Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of hypertonic sodium chloride on intracranial pressure in patients with acute liver failure

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare condition characterized by the development of encephalopathy in the absence of chronic liver disease. Cerebral edema occurs in up to 80% of patients with Grade IV encephalopathy. In the current prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, we examined the effect of induced hypernatremia on the incidence of intracranial hypertension (IH) in patients with ALF. Thirty patients with ALF and Grade III or IV encephalopathy were randomized. Patients in Group 1 (n = 15) received the normal standard of care. Patients in Group 2 (n = 15) received standard care and hypertonic saline (30%) via infusion to maintain serum sodium levels of 145–155 mmol/L. Intracranial pressure (ICP) was monitored in all patients with a subdural catheter (Camino Systems, San Diego, CA) for up to 72 hours after inclusion. Serum sodium levels became significantly different from the levels observed in the control group at 6 hours (P < .01). Over the first 24 hours, norepinephrine dose increased relative to baseline in the control group (P < .001; 13 patients) but not in the treatment group. ICP decreased significantly relative to baseline over the first 24 hours in the treatment group (P = .003; 13 patients) but not in the control group. The incidence of IH, defined as a sustained increase in ICP to a level of 25 mm Hg or greater, was significantly higher in the control group (P = .04). In conclusion, induction and maintenance of hypernatremia can reduce the incidence and severity of IH in patients presenting with ALF. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;39:464–470.)
New kid on the block: network functions visualization: from big boxes to carrier clouds

Network management currently undergoes massive changes towards realizing more flexible management of complex networks. Recent efforts include slicing data plane resources by network (link) virtualization and applying operating system design principles to Software Defined Networking to rethink network management. Driven by network operators, network management principles are currently envisioned to be even further improved by virtualizing network (middlebox) functions. The resulting Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) paradigm abstracts network functions from dedicated hardware to virtual machines running on commodity hardware. This change in the design of carrier networks is inspired by the success of virtualization in the server market. By deploying NFV, network operators envision to achieve benefits similar to the server market and elastic cloud services, e.g., flexible and dynamic service provisioning, increased resource utilization, improved energy efficiency, and ultimately decreased operational costs. Despite these efforts, the ability of NFV to satisfy performance demands is often questioned. Tackling these challenges opens a set of research questions that felt short in the current discussion and are of particular relevance to the SIGCOMM community. In this position paper, we therefore provide an overview on the current state-of-the-art and open research questions.
An examination of the transactional relationship between online travel agencies, travel meta sites, and suppliers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to explore the ways travel intermediaries (online travel agencies (OTAs) and travel meta sites) used throughout the distribution value chain engaged in relationships with travel suppliers.Design/methodology/approach – The multiple‐case study approach is suitable in examining contemporary events in their natural context. A commonly reported strength of the case study approach in that a variety of evidence can be used to investigate the subject matter. The data evidence gathered for this paper came from field study interviews and document analysis.Findings – The results show that the relationship structure has an impact on the type of contractual agreement OTAs and meta sites have with travel suppliers and with each other.Practical implications – These results can be used by top‐level executives involved in online travel as they research and test how to best craft their relationship and formal or informal agreements with their suppliers, affiliates, and other entities.
Exploring the feasibility of heterogeneous computing of complex networks for big data analysis

We present our experience with exploring the configuration space for accelerating BFS's on large complex networks in the context of a heterogeneous GPU + CPU HPC platform. We study the feasibility of the heterogeneous computing approach by systematically studying different graph partitioning strategies while processing synthetic and real-world complex networks. To achieve this, we exploit the coreness of complex networks for load partitioning.
The Regional Dimension of Competitiveness in Manufacturing: Productivity, Employment and Wages in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom

BOROOAH V. K. and LEE K. C. (1991) The regional dimension of competitiveness in manufacturing: productivity, employment and wages in Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, Reg. Studies 25, 219–229. The regional dimension of competitiveness in manufacturing industry is examined by comparing the UK with one of its poorest regions, Northern Ireland. An overview is provided of total factor productivity and real wage developments in Northern Ireland and the UK over the last two decades. These developments are then investigated econometrically through the estimation of labour demand and wage equations. The paper identifies a number of factors which may have eroded the competitiveness, and hence the employment prospects, of the region relative to the UK as a whole over the period. BOROOAH V. K. et LEE K. C. (1991) La competitivite de l'industrie manufacturiere sous un optique regional: productivite, emploi et salaires en Irlande du Nord et au Royaume-Uni, Reg. Studies 25, 219–229. On examine les aspects region.
Fiscal Policy: Institutions versus Rules

Fiscal discipline is as much needed as monetary discipline. Many countries have attempted to counter the deficit bias by adopting fiscal rules that typically set a limit to their annual budget deficits. The record is not satisfactory; rules are either too lax or too tight and then ignored. This article suggests that the solution is to adopt the approach followed by inflation targeting central banks, with great success. Independent and accountable Fiscal Policy Committees, given the task of achieving debt targets and the authority to decide - or recommend - annual deficits, will be free from the deficit bias. This will allow them to exercise discretion in the short run while delivering debt sustainability in the long run.
Dietary linseed oil in the maternal diet affects immunoglobulins, tissue fatty acid composition and expression of lipid metabolism‐related genes in piglets

This experiment investigated the effects of supplementing the maternal diet with linseed oil (LSO) and soya bean oil (SBO) on immunoglobulins, the fatty acid composition and hepatic expression of lipid metabolism-related genes in piglets. Multiparous sows (twenty-four per diet) were fed on diets containing a supplement of either SBO or LSO during last week of gestation and lactation. The results indicated that supplementation of maternal diet with LSO could improve the weaning weight of piglets and average daily gain (ADG) (p < 0.05). The concentration of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) was enhanced in sow plasma, colostrum and milk by the addition of LSO (p < 0.05). In addition, the concentration of 18: 3n-3 fatty acids was higher in the milk of LSO sows. Meanwhile, maternal supplementation with LSO increased the levels of plasma IgG, IgA and the tissues n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in piglets (p < 0.05). Correspondingly, the mRNA expression levels of hepatic ∆5-desaturase (D5D) and ∆6-desaturase (D6D) were higher, and fatty acid synthase (FAS) was lower in piglets from LSO-fed sows when compared with that in the SBO group. In conclusion, LSO supplementation of the maternal diet increases immunoglobulins, modifies the fatty acid composition and affects the gene of D5D and D6D expression of piglets.
"Be Quick": A Systems Response to Overcrowding in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of focused system changes on several key measures of emergency department (ED) quality (length of stay, waiting time, rate of leaving without being seen, and patient satisfaction) in a children's hospital ED. Methods: System-wide ED changes were made and implemented during a 6-month period. The combined changes are called "be quick"-BEQK. The components were bedside registration, the Bed-ahead program, electronic medical records and tracking board, quick triage, and Kids Express. Three study periods were evaluated: before BEQK (2005) and the 2 periods after BEQK (2006 and 2007). Results: The primary outcome measures, namely wait time, length of stay, and leaving without being seen rates, were all decreased during the 2 post-BEQK periods compared with the pre-BEQK period (2005). The mean waiting time was 46 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI], 39-53 minutes) in 2005 and this decreased to 22 minutes (95% CI, 21-23 minutes) and 14 minutes (95% CI, 13-15 minutes) in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The mean length of stay was 151 minutes (95% CI, 139-163 minutes) in 2005 and this decreased to 136 minutes (95% CI, 135-137 minutes) and 115 minutes (95% CI, 114-116 minutes) in 2006 and 2007, respectively. The rate of leaving without being seen was 2.45% of patient visits per month in 2005 and this decreased to 1.67% in 2006 and to 0.92% in 2007. Conclusions: In our pediatric ED, focused system changes significantly decreased wait time, leaving without being seen, and length of stay and improved patient satisfaction.
Applying QFD to strategic quality management in law firms

This paper aims to propose a practical framework for strategic quality management in law firms by applying the quality function deployment (QFD) principles to integrate the voice of the client into the law firms' resource enhancement process. Based on a thorough exploratory study of the Catalan corporate legal industry, this article argues that QFD, along with other quality tools, allows for the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the legal service (the service value) as well as the critical resources for client satisfaction (the strategic quality resources), thus emphasising opportunities to leverage client expectations to the firm's competitive advantage.
The Draft Genome Sequence of Xanthomonas sp. Strain Mitacek01 Expands the Pangenome of a Genus of Plant Pathogens

ABSTRACT We report the draft genome sequence of Xanthomonas sp. strain Mitacek01, isolated from an indoor environment vending machine surface with frequent human use in Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA, as part of the Student-Initiated Microbial Discovery project. The genome has a total size of 3,617,426 bp and a contig N50 of 1,906,967 bp.
UK environmental policy and the small firm: broadening the focus

The poor environmental performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK has been attributed to a wide range of barriers, both internal and external to the firm. However, the debate has seldom considered the interplay of factors beyond ‘the firm’. In order for the debate to progress we emphasize the importance of situating the environmental practices of small firms within a context of national policy arrangements. A lack of institutional enfranchisement for SMEs in the UK is a key factor in understanding why environmental policies have yet to be successful in encouraging more environmentally proactive behaviour within this sector. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment.
Exchange Rate Regimes: Is the Bipolar View Correct?

“. the choice of appropriate exchange rate regime, which, for economies with access to international capital markets, increasingly means a move away from the middle ground of pegged but adjustable fixed exchange rates towards the two corner regimes of either flexible exchange rates or a fixed exchange rate supported, if necessary, by a commitment to give up altogether an independent monetary policy. ” Lawrence H. Summers (2000), p. 8.
The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity as a predictor of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke

Abstract. Rosmond R, Björntorp P (University of Göteborg, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden). The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity as a predictor of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. J Intern Med 2000; 247: 188–197.
Development of Welding Emission Factors for Cr and Cr(VI) with a Confidence Level

Abstract Knowledge of the emission rate and release characteristics is necessary for estimating pollutant fate and transport. Because emission measurements at a facility’s fence line are generally not readily available, environmental agencies in many countries are using emission factors (EFs) to indicate the quantity of certain pollutants released into the atmosphere from operations such as welding. The amount of fumes and metals generated from a welding process is dependent on many parameters, such as electrode composition, voltage, and current. Because test reports on fume generation provide different levels of detail, a common approach was used to give a test report a quality rating on the basis of several highly subjective criteria; however, weighted average EFs generated in this way are not meant to reflect data precision or to be used for a refined risk analysis. The 95% upper confidence limit (UCL) of the unknown population mean was used in this study to account for the uncertainty in the EF test data. Several parametric UCLs were computed and compared for multiple welding EFs associated with several mild, stainless, and alloy steels. Also, several nonparametric statistical methods, including several bootstrap procedures, were used to compute 95% UCLs. For the nonpara-metric methods, a distribution for calculating the mean, standard deviation, and other statistical parameters for a dataset does not need to be assumed. There were instances when the sample size was small and instances when EFs for an electrode/process combination were not found. Those two points are addressed in this paper. Finally, this paper is an attempt to deal with the uncertainty in the value of a mean EF for an electrode/process combination that is based on test data from several laboratories. Welding EFs developed with a defined level of confidence may be used as input parameters for risk assessment.
Plasma membrane targeting of chimeric intracisternal A-type particle polyproteins leads to particle release and specific activation of the viral proteinase

Retrovirus morphogenesis involves assembly of structural Gag polyproteins with subsequent budding from the plasma membrane, followed by proteolytic cleavage by the viral proteinase (PR) and extracellular maturation to the infectious virion. Intracisternal A-type particles (IAPs) are defective retroviruses that assemble and bud at the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they remain as immature particles consisting exclusively of uncleaved polyproteins. To analyze requirements for intracellular polyprotein transport and PR activation, we constructed deletion and substitution mutations in the IAP gag gene, including the putative ER-targeting signal. Mutant polyproteins were transported to various intracellular locations, including the nucleus, the cytoplasm, the ER, and the plasma membrane. Interestingly, assembly of capsid-like particle structures occurred at almost all sites. However, only those polyproteins transported to the plasma membrane were efficiently and specifically cleaved by viral PR, with cleavage occurring predominantly within the virus particle. Thus, at least in the experimental system presented here, retroviral particle assembly can occur at almost any location within the cell, while polyprotein processing and, consequently, virion maturation are confined to a specific cellular site. These results suggest that a factor restricted to the plasma membrane is required to trigger PR activation and maturation of infectious retroviruses.
Hip fractures among the elderly: personal and contextual social factors that matter.

BACKGROUND There is evidence of independent neighborhood effects on the risk of hip fracture among the elderly. This study builds on earlier investigations and measures the crude and adjusted effects of individual personal- and area-based social attributes on hip fracture. METHODS The study is cross-sectional and register-based, and covers all people aged 65 or older living in the Stockholm metropolitan area during 1993 to 1995. It combines individual data from hospital inpatient registers, population data from census records, and area-based (parish) data from the Stockholm County's registers. Marital status (married or not), country of birth (three categories), and two area-based compositional indexes (social status and economic deprivation, each split into three levels) were considered. Both age adjusted odds ratios and odds adjusted for all other variables were compiled. RESULTS The age adjusted effects of individual marital status, country of birth, and area-based social status are considerable and not much affected by the other exposures, to the detriment of married men and women, Swedish-born men and women, and those men and women living in parishes characterized by average and high social status. By contrast, after adjustment, the odds of men and women living in average and high socioeconomic deprivation lose significance. CONCLUSIONS The attributes of both people and places may contribute to a better understanding of the occurrence of hip fractures among the elderly. The effects of individual marital status, country of birth, and social status of the living area are noticeably robust.
Long-term Impact of Bile Duct Injury on Morbidity, Mortality, Quality of Life, and Work Related Limitations

Objective: Assessment of long-term comprehensive outcome of multimodality treatment of bile duct injury (BDI) in terms of morbidity, mortality, quality of life (QoL), survival, and work related limitations. Background: The impact of BDI on work ability is scarcely investigated. Methods: BDI patients referred to a tertiary center after BDI were included (n = 800). QoL and work related limitations (HLQ) were compared with 175 control patients after uncomplicated laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Results: The mean survival after BDI was 17.6 years (95% confidence interval, CI, 17.2–18.0 years). BDI related mortality was 3.5% (28/800). Corrected for sex, ASA classification, treatment and type of injury, survival is worse in male patients (hazard ratio, HR 1.50, 95% CI 1.01–2.33) and progressively worse with higher ASA classification (ASA2: 5.25 (2.94–9.37), ASA3: 18.1 (9.79–33.3). Patients treated surgically had a significantly better survival (HR: 0.45 (95% CI: 0.25–0.80). BDI patients reported a significantly worse physical QoL compared with the control group and worse disease specific QoL. Loss of productivity of work was significantly higher among BDI patients. There also was a significant hindrance in unpaid work. A higher number of bile duct injury patients were receiving disability benefits after long-term follow-up (34.9% vs 19.6%, P = 0.004). Conclusions: Reconstructive surgery in BDI patients is associated with improved survival. Although the clinical outcome of multidisciplinary treatment of bile duct injury is good, it is associated with a significant decrease in QoL, loss of productivity in both paid and unpaid work and high rates of disability benefits use.
Améliorer le rapport coût-efficacité des dépenses publiques

Les depenses publiques en proportion du PIB ont augmente regulierement dans la zone OCDE jusqu’au milieu des annees 90, mais cette tendance s’est attenuee depuis. L’augmentation des depenses resultant du developpement continu des programmes sociaux a ete en partie compensee par des facteurs temporaires ou ponctuels. Cependant, il est probable que les pressions sur les depenses publiques vont s’intensifier, notamment sous l’effet du vieillissement des populations. Bien que les depenses publiques aient un role a jouer dans la poursuite des grands objectifs.
Auctions: Theory and Practice

This book is a non-technical introduction to auction theory; its practical application in auction design (including many examples); and its uses in other parts of economics. It can be used for a graduate course on auction theory, or – by picking selectively – an advanced undergraduate or MBA course on auctions and auction design. Part A introduces the basic theory. Part B shows how modern auction-theoretic tools illuminate a range of mainstream economic questions that are superficially unconnected with auctions. Part C discusses practical auction design. Part D describes the one-hundred-billion dollar 3G mobile-phone license auctions. None of the writing is technical, except in the Appendices. The material was presented as the inaugural (2003) Toulouse Lectures in Economics and is forthcoming at Princeton University Press. This document contains the Contents, Preface and Introduction to the book. A draft of the FULL BOOK is available at http://www.paulklemperer. org.
The Entry of the Wife into the Labor Force in Response to the Husband’s Unemployment: A Study of the Added Worker Effect in Brazilian Metropolitan Areas

The temporary participation in the labor force of wives whose husbands have become unemployed has been referred to in the literature as the “added worker effect” (AWE). Previous research conducted using data from the United States has found only a small AWE, a result that accords with life cycle models with perfect capital markets. The current article uses panel data obtained using a short recall period to evaluate the AWE in the six major Brazilian metropolitan areas. Our results show a positive AWE that is much more substantial than those found for the U.S. economy. The finding of an important AWE for Brazil suggests that liquidity constraints may prevent Brazilian households from sufficiently smoothing income and consumption in periods when the male head of the family is unemployed. Alternatively, the significant AWE may indicate that the husband’s unemployment signals household members that there may be a substantial reduction in future income flow.
Keynesian Utilities: Bulls and Bears

We propose Keynesian utilities as a new class of non-expected utility functions representing the preferences of investors for optimism, defined as the composition of the investor's preferences for risk and her preferences for ambiguity. The optimism or pessimism of Keynesian utilities is determined by empirical proxies for risk and ambiguity. Bulls and bears are defined respectively as optimistic and pessimistic investors. The resulting family of Afriat inequalities are necessary and sufficient for rationalizing the asset demands of bulls and bears with Keynesian utilities.