Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Association analysis between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and Val158Met polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase gene].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Han Chinese children and Val158Met polymorphism of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene caused by the missense mutation of G158A in exon 4. METHODS By using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms the Val158Met polymorphism of COMT gene was tested in 117 children with the diagnosis of ADHD as defined by DSM-IV and in 105 healthy controls living in Shanghai. RESULTS The frequencies of A allele were 25.21% and 23.81% in the ADHD group and the health controls respectively, which showed no significant difference between the two groups (Chi2=0.5197, P>0.05). There was also no significant difference in the distribution of all genotypes of COMT gene between the ADHD patients and the controls (P>0.05). CONCLUSION It was suggested that for the Han Chinese children with ADHD in this study, there was no association between ADHD and Val158Met polymorphism of COMT gene.
Dispersive effect of low molecular weight sodium polyacrylate on pyrite-serpentine flotation system

In this work, the dispersive effect of low molecular weight sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) on serpentine, and its dispersion mechanism were systematically investigated through zeta potential measurements, micro and batch flotation as well as adsorption tests. At pH 5, where flotation of iron sulphide was routinely performed, pyrite and serpentine minerals were oppositely charged, and therefore they were attracted to each other. Slime coatings of serpentine adhered to the surface of pyrite, decreasing the adsorption density of a collector on the pyrite surface, but also reducing the flotation recovery. PAAS increased the flotation recovery of pyrite by promoting dispersion between pyrite and serpentine. The effective flotation separation of pyrite from the refractory iron sulphide ore was possible by using PAAS as a dispersant. Anionic PAAS adjusted the surface potential of serpentine through adsorption on the serpentine surface and changed the interaction between pyrite and serpentine particles from attractive to repulsive, and then dispersed pyrite and serpentine.
Bowlby's secure base theory and the social/personality psychology of attachment styles: Work(s) in progress

John Bowlby's goal in developing modern attachment theory was to preserve what he considered some of Freud's most valuable insights about human development and close relationships. First among these were insights into the importance of early experience and the notion that infant-mother and adult-adult relationships are similar in kind. Focussing on prospective and observational methods, Bowlby replaced Freud's drive reduction model of relationship motivation with one that emphasized the role relationships play in support of exploration and competence. He also introduced concepts from control systems theory to highlight and account for the complex monitoring of internal states, relationship experience, and context that shapes proximity seeking, communication across a distance, and exploration away from attachment figures. And where Freud had explained the effects of early experience in terms of psychodynamic structures, Bowlby introduced the concept of mental models. These cognitive constructs are thought to reflect ordinary experience as well as trauma, to tend toward stability, and to remain open to new information.
Effects of Seed Size on Germination and Early Morphorlogical and Physiological Characteristics of Gmelina Arborea , Roxb

A research was carried out to determine the effects of seed size on germination and early growth rate of Gmelina arborea. Mature seeds of Gmelina arborea were collected from the mother trees in Uyo Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. They were grouped into 3 categories as large seed size (LSS), medium seed size (MSS) and small seed size (SSS), using a predetermined weight method. A total of six hundred depulped seeds from each size class were selected and weighed and had the following values: 0.94g, 0.57g and 0.38g respectively. The seeds were sown in germination boxes measuring (28cm x 14cm x 14cm) and germination was observed for two weeks. Germination percentages were calculated by dividing the number of germinated seeds against the number of seeds sown. At two-leaf stage, seedlings were transplanted into polythene pots and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated 3 times. Seedling height (cm), number of leaves, collar diameter (cm), leaf area (cm2) were assessed fortnightly while shoot dry weight (g/m) and root dry weight (g/m) were assessed monthly. Data collected were arc-sine transformed before being subjected to a two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 5% probability level was used to compare the significantly different treatment means. Biomass data were used to calculate Relative Growth Rate (RGR), Average Growth Rate (AGR) and Shoot Root Ratio (S/R) of the species. In all the parameters assessed, LSS had the best performance which was significantly different from other seed sizes. Thus, LSS are recommended to silviculturists and tree planters for best germination and seedling vigour.
Identification of a second promoter for the metY-nusA-infB operon of Escherichia coli

The metY-nusA-infB operon of Escherichia coli encodes functions involved in both transcription and translation. Previous studies have identified a single promoter, P0, that directs transcription of the entire operon. We have identified a second promoter, P-1, that also is positioned to transcribe the complete operon. P-1 is located 50 base pairs upstream of and oriented in the same direction as P0. Sequences associated with P-1 have features suggestive of regulatory elements. P-1 differs from any previously described naturally occurring E. coli promoter by having -35 and -10 sequences that perfectly match the procaryotic promoter consensus hexamer sequences, although the spacing between the two elements is 1 base pair more than optimal. We demonstrate that P-1 is active in vivo.
Asymmetric Momentum Strategies on Growth Markets

The paper investigates momentum strategies on the NASDAQ 100. Winner portfolios tend to outperform loser portfolios by more than 20% per year. We show an asymmetric effect between winner and loser returns. Winners tend to build up their performance over a longer period of time whereas losers tend to lose performance more rapidly. The behavior of five different investors is compared. We show that the investor who behaves according to the Bayes rule, can improve the success of the momentum strategy significantly. Additionally, this investor uses the information in the historical prices most successful.
Comment on “Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds”

Jarvis et al. (Research Articles, 12 December 2014, p. 1320) presented molecular clock analyses that suggested that most modern bird orders diverged just after the mass extinction event at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (about 66 million years ago). We demonstrate that this conclusion results from the use of a single inappropriate maximum bound, which effectively precludes the Cretaceous diversification overwhelmingly supported by previous molecular studies.
Effective continuing education for professionals

"Effective Continuing Education for Professionals" tells how to improve the quality of continuing education programs in a variety of professional fields. Winners of the NUCEA's 1990 Frandson Award for Literature in Continuing Education and the AAACE's 1989 Cyril O. Houle World Award for Literature in Adult Education.
Methods for Cancer Gene Therapy

First, the testing of therapeutic gene vectors in vitro is described. This is followed by a discussion of the administration of therapeutic vectors in vivo. Two methods for assessing the development of anti‐tumor immunity after cytokine gene therapy are provided. In addition, two methods for the generation of murine tumor models in syngeneic hostsone subcutaneous and one orthotopicare also included.
Genotoxicity of a variety of mycotoxins in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes.

Twenty-eight mycotoxins were studied in the hepatocyte primary culture/DNA repair test using rat and mouse hepatocytes. DNA repair synthesis was elicited by several compounds of unknown carcinogenicity, 5,6- dimethoxysterigmatocystin , versicolorins A and B, averufin , xanthomegnin , luteosporin , and chrysazin , as well as by the carcinogenic myocotoxins , aflatoxin B1, sterigmatocystin, luteoskyrin , ochratoxin A, azaserine, mitomycin C, and actinomycin D. The positive results with compounds of unknown carcinogenicity suggest that they are possibly genotoxic carcinogens. The carcinogenic mycotoxins, penicillic acid, patulin, griseofulvin, and rugulosin , which did not elicit repair synthesis may be nongenotoxic carcinogens.
Fall-related injuries among Canadian seniors, 2005-2013: an analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey.

INTRODUCTION We describe the epidemiology and trends of fall-related injuries among Canadian seniors aged 65 years and older by sex and age, as well as the circumstances and consequences of their injuries. METHODS We analyzed nationally representative data from the 2005, 2009/2010 and 2013 samples of the Canadian Community Health Survey to calculate the number and rates of fall-related injuries for each survey year. Where possible, we combined data from two or more samples to estimate the proportion of fall-related injuries by type of injury, part of body injured, type of activity and type of treatment. RESULTS The rate of fall-related injuries among seniors increased from 49.4 to 58.8 per 1000 population between 2005 and 2013, during which the number of fall-related injuries increased by 54% overall. Women had consistently higher rates than men across all survey years, while rates increased with advancing age. The upward trend in fall-related injury rates was more prominent among women and younger age groups. The most common type of injury was broken or fractured bones (37%), and the shoulder or upper arm (16%) was the most commonly injured body part. Many fall-related injuries occurred while walking on a surface other than snow or ice (45%). Over 70% of seniors seeking treatment for their injuries visited a hospital emergency department. CONCLUSION Given the increase in both the number and rates of fall-related injuries over time, there is a need to continue monitoring trends and injury patterns associated with falls.
Effects of long‐term partial outflow obstruction on bladder function in the rat

The effects of chronic partial outflow obstruction in rats were investigated. The urethra of male rats was partially obstructed for 3 or 6 months and bladder function was compared with that of age‐matched controls. Bladder function was studied in vivo by infusion cystometry and in vitro by measuring the response of bladder muscle strips to stimulation. Cystometrograms of outflow‐obstructed bladders were categorized into three types: type 1 was equivalent to a normal bladder; type 2 was characterized by large capacity, enhanced voiding pressure, and some residual urine; type 3 had the largest capacity, an impaired voiding pressure, and considerable residual volume (overflow‐type of incontinence). The type 3 bladder was the most frequently observed type in rats obstructed for 6 months.
Preclinical and clinical pharmacology of the 5-HT3 receptor antagonists

The 5-HT3-receptor is a ligand-gated cation channel located in the central and peripheral nervous system. Development of 5-HT3-receptor antagonists in the middle of the 80s provided the main tool for its investigation which revealed a remarkable breadth of activities. 5-HT3-receptor antagonists are potent and highly selective competitive inhibitors of the 5-HT3-receptor with negligible affinity for other receptors. They are rapidly absorbed and penetrate the blood-brain barrier easily. 5-HT3-receptor antagonists are metabolized by diverse subtypes of the cytochrome P450-system, metabolites are excreted mainly in urine. Half-lifes in healthy subjects vary from 3-4 hours (ondansetron, granisetron) to 7-10 hours (tropisetron, hydrodolasetron). 5-HT3-receptor antagonists do not modify any aspect of normal behaviour in animals or induce remarkable changes of physiological functions in healthy subjects. They are well tolerated over wide dose ranges, most common side effects in clinical use are headache and obstipation. Clinical efficacy was first established in chemotherapy-induced emesis. In this indication, 5-HT3-receptor antagonists set a new standard regarding efficacy and tolerability. Further established indications are radiotherapy-induced and post-operative emesis. Antiemetic efficacy results from a simultaneous action at peripheral and central 5-HT3-receptors. Other peripheral actions include reduction of secretion and diarrhea caused by increased intestinal serotonin content (e.g. in carcinoid syndrome), a limited antiarrhythmic activity and a reduction of experimentally induced pain. CNS effects comprise anxiolysis, attenuation of age-associated memory impairment, reduction of alcohole consumption in moderate alcohole abuse and an antipsychotic effect in patients with parkinson psychosis. In migraine, 5-HT3-receptor antagonists show moderate efficacy, as well. Repeatedly demonstrated efficacy of 5-HT3-receptor antagonists in patients suffering from fibromyalgia raises the question for the mechanism of action involved. Ligand binding at the 5-HT3-receptor causes manifold effects on other neurotransmitter and neuropeptide systems. In particular, 5-HT3-receptor antagonists diminish serotonin-induced release of substance P from C-fibers and prevent unmasking of NK2-receptors in the presence of serotonin. These observations possibly provide an approach for the causal explanation of favourable treatment results with 5-HT3-receptor antagonists in fibromyalgia.
Investors' Response to Mutual Fund Company Mergers

Purpose – This paper aims to examine mutual fund investors' response to mergers of Australian mutual fund companies. Design/methodology/approach – Two matching-control techniques are employed to analyse the impact of mergers on excess money in and out of open and closed funds involved in the transactions. The paper employs cross-sectional regression analyses to examine the impact of mergers on different types of parties to mergers. Findings – The results suggest that mergers are not accompanied by increased money flows. Instead investors withdraw from the target funds prior to and after the merger. Funds belonging to specialist mutual fund companies record more gains in assets under management than declines following mergers, and that money inflow gains at competing funds induce reductions of management expense ratios at target funds. Research limitations/implications – This paper studies mergers in only one industry in a single country. Future studies may extend to other industries and economies. Originality/value – This paper extends prior research on the flow effects of mergers at individual fund level by considering the issue at the corporate level.
The Uses of Tobit Analysis

In this paper authors point out that the coefficients obtained from using Tobit-here called "beta" coefficients - provide more information than is commonly realized. In particular, authors show that Tobit can be used to determine both changes in the probability of being above the limit and changes in the value of the dependent variable if it is already above the limit$ and authors show that this decomposition can be quantified in rather useful and insightful ways.
Understanding the Social Role of Entrepreneurship

There is a need to rethink and redefine the social value added of entrepreneurial activities to society. In this paper we develop five pillars on which the evolving social role of entrepreneurship can rest and have its impact: (1) connecting entrepreneurial activities to other societal efforts aimed at improving the quality of life, achieving progress, and enriching human existence, (2) identifying ways to reduce the dysfunctional effects of entrepreneurial activities on stakeholders, (3) redefining the scope of entrepreneurial activities as a scholarly arena, (4) recognizing entrepreneurship's social multiplier, and (5) pursuing blended value at the organizational level, centring on balancing the creation of financial, social and environmental wealth. In a final section we discuss implications for practices and for further research.
Rhythms and cycles in happiness

This study analyses time-dependent rhythms in happiness in three aspects. We show that the Sunday neurosis exists exclusively for men with a medium level of education and both men and women with high levels of education. Men with high levels of education may even experience a weekend neurosis. This study is the first to test for intra-monthly rhythms and to demonstrate that men with a lower educational background may suffer from negative effects on happiness towards the end of the month, potentially because of liquidity problems. The study is also the first to demonstrate that happiness exhibits seasonal effects over the annual period, depending on gender and education.
Multi-product costs and standby capacity derived from queuing theory: the case of Belgian hospitals

Empirical hospital cost function studies can be divided into two categories: studies estimating traditional multi-product cost functions and studies including demand uncertainty (assuming that hospitals provide standby capacity to cope with uncertain demand and stressing that the relationship between the uncertain demand, excess capacity and costs should be investigated). Most studies include (the inverse of) the occupancy rate in a relatively basic cost function. The first contribution of this paper is to incorporate an indicator of reserve capacity into a genuine multi-product cost function. The second contribution is to propose an alternative indicator to proxy the reserve margin. The often used occupancy rate has an important shortcoming: the same occupancy rate can hide different turnaway probabilities and waiting times, obscuring the true degree of reservation quality. Since turnaway probabilities and waiting times are typical queuing theory indicators, an indicator for average waiting time (derived from queuing theory) is incorporated into a proper multi-product cost function to capture the degree of standby capacity into a proper multi-product cost function. The study uses 1997 data on Belgian general care hospitals to estimate a multi-product cost function and calculate cost elasticities, marginal costs and the degree of economies of scale. The results further show that providing standby capacity has a significant impact on total costs.
Boom-Busts in Asset Prices, Economic Instability, and Monetary Policy

The link between monetary policy and asset price movements has been of perennial interest to policy makers. In this paper we consider the potential case for pre-emptive monetary restrictions when asset price reversals can have serious effects on real output. First, we provide some historical background on two famous asset price reversals: the U.S. stock market crash of 1929 and the bursting of the Japanese bubble in 1989. We then present some stylized facts on boom-bust dynamics in stock and property prices in developed economies. We then discuss the case for a pre-emptive monetary policy in the context of a stylized 'Dynamic New Keynesian' framework with collateral constraints in the productive sector. We find that whether such a policy is warranted depends on the economic conditions in a complex, non-linear way. The optimal policy cannot be summarized by a simple policy rule of the type considered in the inflation-targeting literature.
Biotransformation, endocrine, and genetic responses of Anguilla anguilla L. to petroleum distillate products and environmentally contaminated waters.

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) was exposed to diesel oil water-soluble fraction (DWSF) and gasoline water-soluble fraction (GWSF). The potential of these fractions to induce endocrine disruption, carbohydrate, and xenobiotic metabolism effects, as well as genotoxic responses, was investigated in a time-course laboratory study (3 h to 6 days). Both water-soluble fractions induced a time-related increase in liver ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, as well as the appearance of erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities (ENA) after a 6-day exposure, revealing its genotoxic properties. Initially, DWSF exposure revealed an inhibition of the typical stress responses demonstrated by plasma cortisol and lactate decrease. Nevertheless, this effect progressively disappeared, allowing a plasma glucose and lactate increase after 6 days of exposure. Fish exposed to GWSF exhibited a liver alanine transaminase (ALT) activity increase after a short exposure while the longest exposure revealed liver damage expressed as an ALT activity decrease. A field caging experiment, carried out in a harbor area (Aveiro Lagoon, Portugal), and a complementary laboratory experiment were designed to assess the influence of the daily tide dynamic on polyaromatic hydrocarbon water distribution and effects on liver EROD and ALT activities, as well as ENA frequency. Eels exposed to low- and high-tide harbor waters, in the laboratory, exhibited a similar degree of genotoxicity, whereas clear differences were observed as EROD induction. In the field experiment, caged eels did not display significant responses enhancing the relevance of natural environmental factors on toxicity mechanisms as well as on the apparent lack of toxicity in harbor waters.
Building a Total Customer Experience Model: Applications for the Travel Experiences in Taiwan’s Creative Life Industry

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the concept of an “experience economy” and its four dimensions (education, escapism, esthetics, and entertainment), experiential values, experience process clues, and the theory of behavioral intention. Data were collected from creative life industry visitors to develop and test a proposed model of total customer experience concepts. We employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the proposed research model. The results supported the dimensional structure of a total customer experience in Taiwan. Our study results suggest that establishing a perfect experience and understanding of customer evaluations for the creative life enterprise should be extended to customer behavioral intention.
Promoting wound healing in minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis by non-thermal, non-ablative CO(2) laser therapy: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE This randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) was designed to evaluate the effects of non-thermal, non-ablative CO(2) laser therapy (NACLT) to promote wound healing in minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis (miRAS). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten patients with 20 minor aphthous ulcers completed this study. Each patient had two discrete aphthous ulcers that had developed within 72 h before enrollment. One of the ulcers was randomly allocated to be treated with NACLT and the other one served as placebo. Before laser irradiation, a layer of transparent, non-anesthetic oral gel with high water content was placed on the laser and placebo lesions both. The CO(2) laser device was operated using 1 W power in defocused continuous mode, scanning rapidly over the lesion. The placebo lesion was irradiated with the same laser, but with an inactive probe. The healing times of the lesions were recorded by a blinded physician. RESULTS The healing period was significantly shorter in ulcers treated by NACLT than in those treated with placebo (p=0.02). The process was not painful and anesthesia was not required. There were no visible side effects after NACLT and during follow-up periods. CONCLUSIONS The results of this RCT suggest that single session of NACLT could be used to promote wound healing in minor aphthous ulcers, with no visible side effects.