Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Provider Connectedness to Other Providers Reduces Risk of Readmission After Hospitalization for Heart Failure

Provider interactions other than explicit care coordination, which is challenging to measure, may influence practice and outcomes. We performed a network analysis using claims data from a commercial payor. Networks were identified based on provider pairs billing outpatient care for the same patient. We compared network variables among patients who had and did not have a 30-day readmission after hospitalization for heart failure. After adjusting for comorbidities, high median provider connectedness—normalized degree, which for each provider is the number of connections to other providers normalized to the number of providers in the region—was the network variable associated with reduced odds of readmission after heart failure hospitalization (odds ratio = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [0.35, 0.86]). We conclude that heart failure patients with high provider connectedness are less likely to require readmission. The structure and importance of provider relationships using claims data merits further study.
Laurane-, Cyclolaurane-, and Cuparane-type Sesquiterpenes from the Marine Red Alga Laurencia okamurai

Chemical investigation of the secondary metabolites extracted from the marine red alga Laurencia okamurai has resulted in the isolation of one new (lauramurin, 1) and six known (2–7) sesquiterpenes. On the basis of the data obtained by our detailed spectroscopic analysis as well as by comparison with those reported, the structures of these compounds were elucidated as four laurane sesquiterpenes including lauramurin (1), laur-11-en-10-ol (2), aplysinol (3), and debromoaplysinol (4), two cyclolaurane sesquiterpenes laurequinone (5) and laurentristich-4-ol (6), and one cuparane ether sesquiterpene (7). The antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality for the isolated compounds were evaluated. Compounds 2 and 5–7 displayed moderate lethality against brine shrimp.
Innovation and firm size in the pharmaceutical industry

The paper explains the main features of the relationship between firm size and innovativeness in the pharmaceutical industry. As the biotechnological paradigm is progressively replacing the chemical one, the biotech start-ups are the principal engine of R&D activity. They discover new molecules and impulse drug innovation. Still, big pharmaceutical companies (big pharmas) have some advantages, such as benefiting from higher funds to support development of new drugs, scale and scope economies in R&D. Partnerships between small and big firms are developed on a win-win basis. Consequently, the size of the firm is a moving target. Innovation is to be linked with industrial, technological networks. Small firms are cooperating and so increasing returns to scale may appear at the level of the research networks, strategic alliances or bio-clusters. Industrial policies stimulating innovation as a competitive edge should then concentrate on creating strong incentives for small firms to cooperate.
SPECTRAL DOMAIN OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IN ADULT-ONSET VITELLIFORM MACULAR DYSTROPHY WITH CUTICULAR DRUSEN

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate morphologic differences in a consecutive case series of patients suffering from adult-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy with cuticular drusen (CD) compared with another patient group with a vitelliform lesion only using high-resolution in vivo retinal imaging. Methods: Simultaneous spectral domain optical coherence tomography (870 nm, 40.000 A-scans per second) and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy were performed in 6 patients (12 eyes) with adult-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy using a combined instrument (Spectralis HRA+OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Results: Mean age was 69 years (59-82 years), and mean visual acuity was 20/80. The vitelliform lesion presented with an accumulation of yellow-gray material with increased fundus autofluorescence. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging showed that the neurosensory detachment was filled with an amorphous homogenously reflective material located between the retinal pigment epithelium and neurosensory retina in the inferior part of the lesion with the superior part being optically empty. The retinal pigment epithelium basal membrane/Bruch membrane band on spectral domain optical coherence tomography showed multiple focal nodules, in analogy to histologic descriptions of CD. Longitudinal observations in a subgroup of patients showed that the vitelliform detachment collapsed with subsequent development of geographic atrophy in patients with CDs. Conclusion: Cuticular drusen may be an indicator for a generalized retinal pigment epithelium dysfunction. High-resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography allows to image morphologic differences in adult-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy with and without CDs, providing further evidence that adult-onset vitelliform macular dystrophy with CDs represents a separate disease entity.
Technological Singularities

Over the last few decades, there has been considerable change in the way we work, play and live. The internet, invented for sharing information and allowing researchers to collaborate, has evolved into a medium used by humanity all over the globe. The concept of packet switching, proposed in the 1960s has been applied, not only to the internet, but also to telephony. Voice-over internet protocol (VOIP) and the web have evolved as applications of the internet. Packet oriented technologies have made it possible to allow the use of cell phones and their integration for internet access without the need for extensive wired networks. Database systems, information storage and processing technology have also advanced rapidly in the last few decades. These have taken over many of the manual data capture, storage, search, retrieval and processing tasks, and at a speed not possible using human effort. A further advance in artificial intelligence (AI) technology is poised to take over many of the intellectual tasks as well. Currently, increasing attention is being turned to a specific technology singularity associated with AI; the emergence of an AI based system, which will exceed human intelligence. In this position paper, we explore some past technological singularities and their effect on human lives; we will then look at the afore mentioned singularity and conclude with some observations.
The consensus between Italian HR and sustainability managers on HR management for sustainability-driven change – towards a ‘strong' HR management system

By sustainability-driven change, we mean the transformation of a company into an active agent of broad sustainable development. This paper focuses on two key features of this transformation: (i) the key role played by the company's human resource (HR) management system within that process; and (ii) the fact that the transformation involves a variety of agents and that, among others, HR and sustainability managers are pivotal to the success of the process. Gaining consensus between them on those aspects of the HR system that support sustainability-driven change is a key success factor, as it results in a ‘strong' HR management system that sends coherent messages to the organization. In addition, consensus between the two managers can be critical in preparing a compelling business case for sustainability for the senior management of the organization. This paper explores the level of consensus between the HR and sustainability managers using a survey of 89 managers in Italian companies committed to sustainability. The results of our research indicate which elements of an HR management system are seen as important for sustainability-driven change by both the HR and the sustainability managers and what differences in perception exist between them. Based upon our findings, implications for HR practice and research are then advanced and discussed.
Migration of Corporate Payments from Check to Electronic Format: A Report on the Current Status of Payments

The Treasury Management Association (TMA) conducted a survey early in 1998 to identify the barriers to, benefits of, and incentives for converting corporate paper check payments to electronic forms (ACH and EDI). The results reveal federal and state mandates (e.g., for tax payments) to be the most common incentives for organizations to adopt electronic payments. The biggest barriers to further expansion is lack of vendor (trading-partner) capability to receive electronic payment accompanied by remittance information, lack of systems integration, and costs of additional technology. The most important benefits are lower costs, certainty of payment date, and improved cash-flow projections.
The Absence of Accelerating Deflation in Japan

It is standard to model the output-inflation trade-off as a linear relationship with a time-invariant slope. We assess empirical evidence for three types of nonlinearity in the short-run Phillips curve. At an empirical level, we aim to discover why large negative output gaps in Japan during the period 1998-2002 did not lead to accelerating deflation, but instead coincided with stable, be it moderately negative inflation. We document that this episode is most convincingly interpreted as reflecting a gradual flattening of the Phillips curve. The broader relevance of our analysis lies in its attempt to shed light on the determinants of such time-variation in the Phillips curve slope. Our results suggest that, in any economy where trend inflation is substantially lower (or substantially higher) today than in past decades, time-variation in the slope of the short-run Phillips curve has become too important to ignore.
Heavy Alcohol Use, Marijuana Use, and Concomitant Use by Adolescents Are Associated with Unique and Shared Cognitive Decrements

Abstract To assess recovery of cognitive effects, we investigated neuropsychological performance after 1 month of monitored abstinence in teens with histories of heavy episodic drinking, protracted marijuana use, or concomitant use of alcohol and marijuana. Adolescents (ages 16–18 years) with histories of heavy episodic drinking (HED; n=24), marijuana use (MJ; n=20), both heavy alcohol and marijuana use (HED+MJ; n=29), and socio-demographically similar control teens (CON; n=55) completed a neuropsychological battery following 4 weeks of monitored abstinence. Groups were similar on 5th grade standardized test scores, suggesting comparable academic functioning before onset of substance use. Relative to CON, HED showed poorer cognitive flexibility (p=.006), verbal recall (p=.024), semantic clustering (p=.011), and reading skills (p=.018). MJ performed worse than CON on inhibition task accuracy (p=.015), cued verbal memory (p=.031), and psychomotor speed (p=.027). Similar to HED youth, HED+MJ showed differences relative to CON on cognitive flexibility (p=.024) and verbal recall (p=.049). As with MJ teens, HED+MJ showed poorer task accuracy (p=.020). Unique to the HED+MJ group was poorer working memory (p=.012) relative to CON. For all substance using participants, worse performance across domains correlated with more lifetime use of alcohol and of marijuana, more withdrawal symptoms from alcohol, and earlier age of onset of marijuana use (ps<.05). Heavy alcohol use, marijuana use, and concomitant use of both substances during adolescence appear to be associated with decrements in cognitive functioning, and each substance (or combination of substances) may be linked to poorer performance in specific cognitive domains (JINS, 2014, 20, 784–795).
Process and product innovation: A differential game approach to product life cycle

We investigate the timing of adoption of product and process innovation by using a differential game in which firms may invest in both activities. We consider horizontal product innovation that reduces product substitutability, and process innovation that reduces marginal cost. First, we demonstrate that the incentive for cost-reducing investment is relatively higher than the incentive to increase product differentiation. Second, depending on initial conditions, (i) firms activate both types of investment from the very outset to the steady state; (ii) firms initially invest only in one RD (iii) firms do not invest at all in either type of innovation.
Bank capital : a myth resolved

In order to promote financial stability, regulatory authorities pay a lot of attention in setting minimum capital levels. In addition to these requirements, financial institutions calculate their own economic capital reflecting the unexpected losses and true risk according to the specific characteristics of their portfolio. The current Basel I framework pays little or no attention to the creditworthiness of a borrower in deciding on the regulatory capital requirements. As a result, a lot of banks remove low-risk assets from their balance sheets and only retain relatively high risk assets on balance. The recently introduced Basel II framework should result in a further convergence between regulatory and economic capital. However, recent papers (Elizalde et al., 2006; Jackson et al., 2002 and Jacobson et al. 2006) argue that also under Basel II, regulatory and economic capital will have different determinants. This paper first gives an overview of capital adequacy and then further describes the differences and similarities between economic and regulatory capital based on a literature review.
Tales of the expected: investigating the rhetorical strategies of innovation champions

Innovation continues to be high on the agenda in construction. It is widely considered to be an essential prerequisite of improved performance both for the sector at large and for individual firms. Success stories dominate the parts of the academic literature that rely heavily on the recollections of key individuals. A complementary interpretation focuses on the way innovation champions in hindsight interpret, justify and legitimize the diffusion of innovations. Emphasis is put on the temporal dimension of interpretation and how this links to rhetorical strategies and impression management tactics. Rhetorical theories are drawn upon to analyse the accounts given by innovation champions in seven facilities management organizations. In particular, the three persuasive appeals in classic rhetoric are used to highlight the rhetorical justifications mobilized in the descriptions of what took place. The findings demonstrate the usefulness of rhetorical theories in complementing studies of innovation.
Partnership and Progress: Teacher Mentoring in United Kingdom Teacher Education (Primary)

Abstract The initial training of primary teachers in the United Kingdom is undergoing major restructuring at the present time. The authors analyzes the main strands of these changes as they have emerged over the last ten years. Reference is made both to the politicisation of teacher education and to the development of theoretical perspectives which reveal the unending complexity of the nature of professional knowledge.
[Effects of aroma hand massage on pain, state anxiety and depression in hospice patients with terminal cancer].

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aroma hand massage on pain, state anxiety and depression in hospice patients with terminal cancer. METHODS This study was a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 58 hospice patients with terminal cancer who were hospitalized. Twenty eight hospice patients with terminal cancer were assigned to the experimental group (aroma hand massage), and 30 hospice patients with terminal cancer were assigned to the control group (general oil hand massage). As for the experimental treatment, the experimental group went through aroma hand massage on each hand for 5 min for 7 days with blended oil-a mixture of Bergamot, Lavender, and Frankincense in the ratio of 1:1:1, which was diluted 1.5% with sweet almond carrier oil 50 ml. The control group went through general oil hand massage by only sweet almond carrier oil-on each hand for 5 min for 7 days. RESULTS The aroma hand massage experimental group showed more significant differences in the changes of pain score (t=-3.52, p=.001) and depression (t=-8.99, p=.000) than the control group. CONCLUSION Aroma hand massage had a positive effect on pain and depression in hospice patients with terminal cancer.
Pay dispersion and the financial performance of the firm: evidence from Korea

Pay dispersion has been found in prior research to negatively affect both individual and workplace performance. In this study, we examine whether the relationship between horizontal pay dispersion and firm financial performance is curvilinear in nature, with moderate levels of dispersion leading to more positive outcomes than either low or high levels. Using data from a government-sponsored survey of Korean firms, we find support for the hypothesized curvilinear relationship between pay dispersion and firm financial performance. We further find that this curvilinear relationship is moderated by firm and human resource system characteristics. Where the firm had more incumbents in the rank being examined, where pay level was higher, and where there was greater organizational investment in performance evaluation and feedback, the positive slope (within the curvilinear relationship) inverted at a higher level of dispersion.
Evaluation of Hotel Information Technologies and EDI Adoption

This study examines information technology (IT) applications, the adoption of electronic data interchange (EDI) among hotel systems, and management support for IT departments in a sample of Hong Kong hotels. The empirical results indicate that most hotels have not installed decision support or strategic management tools. In addition, the ratio of EDI implementation between hotel systems and web applications is relatively low. The rate of adoption of automated credit card authorization, which can enhance the security of customer data, is only 6 percent for the property management system (PMS) and 17 percent for point of sale (POS) applications. In keeping with the increased importance of hotel IT systems, the background of hotel IT managers has changed dramatically in the past decade. Many more have IT-related qualifications, with almost 70 percent holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. Because of the low adoption of EDI, the authors propose a revised EDI adoption model. The original model includes perceived benefits, external pressure, and organizational readiness. Within organizational readiness are financial resources and IT competence, and to those two factors the new model adds IT managers’ attitude toward and awareness of EDI.
Dose escalation study of bendamustine based conditioning regime (Bace-bendamustine, cytarabine, cyclophosphamide and etoposide) in patients with lymphoma undergoing autologous stem cell transplant

Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) is a standard of care in relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and other lymphoproliferative disorders including relapsed Hodgkin’s disease, mantle or T-cell lymphoma. Carmustine, etoposide, ARA-C, melphalan (BEAM) [1], lomustine, etoposide, ARA-C, melphalan (LEAM) and lomustine, ARA-C, cyclophosphamide, etoposide (LACE) are commonly used condition in regimes. However, Carmustine and lomustine are associated with interstitial pneumonia (2 to 20%) and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Therefore a less toxic regimen might improve the results in relapsed lymphoma patients.
Does it matter how you play? The effects of collaboration and competition among players of human computation games

Human computation games (HCGs) harness human intelligence through enjoyable gameplay to address computational problems that are beyond the power of computer programs but trivial for humans. With the popularity of crowdsourcing, different types of HCGs have been developed using various gameplay mechanics to attract online users to contribute outputs. Two commonly used mechanics are collaboration and competition. Yet there is little research examining whether HCGs perform better than nongame applications in terms of motivations and perceptions. Thus, this study investigates the effects of collaborative and competitive mechanics on intrinsic motivation and perceived output quality in mobile content sharing HCGs. Using a within‐subjects experiment, 160 participants were recruited from 2 local universities. The findings suggest that the nongame application was perceived to yield better quality output than both HCGs, but the latter offered a greater satisfaction of motivational needs, which may motivate individuals to continue playing them. Taken together, the present findings inform researchers and designers of HCGs that games could serve as a motivator to encourage participation. However, the usefulness of HCGs may be dependent on how one can effectively manage the entertainment–output generation duality of such games. This article concludes by presenting implications, limitations, and future research directions.
High Resolution Image Scaler Using Interpolation Filter For Multimedia Video Applications

This paper proposes a high-performance down scaler to improve the quality of a down-scaled image using interpolation filter. It uses a non-linear phase property of the digital filter to reduce hardware complexity. The implemented architecture is composed of four blocks: (i) line memory, (ii) vertical scaler with interpolation filter, (iii) horizontal scaler with interpolation filter, and (iv) FIFO. It has been fabricated by using 0.65 /spl mu/m CMOS process.
TIME VARYING INCREASING DEMAND INVENTORY MODEL FOR DETERIORATING ITEMS

An inventory model for deteriorating items is considered in which demand increases with respect to time, deterioration rate, inventory holding cost and ordering cost are all continuous functions of time. Shortages are completely backlogged. The planning horizon is finite. The optimal replenishment policy and decision rule, which minimizes the total cost, is developed. A numerical example is given to illustrate the derived model. Sensitivity analysis is presented for the model.
Cloud-X - Remote Desktops and Applications through Web Browsers

Cloud computing is gaining general acceptance and we believe it will broaden its user base significantly once users can run their favourite applications in the Cloud through web browsers andwith the same interface that each such application is used in a desktop or laptop computer. This paper presents CloudX, a new architecture based on web browser techonologies for the X Window system. X Window is the de factostandard for window display in Unix-like operating systems. CloudX translates X Window commands to web browser display commands using AJAX and SVG (Scalar Vector Graphics) technologies. CloudX does not require any extension to the X Window system nor any plugin to the web browser.
Modeling Commodity Prices under the CEV Model

Deregulation of energy commodity markets in the last decade, together with the growth of world consumption and the attractive returns on commodities over the period 2000-2007, has generated a dramatic increase in trading volumes and, in turn, spikes and random changes in the volatility of commodity spot prices. This article introduces the constant elasticity of variance (CEV) model for commodity prices and examines its calibration to four strategic commodity trajectory prices over the period 1990-2007 by using a Generalized Method of Moments. Six other models are compared to the CEV model by performing a test of goodness-of-fit. Estimating the model for crude oil, coal, copper, and gold and comparing the results during the sub-periods 1990-1999 and 2000-2007 shows that the constant elasticity of variance exponent can efficiently account for the stochastic volatility observed after 2000 in commodity prices. Moreover, the article exhibits that although mean-reverting processes well captured the pattern of commodity prices prevailing before 2000, they do not apply to the recent past.