Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Commodity Prices and Inflation: Evidence from Seven Large Industrial Countries

This paper examines the relationships between movements in primary commodity prices and changes in inflation in the large industrial countries. It begins by developing a two-country model in order to examine the theoretical effects of monetary, fiscal, and supply-side disturbances on commodity and manufactures prices and on exchange rates. It is shown that if monetary shocks dominate, then commodity prices should lead general price movements, and the level of commodity prices should be correlated with the general inflation rate. Non-monetary shocks generally weaken these relationships, but such disturbances may cancel out for broad indexes covering a wide range of commodities. Country-specific commodity price indexes are developed for the major industrial countries. The weights assigned to different commodities vary substantially across countries. Nonetheless, when the indexes are expressed in a common currency, they tend to be highly correlated over time, except when sharp movements occur in certain commodity prices. The major source of contrast across countries in the behavior of the indexes derives from exchange rate movements. Several empirical tests broadly support the conclusions of the theoretical model, with relatively few differences across countries. Three main tendencies may be cited. First, low inflation in industrial countries has tended to be associated with low levels of commodity prices, and conversely; commodity-price levels are cointegrated with consumer-price inflation rates. Second, there has been some tendency for movements in commodity prices to precede changes in general inflation rates by a few months, although it is not clear whether this tendency is strong enough to be a reliable aid in forecasting the rate of inflation. Third, there s a strong and fairly reliable tendency for turning points in general inflation rates. Commodity prices thus appear to contribute to predictions of turning points in inflation, predictions of inflation rates but more strongly to predictions of turning points in inflation.
Stability and tolerability of high concentrations of intrathecal bupivacaine and opioid mixtures in chronic noncancer pain: an open-label pilot study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the stability and tolerability of high concentrations of bupivacaine-opioid solutions when used by intrathecal infusion. DESIGN Prospective, open label, pilot cohort study. SETTING Outpatients at a University medical center. PATIENTS Twelve patients with inadequate pain control already receiving intrathecal opioids and low dose bupivacaine. INTERVENTIONS Increasing concentrations and doses of bupivacaine between 1 and 5% were prescribed to be added to a stable daily opioid dose. Drug infusate sampling and analysis using high performance liquid chromatography. OUTCOME MEASURES Physical examination, assessment of pain and function between (0-60 days) using a linear visual analog scale, and the Oswestry Disability Index. RESULTS Final daily doses of bupivacaine were 4-21.4 mg delivered at measured concentrations of 0.4-3.7%. Two patients experienced reversible motor weakness at 6 mg of bupivacaine/day. The in vitro and in vivo sampling of concentrations up to 3.7% of bupivacaine demonstrated that the stability for bupivacaine with morphine (1.2-3%) or hydromorphone (0.4-1%) was >96% of the manufactured concentration. There were no clinically significant changes in the visual analog pain scale or the Oswestry Disability Index. CONCLUSIONS This in vivo study demonstrates excellent stability of high concentrations of intrathecal bupivacaine and opioid mixtures. No nonreversible neurological complications were identified in patients receiving daily doses of bupivacaine up to 21.4 mg. Tolerability was variable because of motor weakness. Given that all intrathecal local anesthetics may be neurotoxic, caution must be exercised if high concentrations and daily doses are to be delivered over prolonged periods.
Sustainability Criteria and Indicators for the Bio-Based Economy in Europe: State of Discussion and Way Forward

There is a strong interest in the EU to promote the bioeconomy sector within the EU 2020 strategy. It is thus necessary to assure a sound sustainability framework. This paper reviews international and European sustainability initiatives mainly for biomass for bioenergy. The basic and advanced sustainability indicators are identified and described with particular attention to those points without agreement between stakeholders. Based on the state of the discussion, some suggestions to enhance the sustainable development of the bioeconomy sector are proposed.
Interpretation of interaction demanding of a user based on nonverbal behavior in a domestic environment

Human-robot interaction mechanisms are being developed to cater to growing elderly and disabled population. There are still voids in achieving human-likeness before initiation of an interaction. Interaction scenario could be made interesting and effective by engraving basic cognitive skills into the robot's intelligence. Skills related to human-like interaction depends on cognitive skills and interpretation of the existing situation. Most robot users encounter a common problem with their robots. That is robot trying to interact with the user when he's engaged. In robot's perspective, the robot is not fully capable of deciding when to interact with the user. This paper presents a model to decide when to interact with the user, minimizing such failures. The proposed model has separate functional units for decision making on a user's nonverbal interaction demanding. User's availability for interaction is deduced through extracted information. The system observes a user for his bodily movements and behavior for a specified time duration. The extracted information is analyzed and then put through a module called Interaction Demanding Pose Identifier to interpret the interaction demanding of the user. The identified pose and other calculated parameters are fed into the Fuzzy Interaction Decision Making Module in order to interpret the degree of interaction demanding of the user. Interaction demanding is taken into consideration before going for direct interaction with the user. This method is implemented and tested in a simulated domestic environment with users in a broad age gap. Implementation of the method and results of the experiment are presented.
Best practices for elderly hip fracture patients. A systematic overview of the evidence.

OBJECTIVES To determine evidence-based best practices for elderly hip fracture patients from the time of hospital admission to 6 months postfracture. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, PEDro, Ageline, NARIC, and CIRRIE databases were searched for potentially eligible articles published between 1985 and 2004. REVIEW METHODS Two independent reviewers determined studies appropriate for inclusion using standardized selection criteria, extracted data, evaluated internal validity, and then rated studies according to levels of evidence. Only Level 1 or 2 evidence was included in our summary of clinical recommendations. RESULTS Spinal anesthesia, pressure-relieving mattresses, perioperative antibiotics, and deep vein thromboses prophylaxes had consistent evidence of benefit. Routine preoperative traction was not associated with any benefits and should be abandoned. Types of surgical management, postoperative wound drainage, and even "multidisciplinary" care, lacked sufficient evidence to determine either benefit or harm. There was little evidence to either determine best subacute rehabilitation practices or to direct ongoing medical issues (e.g., nutrition). Studies conducted during the subacute recovery period were heterogeneous in terms of treatment settings, interventions, and outcomes studied and had no clear evidence for best treatment practices. CONCLUSIONS The evidence for perioperative practices is relatively robust and evidence-based perioperative treatment guidelines can be easily established. Conversely, more evidence is required to better guide the care of elderly patients with hip fracture during the subacute recovery period and convalescence.
The Shortening of the American Work Week: An Economic and Historical Analysis of Its Context, Causes, and Consequences

costs of duplication incurred in the competitive market or to the imperfect nature of competition in these duopoly markets. With respect to the 1942 sample, the presence of state regulation or holding company affiliation does not appear to have had any impact on electric rates. Public ownership was associated with price discounts of about 15 percent; however, this figure falls to 5 percent when the benefits of lower capital costs are removed. This price differential is considerably lower than the 1930 estimate. It is quite consistent, however, with the hypothesis that a major effect of the New Deal reforms was to dissipate monopoly rents previously earned in markets served by privately owned monopoly electric companies. Direct competition between electric companies in 1942 does not appear to have reduced prices below the level charged by private monopolists. In essence, the pressures of potential competition and federal regulation seem to have been as effective at reducing monopoly rents as actual competition. The results of the dissertation suggest that prior to the New Deal public ownership and duopolistic competition were far more effective than state rate-of-return regulation of private monopoly utilities in reducing monopoly rents earned in the electric utility industry. In addition, the alleged inefficiencies associated with public ownership and competition in the industry do not appear to have been significant, at least in cities with over 50,000 people. The results of the 1942 analysis suggest that structural and institutional reforms implemented during the New Deal exerted significant downward pressure on monopoly profits throughout the U.S. electric utility industry. The long-term impact of these reforms is unclear, however, given that federal intervention in the industry, particularly the threat of government-financed competition, receded substantially in the postwar period.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and Its Role in Assessing the Value of New Cancer Treatments in England and Wales

The boundaries of medical science in the treatment of cancer are constantly extending. Developments of existing treatments, innovative approaches, new discoveries, and more targeted therapeutic options are translating into practice. With advances come increasing costs, often of a magnitude that stretches finite financial resources. When decisions about funding are made on behalf of a population, standardized processes and methods are needed in order to produce robust guidance in a fair, consistent, and transparent way. The challenges of making these difficult decisions are brought into particularly stark relief when potentially life-extending treatments for patients with a short life expectancy are appraised. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) produces guidance on the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of medicines compared with current standard practice. Approximately 40% of the technologies appraised by NICE are indicated for cancer, and the majority of these are pharmaceuticals, mostly biological agents. This article provides an overview of the current role of NICE in making new technologies for cancer available in England and Wales. This includes a summary of experiences with end-of-life treatments and the supplementary advice regarding such treatments that was issued by NICE to its decision-making committees in 2009. Clin Cancer Res; 17(15); 4930–5. ©2011 AACR.
A discrete choice model approximation to the consumer's choice among television displays

The consumer’s choice over a bundle of products depends on the observable and unobservable characteristics of the product and the consumer. The choice is made over the basis of maximizing utility subject to their income restrictions and, at the same time, firms make product differentiation decisions over the basis of maximizing profit. Quality is one way to differentiate products. An example of this type of differentiation happens in the TV market where several displays are developed. Our objective is to determine the probability for a consumer of choosing a type of display among five kinds: standard tube, LCD, plasma, projection and LED. Using a multinomial logit, we find that electronic appliances such as DVDs and audio systems, as well as socioeconomic status, increase the probability of choosing a high-tech display television. Our empirical approximation contributes to the further understanding of consumer rational behavior through the theory utility maximization and highlights the importance of studying the market structure and analyzing changes in welfare and efficiency.
Wirksamkeit einer manuellen Behandlungstechnik nach dem Fasziendistorsionsmodell bei schmerzhaft eingeschränkter Schulterbeweglichkeit (Frozen Shoulder)

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Schmerzhafte Bewegungseinschränkungen der Schulter im Sinne der sogenannten „Frozen Shoulder“ zählen zu den häufigsten Schmerzsyndromen des Bewegungsapparats und stellen eine therapeutische Herausforderung dar. In der vorliegenden prospektiven, randomisierten, einfach blinden, kontrollierten Studie wurde das Behandlungsverfahren nach dem sog. Fasziendistorsionsmodell (FDM) bei diesem Beschwerdebild auf seine klinische Wirksamkeit überprüft. Material und Methoden: Nach Randomisierung der Patienten (n = 60) erhielt eine Gruppe die Therapie nach „klassisch“ manualmedizinischen Gesichtspunkten (n = 30), die andere Gruppe (n = 30) erhielt eine Therapie auf den Grundlagen des FDM. Der Therapieerfolg wurde anhand des primären Zielparameters Beweglichkeit und der sekundären Parameter Schmerzintensität (gemessen auf einer VAS), Kraft und Funktionseinschränkung (gemessen mit dem Constant-Murley- und dem DASH-Score) beurteilt. Ergebnisse: Vor der Therapie bestanden zwischen den Gruppen bezüglich der Parameter keine signifikanten Unterschiede. Die Zielparameter verbesserten sich während der Behandlung in beiden Gruppen signifikant. Die Verbesserung der Parameter der FDM-Gruppe war im Vergleich zur manuellen Therapiegruppe signifikant ausgeprägter und der Unterschied war klinisch relevant. In der 6-wöchigen Nachbeobachtungsphase sistierte die Verbesserung der gemessenen Parameter und die Beweglichkeitsverbesserung fiel in der FDM-Gruppe sogar ab, blieb jedoch mit einer Abduktionsfähigkeit von 150,2 ± 37,2° weiterhin signifikant besser als in der Kontrollgruppe (124,1 ± 38,6°; p < 0,01). Insgesamt betrug die Verbesserung der Abduktionsfähigkeit 59,4° (64 % des Ausgangswerts) in der FDM-Gruppe und 25,9° (27 %) in der Kontrollgruppe. Die Verbesserung der sekundären Zielparameter Kraft, funktionelles Handicap und Schmerzen war in der FDM-Gruppe durchgehend signifikant ausgeprägter. In dieser Gruppe wurde die Behandlung allerdings häufiger schmerzhaft empfunden (21/27 vs. 10/27; p < 0,01). Schlussfolgerung: Die Behandlung der schmerzhaft eingeschränkten Schulter nach dem Fasziendistorsionsmodell stellt eine schnell wirksame Therapiemaßnahme mit akzeptablen Nebenwirkungen dar, die einer Behandlung mit klassischer manueller Therapie überlegen ist. Langzeiteffekte und Wirkungsmechanismen müssen überprüft werden.
Command and Control in the Workplace: Agreement-Making under Work Choices

This article provides an overview of the radical changes in workplace agreement-making introduced by the ‘Work Choices’ amendments to the Workplace Relations Act. It outlines the six types of statutory workplace agreement and the procedures, termination rules and content requirements associated with them. While some agreement-making procedures have been simplified, this has come at the cost of independent oversight. Furthermore, the government's overall regulatory approach is shown to be prescriptive, punitive and one-sided. The article contrasts the new workplace agreements with contracts and observes that alternative regulatory frameworks could readily have been created, with greater respect for party autonomy.
The use of conjoint analysis in the development of a new recreation facility

This research employs a conjoint analysis approach to determine the preferences for a new interpretive centre. One hundred and ten respondents completed a questionnaire that included 32 hypothetical facility scenarios with the data being analysed using ordinary least square regression. The analysis resulted in the importance of attributes influencing preferences. The results revealed that the most important attribute was price, followed by length of stay, exhibits and educational opportunities. The least important attributes were on-site information sources, recreational opportunities, and payment type. The interpretive centre that was most preferred in regards to specific attribute levels was one with live animal touch tanks, educational boat trips, an information desk and a fishing pier. Respondents would intend to stay about 2 hours and prefer to pay $1.00 per car. Analyses of various demographic segments also provided details regarding the importance of identifying key groups of potential visitors. The information provided can increase the ability of planners to make critical decisions regarding new product development in the interpretive discipline and recreational based programmes.
Septo-optic dysplasia and associations with amyoplasia and gastroschisis.

BACKGROUND The causes of septo-optic dysplasia, amyoplasia, and gastroschisis are mostly unknown. CASES We present a patient with septo-optic dysplasia and amyoplasia. We also present a patient with features of septo-optic dysplasia, gray matter heterotopias, and gastroschisis. CONCLUSIONS These previously unreported combinations provide further support for vascular disruption in embryonic or fetal life as an etiological factor in these conditions.
Effect of Prescriber Education on the Use of Medications Contraindicated in Older Adults in a Managed Medicare Population

OBJECTIVES: To measure the effect of pharmacy intervention programs on the percentage of older adult members filling prescriptions for one or more contraindicated medications in a managed Medicare population. METHODS: Prescribers of potentially inappropriate (i.e., contraindicated) medications in a managed Medicare + Choice (now known as Medicare Advantage) health maintenance organization (HMO) were identified from drug claims each calendar quarter for letter and telephone contact. The initial study population was composed of members in the Medicare + Choice HMO who were aged 65 years or older and who utilized their managed care pharmacy benefit during the 4-year measurement period from 1999 fourth quarter (Q4) through 2003 Q4. The study population was expanded in 2003 Q1 to include all patients aged 65 years or older, including commercial HMO members and Medicare + Choice members. The prescribers of target (contraindicated) drugs were contacted by a letter that described the program and included a prescriber-specific list of patients who had received a potentially inappropriate drug. Each prescriber was requested to review the report and change the contraindicated drug to a more appropriate agent, lower the medication dose, or carefully monitor those patients who could not discontinue the drug. A clinical pharmacist contacted high-volume prescribers of target drugs (4 or more patients in a given quarter) by telephone to discuss the identified patients. RESULTS: The incidence of inappropriate use of the target medications in older adults declined by 19%, from an absolute 5.3% of prescriptions in the base period (1999 Q4) to 4.3% at the end of the first 2-year period, in 2001 Q4. A change in the target drugs in 2002 Q1 from a list based upon the Beers' criteria to a list based in part on the Zhan et al. criteria was associated with a 45% reduction in the percentage (2.4%) of older adult members who received target drugs; this proportion remained essentially unchanged at 2.2% through 2003 Q4, the end of the second half of the 4-year intervention period. CONCLUSIONS: A clinical intervention program targeting prescribers of drugs judged to be contraindicated in older adults was associated with a decline in the percentage of HMO members receiving one or more target contraindicated drugs. After a 4-year intervention period, 2.2% of older adult HMO members continued to receive one or more target contraindicated drugs.
Activation of the Canonical WNT Signaling Pathway Promotes Ovarian Surface Epithelial Proliferation Without Inducing β‐Catenin/Tcf‐Mediated Reporter Expression

Background: In response to activation of the canonical WNT signaling pathway, β‐catenin cooperates with Lef/Tcf (lymphoid enhancer factor/T‐cell factor) transcription factors to drive expression of Wnt target genes. The canonical WNT signaling pathway is involved in development, wound repair, and tumorigenesis. Studies examining the involvement of the canonical WNT signaling pathway in the development of ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) and ovarian carcinogenesis, however, have recently begun to emerge. In this study, we investigated the modulation of β‐catenin and β‐catenin/Tcf‐signaling activity within the OSE using responsive transgenic mice and examined the response of primary OSE cells and ovarian cancer cell lines to activation of the canonical WNT signaling pathway. Results: β‐catenin was localized to the lateral membrane of the ovarian epithelium. Stimulation of primary OSE cells in vitro with LiCl or Wnt3a led to GSK‐3β inhibition and stabilization of β‐catenin but failed to induce β‐catenin/Tcf‐mediated lacZ expression. Furthermore, E‐cadherin expression was downregulated and the proliferative potency of OSE cells increased. Of four ovarian cancers cell lines screened, only the HEY cell line demonstrated induction of luciferase reporter upon canonical WNT stimulation. Conclusions: These observations suggest that in ovarian adenocarcinoma, dysregulated WNT signaling may not always be indicative of β‐catenin/Tcf‐mediated transcriptional activity. Developmental Dynamics 242:291–300, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The effectiveness of audit committees for low‐ and mid‐cap firms

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effectiveness of recommendations made by the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) relating to audit committees in Australia, and whether they have improved financial reporting quality for low- and mid-cap listed firms. Design/methodology/approach - The authors examine the relation between characteristics of the audit committee and financial reporting quality for listed companies not mandated to comply with these requirements, i.e. low- and mid-cap firms. For a sample of 288 firms, the authors regress measures of audit committee independence, expertise and activity and size on alternative measures of earnings management. Findings - A significant association is found between all three characteristics and lower earnings management. The significant measure for independence is the proportion of independent directors on the audit committee; for expertise, it is that at least one member of the audit committee has an accounting qualification; and for activity and size, it is the frequency of audit committee meetings. Practical implications - The results provide support for the mandatory establishment of audit committees for the top 500 (high- and mid-cap) firms introduced by the ASX and suggest those audit committee characteristics which could improve financial reporting quality for low- and mid-cap firms. Originality/value - The paper examines low- and mid-cap firms in order to complement previous similar studies done for high-cap firms. It identifies the effects on financial reporting quality of voluntarily choosing to have an audit committee and of the choice of audit committee characteristics, in the period after substantial corporate governance reform. It includes a new measure among audit committee characteristics, industry expertise, which is required in Australia and is new to the literature.