jimnoneill/paper-to-field-training huggingface dataset:
Upping the Ante: The Equilibrium Effects of Unconditional Grants to Private Schools

We assess whether financing can help private schools, which now account for one-third of primary school enrollment in low- and middle-income countries. Our experiment allocated unconditional cash grants to either one (L) or all (H) private schools in a village. In both arms, enrollment and revenues increased, leading to above-market returns. However, test scores increased only in H schools, accompanied by higher fees, and a greater focus on teachers. We provide a model demonstrating that market forces can provide endogenous incentives to increase quality and increased financial saturation can be used to leverage competition, generating socially desirable outcomes. (JEL I21, I22, I25, I28, L22, L26, N75, O15, O16)

Topic: School Choice and Performance
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Comparison of Polarization Rotations Caused by Fiber Bending in Single- and Multi-Mode-Fibers

We measure mode group resolved polarization rotations caused by fiber bending in a 10-mode-GI-Fiber. For the fundamental mode of the GI-Fiber, we observe faster rotations than predicted from simulations.

Topic: Random lasers and scattering media
Subfield: Acoustics and Ultrasonics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Polymerization of coordinated monomers. XVIII. Sequence distribution in methyl acrylate–styrene copolymers prepared in the presence of zinc chloride

Abstract Methyl acrylate and styrene have been copolymerized in the presence of zinc chloride either by photoinitiation or spontaneously. The copolymerization mechanism is investigated by analyses of copolymers composition and monomer sequence distribution. The resulting copolymers are not always alternating, their composition being dependent especially on the monomer feed ratio. Appreciable deviation to higher methyl acrylate unit content from an equimolar composition occurs at monomer feed fractions of methyl acrylate over 0.7. The larger deviation is induced by higher temperature, by photoirradiation, and by greater dilution of the reaction mixture with toluene. The 13 C‐NMR spectrum of the alternating copolymer shows a sharp singlet at the carbonyl region, whereas the spectra of random copolymers prepared by benzoyl peroxide initiation at 60°C show a triplet splitting at the carbonyl carbon region, irrespective of copolymer composition. The relative intensities of the triplet peaks for the random copolymers are in good correspondence to the contents of triad sequences calculated by means of conventional radical copolymerization theory. These results clearly indicate that the carbonyl splitting is caused predominantly by variation of the monomer sequence and not by variation of the stereosequence. The monomer sequence distribution in the copolymers is thus directly and quantitatively measured from the split carbonyl resonance. Although the same triplet splitting appears in the spectra of methyl acrylate–rich copolymers prepared in the presence of zinc chloride at high feed ratios (&gt;0.7) of methyl acrylate, the relative intensities of the split peaks do not fit the sequence distributions of random copolymers calculated by means of the Lewis–Mayo equation. The copolymerization yielding these peculiar sequences and the alternating sequence in the presence of zinc chloride is fully comprehended by a copolymerization mechanism proceeding between two active coordinated monomers, i.e., the ternary molecular complex composed of zinc chloride, methyl methacrylate, and styrene, and the binary molecular complex composed of zinc chloride and methyl methacrylate.

Topic: Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Occupational segregation by educational attainment in New EU member states and candidate countries

This paper explores the degree of occupational segregation by educational attainment in new EU member states and candidate countries in an advanced stage of transition using EU15 countries as a benchmark. Existing evidence indicates that despite the tendency towards convergence between male and female participation rates in the labour markets of these countries the distribution of employment continues to be gender-segmented. To examine the intensity of occupational segregation and its changes in period between 2000 and 2010 with respect to the educational attainment Duncan and Duncan dissimilarity indices are calculated. These indices are commonly interpreted as the proportion of women and men who would have to change their occupation for the occupation distribution of women and men to be the same. Dissimilarity indices show that occupational segregation distinguishing by educational attainment varies across analysed countries and it has not been changing significantly over time. Although gender gap in employment has fallen, this movement towards equality has not translated into lower occupational segregation.

Topic: Labor market dynamics and wage inequality
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance
Domain: Social Sciences
Anti-inflammatory choline based ionic liquids: Insights into their lipophilicity, solubility and toxicity parametrites

The impact on in vivo efficacy and safety of two novel ionic liquids based on the association of choline with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ketoprofen and naproxen forming IL-APIs, was evaluated. Their lipophilicity, solubility and toxicity were assessed aiming the illustration of the pharmaceutical profile and potential toxic impact. Partition coefficientwas determined usingmicelles of hexadecylphosphocholine and UV–Vis derivative spectroscopy. Additionally, solubility in phosphate buffer pH 7.4 wasmeasured using amodified shake flaskmethod and UV–Vis spectroscopy as detection technique. Ultimately, toxicity was considered resorting to a fully automated cytochrome c oxidase assay based onmicrofluidics. The obtained results demonstrated that the IL-APIs' drug format has the ability to interact with biological membranes and also improves solubility up to 58 times. Moreover, it was evidenced that, although being a nutrient, choline influences the IL-APIs' toxicity. The studied anti-inflammatory IL-APIs exhibited promising properties regarding their incorporation in pharmaceutical formulations.

Topic: Ionic liquids properties and applications
Subfield: Catalysis
Field: Chemical Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Abstract 4141868: Circulating immune cells, inflammatory risk, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: an analysis across 5 cohorts of 17,971 diverse adults

Introduction: Inflammation is pivotal in initiating and accelerating atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Inflammatory responses result from coordinated actions of circulating molecular mediators and circulating immune cells (CIC). The complete blood count (CBC) is the standard approach to profile CIC. In an analysis across 5 cohorts, we sought to define the relationships between CBC features and ASCVD. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that CBC features are associated with ASCVD endpoints, including stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), revascularization, and mortality. Methods: We examined the relationships between CBC features, traditional risk factors, and mortality in NHANES (n=6162). We then examined individual CBC features and ASCVD endpoints using adjusted Cox proportional hazards models to compute hazard ratios (HR) standardized in each cohort and combined with random effects meta-analysis across four longitudinal cohorts (n=11,809 subjects from Framingham Offspring, Framingham 3 rd Gen, MESA, and CARDIA cohorts). Results: We first examined the prognostic value of CBC features compared with laboratory assessments (lipid panel, HbA1c, hs-CRP, and basic metabolic panel) in NHANES and found that CBC features were significantly associated with all-cause and CV mortality (data not shown). Next, we validated and extended these findings in a meta-analysis across four additional longitudinal cohorts, evaluating the association of individual CBC features with ASCVD endpoints. In the fully adjusted and fully adjusted + hs-CRP models, CBC features (e.g., neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes) were associated with ASCVD endpoints ( Figure 1A ). The meta-analyzed standardized hazard ratio of WBC for MACE3 (stroke, MI, all-cause mortality) was 1.07 (1.01 - 1.14; p=0.02) ( Figure 1B ). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association of CIC features with ASCVD across a large, diverse sample of adults. CIC features are associated with ASCVD endpoints and mortality even after adjustment for traditional risk factors and laboratory values, including hs-CRP. Taken together, our data reveal unexpected insights into the interplay of CIC, inflammatory risk, and ASCVD.

Topic: Atherosclerosis and Cardiovascular Diseases
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
A novel nanodelivery system for combination tumor therapy

Anti-angiogenic therapy offers many benefits over traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy including fewer toxic side effects and the reduced development of drug resistance. Anti-angiogenics alone have not proven effective in inducing tumor regression in the clinic due to both the cytostatic nature of anti-angiogenic therapy and the potential formation of new regions of hypoxia within the tumor after therapy. The new therapeutic paradigm is for combining both anti-angiogenics and traditional cytotoxic agents for a synergistic effect. The efficacy of cytotoxic agents may be reduced after anti-angiogenic therapy, however, due to limited access to tumor vasculature and hypoxia-induced drug resistance. We propose that loading cytotoxic agents within the tumor prior to blood vessel collapse will enable both greater drug accumulation within the tumor as well as a reduction in the formation of therapy-induced regions of hypoxia. We present here a novel nanodelivery vehicle termed a 'nanocell' for the spatio-temporal recruitment of both anti-angiogenics and cytotoxic agents within the solid tumor to achieve this goal. Nanocells consist of a polymeric nanocore encapsulating the cytostatic agent doxorubicin surrounded by a lipid vesicle containing the anti-angiogenic agent combretastatin A4. Nanocell treatment resulted in an 88% reduction in tumor size in vivo, compared to a 66% reduction in tumor size after delivering combretastatin A4 lipid vesicles and doxorubicin nanocores simultaneously but separately. Nanocell treatment also resulted in a significant reduction in systemic toxicity, fewer metastases to the lung and liver, and a greater degree of tumor apoptosis.

Topic: Nanoplatforms for cancer theranostics
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
7. The structure of the United Kingdom and devolution

This chapter discusses the structure of the UK and devolution. It first sketches the constitutional history of the UK, presenting a brief outline of events that led to its creation, that is, the union of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. The chapter then examines the issue of devolution, which has been particularly important to the people of Scotland and Wales. The key provisions of the devolution legislation enacted in 1998 and more recent legislative developments are reviewed. The chapter concludes by considering the agreements between the UK Government and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, in particular the Memorandum of Understanding, and the devolution provisions in the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 which facilitated Brexit.

Topic: Political Systems and Governance
Subfield: Political Science and International Relations
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Unraveling Dysgeusia in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Clinical and Laboratory Insights from Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients in Romania

Introduction: Dysgeusia has been regarded as a clinical feature associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection since the onset of the pandemic. The initial circulating variants were linked to the presence of dysgeusia; however, with the emergence of the Omicron variant, the incidence of dysgeusia has decreased. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence and characteristics of patients with dysgeusia from the onset of the pandemic to the Omicron variant. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study from March 2020 to December 2021, among adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the main infectious diseases hospital in Romania. Clinical and laboratory data were collected and interpreted in relation to the presence or absence of dysgeusia. Results: The incidence of dysgeusia was 32.0%, with the majority of cases (44.2%) occurring in patients with the Beta SARS-CoV-2 variant. Dysgeusia has been predominantly observed in mild to moderate cases of the disease. The presence of obesity and hypertension has been shown to be negatively associated with the development of dysgeusia (OR = 0.45, OR = 0.39, respectively). In patients with dysgeusia, inflammatory changes such as lymphopenia were significantly less frequently identified (OR = 0.22, p &lt; 0.001), as were increased C-reactive protein (OR = 0.12, p &lt; 0.001) and increased interleukin-1 (OR = 0.42, p = 0.002), increased fibrinogen (OR = 0.31, p &lt; 0.001), and increased ferritin (OR = 0.27, p &lt; 0.001) compared to patients without dysgeusia. The incidence of acute respiratory failure was higher in the dysgeusia group (71.2% vs. 28.8%, p &lt; 0.001). This was accompanied by a milder management of patients with dysgeusia and a median duration of hospitalization that was two days shorter. Conclusions: The presence or absence of dysgeusia in patients with COVID-19 appears to correlate with both the inflammatory response and outcome. In the context of evolving circulating viral variants, which seem to be associated with a lower incidence of dysgeusia, continuous monitoring of patients who develop this disorder remains essential to clarify the pathophysiologic mechanisms involved and to assess the potential of dysgeusia as a predictor of the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Topic: Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
Subfield: Sensory Systems
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Osoriellus flaveolus Irmler 2014, n. sp.

Osoriellus flaveolus n. sp. (Figs 50 A-C, 95C) Type material: Holotype, male: Ecuador: Rio Napo, Limóncocha, 40 km E Puerto Francisco de Orellana/La Coca, 21.- 27.11.1979, leg. J. Balogh (NHMH). Diagnosis: The species resembles O. bicolor, O. levyi, and O. salvini. It can be differentiated from these three species by the iridescent shine of the head and the sparser and weaker punctation of the head and pronotum. Description: Length: 3.7-3.8 mm. Colouration: Light brown; head and posterior margin of elytra darker brown; elytra, legs and antennae yellow. Head: 0.48 mm long, 0.74 mm wide; eyes slightly prominent; sides of fore-head deeply emarginate; side of clypeus parallel; front edge of clypeus even and without lateral teeth, but with slight emargination; setiferous punctation sparse and fine; irregularly dense; wide impunctate midline; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as diameter of punctures; surface with iridescent shine. Antennae slightly longer than head and half of pronotum combined; second antennomere oblong; conical third antennomere slightly shorter than second; following antennomeres slightly increasing in width; fourth and fifth antennomeres slightly longer than wide, sixth quadrate; seventh to tenth antennomeres wider than preceding antennomeres, but also quadrate. Pronotum: 0.76 mm long, 0.80 mm wide; widest at anterior angles; slightly convergent to obtuse posterior angles in smooth curve; lateral margin fine; slightly thicker close to posterior angles than at anterior angles; in dorsal aspect, visible throughout its total length except close to anterior angles; setiferous punctation sparse, but slightly deeper than on head; with wide impunctate midline; on average, interstices between punctures as wide as or slightly wider than diameter of punctures; with dense micro-punctation and extremely weak remains of microsculpture; surface slightly shiny, but not polished. Elytra: 0.89 mm long, 0.89 mm wide; with weak coriaceous ground-sculpture; setiferous punctation in irregular rows; distinctly visible; surface slightly shiny. Abdomen with moderately dense setiferous punctation; without microsculpture; surface polished and shiny. Protibia: 0.50 mm long, 0.13 mm wide; slender; with 9 spines at outer edge; apical spines inserted on short digits; WLR: 1.66; in posterior aspect, comb at inner emargination visible throughout its total length; setation of posterior face sparse. Aedeagus with thick apical lobe ending in short acute apex; inner edge of apical lobe with 3 sensillae. Etymology: The specific name derived from the same Latin word meaning yellow and refers to the light brown to dark yellow colouration and, in particular, to the yellow elytra.

Topic: Colorectal and Anal Carcinomas
Subfield: Surgery
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Figure S2C from Linking Physical Activity to Breast Cancer via Inflammation, Part 2: The Effect of Inflammation on Breast Cancer Risk

&lt;p&gt;Supplementary Figure 2C presents the funnel plot from the meta-analysis of TNF-alpha and breast cancer risk&lt;/p&gt;

Topic: Adipokines, Inflammation, and Metabolic Diseases
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Public willingness to pay for improvements in ecosystem services and landowner willingness to accept for wetlands conservation: An assessment of benefit transfer validity and reliability using choice experiments in several Canadian watersheds

Benefit-cost analyses are often used to evaluate the economic efficiency of proposed policies or projects. Such analyses require analysts to estimate the benefits and costs in monetary terms of any changes related to the policy being analyzed, including to the environment (e.g., changes in water or air quality). However, estimating these monetary values can be difficult since prices are often not available due to market failure. As such, several non-market valuation techniques have been developed for use in assessing these monetary values, including original research techniques, such as choice experiments, and benefit transfer which applies existing non-market values estimated using original research techniques to other contexts (e.g., locations). Several studies have evaluated the validity and reliability of benefit transfer in a variety of contexts. In this thesis, I contribute to this literature by assessing transfers in contexts not yet evaluated. In doing so, I use choice experiments to investigate landowner preferences for wetlands conservation in two Ontario watersheds and elicit the general public’s willingness to pay values for changes in ecosystem services in four Canadian watersheds. This research resulted in four papers. The first paper, motivated by the loss of wetlands in Southern Ontario, involves assessing the preferences and willingness to accept (WTA) of farm and non-farm landowners for enrolling their land in wetlands conservation programs. Though preferences and values are heterogeneous, many landowners are willing to enrol and at moderate cost. Using data from this paper, in the second and third papers I evaluate the validity and reliability of transfers of WTA and predicted program participation market shares, respectively. Results suggest that transfers of WTA are similarly valid and reliable to transfers of willingness to pay, while transfers of predicted participation market shares are considerably more valid and reliable than a parallel assessment of transfers of WTA. Finally, using data from the general public survey I evaluate alternatives for reconciling quantitative choice experiment attributes with differing levels for benefit transfer. A key finding of this research is that transfers rooted in “relative” preferences are more valid and reliable than transfers rooted in “absolute” preferences.

Topic: Economic and Environmental Valuation
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance
Domain: Social Sciences
The Method of Applying Support Vector Machine to Engineering Data Regression

Based on machine learning concepts, this paper has put forward two key problems of the application of support vector regression and has given a solution to these problems.It is that the different characteristics of the sample data are decisive factors of the schemes of the selection, and the procedure of the structure of kernel function and parameter optimization are proposed.

Topic: Advanced Algorithms and Applications
Subfield: Control and Systems Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Pilot Study on Impact of Ventilatory Ratio, Ventilation Index and Oxygenation Index in Mortality in ARDS

INTRODUCTION: Serial monitoring of oxygenation in critically ill patients can help assess worsening of lung function in ARDS patients. Ventilatory Ratio, Ventilation Index and Oxygenation Index are useful parameters in predicting mortality in patients diagnosed to have ARDS and may be better than PaO2/FiO2 ratio and Murray Lung Injury Score in Predicting mortality. OBJECTIVES: To assess how ventilatory ratio, ventilation index and oxygenation index can predict in hospital mortality of patients admitted with ARDS requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients between 18 years and 75 years admitted to Medical and Surgical ICU between June and November 2023 with ARDS requiring invasive mechanical ventilation in were recruited. Ventilator parameters, like Mode of ventilation, FiO2, PEEP, Pplat, Driving Pressure, Respiratory rate, Tidal Volume, Minute ventilation and MAP along with ABG were recorded and Ventilatory ratio(V.R), Ventilation Index(V.I) and Oxygenation index(O.I) were calculated as below. Ventilation ratio (V.R) = (PaCo2 × Patients Minute Ventilation) ÷ (37.5 × 100 × Bodyweight). Ventilation Index (V.I) = (PaCO2 × peak airway pressure × respiratory rate)/1,000 Oxygenation index (OI) = (MAP × FiO2 × 100) ÷ PaO2. Ventilator days, total days of ICU stay and outcome were recorded. Mean and standard deviation were recorded separately between the survivors and non survivors and analysed. RESULTS: 19 patients were recruited of which 10 were females and 9 males. Community acquired pneumonia was the commonest etiology. 18 of them got intubated on the day of ICU admission itself. There were 4 cases of mild, 7 moderate and 8 severe ARDS. 12 patients were discharged from the ICU and 7 were non survivors. The mean ICU stay among survivors was 10.9 days whereas it was 8.71 among non survivors. Mean Day 1 parameters among the survivors were recorded as oxygenation index(OI) =10.27 ±5.77, Ventilation ratio(VR) =1.66 ±0.69 and Ventilation Index (VI)= 25.91±9.13 whereas among non survivors, it was OI= 16.59 ±17.55, VR=2.22 ±0.71, and VI=36.9 ±21.98. The day 3 parameters among survivors were OI=8.87 ±6.46, VR=1.52 ±0.50, and VI=24.07 ±7.57 whereas among non survivors OI=14.84 ±4.58, VR=1.94 ±0.59 and VI=31.57 ±12.28. DISCUSSIONS: In our study, the Oxygenation index, Ventilation Ratio and Ventilation Index were significantly higher among the non survivors. Rsovac et al showed that a higher 3rd day Oxygenation Index was associated with a higher risk of mortality. Monteiro et al showed that patients with VR > 2 (median) at day 1 had a significantly lower 90-day survival compared to patients with VR ≤ 2; similar to our study. With such significant results in this pilot study, a larger sample sized study would help us delineate cutoffs of Oxygenation Index, Ventilatory Ratio and Ventilation Index above which higher risk of mortality could be predicted.

Topic: Respiratory Support and Mechanisms
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences