Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Long-Term Effect of Marketing Strategy on Brand Sales

Few studies have considered the relative role of the integrated marketing mix (advertising, price promotion, product, and place) on the long-term performance of mature brands, instead emphasizing advertising and price promotion. Thus, little guidance is available to firms regarding the relative efficacy of their various marketing expenditures over the long run. To investigate this issue, the authors apply a multivariate dynamic linear transfer function model to five years of advertising and scanner data for 25 product categories and 70 brands in France. The findings indicate that the total (short-term plus long-term) sales elasticity is 1.37 for product and . 74 for distribution. Conversely, the total elasticities for advertising and discounting are only . 13 and . 04, respectively. This result stands in marked contrast to the previous emphasis in the literature on price promotions and advertising. The authors further find that the long-term effects of discounting are one-third the magnitude of the short-term effects. The ratio is reversed from other aspects of the mix (in which long-term effects exceed four times the short-term effects), underscoring the strategic role of these tools in brand sales.
Reply to Lundberg, Larsen, and Weitzberg.

to the editor: The letter of Lundberg et al. ([12][1]) does not relate directly to any of the articles we published in this journal ([1][2], [2][3], [6][4]). Rather, the correspondents make a general point on the potential risks to athletes who might choose to supplement their diet with nitrate or (
Near-Optimal Signal Recovery From Random Projections: Universal Encoding Strategies?

Suppose we are given a vector f in a class FsubeRopf<sup>N </sup>, e.g., a class of digital signals or digital images. How many linear measurements do we need to make about f to be able to recover f to within precision epsi in the Euclidean (lscr<sub>2</sub>) metric? This paper shows that if the objects of interest are sparse in a fixed basis or compressible, then it is possible to reconstruct f to within very high accuracy from a small number of random measurements by solving a simple linear program. More precisely, suppose that the nth largest entry of the vector |f| (or of its coefficients in a fixed basis) obeys |f|<sub>(n)</sub>lesRmiddotn<sup>-1</sup>p/, where R>0 and p>0. Suppose that we take measurements y<sub>k</sub>=langf<sup># </sup>,X<sub>k</sub>rang,k=1,. ,K, where the X<sub>k</sub> are N-dimensional Gaussian vectors with independent standard normal entries. Then for each f obeying the decay estimate above for some 0<p<1 and with overwhelming probability, our reconstruction f<sup>t</sup>, defined as the solution to the constraints y<sub>k</sub>=langf<sup># </sup>,X<sub>k</sub>rang with minimal lscr<sub>1</sub> norm, obeys parf-f<sup>#</sup>par<sub>lscr2</sub>lesC<sub>p </sub>middotRmiddot(K/logN)<sup>-r</sup>, r=1/p-1/2. There is a sense in which this result is optimal; it is generally impossible to obtain a higher accuracy from any set of K measurements whatsoever. The methodology extends to various other random measurement ensembles; for example, we show that similar results hold if one observes a few randomly sampled Fourier coefficients of f. In fact, the results are quite general and require only two hypotheses on the measurement ensemble which are detailed
MONITORING STELLAR ORBITS AROUND THE MASSIVE BLACK HOLE IN THE GALACTIC CENTER

We present the results of 16 years of monitoring stellar orbits around the massive black hole in the center of the Milky Way, using high-resolution near-infrared techniques. This work refines our previous analysis mainly by greatly improving the definition of the coordinate system, which reaches a long-term astrometric accuracy of ≈300 μas, and by investigating in detail the individual systematic error contributions. The combination of a long-time baseline and the excellent astrometric accuracy of adaptive optics data allows us to determine orbits of 28 stars, including the star S2, which has completed a full revolution since our monitoring began. Our main results are: all stellar orbits are fit extremely well by a single-point-mass potential to within the astrometric uncertainties, which are now ≈6× better than in previous studies. The central object mass is , where the fractional statistical error of 1.5% is nearly independent from R0, and the main uncertainty is due to the uncertainty in R0. Our current best estimate for the distance to the Galactic center is R0 = 8.33 ± 0.35 kpc. The dominant errors in this value are systematic. The mass scales with distance as (3.95 ± 0.06) × 106(R0/8 kpc)2.19M☉. The orientations of orbital angular momenta for stars in the central arcsecond are random. We identify six of the stars with orbital solutions as late-type stars, and six early-type stars as members of the clockwise-rotating disk system, as was previously proposed. We constrain the extended dark mass enclosed between the pericenter and apocenter of S2 at less than 0.066, at the 99% confidence level, of the mass of Sgr A*. This is two orders of magnitudes larger than what one would expect from other theoretical and observational estimates.
Prediction of processability at extrusion coating for low‐density polyethylene

The neck-in level and the maximum drawdown speed at extrusion coating for low-density polyethylene are studied with the evaluation of the rheological properties in the molten state and the dilute solution properties. It is found that the viscous properties in the molten state and the dilute solution properties are not sensitive to the processability, whereas the elastic nature has a great impact. In particular, the elastic response in the nonlinear region, such as drawdown force and strain-hardening behavior in elongational viscosity, can be employed for the prediction of the processability at extrusion coating. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Circulating cell-free DNA has a high degree of specificity to detect exon 19 deletions and the single-point substitution mutation L858R in non-small cell lung cancer

Detection of an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is a noninvasive method to collect genetic information to guide treatment of lung cancer with tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, the association between cfDNA and detection of EGFR mutations in tumor tissue remains unclear. Here, a meta-analysis was performed to determine whether cfDNA could serve as a substitute for tissue specimens for the detection of EGFR mutations. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and areas under the curve of cfDNA were 0.60, 0.94, and 0.9208 for the detection of EGFR mutations, 0.64, 0.99, and 0.9583 for detection of the exon 19 deletion, and 0.57, 0.99, and 0.9605 for the detection of the L858R mutation, respectively. Our results showed that cfDNA has a high degree of specificity to detect exon 19 deletions and L858R mutation. Due to its high specificity and noninvasive characteristics, cfDNA analysis presents a promising method to screen for mutations in NSCLC and predict patient response to EGFR-TKI treatment, dynamically assess treatment outcome, and facilitate early detection of resistance mutations.
c-FLIP Mediates Resistance of Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg Cells to Death Receptor–induced Apoptosis

Resistance to death receptor–mediated apoptosis is supposed to be important for the deregulated growth of B cell lymphoma. Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells, the malignant cells of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL), resist CD95-induced apoptosis. Therefore, we analyzed death receptor signaling, in particular the CD95 pathway, in these cells. High level CD95 expression allowed a rapid formation of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) containing Fas-associated death domain–containing protein (FADD), caspase-8, caspase-10, and most importantly, cellular FADD-like interleukin 1β–converting enzyme-inhibitory protein (c-FLIP). The immunohistochemical analysis of the DISC members revealed a strong expression of CD95 and c-FLIP overexpression in 55 out of 59 cases of cHL. FADD overexpression was detectable in several cases. Triggering of the CD95 pathway in HRS cells is indicated by the presence of CD95L in cells surrounding them as well as confocal microscopy showing c-FLIP predominantly localized at the cell membrane. Elevated c-FLIP expression in HRS cells depends on nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Despite expression of other NF-κB–dependent antiapoptotic proteins, the selective down-regulation of c-FLIP by small interfering RNA oligoribonucleotides was sufficient to sensitize HRS cells to CD95 and tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand–induced apoptosis. Therefore, c-FLIP is a key regulator of death receptor resistance in HRS cells.
Treatment of Acetabular Fractures in an Older Population

Objective: To identify factors predicting poor radiographic and functional outcome and delayed total hip arthroplasty in operatively managed acetabular fractures in patients 55 years of age and older. Design: Retrospective chart and radiographic review of a prospectively maintained database. Setting: Tertiary care hospital. Patients: Ninety-three with a mean age of 67 years met all inclusion criteria and had follow up averaging 5 years. Intervention: Open reduction and internal fixation and less commonly acute total hip arthroplasty for displaced acetabular fractures in an older cohort. Main Outcome Measurement: Three validated patient self-assessment measures were used: the Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment, the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment, and the SF-36. Results: The overall rate of hip replacement in our study was 30.95%. Poor fracture reduction (P < 0.02), development of avascular necrosis (P < 0.001), and previous contralateral hip arthroplasty (P = 0.02) were statistically associated with the need for secondary surgeries. Functional outcome scores in the current study compared favorably with functional outcome scores reported for acetabular fractures in younger populations and with age-matched “non-injured” norms published in recent literature. Conclusions: There was an acceptably low rate of major complications in 93 operatively managed fractures in this population. Nearly 70% of patients achieved functional outcomes similar to age- and injury-matched control subjects without the need for secondary surgeries. Thirty percent of patients required secondary total hip arthroplasty for posttraumatic arthritis. These patients achieved outcomes similar to patients in the other outcome groups and to injury- and age-matched norms.
Segmental aplasia of the epididymis in a Siberian husky

India before the export trade was banned in 1987 (Phillips 1990) and in the Navrassa region of northern Spain government publicity campaigns have been conducted to discourage the removal of legs from common frogs at breeding ponds (Anon 1991). The current investigation showed that at least some, if not all, of the toads were still alive when their legs were removed. This is a worrying new, and possibly illegal, abuse of the welfare of wild animals in Britain which, albeit only at a local level, was on a large scale. In addition to being a welfare issue, should such actions continue in the Esk valley or elsewhere in future years, the scale of the killings could create local conservation concerns for frogs and toads in Britain.
Foreign Direct Investment in Africa: The Role of Natural Resources, Market Size, Government Policy, Institutions and Political Instability

Data from several investor surveys suggest that macroeconomic instability, investment restrictions, corruption and political instability have a negative impact on foreign direct investment (FDI) to Africa. However, the relationship between FDI and these country characteristics has not been studied. This paper uses panel data for 22 countries over the period 1984-2000 to examine the impact of natural resources, market size, government policies, political instability and the quality of the host country's institutions on FDI. It also analyses the importance of natural resources and market size vis-a-vis government policy and the host country's institutions in directing FDI flows. The main result is that natural resources and large markets promote FDI. However, lower inflation, good infrastructure, an educated population, openness to FDI, less corruption, political stability and a reliable legal system have a similar effect. A benchmark specification shows that a decline in the corruption from the level of Nigeria to that of South Africa has the same positive effect on FDI as increasing the share of fuels and minerals in total exports by about 35 per cent. These results suggest that countries that are small or lack natural resources can attract FDI by improving their institutions and policy environment. Copyright United Nations University 2006.
Reproductive compensation in broad-nosed pipefish females

The differential allocation hypothesis assumes that animals should weigh costs and benefits of investing into reproduction with a current mate against the expected quality of future mates, and predicts that they should invest more into reproduction when pairing with a high-quality mate. In the broad-nosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle), males care for the embryos in a brood pouch and females compete for access to male mating partners. Both sexes prefer mating with large partners. In the present study, we show that the same female provides both large and small mating partners with eggs of similar size, weight and lipid content when mated to two males in succession. Importantly, however, eggs provided to small males (less preferred) had higher egg protein content (11% more) than those provided to large males (preferred). Thus, contrary to the differential allocation hypothesis, eggs did not contain more resources when females mated with a larger male. Instead, the pattern observed in our results is consistent with a compensatory reproductive strategy.
Intramedullary Spinal Cord Metastases: MRI and Relevant Clinical Features from a 13-Year Institutional Case Series

This article reviews the MRI and clinical findings in 70 spinal cord metastases; 20% of patients had multiple metastases and 8% were asymptomatic. Spinal cord metastases were the initial clinical presentation in 20% of patients. Nearly all metastases showed contrast enhancement and had extensive edema. Cysts and hemorrhage were, however, uncommon and nearly 60% of patients had other metastases to the CNS or that were seen in studies in other organs. Accompanying pial metastases were also common. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Because intramedullary spinal cord metastasis is often a difficult diagnosis to make, our purpose was to perform a systematic review of the MR imaging and relevant baseline clinical features of intramedullary spinal cord metastases in a large series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive patients with intramedullary spinal cord metastasis with available pretreatment digital MR imaging examinations were identified. The MR imaging examination(s) for each patient was reviewed by 2 neuroradiologists for various imaging characteristics. Relevant clinical data were obtained. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients had 70 intramedullary spinal cord metastases, with 10 (20%) having multiple intramedullary spinal cord metastases; 8% (4/49) were asymptomatic. Primary tumor diagnosis was preceded by intramedullary spinal cord metastasis presentation in 20% (10/49) and by intramedullary spinal cord metastasis diagnosis in 10% (5/49); 98% (63/64) of intramedullary spinal cord metastases enhanced. Cord edema was extensive: mean, 4.5 segments, 3.6-fold larger than enhancing lesion, and ≥3 segments in 54% (37/69). Intratumoral cystic change was seen in 3% (2/70) and hemorrhage in 1% (1/70); 59% (29/49) of reference MR imaging examinations displayed other CNS or spinal (non–spinal cord) metastases, and 59% (29/49) exhibited the primary tumor/non-CNS metastases, with 88% (43/49) displaying ≥1 finding and 31% (15/49) displaying both findings. Patients with solitary intramedullary spinal cord metastasis were less likely than those with multiple intramedullary spinal cord metastases to have other CNS or spinal (non–spinal cord) metastases on the reference MR imaging (20/39 [51%] versus 9/10 [90%], respectively; P = .0263). CONCLUSIONS: Lack of known primary malignancy or spinal cord symptoms should not discourage consideration of intramedullary spinal cord metastasis. Enhancement and extensive edema for lesion size (often ≥3 segments) are typical for intramedullary spinal cord metastasis. Presence of cystic change/hemorrhage makes intramedullary spinal cord metastasis unlikely. Evidence for other CNS or spinal (non–spinal cord) metastases and the primary tumor/non-CNS metastases are common. The prevalence of other CNS or spinal (non–spinal cord) metastases in those with multiple intramedullary spinal cord metastases is especially high.
Tear osmolarity and ocular surface parameters in patients with psoriasis.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate tear osmolarity, tear film function, and ocular surface changes in patients with psoriasis. Methods: At a single center, 30 eyes of 30 patients with psoriasis (group 1) and 30 eyes of 30 healthy individuals (group 2) were evaluated using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire, Schirmer I test, tear film break-up time (TBUT) test, scoring of ocular surface fluorescein staining using a modified Oxford scale, and tear osmolarity measurement. Results: Tear osmolarity values, OSDI, and Oxford scale scores were significantly higher in group 1 (309.8 ± 9.4 mOsm, 38.9 ± 1.1, and 0.7 ± 1.1, respectively) than in group 2 (292.7 ± 7.7 mOsm, 4.2 ± 0.3, and 0.1 ± 0.3, respectively; p<0.01 for all). TBUT was significantly lower in group 1 (8.7 ± 3.6 s) than in group 2 (18.1 ± 2.8 s; p<0.001). No significant differences were detected in Schirmer I test values between the groups (16.2 ± 2.5 mm in group 1 and 16.6 ± 2.3 mm in group 2; p=0.629). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that psoriasis may influence tear osmolarity and tear film function. Patients with psoriasis showed tear hyperosmolarity and tear film dysfunction.
BDNF protects against stress‐induced impairments in spatial learning and memory and LTP

The present study investigated whether infusion of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) could ameliorate stress‐induced impairments in spatial learning and memory as well as hippocampal long‐term potentiation (LTP) of rats. Chronic immobilization stress (2 h/day × 7 days) significantly impaired spatial performance in the Morris water maze, elevated plasma corticosterone, and attenuated LTP in hippocampal slices from these animals as compared with normal control subjects. BDNF was infused into the left hippocampus (0.5 μl/h) for 14 days, beginning 7 days before the stress exposure. The BDNF group was protected from the deleterious effects of stress and performed at a level indistinguishable from normal control animals despite the presence of elevated corticosterone. BDNF alone and sham infusions had no effect on performance or LTP. These results demonstrate that spatial learning and memory, and LTP, a candidate neural substrate of learning and memory, are compromised during chronic stress, and may be protected by BDNF administration. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ALOS PALSAR: A Pathfinder Mission for Global-Scale Monitoring of the Environment

The Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) is Japan's new-generation Earth Observation satellite, launched in January 2006 by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. ALOS carries two optical instruments (Panchromatic Remote-sensing Instrument for Stereo Mapping and Advanced Visible and Near-Infrared Radiometer type 2) and, to maintain Japan's commitment to spaceborne L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), the Phased Array L-band SAR (PALSAR). The successor to the SAR onboard the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite (1992-1998), the PALSAR instrument provides enhanced sensor characteristics, including full polarimetry, variable off-nadir viewing, and ScanSAR operations, as well as significantly improved radiometric and geometric performance. As important as the technical improvements and the reason PALSAR here is referred to as a pathfinder mission for global environmental monitoring is the systematic data-acquisition strategy which has been implemented for ALOS. With a priority second only to emergency observations, the PALSAR observation strategy has been designed to provide consistent, wall-to-wall observations at fine resolution of all land areas on the Earth on a repetitive basis, in a manner which has earlier been conceived only for coarse- and medium-resolution instruments.
Steady-state performance analysis for adaptive filters with error nonlinearities

A unified approach to the steady-state mean square error (MSE) and tracking performance analyses for real and complex adaptive filtes with error nonlinearities is developed. Some general clofied-form analytical expressions for the steady-state performances are given. Our analyses are based on Taylor series expansion and and so-called complex Brandwood-form series expansion (BSE). Under these general explicit expressions, some well-known adaptive filters can be viewed as special cases. In addition, the closed-form analytical expressions for the steady-state performance for real and complex least-mean p-power (LMP) algorithm with different choices of parameter p are also given. A mass of simulations show the accuration of our analyses.
Determination of Betaines by Fast Atom Bombardment Mass Spectrometry : Identification of Glycine Betaine Deficient Genotypes of Zea mays.

A rapid, sensitive, and selective method for the determination of betaines is described and discussed. The method entails derivatizing the quaternary ammonium compounds to increase their sensitivity to detection by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. Sensitivity of detection increases markedly as the length of the carbon chain of the alcohol used to esterify the betaine carboxylic acid group is increased (C4 > C3 > C2 > C1 > C0). The lower limit of detection of glycine betaine as the n-propyl ester is 0.05 nanomole per microliter of glycerol. Betaine aldehyde can be readily derivatized to the di-n-butyl or di-n-propyl acetal derivatives which exhibit lower limits of detection of about 5 picomoles and 10 picomoles per microliter of glycerol, respectively. Accurate quantification of these compounds is accomplished by the use of deuterium labeled internal standards or quaternary ammonium compound homologs of distinct mass. Methods for the synthesis of these internal standards are reported. Some applications of these methods are illustrated with stable isotope tracer studies on the kinetics of metabolism of choline to betaine aldehyde and glycine betaine in spinach leaf discs, and the identification of several Zea mays genotypes which appear deficient in glycine betaine. Tracer studies with deuterium labeled betaine aldehyde suggest that the deficiency of glycine betaine in one sweet corn hybrid is probably not due to a deficiency in the capacity to oxidize betaine aldehyde.