Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing the Amplitude of Accommodation Determined Objectively and Subjectively

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist between subjective and objective methods of measuring the amplitude of accommodation. In a double-masked study on 57 patients, ages 6 to 35 years, 2 examiners measured the amplitude, 1 using the subjective push-up method and the other using a modified form of dynamic retinoscopy. Significant differences among the findings occurred (p < 0.001), the amplitude of accommodation being on the average 2.7 D higher with dynamic retinoscopy. The amplitudes as determined subjectively for each eye were highly correlated (I = 0.92), as were the objective findings (I = 0.85). Four other examiners also used this method of dynamic retinoscopy to determine the amplitude of accommodation on 43 patients, ages 11 to 39 years. For three examiners, the average amplitude of accommodation measured objectively was statistically similar to that measured subjectively. For the other examiner, the objective findings were on the average 1.19 D higher than the subjective findings. This study suggests that this modified form of dynamic retinoscopy can give consistent results, although different for some examiners than the traditional push-up method when determining the amplitude of accommodation.
Draft genomes of the corallimorpharians Amplexidiscus fenestrafer and Discosoma sp.

Corallimorpharia are the closest noncalcifying relatives of reef‐building corals. Aside from their popularity among aquarium hobbyists, their evolutionary position between the Actiniaria (sea anemones) and the Scleractinia (hard corals) makes them ideal candidates for comparative studies aiming at understanding the evolution of hexacorallian orders in general and reef‐building corals in particular. Here we have sequenced and assembled two draft genomes for the Corallimorpharia species Amplexidiscus fenestrafer and Discosoma sp. The draft genomes encompass 370 and 445 Mbp, respectively, and encode for 21,372 and 23,199 genes. To facilitate future studies using these resources, we provide annotations for the predicted gene models—not only at gene level, by annotating gene models with the function of the best‐matching homologue, and GO terms when available; but also at protein domain level, where gene function can be better verified through the conservation of the sequence and order of protein domains. Further, we provide an online platform (http://corallimorpharia.reefgenomics.org), which includes a blast interface and a genome browser to facilitate the use of these resources. We believe that these two genomes are important resources for future studies on hexacorallian systematics and the evolutionary basis of their specific traits such as the symbiotic relationship with dinoflagellates of the genus Symbiodinium or the evolution of calcification in reef‐building corals.
Practitioners’ Perspectives on Branded Entertainment in The United States

As contemporary consumers become more skeptical of traditional media, marketers tend to rely on alternatives, such as product placement or branded entertainment. This study explores marketing practitioners’ perspectives on the latter: branded entertainment. It examines, specifically, their perspectives on its execution, measurement, and on brand characteristics. This study investigates how marketing practitioners (branded entertainment agents and advertisers) view branded entertainment differently from product placement. In addition, this exploration of practitioners’ perspectives on branded entertainment sheds some light on the future direction of such entertainment. Public policy implications on branded entertainment are also discussed.
Heavy Metal Concentrations in Soils and Factors Affecting Metal Uptake by Plants in the Vicinity of a Korean Cu-W Mine

Heavy metal concentrations were measured in soils and plants in and around a copper-tungsten mine in southeast Korea to investigate the influence of past base metal mining on the surface environment. The results of chemical analysis indicate that the heavy metals in soils decreased with distance from the source, controlled mainly by water movement and topography. The metal concentrations measured in plant species generally decreased in the order; spring onions > soybean leaves > perilla leaves ≈ red pepper > corn grains ≈ jujube grains, although this pattern varied moderately between different elements. The results agree with other reports that metal concentrations in leaves are usually much higher than those in grain. Factors influencing the bioavailability of metals and their occurrences in crops were found as soil pH, cation exchange capacity, organic matter content, soil texture, and interaction among the target elements. It is concluded that total metal concentrations in soils are the main controls on their contents in plants. Soil pH was also an important factor. A stepwise linear multiple regression analysis was also conducted to identify the dominant factors influencing metal uptake by plants. Metal concentrations in plants were also estimated by computer-aided statistical methods.
Single and Multiple Pyogenic Liver Abscesses: NATURAL HISTORY, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT, WITH EMPHASIS ON PERCUTANEOUS DRAINAGE

The presenting features, modes of treatment and clinical course were reviewed for 55 patients with pyogenic liver abscess, seen at Duke University Medical Center over a 15-year period. Thirty-three patients had a solitary abscess and 22 had multiple abscesses. Most patients were between the ages of 40 and 60 years. Males predominated, 2.4:1. Major underlying conditions included biliary tract disease, malignancy and colonic disease. Eight patients, each with a solitary abscess, had no identifiable underlying condition. Symptoms and signs were nonspecific: fever, chills, focal abdominal tenderness and hepatomegaly were common. A raised serum alkaline phosphatase level was the most consistent abnormal laboratory finding. CT with contrast enhancement, radioisotope scanning and ultrasonography all accurately defined solitary hepatic abscesses. However, CT scan was more successful than other imaging techniques in detecting multiple abscesses. In seven patients the diagnosis was made only at laparotomy. Overall, a diagnosis of liver abscess was made in 50 living patients (91%). Microorganisms were recovered from pus and/or blood cultures of 44 patients (80%). Most common were enteric gram-negative facultative rods, anaerobic gram-negative rods, and microaerophilic streptococci. Single abscesses were more likely than multiple abscesses to contain more than one organism. All patients received antibiotics; the choice of antibiotic does not appear to be critical provided the regimen has a broad spectrum including activity against anaerobes. Surgical or percutaneous drainage was successful when attempted in all patients with a single abscess, but the outcome was less favorable in those with multiple abscesses. Percutaneous drainage is currently replacing open operative drainage as the method of choice. Overall mortality in patients with single abscesses was 15% (5/33) and in those with multiple abscesses 41% (9/22).
Foreign Ownership, Capital Structure and Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Vietnamese Listed Firms

This paper examines the relationships among foreign ownership, capital structure, and firm value in the case of listed firms in Vietnam. Using fixed effect model on data of all listed companies (exclude financial firms and banks) in Hochiminh Stock Exchange during the period of 2008-2011, the research finds an interesting evidence that foreign ownership has negative impact on firm value while previous literature indicates controversal results. The result implies that foreign ownership in Vietnam is not concentrated and therefore it cannot play an monitoring role in corporate governance mechanism. The outcome also shows that there is a negative link between foreign ownership and capital structure due to the fact that foreign investors suffer from information asymmetric and increase debt for controlling agency problem. With regard to relationship between capital structure and firm value, increase in debt leverage of listed firms decrease firm value. Hence, traditional theories of capital structure should be adjusted while applying them in emerging markets. Apart of fixed effect method, simultaneous equations model is employed for controlling simultaneity problem.
A comparative study of mobile messaging services acceptance to participate in television programmes

– The purpose of this paper is to analyse key drivers of consumer acceptance of short messaging services (SMS) to participate in TV programmes. , – The technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) have been integrated for the determinants of the acceptance of mobile data services incorporating variables regarding consumer‐media interaction (perceived value and affinity). The model has been tested using structural equation modelling. , – Perceived value, attitude and affinity towards television (TV) programmes determine SMS acceptance to participate in TV programmes in Spain. In contrast, subjective norm, perceived value and attitude are the key drivers of SMS acceptance in Colombia. , – This paper enables mobile companies and TV channels to know what aspects to improve in order to promote SMS‐based TV programmes. Marketers should highlight in their communication strategies user friendliness, usefulness and perceived value of mobile data services. In Colombia, programme stars and presenters should encourage the use of mobile services to interact with TV. Spanish companies should offer reliable and entertaining programme contents to improve consumers' affinity. , – Although TAM and TPB have successfully explained behavioural intentions, previous research posits that they should be extended to properly explain mobile services acceptance. This paper combines the influence of perceived value, affinity and the TAM and TPB models to develop an improved model for SMS acceptance. The study also integrates variables for two communication media (TV and mobile) and compares SMS acceptance to participate in TV programmes in two markets with different culture and mobile services penetration rates.
Effects of Amino Acid Substitutions at Position 115 on the Fidelity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Reverse Transcriptase

ABSTRACT We compared the fidelity of wild-type human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT) and two RT mutants, Y115F and Y115V. Although neither mutation had a large effect on the overall fidelity of the enzyme, both mutations altered the spectrum of mutations and the precise nature of the mutational hot spots. The effects of Y115V were greater than those of Y115F. When we compared the behavior of the wild-type enzyme with published data, we found that, in contrast to what has been published, misalignment/slippage could account for only a small fraction of the mutations we observed. We also found that a preponderance of the mutations (both transitions and transversions) resulted in the insertion of an A. Because we were measuring DNA-dependent DNA synthesis (plus-strand synthesis), this bias could contribute to the A-rich nature of the HIV-1 genome.
Everolimus treatment for patients with autoimmune hepatitis and poor response to standard therapy and drug alternatives in use

Abstract Objective. Not all patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) respond to standard medical therapy with corticosteroids and azathioprine. Such patients may develop end-stage liver disease with poor prognosis unless transplantation is considered. Alternatively, the introduction of new therapeutic strategies could potentially ameliorate deterioration of liver function. Patients in our tertiary center were selected for everolimus therapy when exhibiting nonresponse or intolerance to combinations of the standard and empirical drugs in use (e.g., mycophenolate mofetil, calcineurin inhibitors [CNIs]). We here report the efficacy of everolimus treatment of patients with AIH. Materials and methods. Seven patients (six female, mean age 47 years, range 22–62 years) in whom disease control could not be achieved with standard therapy or the alternative drugs in use were included. Results. Treatment with everolimus induced a clear reduction of transaminases within 2 weeks. After 3–5 months three patients had normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels (10–45 IU) and four patients had ALT levels below 55 IU compared to a three- to fivefold elevated level prior to everolimus treatment. Sustained remission after 1 year of treatment was observed in three patients; in another two patients ALT was 45–68 U/L. Four patients in remission after 3 years were rebiopsied. Two showed no histological progression, and in two the fibrosis had decreased. Side effects noted were myalgias and minor bacterial infections not leading to discontinuation of the drug. Conclusion. Our experience indicates that everolimus may be of value in selected patients with therapy-resistant AIH and comorbidity/side effects that excludes the use of CNIs.
Linking organizational context and managerial action: The dimensions of quality of management

Organizational context is created and renewed through tangible and concrete management actions. The context, in turn, influences the actions of all those within the company. In this article, we elaborate this theme of an interactive development of context and action that, we argue, lies at the core of a company's management process and is a key influencer of its performance. Based on a longitudinal field‐study in one company, we identify discipline, stretch, trust and support as the primary dimensions of organizational context and we describe how each of these dimensions can be developed and how these dimensions, in turn, influence the levels of individual initiative, mutual cooperation and collective learning within companies. Shaping the organizational context, we suggest, is the central task of general managers and we propose our model of context as a way to assess an organization's quality of management.
Apoptotic effects of curcumin on human osteosarcoma U2OS cells

Objective: Curcumin, an active ingredient derived from the rhizome of the plant, Curcuma longa, has antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐cancer activities. The aims of this study were to examine whether curcumin can induce apoptosis in an osteosarcoma cell line.
Germination Potential of Dormant and Nondormant Arabidopsis Seeds Is Driven by Distinct Recruitment of Messenger RNAs to Polysomes

The dynamic association of specific transcripts with polysomes participates in the regulation of seed germination by dormancy. Dormancy is a complex evolutionary trait that temporally prevents seed germination, thus allowing seedling growth at a favorable season. High-throughput analyses of transcriptomes have led to significant progress in understanding the molecular regulation of this process, but the role of posttranscriptional mechanisms has received little attention. In this work, we have studied the dynamics of messenger RNA association with polysomes and compared the transcriptome with the translatome in dormant and nondormant seeds of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) during their imbibition at 25°C in darkness, a temperature preventing germination of dormant seeds only. DNA microarray analysis revealed that 4,670 and 7,028 transcripts were differentially abundant in dormant and nondormant seeds in the transcriptome and the translatome, respectively. We show that there is no correlation between transcriptome and translatome and that germination regulation is also largely translational, implying a selective and dynamic recruitment of messenger RNAs to polysomes in both dormant and nondormant seeds. The study of 5′ untranslated region features revealed that GC content and the number of upstream open reading frames could play a role in selective translation occurring during germination. Gene Ontology clustering showed that the functions of polysome-associated transcripts differed between dormant and nondormant seeds and revealed actors in seed dormancy and germination. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the essential role of selective polysome loading in this biological process.
Is vegetarianism bad for the environment

ABSTRACT Search the internet using “vegetarianism and environment” and you will find several articles by prominent people espousing the view that vegetarianism is bad for the environment. One of the recent articles on the subject by Professor Mike Archer entitled “Ordering the vegetarian meal? There's more animal blood on your hands” attracted a lot of comment when it appeared in the Conversation in 2011. Archer, in his article, argued that “if you want to minimise animal suffering and promote more sustainable agriculture, adopting a vegetarian diet might be the worst possible thing you could do. ” He claims that if we stop eating grazing animals and turn to a vegetarian diet then we will need to farm an additional area the size of Victoria plus Tasmania to meet our nutritional needs. Compared to rangeland grazing, clearing such large areas for crops means a loss of the vegetation and many of the resident animals. The livestock industries must relish this free promotion. But, the logic is wrong – dangerous.
The effect of overhead target on the lower limb biomechanics during a vertical drop jump test in elite female athletes

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of an overhead target on the jump height and lower limb biomechanics in all three planes of motion in a vertical drop jump (VDJ) task among elite female handball and football (soccer) players. The hypothesis was that adding an overhead target to the VDJ task improves jump height, increases joint loading, and decreases frontal plane knee control. Five hundred and twenty‐three female handball and football players (mean ± SD: 21 ± 4 years, 168 ± 6 cm, 65 ± 8 kg) completed the test. The overhead target increased jumping height by 5.8%. Furthermore, the overhead target led to statistically significant changes in many of the lower limb biomechanical variables examined. However, all the changes in kinematics and kinetics were clinically insignificant, as indicated by the small effect sizes. Strong to moderate positive Spearman's rank correlations were found between the two conditions. Therefore, an overhead target is unlikely to increase the range of responses in biomechanical variables in elite female handball and football athletes.
Acetyl CoA carboxylase inactivation and meiotic maturation in mouse oocytes

In mouse oocytes, meiotic induction by pharmacological activation of PRKA (adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase; formerly known as AMPK) or by hormones depends on stimulation of fatty acid oxidation (FAO). PRKA stimulates FAO by phosphorylating and inactivating acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACAC; formerly ACC), leading to decreased malonyl CoA levels and augmenting fatty‐acid transport into mitochondria. We investigated a role for ACAC inactivation in meiotic resumption by testing the effect of two ACAC inhibitors, CP‐640186 and Soraphen A, on mouse oocytes maintained in meiotic arrest in vitro. These inhibitors significantly stimulated the resumption of meiosis in arrested cumulus cell‐enclosed oocytes, denuded oocytes, and follicle‐enclosed oocytes. This stimulation was accompanied by an increase in FAO. Etomoxir, a malonyl CoA analogue, prevented meiotic resumption as well as the increase in FAO induced by ACAC inhibition. Citrate, an ACAC activator, and CBM‐301106, an inhibitor of malonyl CoA decarboxylase, which converts malonyl CoA to acetyl CoA, suppressed both meiotic induction and FAO induced by follicle‐stimulating hormone, presumably by maintaining elevated malonyl CoA levels. Mouse oocyte‐cumulus cell complexes contain both isoforms of ACAC (ACACA and ACACB); when wild‐type and Acacb−/− oocytes characteristics were compared, we found that these single‐knockout oocytes showed a significantly higher FAO level and a reduced ability to maintain meiotic arrest, resulting in higher rates of germinal vesicle breakdown. Collectively, these data support the model that ACAC inactivation contributes to the maturation‐promoting activity of PRKA through stimulation of FAO. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 82: 679–693, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Firm Life Cycle and Real-Activity Based Earnings Management

We examine real-activity based earnings management, i.e., cuts in discretionary innovation/marketing spending and overproduction for meeting the earnings benchmark of avoiding losses across firms’ life cycle. We use the cash flow components to classify a firm’s life cycle. We hypothesize and find that firms in the growth and mature stages exhibit real-activity based earnings management to meet earnings target of avoiding losses; but firms in the introductory stage do not. We also hypothesize and find that such real-activity based earnings management to meet the earnings benchmark of avoiding losses is associated with future performance for mature firms, but not so for growth firms. Collectively, our evidence shows the importance of considering firm’s life cycle when examining real-activity based earnings management.
An End-To-End IPTV Broadcast Service Network Architecture

This paper introduces an IPTV broadcast service delivery network architecture for digital multimedia distribution from national and regional video head-ends to service subscribers in a scalable, cost efficient, and reliable manner. The architecture presents a managed solution for broadcasting digital television, where its minimum-cost (Steiner) tree structure ensures significant bandwidth savings in the core, and its intelligent IGMP snooping Aggregation and Access nodes provide fast channel zapping, subscriber authorization, and channel profiling. The architecture is scalable, manageable, bandwidth efficient, reliable, and compliant with reference architectures from the DSL Forum as in [1]. Mechanisms for adaptive distribution of traffic flow in the network, failure detection and recovery, along with various characteristics of the said architecture are presented briefly.
Quantifying High-Frequency Market Reactions to Real-Time News Sentiment Announcements

We examine intra-day market reactions to news in stock-specific sentiment disclosures. Using pre-processed data from an automated news analytics tool based on linguistic pattern recognition we extract information on the relevance as well as the direction of company-specific news. Information-implied reactions in returns, volatility as well as liquidity demand and supply are quantified by a high-frequency VAR model using 20 second intervals. Analyzing a cross-section of stocks traded at the London Stock Exchange (LSE), we find market-wide robust news-dependent responses in volatility and trading volume. However, this is only true if news items are classified as highly relevant. Liquidity supply reacts less distinctly due to a stronger influence of idiosyncratic noise. Furthermore, evidence for abnormal highfrequency returns after news in sentiments is shown.
International financial reporting standard for small and medium sized entities

The International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized entities (IFRS for SMEs) was published as a standard by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) during July 2009. During 2007 South Africa became one of the first countries and the first country in Africa to early accept the proposed accounting standard (exposure draft of an IFRS for SMEs). The accounting standard will probably also be accepted by numerous other countries. The aim of this article is to investigate the applicability of this accounting standard. The results indicated that the IFRS for SMEs remains too comprehensive for the majority of small companies. The IFRS for SMEs does not satisfy the needs of South African users of small company financial statements, and as a result the accounting requirements should be simplified. KEYWORDS: Financial accounting; Financial reporting requirements; IFRS for SMEs; Small companies; Users of financial statements; Small company financial statements.