Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnitude and patterns of decline in health and function in 1 year affect subsequent 5-year survival.

BACKGROUND Indicators of physical function and health status can predict important outcomes in older persons, but little is known about the meaning of change in these measures. This study assessed the magnitude and patterns of change occurring in 1 year in six measures of health and function and estimated the effects on survival for 5 years. METHODS This prospective cohort study was based in two health care systems. Data were collected during home visits at baseline and every 3 months for 1 year. Subsequent deaths occurring within 5 years were ascertained using the National Death Index. RESULTS Of 439 older adults, 88 (20%) died within the subsequent 5 years. The optimal magnitude of decline to predict 5-year mortality was 0.1 meters/second for gait speed, 1 point for the Short Physical Performance Battery, and 0.05 points for Euroqol. Independent contributions were found for decline in gait speed (p =.001 to.002), Short Physical Performance Battery (p =.014 to.026), global health (p <.001), and activities of daily living (p =.005 to.019). More than one half of the episodes of decline were transient. Persistent decline in 1 year consistently predicted death, and transient decline in gait speed and global health increased mortality risk compared with no change. CONCLUSIONS A decline in gait speed of 0.1 m/s or 1 point in the Short Physical Performance Battery within 1 year increased the subsequent 5-year mortality rate. Transient declines in gait speed and self-reported health are as common as persistent declines and affect mortality risk.
Designing institutional platforms and arenas for interactive political leadership

ABSTRACT In response to the urgent need for elected politicians to lead processes of collaborative policy innovation, this paper brings together political leadership theory and theories of collaborative and participatory governance in order to make way for the concept of interactive political leadership. The theoretical framework shows how interactive political leadership relies on platforms and arenas that bring politicians and citizens together in informed dialogues that may contribute to collaborative policy innovation. An empirical case study of institutional reforms in a Danish municipality adds flesh and blood to the theoretical argument about how to enhance interactive political leadership.
3‐Nitrotyrosine as a spectroscopic probe for investigating protein–protein interactions

3‐Nitrotyrosine (NT) is ∼103‐fold more acidic than Tyr, and its absorption properties are strongly pH‐dependent. NT absorbs radiation in the wavelength range where Tyr and Trp emit fluorescence (300 450 nm), and it is essentially nonfluorescent. Therefore, NT may function as an energy acceptor in resonance energy transfer (FRET) studies for investigating ligand protein interactions. Here, the potentialities of NT were tested on the hirudin thrombin system, a well‐characterized protease inhibitor pair of key pharmacological importance. We synthesized two analogs of the N‐terminal domain (residues 1 47) of hirudin: Y3NT, in which Tyr3 was replaced by NT, and S2R/Y3NT, containing the substitutions Ser2 → Arg and Tyr3 → NT. The binding of these analogs to thrombin was investigated at pH 8 by FRET and UV/Vis‐absorption spectroscopy. Upon hirudin binding, the fluorescence of thrombin was reduced by ∼50%, due to the energy transfer occurring between the Trp residues of the enzyme (i.e., the donors) and the single NT of the inhibitor (i.e., the acceptor). The changes in the absorption spectra of the enzyme inhibitor complex indicate that the phenate moiety of NT in the free state becomes protonated to phenol in the thrombin‐bound form. Our results indicate that the incorporation of NT can be effectively used to detect protein protein interactions with sensitivity in the low nanomolar range, to uncover subtle structural features at the ligand protein interface, and to obtain reliable Kd values for structure activity relationship studies. Furthermore, advances in chemical and genetic methods, useful for incorporating noncoded amino acids into proteins, highlight the broad applicability of NT in biotechnology and pharmacological screening.
Why Do Listed Companies Choose Private Equity Placements?-Empirical Evidence from Chinese Stock Market

Since the non-tradable reform, the private equity placement becomes one of the best popular ways of equity refinancing in China's listed companies. The market and supervision authorities in the multiple expectations place on the private equity placement as an important innovation of the equity refinancing. This paper based on information asymmetry hypothesis examines: Why do listed companies choose private equity placements? Whether information asymmetric hypothesis can explain the boom of the private equity placements of the listed companies, or not? Using a sample of 760 listed companies which have achieved the non-tradable reform during the period of 2006-2008.12 on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, the results show that information asymmetry hypothesis does not explain the boom of the private equity placements of the listed companies. The listed company will choose higher possibility of the private equity placement to specific objects in order to raise funds when the stock price is undervalued. The listed company will choose higher possibility of the private equity placement when the
L’impact de l’ancrage territorial sur le Business Model. Le cas du label Origine France Garantie

Si le concept de Business Model (BM) a encore quelques détracteurs, son mérite est de centrer la problématique de l’entreprise sur la création de valeur économique et a fortiori financière. Paradoxalement, les exigences de Responsabilité Sociétale (RSE) conduisent à étendre l’idée de création de valeur pour les actionnaires à l’ensemble des parties prenantes et à y inclure des éléments de performance environnementale et sociale. La contribution de l’entreprise au développement territorial et à la préservation de l’emploi s’inscrit, notamment, dans cette perspective. De nombreuses entreprises font désormais le choix de produire localement bien que cela ait une incidence négative sur leur compétitivité-coût. Ce choix, loin d’être anodin, remet en cause le BM basé sur la création de valeur économique et financière puisqu’il élargit le concept de valeur à sa dimension sociétale. En outre, il conduit à une redéfinition de l’organisation de la chaîne et du réseau de valeur ainsi qu’à une réflexion concernant le portefeuille de ressources et compétences de l’entreprise. C’est ce que s’attache à démontrer l’auteur dans cette recherche basée sur des entretiens auprès de dirigeants de cinq entreprises dont les produits ont obtenu le label « Origine France Garantie » (OFG).
A survey on offline handwritten north Indian script symbol recognition

North Indian scripts are used in 70% of the regions of India. Devanagari, Bangla, Gujarati, Oriya, and Gurumukhi are the major North Indian scripts listed in decreasing order of their usage. There are ample amount of work done on printed symbol recognition for various North Indian scripts, but handwritten symbol recognition still needs further attention. This paper represents the thorough study of the work done so far for handwritten symbol recognition for major North Indian script. Furthermore, the challenges of each script and various feature extraction techniques and classifiers used are also discussed. The paper will provide a proper startup and almost complete scenario of the state of the art in offline handwritten symbol recognition from North Indian script.
Composting of biowaste: Research trends and relevance in developing countries

espanolLos biorresiduosson la mayor fraccion de los Residuos Solidos Municipales-RSM en paises en desarrollo, siendo el compostaje una alternativa promisoria para su gestion. La implementacion del compostaje en este contexto no ha sido efectiva requiriendose estrategias para mejorar su aplicacion. Este articulo analiza tendencias investigativas del compostaje de biorresiduos y presenta una reflexion critica al respecto. Para tal efecto, emplea elementos de vigilancia tecnologica, analizando revistas cientificas especializadas (periodo 2006 a 2017) y usando herramientas bibliometricas como RefViz® y Tlab®. Las investigaciones para optimizar el proceso se han enfocado en el uso de materiales de enmienda o de soporte, estrategias para la reduccion en las perdidas de nitrogeno, desarrollo de estudios de biodegradabilidad aerobia y de modelos empiricos para predecir condiciones del proceso. La integracion de estas investigaciones en el contexto de paises en desarrollo puede contribuir al mejoramiento de la aplicacion del compostaje de biorresiduos. EnglishBiowaste is the main fraction of MSW in developing countries. Composting is a promising alternative for the management of biowaste in these contexts. However, its implementation has not been effective in developing countries, for whichit is necessary to explore options to improve its application in this context. This article reviewed the research trends on biowaste composting and the potential application in developing countries such as Colombia. For this purpose, the technology monitoring methodology was used in databases of specialized scientific journals (period 2006 to 2017), using bibliometric tools such as RefViz® and Tlab®. The research has focused on optimizing the process through measures such as the use of amendment or support materials, strategies for reducing nitrogen losses, aerobic biodegradability studies and the development of empirical models to predict process conditions. The integration of this research in the context of developing countries can contribute to improve the application of biowaste composting.
Codelivery of Envelope Protein in Alum with MVA Vaccine Induces CXCR3-Biased CXCR5+ and CXCR5− CD4 T Cell Responses in Rhesus Macaques

The goal of an HIV vaccine is to generate robust and durable protective Ab. Vital to this goal is the induction of CD4+ T follicular helper (TFH) cells. However, very little is known about the TFH response to HIV vaccination and its relative contribution to magnitude and quality of vaccine-elicited Ab titers. In this study, we investigated these questions in the context of a DNA/modified vaccinia virus Ankara SIV vaccine with and without gp140 boost in aluminum hydroxide in rhesus macaques. In addition, we determined the frequency of vaccine-induced CD4+ T cells coexpressing chemokine receptor, CXCR5 (facilitates migration to B cell follicles) in blood and whether these responses were representative of lymph node TFH responses. We show that booster modified vaccinia virus Ankara immunization induced a distinct and transient accumulation of proliferating CXCR5+ and CXCR5− CD4 T cells in blood at day 7 postimmunization, and the frequency of the former but not the latter correlated with TFH and B cell responses in germinal centers of the lymph node. Interestingly, gp140 boost induced a skewing toward CXCR3 expression on germinal center TFH cells, which was strongly associated with longevity, avidity, and neutralization potential of vaccine-elicited Ab response. However, CXCR3+ cells preferentially expressed the HIV coreceptor CCR5, and vaccine-induced CXCR3+CXCR5+ cells showed a moderate positive association with peak viremia following SIV251 infection. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that vaccine regimens that elicit CXCR3-biased TFH cell responses favor Ab persistence and avidity but may predispose to higher acute viremia in the event of breakthrough infections.
Comparison of silicone and polypropylene Ahmed glaucoma valves: two-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND To compare the safety and efficacy of silicone and polypropylene Ahmed glaucoma drainage devices. METHODS We studied a retrospective consecutive case series of 91 eyes of 81 patients who were implanted with Ahmed valves by a single surgeon (R.M.S.). The first 43 eyes received polypropylene (model S2) valves; the remaining 48 eyes received silicone (model FP7) valves. Data collection included demographics, type of glaucoma, and sequential measurement of clinical characteristics. The mean outcome measures were visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP), number of antiglaucoma medications, and postoperative complications. Data were collected on day 1; weeks 1, 2-3, and 6; months 3-4, 6, and 12; and last visit. RESULTS Mean follow-up was 27.1 months for the polypropylene valve and 20.1 months for the silicone valve. Mean decrease in IOP at 1 year was significantly greater in the silicone group than in the polypropylene group (t test, p < 0.005); however, this difference disappeared at 2 years. There were no differences between the groups in visual acuity, number of antiglaucoma medications, bleb needlings with 5-fluorouracil, or minor complications. A greater number of serious complications, including valve failures, occurred in the polypropylene group than in the silicone group, and this difference could not be accounted for by the longer follow-up in the polypropylene group. At 2 years follow-up, 82% of patients with silicone valves and 72% of patients with polypropylene valves continued to achieve greater than 30% IOP reduction. INTERPRETATION Both the silicone and polypropylene Ahmed valves significantly reduced IOP over 2 years. The silicone valve was associated with fewer serious complications.
Th1/Th2 type cytokines in hepatitis B patients treated with interferon-alpha.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between the expression of Th1/Th2 type cytokines and the effect of interferon-alpha therapy. METHODS Th1/Th2 type cytokines were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on 23 patients with chronic hepatitis B who were treated with interferon-alpha. RESULTS Levels of IFN-gamma in the supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultures from the patients with hepatitis B were slightly lower than those of controls (P = 0.07). However, the levels of IL-4 were higher than those of controls (P = 0.01). Cytokines measurements during IFN-alpha treatment showed a trend to decreasing levels of IL-4 at 4, 12, and 24 weeks. Levels of IFN-gamma were slightly increased following IFN-alpha treatment (P = 0.09). In patients with a complete response to IFN-alpha, the levels of IFN-gamma were higher at 24 weeks following IFN-alpha treatment than that of pre-treatment (P = 0.04), and the levels of IL-4 decreased markedly at 12 and 24 weeks (P = 0.02, 0.03, respectively). mRNA expression positively correlated with the level of Th1/Th2 type cytokines in the supernatant. CONCLUSION The expression of Th2 type cytokines is predominant in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Interferon-alpha therapy can modulate the balance of Th1/Th2 type cytokines, and this is related to its clinical effect. Levels of Th1/Th2 type cytokines could be a predictor of clinical response during Interferon-alpha treatment.
Oral inhalation therapy: meeting the challenge of developing more patient-appropriate devices

Although oral inhalers have been mass produced for more than 50 years, there is a large body of literature in which evidence has been provided that patients either misuse their inhalers inadvertently or deliberately, thereby reducing their intended efficacy or, in the worst cases, rendering them altogether ineffective. In general, inhalers are becoming increasingly complicated with the incorporation of add-on devices, miniaturized electronics and ever more complex mechanical systems that aid aerosol delivery to the lower respiratory tract and, at the same time provide user feedback. However, these benefits often come at a significant cost, and there are signs that increasing attention will need to be given to the cost–benefit equation in the future. This review explores the development of pressurized metered-dose inhalers, dry powder inhalers and devices for liquid-droplet dispersal and inhalation from the perspective of the patient, by focusing on aspects that improve user interaction. These include designed-in features, such as breath-enhanced or breath-actuated operation that interact with the breathing pattern of the user, as well as more direct feedback aids that confirm, to the patient or healthcare provider that the dose has been delivered and that the patient has inhaled.
Association of Insurance with Cancer Care Utilization and Outcomes

Advances in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer have resulted in an almost 14% decrease in the death rates from all cancers combined from 1991 to 2004 in the overall US population, with remarkable declines in mortality for the top 3 causes of cancer death in men (lung, colorectal, and prostate cancer) and 2 of the top 3 cancers in women (breast and colorectal cancer). However, not all segments of the population have benefited equally from this progress, and evidence suggests that some of these differences are related to lack of access to health care. Lack of adequate health insurance appears to be a critical barrier to receipt of appropriate health care services. This article provides an overview of systems of health insurance in the United States, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics associated with health insurance coverage, and economic burdens related to health care among individuals and families. This article also presents data on the association between health insurance status and screening, stage at diagnosis, and survival for breast and colorectal cancer based on analyses of the National Health Interview Survey and the National Cancer Data Base. Although this article focuses on associations between health insurance and cancer care utilization and outcomes, it is important to recognize that barriers to receipt of optimal cancer care are complex and involve patient‐level, provider, and health system factors. Evidence presented in this paper suggests that addressing insurance and cost‐related barriers to care is a critical component of efforts to ensure that all Americans are able to share in the progress that can be achieved by access to high‐quality cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment services.
Breaking Cycles In Noisy Hierarchies

Taxonomy graphs that capture hyponymy or meronymy relationships through directed edges are expected to be acyclic. However, in practice, they may have thousands of cycles, as they are often created in a crowd-sourced way. Since these cycles represent logical fallacies, they need to be removed for many web applications. In this paper, we address the problem of breaking cycles while preserving the logical structure (hierarchy) of a directed graph as much as possible. Existing approaches for this problem either need manual intervention or use heuristics that can critically alter the taxonomy structure. In contrast, our approach infers graph hierarchy using a range of features, including a Bayesian skill rating system and a social agony metric. We also devise several strategies to leverage the inferred hierarchy for removing a small subset of edges to make the graph acyclic. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Block in the Anesthetic Considerations for Vascular Surgery – An Alternative Choice for Neuroaxial Anesthesia Techniques

Abdominal aortic aneurysm, with its incidence approaching approximately 8% in the population, accounts for more than 8,000 deaths annually in the United States. It is a multifactorial disease associated with atherosclerosis. Age, male gender, smoking, and the family history of abdominal aortic aneurysm are thought to be the risk factors for the disease (Ashton et al., 2002, Fleming et al., 2005). The natural history of abdominal aortic aneurysm is characterized by the progressive enlargement of the aneurysm, which ultimately leads to the rupture and the subsequent death of the patient. The aorta wall consists of a thin intima, a thick tunica media, and an adventitia, composed of endothelium for a thin intima, smooth muscle layers for a thick tunica media, and a connective tissue including the vasa vasorum and nervi vascularis for the adventitia, respectively. The wall of aorta is particularly vulnerable to an injury owing to the continuous exposure to high pulsate blood pressure and shear stress. Once degenerated which most commonly occurs by atherosclerosis, cystic medial necrosis, a condition in which the collagen and elastic fibers in the tunica media of the aorta are degenerated and replaced by the mucoid connective tissues, will immediately take place. It will subsequently result in the circumferential weakness, dilatation, and as a consequence, the development of aneurysm. The other etiological conditions that lead to the development of aneurysm include some hereditary basis such as Marfan’s and Ehlers-Dnlos syndromes, the infection including syphilis and tuberculosis, and vasculitis associated with autoimmune diseases such as Takayasu’s arteritis and rheumatoid arthritis (White et al., 1993, Shah et al., 1997). The prognosis of abdominal aortic aneurysm is strongly correlated with the size of aneurysm, and the risk of rupture is 1-2% for 5 years for an aneurysm less than 5cm in diameter, whereas it is more than 20-40% for those more than 5cm in diameter. Hence, an elective operation is indicated if the diameter of aneurysm is >5.5cm (Sakalihasan et al., 2005).
“Our Lands are Our Lives”: Gendered Experiences of Resistance to Land Grabbing in Rural Cambodia

ABSTRACT Cambodia is known as a hotspot for land grabbing in Southeast Asia. Land dispossession due to elite capture, natural resources exploitation, and agribusiness development has catalyzed international attention following outbreaks of violence, mass protests, and retaliations. Agrarian economies, as well as social and gender relations and thus power dynamics at different levels, are being transformed and reshaped, facilitated by policies that promote capital penetration in rural areas and individualization of land access. Focusing on cases of rural dispossession and political resistance in Ratanakiri and Kampong Speu provinces, and drawing on reports, government documents, focus group discussions, and interviews, this study analyzes the gendered implications of land grabbing in contemporary Cambodia and argues that gender shapes and informs women’s responses and politics, as well as the spaces in which these are played out.