Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Environmental Performance and Operational Efficiency of Container Ports: An Application to the Maritime Silk Road

A major goal for port authorities, operators, and investors is to achieve efficient operations and effective environmental protection. This is because the environmental performance of a container port is important for its competitiveness and sustainable development. However, the container ports along the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) have caused numerous problems with the rapid development, among which the most significant problem is environmental pollution. In this paper, we aim to measure and compare the environmental performance and operational efficiency of ten major container ports along the MSR, including the ports of Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kelang, Laem Chabang, Colombo, Dubai, Barcelona, Antwerp, and Hamburg. We develop an improved, inseparable data envelopment analysis (DEA) model with slack-based measures (SBMs) to evaluate and compare the environmental performance and operational efficiency, and we incorporate the desirable output of container throughput as well as the undesirable output of CO2 emission. Our results show that. Overall. these container ports perform better in terms of operational efficiency than environmental performance. We also provide insights for management and policy makers for container ports with different levels of operational efficiency and environmental performance.
Equity Agency Costs and Internationalization: The Effect of Revised Accounting Standards in Taiwan

This study investigates whether the equity agency problems of firms with foreign operations mitigate after 2005, when the revised accounting standards on consolidated financial statements were implemented in Taiwan. A sample of listed Taiwanese firms announcing security offerings from 2000 to 2008 were examined. The results weakly support the hypothesis that equity agency cost problems of Taiwanese multinational corporations improved after 2005. Thus, we suggest that the Taiwanese government further increase information transparency of multinational corporations in order to be consistent with International Accounting Standards and achieve lower equity agency costs.
SymTCP: Eluding Stateful Deep Packet Inspection with Automated Discrepancy Discovery

A key characteristic of commonly deployed deep packet inspection (DPI) systems is that they implement a simplified state machine of the network stack that often differs from that of endhosts. The discrepancies between the two state machines have been exploited to bypass such DPI based middleboxes. However, most prior approaches to do so rely on manually crafted adversarial packets, which not only are labor-intensive but may not work well across a plurality of DPI-based middleboxes. Our goal in this work is to develop an automated way to craft candidate adversarial packets, targeting TCP implementations in particular. Our approach to achieving this goal hinges on the key insight that while the TCP state machines of DPI implementations are obscure, those of the endhosts are well established. Thus, in our system SYMTCP, using symbolic execution, we systematically explore the TCP implementation of an endhost, identifying candidate packets that can reach critical points in the code (e.g., which causes the packets to be accepted or dropped/ignored); such automatically identified packets are then fed through the DPI middlebox to determine if a discrepancy is induced and the middlebox can be eluded. We find that our approach is extremely effective. It can generate tens of thousands of candidate adversarial packets in less than an hour. When evaluating against multiple state-of-the-art DPI systems such as Zeek and Snort, as well as a state-level censorship system, viz. the Great Firewall of China, we identify not only previously known evasion strategies, but also novel ones that were never previously reported (e.g., involving the urgent pointer). The system can be extended easily towards other combinations of operating systems and DPI middleboxes, and serves as a valuable tool for testing future DPIs’ robustness against evasion attempts.
COVID-19: Special Precautions in Ophthalmic Practice and FAQs on Personal Protection and Mask Selection

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2, was first reported in December 2019. The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020 and as of April 17, 2020, 210 countries are affected with >2,000,000 infected and 140,000 deaths. The estimated case fatality rate is around 6.7%. We need to step up our infection control measures immediately or else it may be too late to contain or control the spread of COVID-19. In case of local outbreaks, the risk of infection to healthcare workers and patients is high. Ophthalmic practice carries some unique risks and therefore high vigilance and special precautions are needed. We share our protocols and experiences in the prevention of infection in the current COVID-19 outbreak and the previous severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic in Hong Kong. We also endeavor to answer the key frequently asked questions in areas of the coronaviruses, COVID-19, disease transmission, personal protection, mask selection, and special measures in ophthalmic practices. COVID-19 is highly infectious and could be life-threatening. Using our protocol and measures, we have achieved zero infection in our ophthalmic practices in Hong Kong and China. Preventing spread of COVID-19 is possible and achievable.
Older married couples’ sexual expression: A dyadic latent class analysis

Many older adults continue to engage in sexual behavior, most often in the context of long-term marriages. Prior studies have tended to examine older adults’ sexual behavior, desires and motivations separately. Thus, there remain considerable gaps in our understanding of the multifaceted-nature of older couples’ sexual expression. Using dyadic latent class analysis and data on 953 heterosexual couples in long-term marriages from Wave 2 of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), we describe configurations of couples’ sexual expression. Four latent classes were identified. Within each latent class, couples were largely in agreement about their sexual behaviors, but husbands consistently expressed greater desire and motivation than their wives. In the highest engagement class, couples reported more frequent and wide-ranging activities (vaginal sex, oral sex, intimate touching), more frequent thinking about sex, greater satisfaction with their amount of sexual activity, and placed more importance on sex as part of their lives. In the lowest engagement class, both spouses indicated no sexual activity in the past year, but neither spouse was content with this situation even as both agreed sex was not an important part of life. Demographic, relational, and health factors were associated with membership in different classes. Health factors—especially sexual difficulties—were most predictive, with husbands’ health more associated with latent class membership than wives’ health. Given the complex and multifaceted nature of sexual expression among older married couples, geriatricians and other health practitioners should provide care that recognizes a wider array of activities and the potential for unmet need. Sexual expression is an important component of older adults’ health and well-being.
A new species of bonefish, Albula koreana (Albuliformes: Albulidae) from Korea and Taiwan

A new species of the genus Albula of the family Albulidae is described based on five specimens collected from Korea and Taiwan. Its new scientific name, Albula koreana sp. nov., is derived from its type locality (Korea). We compared Albula koreana sp. nov. with its similar species, A. argentea from Fiji (seven specimens), using morphological and molecular methods. Albula koreana sp. nov. differs morphologically from A. argentea in its tooth patch distributions on the mesopterygoids and parasphenoid. The tooth patches on the mesopterygoids are distributed more anteriorly than those on the parasphenoid in Albula koreana sp. nov. On the other hand, the anterior end of the tooth patches on the mesopterygoids almost corresponds to that of the tooth patches on the parasphenoid in A. argentea. The numbers of vertebrae also differ between the two species (77–78 in Albula koreana sp. nov. vs 72–73 in A. argentea). We analyzed 546 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence, and the Albula koreana sp. nov. sequence differed considerably from that of A. argentea. Kimura’s genetic distances between them were very large (15.9%–16.4%), robustly supporting the new species Albula koreana sp. nov.
Relationship between Asian Emerging Stock Markets and Economic Fundamentals: A Cointegration and Block Exogeneity Wald Approach

Purpose: The stock market performance is the function of the current and future level of economic activity. In view of this, the study examines the short-run and long-run association between Asian emerging stock markets and their economic fundamentals. Design/Methodology/Approach: The sample size of the study consists of nine Asian emerging stock markets namely China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand and their macroeconomic determinants such as Consumer Price Index (CPI), Export, Import, Exchange Rate (Forex), Industrial Production Index (IP), Broad Money Supply (MS) and Short-term Interest Rate (IR). Each stock market is investigated using the Johansen Cointegration test and Vector Error Correction Causality/Block Exogeneity Wald test. The study used monthly data observations from January 2000 to August 2019. Findings: The cointegration result provided incremental information on the long-run relationship between stock prices and macroeconomic variables. However, the causality between stock prices and macroeconomic variables are considerably limited in the short-run. Practical Implications: The insight on the linkages between stock prices and economic fundamentals will provide the opportunity for short-run and long-run investment decisions in the Asian emerging stock markets. Originality/Value: The result of this study would amplify the understanding on the extent of integration between Asian emerging stock markets and macroeconomic variables. This would be a significant incentive to figure out a risk-reward opportunity from these markets.
Brain and Lung Cross-Protection against Ancestral or Emerging SARS-CoV-2 by Intranasal Lentiviral Vaccination in a New hACE2 Transgenic Murine Model

COVID-19 vaccines already in use or in clinical development may have safety concerns, limited immunogenicity in high-risk groups or reduced efficacy against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. In addition, although the neurotropism of SARS-CoV-2 is well established, the vaccine strategies currently developed have not taken into account the protection of the central nervous system. Here, we generated a transgenic mouse strain expressing the human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2, with unprecedented brain as well as lung permissibility to SARS-CoV-2 replication. Using this stringent transgenic model, we demonstrated that a non-integrative lentiviral vector, encoding for the spike glycoprotein of the ancestral Wuhan SARS-CoV-2, used in intramuscular prime and intranasal boost elicits sterilizing protection of lung and brain against both the Wuhan and the most genetically distant Manaus P.1 SARS-CoV-2 variants. Beyond the induction of strong neutralizing antibodies, the mechanism underlying this broad protection spectrum involves a robust protective spike-specific CD8+ T-cell immunity, unaffected by the recent mutations accumulated in the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
Performance on the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument at Different Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease

The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) contains nine cognitive domains. Its total score has been used to screen for dementia in epidemiological studies conducted in the US, Japan and Taiwan, but its usefulness in distinguishing different levels of dementia has not been examined. This study was conducted to compare CASI scores of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) with different levels of severity of dementia. The CASI was administered to 475 AD patients with mild, moderate or severe dementia according to the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale. The patients’ scores were compared to the scores of 475 age-, education- and gender-matched control subjects. More specifically, each patient’s score, X, was transformed to a z score with reference to the mean and SD of the scores of the control group, where z = (X – mean)/SD. Then, the mean of the z scores and the percentage of patients with z scores of <–2.0 were compared among the three patient groups. For the CASI total score and all of its nine domain scores, the mean z score decreased (except that for short-term memory) and a higher percentage of patients scored below the normal range with increasing severity of dementia. This study validates the usefulness of the CASI for assessing the severity of dementia. The domain scores differed in their relative usefulness for detecting dementia and for distinguishing in different levels of dementia.
Molecular characterization of Setaria digitata from Mithun (Bos frontalis)

Abstract Mithun is a strongly built hill animal of Southeast Asia and plays an important role in the socio-economic and cultural life of the tribal population. Setaria digitata isolated from peritoneal cavity of mithun both from Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland were characterized based on conserved region of 12SrDNA, 28SrDNA and ITS-2 and mitochondrial gene CoxI. Based on sequence analysis, it was found to be 99% similarity with Srilankan isolate of S. digitata.
A Retrospective Administrative Database Analysis of Suicide Attempts and Completed Suicide in Patients With Chronic Pancreatitis

Background: The actual incidence rate of suicide attempt and the suicide-related fatality rate (completed suicide) in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have not been mentioned in the literature. Methods: We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study by analyzing data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to compare the rate of suicide attempt between a CP cohort and a non-CP cohort. For the study cohort, we identified 17,733 patients (age ≥ 20 years) diagnosed as having CP between 2000 and 2010 from the NHIRD in Taiwan. Beneficiaries with no history of CP were matched with the study cohort at a 2:1 ratio according to age, sex, and index date. To determine the incidence of suicide, all patients were followed until the end of 2011 or until their withdrawal from the Taiwan National Health Insurance program. Results: Patients with CP had an increased risk of suicide attempt, compared with those without CP (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.69–4.37). The suicide-related fatality in the CP cohort was higher than that in the non-CP cohort, but the difference was not statistically significant (aHR = 1.21, 95% CI = 0.39–3.78). Conclusion: Our population-based cohort study reveals a close association between CP and subsequent suicide attempt. Compared with the non-CP cohort, the suicide-related fatality was higher in the CP cohort, although the result was not statistically significant. These findings necessitate surveying patients with CP and providing psychological support to prevent suicide.
Evaluation of a randomized intervention to delay sexual initiation among fifth-graders followed through the sixth grade

US adolescents initiate sex at increasingly younger ages, yet few pregnancy prevention interventions for children as young as 10–12 years old have been evaluated. Sixteen Washington, DC schools were randomly assigned to intervention versus control conditions. Beginning in 2001/02 with fifth-grade students and continuing during the sixth grade, students completed pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys each school year. Each year, the intervention included 10–13 classroom sessions related to delaying sexual initiation. Linear hierarchical models compared outcome changes between intervention and control groups by gender over time. Results show the intervention significantly decreased a rise over time in the anticipation of having sex in the next 12 months among intervention boys versus control boys, but it had no other outcome effects. Among girls, the intervention had no significant outcome effects. One exception is that for both genders, compared with control students, intervention students increased their pubertal knowledge. In conclusion, a school-based curriculum to delay sexual involvement among fifth-grade and sixth-grade high-risk youths had limited impact. Additional research is necessary to outline effective interventions, and more intensive, comprehensive interventions may be required to counteract adverse circumstances in students' lives and pervasive influences toward early sex. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00341471
Childrearing Values in Greece, Taiwan, and the United States

Objective. The purpose of this investigation was to compare childrearing values in mothers of preschoolers from Greece, Taiwan and the United States. Design. Seventy-two middle-class mothers of 3- to 4-year-old children (24 per country) were interviewed about the values they wish to instill in their children using open-ended probes and an ordering task of values. Four broad categories of values were identified based on a modification of Harwood, Miller, and Irizarry's (1995) taxonomy: (1) Decency, referring to values emphasizing character, (2) Proper Demeanor, referring to values emphasizing appropriate relatedness and behaviors, (3) Self-maximization, referring to values emphasizing the development of self potential and individuality, and (4) Sociability/lovingness, referring to values emphasizing affective and social dimensions of relatedness. Results. Mothers from the three countries emphasized similar values in both tasks. However, cultural differences in value categories were evident, echoing the unique cultural frameworks of the three societies. Conclusions. Cultural ideologies are reflected in the values parents seek to instill in their young children, and different methodological approaches highlight cultural similarities and differences.
Human papillomavirus-related oropharyngeal cancer

High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is now recognised as the principal cause of the increasing incidence rates of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) in some parts of the world. The primary risk factor for developing HPV-related OPSCC is oral HPV-infection and the majority of oral HPV-infections are acquired by oral sex. Progression into an OPSCC includes persistent infection with evasion of immune response in the microenvironment, the activation of viral early genes (E6, E7) in basal epithelial cells, the deregulation of cell cycle and the accumulation of chromosomal instability. Patients affected by HPV-related OPSCC tend to be younger and have better outcomes. This observation has lead current research to evaluate treatment de-escalation options to reduce long-term associated morbidity. Moreover, a different molecular profile for HPV-related OPSCC has been described, opening new options for targeted therapy and immunotherapy approaches. This paper comprehensively reviews our accumulated knowledge regarding the role of HPV in OPSCC spanning from infection to cancer development, including its clinical diagnosis, management and preventive strategies.
A cluster of cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kong.

BACKGROUND Information on the clinical features of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) will be of value to physicians caring for patients suspected of having this disorder. METHODS We abstracted data on the clinical presentation and course of disease in 10 epidemiologically linked Chinese patients (5 men and 5 women 38 to 72 years old) in whom SARS was diagnosed between February 22, 2003, and March 22, 2003, at our hospitals in Hong Kong, China. RESULTS Exposure between the source patient and subsequent patients ranged from minimal to that between patient and health care provider. The incubation period ranged from 2 to 11 days. All patients presented with fever (temperature, >38 degrees C for over 24 hours), and most presented with rigor, dry cough, dyspnea, malaise, headache, and hypoxemia. Physical examination of the chest revealed crackles and percussion dullness. Lymphopenia was observed in nine patients, and most patients had mildly elevated aminotransferase levels but normal serum creatinine levels. Serial chest radiographs showed progressive air-space disease. Two patients died of progressive respiratory failure; histologic analysis of their lungs showed diffuse alveolar damage. There was no evidence of infection by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, or Legionella pneumophila. All patients received corticosteroid and ribavirin therapy a mean (+/-SD) of 9.6+/-5.42 days after the onset of symptoms, and eight were treated earlier with a combination of beta-lactams and macrolide for 4+/-1.9 days, with no clinical or radiologic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS SARS appears to be infectious in origin. Fever followed by rapidly progressive respiratory compromise is the key complex of signs and symptoms from which the syndrome derives its name. The microbiologic origins of SARS remain unclear.
Asthma control in the Asia-Pacific region: the Asthma Insights and Reality in Asia-Pacific Study.

BACKGROUND Few data on asthma management are available for the Asia-Pacific region. OBJECTIVE This study examined asthma symptoms, health care use, and management in the Asia-Pacific region. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional survey, followed by administration of a questionnaire in a face-to-face setting in the respondents' homes in their language of choice. Urban centers in 8 areas were surveyed: China, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Vietnam. RESULTS A population sample of 3207 respondents with physician-diagnosed asthma was identified by screening 108,360 households. Daytime asthma symptoms were reported by 51.4% of respondents, and 44.3% reported sleep disturbance caused by asthma in the preceding 4 weeks. At least 2 in every 5 respondents (43.6%) had been hospitalized, attended a hospital emergency department, or made unscheduled emergency visits to other health care facilities for treatment of asthma during the previous 12 months. Overall, 15.3% of respondents reported that they had required admission to the hospital for asthma treatment. Asthma severity correlated with the frequencies of hospitalizations and emergency visits for asthma in the past year. Even in those patients with severe persistent asthma, 34.3% regarded their disease as being well or completely controlled. Current use of an inhaled corticosteroid was reported by only 13.6% of respondents, and 56.3% used quick-relief bronchodilators. Absence from school and work in the past year was reported by 36.5% of children and 26.5% of adults. CONCLUSION As reported for other regions, current levels of asthma control in the Asia-Pacific region fall markedly short of goals specified in international guidelines for asthma management.