Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Notice of RetractionExecutive Compensation Structure and Corporate Performance: An Empirical Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies

Using comprehensive financial and accounting data on Chinese listed companies in 2007, this paper examines executive compensation structure. I find that corporate performance is positively related to the percentage of equity-based compensation to total compensation. I also find that equity-based compensation has a positive impact on the company's financial performance, and higher than on the market performance. Finally, the nature of state-owned enterprises helps to improve the financial performance, but not to improve market performance.
Role of Sphingosine Kinase in the Expression of Adhesion Molecules on Monocytes Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (Relevant to Atherosclerosis)

TNFalpha stimulates SPHK in the monocyte, which leads to the expression of adhesion molecules on the cell surface. The adhesion of leukocytes to the endothelium is one of the early stages of the onset of atherosclerosis. In this paper, we have delineated the TNFalpha-induced and SPHK-dependent signaling pathway. In addition, we have developed a biomathematical model to qualify the SPHK time-dependent activity at a specific site in the cell upon TNFalpha stimulation. Thus, this study provides a biochemical and mechanistic approaches to the understanding of leukocyte-endothelial attachment, so that measures could be designed to minimize the onset of atherosclerosis
The effect of core stability training on balance and mobility in ambulant individuals with multiple sclerosis: A multi-centre series of single case studies

Background: Core stability training is popular in the management of people with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, scientific evidence to support its effectiveness is scarce. Objective: To explore the effectiveness of core stability training on balance and mobility. Method: A multi-centre series of eight single case studies was undertaken. Eight ambulant individuals with stable MS participated in 16 face-to-face core stability training sessions, delivered by a neurophysiotherapist, plus a daily home exercise programme. A range of outcomes were measured: 10-m timed walk, 12-item MS walking scale, timed get up and go, functional reach tests, timed single leg stance, visual analogue scales of two activities, and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale. Results: Visual analysis of trend, level and slope demonstrated improvement in five subjects (62%) in seven measures. This was confirmed by the two standard deviation band method of analysis for six measures. Analysis of group data (repeated measures within subjects analysis of variance) indicated significant improvement between baseline and intervention phases for timed walk (p = 0.019), MSWS-12 Scale (p = 0.041), forward (p = 0.015) and lateral reach (p = 0.012). In general, no further improvements were made following withdrawal of the intervention. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of an 8-week core stability training programme in improving balance and mobility in ambulant people with MS. Variations in response to intervention are evident. Assessor-blinded randomized controlled studies are required to confirm these findings and determine patient characteristics which identify those who benefit most from this intervention.
To what extent are Swiss springs refugial habitats for sensitive and endangered Diatom taxa

Habitat alteration is one of the major drivers of species loss. Springs may be among the least affected aquatic habitats and are considered to be refugial habitats. Diatom assemblages were sampled from 74 Swiss springs comprising seven spring types over a wide altitudinal and ecological range as well as a wide range of anthropogenic modifications (alterations). Each spring was assigned to a five-point alteration scale, from natural to heavily altered. In total, 504 diatom species were recorded (not including 36 taxa that could not be identified to species level) from five microhabitats, and coded according to rarity and Red List status. The results of this extensive spring-habitat diatom survey were compared statistically with a large stream diatom dataset (DI-CH). The spring diatom microflora was more species rich and included more rare and/or threatened species than the stream microflora. The proportion of Red List species and rare species was highest in the DI-CH dataset, but the proportion of species with no Red List status and rare species was the highest in springs. Species richness, Red List status, and rarity were significantly related to the degree of spring alteration. This is consistent with the hypothesis that unaltered springs function as refuges for the Swiss fresh water microflora, and that they can be regarded as “least-impaired habitats”. These may be critically important for the conservation of the European freshwater diatom microflora.
Experimental validation of time optimal MPC on a linear drive system

Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a control technique capable of accounting for constraints on inputs, outputs and states, and traditionally makes a trade-off between output error and input cost. Originally developed for slow processes, MPC is nowadays also applied to faster systems such as mechatronic systems, thanks to increased computer power and more advanced algorithms. For these systems however, time optimality is often of the utmost importance, a feature that is not present in traditional MPC. This paper therefore presents and validates a new type of MPC, time optimal MPC (TOMPC), which minimizes the settling time. An experimental validation of TOMPC on a linear drive system with a sampling time of 5ms is performed and comparison with traditional MPC and linear feedback systems is given.
Elevated serum osteoprotegerin may predict peripheral arterial disease after kidney transplantation: a single-center prospective cross-sectional study in Taiwan

Background Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a potential biomarker for severity and complications of cardiovascular diseases. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is associated with an increased risk of death in kidney transplantation (KT) patients. This prospective cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between serum OPG and PAD in KT patients. Methods Seventy-four KT patients were enrolled for this PAD study. Fasting blood samples were obtained to measure serum OPG levels by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) of less than 0.9 was applied for PAD diagnosis. Results Thirteen patients (17.6%) were diagnosed with PAD. Diabetes (P = 0.025), smoking (P = 0.010), and increased OPG levels (P = 0.001) were significantly more frequent in the PAD group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum OPG (odds ratio [OR], 1.336; 95% CI [1.108–1.611]; P = 0.002) and diabetes (OR, 7.120; 95% CI [1.080–46.940]; P = 0.041) were independent predictors of PAD in KT patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve determined that the probability of a serum OPG level of 7.117 pg/L in predicting PAD in KT patients was 0.799 (95% CI [0.690–0.884]; P < 0.001). Discussion Exploration of reliable biomarkers for early identification of vascular risk is crucial for KT patients. Elevated serum OPG levels may predict PAD in KT patients with cutoff value of 7.117 pg/L.
A globally convergent frequency estimator

Online estimation of the frequency of a sinusoidal signal is a classical problem in systems theory that has many practical applications. In this paper we provide a solution to the long-standing fundamental open problem of ensuring a globally convergent estimation. More specifically, we propose a new adaptive notch filter whose dynamic equations exhibit the following remarkable features: (i) all signals are globally bounded and the estimated frequency is asymptotically correct for all initial conditions and all frequency values; (ii) we obtain a simple tuning procedure for the estimator design parameters, which trades-off the adaptation tracking capabilities with noise sensitivity, ensuring (exponential) stability of the desired orbit; (iii) transient performance is considerably enhanced, even for small and large frequencies, as witnessed by extensive simulations. To reveal some of the stability-instability mechanisms of the existing algorithms and motivate our modifications we make appeal to a novel nonlinear (state-dependent) time scaling. The main advantage of working in the new time scale is that we remove the coupling,between the parameter update law and the filter itself, decomposing the system into a feedback form where the required modifications to ensure stability become apparent.
Relationship of alcohol intake with blood pressure in young adults.

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship of usual current alcohol intake with systolic and diastolic pressures among young adults. Participants were 316 men and women, aged 18 to 26 years, from East Boston, Mass. At each of three weekly visits we obtained three blood pressure measurements on each subject using a random-zero sphygmomanometer. Using an interviewer-administered questionnaire, we obtained information about quantity and frequency of alcohol intake during the previous month. The lowest systolic pressure levels were in subjects consuming 1 to < 2 drinks per day. Adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index, systolic pressure was higher by 4.0 mm Hg (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.5 to 7.6 mm Hg) in abstainers, 3.6 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.5 to 6.6 mm Hg) in those who drank < 1 drink per day, 0.4 mm Hg (95% CI, -4.7 to 5.5 mm Hg) in those who drank 2 to < 3 drinks per day, and 8.1 mm Hg (95% CI, 2.9 to 13.4 mm Hg) in those who drank > or = 3 drinks per day. Levels of diastolic pressure were lowest in those consuming 2 to < 3 drinks per day. Adjustment for pulse rate, smoking, medication use, and family history of hypertension did not alter the results. These results suggest a J-shaped association of alcohol intake with blood pressure level in young adults, with the lowest levels in consumers of 1 to 3 drinks per day.
SEM observation of pollen grains and fruits of the Pieniny Mountains Polish endemic species Taraxacum pieninicum (Asteraceae)

Taraxacum pieninicum Pawł. (Asteraceae) is an endemic species, growing only in Pieniny Mts. The aim of the presented work was to investigate its pollen morphology as well as its ultrastructural traits of achene pericarp. Pollen grains of this species were of medium size, echino-lophate and 3-zonocolporate. The external surface of the achene body was of scale sculpture, covered with the spikes. Pappus hairs were not branched, built of a few tubular cells, with acute, protruding ends.
Feasibility of Interval Cytoreduction Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy With Carboplatin, Weekly Paclitaxel, and Bevacizumab for Advanced Ovarian Cancer—A Phase 1 Study

Objective The objective of this study was to determine a dosing schedule of neoadjuvant chemotherapy using carboplatin, paclitaxel, and bevacizumab in women with advanced ovarian cancer, evaluating feasibility and outcomes from interval cytoreductive surgery (ICS). Methods Using a “3+3” design, eligible patients received carboplatin (area under the curve, 5) and bevacizumab (15 mg/kg) every 3 weeks with escalating doses of weekly paclitaxel (60, 70, and 80 mg/m2) for 3 cycles. Patients then received 1 cycle of chemotherapy without bevacizumab followed by ICS. The primary objective was to determine a feasible dosing schedule. Secondary objectives included defining toxicity, response rates based on imaging, and surgical outcomes defined by residual disease following ICS and 30-day postoperative outcomes. Results Nine patients were enrolled with a median age of 64 years. There were no dose-limiting toxicities, and weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 was deemed feasible. During chemotherapy treatment, there were a total of 7 attributable grade 3 toxicities, which most commonly included neutropenia and thromboembolism. All patients demonstrated a response on imaging before surgery, with a median reduction in disease of 56.4% (range, 36.9%–100%). Optimal ICS was performed in all patients, and 78% had no gross residual tumor. There were no intraoperative complications; however, 1 patient experienced an anastomotic leak (grade 4) 10 days after surgery requiring repeat operation. Conclusions A 4-cycle neoadjuvant regimen of carboplatin area under the curve of 5, weekly paclitaxel 80 mg/m2, and bevacizumab 15 mg/kg for cycles 1 to 3, followed by interval cytoreduction, was feasible. Optimal ICS was achieved in all patients, and surgery was associated with acceptable morbidity.
Comparative Theoretical Analysis of Distance Estimation in Visible Light Positioning Systems

In this paper, theoretical limits and estimators are studied for synchronous and asynchronous visible light positioning (VLP) systems. Specifically, the Cramér-Rao lower bounds (CRLBs) and maximum likelihood estimators are investigated for distance estimation based on time-of-arrival (TOA) and/or received signal strength (RSS) parameters. Hybrid TOA/RSS-based distance estimation is proposed for VLP systems, and its CRLB is compared analytically against the CRLBs of TOA-based and RSS-based distance estimation. In addition, to investigate the effects of sampling, asymptotic performance results are obtained under sampling rate limitations as the noise variance converges to zero. A modified hybrid TOA/RSS-based distance estimator is proposed to provide performance improvements in the presence of sampling rate limitations. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the theoretical results.
Bipolar II: the most common bipolar phenotype?

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the pattern of affective psychopathology in families ascertained for genetic linkage studies through bipolar I probands to that in families ascertained through bipolar II probands. METHOD All available first-degree relatives (N = 266) of 48 bipolar I and eight bipolar II probands were interviewed with the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia--Lifetime Version by one of two psychiatrists who had attained high interrater reliability for bipolar II disorder and other diagnoses. RESULTS Bipolar II disorder was the most common affective disorder in both family sets. Forty percent of the 47 first-degree relatives of the bipolar II probands and 22% of the 219 first-degree relatives of the bipolar I probands were diagnosed with bipolar II disorder. On the other hand, only one bipolar I relative was found in the bipolar II families. CONCLUSIONS Bipolar II disorder was the most prevalent affected phenotype in both bipolar I and bipolar II families and was the only expressed phenotype in half of the bipolar II families. This suggests that bipolar II disorder is genetically related to but less complex than bipolar I disorder. Accurate diagnosis of bipolar II disorder may be crucial in finding the genetic loci underlying bipolar disorders generally.
Novel investigational therapies for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension

Introduction: Despite the development of new therapies, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) has a median survival of 6 – 7 years. This is likely because the currently approved therapies affect predominantly pulmonary vasoconstriction. The past two decades have witnessed greater insights into the pathogenesis of PAH, from the role of inflammation to molecular signaling and epigenetics. Multiple pharmacological agents targeting these newly identified pathways are currently being investigated in preclinical and early clinical studies. Areas covered: Herein, the authors review the modalities targeting recently identified molecular targets in PAH. These include: prostaglandin receptor agonists, agents that alter the cyclic adenosine monophosphate and cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathways, vasoactive peptides, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors, Rho-kinase inhibitors, serotonin pathway inhibitors, anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants, agents that alter nitric oxide signaling, various cardiac medications, mitochondrial metabolism modifying agents, epigenetic agents and cell-based therapies. The authors also address the gaps in the knowledge and explain why certain agents may or may not be promising PAH pharmacotherapeutics. Expert opinion: Newer agents target multiple pathways including vasoconstriction, cellular proliferation and inflammatory response. And while only a few of the current investigational drugs will likely be further developed, the authors expect that the next two decades will bring some major breakthroughs in PAH management.
CS-Based Framework for Sparse Signal Transmission over Lossy Link

In this work, compressive sensing (CS) is applied to facilitate efficient wireless information transmission over lossy communication links. Inherently sparse data packets are transmitted without compression or error protection. The packet loss during transmission is modeled as a random sampling process of the transmitted data. The original signal then is reconstructed based on correctly received data packets using CS-based reconstruction method. No computations for source, channel coding or random measurement sampling will be required at the transmitter side. Thus, this method is suitable for applications where transmitters have extreme low power constraints such as wireless sensor networks. Compared with traditional error protection technique(automatic repeat request, data interleaving and interpolation), the proposed method delivers higher quality of sparse signal while significantly reducing energy consumption at transmitter as well as transmission latency.
Supplementary motor area of the monkey's cerebral cortex: short- and long-term deficits after unilateral ablation and the effects of subsequent callosal section

The short-term and long-term behavioral effects of unilateral lesions of the supplementary motor area (SMA) were studied in five monkeys (Macaca fascicularis ssp). A monkey with a unilateral lesion of the premotor area (PM) served as a control. In all animals, general behavior was unaffected by the lesions. For a few weeks postoperatively, all monkeys showed a clumsiness of forelimb movements, bilaterally, which involved both the distal and proximal muscles. Two SMA-lesioned monkeys (but not the PM-lesioned one), studied for up to 1 year postoperatively, showed a characteristic deficit of bimanual coordination where the two hands tended to behave in a similar manner instead of sharing the task between them. This deficit was more pronounced after a lesion contralateral to the nonpreferred hand. The deficit was interpreted as indicating that the intact SMA now influenced the motor outflow of both the ipsilateral hemisphere and the contralateral one through the corpus callosum. Callosal section immediately abolished the bimanual deficit, although the clumsiness returned transiently. The results imply that SMA may give rise normally to discharges informing the contralateral hemisphere of intended and/or ongoing movements via the corpus callosum. This may prevent duplication of responses during unimanual tasks and help to coordinate the behavior of both hands during a bimanual task.
Image-guided control of a robot for medical ultrasound

A robot-assisted system for medical diagnostic ultrasound has been developed by the authors. The paper presents the visual servo controller used in this system. While the ultrasound transducer is positioned by a robot, the operator, the robot controller, and an ultrasound image processor have shared control over its motion. Ultrasound image features that can be selected by the operator are recognized and tracked by a variety of techniques. Based on feature tracking, ultrasound image servoing in three axes has been incorporated in the interface and can be enabled to automatically compensate, through robot motions, unwanted motions in the plane of the ultrasound beam. The accuracy of the system is illustrated through a 3-D reconstruction of an ultrasound phantom. An Internet-based robot-assisted teleultrasound system has also been demonstrated.
Reversible Phosphorylation at the C-terminal Regulatory Domain of p21Waf1/Cip1 Modulates Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen Binding*

The p53-inducible gene product p21WAF1/CIP1 plays a critical role in regulating the rate of tumor incidence, and identifying mechanisms of its post-translational regulation will define key pathways that link growth control to p21-dependent tumor suppression. A eukaryotic cell model system has been developed to determine whether protein kinase signaling pathways that phosphorylate human p21 exist in vivo and whether such pathways regulate the binding of p21 to one of its key target proteins, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Although human p21 expressed in Sf9 cells is able to form a complex with human PCNA, the inclusion of cell-permeable phosphatase inhibitors renders p21 protein inactive for PCNA binding. The treatment of this inactive isoform of p21 with alkaline phosphatase restores its binding to PCNA, suggesting that p21 expressed inSf9 cells is subject to reversible phosphorylation at a key regulatory site(s). A biochemical approach was subsequently used to map the phosphorylation sites within p21, whose modification in vitro can inhibit p21-PCNA complex formation, to the C-terminal domain at residues Thr145 or Ser146. A phospho-specific antibody was developed that only bound to full-length p21 protein after phosphorylation in vitro at Ser146, and this reagent was further used to demonstrate that the inactive isoform of p21 recovered fromSf9 cells treated with phosphatase inhibitors had been phosphorylated in vivo at Ser146. These data identify the first phosphorylation site within the C-terminal regulatory domain of p21 whose modification in vivomodulates p21-PCNA interactions and define a eukaryotic cell model that can be used to study post-translational signaling pathways that regulate p21.
News Feed: What's in it for Me?

Over a billion people use social networking sites like Facebook to maintain awareness of their friends. Facebook's News Feed is the primary mechanism by which people are shown updates about their friends' daily activities on the site in the form of an algorithmically curated list of stories. This paper examines how people browse the News Feed, their perceptions and satisfaction while using it, and the interactions they make with their personal social network. We conducted a qualitative study involving think-aloud semi-structured interviews as the participants casually browsed their own feeds. We observed a wide variation in the use of the News Feed ranging from careful consideration of social conventions, judgment of people, and annoyance and frustration towards certain friends. Our findings suggest that people do not deliberately curate their own News Feed either due to lack of awareness or perceived social repercussions.
Risk factors for pneumonic and ulceroglandular tularaemia in Finland: a population-based case-control study

SUMMARY Few population-based data are available on factors associated with pneumonic and ulceroglandular type B tularaemia. We conducted a case-control study during a large epidemic in 2000. Laboratory-confirmed case patients were identified through active surveillance and matched control subjects (age, sex, residency) from the national population information system. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A conditional logistic regression model addressing missing data with Bayesian full-likelihood modelling included 227 case patients and 415 control subjects; reported mosquito bites [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 9·2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4·4–22, population-attributable risk (PAR) 82%] and farming activities (aOR 4·3, 95% CI 2·5–7·2, PAR 32%) were independently associated with ulceroglandular tularaemia, whereas exposure to hay dust (aOR 6·6, 95% CI 1·9–25·4, PAR 48%) was associated with pneumonic tularaemia. Although the bulk of tularaemia type B disease burden is attributable to mosquito bites, risk factors for ulceroglandular and pneumonic forms of tularaemia are different, enabling targeting of prevention efforts accordingly.