Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship between changes in vasomotor symptoms and changes in menopause-specific quality of life and sleep parameters

Objective:This study characterizes and quantifies the relationship of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) of menopause with menopause-specific quality of life (MSQOL) and sleep parameters to help predict treatment outcomes and inform treatment decision-making. Methods:Data were derived from a 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial that evaluated effects of two doses of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene on VMS in nonhysterectomized postmenopausal women (N = 318, mean age = 53.39) experiencing at least seven moderate to severe hot flushes (HFs) per day or at least 50 per week. Repeated measures models were used to determine relationships between HF frequency and severity and outcomes on the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire and the Medical Outcomes Study sleep scale. Sensitivity analyses were performed to check assumptions of linearity between VMS and outcomes. Results:Frequency and severity of HFs showed approximately linear relationships with MSQOL and sleep parameters. Sensitivity analyses supported assumptions of linearity. The largest changes associated with a reduction of five HFs and a 0.5-point decrease in severity occurred in the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life vasomotor functioning domain (0.78 for number of HFs and 0.98 for severity) and the Medical Outcomes Study sleep disturbance (7.38 and 4.86) and sleep adequacy (−5.60 and −4.66) domains and the two overall sleep problems indices (SPI: 5.17 and 3.63; SPII: 5.82 and 3.83). Conclusions:Frequency and severity of HFs have an approximately linear relationship with MSQOL and sleep parameters—that is, improvements in HFs are associated with improvements in MSQOL and sleep. Such relationships may enable clinicians to predict changes in sleep and MSQOL expected from various VMS treatments.
Application of the transtheoretical model to sedentary behaviors and its association with physical activity status

Background The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) is a successful framework for guiding behavior change programs for several health behaviors, yet its application to reduce of sedentary behavior has been neglected. In addition, no data exist regarding the association between determinants of sedentary behaviors based on the TTM and physical activity behavior. The purpose of this study was to investigate college students’ stages of motivational readiness to avoid sedentary behaviors and relevant psychological determinants using newly developed TTM questionnaires and to identify the association between current physical activity and sedentary behaviors based on TTM constructs. Methods Data were obtained from 225 college students enrolled in health education and physical education courses. Participants completed a package of questionnaires including validated TTM, physical activity and sitting time questionnaires. Participants also wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days. MANOVAs were conducted to determine mean differences in psychological constructs across the TTM stages, and Chi-square tests and Spearman correlation were used to evaluate the associations between current physical activity and sedentary behavior. Results A majority of the participants were in the sedentary stages, and men and women differed in proportion of individuals in the stages (78.0% vs. 68.1%, respectively). The gender difference was also found in use of the processes of change. In general, the mean scores of the TTM constructs increased as the stages progressed. No significant associations were found between the TTM constructs for sedentary behavior and current physical activity levels (p>0.05). Conclusions A high proportion of college students were in sedentary stages regardless of physical activity levels, but different distributions in men and women. Participants in earlier stages were less likely to utilize the TTM constructs to reduce sedentary behaviors than those in later stages. A lack of association between physical activity and the psychological determinants of sedentary behavior was found.
Prevalence of Dirofilaria immitis in dogs from Hatay province, Turkey

Abstract The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence of canine dirofilariosis in Hatay province, south of Turkey. A total of 269 blood samples were collected from owned dogs in this multi-centre survey between March and July 2006. Blood samples were examined by modified Knott and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques to detect circulating microfilariae and antigens of Dirofilaria immitis, respectively. Seventy out of 269 dogs (26.0%) were positive for D. immitis. However, 61.4% of positive dogs had occult infection. The prevalence of canine dirofilariosis was heterogeneous in Hatay province, with higher values in shoreline (33.0%) and riverside (30.9%) areas followed by the lowland (25.5%) or mountainous (15.2%) areas. No statistically significant differences were observed in relation to sex (females, 33.3%; males, 24.4%, P>0.05). When evaluating the prevalence of D. immitis by age, the highest prevalence was observed in dogs older than 4 years of age. Large breeds (29.6%) and the dogs living outdoors (30.2%) showed a higher prevalence in comparison to small breeds (21.4%) and the dogs living indoors (10.5%), respectively. In conclusion, according to the results of this study canine dirofilariosis had a high prevalence in Hatay province. Therefore, prophylaxis against heartworm is advisable to decrease the incidence of canine dirofilariosis.
Export education: perceptions of sporadic and regular exporting firms

Explores perceptions of exporting education in sporadic and regular exporting firms as a means of enhancing organizational knowledge to improve the firm’s long‐term competitive advantage in global markets. Export development and performance are dependent on the acquisition and utilization of relevant knowledge in exporting. An analysis of sporadic and regular exporting firms’ views toward formalized export education programs that contribute to long‐term organizational knowledge is the central focus of this study. Results indicate that sporadic and regular exporting firms, although similar in many respects, vary significantly with regard to export planning activity, educational attainment of employees, export proportion of sales, and exporting experience. In addition, sporadic exporters are less interested in formal export education programs and are more reliant on the government as a source of exporting knowledge and information. The types of information offered through such sources frequently do not lead to a sustainable competitive advantage in exporting and make only a limited contribution to organizational learning. A discriminant model correctly classifies 86 per cent of exporting firms into sporadic and regular groups. Discusses conclusions and managerial implications.
Habitat-specific demography of breeding black-throated blue warblers (Dendroica caerulescens) : implications for populations dynamics

The distribution of individuals among habitats and their relative success in those habitats can have important consequences for population dynamics. To examine these processes for a long-distance migratory bird species, we studied the population structure, age-specific reproductive output, and local survival of black-throated blue warblers (Dendroica caerulescens, Gmelin) in two breeding habitats differing in shrub density within northern hardwoods forests in New Hampshire, USA. On forest plots with dense shrubs, warblers occurred at higher densities, and fledged significantly more young per capita per season than those occupying areas with lower shrub density. This differential productivity was due to higher reproductive output, mainly through double-brooding, of older (≥ 2 years of age) individuals, which were disproportionately more abundant in high shrub density sites. Clutch initiation dates, clutch sizes, and predation rates at individual nests did not differ significantly between habitats. Mean body mass of nestlings on day 6 following hatching were higher on average on plots with high shrub density, but differences were not significant. Annual return rates, as indices of local survival, did not differ between habitats for older males or for females. Yearling males, however, returned in subsequent years at a significantly lower rate to low shrub density plots, a result of either lower survival or, more likely, dispersal to more suitable habitat in their second year of breeding. Parental age and habitat suitability interact in that older individuals, through their experience and/or dominance, acquire sites of higher quality, which results in higher reproductive output and probably higher survival. These differences between habitats in density, reproductive performance and local survival are consistent with an ideal-despotic/preemptive distribution of individuals, and suggest that this population could be regulated by the availability, distribution, and extent of high and low quality breeding habitats.
Are Stock Markets Efficient? (Price-Earnings Ratio Approach): Korean Stock Market Proxy

This study investigates the relationship between Price-Earnings ratio and return on stocks. The result is used to appraise the efficiency of the Korean stock market. Findings statistically opposed S. Basu (1977) results. He realized Price-Earnings ratio effect but I found no statistical evidence supporting Price-Earnings ratio. Using Fama and Macbeth (1973) methodology of portfolio formation, I found no statistical Price-Earnings ratio nor size effect. If a test of financial market efficiency depends on Price-Earnings ratio and size effect only, then Korean stock market is efficient. However, within this context, it was difficult to determine the extent to which the market is efficient. The bid-ask spread (measure of information asymmetry) Will be study next to figure out the degree of market efficiency.
Perceived Characteristics and Abilities of an Effective Marketing Department Head

This study uses an Internet survey of 247 full-time marketing faculty members and 43 marketing department heads at 167 American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) universities to examine perceptions of characteristics and abilities crucial for marketing department head effectiveness. It also examines crucial department success measures for judging a marketing department head’s effectiveness. Implications for faculty, department heads, and university administrators are addressed.
Testing Multiple Non-Nested Factor Demand Systems

Empirical factor demand analysis typically involves making a choice from among several competing non-nested functional forms. Each of the commonly used factor demand systems, such as Translog, Generalized Leontief, Quadratic, and Generalized McFadden, can provide a valid and useful empirical description of the underlying production structure of the firm. As there is no theoretical guidance on selecting the model which is best able to capture the relevant features of the data, formal testing procedures can provide additional information. Paired and joint univariate nonnested tests of a null model against both single and multiple alternatives have been discussed at length in the literature, whereas virtually no attention has been paid to either paired or joint multivariate non-nested tests. This paper shows how some multivariate non-nested tests can be derived from their univariate counterparts, and examines how to use these tests empirically to compare alternative factor demand systems. The empirical application involves the classical Berndt- Khaled annual data set for the U.S. manufacturing sector over the period 1947-1971. A statistically adequate empirical specification is determined for each competing factor demand system. The empirical results are interpreted for each system, and the models are compared on the basis of multivariate paired and joint non-nested procedures.
A Conceptual Study on the Relationship between Service Quality towards Customer Satisfaction: Servqual and Gronroos’s Service Quality Model Perspective

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to study the effect of service quality towards customer’s satisfaction under the perspective of SERVQUAL and Gronroos service quality model. The proposed model focuses on the relationship between functional quality, technical quality, internal, external influences mediated by corporate image and service quality towards customer’s satisfaction. The model also tries to build the relationship between perceived prices by the customers on customer’s satisfaction when service quality plays a mediating role. Suggestions for managers are given on implementing the core concepts from the model.
Managing supply chain disruptions: role of firm resilience and strategic focus on innovation

This dissertation focuses on the area of supply chain disruption management and aims to make a contribution by studying how firms can manage supply chain disruptions by (i) becoming resilient and by (ii) reducing the risk of supply chain disruption arising out of innovation. Firm resilience is the ability of the firm to: be alert to supply chain disruptions, to adapt and quickly respond to changes brought by a supply chain disruption and the ability to recover and return back to a state of greater competitiveness. In this dissertation, I emphasize the role of firm resilience in mitigating the effects of a supply chain disruption and focus on understanding factors that enhance firm’s resilience. I first develop the concept of firm resilience, explore its antecedents and consequences and empirically establish its nomological and predictive validity. I then look at supply chain disruptions that result from firm’s strategic focus on innovation and consider the role of a risk management infrastructure that a firm has in place in reducing the risk of these disruptions. In this dissertation I use structural equation modeling to as a methodology to test my hypothesis.
Making Business Decisions *

TH E problem of the marketing researcher in reaching the decisionmaker and in being useful to him revolves around one simple fact: he is interested in research only as it helps him to arrive at decisions and solve problems. In this respect it will be part of the research expert's job to get the executive to use research knowingly. The key consideration, of course, is that a decision will be made. Indeed, the making of decisions is the principal function and inescapable obligation of an executive. Decisions are expected of him; by his superiors to whom he is accountable, and by subordinates who depend upon him for decisions in his area of responsibility. A second consideration is that the decision will be made by an individual; a person with the usual human reactions and fallibilities, and-because he is a contemporary executive-with some special traits of his own.
Comparison of continuous positive airway pressure and valsartan in hypertensive patients with sleep apnea.

RATIONALE Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) reduces blood pressure (BP). CPAP treatment has never been compared with antihypertensive medications in an RCT. OBJECTIVES To assess the respective efficacy of CPAP and valsartan in reducing BP in hypertensive patients with OSA never treated for either condition. METHODS In this 8-week randomized controlled crossover trial, 23 hypertensive patients (office systolic BP/diastolic BP: 155 ± 14/102 ± 11 mm Hg) with OSA (age, 57 ± 8 yr; body mass index, 28 ± 5 kg/m(2); apnea-hypopnea index, 29 ± 18/h) were randomized first to either CPAP or valsartan (160 mg). The second 8-week period consisted of the alternative treatment (crossover) after a 4-week washout period. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Office BP and 24-hour BP were measured before and at the end of the two active treatment periods. Twenty-four-hour mean BP was the primary outcome variable. There was an overall significant difference in 24-hour mean BP between treatments: the change in 24-hour mean BP was -2.1 ± 4.9 mm Hg (P < 0.01) with CPAP, and -9.1 ± 7.2 mm Hg with valsartan (P < 0.001), with a difference of -7.0 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -10.9 to -3.1 mm Hg; P < 0.001). The difference was significant not only during daytime but also during nighttime: the change in nighttime mean BP with CPAP was -1.3 ± 4.6 mm Hg (not significant), and -7.4 ± 8.4 mm Hg with valsartan (P < 0.001), with a difference of -6.1 mm Hg (P < 0.05) (95% confidence interval, -10.8 to -1.4 mm Hg). CONCLUSIONS In an RCT, although the BP decrease was significant with CPAP treatment, valsartan induced a fourfold higher decrease in mean 24-hour BP than CPAP in untreated hypertensive patients with OSA. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials. gov (NCT00409487).
Algorithmic Bias in Autonomous Systems

Algorithms play a key role in the functioning of autonomous systems, and so concerns have periodically been raised about the possibility of algorithmic bias. However, debates in this area have been hampered by different meanings and uses of the term, "bias. " It is sometimes used as a purely descriptive term, sometimes as a pejorative term, and such variations can promote confusion and hamper discussions about when and how to respond to algorithmic bias. In this paper, we first provide a taxonomy of different types and sources of algorithmic bias, with a focus on their different impacts on the proper functioning of autonomous systems. We then use this taxonomy to distinguish between algorithmic biases that are neutral or unobjectionable, and those that are problematic in some way and require a response. In some cases, there are technological or algorithmic adjustments that developers can use to compensate for problematic bias. In other cases, however, responses require adjustments by the agent, whether human or autonomous system, who uses the results of the algorithm. There is no "one size fits all" solution to algorithmic bias.
Proximity Coupled Cavity Backed Patch Antenna for Long Range UHF RFID Tag

A novel proximity coupled cavity backed patch antenna for long range Radio Frequency Identilication (RFID) tag is proposed in this communication. The RFID tag may sustain fair amount of impact or scratch, since the circuitry is protected inside the metal cavity. The novel feeding structure incorporates a full π network for line impedance tuning. A patch structure with two shorting joints is also proposed, where the shorting joints not only offer mechanical support for the patch but may also serve as a way to tune the resonant frequency of the antenna. A prototype was fabricated and achieved a gain of 5.7 dBi, which gives it a reading range of up to 23 m.
Factors affecting the interindividual variability of warfarin dose requirement in adult Korean patients.

INTRODUCTION Warfarin, a commonly prescribed anticoagulant, exhibits large interindividual and interethnic differences in the dose required for its anticoagulation effect. Asian patients require a much lower maintenance dose compared with Caucasians; the explanation for these differences remains unknown. METHODS We analyzed five single nucleotide polymorphisms of the vitamin K epoxide reductase complex subunit 1 gene (VKORC1) and the *3 variant of cytochrome P450 (CYP)2C9, as well as the plasma warfarin concentration, in 108 Korean patients with atrial fibrillation. RESULTS Genotypic frequencies of VKORC1 +1173CT and CYP2C9*1/*3 were 17.6 and 10.2%, respectively, in the study population; VKORC1 +1173CC and CYP2C9*3/*4 were detected in one patient each. Patients carrying at least one copy of the VKORC1 +1173C allele, or the H7 (group B) haplotype, required a significantly higher warfarin dose (n = 20; 5.5 +/- 1.7 mg/day) than those homozygous for the +1173T allele, or the H1 (group A) haplotype, (3.8 +/- 1.2 mg/day; p < 0.001). There were statistically significant differences in warfarin dose between the CYP2C9*1/*1 (4.3 +/- 1.6 mg/day; p < 0.001) and those with the other two genotypes including CYP2C9*1/*3 and CYP2C9*3/*4 (2.7 +/- 0.9 mg/day). The multiple regression analysis revealed that the VKORC1 genotype (r2 = 0.197; p < 0.001), the age when warfarin started (r2 = 0.09; p < 0.001), body surface area (r2 = 0.041; p = 0.004) and CYP2C9 genotype (r2 = 0.029; p = 0.014) were factors associated with the daily dose of warfarin required. CONCLUSION In the present study, we found that the VKORC1 polymorphism had a dominant genetic influence on interindividual variability for warfarin dose in Korean patients. It explained approximately 32% of the overall variability in warfarin dose requirements given all of the variables studied. Thus, analysis of the VKORC1 genotypes may be important to guide warfarin dose selection and allow personalized warfarin treatment.
Decentralized Emission Standards with Tax Competition

We consider a game between jurisdictions within a national economy. Capital migrates between jurisdictions to satisfy an equal return condition. The total supply of capital to the economy is a non-decreasing function of the national return. This allows us to cater for the case where capital has some home bias and jurisdictions have an incentive to engage in tax competition and set non-zero capital taxes in equilibrium. We then show that this competition does not distort emissions standards and that decentralized provision of environmental policy is locally efficient. Thus, we find no evidence of a race to the bottom or top in emissions standards as a result of tax competition.
Abnormal LTC4 synthase RNA degradation in neutrophils from CML patients

Neutrophils from patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) have an aberrant expression of leukotriene (LT)C4 synthase. In order to learn more about the regulation of this abnormality, LTC4 synthase mRNA expression was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A digoxigenin (DIG)‐labelled LTC4 synthase RNA was synthesized and incubated in cytsolic extracts from CML neutrophils, normal neutrophils and eosinophils. LTC4 synthase mRNA was detected in total but not cytoplasmic RNA from normal neutrophils. In contrast, LTC4 synthase mRNA was found in the cytoplasm of CML neutrophils and in normal eosinophils, which also express the enzyme. The DIG‐labelled LTC4 synthase RNA was, as opposed to normal neutrophils, degraded in cytosolic extracts from CML neutrophils. The degradation was time dependent and cell concentration dependent. Degradation was also seen in eosinophils, indicating that degradation of LTC4 synthase RNA was correlated to the expression of the protein. This study showed that the difference in expression of LTC4 synthase in normal and CML neutrophils was not because of a total lack of LTC4 synthase mRNA in normal neutrophils. However normal neutrophils lack, in contrast to CML neutrophils, LTC4 synthase mRNA in the cytoplasm. This discrepancy is not caused by a stabilized LTC4 synthase RNA in the cytosol of CML neutrophils. Instead an abnormal degradation of LTC4 synthase RNA was found in the cytosol of CML neutrophils.