Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Prevalence of Femoroacetabular Impingement as an Aetiologic Factor for End-Stage Degenerative Osteoarthritis of the HIP Joint: Analysis of 1,000 Cases

Objective The main purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of FAI among patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA) with the diagnosis of end-stage osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip joint in a tertiary referral centre. Design A retrospective search of the institutional archive database for patients who had undergone THA between the years 2005 and 2010 was conducted with the analysis of the recorded radiographic images. A total of 1,004 patients including 690 (68.7%) females and 314 (31.3%) males were identified. All radiographs were reviewed by 3 of the authors. Intra- and interobserver consistencies were calculated. The prevalence of femeroacetabular impingement (FAI) as a predisposing diagnosis resulting in end-stage degenerative joint disease treated with THA was determined. Results The most common diagnosis was developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). The predisposing aetiologic factor leading to end-stage degenerative hip disease treated with THA was undetermined for 26 patients (2.6%). The number of patients who were diagnosed as cam-type FAI by all of the observers was 83, whereas it was 16 for pincer-type FAI. Interobserver agreement was very high in the evaluation of the stated ethiologies of hip osteoarthritis. The contingency coefficient for the diagnosis of FAI was 0.71 between observers. Conclusions Our study may be a reference for further investigations to develop a better understanding of the underlying pathological factors in patients undergoing THA due to end-stage OA of the hip joint.
Preparation of lysine-coated magnetic Fe2O3 nanoparticles and influence on viability of A549 lung cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of lysine-coated oxide magnetic nanoparticles (Lys@MNPs) on viability and apoptosis of A549 lung cancer cells. METHODS Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and Zeta potentiometric analyzer were employed to characterize Lys@MNPs. Then Lys@MNPs and lung cancer A549 cells were co-cultured to study the effect of Lys@MNPs on cell viability and apoptosis. The pathway of Lys@MNPs entering A549 cells was detected by TEM and cell imaging by 1.5 T MRI. RESULTS Lys@MNPs were 10.2 nm in grain diameter, characterized by small size, positive charge, and superparamagnetism. Under low-dose concentration of Lys@MNPs (<40 μg/mL), the survival rate of A549 cells was decreased but remained higher than 95% while under high-dose concentration (100 μg/mL), the survival ratewas still higher than 80%, which suggested Lys@MNPs had limited influence on the viability of A549 cells, with good biocompatibility and and no induction of apoptosis. Moreover, high affinity for cytomembranes, was demonstrated presenting good imaging effects. CONCLUSION Lys@MNPs can be regarded as a good MRI negative contrast agents, with promising prospects in biomedicine.
HAS INFLATION TARGETING CHANGED THE CONDUCT OF MONETARY POLICY?

We aim at establishing whether the institutional adoption of inflation targeting has changed the conduct of monetary policy. To do so, we test the hypothesis of inflation targeting translating into a stronger response to inflation in a Taylor rule with three alternative econometric models: a structural break model, a time-varying parameter model with stochastic volatility, and a Markov-switching VAR model. We conclude that inflation targeting has not led to a stronger response to inflation in the reaction function of the monetary authority. This result suggests that inflation targeting being meant to anchor inflation expectations through enhanced credibility and accountability, it may enable a central bank to stabilize inflation without pursuing aggressive action toward inflation variations.
Are Alcohol Excise Taxes Good for Us? Short and Long-Term Effects on Mortality Rates

Regression results from a 30-year panel of the state-level data indicate that changes in alcohol-excise taxes cause a reduction in drinking and lower all-cause mortality in the short run. But those results do not fully capture the long-term mortality effects of a permanent change in drinking levels. In particular, since moderate drinking has a protective effect against heart disease in middle age, it is possible that a reduction in per capita drinking will result in some people drinking "too little" and dying sooner than they otherwise would. To explore that possibility, we simulate the effect of a one percent reduction in drinking on all-cause mortality for the age group 35-69, using several alternative assumptions about how the reduction is distributed across this population. We find that the long-term mortality effect of a one percent reduction in drinking is essentially nil.
Wavelets based Recurrent Adaptive NeuroFuzzy approach for active full car suspension control

The main objective of this paper is to design an efficient active suspension control system for the full car model. The conventional passive suspension and semi-active suspension systems do not provide good vehicle's handling against the road disturbances and ride comfort. To tackle this problem, Wavelets based Recurrent Adaptive NeuroFuzzy (WRANF) control approach is used for active suspension control. The WRANF control is flexible, has robustness abilities and good generalization properties against the dynamic systems. The performance of the active suspension system is determined by the displacement and acceleration of heave, pitch, roll and seat of the vehicle. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, the full car model is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink and subjected to a varying road profile. The performance of the WRANF based active suspension system is compared with passive and semi-active suspension system.
Preemptive Ensemble Motion Planning on a Tree

Consider the problem of finding a minimum cost tour to transport a set of objects between the vertices of a tree by a vehicle that travels along the edges of the tree. The vehicle can carry only one object at a time, and it starts and finishes at the same vertex of the tree. It is shown that if objects can be dropped at intermediate vertices along its route and picked up later, then the problem can be solved in polynomial time. Two efficient algorithms are presented for this problem. The first algorithm runs in $O(k + qn)$ time, where n is the number of vertices in the tree, k is the number of objects to be moved, and $q \leq \min \{ k,n \}$ is the number of nontrivial connected components in a related directed graph. The second algorithm runs in $O(k + n\log n)$ time.
Asymptomatic gonorrhoea and chlamydial infection in rural Tanzanian men

Abstract Objective: To measure the prevalence of urethritis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in rural Tanzanian men. Design: About 500 men aged 15-54 years were selected from each of 12 rural communities by random cluster sampling; interviewed concerning past or present symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases; and asked to provide a first catch urine specimen, which was tested for pyuria with a leucocyte esterase dipstick test. Subjects with symptoms or with a positive result on testing were examined, and urethral swabs were taken for detection of N gonorrhoeae by gram stain and of C trachomatis by antigen detection immunoassay. Setting: Mwanza region, north western Tanzania. Subjects: 5876 men aged 15-54 years. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of urethral symptoms, observed urethral discharge, pyuria, urethritis (>4 pus cells per high power field on urethral smear), N gonorrhoeae infection (intracellular gram negative diplococci), and C trachomatis infection (IDEIA antigen detection assay). Results: 1618 (28%) subjects reported ever having had a urethral discharge. Current discharge was reported by 149 (2.5%) and observed on examination in 207 (3.5%). Gonorrhoea was found in 128 subjects (2.2%) and chlamydial infection in 39 (0.7%). Only 24 of 158 infected subjects complained of urethral discharge at the time of interview (15%). Conclusion: Infection with N gonorrhoeae and C trachomatis is commonly asymptomatic among men in this rural African population. This has important implications for the design of control programmes for sexually transmitted disease. Key messages Key messages After decades of neglect, facilities for their treatment are poorly developed in many countries There is increasing evidence that the treatable bacterial sexually transmitted diseases facilitate the heterosexual transmission of HIV Asymptomatic urethral infection with Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis is common in rural Tanzanian men In view of the high prevalence of asymptomatic infection in both men and women, the control of sexually transmitted diseases in developing countries will require innovative approaches to screening or mass treatment, or both, in addition to improved clinical services for patients with symptoms
Coupon Effects on Corporate Bonds: Pricing, Empirical Duration, and Spread Convexity

The traditional approach for pricing corporate bonds based on discounting their promised cash flows by a combination of rates and spreads implies that a bond’s coupon level by itself should not have any effect once all its cash flows have been properly discounted. In this article, the authors explore several possible effects of coupon level on the pricing and performance of corporate bonds. First, is there a relationship between the coupon (price) of a bond and its spread relative to other bonds of the same issuer? Second, does coupon level have an effect on the empirical duration of a bond—that is, on its sensitivity to changes in Treasury yields? Finally, do these effects present an opportunity for portfolio outperformance? The authors find that discount bonds tend to have lower spreads than premiums, reflecting the fact that they are better shielded from default risk by recovery values. This phenomenon has an asymmetric effect on empirical duration. Corporate bonds trading at a discount have a reduced sensitivity to rising rates and an increased sensitivity to falling rates; premiums exhibit the opposite effect. This “spread convexity” effect leads to long-term outperformance of discounts over premiums. Over the last 20 years, a long/short strategy using discounts and premiums generated an information ratio greater than 1, showing strong performance especially in periods when default risk was perceived to be high.
Forecasting spot freight rates based on forward freight agreement and time charter contract

In this article, the lead–lag relationship in freight rates between spot and forward markets and between spot and time charter (TC) markets was investigated. A hybrid forecasting method for spot freight rates was proposed based on the price discovery functions of the freight forward agreement (FFA) and the TC contract. VECM-based models were developed to analyse the relation between spot rates and FFA and TC rates. Empirical results indicate that cointegration does exist between spot and FFA rates and between spot and TC rates. Furthermore, while both FFA and TC rates are helpful in forecasting spot freight rates, the integration of the two can further improve the forecasting performance of spot freight rates.
Obesity-dependent changes in interstitial ECM mechanics promote breast tumorigenesis

Obesity leads to fibrotic remodeling of mammary adipose tissue, and the resulting increase in interstitial extracellular matrix stiffness promotes breast tumor malignancy. Fat fibrosis and breast cancer One of the many risk factors for cancer is obesity—but why? Seo et al. examined the cellular, structural, and molecular changes that happen in breast tissue in obese animals and people. They found that obesity induces fibrotic remodeling of the mammary fat pad, leading to changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) mechanical properties, via myofibroblasts and adipose stem cells (ASCs), regardless of ovary function. Through altered mechanotransduction, ECM from obese mice promoted human breast cancer cell growth, as well as the growth of premalignant breast cells (those that have yet to become cancerous). Tissues from obese patients revealed more severe fibrotic remodeling around tumors and higher levels of a key mechanosignaling component, YAP/TAZ, than their lean counterparts. The authors further demonstrated that caloric restriction in obese mice decreased fibrosis in mammary fat, suggesting a therapeutic angle for obesity-related cancers. By linking tumorigenesis to the behavior of fat cells and ECM mechanics, the authors point toward new drug targets for preventing cancer progression. However, a cautionary tale also exists in the use of adipose tissue and cells for patients after mastectomy, as ASCs from obese individuals may have the capacity to promote breast cancer recurrence. Obesity and extracellular matrix (ECM) density are considered independent risk and prognostic factors for breast cancer. Whether they are functionally linked is uncertain. We investigated the hypothesis that obesity enhances local myofibroblast content in mammary adipose tissue and that these stromal changes increase malignant potential by enhancing interstitial ECM stiffness. Indeed, mammary fat of both diet- and genetically induced mouse models of obesity were enriched for myofibroblasts and stiffness-promoting ECM components. These differences were related to varied adipose stromal cell (ASC) characteristics because ASCs isolated from obese mice contained more myofibroblasts and deposited denser and stiffer ECMs relative to ASCs from lean control mice. Accordingly, decellularized matrices from obese ASCs stimulated mechanosignaling and thereby the malignant potential of breast cancer cells. Finally, the clinical relevance and translational potential of our findings were supported by analysis of patient specimens and the observation that caloric restriction in a mouse model reduces myofibroblast content in mammary fat. Collectively, these findings suggest that obesity-induced interstitial fibrosis promotes breast tumorigenesis by altering mammary ECM mechanics with important potential implications for anticancer therapies.
China's pursuit of free trade agreements: Is China exceptional?

ABSTRACT China is widely viewed as exceptional in its free trade agreement (FTA) activity for two reasons. First, the existing literature on East Asian regionalism has treated China as a strategic unitary actor. Second, Chinese policy elites claim that China is exceptional for its ‘big country morality’ of seeking to provide agreements that benefit smaller countries. What drives China's trade policy in the ‘post-WTO’ era? More precisely, does China, as a state ruled by a Communist Party, have different factors affecting its FTA policy-making than do other states? Is China pursuing FTAs ‘with Chinese characteristics’: are the motivations behind China's FTAs different from those of other countries? The research presented in this paper finds that China's FTA policymaking process involves a lot of bargaining and is particularly affected by the relative weakening of liberalizing forces vis-à-vis protectionist ones after the WTO accession. Moreover, the effectiveness of economic diplomacy is affected by coordination problems between economic and political sections within the government. Although China has a few motivations that go beyond what drives other countries to FTAs, those expectations are either difficult to realize or not very useful even if realized.
Measuring the impact of voluntary environmental protection instruments: perceptual vs. archival techniques

The use of voluntary environmental protection instruments is expanding significantly around the world. Although there is a large literature dealing with what drives companies to adopt voluntary instruments, there has been relatively little research on the impact that some of these tools have on the actual environmental performance of companies. The existing literature in this area presents contrasting results, perhaps because it tends to use perceptual measurement, which may not reflect actual outcomes. To investigate this issue, the primary research reported on in this article undertook a combination of perceptual measurement and 'archival' (or objective) measurement on the same sample of firms. The research concluded that most firms saw some degree of positive response from the introduction of Environmental Management Systems. This was especially the case for 'system' (or 'process') improvements, and to a lesser extent held true for direct environmental performance improvements. It was also clear that there was a very close correlation between the results of the perception-based research and the archival measurement research. At least in the context of this kind of investigation, either research approach would appear to produce a valid outcome.
Comparison of cone beam CT device and field of view for the detection of simulated periapical bone lesions.

OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of different cone beam CTs (CBCTs) and the influence of field of view (FOV) in diagnosing simulated periapical lesions. METHODS 6 formalin-fixed lateral mandibular specimens from pigs were used for creating 20 standardized periapical bone defects. 18 roots were selected for the control group. Three CBCT devices [Accuitomo 3D® (Morita, Kyoto, Japan), NewTom 3G (Quantitative Radiology, Verona, Italy) and Scanora® (Soredex, Tuusula, Finland)] and three FOVs (NewTom 3G® FOV 6, 9 and 12 inches) were used to scan the mandible. Five observers assessed the images, using a five-point probability scale for the presence of lesions. Specificity, sensitivity and areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated. RESULTS Sensitivity ranged from 72% to 80%. Specificity ranged from 60% to 77%. A difference in scoring between Scanora and the other two devices existed only in the control group. ROC analysis for different FOVs showed a decreased sensitivity with an increasing FOV, but this difference was not significant. CONCLUSION the control group, there was a difference between the CBCT devices regarding their specificity. FOV size did not show any difference in diagnostic performance. In cases in which conventional radiographic methods in combination with clinical evaluation are not sufficient, CBCT may be the method of choice to assess periapical pathology. CBCT examinations should be complementary to a clinical examination and FOV adaptation can be utilized to keep the dose to the patient as low as possible.
Monetary Policy Reaction Functions, Consistent Expectations, and the Burns Era

THIS PAPER ESTIMATES monetary policy reaction functions for the 197W77 period using monthly data. These estimates shed light on several questions regarding monetary policy during the Burns era. During this period the Federal Reserve expressed an increased interest in the behavior of monetary aggregates that led to the articulation of specific growth targets for these aggregates. However, a number of analysts have questioned the degree to which the Federal Reserve has systematically responded to deviations from such targets and its willingness to allow the variability of interest rates required for effective control of the money stock. Critics have also charged that during the Burns era the Federal Reserve failed to take syetematic and sustained action in response to price instability, and that attempts to curb inflation consisted of short periods of monetary stringency interspersed with periods of relative ease dictated by concerns over rising unemployment. In the international sphere, the move to a floating exchange rate for the dollar (March 1973) has raised the question of whether and to what extent Federal Reserve policy has responded to changes in the strength of the dollar. More broadly, critics have charged that the Federal Reserve has not responded in a balanced systematic way to stabilization targets, that instead it has responded erratically, attempting to achieve one goal and then another, some say in part due to
Scenario-based investigation of the effects of Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) in 11 kV substations in Stockholm

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) with larger battery size in comparison with Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) are designed to run alternatively on electric mode by means of grid electricity. They are mainly introduced in order to decrease the emissions and reduce the fossil fuel dependency in the transportation sector. These vehicles are considered as a new type of additional load for the power system which are introduced while smart grid concept is being developed rapidly. The effects of different number of conventional vehicles changed to PHEVs on the 11 kV substations in Stockholm are investigated in this paper. This is done by planning scenarios for penetration of the PHEVs in the city. The output results of the scenario are implemented in the simulated power system in PSS/E by using the Python as the automation tool. The results showed that the existing grid infrastructures in 11kV substations in Stockholm can handle 100 percent of the existing conventional cars converted to PHEVs in case regulated charging pattern is implemented. However, more residential areas are subject to more problems from grid infrastructures capacity perspective in case one-phase charging facility is the only available one. In addition, by the same amount of energy consumption, the losses are lower (by 0.48 percent) if the energy consumption for the PHEVs is regulated.
Real-time non-intrusive eye-gaze tracking based wheelchair control for the physically challenged

Driving and control of wheelchair by hand poses a great impediment for a physically challenged person with limited physical ability but a real time eye-gaze tracking based control system can go a long way in easing such cases. A robust scheme of pupil movement detection based on Recursive Circular Hough Transform (RCHT) is proposed in this paper. Despite CHT being a common technique for pupil detection, the requirement of a pre-defined contrast sensitivity and radius range of the target circular object limits its use in real time applications where both sensitivity and radius of the pupil may vary widely. Moreover, in different gazing modes, eyes may not appear to be circular either. Again, edge sensitivity reduction and relaxation of circular object detection criterion causes CHT to detect multiple objects other than just pupil in a given contrast sensitivity. To eliminate such problems, an RCHT technique is proposed which is able to automatically tune the sensitivity and radius. Thus, a robust performance without the usage of computationally expensive classifiers can be obtained. Very low resolution off-the-shelf cell phone camera has been used to capture images, from where pupil location detection has been performed. Effects of various changing conditions such as pupil color, camera position, speed of eye movement etc. have been analyzed too. Results assert that this computationally light approach provides satisfactory accuracy on the basis of correctly following the actual instructed direction in test cases and thus, it is suitable for real-time precise direction control for people with working eyes but very constrained physical abilities.