Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scientific aspects underlying the regulatory framework in the area of fertilisers – state of play and future reforms

This document was prepared by Policy Department A at the request of the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) on the proposed cadmium regulation for phosphate fertilisers. Cadmium is a metal that can have adverse health effects on the general population. The use of mineral phosphate fertilisers contributes to about 60% of current cadmium emissions to soil. The proposed regulation aims to reduce soil and crop cadmium concentrations on the long term in most European regions. IP/A/IMCO/2016-19 February 2017 PE 595.354 EN This document was requested by the European Parliament's Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO).
The Determinants of Venture Capital Portfolio Size: Empirical Evidence

This paper explores factors that affect portfolio size among a sample of venture capital financing data from 214 Canadian funds. Four categories of factors affect portfolio size: (1) the venture capital funds' characteristics, including the type of fund, fund duration, fund-raising, and the number of venture capital fund managers; (2) the entrepreneurial firms' characteristics, including stage of development, technology, and geographic location; (3) the nature of the financing transactions, including staging, syndication, and capital structure; and (4) market conditions. The data further indicate decreasing returns to scale in the number of entrepreneurial firms financed by a venture capital fund.
Moving away from the comfort zone of tobacco control policies to the highest level of implementation.

The year 2015 marked the 10th anniversary of the entry into force of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Following this, in the same year, the 18th comprehensive national tobacco control law(s) was adopted in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). Member countries of the EMR have come a long way in tobacco control legislation since the entry into force of the WHO FCTC, with 19 of the 22 countries now party to it (except Morocco, Palestine and Somalia). But has this legal movement really succeeded in changing the prevalence of tobacco use in the Region?
National Treatment and the Choice Between Exports and FDI

Abstract International trade agreements increasingly constrain the ability of governments to use trade policies. Fewer international constraints apply to the use of investment policies, although there is discussion about negotiating such disciplines both regionally and multilaterally. Since firms compete in foreign markets via both exports and foreign direct investment(FDI), the following question arises: can constraints on the use of only one type of policy (trade or FDI) induce firms to adopt inefficient modes of supply when serving foreign markets? We address this question in a model in which a local and a foreign firm compete in the domestic market. In the model, the domestic government's trade and/or FDI policies as well as the foreign firm's choice between exports and FDI are endogenous. We show that even if the domestic government is constrained only in its ability to use trade (FDI) policy, and is free to set its FDI (trade) policy, the foreign firm chooses the efficient mode of supply. The key point is that it is never in the interest of the domestic government to set policies in a manner that leads the foreign firm to adopt an inefficient mode of supply.
Person, Place, and Knowledge in the Conservation of the Saimaa Ringed Seal

There is a strong connection between people's knowledge of nature and their relationship to place. Local environmental knowledge is multifaceted and influenced by changing social and economic circumstances that affect the way people come to know and relate to nature. A case study from Finland demonstrates how locality, personhood, and environmental perceptions cohere to challenge conservation practices. In this instance, local people fully uphold the conservationists' desire to save a threatened endemic mammal, the Saimaa ringed seal (Phoca hispida saimensis nordq), from extinction. However, local people are far less enthusiastic about the conservationists' chosen means for achieving conservation of the seal. They fail to engage with many aspects of the conservation program because its design and implementation fail to acknowledge local people's collective and personal experiences of place. The case study demonstrates the need for conservation programs to take seriously local people's “place-based” observations and theories.
A New Voltage-Mode Universal Biquadratic Filter Using Single UVC

The paper presents a new universal biquadratic filter using single universal voltage conveyor (UVC), two resistors and two capacitors. The offered structure has three inputs and one output and can realise all the five basic biquadratic filters: high-pass (HP), low-pass (LP), band-reject (BR), band-pass (BP) and all-pass (AP) from the same circuit topology. The proposed universal filter also provides following advantageous features, not available simultaneously in any UVC based universal biquadratic filter so far: (i) low active and passive sensitivities, (ii) independent control of natural frequency (ω0) and bandwidth (BW) and (iii) no requirement of any component matching condition and inversion of input signal(s) (as needed in most of the earlier reported structures). The workability of proposed structure has been presented by SPICE (Version 16.5) simulation using 0.18 μm TSMC technology.
Preventing Post-ERCP Pancreatitis: The Role of Prophylactic Pancreatic Duct Stenting in the Rectal NSAID Era.

Background Rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is now the standard of care to reduce the risk of post-ERCP pancreatitis. Pancreatic duct stenting also reduces the risk of post- ERCP pancreatitis in high-risk patients, but failed pancreatic duct stenting carries an increased PEP rate (up to 35%). Study Aim To assess the impact on post-ERCP pancreatitis of successful and unsuccessful pancreatic duct stent placement in the setting of universal rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. Methods Between 2013-2015, all patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographys in our tertiary referral centre (where rectal non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used routinely) were included. The electronic patient's records were reviewed and the following parameters were analysed: indication for pancreatic duct stenting; deployment success; and adverse events. Results A total of 1633 endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatographys were performed, and pancreatic duct stenting was attempted in 324 cases (20%), with successful placement in 307 patients (95%). Contra-indications to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were found in 106 (6.5%) patients. Prophylactic stenting failed in 12 of 213 patients; of whom one patient developed post-ERCP pancreatitis (8%). Eighteen (9%) patients with prophylactic pancreatic duct stents developed post-ERCP pancreatitis compared to 1.4% without prophylactic stents (RR 8.4, p=0.04). Conclusion A lack of difference in post-ERCP pancreatitis in those who underwent successful, and unsuccessful, pancreatic duct stent placement may reflect the protective effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. This data adds to evidence suggesting that pancreatic duct stenting may be less important, even in high-risk patients, with the widespread use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
A neural network approach for insulin regime and dose adjustment in type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND A decision support system based on a neural network approach is proposed to advise on insulin regime and dose adjustment for type 1 diabetes patients. METHOD The system consists of two feed-forward neural networks, trained with the back-propagation algorithm with momentum and adaptive learning rate. The input to the system consists of patient's glucose levels, insulin intake, and observed hypoglycemia symptoms during a short time period. The output of the first neural network provides the insulin regime, which is applied as input to the second neural network to estimate the appropriate insulin doses for a short time period. RESULTS The system's ability in order to recommend on insulin regime is excellent, while its performance in adjusting the insulin dosages for a specific patient is highly dependent on the data set used during the training procedure. CONCLUSIONS Despite the limitations of computer-based approaches, this study shows that artificial neural networks can assist diabetes patients in insulin adjustment.
Factors with a Negative Influence on Compliance to Antiretroviral Therapies

A key element in the management of the HIV patient, adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), is influenced by a broad spectrum of factors.1 Of utmost importance in pediatric HIV, especially where younger children are concerned, is the role of the family in the correct administration of the prescribed medication. When dealing with the worldwide problem of nonadherence to ART,2,3 the management of HIV-infected children involves specific factors pertaining to the family. These factors require adequate monitoring and amelioration by targeted strategies.4,5
Morphological evidence for the presence of arteries in human prolactinomas.

This study was undertaken to clarify the vascular anatomy of human prolactinomas and specifically to determine whether arteries were present. Sixteen prolactinomas were studied by electron microscopy. The presurgical diagnosis of the tumors as prolactinomas was based on the findings of hyperprolactinemia and radiographic abnormalities, and was confirmed by the electron microscopic features of the specimens as well as by immunocytochemical staining for PRL. In addition to the presence of fenestrated endothelial cells, which are characteristic of the normal capillaries of the anterior pituitary, 13 of the 16 prolactinomas contained arteries. These arteries ranged from well formed vessels with multiple layers of smooth muscle cells to abnormal terminal arterioles, i.e. vessels with fenestrated endothelium surrounded by a variable number of smooth muscle cells. Arteries were not found in anterior pituitaries from 8 patients with no pituitary disease. In the prolactinomas, smooth muscle cells also were found, either isolated in the pericapillary connective tissue space or in small cords some distance from the vessel lumen. The results suggest that vascular changes, including arteriogenesis, occur in prolactinomas (and possibly other types of pituitary tumor). The arteries entering the anterior pituitary directly could be congenital or develop during formation of the tumor. An arterial blood supply to a region of the anterior pituitary could result in the escape of that area from hypothalamic regulation, since systemic blood contains negligible levels of hypothalamic hormones. In the case of PRL-secreting cells, which are tonically inhibited by the hypothalamic hormone dopamine, this would result in hypertrophy, hyperplasia, and possibly tumorigenesis.
Genetic parameters for clinical mastitis, somatic cell counts, and milk production estimated by multiple-trait restricted maximum likelihood.

Heritabilities and genetic correlations for mastitis, SCC, and milk production in first lactation were calculated using data from the Swedish disease recording system. Genetic parameters were estimated from sire components of variance and covariance obtained from a multiple-trait restricted maximum likelihood procedure. Data were stratified into three subsets according to breed and AI stud. The numbers of cows were 46,431, 25,373, and 25,201, respectively. Heritabilities of mastitis and SCC averaged . 014 and . 080, but breed differences were seen. Genetic correlations between mastitis and SCC were moderately high, averaging . 6. Milk production showed a slightly unfavorable genetic correlation with mastitis and SCC.
The Impact of Devolution on Nonprofits

The following article reviews the results of a multiphase study of nonprofit social service organizations serving children and youth in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of devolution and related efforts to introduce the new public management in the nonprofit sector. Study results strongly suggest that the capacity of community-based and faith-based organizations to adopt the business-oriented approach required to meet the expectations of government contracts is profoundly limited by their financial and human resources and by the conflict that a market orientation can present to the nonprofit mission.
St John's Wort induces intestinal P‐glycoprotein/MDR1 and intestinal and hepatic CYP3A4

St John's Wort (hypericum perforatum) is an herbal medicine that is frequently used for therapy of mild depression. Recently, St John's Wort was reported to substantially decrease blood/plasma concentrations and efficacy of cyclosporine (INN, ciclosporin), indinavir, and digoxin. In this study we investigated the mechanisms of these St John's Wort–induced drug interactions.
How Long to Eat a Cake of Unknown Size? Optimal Time Horizon Under Uncertainty

This paper is concerned with the determination of the optimal time horizon for the cake-eating problem under uncertainty. It is shown that if the uncertain exhaustible resource stock is a discrete random variable admitting at most a finite number of values, the optimal planning horizon is infinite (finite) according as the marginal utility of extraction-cum-consumption is infinite (a finite positive value) as the latter approaches zero, thereby extending the scope of the similar result under perfect certainty. Other results show that uncertainty will generally lengthen the planning horizon, implying a more conservative extraction policy under uncertainty, and that the extraction policy aimed at extracting an amount equal to the expected value of the uncertain resource stock takes longer than the expected value of the optimal planning horizon.
Sustainable Education: Re-Visioning Learning and Change. Schumacher Briefings.

Whilst 'environmental education', and more recently 'education for sustainable development' are important trends, they are not sufficient to reorient and transform education as a whole--and. This Briefing critiques the prevailing managerial and mechanistic paradigm in education, and argues that an ecological view of educational theory, practice and policy is necessary to assist the sustainability transition. The Briefing then shows how 'a systemic change of educational culture towards the realization of human potential and the interdependence of social, economic and ecological wellbeing--can lead to transformative learning.
Unobtrusive mobile browsing behaviour tracking tool

Unobtrusive user tracking is needed in order to achieve realistic test settings for IIR. This demand is stressed, when studying the usage of mobile devices in IR. In this study, we present a model and a tool for observing and recording user's browsing within a retrieved web document. We extend an existing open source program UsaProxy with functionalities for tracking browsing behaviour.
Image segmentation via graph cuts without network flow overhead

The algorithm proposed by Rachel Silva [1] computes the count of the minimum (s, t) cuts in an undirected weighted planar graph without preprocessing the graph using a max-flow algorithm. It can be used for image segmentation, where each minimum (s, t) cut in the planar graph representing the image is equivalent to a distinct segmentation in the image. In this capstone project, Rachel Silva’s algorithm [1] is implemented to count the number of minimum (s, t) cuts in an image, and sample through the cuts to produce an image segmentation. In addition, experiments are performed to evaluate the performance of the algorithm and to prove the hypothesis that ‘generating a single minimum (s, t)-cut might be sufficient for most of the images with almost identical segmentations; but there exist images with a number of distinct segmentations, for which it is necessary to count and sample through the minimum (s, t)-cuts’.
The contribution of neurocognitive functioning to quality of life after childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Neurocognitive late effects after childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are well‐documented, but their impact on quality of life (QOL) is not well understood. In this multi‐site study, we examined the relative influence of neurocognitive functioning, steroid randomization (prednisone vs. dexamethasone), and demographic characteristics on QOL in first‐remission survivors of childhood ALL.
The decline of youth suicidal behavior in an urban, multicultural public school system following the introduction of a suicide prevention and intervention program.

A 5-year longitudinal study of suicidal behavior of students attending Dade County Public Schools (DCPS) in Miami, Florida, between the 1989-1990 and 1993-1994 school years, is described. As the fourth largest public school system in the United States, DCPS is representative of an urban, multicultural community. The prevalence of suicidal behavior among DCPS students necessitated the development of a districtwide Suicide Prevention and School Crisis Management Program (SPSCMP), including the creation of the "Youth in Crisis Hotline. " A review of eight national school districts' suicide prevention and intervention programs indicates similarities with the DCPS model. Statistical data compiled by the DCPS program are organized into annual, monthly, grade level, and school level classifications, and are analyzed to determine the degree and direction of self-destructive behavior among youth in a culturally and linguistically diverse school population following the introduction of a suicide prevention and intervention program. Evaluative data regarding the effectiveness of the program as well as implications for suicide prevention and intervention are discussed.
Exploring the Factors Affecting Hotel Outsourcing in Taiwan

Two studies were conducted to examine factors affecting hotel outsourcing in Taiwan. In study 1, interviews with senior hotel managers were analyzed to explore the factors determining a hotel's outsourcing of different services. The results of the questionnaire survey used in study 2 indicated that the current and desired percentages of outsourcing for international tourist hotels in Taiwan were very low, indicating that strategic outsourcing has not received much attention in that part of the Taiwanese hospitality sector. The hotel departments that were most often outsourced were housekeeping, security, maintenance and information systems. Study 2 also showed outsourcing decisions were based only on a hotel's resources. The effect of predicting outsourcing was not significant for transaction costs. The results of this study provide both hotel management and outsourcing service providers with insights into hotel outsourcing in Taiwan.
A Primer on Distressed Debt Investing

The category of distressed debt is demarcated by a company in some sort of financial difficulty and bonds priced well below face value. LBO firms are frequent providers of distressed debt, and as their highly leveraged operations miss projected returns, there is usually scant wiggle room. Patterns and approaches to this type of investing are analyzed using several actual cases, such as Regal Cinemas, Inc. (the largest U.S. theater chain), Vlasic Foods International, Inc., Federated Departments Stores, Montgomery Ward & Co., Iridium, LLC, and others.
Implementation of yield management practices in service organisations: empirical findings from a major hotel group

This article presents findings on the development and implementation of a centralised yield management project by an international hotel group in its over 160 hotel units. Data were collected over two years from the participant hotel group's three management levels through semi-structured interviews, observations and document analysis. The research findings reveal that developing and implementing a centralised yield management project is contextually a very complex and challenging task. Major problems and difficulties appear to have originated from the participant company's organisational structure and culture. In addition, a high labour turnover, poor HRM practices, ongoing developments and changes across the company seem to have had an impact on the implementation of yield practices. The existing literature on yield management seems to view yield implementation as a tactical activity and therefore fails to explain the strategic implications of deploying yield practices in service organisations. The overall recommendation of this article are that scholars and practitioners working in this area should view yield implementation more from the perspectives of strategic management and change management fields.
Daily weather effects on the returns of Australian stock indices

The effects of the weather in Sydney on the daily returns of two stock indices of the Australian stock exchange are investigated. Three factors capture the essence of daily variations in temperature, cloud cover and wind speed. Two steps are taken to increase the efficiency of the statistical tests. First, control variables are incorporated in the regression models to abstract systematic variance from the error terms. Second, a repeated measures design is used to estimate the standard errors of the slope coefficients. The returns of the stock indices are uninfluenced by wind speed and cloud cover. However, the returns of the two stock indices are negatively influenced by the temperature in Sydney. There is evidence that deseasonalized temperature has a stronger negative influence than the level of temperature.
IMPAIRMENT OF TRIGLYCERIDE TRANSPORT FROM THE LIVER IN CHOLINE DEFICIENCY.

The changes in liver and plasma lipids in choline deficiency were studied in vivo and in vitro. In choline deficiency, after a lag period of several days, total liver lipids rose rapidly and a relatively small decrease of plasma triglycerides was noted at about the same time. In the recovery experiments, a significant increase of plasma phospholipids occurred within 24 hours after choline had been restored to the diet of the deficient animals.When livers from normal rats (choline-supplemented) were perfused with blood diluted with buffer, triglyceride was released to the perfusate. Livers from choline-deficient rats (perfused with blood from similar deficient rats) failed to make a net contribution of triglyceride to the perfusate. A moderate recovery of transport of triglyceride from liver to plasma occurred within 4 to 7 days after choline had been restored to the diet of rats that had been fed the deficient diet for 3 weeks. These studies provided firm support for the hypothesis that, in choline defici.