Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Bone Loss in Men: Effects of Genetic and Environmental Factors

OBJECTIVE To identify environmental factors associated with bone loss in adult male twins and to determine the extent to which shared environmental characteristics affect estimates of the genetic influence on bone loss. DESIGN A 16-year cohort study. SETTING A midwestern university hospital. PARTICIPANTS One hundred and eleven male veterans of World War II or the Korean conflict, born between 1916 and 1927. All were twins, with the sample comprising 48 pairs and 15 persons whose twin brothers were deceased or seriously ill. MEASUREMENTS Bone mass and environmental characteristics (cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, dietary calcium intake, use of thiazide diuretics) measured at baseline and 16 years later. RESULTS Rates of radial bone loss averaged 0.45% per year. Those who both smoked and used alcohol at levels greater than the median for the population had a rate of bone loss (10% in 16 years) twice the rate of those who were below the median level for both variables (5% bone loss, P = 0.003). Rates of bone loss were correlated within twin pairs, and these correlations were diminished 25% to 35% by adjustments for environmental influences on bone loss. However, statistically significant within-pair correlations remained (r = 0.4), which did not differ between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs after adjustments for smoking, alcohol use, dietary calcium intake, and exercise. CONCLUSIONS Bone loss in men during mid-life is determined, at least in part, by environmental factors, including smoking, alcohol intake, and, possibly, physical activity. Rates of bone loss were similar within twin pairs, apparently because of a shared environment.
Fas ligation triggers apoptosis in macrophages but not endothelial cells

The reticuloendothelial system includes macrophages and endothelial cells. These cells are produced and destroyed in vivo with a precision that implies the existence of homeostatic mechanisms. The stimuli for endothelial cell proliferation and monocyte production are becoming well characterized. However, the mechanisms involved in eliminating these cells are poorly understood. One mechanism involved in cellular elimination is apoptosis, which can be triggered in some cells by ligation of the Fas molecule. In this report we have investigated whether macrophages and endothelial cells express the Fas molecule, and whether Fas transmits an apoptosis‐inducing signal in these cells. We demonstrate that macrophages express Fas and readily undergo apoptosis when cultured with anti‐Fas. In contrast, while endothelial cells can express the Fas molecule, Fas ligation is insufficient to induce apoptosis. These results suggest differential regulation of Fas function among cells of the reticuloendothelial system, and imply different mechanisms of homeostasis.
Investigation of Low-Pressure Glow Discharge in a Coaxial Gridded Hollow Cathode

This paper contains results of numerical and experimental investigation of glow discharge plasma created in a chamber of a new-type large-volume coaxial gridded hollow cathode. The discharge is created in argon at 25 Pa by applying time-varying power with frequency 20 kHz on electrodes. A 2-D model of the discharge was built using COMSOL Multiphysics. Self-consistent description of the discharge was obtained using the extended fluid approach, which couples continuity equations for charged particles and electron energy balance with Poisson's equation for electric potential. Electron transport coefficients and rates of electron-impact reactions were calculated using the electron energy distribution function. The spatial and radial distributions of plasma potential (Vp), electron density (ne), and electron temperature (Te) were obtained. It is shown that the plasma inside the chamber is similar to the negative glow of a dc glow discharge. Comparison of numerical results with the Langmuir probe measurements of electron density and electron temperature is presented and showed a good agreement.
Periods of genetic transcription required for the synthesis of three enzymes during cellular slime mold development.

Various aspects of mRNA synthesis and stability have been examined in bacteria by permitting transcription to occur over a known, usually brief, period and then determining how much of a specific protein subsequently accumulates in the absence of further RNA synthesis. Thus, bacterial cells have been exposed to an inducer for very brief periods during which RNA synthesis could proceed normally and were then permitted to synthesize the enzyme de novo in the absence of both the inducer and further transcription. The latter restriction was accomplished with base analogues,' uracil deprivation,2 actinomycin D,3 and by infection with lytic viruses.5 In an arginineand uracil-requiring strain of E. coli infected with phage T6, protein and RNA synthesis were sequentially (and reversibly) restricted by successive precursor deprivations in order to study the accumulation of enzymes required for phage development.2 6 Under all of the above conditions, the amounts of enzymes synthesized were assumed to reflect in a simple fashion the over-all quantities and net concentrations of the correspondirng mRNA species, and the subsequent decays of enzyme-forming capacity with time were assumed to reflect the manner in which the mRNA disappeared. This approach has also been exploited to investigate the transcriptive and translative events required for accumulation and disappearance of the enzyme uridine diphosphate galactose: polysaccharide transferase during slime mold development. This enzyme, undetectable in the vegetative cells of Dictyostelium discoideum, appears at a specific morphogenetic stage, accumulates to a peak of specific activity, is preferentially released by the cells, and is then rapidly destroyed.7' 8 The accumulation of the enzyme was shown to be sensitive to coincident inhibition of protein synthesis (by cycloheximide) and to prior inhibition of RNA synthesis (by actinomycin D). 9 10 By adding actinomycin at later and later times during the developmental sequence and then determining how much, if any, transferase activity subsequently accumulated, it was possible to define the limits of this transcriptive period and the temporal and quantitative relations between it and the translative period that followed. This was done both in D. discoideum wild type and in a temporally deranged mutant Fr-17.10 This approach has now been extended to two other enzymes which accumulate at different times during cellular slime mold development, uridine diphosphate glucose (UDPG), pyrophosphorylase (EC 2.7.7.9)11 and trehalose-6-phosphate synthetase (EC 2.3.1.15). The present communication describes the temporal and quantitative relations between the transcriptive and translative periods for the accumulation of all three enzymes. The results indicate that: (a) the three transcriptive periods, though many hours (7-9) in length, occupy relatively restricted portions of the total number of hours (24) required for morphogenesis to be completed under these conditions;
CHALLENGES FACING UK SMES IN INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

In the UK, Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to develop overseas business for a variety of reasons, such as sourcing of products and components, seeking new markets and developing international partnerships. Although the UK government, industry leaders and professional bodies encourage international growth, SMEs themselves also recognise the need and benefits of trading in international markets. One of the major challenges facing SMEs, and particularly owner-managed business, is how to formulate their approach to international markets. This paper aims to establish key issues UK SMEs are facing in the process of trading internationally. The paper is based on qualitative research exploring the concept of ‘global mindsets’ and the extent to which this approach is applied in SMEs operating internationally. The research views the concept of a global mindset from a wide perspective and includes: awareness of global issues; knowledge about other countries and cultures; development of competencies and aptitudes needed for working in and operating a business in a global context; and SME responses to cultural perspectives (as managers, employees and customers). The level of awareness of needing deep local knowledge and cultural sensitivity in building good relationships with suppliers, distributors and customers is also discussed. The ‘soft skills’ that MNEs either recruit or develop amongst their international managers, are not readily available to SMEs. SMEs must therefore develop their own understanding of the skills required in order to build their organization’s capability. This research focuses on identifying the decisions and actions needed for SME international business development, including the resource implications and timescales needed to develop markets and build relationships.
SPITZER AND HERSCHEL MULTIWAVELENGTH CHARACTERIZATION OF THE DUST CONTENT OF EVOLVED H ii REGIONS

We have analyzed a uniform sample of 16 evolved H ii regions located in a 2° × 2° Galactic field centered at (l,b) = (30°, 0°) and observed as part of the Herschel Hi-GAL survey. The evolutionary stage of these H ii regions was established using ancillary radio-continuum data. By combining Hi-GAL PACS (70 μm, 160 μm) and SPIRE (250 μm, 350 μm, and 500 μm) measurements with MIPSGAL 24 μm data, we built spectral energy distributions of the sources and showed that a two-component gray-body model is a good representation of the data. In particular, wavelengths >70 μm appear to trace a cold dust component, for which we estimated an equilibrium temperature of the big grains (BGs) in the range 20–30 K, while for λ < 70 μm, the data indicate the presence of a warm dust component at temperatures of the order of 50–90 K. This analysis also revealed that dust is present in the interior of H ii regions, although likely not in a large amount. In addition, the data seem to corroborate the hypothesis that the main mechanism responsible for the (partial) depletion of dust in H ii regions is radiation-pressure-driven drift. In this framework, we speculated that the 24 μm emission that spatially correlates with ionized gas might be associated with either very small grain or BG replenishment, as recently proposed for the case of wind-blown bubbles. Finally, we found that evolved H ii regions are characterized by distinctive far-IR and submillimeter colors, which can be used as diagnostics for their identification in unresolved Galactic and extragalactic regions.
Multimodal quantitative MRI assessment of cortical damage in relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis

To investigate magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), T1 relaxation time, and proton density (PD) as indicators of gray matter damage in relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), reflecting different aspects of microstructural damage and as imaging correlates of clinical disability. We aimed to determine which of these parameters may optimally quantify cortical damage, and serve as an imaging surrogate of clinical disability. In this study, cortical values of MTR, a surrogate for demyelination in MS, of PD, reflecting replacement of neural tissue by water, and of T1, indicating a complex array of microstructural changes, were assessed in a group of RRMS patients in comparison to healthy controls (HC).
Survival of Start-Ups: Evidence on Personal Characteristics and Lender Evaluations

This study investigates the determinants of start-up survival in a sample of Finnish firms. Our database allows us to investigate how qualitative information based on the personal history and characteristics of the owner, firm specific characteristics and credit analysts’ subjective evaluation of the business prospects and market position. As far as the results go, we find that an increase in equity to total assets increases the likelihood that the firm will survive. The results on gender suggest that firms with two different genders seem to have bigger likelihood to fail than firms operated by male owners only. Further, the results indicate that being employed prior to starting up a business increases the likelihood of survival. Finally, the lender’s evaluation of the demand for the firm’s products or services seems to be a good predictor of the likelihood of survival. When it comes to the results on how the lenders evaluate the firms’ business prospects, we find that an increase in the owners’ equity investment and the fact that the entrepreneur was employed before he/she started the business, both improve the credit analysts’ evaluation of the business prospects.
Hepatitis B virus infection in isolated Afro‐Brazilian communities

The prevalence and genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) have distinct geographical distribution. In Brazil, some African‐descendants have been maintained as small isolated communities since the slavery period. In this study, HBV infection among these communities of African origin was examined. Individuals (1,058) living in 12 communities were interviewed and serum samples screened for the presence of HBV markers. HBsAg‐positive sera were tested for HBV DNA by PCR and positive samples were genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The overall prevalence of HBV infection was 19.8% (95% CI: 17.5–22.3), ranging from 5.5% to 42.4%, depending on the communities studied. Multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that increasing age, family history of hepatitis, and sexual activity were associated significantly with this infection. HBsAg was detected in 23/1,058 (2.2%) individuals. HBV DNA was present in 2/2 of HBeAg‐positive serum samples and in 18/21 (85.7%) anti‐HBe‐positive samples. All HBV isolates belonged to genotype A, subtype Aa. Three RFLP patterns were identified: AI (17 isolates), AIV (1 isolate), and AVI (2 isolates). These findings suggest a common introduction of HBV during the slave trade from Africa to Brazil. J. Med. Virol. 77:188–193, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Study of Pointing Performance of Elderly Users on Smartphones

The number of global smartphone users is rapidly increasing. However, the proportion of elderly persons using smartphones is lower than that of other age groups because they feel it is difficult to use touch screens. There have only been a few studies about usability and elderly smartphone users or designs for them. Based on this background, we studied the pointing action of elderly users, which is a basic skill required to use touch screens on smartphones. We reviewed previous works to determine specific research methods and categorized them into three groups: (a) effect of target size and spacing on touch screen pointing performance, (b) effect of age on pointing performance, and (c) feedback of touch screens. To investigate the touch screen pointing performance of elderly, we conducted two experiments. In the first experiment, 3 target sizes (5 mm, 8 mm, and 12 mm) and 2 target spacings (1 mm, 3 mm) were evaluated. Adding to that, we analyzed whether touch screen pointing performance is dependent on the location of the target. In the second experiment, 3 types of feedback (auditory, tactile, and audiotactile) were evaluated. The results show that (a) pointing performance of elderly was significantly influenced by size, spacing, and location of target, and (b) the performance was higher in audiotactile feedback condition. We expected that these results can contribute to the design of smartphone applications for elderly users.
[Necessity of No.13 lymph node dissection in advanced gastric carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the feasibility and necessity of No.13 lymph node dissection for advanced gastric carcinoma. METHODS Clinical data of 144 cases who were diagnosed as TNMII-III stage gastric carcinoma were collected from January 2007 to December 2009 in the Department of General Surgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. Seventy-two cases who received D2 radical gastrectomy plus No.13 lymph node dissection were selected as the study group, and they were matched 1:1 to 72 cases who received D2 Radical gastrectomy (the control group) for TNMII-III stage gastric carcinoma. The differences in the intraoperative and postoperative parameters and survival time were compared, and the factors associated with No.13 lymph node metastasis were analyzed. RESULTS There were no significant differences between the two groups in operative time [(2.8 ± 0.4) h vs. (2.7 ± 0.4) h], blood loss [(191.9 ± 81.5) ml vs. (186.0 ± 81.7) ml], the incidence of postoperative complications (18.1% vs. 15.3%), length of hospital stay [(12.3 ± 4.2) d vs. (11.9 ± 3.2) d] and 3-year survival rate (63% vs. 57%) (all P>0.05). In the study group, there were 15 patients (20.8%) with positive No.13 lymph nodes, and the 3-year survival rate was 13%, significantly lower compared to those with negative No.13 lymph node (73%, n=57) (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that N stage (P<0.01) and histological type (P<0.05) were independently associated with No.13 lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION No.13 lymph node dissection for TNMII-III stage gastric cancer is feasible and necessary.
Effects of Tocols Rich Fraction Isolated from Rice Bran Oil Deodorizer Distillate on Plasma and Hepatic Lipid Concentrations in Rats

A great deal of attention has been focused on the potential health benefits of using rice bran oil because it is a rich source of bioactive compounds. Rice bran oil deodorizer distillate (RBODD) is a byproduct obtained from distillation of rice bran oil. Elevated plasma cholesterol level is one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of tocols (tocopherols + tocotrienols) rich fraction isolated from RBODD on plasma and liver lipid concentrations in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats (6 weeks of age) were randomly assigned into three groups: normal fat control (NFC), high fat control (HFC) and high fat diet plus tocols rich fraction (RBODD). RBODD was administered daily for 3 weeks by oral gavage using 5% of Tween-80 as a vehicle. The rats in the control groups received 5% of Tween-80 alone in the same manner. Blood samples and livers were collected at the end of the feeding period. RBODD group had significantly lower plasma triglyceride levels compared to the HFC group (p < 0.05). However, no significant changes for plasma total and lipoprotein cholesterol levels were found in RBODD compared with HFC. Compared to the rat fed HFC, hepatic free fatty acids were significantly reduced in the rats with the RBODD treatment (p < 0.05). The results suggest that the tocols rich fraction isolated from RBODD is associated with decreased plasma triglyceride and hepatic free fatty acids concentrations. Further study is needed to investigate the mechanism and optimal dose by which isomers of tocols lower triglyceride concentrations.
Hospitality Retail Management: A Unit Manager's Guide

Hospitality services management Empowering unit management Team leadership and motivation Working with people Staff retention and turnover Staff recruitment and selection Employee development and training Managing service quality Time management and activity planning Control and operating profit management Food and beverage cost management Labour cost management Sales generation and marketing Preparing a unit business plan Quick service restaurants - case study
Degradation of a Mutant Secretory Protein, α1-Antitrypsin Z, in the Endoplasmic Reticulum Requires Proteasome Activity*

Degradation of proteins that are retained in the quality control apparatus of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has been attributed to a third proteolytic system, distinct from the lysosomal and the cytoplasmic ubiquitin-dependent proteosomal proteolytic pathways. However, several recent studies have shown that ER degradation of a mutant membrane protein, CFTRΔF508, is at least in part mediated from the cytoplasmic side by the 26 S proteasome. In this study, we examined the possibility that ER degradation of mutant secretory protein α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) Z, the mutant protein associated with infantile liver disease and adult-onset emphysema of α1-AT deficiency, is mediated by the proteasome. The results show that a specific proteasome inhibitor, lactacystin, inhibits ER degradation of α1-ATZ in transfected human fibroblast cell lines and in a cell-free microsomal translocation system. Although it is relatively easy to conceptualize how a transmembrane protein like CFTRΔF508 might be accessible on the cytoplasmic aspect of the ER membrane for ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome, it is more difficult to conceptualize how this might occur for a luminal polypeptide. The results show that, once within the lumen of the ER, α1-ATZ interacts with the transmembrane molecular chaperone calnexin and specifically induces the polyubiquitination of calnexin. The results, therefore, provide evidence that the proteasome, from its cytoplasmic localization, induces the degradation of the luminal α1-ATZ molecule by first attacking the cytoplasmic tail of calnexin molecules that are associated with α1-ATZ.
Subsidence of the femoral component in the noncemented total hip. A roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis.

Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis was used in the evaluation of subsidence in eight noncemented femoral components of the HP-Garches prosthesis. After 2 years, seven components had subsided 0.6-3.9 mm, i.e., more than observed in some cemented prostheses. No distinct symptoms related to the micromotion appeared.
A Re-Examination of Dividend Policy: A Dynamic Panel Data Analysis

Through a cross sectional analysis of 48 firms, over a seven-year period, from 1996 to 2002, we try to shed some light into two sides. First of all, we research whether managers smooth their dividend policies or not. Besides, we outline the main determinants that may influence the dividend policy pattern. Specifically, we attempt to find answers to the following questions: Do Tunisian firms follow stable dividend policies or not? Do dividend yields differ across industries? What are the main factors that determine the dividend policy making? In the first section, Lintner's model is applied. Our results show that Tunisian firms rely on both current earnings and past dividends. However, it seems that dividends tend to be more sensitive to current earnings than prior dividends. Any variability in the earnings of the corporation is directly reflected in the level of dividends. However, dividend policy does vary across financial and non-financial industries. Our results uncover a low target payout ratio of respectively 16% and 27% for non-financial and financial firms while the adjustment speed respectively ranges from 0.68 to 1.56. Non-financial institutions adopt therefore a more smoothing dividend policy. Secondly, through a fully developed model, we highlight some factors that may influence the dividend policy pattern. First, riskier firms with high financial leverage pay out fewer dividends and have lower dividend yields. Furthermore, high-profitability firms with more stable earnings can also afford more dividends. However, larger investment opportunities deprive firms from higher dividends. Similarly, growing firms distribute fewer dividends. Additionally, dividends serve to reduce agency costs between the shareholders themselves only whereas the conflicts between insiders and outsiders seem to be not resolved with dividends. This matter holds true only in non-financial firms. In this vein, it should be noted that our analysis does show significant differences throughout financial versus non-financial industries. Finally, the size of Tunisian corporations has a systematic negative effect on dividend policy.