Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A diagnostic marker of peripheral vascular diseases

In this work, we report the results of a project, devoted to the development of a real time analysis for noninvasive monitoring of pulse transit time values on people affected by peripheral vascular diseases. Pulse transit time was computed as the time difference between every R-peak of the electrocardiographic signal and the following photopletysmographic peak. Both types of signals were acquired from 12 volunteers and real time signal analysis was performed in LabVIEW. Pathological conditions were simulated on every individual by means of an external cuff pressure applied on their arm. As expected, a PTT increase for increasing values of applied pressure was observed for all the volunteers. The proposed real time analysis could be suggested as a new, non-invasive optical method for real time monitoring of pulse transit time on patients affected by peripheral vascular diseases. Keywords—Photopletysmograpy; Pulse Transit Time; Non invasive monitoring.
No-Arbitrage Dynamics for a Tractable SABR Term Structure Libor Model

The SABR closed-form formula (Hagan et. al 2002) is the standard for smile-consistent pricing in the swaption market. Here we address the issue of turning SABR assumptions into a consistent and arbitrage-free term structure model in the BGM/Libor Market Model framework. We compute the joint dynamics followed by Libor rates and stochastic volatility of SABR kind under the general pricing measures used for interest rate derivatives, and we observe that the volatility dynamics is non-standard. Based on the analysis of the equation found, we develop and justify theoretically a few approximations aimed at making these no-arbitrage dynamics compatible with the use of the SABR closed-form formula. Then the formulas developed above are confronted both with alternative numerical implementations and with market data. We verify that the formulas for no-arbitrage corrections are acceptably precise, maintain good fitting, and produce regular Libor parameters. Finally we verify that the no-arbitrage corrections to the volatility dynamics make the out-of-calibration-sample prices implied by the model closer to market quotations, compared to prices implied by a trivial multivariate SABR neglecting such corrections.
The Y-Family DNA Polymerase Dpo4 Uses a Template Slippage Mechanism To Create Single-Base Deletions

ABSTRACT The Y-family polymerases help cells tolerate DNA damage by performing translesion synthesis, yet they also can be highly error prone. One distinctive feature of the DinB class of Y-family polymerases is that they make single-base deletion errors at high frequencies in repetitive sequences, especially those that contain two or more identical pyrimidines with a 5′ flanking guanosine. Intriguingly, different deletion mechanisms have been proposed, even for two archaeal DinB polymerases that share 54% sequence identity and originate from two strains of Sulfolobus. To reconcile these apparent differences, we have characterized Dpo4 from Sulfolobus solfataricus using the same biochemical and crystallographic approaches that we have used previously to characterize Dbh from Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. In contrast to previous suggestions that Dpo4 uses a deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP)-stabilized misalignment mechanism when creating single-base deletions, we find that Dpo4 predominantly uses a template slippage deletion mechanism when replicating repetitive DNA sequences, as was previously shown for Dbh. Dpo4 stabilizes the skipped template base in an extrahelical conformation between the polymerase and the little-finger domains of the enzyme. This contrasts with Dbh, in which the extrahelical base is stabilized against the surface of the little-finger domain alone. Thus, despite sharing a common deletion mechanism, these closely related polymerases use different contacts with the substrate to accomplish the same result.
Specificity of high-resolution CT findings in pulmonary asbestosis: do patients scanned for other indications have similar findings?

OBJECTIVE High-resolution CT findings in patients with asbestosis include subpleural curvilinear densities, subpleural density in dependent portions of the lung, parenchymal bands, thickened septal lines, and honeycomb lung. Our objective was to examine the prevalence of these CT findings in a random group of patients scanned for a variety of clinical reasons not specifically related to occupational exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS One hundred sixty-eight CT studies of the thorax were performed at six levels in 168 patients examined for a variety of clinical indications. The scans were evaluated by two radiologists for the presence of subpleural curvilinear densities, subpleural density in dependent locations, parenchymal bands, thickened septal lines, and honeycomb lung. RESULTS CT scans of 11 patients showed pleural plaques suggesting previous exposure to asbestos. Among the 157 studies showing no evidence of pleural plaques, CT scans showed subpleural curvilinear densities in dependent areas in 32 (20%); subpleural curvilinear densities in nondependent areas in 19 (12%); parenchymal bands in 47 (30%); thickened septal lines in dependent areas in 93 (59%), and septal lines in nondependent areas in 67 (43%); subpleural density in dependent areas in 66 (42%); and honeycomb lung in five (3%). CONCLUSION Subpleural curvilinear densities, subpleural density in dependent locations, parenchymal bands, and thickened septal lines occur as isolated and as combined CT findings in patients with a variety of underlying diseases or conditions unrelated to asbestosis and by themselves are nonspecific findings. Their occurrence, even in patients with CT evidence of pleural plaques, does not necessarily indicate the presence of asbestosis.
Productivity spillovers from technology transfer to Indian manufacturing firms

The present paper employs techniques from stochastic production frontier and panel data literature to test a spillover hypothesis for large sized firms that ‘presence of foreign‐owned firms and foreign technical capital stock in a sector leads to reduced dispersion in efficiency in the sector and fall is higher for the firms that invest in R&D activities’. Dispersion being a relative concept, it may still fall if both the leading foreign firm and domestic firms show fall in technical efficiency over the period and the fall for the leader is higher and vice versa. Given the focus of the study, where concern is for the learning by the domestic firms, the study tries to get around with the problem partially, by testing the hypothesis for those local firms that have shown productivity improvement over the period. Results suggest that foreign‐owned firms are close to the frontier in 13 of the total 26 sectors studied. Spillovers result for these 13 sectors indicate that there exist negative spillovers from the presence of foreign firms in the sector, but available foreign technical capital stock has a positive impact. Interesting differences emerge when the sample is bifurcated into scientific and non‐scientific subgroups. Results for the scientific subgroup indicate that the indirect gains or spillovers are not automatic consequence of foreign firm's presence, but they depend to a large extent on the efforts of local firms to invest in learning or R&D activities so as to decodify the spilled knowledge. On the other hand, the evidence of spillovers to non‐scientific non‐FDI firms is not very strong. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Leadership for Older Adults: Aging With Purpose And Passion

Preface. Acknowledgments. Part I: Introduction to Leadership. Leadership: Challenge of a New Age. Leadership in Retirement -- Who's in charge now? Prelude to Organizational Change. Mapping the Structure of an Organization. Part II: Portraits of Leaders and Leadership-in-Action. Carnegie Hall - Portraits of Power. Centennial Center - Portraits of Power. Three Leaders and How They Found Their Feet. Part III: The Practice of Leadership. The Revolution - From Power to Empowerment. Transforming Leadership. Back to New Basics. References.
The Effect of Instructional Time on Achievements in Math, Science and Reading: Evidence from Developed and Developing Countries ∗

There are large differences across countries in instructional time in public schooling institutions. Can these differences explain some of the differences across countries in pupils’ achievements in different subjects? While research in recent years provides convincing evidence about the effect of several inputs in the education production function, there is limited evidence on the effect of classroom instructional time. Such evidence is of policy relevance in many countries, and it became very concrete recently as President Barrack Obama announced the goal of extending the school week and year as a central objective in his proposed education reform for the US. In this paper, I measure empirically the effects of instructional time on students’ academic achievement in math, science and reading. I estimate non-linear instructional time effects controlling for unobserved heterogeneity of both pupils and schools. The evidence from a sample of 15 year olds from over fifty countries that participated in PISA 2006 consistently shows that instructional time has a positive and significant effect on test scores. The effect is large relative to the standard deviation of the within pupil test score distribution. I obtain similar evidence from a sample of 10 and 13 year olds in Israel. The OLS results are highly biased upward but the within student estimates are very similar across groups of developed and middle-income countries and age groups. Evidence from primary and middle schools in Israel is similar to the evidence from OECD countries. However, the estimated effect of instructional time in the sample of developing countries is much lower than the effect size in the developed countries. I also show that the productivity of instructional time is higher in countries that implemented school accountability measures, in countries that give schools autonomy in hiring and firing teachers and in countries with a tight labor market for teachers.
Synthesis and realization of novel ultra-wideband bandpass filters using 3/4 wavelength parallel-coupled line resonators

In this paper, a novel synthesis theory is proposed to design ultra-wideband (UWB) bandpass filters using 3lambda0/4 (lambda0 is the wavelength at central frequency of the filter) parallel-coupled line resonators. By using the first two resonant modes of the 3lambda0/4 parallel-coupled line resonators, this kind of UWB BPF can achieve a wide bandwidth larger than 100%. In order to alleviate the requirement on fabrication precision, aperture-enhanced coupled lines are introduced in the filter. A three-degree UWB filter with a midband frequency of 6.85 GHz is synthesized, simulated and fabricated. Measured results indicate that the filter is low loss in the passband, and the attenuations in the lower and upper stopbands satisfy the indoor limit issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Individual Transferable Quotes in a Multiproduct Common Property Industry

This paper extends the method of virtual prices for quantity constraints to provide inverse derived demand functions for quotas and quota market equilibrium and pricing. The approach is applied to evaluate the anticipated effects of a potential program of individual transferable quotas addressing the ill-structured property rights and market failure of a multiproduct common property fishery. The results indicate that individual transferable quotas on multiple products may not generate the desired rents or achieve biological objectives, owing to limitations when joint products are regulated. However, an individual transferable quota on a single joint product may induce industry disinvestment and reduce overcapitalization.
Trust, Sociability and Stock Market Participation

We investigate the effects of both trust and sociability for stock market participation, the role of which has been examined separately by existing finance literature. We use internationally comparable household data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe supplemented with regional information on generalized trust from the World Value Survey and on specific trust to financial institutions from Eurobarometer. We show that trust and sociability have distinct and sizeable positive effects on stock market participation and that sociability is likely to partly balance the discouragement effect on stockholding induced by low generalized trust in the region of residence. We also show that specific trust in advice given by financial institutions represents a prominent factor for stock investing, compared to other tangible features of the banking environment. Probing further into various groups of households, we find that sociability can induce stockholding among the less well off in Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland where stock market participation is widespread. On the other hand, the effect of generalized trust is strong in countries with limited participation and low average trust like Austria, Spain, and Italy, offering an explanation for the remarkably low participation rates of the wealthy living therein.
WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR HACCP ON SEAFOOD IN TAIWAN

ABSTRACT This study develops a conceptual framework based on the random utility model in order to estimate a consumer's WTP for hypothetical safer seafood (HACCP) in Taiwan. Grouper, milkfish, and oyster were surveyed as the subjects. The average WTP for grouper, milkfish, and oyster with HACCP are about 53.15% (NT$45 per kg), 52% (NT$19 per kg), and 46% (NT$25 per kg) price increments, respectively, over the average price without HACCP (NT$84 per kg, $NT36 per kg, and $NT54 per kg). A high WTP value may imply a strong demand for health and good market potential for safer seafood in Taipei, Taiwan.
What Can We Learn from the Current Crisis in Argentina

Currently, Argentina is experiencing what the government describes as a 'great depression. ' Using the 'Great Depressions' methodology developed by Cole and Ohanian (1999) and Kehoe and Prescott (2002), we find that the primary determinants of both the boom in Argentina in the 1990s and the subsequent depression were changes in productivity, rather than changes in factor inputs. The timing of events links the boom to the currency-board-like Convertibility Plan and the crisis to its collapse. To gain credibility, the Argentine government took measures to make abandoning the plan more costly. Because the government was unable to enforce fiscal discipline, however, these increased costs failed to make the plan more credible and instead made the crisis far worse when it failed. Copyright (c) Scottish Economic Society 2003.
Effects of a Single Dose Dexmedetomidine on Surgical Field Visibility During Middle Ear Microsurgery: A Randomized Study

Objectives: To investigate whether a single dose of dexmedetomidine (DEX) improves surgical field visibility. Study Design: Randomized, prospective, double-blind study. Setting: Tertiary teaching hospital. Interventions: ASA I or II patients undergoing tympanoplasty with ossiculoplasty were randomly assigned to receive either 0.8 &mgr;g/kg DEX (Group D) or the same volume of saline (Group N) 10 min before anesthesia induction. Main Outcomes: The primary outcome was the visibility of the surgical field rated by surgeons by Boezaart score. The secondary outcomes were consumption of anesthesia, hemodynamic profiles, and subsequent recovery. Results: Boezaart scores for surgical visibility were lower in Group D than in Group N (1.3 ± 0.8 versus 1.8 ± 0.9, P = 0.014). Minimum alveolar concentrations of sevoflurane (Group D 1 [0.9/1.1] versus Group N 1 [1/1.2], P = 0.018) and remifentanil consumption (Group D 370 [218/504] &mgr;g versus Group N 583 [300/1028] &mgr;g, P = 0.002) were less in Group D. Except for a transient increase in blood pressure and a decrease in heart rate during DEX infusion, hemodynamic profiles were more stable in Group D than in Group N. More patients needed morphine rescue and presented with postoperative nausea and vomiting in Group N than in Group D (Group D 1 versus Group N 8, P = 0.029). Recovery time was comparable between the two groups (Group D 19 min versus Group N 18 min, P = 0.569). Conclusion: Use of a single dose of DEX resulted in improved surgical visibility, less consumption of anesthesia, and more favorable hemodynamic profile while not delaying recovery time.
Peritoneal adhesions: pathogenesis, assessment and effects.

BACKGROUND As modem surgery has evolved, there has been an increase in iatrogenic peritoneal adhesions. Most surgeons manage adhesions and their related complications on a regular basis. Studies in recent years have improved the understanding of the pathogenesis and impact of adhesions, which are discussed. METHODS A systematic search of literature was performed to identify publications addressing the etiopathogenesis, clinical spectrum and effects of adhesions, using the following database: Medline (1966 to April 2005), Embase (1974 to April 2005), and the Cochrane controlled trials register. The reference lists of key publications so identified were in addition scrutinized for additional articles of relevance. RESULTS Adhesions occur in more than three fourths of patients following laparotomy. Perironeal trauma results in a unique inflammatory process in which fibrin formation and fibrinolysis play a central role. The effects of adhesions are unpredictable but are wide ranging, causing a significant health care burden. Intestinal obstruction, infertility, problems at reoperative surgery and cumulative costs of care over many years are the key concerns. While adhesiolysis is beneficial in adhesive intestinal obstruction and infertility, its value in chronic pain is uncertain. CONCLUSION Every violation of the peritoneum carries a potentially lifelong risk of a range of complications. Data available on the epidemiology and natural history of adhesions call for a wider acknowledgement of the problem in the planning of services and greater attention to preventive strategies.
Success of a weight loss plan for overweight dogs: The results of an international weight loss study

Introduction Obesity is a global concern in dogs with an increasing prevalence, and effective weight loss solutions are required that work in different geographical regions. The main objective was to conduct an international, multi-centre, weight loss trial to determine the efficacy of a dietary weight loss intervention in obese pet dogs. Methods A 3-month prospective observational cohort study of weight loss in 926 overweight dogs was conducted at 340 veterinary practices in 27 countries. Commercially available dry or wet weight loss diets were used, with the initial energy allocation being 250–335 kJ/kg target body weight0.75/day (60–80 kcal/kg target body weight0.75/day) depending on sex and neuter status. The primary outcome measure was percentage weight loss; the main secondary outcomes were changes in activity, quality of life, and food-seeking behaviour, which were subjectively determined from owner descriptions. Results At baseline, median (range) age was 74 (12 to 193) months and median body condition score was 8 (range 7–9). 896 of the 926 dogs (97%) lost weight, with mean weight loss being 11.4 ±5.84%. Sexually intact dogs lost more weight than neutered dogs (P = 0.001), whilst female dogs lost more weight than male dogs (P = 0.007), with the difference being more pronounced in North and South American dogs (median [Q1, Q3]: female: 11.5% [8.5%, 14.5%]; male: 9.1% [6.3%, 12.1%], P = 0.053) compared with those from Europe (female: 12.3% [8.9%, 14.9%]; male: 10.9% [8.6%, 15.4%]). Finally, subjective scores for activity (P<0.001) and quality of life (P<0.001) increased sequentially, whilst scores for food-seeking behaviour decreased sequentially (P<0.001) during the study. Conclusion This is the largest international multi-centre weight loss study conducted to date in obese dogs. Most dogs lost a clinically significant amount of weight, although there were notable differences between dogs of different sex, neuter status and in different geographical locations.
Perceptions and Attitudes of Decisionmaking Groups in Tourism Centers

A study of three decisionmaking groups in various tourist centers was conducted using discriminant analysis. The results show that significant differences in the attitudes and perceptions of local tourism development exist for the business sector, administration, and residents. Examination of the respondents' distribution around the two functions, however, shows that the groups are not too far apart and possess sufficient overlap to suggest the possibility of trade-offs and compromise in future tourism development planning.
Low-power Capacitor Arrays for Charge Redistribution SAR A-D Converter in 65nm CMOS

Through the research on charge redistribution SAR A/D converter, three energy-efficient capacitor arrays are discussed in this paper. The switching energy of the traditional architecture, charge sharing architecture, capacitor splitting architecture and two-step architecture capacitor arrays is derived and analyzed. Based on SMIC 65nm CMOS process, 10-bit SAR A/D converters of all these architectures are designed to validate these concepts. The energy dissipation from Hspice simulation is discussed. At the smallest output code, charge sharing architecture and capacitor splitting architecture consume respectively 65.5% and 44.8% of the energy conventional architecture dissipates. At the smallest and largest output codes, two-step architecture just consumes respectively 10.4% and 23.1% of the traditional architecture’s dissipation.
Logarithmic Preferences, Myopic Decisions, and Incomplete Information

Abstract This paper examines a dynamic production economy with incomplete information and shows that the set of myopic preferences, those that induce myopic decisions, depends on the representation of the information flow. For example, logarithmic preferences are nonmyopic when some of the economic state variables are unobservable. The analysis offers a broader definition of myopic behavior, termed “generalized myopia,” which is independent of the representation of the information flow. Allowing for any smooth concave utility function, logarithmic preferences endogenously emerge as necessary for generalized myopia in incomplete information economies; and when combined with restrictions on the information structure, they become sufficient.
Sponsoring Company Finance, Investment and Pension Plan Funding

This article presents a model of the interaction of a company's financial and real investment decisions with the financing of its defined benefit pension plan. The pension plan deficit is a debt of the company, with explicit funding requirements and priority in the event of company insolvency. Pension plan deficits and options on future deficits and surpluses affect investment incentives as does the size and composition of company debt. We examine incentives for the firm to pay dividends rather than fund the pension plan and incentives to overfund the pension plan. The effects of pension benefit insurance and minimum funding requirements are shown.
Title : Comparison of collection methods for fecal samples for discovery metabolomics in epidemiological studies Running Head : Fecal collection for discovery metabolomics

Author Affiliations: 1 Metabolic Epidemiology Branch, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda 2 Microbiome Program, Center for Individualized Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 3 Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 4 Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 5 Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California 6 Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California