Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Complications Among Second-Generation Japanese-American Men With Diabetes, Impaired Glucose Tolerance, or Normal Glucose Tolerance

In a study sample of 229 second-generation Japanese- American (Nisei) men, 79 with normal glucose tolerance, 72 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 78 with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, we have determined prevalence rates for certain conditions (ischemic heart disease, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, retinopathy, neuropathy, and nephropathy) associated with diabetes. All subjects participated in a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. World Health Organization (WHO) diagnostic criteria and information from the subject's medical history and personal physician were used to classify the subjects. Retinopathy was observed only in diabetic men in the study sample (11.5% of diabetic men). Furthermore, it was observed only in men who were receiving drug treatment for diabetes—40.0% of insulin-treated and 17.2% of sulfonylurea-treated men. Electrophysiologic evidence of peripheral neuropathy was observed in 46.2% of diabetic men and in 4.0% of nondiabetic (normal and IGT) men. For diabetic men with fasting serum glucose ≥140 mg/dl, 63.8% had peripheral neuropathy and 19.1% had retinopathy, whereas for diabetic men with fasting serum glucose <140 mg/dl, 19.4% had neuropathy and none had retinopathy. For diabetic men with a diabetes duration of 2:10 yr, 72.7% had neuropathy and 31.8% had retinopathy; with a diabetes duration of 5-9 yr, 70.6% had neuropathy and 11.8% had retinopathy; and with a diabetes duration of <5 yr, 20.5% had neuropathy and none had retinopathy. Nephropathy was distinctly uncommon, and among the measurements of kidney function, only proteinuria was clearly abnormal with diabetes. Prevalence rates of hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, and ischemic heart disease were highest in Nisei men with diabetes, lowest in men with normal glucose tolerance, and intermediate in men with IGT. None of these conditions appeared to be strongly related to the degree of fasting hyperglycemia. Hypertension occurred in 53.8% of diabetic men, 51.4% of men with IGT, and 29.1% of men with normal glucose tolerance (blood pressure > 140/90 and/or treatment with medication for hypertension). Arteriosclerosis obliterans of the lower leg vessels was determined by Doppler technique to occur in 24.4% of diabetic men, 16.7% of men with IGT, and 8.9% of men with normal glucose tolerance. Ischemic heart disease, as determined from a resting electrocardiogram and the Minnesota Code criteria for ischemic heart disease, occurred in 29.5% of diabetic men, 23.6% of men with IGT, and only 6.3% of men with normal glucose tolerance.
Cattle Ranchers and Agritourism in Oregon, USA: Motivations, Challenges and Opportunities from the Landowner's Perspective

Abstract Cattle ranches are cultural icons in many countries. Still, high costs to maintain ranches may force some ranchers to sell their operation. One income alternative is to diversify into agritourism. Empirical research on ranch agritourism is scarce. This study provides an overview of, and assesses the motivations for, and challenges to diversifying into agritourism from the ranchers' perspective. A survey of 400 Oregon ranchers in 2003 found that 21% of 177 respondents promoted agritourism and that it contributed 8% to their annual household income compared to an 84% contribution from livestock production. Working on the ranch and hunting/fishing were the most popular agritourism activities. Main motivations to diversify were to utilize ranch resources, capture additional income, and offset fluctuations in income. Key barriers were insurance and liability, lack of time, regulations, and lack of financial assistance and resources. Agritourism was a success for 79% of those involved; 73% of guests were repeat customers and 38% learned about the operation from friends and family. Most guests (82%) were from Oregon. Findings suggest that agritourism can be compatible with ranching and can help ranches to remain viable. Despite low adoption numbers at the time of this study, agritourism initiatives are likely to increase.
Foundations for Successful Continuous Replenishment Programs

In the future, earnings ‐ perhaps even survival, will depend upon strong and enduring relationships between manufacturers and their customers. Continuous replenishment is rapidly emerging as a value‐added service that enhances the development of these relationships. For the most part, such partnerships have been engaged with positive expectations of reducing costs in the near term. However, in order to realize the real, mutual benefits of continuous replenishment, it is critical that both parties have a foundation of second business practices which will support this new way of doing business and its many and various effects upon the supply chain. This means establishing organizational alignments which facilitate a process, installing new or different technology and securing the support of senior management to champion the concept of supply chain management.
The influence of experience on service expectations

States that expectations play an important part in service quality. Currently, the most widely adopted view of service quality results from customers’ expectations being met or exceeded. Surprisingly there is no clear consensus of what expectations actually are or what they do. There is only one widely applied way to measure them (SERVQUAL), an approach that is also widely criticized. Although the possible effect of many “controllable” factors on expectations has been alluded to, the effect of “uncontrollable” factors has not been thoroughly researched. Starts to redress the balance by defining expectations as a mixture of shoulds and wills; a cognitive melting‐pot of what should, ideally, happen and what will realistically happen the next time the service is visited. Uses a reliable measuring instrument to measure these two different expectations and the effect of consumers’ experience of the service on them. The results of the study demonstrate that experience of the service has a clear influence on expectations, at least within the context of the fast‐food industry.
Entrepreneurial Access and Absorption of Knowledge Spillovers: Strategic Board and Managerial Composition for Competitive Advantage

The resource theory of the firm implies that knowledge is a key resource bestowing a competitive advantage for entrepreneurial firms. However, it remains rather unclear up to now how new ventures and small businesses can access knowledge resources. The purpose of this study was to suggest two strategies, in particular, that facilitate entrepreneurial access to and absorption of external knowledge spillovers: the attraction of managers and directors with an academic background. Based on data on board composition of 295 high‐technology firms, the results clearly demonstrate the strong link between geographical proximity to research‐intense universities and board composition.
Diagnostic Evaluation of Malignant Head and Neck Cancer by F-18-FDG PET Compared to CT/MRI

Summary Aim: Evaluation of F-18-FDG PET in comparison to CT/MRI as diagnostic tool in primary and recurrent head and neck cancer. Methods: 78 F-18-FDG PET studies were performed in 71 patients with known or suspected primary (n=48) or recurrent (n=30) head and neck cancer and compared to CT (n=75) or MRI investigations (n=3) concerning detection of the primary or recurrent tumor and detection of regional lymph node metastases in the ipsilateral and contralateral neck sides. Glucose uptake (SUV) of PET findings was correlated to tumor location, grading and dignity of the lesion. Results: Sensitivity and specificity for PET in detection of primary tumors were 87%* and 67%, respectively (CT/MRI 67%* and 44%) (*p<0.05), in detection of local recurrence 86% and 75%, respectively (CT/MRI 57% and 92%), in detection of necks affected by lymph node metastases 80% and 92%, respectively (CT/MRI 80% and 84%). Laryngeal, buccal (cheek) and salivary gland tumors had significant lower glucose uptake (SUV) when compared to tumors of the hypopharynx (p<0.05). G1-tumors (mean SUV 4.26) had significant (p<0.05) lower glucose uptake when compared to G2- and G3-tumors (mean SUV 7.73 and 8.19, respectively). Mean SUV of malignant PET findings (7.88) was significant (p<0.05) higher than mean SUV of benign PET findings (5.70). However, a SUV threshold to improve diagnostic accuracy could not be defined. Conclusion: F-18-FDG PET is significantly more accurate than CT/MRI for detection of head and neck cancer. Both methods are valuable for detection of cervical lymph node metastases. Glucose uptake shows correlation to histological grading. A quantitative SUV analysis does not improve diagnostic accuracy.
Luxury customer value

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize luxury customer value and empirically test the reliability and validity of the proposed structure of it. In addition, it aims to identify luxury customer value factors that influence brand relationship and behavioural intention.Design/methodology/approach – A thorough literature study produces a comprehensive model of luxury consumer value. For an empirical test of the model, a web‐based on‐line survey is performed using a consumer sample in Korea. Statistical tests including CFA, second order factor analysis and structural model testing using covariance analysis are conducted.Findings – The findings show that the luxury customer value represents a second‐order construct. The results provide satisfactory support for the four‐value structure model composed of utilitarian, hedonic, symbolic and economic values. Utilitarian value includes excellence and functional values, whereas hedonic value encompasses aesthetic, pleasure and experiential values. Sym.
How retailers use marketing information in the USA

The use of marketing information by retailers has developed to a greater degree in the States than in this country, according to Nigel Piercy. He visited a number of organisations in the United States in the summer of 1981 as winner of the Lord Mayor's Travelling Scholarship, awarded by the Institute of Marketing. In this article he discusses the implication of new technology for producing valuable marketing information, and the strategic importance of controlling this developing source of information.
Alterations in malondialdehyde levels and laboratory parameters among methamphetamine abusers.

OBJECTIVE To determine the concentrations of malondialdehyde, biochemical, and hematological parameters among methamphetamine abusers compared with a healthy control group and to evaluate the association between malondialdehyde and biochemical-hematological parameters. MATERIAL AND METHOD The concentrations of malondialdehyde, lipids, liver enzymes, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and hematological measurements were determined in 60 methamphetamine abusers and 60 controls. RESULTS Significantly higher levels of malondialdehyde were found in the methamphetamine abusers than the controls [2.45 (2.12-2.81) vs. 1.41 (1.15-2.08)]. The levels ofalanine aminotransferase and alkaline phosphatase and white blood cell and platelet counts of the methamphetamine abusers were significantly elevated (p-value < 0.05) compared with the controls. Meanwhile, the levels of hemoglobin, hematocrit, albumin and body mass index were significantly lower among the methamphetamine-abusing group than the control group (p-value < 0.05). It was found that higher numbers of methamphetamine tablets per day were associated with higher malondialdehyde concentrations in methamphetamine abusers, and that malondialdehyde concentration inversely correlated with albumin level (r = -0.458, p-value < 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that number of methamphetamine tablets per day, white blood cell count and albumin level were independent predictors of malondialdehyde level (p-value < 0.05). CONCLUSION Methamphetamine abuse is related to increased lipid peroxidation, changes in inflammatory marker level, increase in liver enzymes, and decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations. These effects may be early signs of the development of diseases associated with methamphetamine abuse.
Staphylococcus epidermidis--hospital epidemiology and the detection of methicillin resistance.

Infections in immunocompromised patients and in patients with indwelling prosthetic devices are often caused by hospital strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis resistant to methicillin. Tests for the detection of methicillin resistance, indicating resistance to all beta-lactam antibiotics, were evaluated in order to define a suitable screening test. A broth tube breakpoint test with a large inoculum, 10(7) colony forming units (cfu), gave the highest recovery of resistant strains. False resistance due to hyperproduction of beta-lactamase was excluded. The results correlated completely with the detection of the resistance gene, mecA, by the polymerase chain reaction. In 2/3 of the resistant strains tested the expression of the methicillin resistance was heterogeneous, only one cell in 10(2) to 10(4) expressed the resistance within 72 h in both. In broth screening tests an inoculum of at least 10(6) cfu therefore was required to detect all resistant strains within 24 h. Using agar dilution, 48 h incubation must be considered. In disc diffusion tests reliable results were obtained after only 16 h of incubation when discs containing cephradine 5 and 30 micrograms, oxacillin 1 microgram or cephalexin 30 micrograms were used, and the first disc is recommended for routine work. The epidemiology of S. epidermidis strains resistant to ciprofloxacin and/or gentamicin was studied in an isolation unit for patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation. Antibiograms and plasmids were used for typing and 31 such strains were found. Of 54 staff members 10 were colonized in the nares only, two in the nares and perineum and one in the nares and stool. In ambient air and on the clothes of staff a few of the strains predominated quantitatively. These strains colonized the skin of some of the patients who seemed to be the main dispersers. Possible routes of cross-infection were indirect contact transfer via the hands and clothes of staff (82% of the clothes were contaminated), and direct as well as indirect airborne transmission. To study the effects of chlorhexidine on skin bacteria, ten nurses washed one arm with chlorhexidine-detergent every morning for 3 weeks; the other arm served as control. The depression of the normal skin flora did not lead to a colonization with more antibiotic-resistant hospital strains. During the wash period the counts of antibiotic-resistant S. epidermidis on the treated arms were significantly reduced compared with the control arms, as also were the number of different strains. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Steady-state end-tidal alveolar dead space fraction and D-dimer: bedside tests to exclude pulmonary embolism.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Less than 35% of patients suspected of having pulmonary embolism (PE) actually have PE. Safe bedside methods to exclude PE could save health-care resources and improve access to diagnostic testing for suspected PE. In patients with suspected PE, we sought to determine the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value of (1) a steady-state end-tidal alveolar dead space fraction (AVDSf) of < 0.15, (2) a negative D-dimer result, and (3) the combination of a steady-state end-tidal AVDSf of < 0.15 and a negative D-dimer result. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Tertiary-care center in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. PATIENTS Consecutive inpatients, outpatients, and emergency department patients with suspected PE referred to the Departments of Nuclear Medicine or Radiology for investigation of suspected PE. INTERVENTIONS AND MEASUREMENTS All study patients had D-Dimer and alveolar dead space measurements prior to determining outcome (PE or no PE) with ventilation/perfusion scans and/or noninvasive leg vein imaging and/or pulmonary angiography. RESULTS Two hundred forty-six eligible and consenting patients underwent diagnostic imaging that excluded PE in 163 patients, diagnosed PE in 49 patients, and was indeterminant in 34 patients. A negative D-dimer result excluded PE with a sensitivity of 83.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 69.2 to 92.4%), a negative predictive value of 91.2% (95% CI, 83.4 to 96.1%), and a specificity of 57.6%. A steady-state end-tidal AVDSf of < 0.15 excluded PE with a sensitivity of 79.5% (95% CI, 63.5 to 90.7%), a negative predictive value of 90.7% (95% CI, 82.5 to 95.9%), and a specificity of 70.3%. The combination of a negative D-dimer result and a steady-state end-tidal AVDSf of < 0.15 excluded PE with a sensitivity of 97.8% (95% CI, 88.5 to 99.9%), a negative predictive value of 98.0% (95% CI, 89.4 to 99.9%), and a specificity of 38.0%. CONCLUSION This simple combination of bedside tests may safely rule out PE without further diagnostic testing in large numbers of patients with suspected PE.
Near-infrared–actuated devices for remotely controlled drug delivery

Significance Devices that release a drug in response to a remote trigger would enable on-demand control of the timing and dose of drug released. They would allow the patient or physician to adjust therapy precisely to a target effect, thus improving treatment and reducing toxicity. We have developed implantable reservoirs that release a drug when irradiated with near-infrared laser light. The release rate was correlated to laser intensity, with negligible leakage between doses. Devices containing aspart, a fast-acting analog of insulin, were implanted in diabetic rats and were able to achieve glycemic control upon irradiation. Such devices can be loaded with a wide range of drugs to treat a variety of clinical indications. A reservoir that could be remotely triggered to release a drug would enable the patient or physician to achieve on-demand, reproducible, repeated, and tunable dosing. Such a device would allow precise adjustment of dosage to desired effect, with a consequent minimization of toxicity, and could obviate repeated drug administrations or device implantations, enhancing patient compliance. It should exhibit low off-state leakage to minimize basal effects, and tunable on-state release profiles that could be adjusted from pulsatile to sustained in real time. Despite the clear clinical need for a device that meets these criteria, none has been reported to date to our knowledge. To address this deficiency, we developed an implantable reservoir capped by a nanocomposite membrane whose permeability was modulated by irradiation with a near-infrared laser. Irradiated devices could exhibit sustained on-state drug release for at least 3 h, and could reproducibly deliver short pulses over at least 10 cycles, with an on/off ratio of 30. Devices containing aspart, a fast-acting insulin analog, could achieve glycemic control after s.c. implantation in diabetic rats, with reproducible dosing controlled by the intensity and timing of irradiation over a 2-wk period. These devices can be loaded with a wide range of drug types, and therefore represent a platform technology that might be used to address a wide variety of clinical indications.
Stable recovery of the factors from a deep matrix product and application to convolutional networks. Focus on sparsity constraints

We study a deep matrix factorization problem. It takes as input a matrix X obtained by multiplying K matrices (called factors). Each factor is obtained by applying a fixed linear operator to a vector of parameters satisfying a sparsity constraint. We provide sharp conditions on the structure of the model that guarantee the stable recovery of the factors from the knowledge of X and the model for the factors. This is crucial in order to interpret the factors and the intermediate features obtained when applying a few factors to a datum. When K = 1: the paper provides compressed sensing statements; K = 2 covers (for instance) Non-negative Matrix Factorization, Dictionary learning, low rank approximation, phase recovery. The particularity of this paper is to extend the study to deep problems. As an illustration, we detail the analysis and provide (entirely computable) guarantees for the stable recovery of a (non-neural) sparse convolutional network.
Children's and Adolescents' Use of Mental Health Care Is a Family Matter

This article discusses the influence of family structure on children's use of mental health services and explores whether a family's dependency on government assistance compensates for the effect of family income on children's use of services. Children in nontraditional families are at greater risk of using mental health services and have more mental health visits. Family participation in government subsidies programs offsets the influence of family income on the use of mental health services.
Identifying Travel Agent User Segments

ABSTRACT As travel agents face increased competition, it is important for them to identify characteristics of their best clients. Identifying expectations and selection criteria most important to the various user segments can assist agency managers in developing strategies to attract and retain clients who contribute the most to their revenues. Data from 382 travelers were collected. Being honest, being reliable, and solving problems were the most important expectations held by travel agent users. Heavy users rated service and expertise as more important selection criteria than light users. Marketing and operational implications were discussed based on the results.
A Mouse Caries Model and Evaluation of Aqp5–/– Knockout Mice

Current techniques to alter gene expression in mice allow direct analysis of the net role of a host factor in caries development. Towards this goal we first established protocols to induce and score caries in NFS/N mice and determined caries susceptibility in mice with targeted deletion of the gene encoding aquaporin-5 (Aqp5–/–), a water channel involved in the production of saliva. In the NFS/N strain of mice total sulcal caries and severity scores were consistent between experiments, whereas smooth surface caries scores were lower, more variable but distributed fairly evenly among the buccal, lingual and sulcal surfaces. In Black Swiss/129SvJ mice (genetic background of Aqp5–/– mice) caries scores were 50–75% lower compared to NFS/N mice, suggesting strain variation in caries susceptibility under our experimental conditions. In Aqp5–/– mice, in which the volume of total salivary secretion is reduced by 60–65%, there was a significant increase in caries, primarily on the buccal and sulcal surfaces. Results indicate that caries susceptibility increases with a reduced salivary flow that is associated with decreased water content of saliva.
Dividends: Publicly Listed Brazilian Companies’ Propensity to Pay or Not to Pay

We exploit a feature in Brazilian regulation that requires firms to pay a minimal dividend (depending on the firm’s bylaws and yearly income) to study the factors influencing firms to pay above minimum rates. Due to this fact we consider their desire to pay occurs only when they pay an amount higher than this minimum, otherwise it is their law or contractual obligation fulfillment. To this end, a logit model was employed to separate firms that pay their obligatory minimum (legal & contractual) from those that pay rates higher than the minimum and then a multiple regression model was used to test which variables influenced the firms in the second of these groups to pay higher dividends, analyzing a sample of 1118 dividend distributions from 2007 to 2011. It was found that the variables debt, investment, ownership concentration and stability of dividends policy influenced companies listed on the Brazilian stock exchange to pay higher remuneration rates than their obligatory minimums. This study contributes to understanding of the subject of dividends by focusing on the “extra” portion, meaning real decision to pay dividends. No legal and bylaws deep interpretation may bring us a misunderstanding of financial decisions.