Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scientific networks and research groups development. Educational Psychology case in Spain during the five-year periods 2004-2008 and 2009-2013

The aim of this study was to identify and understand the changes experienced in the scientific community groups of authors working in Spanish institutions and publishing articles in scientific journals included in the "Educational Psychology" in the Web of Science during the period 2004 till 2013 and its membership and permanence in different research groups. A comparative study of groups and their composition over the five-year periods 2004-2008 and 2009-2013 was performed. The results indicated that there is an increase in the number of researchers and research groups working in the field of educational psychology, which is accompanied by an increase in the number of items, although in some cases the increase in the number of members in the group does not correspond to a significant increase in scientific production. It is noticeable the incorporation of a greater number of Spanish journals in the Web of Science, as are those that concentrate most of the scientific production in this discipline and are responsible to influence growth in the foundation data from the Web of Science of the Spanish scientific production in educational psychology.
Generic technology-based service quality dimensions in banking: Impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty

Purpose – This paper aims to identify the generic service quality dimensions of technology‐based banking and to examine the effect of these dimensions on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.Design/methodology/approach – The generic service quality dimensions are identified using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Next the reliability and validity of the factors and customer satisfaction and customer loyalty are established through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS 16.0 s/w. The related hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling using AMOS 16.0. Findings – The paper identifies four generic service quality dimensions in the technology‐based banking services – customer service, technology security and information quality, technology convenience, and technology usage easiness and reliability. It was found that customer service and technology usage easiness and reliability have positive and significant impact on customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. It was also found t.
Impact of treatment with oral calcitriol on glucose indices in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

INTRODUCTION Type 2 diabetes is a major public health problem. Recent epidemiological evidence also points to a potential association of vitamin D insufficiency with adverse metabolic risks, including that for type 2 diabetes. SUBJECTS AND METHOD A double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial was carried out. Seventy subjects with type 2 diabetes, age 30-75 years old, were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to two groups. One group received two capsules of calcitriol (0.25 μg 1,25-dihydroxy cholecalciferol per each capsule) per day. The second group received placebo tablets. At the beginning, middle and the end of the 12 week supplementation trial, serum glucose, insulin, calcium and phosphorous, HbA1c and 25(OH) vitamin D were measured. RESULTS There was no significant difference between two groups at baseline. At the end of the study, fasting plasma glucose increased in the control group (p=0.038), while it remained unchanged in calcitriol group. Level of insulin and HbA1c increased significantly in both groups (p=0.013 and 0.0004 in treatment and control group). Regarding insulin resistance indices, there was a significant change in HOMA-IR and QUICKI in both groups (p=0.023 and 0.002 in treatment and 0.001 and <0.001 in control group respectively). Insulin secretion as assessed by HOMA-%β, remained relatively unchanged in the control group, while it increased significantly in the treatment group at the end of study (p=0.009). CONCLUSION Vitamin D supplementation attenuated the increase in glycemia, and increased insulin secretion, but had no effect on insulin resistance.
Urban casinos and local housing markets: evidence from the US.

We examine the housing-market impact of U.S. urban casinos in nearby neighborhoods using data on home-purchase mortgage applications around opening years. Our sample covers 48 new urban casinos opened between 1995 and 2009. We compare changes in the volume of mortgage applications, the average loan amount and the average income of applicants in census tracts near new casinos to those farther away in the same metropolitan areas. We find that casino openings had little impact on the number of applications or applicants’ economic profile, but they were associated with declines in the growth of the average loan amount, which we use as a proxy for house prices. The negative effect persists even after we control for possible anticipation effects through which casino openings affect house prices before the openings, and urban casinos’ tendency to locate near poor neighborhoods that were disproportionately affected by the subprime mortgage expansion and collapse in the U.S. The estimated loss is 6-7 percentage points from trend over 3 years. We interpret the findings as evidence of casinos' negative impacts on residential amenities.
Concerning a dual function of coupled cyclic electron transport in leaves.

Coupled cyclic electron transport is assigned a role in the protection of leaves against photoinhibition in addition to its role in ATP synthesis. In leaves, as in reconstituted thylakoid systems, cyclic electron transport requires "poising," i.e. availability of electrons at the reducing side of photosystem I (PSI) and the presence of some oxidized plastoquinone between photosystem II (PSII) and PSI. Under self-regulatory poising conditions that are established when carbon dioxide limits photosynthesis at high light intensities, and particularly when stomata are partially or fully closed as a result of water stress, coupled cyclic electron transport controls linear electron transport by helping to establish a proton gradient large enough to decrease PSII activity and electron flow to PSI. This brings electron donation by PSII, and electron consumption by available electron acceptors, into a balance in which PSI becomes more oxidized than it is during fast carbon assimilation. Avoidance of overreduction of the electron transport chain is a prerequisite for the efficient protection of the photosynthetic apparatus against photoinactivation.
ChinaÕs integration in East Asia: the role of intra-industry trade

ChinaOs intra-industry trade (IIT) with East Asia was minimal during the early years of opening up from 1978 to 1993 but increased relative to inter-industry trade in the post-1993 years. Bilateral intra-industry trade (BIIT) with Japan and Korea was sustained in capital-intensive heavy industries such as metals and yarns; its BIIT with East Asian countries also increased tremendously starting 1993 in industries characterized by production networks. BIIT with the more developed partners has increasingly become more important through higher volume and higher shares of trade in a growing number of industries. While this is also true for its trade with ASEAN 4, IIT is less both in absolute and relative terms. The overall trend shows that ChinaOs integration to East Asia has not only increased but also deepened. ChinaOs IIT should be analysed in the context of its historical legacy from the planned period and the continued dominance of the central government in key strategic industries.
Higher concentration insulins: an overview of clinical considerations

ABSTRACT Three higher concentration insulin products (insulin lispro 200 units/mL, insulin degludec 200 units/mL, and insulin glargine 300 units/mL) received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 2015. Although human regular insulin 500 units/mL (U-500) was approved in 1997, a pen and dedicated U-500 syringe became available in 2016. These products offer more treatment options for the increasing numbers of patients requiring insulin to achieve and maintain glycemic targets. Higher concentration insulins have some unique safety and efficacy considerations. Important considerations when transitioning patients from the 100 unit/mL concentration (U-100) to the higher concentration include bioequivalence, pen dose increments, and pen appearance. Bioequivalent insulins have similar pharmacokinetic properties and no dose adjustments are expected when transitioning from the U-100 to the higher concentration. In contrast, higher concentration insulins with different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties compared with the U-100 formulation may require dose adjustments. In order to provide safe and effective therapy to patients with higher daily insulin dose requirements, it is important for healthcare professionals to become very familiar with the characteristics of and differences between each of the higher concentration insulins. This paper highlights differences between the U-100 and higher concentration insulins and focuses on practical aspects of use.
Clinical characteristics of patients who overdose on multiple psychotropic drugs in Tokyo.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to identify the clinical aspects leading to overdose of multiple psychotropic drugs, in order to determine areas which need attention in the proper treatment of overdose patients. METHODS Patients who were treated for overdose of psychotropic drugs at our emergency and critical center over two years were targeted. The clinical data was gathered from the medical records and database of all patients, including age, gender, vital signs, and laboratory data, drugs, and medical complications during hospital stay. In addition primary patient care at the emergency department was examined. RESULTS Among the 277 patients treated during this study period, 255 (74.0%) used two or more types of psychotropic drugs. Risk factors associated with endotracheal intubation and aspiration pneumonitis included the use of antipsychotics and/or barbiturates as types of overdose drugs. The mean number of days in the ICU was 3.4 days. Seventy-four patients (26.7%) stayed 4 days or more in the ICU of which 16 patients (5.8%) still had suicidal thoughts. A significantly higher incidence of extended ICU stay or endotracheal intubation and aspiration pneumonitis was observed in the group who overdosed on more than 50 or 60 tablets of psychotropic drugs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Patients who ingested an overdose of more than 60 tablets of psychotropic drugs should be considered a high-risk group requiring intensive care with extended ICU stay. In case of including antipsychotics and/or barbiturates, the patient should be observed carefully due to a higher risk of medical complications.
Caffeine: the “good”, the “bad” and the “ugly”

Caffeine is a naturally-occurring substance that is found in drinks such as tea and coffee, popular cola-type soft drinks that have been flavoured with extracts from the kola nut, energy drinks, and cocoa and chocolate (when derived from cacao pods). Worldwide, most adults consume caffeine-containing products on a regular basis, as an indulgence, a habit, or a necessity. The sensible use of caffeine may have several advantages, including increased performance in the workplace. Humans ingest caffeine in a number of different ways, frequently using it as a mild central nervous system stimulant. However, caffeine may also have a downside, when used excessively or even abused, which could result in caf feinism, or caffeine dependence.
A 3.2-to-4.6 GHz fast-settling all-digital PLL with feed forward frequency presetting

This paper presents a 3.2-to-4.6GHz fast-settling all digital fractional-N phase-locked loop (ADPLL) for multimode multiband receivers. Firstly, in this ADPLL, the wideband digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) is designed with a constant frequency step in the Coarse Mode to ensure constant loop bandwidth in the whole frequency range. Secondly, a feedforward presetting path between frequency command word (FCW) and oscillator tuning word in the Coarse Mode (OTWC) is utilized to accelerate the locking process for large frequency hopping steps. Thirdly, an adaptive locked and unlocked controller (ALUC) is used to allow frequency mode (Coarse/Medium/Fine Mode) to shift automatically. Implemented in a 65 nm CMOS process, the ADPLL on-chip part consumes 16mW at 1V voltage supply. The phase noise at 3.982GHz is −121.8 dBc/Hz@1MHz. The ADPLL with a final bandwidth of 65 kHz exhibits 55 μs transient settling time for a 1.232GHz frequency hopping.
Technology sourcing and output of established firms in a regime of encompassing technological change

This paper argues that when the technological basis of an industry is changing, the firm's approach to technology sourcing plays a critical role in building the capabilities needed to generate new technical outputs. Using survey and archival data from the U.S. pharmaceutical industry during the period 1981–91, we find that different approaches to technology sourcing (internal R&D and external R&D) are related to different types of biotechnology-based output at the end of the period. Internal R&D was positively associated with patent output. Acquisition activity was positively related to number of biotechnology-based products. Greater use of R&D contracts and licenses was associated with stronger reputation for possessing expertise in biotechnology. These findings underscore the importance of taking a multifaceted approach to technology sourcing in order to build the absorptive capacity needed to generate new technical output. Surprisingly, we also found that involvement in joint ventures was negatively related to patent output. This raises interesting questions about the strategic use of joint ventures in a regime of encompassing technological change. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A reappraisal of norepinephrine therapy in human septic shock

The effectiveness and safety of iv infused norepinephrine (0.5 to 1 μg/kg·min) were evaluated in 12 hyperdynamic vasodilated septic patients, who remained hypotensive despite iv volume expansion and antimicrobial and dopamine therapy. During norepinephrine infusion, mean arterial pressure and systemic vascular resistance index increased (p < .001) and heart rate decreased (p < .02). Cardiac index either increased or was unchanged in ten patients and decreased slightly in the remaining two patients. Urine flow increased (p < .01) and was more than 0.5 ml/min when a critical renal perfusion pressure was reached if renal damage was not overwhelming. We conclude that norepinephrine may improve arterial BP and urine flow when volume replacement and dopamine therapy have failed to reverse the hypotension of septic shock.
Do social networking sites contribute for building brands? Evaluating the impact of users' participation on brand awareness and brand attitude

Social networking sites (SNSs) have attracted increasing attention from brands, which look at the platform as a privileged communication channel to reach their audiences. Despite their growing adoption, few research efforts have been devoted to evaluate SNSs' concrete implications for the brands. The current study addresses this opportunity, proposing a model that evaluates the impact of users' participation in SNSs on brand awareness and brand attitude, the two main pillars of brand knowledge. The study focuses on brand like pages in Facebook, the most used SNSs platform for brands. An online quantitative survey with brand like page users of leading brands in Facebook was implemented. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to estimate the measurement model and structural equation modelling was used to test the proposed research hypotheses. The results identify a significant, positive and direct impact of users' participation on brand awareness. Brand attitude also substantially benefits from users' participation, but this relationship is mediated by brand awareness. The findings help to validate SNSs' significant role on building brand knowledge and to position users' participation at the core of brands' SNSs objectives. Furthermore, the study provides a practical research framework, easily adapted for monitoring purposes and managerial guidance. Future research directions are discussed.
Or-protocols for Anonymous Membership Proofs in Ad-hoc Networks

Ad-hoc networks formed by peers without relying on any preexisting infrastructure, have been a very attractive field of academic and industrial research in recent years due to their potential applications. An ad-hoc network allows a peer node further to form a task-driven sub-network such that each node in the generated sub-network may exchange data with each other but any other non-member node is prohibited to access the subnetwork. As a result, a task-driven subnetwork generated by a peer node definitely requires membership proof mechanism (in the scenario of anonymous communications, anonymous membership proof systems are required). In this paper, we provide a novel mechanism for anonymous access control (anonymous membership proof systems) in ad- hoc networks based on a new notion which we call or-protocols in the common reference string model. An or-protocol in essence is a three move zero-knowledge proof system that allows a peer node to prove its membership of a given set which is publicly verifiable. Our protocol is of constant size, i.e., the length of a proof is independent with number of users in a given set, and thus is suitable for practice. Furthermore we show that our protocol is provably secure assuming that the discrete logarithm problem defined over prime field is hard.
Thalidomide has a significant effect in patients with thalassemia intermedia

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the effect of thalidomide in patients with thalassemia intermedia. Methods: We observed the effect of thalidomide in seven patients with thalassemia intermedia requiring blood transfusion. Four of the patients were transfusion-independent, and three patients were transfusion-dependent. Results: For the four transfusion-independent patients, hemoglobin concentration increased significantly (≥2 g/dl) in three and moderately (1–2 g/dl) in one. After 3 months of treatment, hemoglobin concentration increased 3.2 ± 1.2 g/dl compared to pretreatment. Among the three transfusion-dependent patients, transfusion was terminated after one month of treatment in one patient and decreased >50% in the other two patients, accompanied by an increase in the average hemoglobin concentration. Conclusion: Thalidomide had a significant effect in patients with thalassemia intermedia. Further studies of a larger scale and more rigorous design are warranted.
Once-daily versus twice-daily administration of ceftazidime in the preterm infant

Ceftazidime pharmacokinetics in 28 preterm infants (gestational ages, 25.6 to 31.9 weeks) were studied on day 3 of life. Patients with suspected septicemia were randomized on day 1 of life in two groups. One group (n = 13) was administered 25 mg of ceftazidime per kg of body weight once daily, and the other (n = 15) was given 25 mg of ceftazidime per kg twice daily. Both groups also received 25 mg of amoxicillin per kg twice daily. Blood samples were collected on day 3 of life with an arterial catheter at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after an intravenous bolus injection. An additional blood sample was taken at 24 h from the group dosed once a day. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine serum ceftazidime concentrations. The pharmacokinetics of ceftazidime were best described by using a one-compartment model. The half-life for the elimination of the drug from serum, apparent volume of distribution, total body clearance of ceftazidime, and inulin clearance were not significantly different for both groups. The ceftazidime/inulin clearance ratio was 0.72 for both groups. However, trough concentrations in serum for the twice-daily group were significantly (P < 0.001) higher (42.0 +/- 13.4 mg/liter) than those for the once-daily group (13.1 +/- 4.7 mg/liter). The latter concentrations were all still substantially higher than the MIC of ceftazidime for major neonatal pathogens. We conclude that the currently recommended dosage of 25 mg of ceftazidime per kg twice daily for preterm infants with gestational ages below 32 weeks may be adjusted during the first days of life to one daily dose at 25 mg/kg, provided that for the empirical treatment of septicemia, amoxicillin at 25 mg/kg is also given twice daily.
A Research Tool for User Preferences Elicitation with Facial Expressions

We present a research tool for user preference elicitation that collects both explicit user feedback and unobtrusively acquired facial expressions. The concrete implementation is a web-based user interface where the user is presented with two music excerpts. After listening to both, the user provides a pairwise score (i.e. which of the two items is preferred) for each pair of music excerpts. The novelty of the demo is the integration of the unobtrusive acquisition of facial expressions through the webcam. During the listening of the music excerpts, the system extracts features related to the facial expressions of the user several times per second. The interaction runs as a web application, which allows for a large-scale remote acquisition of emotional data. Up to now, such acquisitions were usually done in controlled environments with few subjects, hence being of little use for the recommender systems community.
Human Body Part Classification in Monocular Soccer Images

—This paper addresses the problem of ﬁnding body parts in images, which can be an essential ﬁrst step for body pose estimation. The core component of the presented method is the pixel-based classiﬁcation of body parts using Random Forests. This technique is applied to ﬁnd the body part positions of soccer players in broadcast images. As this approach is usually used with depth data, we analyze how this method can be adapted to work with monocular images. In this context we identify the image representations with the best classiﬁcation results. Although monocular images leave some ambiguities, our approach to body part classiﬁcation achieves satisfying results: 90.32% of the pixels in the test set are correctly classiﬁed.
Sepsis without SIRS is still sepsis.

The host response to infection is pivotal to the clinical features observed in a patient with sepsis. Indeed, Sir William Osler noted that “ Except on few occasions, the patient appears to die from the body’s response to infection rather than from it ”. Importantly, evidence of the host response, in the form of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), during a documented or suspected infection is required criteria for sepsis diagnosis. Currently, the consensus for sepsis diagnosis, based on expert opinion, requires evidence of SIRS based on two or more of the following signs, abnormalities in white blood cell count, fever or hypothermia, tachycardia or elevated respiratory rate. Unfortunately, these criteria have never been validated and therefore the diagnosis of sepsis may include a heterogeneous population of patients, potentially with various pathophysiology and different outcomes, who may also benefit from distinct therapeutics. However, the mechanisms of sepsis remain uncertain. Given the need to standardize sepsis diagnostics, the SIRS plus infection criteria was embraced by the clinical and research community.