Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stock Price Adjustment to Corporate Accounting Disclosure: A Quantitative Study on Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE), Bangladesh.

This study has been designed to detect whether corporate accounting disclosures through annual report influence stock price movement in Dhaka Stock Exchange. To conduct our study, we gathered a series of panel data from 2010 through 2014 of 25 private commercial banks. Least square regression analysis has been done by incorporating fixed effect and random effect models and six models have been developed through Hausman Test. The resulting output revealed that “Earning per share”, “Return on equity” and “Net asset value per share” (book value) positively influenced stock price movement during our study period but “Earning per share” and “Net asset value per share” jointly can explain highest variation in stock price movement in DSE. Although past few studies showed weak form of market efficiency in DSE , this study conveys a positive movement of Banglidesh stock market from weak form towards strong form of efficiency .
Hypoglycemia in a Child with Tramadol Poisoning

First, the authors mentioned that the patient in question convulsed twice and they avoided administering Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, fearful that it might aggravate the seizure. [1] I presume that their concern is questionable. On one hand, Tramadol overdose has been found to be associated with a significant risk of seizures and respiratory depression in more severe cases, which appear to be related to an ingested dose. [2] The smallest amount of Tramadol associated with seizure was identified to be 200 mg. [3] The patient ingested six tramadol tablets (200 mg per tablet). It is therefore, expected that the case in question was at risk of developing recurrent seizures. On the other hand, there has been controversy regarding the possible preventive role of Naloxone in TP-induced seizure. However, recently published data comparing seizure incidence in TP patients who received and did not receive Naloxone have revealed that seizure incidence was significantly higher among TP patients who did not receive naloxone compared with those who received Naloxone (14.1% vs. 5.1%). [4] Accordingly, I presume that it would be worthy to consider administering Naloxone to attenuate seizurogenic activity of Tramadol in TP victims.
Adaptive Design Techniques for Complex Choice-Based Conjoint Experiments

Efficient designs for choice-based conjoint experiments must fulfill four criteria: level balance, orthogonality, minimal overlap, and utility balance. Although the first three criteria can be addressed and tested in a static environment, utility balance requires prior assumptions or pretests about the anticipated utility distribution. Recently introduced dynamic approaches adapt utilitiy estimates and the choice design during the questionnaire and therefore do not rely on prior knowledge. This article compares adaptive and static designs in a large empirical study and finds that adaptive designs do not offer superior performance. The findings demonstrate that it is very important to account for different components of response variability and anticipate the magnitude of response error, which affects the performance of adaptive algorithms and therefore the validity of the results.
Needs of tea growers for participating in tea production insurance: a case study in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam

The research has evaluated the situation of tea production of tea growers in Phu Tho Province, Vietnam. Average tea plantation area among the largest group of households is 0.61 ha. In production, the types of risks that tea growers encounter include: unfavorable weather (33.4%), diseases (13.2%), insects and worms (2.3%), capital (0.3%) and price which is the most major risk (50.8%). The survey of 1,000 tea growers identified that 46.7% of the households are in need to participate in tea production insurance. The average willingness to pay was estimated to be 2,407.07 (thousand VND/ha/year). If the agricultural program is successfully implemented in the province, it is estimated to have a total agricultural insurance fund of 34-35 billion VND/year. The survey results show that gender, education level, tea growing area and location are factors that affect the level of willingness to pay for agricultural insurance for tea trees. There are four solutions which are proposed to enhance the participation of tea growers in agricultural insurance for tea: (1) Development of an insurance product for the production of fresh tea leaves for easier access from farmers; (2) Active communication on agricultural insurance policy to local authorities, farmers' union, agricultural expansion stations and especially the farmers; (3) Close collaboration between local authorities and enterprises in the review on current mechanisms and policies to timely propose adjustments and supplements to meet the needs of farmers on agricultural insurance; (4) Strengthening coordination between the State, insurance companies, credit and financial institutions and farmers.
On the purpose of models - The Norges Bank experience

Macroeconomic models are important ingredients in the monetary policy process, and, in the Norwegian case, projecting a forward interest rate path. In this paper we argue that when deciding on a model strategy, it is crucial to consider the purpose of models. If the purpose is to understand basic mechanisms in the economy and implications of economic policy, we need a set of models that highlight these features. If the purpose is to forecast short-term developments, a different set of models may be required. Given the complexity of the real world, we argue that it is better to provide the policymakers with a good characterization of uncertainty instead of only providing point forecasts, i.e. it is better to be ”roughly right” than ”exactly wrong”. A robust strategy for handling uncertainty should be an inherent part of the preferred system of models.
An Empirical Study of Least-Squares Algorithms in Reinforcement Learning

Due to its many successes, the TD(λ) class of algorithms is a popular choice when it comes to solving control problems. One such algorithm which was recently proposed is Q(σ), which unifies two existing TD solutions. This kind of unification is a popular technique for creating new families of algorithms, which include the original algorithms as special cases. Here, we will do the same by applying Q(σ) traces to LSTD(λ) to create a new class of algorithms we will call LSTDQ(σ). We then evaluate it against Q(σ), and against itself with different values of σ, all in the off-policy control setting. Our results show that with our formulation of LSTDQ(σ), there is little benefit to the additional flexibility. We also propose a small change to the algorithm for future work.
Fundamental use of surgical energy during endoscopic therapies

Knowledge of the principles of safe use of surgical energy is a critical element in the practice of any endoscopist. We review the basic principles of electrosurgical energy as taught by the Fundamental Use of Surgical Energy curriculum and then provide endoscopy-specific applications of these principles. We reviewed the basic principles of electrosurgical energy, including terminology and cellular effects of electrosurgical energy, as well as an overview of various electrosurgical instruments that are used in endoscopy. We then related the principles of electrosurgical energy to common complications seen in endoscopy (e.g., perforation, bleeding, post-polypectomy syndrome) and discussed possible techniques to maximize the safety of utilizing electrosurgical energy in procedures such as polypectomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic submucosal dissection, and per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM).
A precise determination of black hole spin in GRO J1655-40

We note that the recently discovered 450 Hz frequency in the X-ray flux of the black hole candidate GRO J1655-40 is in a 3:2 ratio to the previously known 300 Hz frequency of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) in the same source. If the origin of high frequency QPOs in black hole systems is a resonance between orbital and epicyclic motion of accreting matter, as suggested previously, the angular momentum of the black hole can be accurately determined, given its mass. We nd that the dimensionless angular momentum is in the range 0:2 <j< 0:67 if the mass is in the (corresponding) range of 5.5 to 7.9 solar masses.
Congestive heart failure

It is now well established that digoxin is an effective drug for the treatment of heart failure. Since treatment with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduces mortality in congestive heart failure, digoxin should be added to ACE inhibitors in patients with moderate or severe heart failure. The beneficial effects of digoxin may be due, in part, to its well-documented sympathoinhibitory effects that can avert the adverse effects of long-term excessive sympathetic adrenergic stimulation in heart failure.
On the variational Torelli problem for complete intersections

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Cholesterol management in patients with IHD: An audit-based appraisal of progress towards clinical targets in primary care

Anonymised data collected from 24 participating localities in England have been aggregated for this report. The data are taken from general practice computer records using a validated extraction tool Morbidity Information Query and Export SynTax (MIQUEST). The number of patients with heart disease, a cholesterol measure, whether they had been prescribed a statin, their quality of control, and its implications are reported. In the population studied of 2.4 million, 89,422 patients had a diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease; a prevalence rate of 3.7%. Cholesterol measurement was available for half (48.3%) of these patients, of whom half (55.2%) were taking a statin. As a result of this treatment gap, 118 excess myocardial infarctions annually are predicted, equivalent to around 7,150 events nationally. Compared to previous audits carried out in UK general practice, considerable progress has been made towards the achievement of treatment goals. The treatment gap is represented by a combination of lack of measurement and recording of data as well as poor quality of control.
econstor Make Your Publications Visible . A Service of zbw

In this paper we present a unit root test against a nonlinear dynamic heterogeneous panel with each country modelled as an LSTAR model. All parameters are viewed as country speci c. We allow for serially correlated residuals over time and heterogeneous variance among cross sections. The test is derived under three special cases: (i) the number of cross sections and observations over time are xed, (ii) observations over time are xed and the number of cross sections tend to in nity, and (iii) rst letting the number of observations over time tend to in nity and thereafter the number of cross sections. Small sample properties of the test show modest size distortions and satisfactory power being superior to the Im, Pesaran and Shin t-type of test. We also show clear improvements in power compared to a univariate unit root test allowing for non-linearities under the alternative hypothesis. JEL classi cation: C12; C23; C52
CO-INHIBITORY MOLECULE PROGRAMMED DEATH-1 AND ITS LIGANDS: A NEW ALTERNATIVE THERAPY FOR HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS INFECTION?

Chronic viral infections are characterized by the up-regulation of a set of immunomodulatory receptors. The over-expression of co-inhibitory molecules on T cells leads to a dysfunctional T cell response with an "exhausted" phenotype. Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) is a molecule that exerts an inhibitory signal on the T cell receptor when it binds to the PD-L1 or PD-L2 ligands present on antigen-presenting cells. Also, the expression of these molecules has been associated to the loss of T cell functions as well as clinical markers of the progression of HIV infection. The study of these molecules has gained attention due to reports indicating that blockade of PD-1 pathway could partially reconstitute T cell functions. In fact, this mechanism has been proposed as an alternative treatment for some chronic viral infections such as HIV infection. This review is focused on those mechanisms that might be favouring the over-expression of PD-1 and its ligands during HIV infection and on the possible new approaches that, by reducing its expression, might represent new strategies for the treatment of HIV infection. Knowing the exact mechanism leading to PD-1, PD-L1 and PDL2 expression in physiologic and pathological conditions is essential for the development of successful treatments. Novel molecular mechanisms inhibiting PD-1 activation might have potential therapeutic use not only in HIV infection but also in other diseases.
Loss of CDH1 promotes the metastasis of hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma through the STAT3-MMP-9 signaling pathway

Background Distant metastasis is the major cause of death in patients with hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC). CDH1 is correlated with tumor invasion and metastasis; however, its function in HSCC remains unclear. Methods We used immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining to evaluate the expression of CDH1 in 31 and 78 specimens from primary HSCC patients with and without postoperative lung metastases respectively. Sulforhodamine B (SRB) and CCK-8 assays were used to test the proliferation of HSCC cells. Motility of HSCC cells was investigated by migration and invasion assays. Western blot analysis was used to measure the levels of CDH1 and other proteins. Results We found that the low expression of CDH1 was significantly associated with postoperative lung metastasis in HSCC (P<0.001). Moreover, CDH1 was reduced concomitantly with the upregulation of MMP-9 in the same HSCC sample. Further mechanistic investigation showed that silencing CDH1 elevated the level of MMP-9, which was coupled with the phosphorylation of STAT3. Subsequently, inhibiting STAT3 either by siRNA transfection or by pharmacological suppression with AG490 attenuated MMP-9 upregulation and prevented the enhanced proliferation and invasion caused by CDH1 loss in FaDu cells. Conclusions CDH1 plays vital roles in HSCC metastasis and might serve as a potential therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of HSCC.
Distribution and Paleobiology of Hibernation in Fossil Ground-Dwelling Squirrels from the Great Plains, USA

Hibernation is a widespread phenomenon present across mammalian taxa, including in many ground-dwelling squirrels (family Sciuridae). Prior work has shown that a hibernation mark can be identified in the ever-growing incisors of these ground squirrels through surface inspection. In this study, we inspected fossil incisors, originating from the Great Plains, from the C.W. Hibbard collection at the University of Michigan for features associated with hibernation marks in modern species. We noted hibernation mark-like features in several fossil ground squirrel incisors from the genera Otospermophilus, “Spermophilus”, and Urocitellus, ranging stratigraphically from the early Pliocene to the late Pleistocene and providing the oldest known record of hibernation for ground squirrels.
Den Flow erleben: Therapeutisches Klettern bei Multipler Sklerose

Zusammenfassung Es ist immer noch ein ungewöhnliches Bild, wenn die Teilnehmer der Klettergruppe „MS on the Rocks“ im Rollstuhl oder mit Gehhilfen in der Kletterhalle der TU München ankommen. Am Campus im Olympiapark wird seit fast 15 Jahren gezeigt, wie Menschen, die an Multipler Sklerose (MS) erkrankt sind, durch das Klettern nachhaltig körperlich aktiv werden und neuen Lebensmut bekommen. Der Beitrag fasst anhand des Forschungsstandes die Effekte des Therapeutischen Kletterns bei MS zusammen. Ein Fallbeispiel zeigt exemplarisch die positiven Einflüsse auf psychischer, sozialer und körperlicher Ebene.
Automobile Fuel Economy and CO2 Emissions in Industrialized Countries: Troubling Trends Through 2005-2006

A review of recently available data on both road fuel economy and new car test fuel economy shows that while US fuel economy has been flat for almost 15 years, major European countries and Japan have shown modest improvements in response to “voluntary” agreements on fuel economy, steadily rising fuel prices (since 2002), and to some extent shifts to smaller cars and 2nd family cars. At the same time the sales weighted average of new vehicles sold in the European Union, expressed in terms of their implied CO2 emissions, have fallen short of 2008 goals. That is a significant part of the improvements in Japan related to the growing share of mini-cars (displacement under 600 CC) and suggest that technology alone will not yield significant and rapid energy savings and CO2 restraint in new cars. Fuel economy technology, while important, isn’t the only factor that explains differences tested or on-road fuel economy when comparing vehicle efficiency and transport emissions in different countries. Fuels, technology, and driver behavior also play significant roles in how much fuel is used. As long as the upward spiral of car weight and power offsets much of the impact of more efficient technology on fuel efficiency, fuel economy will not improve much in the future. And as long as the numbers of cars and the distances cars are driven keep creeping up, technology alone will have a difficult time offsetting all of these trends to lower fuel use and CO2 emissions from this important sector.
BBN constraints on MeV-scale dark sectors. Part I. Sterile decays

We study constraints from Big Bang Nucleosynthesis on inert particles in a dark sector which contribute to the Hubble rate and therefore change the predictions of the primordial nuclear abundances. We pay special attention to the case of MeV-scale particles decaying into dark radiation, which are neither fully relativistic nor non-relativistic during all temperatures relevant to Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. As an application we discuss the implications of our general results for models of self-interacting dark matter with light mediators.
Ophthalmic simulated surgical competency assessment rubric (Sim-OSSCAR) for trabeculectomy

Background/aims To develop, test and determine whether a surgical-competency assessment tool for simulated glaucoma surgery is valid. Methods The trabeculectomy ophthalmic simulated surgical competency assessment rubric (Sim-OSSCAR) was assessed for face and content validity with a large international group of expert eye surgeons. Cohorts of novice and competent surgeons were invited to perform anonymised simulation trabeculectomy surgery, which was marked using the Sim-OSSCAR in a masked fashion by a panel of four expert surgeons. Construct validity was assessed using a Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Krippendorff’s alpha was calculated for interobserver reliability. Results For the Sim-OSSCAR for trabeculectomy, 58 of 67 surgeons (86.6%) either agreed or strongly agreed that the Sim-OSSCAR is an appropriate way to assess trainees’ surgical skill. Face validity was rated as 4.04 (out of 5.00). Fifty-seven of 71 surgeons (80.3%) either agreed or strongly agreed that the Sim-OSSCAR contents represented the surgical technique of surgical trabeculectomy. Content validity was rated as 4.00. Wilcoxon rank-sum test showed that competent surgeons perform better than novices (p=0.02). Interobserver reliability was rated >0.60 (Krippendorff’s alpha) in 19 of 20 steps of the Sim-OSSCAR. Conclusion The Sim-OSSCAR for trabeculectomy, a newly developed and validated assessment tool for simulation glaucoma surgery, has validity and reliability. It has the potential to play a useful role in ophthalmic surgical education.
Endophytic Fungal Cellulase for Extraction of Carrageenan and its Use in Antibiotics Amended Film Preparation

The use of non biodegradable plastic based packaging materials has been stopped in several food industries due to their disadvantages, so bio based polymers like polysaccharides are the alternative source for the preparation of films in food packaging. Thus, the present work was aimed to prepare the carrageenan (polysaccharides) based antibiotics amended films to prevent the food borne microbial pathogen in packed foods to extend its shelf life. In this study, morphologically 25 different endophytic fungal strains were isolated from different salt marsh plants, such as, Sweda monica and S.maritima were collected from Kelambakam Coastal area, East Coast of Tamil Nadu, India and they were named as, AEF51 to AEF75. All the fungal isolates were screened for cellulase activity and the maximum cellulase producing potential strain AEF58 was mass cultured. After the partial purification of cellulase it was lyophilized and stored for further use. The red seaweed Amphiroa anceps was collected from Kootapuli Village, Valliyoor Taluk, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India. From that, the carrageenan was extracted by biological method using endophytic fungal cellulase. After the extraction of carrageenan the antibiotics such as Amoxycillin, Tetracycline, Chloroamphenical, Erythromycin, Doxycyoline, Ofloxacin, Cephalexin, Dictoxacilin and Ampicillin were amended and different films were prepared using standard protocols. All the films were tested against different seafood borne pathogens such as, E.coli, Vibrio cholerae, V.parahaemolyticus, Salmonella sp, Shigella sp and Listeria sp (Obtained from AMET Microbial Culture Collection Centre). Among them, the Cephalexin amended film was showed the maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) against all the tested pathogens. From the results, the study concluded that, the extraction of carragenan by biological substances increase the production and antibiotic amended carrageenan based films will be used for food packaging to control the pathogenic microbes and preserve the foods from spoilage.