Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic Deprivation and Utilization of Anesthetic Care During Pregnancy and Delivery: A French Retrospective, Multicenter, Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic deprivation is associated with reduced use of antenatal resources and poor maternal outcomes with pregnancy. Research examining the association between socioeconomic deprivation and use of obstetric anesthesia care in a country providing universal health coverage is scarce. We hypothesized that in a country providing universal health coverage, France, socioeconomic deprivation is not associated with reduced use of anesthetic care during pregnancy and delivery. This study aimed to examine the association between socioeconomic deprivation and (1) completion of a mandatory preanesthetic evaluation during pregnancy and (2) use of neuraxial analgesia during labor. METHODS: Data were from a cohort of 10,419 women who delivered between 2010 and 2011 in 4 public teaching hospitals in Paris. We used a deprivation index that included 4 criteria: social isolation, poor housing condition, no work-related household income, and state-funded health care insurance. Socioeconomic deprivation was defined as a deprivation index greater than 1. Preanesthetic evaluation was considered completed if performed more than 48 hours before delivery. The association between socioeconomic deprivation and completion of the preanesthetic evaluation and use of neuraxial labor analgesia was assessed by multivariable logistic regression adjusting for education level, country of birth, and maternal and pregnancy characteristics. RESULTS: Preanesthetic evaluation was completed for 8142 of the 8624 women (94.4%) analyzed and neuraxial labor analgesia was used by 6258 of the 6834 women analyzed (91.6%). After adjustment, socioeconomic deprivation was associated with reduced probability of completed preanesthetic evaluation (adjusted odds ratio 0.88 [95% confidence interval, 0.79–0.98]; P = .027) but not use of neuraxial labor analgesia (adjusted odds ratio 0.97 [95% confidence interval, 0.87–1.07]; P = .540). CONCLUSIONS: In a country providing universal health care coverage, women who were socioeconomically deprived showed reduced completion of preanesthetic evaluation during pregnancy but not reduced use of neuraxial labor analgesia. Interventions should be targeted to socioeconomically deprived women to increase the completion of the preanesthetic evaluation.
Requirement of Runx1/AML1/PEBP2αB for the generation of haematopoietic cells from endothelial cells

Recent studies revealing that endothelial cells derived from E8.5‐E10.5 mouse embryos give rise to haematopoietic cells appear to correspond to previous histological observations that haematopoietic cell clusters are attached to the ventral aspect of dorsal aorta in such a way as if they were budding from the endothelial cell layer. Gene disruption studies have revealed that Runx1/AML1 is required for definitive haematopoiesis but not for primitive haematopoiesis, but the precise stage of gene function is not yet known.
The One and Many Worlds of Advertising

Most regulations affecting advertising are local whereas advertising itself is going international. How much can advertisers use the same advertisements, claims, media, sales promotions and agencies around the world? Based on IAA surveys, this report discusses the variety of national rules pertaining to pre-clearances, sales promotions, comparisons and advertising to children, as well as the use of foreign languages, materials and foreign-owned agencies in advertising. The overall situation is not that bad but eternal vigilance against excessive regulation is in order.
Supplier evaluation in agile supply chain in fuzzy paradigm

In today’s turbulent business environment it is evident that a business must be agile as well as efficient. Supply chains can help in achieving this through enhancing the ability to respond quickly to customer demand and by reducing operating costs. One of the biggest challenges facing organisations today is the need to respond to ever increasing levels of volatility in demand. Agility is defined as the capability of surviving and prospering in a competitive environment of continuous and unpredictable change by reacting quickly and effectively to changing markets, driven by customer designed high-quality, high-performance, products and services (Chandna, 2008). Agile supply chains need to be highly flexible in order to reconfigure quickly in response to changes in their environment. Supplier lies in the first node of the supply chain. Rational supplier evaluation (and selection) is really important to the entire supply chain’s agility. An effective supplier selection process is indeed essential for this. To this end, present work highlights an integrated performance appraisement module towards suppliers’ evaluation in agile supply chains. Apart from evaluating suppliers’ overall performance index; the study has been extended to identify ill-performing areas in which suppliers should prosper in the future. Fuzzy logic has been adapted here to facilitate the said appraisement modelling.
Distributed fault estimation with randomly occurring uncertainties over sensor networks

This paper is concerned with the distributed fault estimation problem for a class of uncertain stochastic systems over sensor networks. The norm-bounded uncertainty enters into the system in a random way governed by a set of Bernoulli distributed white sequence. The purpose of the addressed problem is to design distributed fault estimators, via available output measurements from not only the individual sensor, but also its neighbouring sensors, such that the fault estimation error converges to zero exponentially in the mean square while the disturbance rejection attenuation is constrained to a give level by means of the performance index. Intensive stochastic analysis is carried out to obtain sufficient conditions for ensuring the exponential stability as well as prescribed performance for the overall estimation error dynamics. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed fault estimation technique in this paper.
Performance of analysts' earnings forecasting: evidence from Finnish emerging markets 1987-2005

Financial analysts comprise one important group of information intermediaries between firms and investors (Healy & Palepu, 2001). They have great potential to decrease information asymmetry between firms and investors, resulting in better allocation of capital. Analysts work is influenced by, among other things, the quality and quantity of information available from the target firms. Furthermore, analysts' incentives could be influenced by the employer's other affairs with the client. Our paper has three purposes : 1) to review the main research literature on analysts' activity and performance, 2) to describe the development of analysts' activity in the period 1987-2005 in a Finnish emerging market, and 3) to analyse the impact of market regulation and market cycles on analysts' performance. Performance is studied in three dimensions: forecasting accuracy, forecast bias, and forecasting efficiency. Analysts' data are based on I/B/E/S. Our analysis shows the rapid development of analysts' activity, both in terms of the number of forecasts and longer forecasting horizons. Overall, the result supports the conclusion that analysts tend to be somewhat pessimistic in their Earnings per share (EPS) forecasts. Furthermore, the corrective actions taken have been somewhat sluggish (delays in EPS revisions). However, the forecasts improved significantly in the close before the actual EPS releases (0-1 month sample). Finally, analysts were not fully taking into account prior EPS development. This further supports the view that analysts underestimate the value of prior earnings change in their current earnings forecasting.
Firm-Specific Exchange Rate Exposure of Japanese Multinational Corporations

This paper empirically examines the firm-specific exchange rate exposure of Japanese multinational corporations (MNC). Although financial theory strongly supports that exchange rate movement should affect the value of a multinational corporation, most previous studies failed to document significant exchange rate exposure. One major reason for the failure is the incorrectly selection of the exchange rate index. In this paper, using detailed exchange rate data, we propose a method to construct a firm-specific exchange rate index for each Japanese MNC. Our results show that with a more appropriate firm-specific exchange rate index, we can better capture the exchange rate exposure of MNCs. Moreover, when incorporating a crisis indicator in the standard model to capture the impact of crisis on exchange rate exposure, we get more firms with significant exposure. This result indicates that crises may have a different impact on MNC's exchange rate exposure than periods of normal exchange rate fluctuation.
Power Calculations for General Linear Multivariate Models Including Repeated Measures Applications.

Recently developed methods for power analysis expand the options available for study design. We demonstrate how easily the methods can be applied by (1) reviewing their formulation and (2) describing their application in the preparation of a particular grant proposal. The focus is a complex but ubiquitous setting: repeated measures in a longitudinal study. Describing the development of the research proposal allows demonstrating the steps needed to conduct an effective power analysis. Discussion of the example also highlights issues that typically must be considered in designing a study. First, we discuss the motivation for using detailed power calculations, focusing on multivariate methods in particular. Second, we survey available methods for the general linear multivariate model (GLMM) with Gaussian errors and recommend those based on F approximations. The treatment includes coverage of the multivariate and univariate approaches to repeated measures, MANOVA, ANOVA, multivariate regression, and univariate regression. Third, we describe the design of the power analysis for the example, a longitudinal study of a child's intellectual performance as a function of mother's estimated verbal intelligence. Fourth, we present the results of the power calculations. Fifth, we evaluate the tradeoffs in using reduced designs and tests to simplify power calculations. Finally, we discuss the benefits and costs of power analysis in the practice of statistics. We make three recommendations: Align the design and hypothesis of the power analysis with the planned data analysis, as best as practical.Embed any power analysis in a defensible sensitivity analysis.Have the extent of the power analysis reflect the ethical, scientific, and monetary costs. We conclude that power analysis catalyzes the interaction of statisticians and subject matter specialists. Using the recent advances for power analysis in linear models can further invigorate the interaction.
HIP, RIP and the Robustness of Empirical Earnings Processes

Parameter estimates from earnings processes are key inputs into life-cycle models with heteroge- neous agents, but it remains an open question how to model earnings dynamics appropriately. In this study I interpret the wide range of estimates of key parameters in the literature obtained from the same data, such as the variance of individual heterogeneity or persistence of income shocks, as reecting a fundamental misspecication problem in two commonly used families of models { HIP- and RIP-models. I show that to obtain credible estimates of these parameters it is crucial to control exibly for age- and time eects in innovation variances, including a rich specication of initial condi- tions. Starting from a model that is well-specied and that nests HIP- and RIP-models, I investigate the robustness of key parameters across specications. To isolate the model-specic identifying vari- ation of a parameter, I compare across specications the results from novel numerical comparative statics that perturb the parameter around its estimated value. Since identication of my preferred model requires covariance structures that are disaggregated to the cohort-level, I rely on administra- tive data from Germany on quarterly earnings that follow workers from labor market entry until 27 years into their career. I focus my analysis on an education group that displays a covariance structure with qualitatively similar properties like its North American counterpart. Ind that (i) estimates of key parameters uctuate widely across specications, (ii) permanent and persistent shocks as well as intercept-heterogeneity are always signicant while transitory shocks are not, (iii) a persistent initial condition explains the complex earnings dynamics early in the life-cycle, (iv) slope-heterogeneity is highly signicant in a standard HIP-process but vanishes once one controls for age-eects appropri- ately and (v) slope-heterogeneity introduces a problem of "over-�tting" whereby its estimate reacts strongly to restrictions on its correlation with intercept-heterogeneity. These results are unchanged when I allow slopes to vary over the life-cycle and when I estimate the model from an education group with a drastically dierent covariance structure, suggesting that the results apply more generally.
Kinetics of chondrocyte growth in cell‐polymer implants

In vitro cultivation of cartilage cells (chondrocytes) on biodegradable polyglycolic acid (PGA) scaffolds resulted in implants which could potentially be used to repair damaged joint cartilage or for reconstructive surgery. Cell growth kinetics were studied to define conditions under which the cellularity of implants made from isolated calf chondrocytes reached that of the parent calf cartilage. In static cultures, condrocyte growth rates decreased as either implant thickness or implant cell density increased. Over 4 weeks of cultivation, implant permeability to glucose decreased to 3% that of the plain polymer scaffold; this effect was attributed to the decrease in effective implant porosity associated with cartilage tissue regeneration.
Electrophysiological Responses of Atta sexdens rubropilosa Workers to Essential Oils of Eucalyptus and its Chemical Composition

Abstract The leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel, 1908 is the most harmful of the Eucalyptus pests, causing severe losses in wood production through defoliation. Various strategies have been tried and effort spent on the development of methods to control this pest, however no practical and environmentally acceptable one currently exists. In this work the chemical composition of the essential oil of seven Eucalyptus species was identified and the selectivity and sensitivity of antennal receptors of A. sexdens rubropilosa workers to the volatile compounds were determined using the electroantennographic technique (EAG and GC-EAD). Analysis by GC-EAD showed in E. cloesiana and E. maculata, respectively, seventeen and sixteen terpenes that elicited responses in ant workers’ antennae, indicating the potential role of the essential oils as allelochemicals that determine the choice of the foraging material.
Response of Recurrent High-Grade Glioma to Treatment with 90Y-DOTATOC

The treatment of patients with high-grade malignant glioma still represents an unsolved clinical problem. We report the treatment of 3 patients who had World Health Organization grade IV recurrent glioblastoma: a 23-y-old woman and 2 men aged 61 and 62 y. Methods: All 3 patients were treated with the somatostatin receptor radiopharmaceutical 90Y-labeled [1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N″′-tetraacetic acid0-d-Phe1,Tyr3]octreotide (DOTATOC). A cumulated dose of 1.7–2.2 GBq given in 3 or 4 cycles was locally injected into a previously implanted catheter system. Results: Treatment was successful in all 3 patients, with only minor side effects reported. After treatment, MRI and PET showed complete remission in one patient and partial remission in the other patients. These findings correlated well with clinical improvement and improved quality of life. Conclusion: Receptor-mediated radionuclide therapy by locally injected 90Y-DOTATOC is feasible and well tolerated. This approach represents an attractive strategy for the treatment of locally recurring or progressing glioblastoma.
ayesian estimation of prevalence of paratuberculosis in dairy herds nrolled in a voluntary Johne ’ s Disease Control Programme in Ireland onor

Bovine paratuberculosis is a disease characterised by chronic granulomatous enteritis which manifests clinically as a protein-losing enteropathy causing diarrhoea, hypoproteinaemia, emaciation and, eventually death. Some evidence exists to suggest a possible zoonotic link and a national voluntary Johne’s Disease Control Programme was initiated by Animal Health Ireland in 2013. The objective of this study was to estimate herd-level true prevalence (HTP) and animal-level true prevalence (ATP) of paratuberculosis in Irish herds enrolled in the national voluntary JD control programme during 2013–14. Two datasets were used in this study. The first dataset had been collected in Ireland during 2005 (5822 animals from 119 herds), and was used to construct model priors. Model priors were updated with a primary (2013–14) dataset which included test records from 99,101 animals in 1039 dairy herds and was generated as part ayesian of the national voluntary JD control programme. The posterior estimate of HTP from the final Bayesian model was 0.23–0.34 with a 95% probability. Across all herds, the median ATP was found to be 0.032 (0.009, 0.145). This study represents the first use of Bayesian methodology to estimate the prevalence of paratuberculosis in Irish dairy herds. The HTP estimate was higher than previous Irish estimates but still lower than estimates from other major dairy producing countries. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Conflict Resolution in Urban and Rural Families: A Factor Analytical Approach

This paper makes an attempt to examine the strategies incorporated by members in urban and rural families while trying to resolve conflict(s) at the time of making purchases. It is imperative for marketers to understand dynamics of family decision making process, from which conflicts arise between spouses in the course of decision making as also their resolution, both of which are interlinked, hence need considerable attention. Such an analysis helps marketers in framing their promotional strategies to the member(s) most influential in making purchase decision such that divergence of opinion between members is minimised.
Mailing smarter to catalog customers

A major issue that dominates the current thinking of catalogers is how to send mail more efficiently in order to increase response rates and decrease wasteful mailing activity. Currently cataloguers assume that a mailing decision should be made when expected profit (or lifetime value) is positive or at best when expected profit exceeds a certain threshold. We offer a new perspective. We suggest that a customer be sent the current catalog only if the expected profit with the current catalog exceeds the expected profit without the current catalog. We develop, estimate, and test a hazard function model with unobserved heterogeneity to estimate the sensitivity of the customers’ purchase intensity to catalog drop and to other factors. We explicitly allow for customers to order from previous catalogs and control for the effects of promotional rest and wearout. We find that it is better to send (not too many but) a few catalogs with (not too long but) a moderate amount of time between them in order to encourage purchases.
Influences on frequency of preparation of financial statements among SMEs

This paper examines factors that impact the frequency of financial statement preparation among a sample of 312 SMEs. Specifically, the study examines the relationship between how often financial statements are prepared and (1) whether the financial statements are used to make decisions and (2) owners’ confidence in the reliability of their financial statements. Financial statements provide important information that should be used to help guide decisions. The findings showed that the frequency of financial statement preparation was directly associated with whether the financial statements were used to make decisions and inversely associated with owners’ confidence in the reliability of their financial statements. Additionally, the results showed that the frequency of financial statement preparation was directly associated with gender and size of community in which the firm was located. The results should be useful for owners of SMEs and providers of services to SMEs to better understand which factors affect how often financial statements are prepared and to provide business development assistance.
Information Systems Without Information Technology

A survey of all African public sector IT projects funded by the World Bank concluded: "in the majority of cases, several factors have constrained organisations from effectively using the technology and the information it provides, or have proved to be constraints on the sustainability of IT. " (Moussa & Schware 1992). Some equipment remained in its original packaging or, if unpacked, sat unplugged on a desk as a very costly 'executive paperweight'.
HLA markers associated with progression to AIDS are also associated with susceptibility to cytomegalovirus retinitis

The frequency of HLA markers associated with rapid progression from HIV infection to AIDS was evaluated in Brazilian patients with AIDS exhibiting or not exhibiting cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMV-R). A total of 124 AIDS patients (44 with and 80 without CMV-R) were studied. HLA markers associated with rapid progression to AIDS were significantly increased in the CMV-R group compared with those without retinitis. The presence of these HLA markers may simultaneously predispose to AIDS and CMV-R.
Corporate Governance in New Enterprises, or Why Do Some CEOS Hold Large Equity Stakes While Others are Paid Through Stock Options?

This paper analyzes the determinants of CEO equity ownership in a sample of 273 young and innovative IPOs between 1997 and 2002. In contrast to other studies on managerial equity ownership, where managerial equity ownership is explained by agency-theoretic arguments, the empirical analysis in this paper is based on the property-rights approach. Arguing that asset ownership not only provides incentives for effort but also for specific investments, the empirical evidence in this study strongly confirms the property-rights approach. First, it could be shown that equity ownership significantly depends on intangible assets. Secondly, that contractual arrangements are more likely in the absent of such intangible assets and thirdly that complementary assets are more likely to be owned together and not separately.