Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Delayed graft function of more than six days strongly decreases long-term survival of transplanted kidneys.

BACKGROUND We reviewed 843 first cadaver kidney transplants carried out consecutively at our center to examine the effect on long-term graft survival of the duration of delayed graft function (DGF), defined as the time taken for the kidney to attain the threshold of a Cockcroft calculated creatinine clearance (cCCr) > or = 10 ml/min. METHODS Using a multivariate Cox survival analysis we evaluated the consequences of DGF on allograft survival, and then by regression analysis identified the factors contributing to the occurrence of DGF. Finally, using a Kaplan Meier analysis we compared the profiles of graft failure according to the duration of DGF. RESULTS Defining DGF in terms of cCCr rather than necessity for dialysis after transplantation allowed better prediction of long-term graft loss. Indeed, patients with a Cockcroft-based DGF > six days who did not require dialysis (12%) had a significantly poorer long-term graft outcome than those with a DGF < or = six days. Furthermore, we showed that a DGF of six days could be taken as a cut-off point that marked a significant difference in the long-term graft survival rate (P < 0.0001). Surprisingly, further extension of the duration of DGF > six days was not associated with further worsening of graft survival (except in DGF > 30 days). CONCLUSION Our results suggest a threshold effect in the lesions that ultimately results in long-term functional deficiency. In addition, we show that the need for dialysis is not an adequate criterium for DGF in terms of long-term outcome prediction.
Access to College and University: Does Distance to School Matter?

It is already known that students from lower-income families are less likely to pursue postsecondary studies. This study contributes to our knowledge of postsecondary access by focusing on the role played by the distance separating high-school students from postsecondary institutions, with particular focus on the choice between college and university attendance. Distance to school may act as a deterrent to attending by virtue of relocation costs, especially if the student is from a lower-income family. The study findings support the notion that increased distance to school is associated with an access gap, even above and beyond the gap that has been linked to family income. Specifically, increased distance to university is associated with lower university attendance, and a larger tendency to attend the local college instead. This relationship is found to be much stronger in lower-income families.
Qualitative perspectives on the impact evaluation of girls’ empowerment in Bangladesh

This paper presents qualitative analysis of an RCT evaluating a programme aiming to delay marriage and empower adolescent girls in Bangladesh. It begins by suggesting a model of three dimensions of empowerment for use in evaluation. It then describes the social context of early marriage in Bangladesh. The model of empowerment is then used to discuss the design and preliminary findings of the RCT. The paper stresses the importance of approaching research as a social process, to improve data quality and rigour of analysis. It closes by arguing for teams which balance equally researchers with quantitative and qualitative expertise.
Cosmological tests of modified gravity

We review recent progress in the construction of modified gravity models as alternatives to dark energy as well as the development of cosmological tests of gravity. Einstein’s theory of general relativity (GR) has been tested accurately within the local universe i.e. the Solar System, but this leaves the possibility open that it is not a good description of gravity at the largest scales in the Universe. This being said, the standard model of cosmology assumes GR on all scales. In 1998, astronomers made the surprising discovery that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating, not slowing down. This late-time acceleration of the Universe has become the most challenging problem in theoretical physics. Within the framework of GR, the acceleration would originate from an unknown dark energy. Alternatively, it could be that there is no dark energy and GR itself is in error on cosmological scales. In this review, we first give an overview of recent developments in modified gravity theories including f(R) gravity, braneworld gravity, Horndeski theory and massive/bigravity theory. We then focus on common properties these models share, such as screening mechanisms they use to evade the stringent Solar System tests. Once armed with a theoretical knowledge of modified gravity models, we move on to discuss how we can test modifications of gravity on cosmological scales. We present tests of gravity using linear cosmological perturbations and review the latest constraints on deviations from the standard Λ ? >CDM model. Since screening mechanisms leave distinct signatures in the non-linear structure formation, we also review novel astrophysical tests of gravity using clusters, dwarf galaxies and stars. The last decade has seen a number of new constraints placed on gravity from astrophysical to cosmological scales. Thanks to on-going and future surveys, cosmological tests of gravity will enjoy another, possibly even more, exciting ten years.
The Attitudes of NHS Clinicians and Medical Managers Towards Changes in Accounting Controls

Clinical directors and medical managers expected accounting information would assume high importance for institutional control as a consequence of NHS reforms. However, clinical directors were not comfortable with the symbolism of formal accounting controls. Their individual understanding of accounting information varied, but was modest overall. Medical managers were more inclined to accept and respond to financial controls. However, acceptance and response was frustrated for all users by inaccuracy and lateness of accounting reports. Cost savings were prompted more by established professional attitudes than in response to accounting reports. Non-financial controls remained the dominant mode of operational control.
Direct and indirect use of GFP whole cell biosensors for the assessment of bioprocess performances: Design of milliliter scale‐down bioreactors

Substrate limitation responsive biosensors have been used for the development of a mini‐bioreactor platform that can be used as a scale‐down tool. Three green fluorescent protein (GFP) transcriptional reporters have been chosen in Escherichia coli, i.e., uspA::gfp, csiE::gfp, and yciG::gfp. Our previous studies have shown that these kinds of promoters are induced in response to substrate limitation and are significantly repressed when cultures are carried out in heterogeneous bioreactors. This sensitivity to substrate limitation has been confirmed in the case of the csiE and yciG biosensors. A mini‐scale‐down platform is proposed as a high throughput tool to rapidly investigate the usefulness of a given microbial biosensor. This platform is composed of shake flasks able to operate in fed‐batch mode either using the slow release or the intermittent feeding principle. Local heterogeneities were reproduced at the level of these mini‐bioreactors (operating under the intermittent feeding principle) and caused a decrease in GFP expression as in conventional scale‐down reactors. The presence of GFP in supernatants was also noted and seems to be correlated with the substrate limitation signal for the three cultivation systems considered in this work (i.e., chemostat, conventional and mini‐bioreactors) and with membrane permeability. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog. , 2013
Measuring the Performance of Nations at Beijing Summer Olympics Using Integer-Valued DEA Model

A number of studies have used data envelopment analysis (DEA) to evaluate the performance of the countries in Olympic Games. While the fact that numbers of three kinds of medal must only take integer values is ignored. This study discusses, by means of integer-valued DEA model, the performance of each country at 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games. The model in the article considers two inputs (gross domestic product [GDP] per capita and population) and three outputs (number of gold, silver, and bronze medals won); the integrality constraints of three kinds of medal and the weight restrictions among three outputs are also included. The results for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games are analyzed, and integral output targets are also provided for poorly performing countries to use as benchmarks.
Reliable identification of closely related Issatchenkia and Pichia species using artificial neural network analysis of Fourier‐transform infrared spectra

A reliable identification system for closely related species of the genera Issatchenkia and Pichia was established, using artificial neural network‐based Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy; 16 common Pichia species and all five known Issatchenkia species were included. A total of 238 strains isolated from a large variety of habitats were used as reference strains to generate an artificial neural network (ANN) identification system. This system consists of 10 single subnets connected to an ANN with four consecutive levels. An internal validation of the system, using unknown spectra of each reference strain, yielded an identification rate of 99.2%. To evaluate the performance of the ANN in routine diagnostics, 1608 spectra of 179 strains unknown to the ANN were used as a test dataset in an external validation. An overall identification rate of 98.6%, including a success rate of 100% for two common species, P. anomala and P. membranifaciens, demonstrates considerable potential of this FTIR‐based artificial neural network for the identification of closely related yeast species. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rapid Response to a Typhoon-Induced Flood with an SAR-Derived Map of Inundated Areas: Case Study and Validation

We report the successful case of a rapid response to a flash flood in I-Lan County of Taiwan with a map of inundated areas derived from COSMO-SkyMed 1 radar satellite imagery within 24 hours. The flood was caused by the intensive precipitation brought by Typhoon Soulik in July 2013. Based on the ensemble forecasts of trajectory, an urgent request of spaceborne SAR imagery was made 24 hours before Typhoon Soulik made landfall. Two COSMO-SkyMed images were successfully acquired when the center of Typhoon Soulik had just crossed the northern part of Taiwan. The standard level-1b product (radiometric-corrected, geometric-calibrated and orthorectified image) was generated by using the off-the-shelf SARscape software. Following the same approach used with the Expert Landslide and Shadow Area Delineating System, the regional threshold of each tile image was determined to delineate still water surface and quasi-inundated areas in a fully-automatic manner. The results were overlaid on a digital elevation model, and the same tile was visually compared to an optical image taken by Formosat-2 before this event. With this ancillary information, the inundated areas were accurately and quickly identified. The SAR-derived map of inundated areas was published on a web-based platform powered by Google Earth within 24 hours, with the aim of supporting the decision-making process of disaster prevention and mitigation. A detailed validation was made afterwards by comparing the map with in situ data of the water levels at 17 stations. The results demonstrate the feasibility of rapidly responding to a typhoon-induced flood with a spaceborne SAR-derived map of inundated areas. A standard operating procedure was derived from this work and followed by the Water Hazard Mitigation Center of the Water Resources Agency, Taiwan, in subsequent typhoon seasons, such as Typhoon Trami (August, 2013) and Typhoon Soudelor (August, 2015).
The antiarrhythmic effect of the ACE inhibitor captopril in patients with congestive heart failure largely is due to its potassium sparing effects.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the mechanisms by which the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril may modify the presence of ventricular arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure. PATIENTS Forty-seven patients with chronic stable congestive heart failure. METHODS Twenty-four hour Holter monitoring was done prior to and after one month of therapy with the ACE inhibitor captopril. In a first group of 25 patients, changes in the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias were correlated with changes in cardiac hemodynamics (assessed invasively). In a second group of 22 patients, changes in ventricular arrhythmias were correlated with changes in echocardiographic measurements. In all patients serum potassium was kept constant, and changes in exercise tolerance and serum noradrenaline levels were assessed prior to and after captopril. RESULTS One month of captopril therapy caused an improvement in cardiac hemodynamics and in exercise tolerance. It also led to a tendency for improved echocardiographic measurements and serum noradrenaline levels, similar to those already published by others. However, no change in the incidence or severity of ventricular arrhythmias was detected. No correlation could be found between changes in ventricular arrhythmias and any of the variables measured. CONCLUSIONS As the only obvious difference between this and previous studies that documented a decrease in ventricular arrhythmias when ACE inhibitors were started in patients with congestive heart failure is a lack of change in serum potassium in this study, the current results suggest that the major antiarrhythmic effect of ACE inhibitors in patients with congestive hear failure is the result of their potassium sparing effects.
Circular polarization wire patch antenna for RFID applications

This article presents a new miniature antenna for UHF RFID reader. Circular polarization (CP) and size reduction of the radiating element are achieved by using a single probe feed and two short circuits. The simulated axial ratio bandwidth obtained with the proposed antenna is about 140 MHz (15.5 %). This antenna has a total volume of 270 mm × 270 mm × 20mm and exhibits an average total efficiency of 76.5%.
Cellular telephones in the Israeli market: the demand, the choice of provider and potential revenues

This study presents the methodology, the estimates and a scenario for forecasting the demand for cellular telephones and their use in Israel. The analysis was based on the integration of three sub-models. The estimate of the consumer's decision on whether to purchase a cellular telephone and what type was obtained by using a discrete choice model of the multinomial logit type. The total number of cellular telephone purchases to be made in Israel during the years 1998–2008 was estimated using a logistic growth model employing aggregate data over time. The anticipated demand for airtime was based on findings of a survey carried out on a national sample, and on actual usage data on the various consumers during the years prior to the survey. The research shows the substantial economic potential of Israel's cellular telephone market.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Patients With Hypotonia, Epilepsy, Autism, and Developmental Delay: HEADD Syndrome

A group of 12 children clinically presenting with hypotonia, intractable epilepsy, autism, and developmental delay, who did not fall into previously described categories of mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, were evaluated for mitochondrial respiratory enzyme activity levels, mitochondrial DNA, and mitochondrial structural abnormalities. Reduced levels in specific respiratory activities were found solely in enzymes with subunits encoded by mitochondrial DNA in seven of eight biopsied skeletal muscle specimens evaluated. Five cases exhibited increased levels of large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletions, whereas pathogenic point mutations previously described in association with mitochondrial encephalomyopathies were not found. Mitochondrial structural abnormalities were present in three of four patients examined. Our findings suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction, including extensive abnormalities in specific enzyme activities, mitochondrial structure, and mitochondrial DNA integrity, may be present in children with a clinical constellation including hypotonia, epileptic seizures, autism, and developmental delay. The acronym HEADD is presented here to facilitate pursuit of mitochondrial defects in patients with this clinical constellation after other causes have been excluded. (J Child Neurol 2002;17:435-439).
Expression of MUC1 and MUC2 mucin antigens in intrahepatic bile duct tumors: Its relationship with a new morphological classification of cholangiocarcinoma

Our previous immunohistochemical study on intrahepatic bile duct tumors showed that invasive cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) with a poor outcome expressed MUC1 mucin but was negative for MUC2 mucin, whereas bile duct cystadenocarcinoma (BDCC) with a favorable outcome was MUC1 negative and MUC2 positive. In the present study, ICC was further subdivided into 2 subtypes: intraductal growth type and/or periductal infiltrating type (ICC‐IP) and mass forming type (ICC‐M). The survival of patients with BDCC or ICC‐IP is significantly better than that of patients with ICC‐M. We examined these subtypes (ICC‐IP and ICC‐M) and BDCC for their expression of MUC1 mucins of different glycoforms. ICC‐M showed significantly higher MUC1 expression rates (90%, 95%, and 85% positive rates as measured with the DF3, MY.1E12, and MUC1‐Glycoprotein antibodies, respectively) than BDCC and ICC‐IP (14% and 33%, 58% and 58%, and 0% and 50% positive respectively, as measured by the same antibodies). In contrast, BDCC (86% positive) and ICC‐IP (67% positive) showed significantly higher MUC2 expression rates than ICC‐M (25% positive) as measured with the anti‐MRP antibody. Thus, the immunohistochemical staining pattern of ICC‐IP resembled the pattern of BDCC more than they resembled ICC‐M. In general, MUC1 expression is associated with poor patient outcome, irrespective of the glycosylation status. In particular, high expression of more sialylated forms of MUC1 mucins was correlated with poor survival. In contrast, expression of non–sialylated MUC2 mucin is a favorable prognostic indicator. These results suggest that ICC‐IP is a different entity from ICC‐M. This reclassification may have value in determining prognosis and treatment method.
Twenty-Five Years of Urban Policy and Research, 1982–2006

It is a great privilege to be invited to write a ‘reflective retrospective’ on the first 25 years of Urban Policy and Research. From the outset I must declare a personal interest. Though not a member of that dedicated inner circle of Melbournians who launched the journal and nurtured it through its early years (and in some cases are still part of the team), I have been involved since editing Volume 2, Number 2, the first ‘interstate’ issue, based on South Australia. I well remember Jeremy Reynolds and other members of the original editorial group travelling overnight in steerage class on the Overland Express to participate—after the compulsory visit to the McLaren Vale wineries—in the launch of that special issue by Don Hopgood, the then State Minister for Environment and Planning. In approaching the task of examining the journal’s first 25 years I have decided to focus on three volumes: the first, which spanned 1982 and 1983; the most recent complete volume (2006); and the mid-point volume (1994). I hope that the three cross sections will provide a useful perspective on the changing nature of urban research and urban policy in Australia, as well as illustrating the developing and maturing role of the journal itself.
Subversive Liberalism: Market Integration, Globalization and West European Welfare States

Abstract European welfare state autonomy is being eroded by both European integration and ‘globalization’. The attempted creation of a European ‘social’ area, the completion of the internal market, the competitive effects of trade liberalization and the impact on policy autonomy of greater international capital mobility all have implications for the future of welfare states. This article argues that, in combination with a domestic policy agenda making welfare provision subservient to competitiveness, globalization is operating a ‘subversive liberalism’ which, even in the absence of an explicit neo‐liberal assault, is reshaping social welfare systems. Despite persistent differences between welfare states, there is a convergence on a less universal, dualized model.
Convenciones en juegos puros de coordinación simétrica 2 x 2

Este ensayo analiza la formacion de convenciones en juegos de coordinacion simetrica 2 × 2. En particular, el analisis se restringe a juegos con iguales niveles de seguridad y se discute que tanto puede explicar la teoria de juegos la formacion de convenciones.
Unemployment dynamics - The Role of Employment Protection Legislation

Inequalities on the labour market between low- and highly-skilled individuals have increased within the last decades. Structural change, technological progress and globalization have altered labour markets significantly. Employment Protection Legislation (EPL) has often been discussed as an additional employment barrier due to the increase in labour costs and restrictions of the flexibility to adapt to economical changes. However, EPL might also reduce unemployment risks by extending those job relations that have already been established. On the basis of longitudinal EU-SILC data, capturing the waves 2005-2007, the role of EPL on individual unemployment dynamics is highlighted in this paper. As method, multilevel Poisson regression was applied. Due to theoretical considerations, the low-skilled are expected to show the highest number of unemployment periods, when being confronted with flexible dismissal rules, especially in technologically high developed countries. However, results are surprising: Unemployment is most dynamic for the highly-skilled, the more rigid EPL is!
Perennial self‐audit: model and applications

This paper illustrates a perennial self‐audit model for quality management system (QMS) improvement. The model is based on the concepts of self‐ and nano‐audits, which directly contradict the two central tenets of classical auditing, namely auditor independence and the discrete nature of the auditing process. The general model is presented first, including a description of the underlying concepts (self‐audit, milli‐audit, micro‐audit and nano‐audit), and an illustration of the model elements and their interrelationships. This is followed by an explanation of the benefits and possible uses of the model. Three specific applications are discussed: QSM upgrade based on standards, facilitation of the transition from minimalistic to excellence‐based business systems, and the provision of support in the integration of function‐specific management systems. Subsequently, the emphasis is shifted towards a real‐life application of the proposed model in a high‐tech company. A demonstration of how this model was used to help the case study company in the transition from the ISO 9001: 1994 to the ISO 9001: 2000 QMS is provided.