Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
TagLine: Information Extraction for Semi-Structured Text in Medical Progress Notes

Statistical text mining and natural language processing have been shown to be effective for extracting useful information from medical documents. However, neither technique is effective at extracting the information stored in semi-structure text elements. A prototype system (TagLine) was developed to extract information from the semi-structured text using machine learning and a rule based annotator. Features for the learning machine were suggested by prior work, and by examining text, and selecting attributes that help distinguish classes of text lines. Classes were derived empirically from text and guided by an ontology developed by the VHA's Consortium for Health Informatics Research (CHIR). Decision trees were evaluated for class predictions on 15,103 lines of text achieved an overall accuracy of 98.5 percent. The class labels applied to the lines were then used for annotating semi-structured text elements. TagLine achieved F-measure over 0.9 for each of the structures, which included tables, slots and fillers.
Functional Analysis of Genomic DNA, cDNA, and Nucleotide Sequence of the Mature C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Gene in Vascular Cells

Objective—The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) sequences (genomic DNA [CNPDNA], cDNA derived from mRNA [CNPcDNA], and sequence coding for 22 amino acids of the mature CNP [CNP22aa]) on the growth of primary porcine vascular cells. Methods and Results—Gene transfer was performed with cationic lipid DOCSPER or linear polyethylenimine. All 3 CNP sequences led to significant inhibition of smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation. In contrast, significant stimulation of cell growth was observed in endothelial cells (ECs) using CNPDNA or CNPcDNA but not CNP22aa. In a porcine restenosis model, a significant reduction in neointima hyperplasia was found 3 months after application of the CNPcDNA vector compared with the control transfection. Conclusions—The results demonstrate that the first intron in the CNP sequence does not contain any additional enhancer-binding sites. However, the signal sequence is indispensable for secretion of CNP and its appropriate physiological function. Furthermore, the results show for the first time the therapeutic effect of CNP using liposome-mediated gene transfer and local adventitial delivery. Advantages of the CNP gene are its dual effects with inhibition of SMC proliferation and simultaneous promotion of EC growth.
What Explains Cities' Climate Policy - Making? A Review of Drivers and Barriers

A large proportion of greenhouse gas emissions is produced in urban areas. Therefore, local mitigation policies have to play an important role in any effective global climate protection strategy. Based upon a literature review, this article gives an overview of drivers and barriers for local climate governance. Drivers and barriers fall into broad categories like 'economic', 'informational', 'institutional/legal', 'liveability' or 'political/cultural'. Understanding drivers and barriers of local climate governance may support cities in developing appropriate local climate action plans. It may also inform other policy levels to help realize the local climate protection potential. For many cities, cost savings are a primary driver for local mitigation policies. The collective action problem associated to climate protection and inappropriate legal frameworks are key barriers. We conclude that in the absence of proper regulatory frameworks, cities could focus on 'no-regret' measures and demonstration projects. Local co-benefits need to continue in their role as door openers for local mitigation. The trend towards adaptation can support local mitigation activities, as it raises awareness for a city's vulnerability to climate change. Finally, collective action and effective legal frameworks from the global through to the local level are considered to be essential for effective local mitigation activities.
EUROMOD: the European Union tax-benefit microsimulation model

This paper aims to provide an introduction to the current state of the art of EUROMOD, the European Union tax-benefit microsimulation model. It explains the original motivations for building a multi-country EU-wide model and summarises its current organisation. It provides an overview of EUROMOD components, covering its policy scope, the input data, the validation process and some technical aspects such as the tax-benefit programming language and the user interface. The paper also reviews some recent applications of EUROMOD and, finally, considers future developments.
Trade Facilitation Provisions in Regional Trade Agreements: Traits and Trends

The paper first surveys the trade facilitation (TF) landscape at the regional level and analyzes the main forces shaping it. It identifies key factors driving regional facilitation approaches, examining their priorities, features and underlying philosophies. The paper also highlights significant trends in regional TF provisions and analyzes their implications. The paper then compares regional and multilateral initiatives, looking at areas of convergence and divergence, and highlighting where potential gaps exist. It analyzes negotiating positions in the respective frameworks and discusses both the benefits and limitations of the resulting TF provisions. Examining the impact of the recently concluded WTO Agreement, the study highlights its potential value added.
Interactome-wide Analysis Identifies End-binding Protein 1 as a Crucial Component for the Speck-like Particle Formation of Activated Absence in Melanoma 2 (AIM2) Inflammasomes*

Inflammasomes are cytoplasmic receptors that can recognize intracellular pathogens or danger signals and are critical for interleukin 1β production. Although several key components of inflammasome activation have been identified, there has not been a systematic analysis of the protein components found in the stimulated complex. In this study, we used the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification approach to systemically analyze the interactomes of the NLRP3, AIM2, and RIG-I inflammasomes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells treated with specific stimuli of these interactomes (H2O2, poly (dA:dT), and EBV noncoding RNA, respectively). We identified a number of proteins that appeared to be involved in the interactomes and also could be precipitated with anti-apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing caspase activation and recruitment domain antibodies after stimulation. Among them, end binding protein 1 was an interacting component in all three interactomes. Silencing of end binding protein 1 expression by small interfering RNA inhibited the activation of the three inflammasomes, as indicated by reduced levels of interleukin 1β secretion. We confirmed that end binding protein 1 directly interacted with AIM2 and ASC in vitro and in vivo. Most importantly, fluorescence confocal microscopy showed that end binding protein 1 was required for formation of the speck-like particles that represent activation of the AIM2 inflammasome. In nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, immunohistochemical staining showed that end binding protein 1 expression was elevated and significantly correlated with AIM2 and ASC expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tumor cells. In sum, we profiled the interactome components of three inflammasomes and show for the first time that end binding protein 1 is crucial for the speck-like particle formation that represents activated inflammasomes.
Prediction of fluid responsiveness in patients during cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND Left ventricular stroke volume variation (SVV) has been shown to be a predictor of fluid responsiveness in various subsets of patients. However, the accuracy and reliability of SVV are unproven in patients ventilated with low tidal volumes. METHODS Fourteen patients were studied immediately after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). All patients were mechanically ventilated in pressure-controlled mode [tidal volume 7.5 (1.2) ml kg(-1)]. In addition to standard haemodynamic monitoring, SVV was assessed by arterial pulse contour analysis. Left ventricular end-diastolic area index (LVEDAI) was determined by transoesophageal echocardiography. A transpulmonary thermodilution technique was used for measurement of cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI) and intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBI). All variables were assessed before and after a volume shift induced by tilting the patients from the anti-Trendelenburg (30 degrees head up) to the Trendelenburg position (30 degrees head down). RESULTS After the change in the Trendelenburg position, SVV decreased significantly, while CI, SVI, ITBI, LVEDAI, central venous pressure (CVP) and pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (PAOP) increased significantly. Changes in SVI were significantly correlated to changes in SVV (r=0.70; P<0.0001) and to changes in LVEDAI, ITBI, CVP and PAOP. Only prechallenge values of SVV were predictive of changes in SVI after change from the anti-Trendelenburg to the Trendelenburg position. CONCLUSIONS In patients after CABG surgery who were ventilated with low tidal volumes, SVV enabled prediction of fluid responsiveness and assessment of the haemodynamic effects of volume loading.
Automatic Column Scaling Strategies for Quasi-Newton Methods

A class of algorithms is described for unconstrained optimization, based on the BFGS update formula, which includes an automatic column scaling strategy. The new algorithms generalize the method of Powell [Math. Programming, 38 (1987), pp. 29–46]. Conditions are given on the scaling strategies that guarantee global and superlinear convergence on convex problems.
ENTREPRENEURIAL MOTIVATION IN A LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRY: PUSH FACTORS AND PULL FACTORS AMONG MSEs IN UGANDA

The objective of this study is to explore entrepreneurial motivation in a least developed country (LDC), which can be divided into push factors and pull factors, without a priori separation between those which are necessity-driven and those which are opportunity-driven. This study shows that the premise "For people who start their own business in an LDC, push factors are more important than pull factors" can be rejected. In contrast to the findings from prior studies on entrepreneurship in LDCs, this study shows that push factors and pull factors are not mutually exclusive. In addition, this study shows that pull factors are even more important than push factors, and that therefore push factors only play a minor role for entrepreneurs. The overall implications are that motivation is a more combined, and nuanced construct, and that the Western concept of entrepreneurial motivation and method of measuring entrepreneurial motivation, are globally applicable.
The Importance of State Anti-Discrimination Laws on Employer Accommodation and the Movement of Their Employees Onto Social Security Disability Insurance

The rate of application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, as well as the number of beneficiaries has been increasing for the past several decades, threatening the solvency of the SSDI program. One possible remedy is to promote continued employment amongst those experiencing the onset of a work limiting disability through the provision of workplace accommodations. Using the Health and Retirement Study data linked to Social Security administrative records and a state fixed effects model, we find that the provision of workplace accommodation reduces the probability of application for SSDI following disability onset. We estimate that receipt of an accommodation reduces a worker’s probability of applying for SSDI by 30 percent over five years and 21 percent over 10 years. We then attempt to control for the potential endogeneity of accommodation receipt by exploiting exogenous variation in the implementation of state and federal anti-discrimination laws to estimate the impact of workplace accommodation on SSDI application in an instrumental variables (IV) model. While our coefficients continue to indicate that accommodation reduces SSDI application, we obtain implausibly large estimates of this effect. Overall our results imply that increasing accommodation is a plausible strategy for reducing SSDI applications and the number of beneficiaries.
The Role of Cybermediaries in Reputation Building and Price Premiums in the Online Hotel Market

The advent of the Internet has changed the way in which buyers and sellers interact. Although access to information seems unlimited, nonexpert agents find it difficult to identify the information they can use with confidence. A third-party expert, or cybermediary (online intermediary), can help sort out the information for the potential buyers. In this article, we study the case of the online hotel market. We claim that online travel agents (OTAs) such as Booking.com play an important role in building hotel reputation and encourage hoteliers to put effort into service quality. We provide empirical evidence that information supplied by past guests through the OTA generates a price premium for hotels with good reputations.
Exercise-Trained Men and Women: Role of Exercise and Diet on Appetite and Energy Intake

The regulation of appetite and energy intake is influenced by numerous hormonal and neural signals, including feedback from changes in diet and exercise. Exercise can suppress subjective appetite ratings, subsequent energy intake, and alter appetite-regulating hormones, including ghrelin, peptide YY, and glucagon-like peptide 1(GLP-1) for a period of time post-exercise. Discrepancies in the degree of appetite suppression with exercise may be dependent on subject characteristics (e.g., body fatness, fitness level, age or sex) and exercise duration, intensity, type and mode. Following an acute bout of exercise, exercise-trained males experience appetite suppression, while data in exercise-trained women are limited and equivocal. Diet can also impact appetite, with low-energy dense diets eliciting a greater sense of fullness at a lower energy intake. To date, little research has examined the combined interaction of exercise and diet on appetite and energy intake. This review focuses on exercise-trained men and women and examines the impact of exercise on hormonal regulation of appetite, post-exercise energy intake, and subjective and objective measurements of appetite. The impact that low-energy dense diets have on appetite and energy intake are also addressed. Finally, the combined effects of high-intensity exercise and low-energy dense diets are examined. This research is in exercise-trained women who are often concerned with weight and body image issues and consume low-energy dense foods to keep energy intakes low. Unfortunately, these low-energy intakes can have negative health consequences when combined with high-levels of exercise. More research is needed examining the combined effect of diet and exercise on appetite regulation in fit, exercise-trained individuals.
The Expiration Effects of Stock-Index Derivatives: Empirical Evidence from the Taiwan Futures Exchange

Five index derivatives with the same expiration days, settlement days, and settlement systems have been consecutively traded on the Taiwan Futures Exchange (TAIFEX) since 1998. This paper examines the expiration effects of TAIFEX index derivatives on the underlying stock market between 1998 and 2002. Our empirical findings show no significant expiration effects on the expiration day, but evidence demonstrates that expiration effects have strengthened as more relative index derivatives are listed on the TAIFEX. Meanwhile, the expiration effects seem to shift to the opening of the settlement day. In general, the expiration effects in Taiwan are not as significant as those in U.S. markets but are stronger than those in the Hong Kong market. The special settlement procedures adopted by the TAIFEX may account for the difference.
Data Systems Linking Resources to Actions and Outcomes: One of the Nation's Most Pressing Education Challenges

The inadequacy of present-day public school financial and performance reporting restricts policymakers. With existing spending and activity information now generally available, public officials can determine only overall education resource levels and make allocative decisions only among gross input categories such as relative amounts of labor and materials. If policymakers knew with greater precision for what activities school resources were actually employed and could systematically link resources to results, the consequence might well be greater (a) knowledge regarding schooling and progress toward an “education production function,” (b) distributional equity of educational resources, and (c) opportunity for informed public discussion of education.
Comparison of Chlamydia trachomatis infection among infertile and fertile women in Ahvaz, Iran: A case-control study

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) is the main cause of bacterial sexually transmitted infections. In women, this infection can lead to tubal infertility. Objective: In this study we investigated C. trachomatis among infertile and fertile women with both polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ELISA methods in Ahvaz, Iran. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted at the Infertility Clinic of University Jahad, Ahvaz, Iran from January to August 2017. A total of 225 vaginal swabs and blood samples (100 infertile and 125 fertile women) were collected. Detection of C. trachomatis DNA was performed from vaginal swabs by amplification of MOMP gene. Also, anti C. trachomatis immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G antibodies in the serum samples were recognized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Results showed that, 6 (6%) infertile and 2 (1.6%) fertile women were positive for IgM (p=0.21). Also, PCR was positive for C. trachomatis infection in 5 infertile (5%) and 2 fertile women (1.6%) (p=0.35). We did not find any seropositive immunoglobulin G in both groups. Conclusion: In this study, no significant difference was found between fertile and infertile groups for C. trachomatis infection. Also, the correlation between IgM and PCR results revealed a relatively strong agreement and seems both PCR and IgM assays are appropriate for the accurate diagnosis of C. trachomatis infections.
The association between recipient alcohol dependency and long-term graft and recipient survival.

BACKGROUND The causative role of alcohol consumption in renal disease is controversial, and its effect on renal graft and recipient survival has not been previously studied. METHODS We analysed the association between pre-transplant [at the time of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) onset] alcohol dependency and renal graft and recipient survival. The United States Renal Data System (USRDS) records of kidney transplant recipients 18 years or older transplanted between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 2002 were examined. We used Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models adjusted for covariates to analyse the association between pre-transplant alcohol dependency and graft and recipient survival. RESULTS In an entire study cohort of 60 523, we identified 425 patients with a history of alcohol dependency. Using Cox models, alcohol dependency was found to be associated with increased risk of death-censored graft failure [hazard ratio (HR) 1.38, P < 0.05] and increased risk of transplant recipient death (HR 1.56, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis demonstrated an association of alcohol-dependency with recipient survival and death-censored graft survival in males (but not in females), and in both white and non-white racial subgroups. CONCLUSIONS We concluded that alcohol dependency at the time of ESRD onset is a risk factor for renal graft failure and recipient death.
A unified analysis approach for hardware and software implementations

Modern computing systems are hybrid in nature and employ various processing technologies that range from specific-to general-purpose processors. In co-design environments, specific-purpose processors, also known as hardware, work to support software implementations under general-purpose systems to create high-performance computers. Algorithms and computationally intensive tasks are partitioned among the different processing subsystems to achieve desirable degrees of parallel processing and performance characteristics. In this paper, a unified statistical performance analysis formulation is presented. The proposed statistical formulation combines the heterogeneous characteristics of both hardware and software implementations to provide grounds for thorough evaluations. The formulation includes the development of performance profiles, key indicators, and the composition of a master indicator based-on heterogeneous measurements. The investigation includes a case-study that targets a set of simple cryptographic algorithms. The two main targeted high performance computing devices are multi-core processors for software implementations and high-end Field Programmable Gate Arrays for hardware implementations.
A progress report on our monetary policy framework: Forecasters Club, New York, New York, February 29, 2012

I am pleased to be here today, and I will do my best to avoid all the hackneyed forecaster jokes. I am sure you have heard them all anyway. I will simply note that I have often said that forecasting can be a humbling experience in the best of times but I have learned some lessons along the way. For example, one Thursday morning not long ago, a reporter asked me what I thought the monthly employment numbers would show when they were released the next day. I responded that I had been around long enough to learn never to predict anything about which I can be proven right or wrong within a week and certainly not within 24 hours. It simply doesn’t pay.
White‐blood‐cell‐containing allogeneic blood transfusion and postoperative infection or mortality: an updated meta‐analysis

Background Additional randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing recipients of non‐white‐blood‐cell‐(WBC)‐reduced and WBC‐reduced allogeneic red blood cells (RBCs) have been reported since the undertaking of previous meta‐analyses of the association of allogeneic blood transfusion (ABT) with postoperative infection and/or mortality. Because no further RCTs are underway, a final meta‐analysis of all available RCTs was conducted.