shareholdings are considerably high, and executives tend to sell their shares after the IPOs on the ChiNext. The propensity for executives to sell shares is negatively correlated with the firms’ corporate governance and current operating cash flows, but the amount they sell is only positively correlated with the level of management holdings. Both the management selling decision and percentage of selling do not associate with firms’ earnings and sales growth. This suggests that managers are profit makers rather than informed traders in their selling activities on the ChiNext. We also find that the market reaction to management selling is substantially negative, which implies a herding effect of investors following executives to sell shares.
Card-based game methods: exploring SME entrepreneurial marketing practice

This paper makes a contribution to the research of small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs) using qualitative research methodologies. Use of a card-based methodology and semi-structured interviews are reported and how they are used to explore entrepreneurial marketing (EM) in a purposive sample of small software technology firms (SSTFs). The card-game method was used in interviews with owner-managers and employees to empirically test a theoretical qualitative research model, the ‘EMICO’ framework, and the dimensions of entrepreneurial marketing (EM); to generate definitions of the dimensions; provide insights into individual and firm activities and, assess firm priorities. The card-game method encourages respondents to reflect upon their approaches to EM without researcher bias, allowing for the generation of rich dialogue between marketing researchers and practitioners.
On Portfolio Optimisation Techniques

Here we look at alternative equity index weightings to ‘Market Capitalisation Weighting’ to see whether the expected theoretical improvement given by Portfolio Optimisation Techniques are realised in practice. We introduce a new portfolio weighting measure, called ‘Constrained Inverse Beta’, which is simple to implement and effectively a conservative combination of ‘1/N’ , ‘Minimised Variance’, and the less widely used ‘Minimised Correlation’. Choosing any of the four different weightings is a considerable improvement on market capitalisation, and this holds over all sets and subsets of data in our experimentation universe. Also, we find that the weights of the portfolio are at least as important as any single stock selection factor taken in isolation. We quantify the improvements below.
Reducing classification accuracy degradation of pattern recognition based myoelectric control caused by electrode shift using a high density electrode array

The robustness and usability of pattern recognition based myoelectric control systems degrade significantly if the sensors are displaced during usage. This effect inevitably occurs during donning, doffing or using an upper-limb prosthesis over a longer period of time. Electrode shift has been previously studied but remains an unsolved problem. In this study we investigate if increasing the number of electrode channels and recording locations can improve the degraded classification accuracy caused by electrode shift. In our experiment we use a 96 channel high density electrode array to distinguish 11 different hand and wrist movements. Our results show that for electrode shifts up to 1 cm an array of about 32 sensors in combination with state-of-the-art pattern recognition algorithms is sufficient to compensate the electrode displacement effect.
Staying on in full-time education: the educational participation rate of 16-year-olds

This paper presents a time-series analysis of the socioeconomic factors influencing the propensity of sixteen-year-olds to stay on in full-time education in England and Wales. The econometric methodology employed relies on cointegration and "general to specific" techniques. The results suggest that the main factors influencing staying on are the rate of return to education, changing social class structure, unemployment rates, and the introduction of special employment and training measures such as the Youth Training Scheme. Copyright 1991 by The London School of Economics and Political Science.
The Fragility of Estimated Effects of Unilateral Divorce Laws on Divorce Rates

Abstract Following an influential article by Friedberg (1998) on the response of divorce rates to the adoption of unilateral divorce laws, Wolfers (2006) explored the sensitivity of Friedberg’s results to allowing for dynamic response. We in turn explore the sensitivity of Wolfers’s results to variations in estimation method and functional form, and we find that the results are extremely fragile. We conclude first that the impact of unilateral divorce laws remains unclear. Second, we make the methodological point that identification in differences-in-differences research becomes weaker in the presence of dynamics, especially in the presence of unit-specific time trends.
Cooperation of syndecan-2 and syndecan-4 among cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans in the actin cytoskeletal organization of Lewis lung carcinoma cells.

Syndecan-2 cooperates with integrin alpha 5 beta 1 in cell adhesion to a fibronectin substratum and regulates actin cytoskeletal organization in an expression level-dependent manner; Lewis lung carcinoma-derived P29 cells with high expression form stress fibers, whereas the same tumor-derived low expressers, LM66-H11 cells, form cortex actin [Munesue, S. , Kusano, Y. , Oguri, K. , Itano, N. , Yoshitomi, Y. , Nakanishi, H. , Yamashina, I. , and Okayama, M. (2002) BIOCHEM: J. 363, 201-209]. In this study we examined the participation of other cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans in this signaling. The two clones expressed syndecan-1, -2 and -4, and glypican-1 at similar levels except for syndecan-2. Treatment of cells with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C or immobilized anti-syndecan-1 antibodies demonstrated that neither glypican-1 nor syndecan-1 was involved in this signaling, indicating that individual cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans have functional specificity. Stimulation with immobilized anti-syndecan-2 or -4 antibodies induced stress fiber formation in P29 cells but not in LM66-H11 cells, despite the similar levels of syndecan-4 expression, suggesting that stress fiber formation required a threshold expression level of syndecan-2 acting downstream of syndecan-4. This was confirmed by cells in which syndecan-2 expression was artificially suppressed by antisense mRNA oligonucleotide treatment or elevated by cDNA transfection. This is the first report demonstrating that syndecan-2 and -4 cooperate in situ in actin cytoskeletal organization.
The Impact of Training and Language Competence on Judicial Application of EU Law in Hungary

The aim of this research is to identify the role that training in EU law and in a foreign language play in the use of EU law by Hungarian judges in domestic proceedings. Judges in the new Member States face the problems of no or inadequate official EU translations of relevant EU law or case‐law. The need to compare the meaning of other language versions therefore comes into play in order that the judges comply with the requirements of Union loyalty in the Treaty on European Union: Hungarian judges are shown to exhibit certain creative responses to these challenges. The approach to the research is based on an examination of the institutional framework for judicial training, a selection of pertinent case‐law of the Hungarian courts as well as interviews with a number of judges involved in the application of EU law in their courts.
Variant recurrent risk among stroke patients with different CYP2C19 phenotypes and treated with clopidogrel

Abstract Polymorphisms of CYP2C19 have been associated with variant risk of subsequent cardiovascular events in survivors of myocardial infarction (MI) receiving clopidogrel. This study evaluated the impacts of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on stroke recurrence and other vascular events in a cohort of Chinese patients receiving clopidogrel. From Nanjing Stroke Registry Program, 625 consecutive patients with ischemic stroke were enrolled between May 2008 and April 2010. CYP2C19 variants (*2, *3, and *17) were genotyped. Clinical outcomes were determined with three monthly follow-up. The primary endpoint was a composite of vascular death, non-fatal ischemic stroke, and non-fatal MI. The second endpoint was bleeding events. The median exposure to clopidogrel was 13.2 (interquartile range, 8.9–18.0) months. Primary endpoint was observed in 85 (13.6%) patients and secondary endpoint in 13 (2.1%) patients. Frequencies of CYP2C19*1, *2, *3, and *17 alleles were 61.2, 34.0, 3.8, and 1.0%, respectively, in this patient cohort. CYP2C19 loss-of-function allele (*2 and *3, LOF) carriers were observed with higher risk of subsequent vascular events compared with non-carriers (17.2 versus 8.1%, HR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.31–3.56, p = 0.003). After adjusted for age, sex, major cardiovascular risk factors, and drug agent, CYP2C19 LOF carrier was independently associated with primary endpoint (HR = 2.31, 95% CI: 1.39–3.84, p = 0.001). No significant association between CYP2C19 gain-of-function (*17, GOF) and clinical events was detected. In Chinese stroke survivors treated with clopidogrel, carriers of CYP2C19 LOF allele may have increased risk of recurrence.
Production and Operations Restructuring: Using Time‐based Strategies

British and American manufacturers continue the struggle to remain competitive, yet there remains a vast amount of unused energy and potential trapped by the inadequate organization of resources. Using a time‐based strategy, the value‐adding capability of the organization can be measured and constraints identified. This time‐based framework can guide investments and improvement actions whilst retaining links to an overall quick response/improved customer service strategy. A method of reducing throughput time has been developed, which separates non‐value – and value‐adding operations. Results from the electrical switchgear industry show that, when throughput time is reduced, stock of materials, labour efficiency, production planning and customer service can all be improved to reduce total costs.
Methyl 4-(4-fluoroanilino)-1,2,6-tris(4-fluorophenyl)-1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyridine-3-carboxylate

In the title molecule, C31H24F4N2O2, the tetrahydropyridine ring adopts a distorted boat conformation. An intramolecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond is formed by the amino group and ccarboxyl C=O atom. The crystal structure features weak C—H⋯F and C—H⋯O interactions.