Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The application and correlation of Pont’s Index to the facial framework of three main ethnic groups in Malaysia

Abstract Objective: To assess the applicability of Pont’s Index in a Malaysian population by obtaining baseline measurements of dental arch shape based on premolar arch width, molar arch width and the combined width of the maxillary incisors. A secondary aim was to determine whether a correlation exists between arch widths, Pont’s Index and the facial framework. Methods: Ninety subjects of mixed racial backgrounds had maxillary dental casts made, measured and selected craniofacial anthropometric measurements taken. Arch widths were compared between the measured and the predicted values derived from Pont’s formula. A comparative analysis was performed between interpremolar and intermolar widths and the craniofacial anthropometric measurements. Comparative statistics were applied. Results: The average interincisal measurement, interpremolar and intermolar widths were 30.31 ± 2.49 mm, 36.67 ± 2.50 mm and 45.21 ± 2.90 mm respectively. No significant differences were detected between the races. The interincisal measurement in males was significantly lower than for females but male intermolar width was significantly higher than for females. The average predicted interpremolar width (37.89 ± 3.11 mm) and intermolar widths (47.36 ± 3.89 mm) were higher than the actual measured means, suggesting that Pont’s Index overestimated interpremolar and intermolar widths in the majority of Malaysians. The premolar index (83.34) and molar index (67.71) of the Malaysians were higher than the original Pont’s Indices. Significant correlations were noted for intermolar width with facial width, mandibular width, mandibular depth and mouth width. Conclusion: The findings suggest that Pont’s Index should not be applied to the Malaysian population.
The Impact of Trade Liberalisation on Economic Growth in Switzerland

The objective of this study is to analyse the effect of trade liberalization on economic growth in Switzerland using annual data from 1990 to 2014. In doing so, the study incorporated Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and the Employment Rate (EMP) as additional variable to form a multivariate framework. The Auto-Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) test was used to test the existence of a long run relationship among the variables. The empirical findings indicated that Trade Openness had a positive and significant effect on economic growth in Switzerland. Thus, the study recommend that there is a need for the country to put strong initiative on adding value on her exports so as to compensate for imports.
Are Clusters Resilient? Evidence from Canadian Textile Industries

We investigate whether plants inside and outside geographic clusters differ in their resilience to adverse economic shocks. To this end, we develop a bottom-up procedure to delimit clusters using Canadian geocoded plant-level data. Focussing on the textile and clothing industries and exploiting the dramatic changes faced by that sector between 2001 and 2013, we find no evidence that plants in clusters are more resilient than plants outside clusters: they are neither less likely to die nor more likely to adapt by switching their main line of business. However, conditional on switching, plants in urbanized clusters are more likely to transition to services.
Essays in efficiency and productivity analysis under technology heterogeneity regimes

Το μεγαλύτερο κομμάτι του ενδιαφέροντος κάθε πλευράς της Ανάλυσης Αποτελεσματικότητας και Παραγωγικότητας κατά τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες έχει τοποθετηθεί στο να αναλυθούν οι μηχανισμοί και να αναγνωριστούν οι πηγές της ετερογένειας των υπό μελέτη μονάδων ώστε να εγγυηθούμε στον μεγαλύτερο δυνατό βαθμό πως η διαδικασία σύγκρισης θα συμβεί μεταξύ όμοιων μονάδων λήψης απόφασης. Σχετικά με τις πηγές ετερογένειας, έχουν αναζητηθεί μεταξύ του καθεστώτος ιδιοκτησίας της επιχείρησης, της ικανότητας διοίκησης, του μεγέθους της επιχείρησης, της τεχνολογίας παραγωγής στην οποία η μονάδα έχει πρόσβαση μεταξύ άλλων. Το τελευταίο θα μπορούσε να αποδοθεί στις πηγές, στους παράγοντες που είναι υπεύθυνοι για την διαφοροποίηση της παραγωγικότητας, τους κανονισμούς σχετικά με την διαδικασία παραγωγής και παρελθόντα επιτεύγματα τα οποία καθορίζουν σε ένα σημαντικό βαθμό τα μελλοντικά. Αυτοί οι παράγοντες έχουν ερευνηθεί υπό την ταμπέλα της τεχνολογικής ετερογένειας. Οι εμπειρικές μελέτες στο πεδίο της Ανάλυσης Αποτελεσματικότητας έχει επωφεληθεί από την εισαγωγή του μεταορίου σχεδόν μια δεκαετία πριν, το οποίο περικλείει όλα τα επιμέρους παραγωγικά όρια λαμβάνοντας υπόψη την τεχνολογική ετερογένεια στον μέγιστο δυνατό βαθμό μεταξύ των υπό εξέταση μονάδων εφόσον όλες συγκρίνονται ως προς ένα κοινό επίπεδο γνώσης, προσβάσιμο σε όλους. Η ανάλυση που παρουσιάζεται στην παρούσα διατριβή αναπτύσσεται γύρω από την ενδογένεια μεταξύ των μέτρων (παραγωγικής) αποδοτικότητας υπό τον στρεβλωτικό ρόλο της τεχνολογικής ετερογένειας σε όλη την έκταση της διαδικασίας σύγκρισης σημείων αναφοράς. Το φαινόμενο εξάρτησης διαδρομής και ο ρόλος των αρχικών συνθηκών μελετώνται αναλυτικά ενώ οι βασικές συνεισφορές αποτυπώνονται στην εισαγωγή διαφορετικών τύπων τεχνολογικής ετερογένειας, του τύπου ετερογένειας που αφορά στην ταυτότητα της μονάδας λήψης απόφασης (DSH τύπος) και του τύπου ετερογένειας που αποδίδεται στην τεχνολογική ιεραρχία (HSH τύπος), την ταυτοποίηση των μονάδων με ετερογένεια τύπου DSH μέσω ενός επαναληπτικού αλγορίθμου υπο διαφορετικές τεχνολογικές ιεραρχίες/δομές (HSH τύπος) ενώ διερευνείται και η ενδογενής σχέση μεταξύ των δύο τύπων ετερογένειας. Η τεχνολογική ετερογένεια αποτυπώνεται στο τεχνολογικό χάσμα μεταξύ των επιμέρους παραγωγικών ορίων και του μετα-ορίου διαβιβάζοντας (εισερχόμενα) φαινόμενα διάχυσης απο το μετα-οριο στα επιμέρους καθώς και (εξερχόμενα) φαινόμενα διάχυσης από τα επιμέρους στο μετα-όριο. Η μπλεγμένη σχέση μεταξύ της ενεργειακής αποτελεσματικότητας και της παραγωγικής αποτελεσματικότητας διερευνείται υπό εναλλακτικά καθεστώτα ανταγωνιστικότητας καθώς επίσης εξερευνείται και ο ρόλος της ικανότητας απορρόφησης γνώσης. Επιπλέον, λαμβένεται υπόψη η επίδραση της πολυδιάστατης τεχνολογικής ετερογένειας με σκοπό να μελετήθεί σε ποιο επίπεδο τεχνολογικής συσσωμάτωσης λαμβάνει χώρα η εκμάθηση.
Relationship between the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis and alcohol craving in alcohol-dependent patients: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND A relationship between some hypothalamic-pituitary-related hormones and craving for alcohol has been suggested, leading to hypothesize a role of some hormones in the neurobiology of alcohol dependence. Investigating this association in alcohol-dependent (AD) patients was the aim of this preliminary and exploratory study. METHODS Cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone, prolactin, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free T3, free T4, growth hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone as well as administering the Obsessive-Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) and Penn Alcohol Craving Scale (PACS) were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks in 25 current AD patients. Patients were treated with baclofen (10 mg t.i.d.) for these 12 weeks. Sixteen patients remained totally abstinent for 12 weeks. RESULTS At baseline, a significant inverse correlation was found between TSH and PACS (r = -0.46; p = 0.022) and OCDS scores (r = -0.53; p = 0.007). A significant direct correlation was found between free T3 and OCDS score (r = 0.44; p = 0.026). In the 16 abstinent patients, craving scores were significantly decreased at 12 weeks (p < 0.01). At 12 weeks, no significant correlation was found between TSH and craving, but free T3 remained directly correlated with OCDS score (r = 0.60; p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS A relationship between alcohol craving and free T3 and TSH was demonstrated in AD patients, suggesting the potential involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis in the neurobiology of alcohol craving.
Comprehensive comparison of FISH, RT‐PCR, and RQ‐PCR for monitoring the BCR‐ABL gene after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in CML

Abstract: The reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was compared with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR (RQ‐PCR) for minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring in 266 post‐transplant bone marrow samples from 78 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The sensitivities of FISH to BCR‐ABL positive samples determined by first‐round (1st) RT‐PCR, second‐round (2nd) RT‐PCR, and RQ‐PCR were 64.2%, 25.8%, and 20.7%, respectively. The BCR‐ABL/ABL ratio by RQ‐PCR had a mean of 0.000 13 in the 1st RT‐PCR‐negative samples and 1.42 in the 1st RT‐PCR‐positive samples (P<0.001), and means of 0.000 39 and 0.51 in the 2nd RT‐PCR‐negative and ‐positive samples (P< 0.001). The mean ratios of BCR‐ABL/ABL by RQ‐PCR were significantly different in N/N (1st/2nd RT‐PCR) or N/P and P/P (P<0.001), but not in N/N and N/P, which showed that the discriminative power of RQ‐PCR is confined to the 1st RT‐PCR level. In this respect, monitoring of the 1st RT‐PCR might be useful for estimating normalized BCR‐ABL levels after transplantation. Nested RT‐PCR was of limited use, as RQ‐PCR quantified the BCR‐ABL transcripts in 60 (91%) of 66 samples determined to be negative by 2nd RT‐PCR. FISH was significantly correlated with RQ‐PCR in FISH‐positive samples (n=24, r=0.79, P=0.001). An increase of FISH preceded that of RQ‐PCR in a few cases with molecular relapse. By analyzing a large number of samples post‐transplant, we found that RQ‐PCR might be the most useful assay for MRD monitoring; however, FISH and RT‐PCR were found to be useful complementary tools.
A linkage study of 12 IDDM susceptibility loci in the Finnish population

HLA region is the major locus (IDDM1) of type 1 diabetes (T1D) susceptibility. It explains approximately 50% of the genetic background of T1D, indicating additional genetic determinants. Genome scans and candidate gene studies have generated several chromosomal candidate regions that may have a role in T1D development.
Increased muscle interstitial levels of inflammatory cytokines in polymyalgia rheumatica.

OBJECTIVE Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is characterized by aching of the proximal muscles and increased blood levels of markers of inflammation. Despite the muscle complaints, the current view is that symptoms are caused by inflammation in synovial structures. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the disease mechanisms in symptomatic muscles by measuring interstitial levels of cytokines before and after prednisolone treatment. METHODS Twenty glucocorticoid-naive patients newly diagnosed as having PMR and 20 control subjects were studied before and after 14 days of prednisolone therapy (20 mg/day). Interstitial concentrations of interleukin-1α/β (IL-1α/β), IL-1 receptor antagonist, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 were measured in symptomatic vastus lateralis and trapezius muscles using the microdialysis technique. Plasma levels were measured simultaneously. RESULTS Prednisolone abolished symptoms in all of the PMR patients within 1-2 days; the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels were normalized on day 14. In both muscles, interstitial concentrations of all cytokines were markedly higher (P < 0.05) in the PMR patients than in the controls before treatment. In both patients and controls, interstitial levels of most cytokines were higher than plasma levels, with the exception of IL-1α and TNFα, which were lower in both groups. In the PMR patients, interstitial concentrations were normalized after prednisolone treatment. CONCLUSION This study introduces a novel view of PMR, indicating that increased interstitial levels of inflammatory cytokines in symptomatic muscles play a role in the pathophysiology of the disease and that cytokines may be released locally. To explore the disease specificity, similar studies in other primary inflammatory conditions are warranted.
Multiple exclusion homelessness and adult social care in England: Exploring the challenges through a researcher-practitioner partnership

This paper describes the early progress that is being made to implement the Care Act 2014 in England with regard to the care and support needs of people who are homeless. It outlines exploratory discussions that were generated through a series of interprofessional ‘community of practice’ meetings. These meetings highlighted practice challenges and emerging strategies to overcome them, from the perspective of both local authority social workers and homelessness practitioners. Three main themes emerged and we discuss these under context-related headings: (i) legal change, (ii) homelessness and (iii) the local authority as an organisation. In summary, homelessness practitioners spoke about efforts to become legally literate in order to support people who are homeless to access adult social care. They reported that they often encountered barriers or fragmented responses. Statutory social workers spoke about encountering homelessness as an atypical form of vulnerability and grappling with how their needs relate to the new eligibility framework alongside significant budgetary pressure. The findings link strongly with theoretical strands around the nature of legal literacy, constructions of vulnerability and the impact of austerity on ‘street-level bureaucracies’.
How do interest groups legitimate their policy advocacy? Reconsidering linkage and internal democracy in times of digital disruption

The ongoing embrace of interest groups as agents capable of addressing democratic deficits in governing institutions is in large part because they are assumed to contribute democratic legitimacy to policy processes. Nonetheless, they face the challenge of legitimating their policy advocacy in democratic terms, clarifying what makes them legitimate partners in governance. In this article we suggest that digital innovations have disrupted the established mechanisms of legitimation. While the impact of this disruption is most easily demonstrated in the rise of a small number of ‘digital natives’, we argue that the most substantive impact has been on more conventional groups, which typically follow legitimation logics of either representation or solidarity. While several legacy groups are experimenting with new legitimation approaches, the opportunities provided by technology seem to offer more organizational benefits to groups employing the logic of solidarity, and appear less compatible with the more traditional logic of representation.
Crystal structure of the BTB domain from the LRF/ZBTB7 transcriptional regulator

BTB‐zinc finger (BTB‐ZF) proteins are transcription regulators with roles in development, differentiation, and oncogenesis. In these proteins, the BTB domain (also known as the POZ domain) is a protein–protein interaction motif that contains a dimerization interface, a possible oligomerization surface, and surfaces for interactions with other factors, including nuclear co‐repressors and histone deacetylases. The BTB‐ZF protein LRF (also known as ZBTB7, FBI‐1, OCZF, and Pokemon) is a master regulator of oncogenesis, and represses the transcription of a variety of important genes, including the ARF, c‐fos, and c‐myc oncogenes and extracellular matrix genes. We determined the crystal structure of the BTB domain from human LRF to 2.1 Å and observed the canonical BTB homodimer fold. However, novel features are apparent on the surface of the homodimer, including differences in the lateral groove and charged pocket regions. The residues that line the lateral groove have little similarity with the equivalent residues from the BCL6 BTB domain, and we show that the 17‐residue BCL6 Binding Domain (BBD) from the SMRT co‐repressor does not bind to the LRF BTB domain.
Do people really want freedom of choice? Assessing preferences of pension holders

Reforms of private pension plans across the world are involving the introduction of more options for pension holders to make choices to suit their preferences. Freedom of choice is not, however, a unidimensional concept despite being commonly perceived as such by policymakers. Using a unique panel survey among Dutch employees, we offer a refined typology of preferences with respect to freedom of choice. For most pension contract issues—level of pension savings, investment choice, and risk coverage—a minority (14–26%) of participants value individual freedom of choice, whereas most would either prefer to let their pension fund make the decisions, or they favor a mixed model whereby they have the option to exercise individual choice but are not obligated to take this option, or they are simply indifferent with respect to how their pension contract is designed and financed. Pension holders who distrust their pension fund or who do not express solidarity with other participants are more likely to prefer freedom of choice than those who feel a high level of solidarity and have a high level of trust in their pension fund.
Medical violence (Yi Nao Phenomenon): Its past, present, and future

Violence against doctors is on the rise worldwide. Doctors are no more considered demigods or authorities in their field; on the one hand, where there is a valid reason for it because of the dilution in the field; however, on the other hand, the distrust is getting generalized to the whole community of physicians. Violence against them in any form is reprehensible. However, acts of violence in a hospital are the most extreme and should be dealt with an iron hand.
The effect of economic policy uncertainty on hotel room demand-evidence from Mainland Chinese and Japanese tourists in Taiwan

ABSTRACT This paper uses the Markov regime-switching model to explore the effect of economic policy uncertainty on Mainland Chinese and Japanese tourists’ room demands in Taiwanese international tourist hotels. Results show that Mainland Chinese and Japanese tourists tend to decrease their room demands in the trough period of Taiwan’s international tourist hotels due to the lack of certainty and limited knowledge about economic policy. Empirical evidence indicates that the hotel business is very sensitive to economic policy uncertainty.
Doing good while making money: Individual investor participation in socially responsible corporations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of exchange traded funds (ETFs) that hold corporate social responsibility (CSR) stocks and compare their risk-return characteristics with the market. Design/methodology/approach The authors use the Sharpe ratio and Jensen’s α from multivariate regressions to perform a multi-country study to examine how CSR-oriented ETFs perform against global, national, and regional market indexes. The authors examine paired groupings of each CSR-oriented ETF with its corresponding index after appropriate risk adjustments. Findings The authors find that CSR-oriented ETFs’ perform similar to their market indexes. Thus, individual investors can earn comparable returns while investing in CSR-oriented ETF, indicating that they can indeed do “good” while not missing out on returns. However, the authors also find that unlike the previously documented buffer effects that CSR-oriented firms enjoy, CSR-oriented ETFs do not outperform their market indexes during economic downturns. Thus, CSR-oriented ETFs are not safe havens for individual investors during times of economy-wide slumps. Research limitations/implications The main limitation of this study is its limited sample size. Because the authors use novel hand-collected data, the authors have 11 CSR-focused ETFs with their corresponding indexes. Originality/value To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that examines individual investor participation using CSR-oriented ETFs. The study is made possible by hand-collected data on CSR-related ETFs which identify in detail the composition of each of these ETFs, and the findings highlight how individual investors can promote CSR while also making sound investments.
Proper Processing of Avian Sarcoma/Leukosis Virus Capsid Proteins Is Required for Infectivity

ABSTRACT The formation of the mature carboxyl terminus of CA in avian sarcoma/leukemia virus is the result of a sequence of cleavage events at three PR sites that lie between CA and NC in the Gag polyprotein. The initial cleavage forms the amino terminus of the NC protein and releases an immature CA, named CA1, with a spacer peptide at its carboxyl terminus. Cleavage of either 9 or 12 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus creates two mature CA species, named CA2 and CA3, that can be detected in avian sarcoma/leukemia virus (R. B. Pepinsky, I. A. Papayannopoulos, E. P. Chow, N. K. Krishna, R. C. Craven, and V. M. Vogt, J. Virol. 69:6430–6438, 1995). To study the importance of each of the three CA proteins, we introduced amino acid substitutions into each CA cleavage junction and studied their effects on CA processing as well as virus assembly and infectivity. Preventing cleavage at any of the three sites produced noninfectious virus. In contrast, a mutant in which cleavage at site 1 was enhanced so that particles contained CA2 and CA3 but little detectable CA1 was infectious. These results support the idea that infectivity of the virus is closely linked to proper processing of the carboxyl terminus to form two mature CA proteins.
Eating disorder not otherwise specified: the view from a tertiary care treatment center.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to characterize a large number of adult outpatients diagnosed with eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS). METHOD The sample consisted of 1,449 patients who were classified as anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), or assigned to one of six EDNOS categories. Eating disorder groups were compared on demographic features, symptom frequencies, and psychological functioning. RESULTS Forty percent of the sample was categorized as EDNOS. A subgroup of purging only patients closely resembled the BN purging subtype. Although EDNOS subthreshold BN patients reported less psychopathology than full syndrome BN they, nevertheless, displayed clinical levels of disturbance. Patients who binge-eat once a week demonstrate a profile of psychological functioning similar to those who binge eat twice a week. CONCLUSION Consistent with previous research, in this sample there were subgroups embedded in the EDNOS category that both share similarities with and differ from full syndrome BN.
Principles of Marketing

Principles of Marketing takes a practical, managerial approach to marketing. Continuing with tradition, it is rich in topical examples and applications that show the major decisions that marketing managers face in their efforts to balance an organisation’s objectives and resources against needs and opportunities in the global marketplace. The Fourth Edition has changed to reflect marketing’s ever changing challenges. All preview cases, marketing insights and end of chapter cases are revised or completely changed to embrace the growth in e-commerce. In addition, recognising Europe’s internationalism and the growth of globalisation, examples and cases are drawn, not from Europe alone, but from the US, Japan, South-East Asia and Africa. This is suitable for any undergraduate or postgraduate undertaking an introductory course in marketing.