Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mercury contamination and potential impacts from municipal waste incinerator on Samui Island, Thailand

In recent years, mercury (Hg) pollution generated by municipal waste incinerators (MWIs) has become the subject of serious public concern. On Samui Island, Thailand, a large-scale municipal waste incinerator has been in operation for over 7 years with a capacity of 140 tons/day for meeting the growing demand for municipal waste disposal. This research assessed Hg contamination in environmental matrices adjacent to the waste incinerating plant. Total Hg concentrations were determined in municipal solid waste, soil and sediment within a distance of 100 m to 5 km from the incinerator operation in both wet and dry seasons. Hg analyses conducted in municipal solid waste showed low levels of Hg ranging between 0.15–0.56 mg/kg. The low level was due to the type of waste incinerator. Waste such as electrical appliances, motors and spare parts, rubber tires and hospital wastes are not allowed to feed into the plant. As a result, low Hg levels were also found in fly and bottom ashes (0.1–0.4 mg/kg and ≤0.03 mg/kg, respectively). Stack concentration of Hg were less than 0.4 μg/Nm3. Since Hg emissions were at low concentrations, Hg in soil from atmospheric fallout near this incinerator including uptake by local weeds were very low ranging from non detectable to 399 μ g/kg. However, low but elevated levels of Hg (76–275 μ g/kg) were observed in surface soil and deeper layers (0–40 cm) in the predominant downwind direction of incinerator over a distance of between 0.5–5 km. Soil Hg concentrations measured from a reference/background track opposite of the prevailing wind direction were lower ranging between 7–46 μ g/kg. Nevertheless, the trend of Hg build up in soil was clearly seen in the wet season only, suggesting that wet deposition process is a major Hg pollution source. Hg concentrations in the sea bottom sediment collected next to the last station track was small with values between 35–67 μ g/kg. Based upon the overall findings, in terms of current potential environmental risk, the environment has not yet been appreciably contaminated from Hg emissions produced by this incinerator. However the increase of Hg measured in downwind direction of the incinerator should be monitored for future potential risk.
THE ECONOMICS AND IMPLICATIONS OF EX-ANTE REGULATIONS IN ADDRESSING PROBLEMS OF MORAL HAZARD IN AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE

In this paper we develop a theoretical model of input supply by agricultural producers who purchase crop insurance and so who may engage in moral hazard. We show, through simulations, that a combination of partial insurance coverage combined with a minimum standard for input use may reduce substantially the problems associated with moral hazard. Partial insurance coverage creates an incentive for the producer to increase his use of inputs since the cost of lower output is partially borne by the producer, an outcome which would not be present under full coverage insurance. Partial monitoring of inputs, in the form of a minimum requirement for input use, has a direct effect on the reduction of moral hazard. We show that, rather than being substitute instruments, these are in fact complementary methods of encouraging a more efficient supply of inputs. Moreover, the minimum level of input use that must be required by regulation turns over to be substantially lower than the optimal or actual input level chosen by producers. Since the supply of inputs for crop production occurs in many stages over the pre-planting, planting and growing seasons, the fact that only a minimal input requirement is needed means that the cost of implementing such a regulation can be kept much lower than would be the case for a regulation of complete monitoring of input usage.
Effects of Rivastigmine Transdermal Patch and Capsule on Aspects of Clinical Global Impression of Change in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Retrospective Analysis

Background: The Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study-Clinical Global Impression of Change (ADCS-CGIC) scale is widely used in Alzheimer trials. It assesses cognition, activities of daily living (ADLs), behavior and global functioning. To advance the understanding of relationships between the ADCS-CGIC and scores from other commonly used tools, this analysis investigated the ability of each domain to measure change. This was a hypothesis-forming study, designed to provide a basis for possible future research. Methods: This retrospective analysis used data from a 24-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial [study ENA713D2320 (IDEAL)] that evaluated rivastigmine patches and capsules in AD patients. Results: At week 24, significant treatment effects versus placebo were seen on the ADCS-CGIC cognitive domain with rivastigmine 17.4 mg/24 h patch (p < 0.01), 9.5 mg/24 h patch (p = 0.02) and capsules (p < 0.01); similarly on the ADCS-CGIC ADL domain. The cognition portion of the CGIC correlated with the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale cognitive subscale and the ADL section with the ADCS-ADL trial measures. Variance ascribable to these tools was small, indicating that CGIC detects changes not measured by the domain-specific tools. Conclusions: The results of this post hoc analysis suggest that the ADCS-CGIC accurately reflects changes in cognitive and functional domains measured by other tools; it captures changes not assessed by domain-specific instruments. Cognitive alterations show greatest correlation with total CGIC. These results may assist in analyzing and interpreting CGIC results in other trials.
Mainstreaming Building Energy Efficiency Codes in Developing Countries: Global Experiences and Lessons from Early Adopters

This report summarizes the findings of an extensive literature survey of the experiences of implementing BEECs in developed countries. It also includes case studies of four developing countries- China, Egypt, India, and Mexico and the state of California in the United States of America. It aims to inform both the World Bank Group and its client countries about global best practices and emerging lessons from developing countries in the design and implementation of BEECs. The report also serves as a primer on the basic features of BEECs and the commonly adopted compliance and enforcement approaches. The key challenges to improving compliance enforcement in developing countries include the level of government commitment to energy efficiency, the effectiveness of government oversight of the construction sector, the compliance capacity of domestic/local building supply chain, and the financing constraints. These challenges are surmountable in countries where economic growth is sustained and energy efficiency is pursued as a key element of national energy strategy.
Evaluating the governance of structural funds programmes: The case of community economic development in South Yorkshire

Abstract Methods for evaluating regional and urban policies have become increasingly sophisticated in recent years. However, this paper argues that the evaluation of Structural Funds programmes has systematically underplayed the effect of governance on both programme design and implementation. This paper uses the role of voluntary and community sector organizations in promoting community economic development initiatives within the European Union's Structural Funds programmes in South Yorkshire as a case study. An argument is made for extending evaluation methods, especially theory-based evaluation, through using multi-level governance as a “theory of change”. A key finding is that to explain how programmes work, evaluators need to consider formal partnership and management arrangements, their traditional focus, but also wider governance structures and the importance of informal policy networks. Such a focus allows for a consideration of issues such as resource mobilization and power.
Multi-layered stacked patch-antennas on electro-Optic material for optical modulation

Multi-layered stacked patch-antennas on an electro-optic (EO) material are proposed for optical modulation. By using multi-layered structures, larger antenna gain can be obtained to induce stronger millimeter-wave electric fields. The induced millimeter-wave electric field can be used for optical modulation through the Pockels effects of the EO crystal. Since the antenna gain is enhanced by using multi-layered stacked patch-antennas, the modulation index improvement can be obtained.
Intrafamilial Variable Hearing Loss in TRPV4 Induced Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Objective: Mutations in the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 gene (TRPV4) can induce a great diversity of neuropathies. Together with these neuropathies, hearing loss can occur. This study is focused on providing an audiometric phenotype description of a Dutch family with spinal muscular atrophy caused by a mutation in TRPV4. Methods: A neurological examination was repeated and pure tone and speech audiometry were performed. Results: A large variety in neurological symptoms as well as variation in audiometric characteristics was observed. The severity of hearing loss is mild to moderate and the audiogram configuration is highly variable. The hearing loss of these patients has a progressive nature in general. The frequencies that deteriorate significantly differ between family members. When compared to presbyacusis patients, speech recognition scores of patients with a TRPV4 mutation are not clearly different. Conclusion: The function of TRPV4 in the inner ear is still elusive but it is suggested that TRPV4 is required for maintenance of cochlear function in stress conditions, like acoustic injury. We can neither confirm nor reject this based on the results obtained in this family. Therefore, one might consider advising patients with a TRPV4 mutation to avoid exposure to environmental influences such as noise exposure.
Impact of Unfunded Pension Obligations on Credit Quality of State Governments

This study reviews the funding status of state‐administered pension plans and their impact on state credit quality. As the fund ratio (actuarial assets/actuarial accrued liability) of state‐administered pension plans decreases, states are more likely assigned a lower rating. Moreover, rating outlooks are sensitive to the fund ratio, especially for migration between stable and negative outlooks for states with lower fund ratios. These results are a timely pretest to the 2013/2014 implementation of GASB Statements No. 67 and 68, serving as a benchmark to assess whether new reporting requirements will yield information to alter the market's response to unfunded pension liabilities.
Alternative Mortgage Instruments, Qualification Constraints and the Demand for Housing: An Empirical Analysis

Government-guaranteed mortgage loans (GFRMs) and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) were introduced to make payment to income (PTI) and loan-to-value (LTV) qualification conventions less restrictive. This paper analyzes the effect of GFRMs and ARMs on the demand for housing. Using a large national data set for the 1988 to 1989 period, we employ a two-stage procedure to estimate housing demand. In the first stage, a multinomial logit model estimates the probability of choosing an FRM, ARM or GFRM. Predicted values from the logit are used to construct user costs and estimate housing demand. Using the model estimates, we simulate demand under four different mortgage availability regimes: FRM, FRM and GFRM, FRM and ARM and all three. These simulations indicate that GFRMs, by relaxing LTV constraints, increase housing demand by approximately 6.2% relative to the FRM regime; the addition of ARMs, by relaxing both PTI and LTV constraints, raises demand by an additional 6%, for a total of 12.2% with inclusion of all alternatives. Copyright American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.
Entrepreneurship and the Informal Economy: A Study of Ukraine’s Hidden Enterprise Culture

How many entrepreneurs start-up their business ventures conducting some or all of their trade in the informal economy? The aim of this paper is to answer this key question that has been seldom addressed using data from 600 face-to-face structured interviews conducted in Ukraine in late 2005 and early 2006. Analyzing the 331 entrepreneurs identified (i.e., individuals starting-up an enterprise in the past three years), just 10 percent operate on a wholly legitimate basis, while 39 percent have a license to trade and/or have registered their business but conduct a portion of their trade in the informal economy, and 51 percent operate unregistered enterprises and conduct all of their trade on an off-the-books basis. Given that some 90 percent of all business start-ups operate partially or wholly in the informal economy, and that 40 percent of all respondents depend on the informal economy as either their principal or secondary contributor to their livelihoods, the paper concludes by considering the wider implications of these findings both for further research and public policy.
Optimal Pricing, Ordering, and Return Policies for Consumer Goods

Our research addresses a firm that sells a product to consumers who are sensitive to both price and return policy. The operational decisions of interest are the selling price, return policy, and quantity of new product to purchase. We model a single selling season that is split into two periods where the boundary between periods is delineated by the opportunity to recover product returns and resell them. That is, returns in the first period can be recovered and sold in the second period. Returns also arise in the second period, but these may only be salvaged. We first analyze both deterministic and stochastic models, finding that the deterministic results largely carry over to the stochastic case. In addition, our results indicate that the model is quite insensitive to errors in the estimates of the parameter values, except for purchase cost and parameters related to demand. Finally, we perform an analysis on the value of various investments to improve financial performance. Results indicate that investments to reduce the recovery cost of returns or reduce returns uncertainty are minimal, while investments to increase recovery speed, reduce market uncertainty, and reduce the return rate can be quite valuable.
Endothelial lipase is associated with inflammation in humans Published, JLR Papers in Press, September 15, 2006.

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which inflammation is linked with plasma endothelial lipase (EL) concentrations among healthy sedentary men. Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were measured with a highly sensitive commercial immunoassay, plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations were measured using a commercial ELISA, and plasma secretory phospholipase A2 type IIA (sPLA2-IIA) concentrations were measured using a commercial assay in a sample of 74 moderately obese men (mean body mass index, 29.8 ± 5.2 kg/m2). Plasma EL concentrations were positively correlated with various indices of obesity, fasting plasma insulin, and plasma CRP, IL-6, and sPLA2-IIA concentrations. Multiple regression analyses revealed that plasma CRP concentrations explained 14.5% (P = 0.0008) of the variance in EL concentrations. When entered into the model, LPL activity accounted for 16.1% (P < 0.0001) and plasma CRP concentrations accounted for 20.9% (P < 0.0001) of the variance in EL concentrations. The combined impact of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and of an inflammation score on EL concentrations was investigated. Among subjects with high or low VAT, those having a high inflammation score based on plasma CRP, IL-6, and sPLA2-IIA concentrations had increased plasma EL concentrations (P = 0.0005). In conclusion, our data reveal a strong association between proinflammatory cytokines and plasma EL concentrations among healthy people with low or high VAT levels.
Maintenance therapy options for ulcerative colitis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Medical therapy is the cornerstone of the management of ulcerative colitis (UC) and the goal of the treatment is the induction and maintenance of remission. Areas covered: Mesalamine is the first line treatment in patients with mild to moderate UC. Despite having different formulations available, clinically significant differences in pharmacokinetics and exposure to these drugs have not been observed. Evidence supporting the efficacy of azathioprine and mercaptopurine for maintaining remission is UC patients come from both observational cohorts and clinical trials. The main limitation of the treatment with thiopurines is the onset of adverse events that occur in over one-third of patients. Infliximab, adalimumab and golimumab are anti-TNF drugs, which are generally used for more severe or refractory cases. Finally, vedolizumab, a drug directed against the integrins α4β7 has been shown to be effective for the induction and maintenance of remission in moderate-to-severe UC patients. Expert opinion: Several new drugs have enriched the therapeutic armamentarium of UC. Whether the administration of biologics earlier on in the course of the disease would have an impact on the natural history of the disease, avoiding the need for colectomy, remains unknown.
Pelvic irradiation with concurrent chemotherapy versus pelvic and para-aortic irradiation for high-risk cervical cancer: an update of radiation therapy oncology group trial (RTOG) 90-01.

PURPOSE To report mature results of a randomized trial that compared extended-field radiotherapy (EFRT) versus pelvic radiotherapy with concomitant fluorouracil and cisplatin (CTRT) in women with locoregionally advanced carcinomas of the uterine cervix. PATIENTS AND METHODS Four hundred three women with cervical cancer were randomly assigned to receive either EFRT or CTRT. Patients were eligible if they had stage IIB to IVA disease, stage IB to IIA disease with a tumor diameter > or = 5 cm, or positive pelvic lymph nodes. Patients were stratified by stage and by method of lymph node evaluation. RESULTS The median follow-up time for 228 surviving patients was 6.6 years. The overall survival rate for patients treated with CTRT was significantly greater than that for patients treated with EFRT (67% v 41% at 8 years; P <.0001). There was an overall reduction in the risk of disease recurrence of 51% (95% CI, 36% to 66%) for patients who received CTRT. Patients with stage IB to IIB disease who received CTRT had better overall and disease-free survival than those treated with EFRT (P <.0001); 116 patients with stage III to IVA disease had better disease-free survival (P =.05) and a trend toward better overall survival (P =.07) if they were randomly assigned to CTRT. The rate of serious late complications of treatment was similar for the two treatment arms. CONCLUSION Mature analysis confirms that the addition of fluorouracil and cisplatin to radiotherapy significantly improved the survival rate of women with locally advanced cervical cancer without increasing the rate of late treatment-related side effects.
Dietary catechins in relation to coronary heart disease death among postmenopausal women

Catechins, one of the major groups of flavonoids, are bioactive compounds present in a variety of plant foods and beverages. Experimental data suggest that they might prevent chronic diseases in humans. We studied whether the intake of catechins was inversely associated with the risk of coronary heart disease death in a prospective study of postmenopausal women from Iowa. Between 1986 and 1998, 767 of 34,492 participants initially free of cardiovascular diseases died from coronary heart disease. There was a strong inverse association between the intake of (+)-catechin and (−)-epicatechin and coronary heart disease death, which was somewhat attenuated after multivariate adjustment (risk ratios from lowest to highest quintile: 1.00, 0.95, 0.97, 0.77, 0.76). This inverse association was most pronounced in women at low risk of coronary heart disease (non-smokers, free of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases). A high intake of “gallates,” catechins typical of tea, was not associated with coronary heart disease death. Of the major catechin sources, apples and wine were inversely associated with coronary heart disease death. Our data suggest that preventive effects might be limited to certain types of catechins, or that these are indicators of other dietary components or a healthy lifestyle in general.
A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS. EXPERIENCES FROM THE NKOMAZI REGION OF MPUMALANGA, SOUTH AFRICA / 'N KULTURELE PERSPEKTIEF OP DIE BEMARKING VAN LANDBOUPRODUKTE: ONDERVINDINGE IN DIE NKOMAZISTREEK VAN MPUMALANGA, SUID-AFRKA

Marketing of small farmer produce has been fraught with many difficulties and disappointments despite concerted efforts of government, non-government and private sector organisations and development corporations. There are many and varied reasons for this, one of which is the lack of appreciation of the culture, customs and traditions of the small farmer. This paper draws on experiences from a rural area in Mpumalanga Province to describe the influence of tradition on the production and marketing of small farmer produce, problem areas, and possible solutions by evaluating critical criteria in the light of traditional values. These criteria include training, information systems, market structures and product research and development. The need for a closer relationship between small farmer and advisor is identified as a key to the sustainable use of resources for the long-term human and economic stability of rural communities and the country.
Integration of plug in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles - experience from Sweden

Integration of plug in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles (PHEVs and EVs) includes a wide area of topics like grid effects, different charging concepts, charger designs, harmonics from the charger etc. This short paper gives an introduction to ongoing work within this field in Sweden, and shows on research work within the topic at Chalmers University of Technology.
The true and fair view and the drafting of the Fourth Directive

The article reviews the drafting of the Fourth Directive with a view to analysing the mechanisms whereby the overriding requirement that accounts should provide a true and fair view of the state of affairs of a company was introduced into the second draft of the directive. It examines the published comments from the expert group which wrote the initial discussion document and from the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee. It concludes that, since the initial concept was that the Directive should combine elements from existing member state statutes rather than create an independent approach, it should be expected that UK and Irish law would have an influence once these countries became members. There is, however, evidence that some accountants in the UK placed emphasis on the true and fair override as a means of escaping what they saw as the strictures of the Fourth Directive.
Characterization of dextran‐producing Leuconostoc strains

S.M. HOLT, H. AL‐SHEIKH AND K. ‐J. SHIN. 2001. Twelve dextran‐producing Leuconostoc strains were characterized according to their antibiotic susceptibilities, carbohydrate fermentation profiles, sucrase activity patterns and plasmid content. All the strains tested were resistant to the antibiotics sulphathiazole, trimethoprim and vancomycin, and could be separated into two groups based on whether or not they could ferment melibiose and raffinose. Six Leuconostoc strains possessed plasmids and many produced unique sucrase activity patterns in polyacrylamide gels. These data will aid in distinguishing among physiologically similar dextran‐producing leuconostocs, frequently used in research and industry.