Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
U.S. sourcing from low-cost countries: A comparative analysis of supplier performance

SUMMARY Given the increase in sourcing from low-cost countries (LCCs), it is important to assess relative supplier performance across these regions. This work investigates the comparative performance of LCC suppliers on 14 operational indicators of international sourcing and supply chain performance. Using survey methods, the study addresses these two questions: (1) How do the LCC regions of Asia, the Western Hemisphere and Europe compare in terms of the 14 operational indicators? ; and (2) How do LCC nations within these three regions compare with regard to the 14 operational indicators? Perceived differences exist among the regions of Asia, the Western Hemisphere and Europe, as well as among the LCC nations of these three regions. However, no one region outperforms the others, and no one nation outperforms the others, on all 14 operational indicators investigated. Accordingly, this study also identifies the key areas of comparative advantage and disadvantage that each LCC region and each LCC nation presents in its relationship with U.S. buying firms.
Barriers and challenges of collaborative procurements: An exploratory study

Abstract The construction industry has been notorious for its poor performance and confrontational disputes. This is arguably attributed to the competitive nature of the traditional design–bid–build procurement approach where various stakeholders have different perspectives. Interest has been growing in the adoption of collaborative procurement approach where all participating parties are encouraged to cooperate and collaborate towards efficient project delivery. Although numerous studies have been conducted on collaborative procurement, most of them primarily focused on the positive side of collaborative procurement without due consideration of the barriers and challenges for its successful application. To address this lack, this paper aims to present a comprehensive understanding of collaborative procurement. Specifically, the paper investigates current practices of collaborative procurement in Australia, particularly focusing on the barriers and challenges. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 industry professionals and the interview results identified commercial-related barriers (e.g., facilitating market entry of competitors, loss of control, protection of intellectual property, complexity of framework, systems and practices, and loss of identity) as well as human-related barriers (e.g., trust, understating or commitment). The likelihood of successful implementation of collaborative procurements will be enhanced if these challenges and barriers are taken into consideration from a very early stage of the project
An Alternative Approach to the Prevention of Succinyldicholine-Induced Apnoea

Succinyldithiocholine was utilized as a substrate analogue of succinyldicholine to study normal and atypical serum pseudocholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8). In the method, the enzyme acts on succinyldithiocholine to release thiocholine, which reacts with 5,5'-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) to produce a coloured compound with maximal absorbance at 410 nm. The procedure appears to be precise (between-day analysis gives a coefficient of variation between 1.1 and 3.7%) and amenable to automation, permitting routine use in any laboratory. The reference interval for 300 healthy adults with "usual" cholinesterase genotype was estimated to be 34-77 U/l, with a significant difference between males and females (40-78 U/l for men and 33-76 U/l for women, p less than 0.01). The median activity in 105 individuals with "heterozygous" cholinesterase genotype was 22 U/l (range 5-35 U/l), and for 14 "atypical" homozygotes 1.5 U/l (range 1-4 U/l). The assay with succinyldithiocholine may offer a direct procedure for preoperative screening of individuals with an abnormal response to the muscle relaxant succinyldicholine, thus avoiding the determination of genotype by measurement of inhibitor numbers.
Cytologic features of meningiomas on crush preparations: A review

Meningiomas are rarely subjected to aspiration, however, since they may occur outside the central nervous system, it is important to recognize their cytologic features. The goal of this study was to examine the cytologic features of meningiomas in crush preparations and cytologic imprints prepared at the time of frozen section. A total of 97 cases of meningiomas evaluated intraoperatively by frozen section with concomitant crush preparation and cytologic imprint were reviewed to assess their cytologic features. The cytologic features of meningiomas identified in our study are cohesive syncitial clusters of cells with ill‐defined boundaries. The nuclei are oval and may be eccentrically placed, along with small central nucleoli. The cytologic features may not reflect the histologic subtype. The psammomatous variant can however be easily recognized in touch preps/imprints. The presence of nuclear anaplasia, macronucleoli, mitotic activity, and sheet‐like growth may suggest an atypical meningioma. In conclusion, the cytologic features identified would be helpful in diagnosis of meningiomas, especially in unusual locations. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:202–206. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High incidence of positive peritoneal cytology in low-risk endometrial cancer treated by laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE Laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) has evolved into an alternative form of surgical management in the treatment of low-risk endometrial cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine whether low-risk endometrial cancer patients are subject to a higher incidence of positive peritoneal cytology when treated with LAVH compared to total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH). METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with low-risk endometrial cancer (grade 1--2 endometrioid type with no evidence of extrauterine spread or grade 3 with <50% myometrial invasion (MI), no cervical or adnexal involvement, and negative lymph nodes when sampled) treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from January 1993 to September 1999. We compared 131 patients treated with LAVH to 246 controls who underwent TAH. The two groups were compared for known prognostic factors including grade, MI, vascular space involvement, and lower uterine segment extension. RESULTS The mean age of patients who underwent LAVH (61 years) was similar to that of the controls (62 years). Fourteen (10.3%) of the patients treated with LAVH had positive peritoneal cytology compared to only 7 (2.8%) of the control population. Factors including FIGO grade, myometrial invasion, and preoperative hysteroscopy did not influence the final results. When stratifying for these factors, the odds ratios of having positive peritoneal washings in those patients treated by LAVH were 5.2, 5.2, and 3.7, respectively. CONCLUSION Treatment of low-risk endometrial cancer by LAVH is associated with a significantly higher incidence of positive peritoneal cytology. This may be due to the retrograde dissemination of cancer cells into the peritoneal cavity during uterine manipulation. The clinical significance of these findings is yet to be determined.
A common mutation (epsilon1267delG) in congenital myasthenic patients of Gypsy ethnic origin.

OBJECTIVE Mutation analysis of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) epsilon subunit gene in patients with sporadic or autosomal recessive congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS). BACKGROUND The nicotinic AChR of skeletal muscle is a neurotransmitter-gated ion channel that mediates synaptic transmission at the vertebrate neuromuscular junction. Mutations in its gene may cause congenital myasthenic syndromes. A recently described mutation in exon 12 of the AChR epsilon subunit (epsilon1267delG) disrupts the cytoplasmic loop and the fourth transmembrane region (M4) of the AChR epsilon subunit. METHODS Forty-three CMS patients from 35 nonrelated families were clinically classified as sporadic cases of CMS (group III according to European Neuromuscular Centre consensus) and were analyzed for epsilon1267delG by PCR amplification and sequence analysis. RESULTS The authors report the complete genomic sequence and organization of the gene coding for the epsilon subunit of the human AChR (accession number AF105999). Homozygous epsilon1267delG was identified in 13 CMS patients from 11 independent families. All epsilon1267delG families were of Gypsy or southeastern European origin. Genotype analysis indicated that they derive from a common ancestor (founder) causing CMS in the southeastern European Gypsy population. Phenotype analysis revealed a uniform pattern of clinical features including bilateral ptosis and mild to moderate fatigable weakness of ocular, facial, bulbar, and limb muscles. CONCLUSIONS The mutation epsilon1267delG might be frequent in European congenital myasthenic syndrome patients of Gypsy ethnic origin. In general, patients (epsilon1267delG) were characterized by the onset of symptoms in early infancy, the presence of ophthalmoparesis, positive response to anticholinesterase treatment, and the benign natural course of the disease.
The Medical and Surgical Treatment of ARCO Stage-I and II Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: A Critical Analysis Review

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head, previously referred to as avascular or aseptic necrosis, is a progressive disease of young adults that produces considerable morbidity. Approximately 15,000 to 20,000 new cases of osteonecrosis of the femoral head are diagnosed every year in the United States1. Bilateral disease is present in 42% to 72% of cases2,3 and, without treatment, 59% of asymptomatic cases will progress to femoral head collapse4. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has improved the rate of early detection of osteonecrosis of the femoral head, providing orthopaedic surgeons with time to intervene prior to end-stage joint destruction. Furthermore, an improved understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in osteonecrosis of the femoral head has led to the evaluation of preexisting medical therapies that halt and potentially reverse disease progression. The purposes of the present review are (1) to provide an overview of the current understanding of the development of osteonecrosis of the femoral head, (2) to review the presentation, diagnosis, and classification of precollapse osteonecrosis of the femoral head (Association Research Circulation Osseous [ARCO] stage-I and II osteonecrosis), and (3) to provide evidence-based recommendations based on the …
Reexamining the link between employee satisfaction and store performance in a retail environment

Purpose – This research seeks to examine the generalizability/robustness of the findings in an exploratory study of the service‐profit chain using data from another Western European retailer operating in the same business sector.Design/methodology/approach – This study applies correlation and regression analyses on data gathered from 38,513 employee surveys from 107 grocery “superstore” locations to explore the link between employee satisfaction and business performance.Findings – The findings differ significantly from those of the exploratory study. When looking at the relationship between employee satisfaction and store profitability, the correlation is found to be effectively zero. When controlling for the size of store, however, the relationship is found to be positive.Research limitations/implications – The results are based on cross‐sectional employee satisfaction data.Originality/value – The original findings have received considerable exposure, being published first in the International Journal of.
Flexible LNG Supply and Gas Market Integration: A Simulation Approach for Valuing the Market Arbitrage Option

INTRODUCTION Global natural gas markets are in transition. Steady growth in gas consumption has outpaced indigenous regional supplies in key gas markets such as the U.K. and the U.S., and declining costs of liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport is drawing massive investment in new liquefaction, ships and regasification facilities to serve growing markets for gas imports. LNG transport is not a new technology; however the institutional system that has governed its trade is undergoing rapid change. Until fairly recently, the LNG trade structure functioned more like floating pipelines than other shipbased transport systems. LNG tankers moved almost exclusively on fixed routes defined by destination clauses in the gas sales and purchase agreements. Under these rigid longterm contracts, each segment in the LNG chain—liquefaction, ships, and regasification— was scaled to match long-term contractual flows between a specific supplier and gas buyer.
Spectroscopic characterization of laser-induced tin plasma

Optical emission spectroscopic studies have been carried out on a tin plasma generated using 1064-nm, 8-ns pulses from a Nd:yttrium aluminum garnet laser. Temperature and density were estimated from the analysis of spectral data. The temperature measurements have been performed by Boltzmann diagram method using singly ionized Sn lines, while density measurements were made using the Stark broadening method. An initial temperature of 3.2 eV and density of 7.7×1017cm−3 were measured. Temporal and spatial behaviors of electron temperature and density in the laser-generated tin plasma have been analyzed. Time evolutions of density and temperature are found to decay adiabatically at early times. The spatial variation of density shows approximately 1∕z dependence. The time-integrated temperature exhibits an appreciable rise at distances greater than 7 mm. This may be caused by the deviation from local thermodynamic equilibrium at larger distances from the target surface.
Confocal laser scanning microscopic investigation of ultrasonic, sonic, and rotary sealer placement techniques

Background: Sealers are used to attain an impervious seal between the core material and root canal walls. Aim: To compare the depth and percentage of sealer penetration with three different placement techniques using confocal laser scanning microscopy as the evaluative tool. Materials and Methods: Root canals of 30 single-rooted teeth were prepared to a size of F3 and AH plus sealer with Rhodamine B was applied with Ultlrasonic file (Gr-1), lentulospiral (Gr-2), and Endoactivator (Gr-3). Canals were obturated with gutta-percha. The roots were sectioned at the 3 and 6-mm levels from the apical foramen and were examined on a confocal microscope. Results: A statistical significant differences among Gr-1, Gr-2, and Gr-3 were found at the 3 and 6-mm level (P < 0.05; ANOVA-Tukey tests) for the depth and percentage of sealer penetration except for Gr-1 and Gr-2 at 3-mm level. Gr-1 showed maximum mean depth of penetration (810 μm) and maximum mean percentage of sealer penetration (64.5) while Gr-3 showed minimum mean depth of penetration (112.7 μm) and minimum mean percentage of sealer penetration (26.7). Conclusion: Depth and percentage of penetration of sealer is influenced by the type of placement technique and by the root canal level with penetration decreasing apically.
Hemophagocytic Histiocytic Sarcoma in a Japanese Black Cow

At necropsy, an 11-year-old Japanese Black cow with anemia, leukocytopenia, and progressive hind limb ataxia had marked diffuse splenomegaly and multiple masses in the thoracic vertebrae. Histologically, neoplastic erythrophagocytic histiocytes were in the splenic red pulp, vertebral masses, and blood vessels of the liver and lungs. The spinal cord was compressed by the vertebral masses. Clinicopathological, macroscopic, and histologic findings were consistent with hemophagocytic histiocytic sarcoma. Vertebral involvement with spinal cord compression and resultant hind limb ataxia is an unusual presentation for this tumor, which has been described mainly in dogs and cats.
Betrayal? Relationship quality implications in service recovery

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether high quality relationships buffer or magnify the negative impact of a failed service recovery on subsequent consumer attitudes and behaviors.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 264 online shoppers were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Respondents were asked to imagine themselves in a hypothetical failed service recovery scenario involving a multi‐channel retailer with whom they shop.Findings – Results from a MANCOVA analysis and SEM modeling indicate that, following a failed service recovery incident, high quality relationships present a challenge for the service provider. In accordance with the hypotheses, consumers with a high level of relationship quality will decrease their repurchase intentions to a greater extent; more strongly and negatively adjust their overall relationship quality; and react to the service recovery effort less favorably than those with lower levels of relationship quality.Research limitations/implications – .
Store Brands and the Role of Advertising

Store brands are products over which a retailer (rather than a manufacturer) takes certain strategic decisions; we study the incentives of a retailer to advertise its store brands. We use detailed data on the British grocery market to document the considerable variation in store brand penetration across product categories and retailers. We develop a model that relates the pricing and advertising decisions of retailers and manufacturers to primitive characteristics of the category, and in particular the way that advertising affects consumer demand. We present empirical evidence that is consistent with several predictions from the model.
Ultrastructural and cytochemical study of neurones in the rat dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus after axon crush

The cell populations in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMNV) of the rat were studied by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, including retrograde labeling with horseradish peroxidase and histochemical demonstration of the distribution of the activity of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase (AcChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Two types of neurones were observed: 1) Larger Type A cells, which stain for both AcChE and BuChE and which project into the vagus nerve trunk, and 2) smaller Type B cells, which stain lightly for AcChE but not for BuChE and which do not project into the vagus nerve.
Detectable tumor cells in the blood and bone marrow

Identifying which patients with clinically localized (T1–3N0M0) prostate carcinoma will develop metastatic disease after seemingly successful local therapy(ies) is an area of active investigation. It would appear, based on time course studies and what is known regarding the growth kinetics of prostate carcinoma, that in those who do develop metastases, dissemination already has occurred by the time local therapies are administered. Recognizing this, a number of groups have proposed predictive models to identify patients likely to fail systemically a priori, with the aim of integrating combined modality approaches to address the systemic components of the disease before it manifests clinically. Proposed treatment predictive factors include parameters such as T classification, Gleason score, and prostate specific antigen (PSA), morphometric parameters such as nuclear roundness, and biologic determinants such as ploidy, vascularity, E-cadherin, or p53. –10 The detection of epithelial cells in the circulating mononuclear fraction of the blood using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technologies with primers to PSA or prostate specific membrane antigen (PSM) have been proposed as possible parameters that may add predictive power for a number of clinically relevant outcomes and alter treatment selection. It is based on the concept that detectable mRNA for PSA and PSM is unlikely to be from a nonprostatic cell, and that the mRNA would be degraded if the “circulating cell” was not intact. Associations between “detectability” or “no detectability” have been made with outcomes that include: organ confined versus nonorgan confined disease at prostatectomy, negative versus positive surgical margins, and the probability of a PSA recurrence free survival. The technique also has been used to study the fluid in the surgical field to assess tumor spillage or persistence and to detect micrometastatic disease in lymph nodes removed at radical prostatectomy. Unfortunately, the incremental predictive value, if any, of using a PCR-based detection strategy is not well characterized, and at this point testing cannot be recommended for routine clinical applications. This is due to many factors including the sporadic nature of shedding cells, the sensitivity and specificity of the assay, the lack of standardization of the procedure across laboratories, uncertainty as to the effects of instrumentation (ultra394
The Effects of Financial Capability on Financial Stress: Focusing on Community Welfare Center Users

This study investigated the effects of financial capability on financial stress reduction focusing on community welfare center users in South Korea. For empirical analysis, the study conducted a survey in 6 community welfare centers located in Seoul, Gyunggi, and Choongnam area from January to March 2014. The survey questions included information on financial stress as well as some factors that are expected to influence financial stress such as income, expense, financial literacy, financial management competency, and self-esteem. This study analyzed total of 204 survey results using structural equation model and yielded the following result. First, financial management competency had the biggest influence on financial stress, followed by income, expense, and self- esteem. Second, enhancement of financial literacy appears to contribute to financial stress reduction by improving self-esteem through strengthening financial management competency. In conclusion, these results indicate that financial capability-building programs such as financial education and counseling can contribute significantly to financial stress reduction among community welfare center users.
Trend Analysis of Medical Publications About LGBT Persons: 1950–2007

Although there are currently at least 6 million lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in the United States, there are no prior studies analyzing how this group is represented in the medical literature. An examination of published LGBT topics over a 57-year period was performed using OvidSP. A total of 21,728 publications was analyzed for topic using information from the title, keywords, subject headings, and abstracts. Several trends became apparent. The largest proportion of LGBT publications (31.78%) was devoted to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), yet there was an overall lack of emphasis on general health topics or common causes of mortality. Further analysis showed that if publications on HIV/AIDS or STIs addressed sexual orientation, they were more likely to be about LGBT persons than heterosexuals. Overall, the volume and range of medical publications on LGBT persons may not be reflective of the health care needs of this population.
A Structure-Conduct-Performance Perspective of How Strategic Supply Chain Integration Affects Firm Performance

type="main" xml:id="jscm12064-abs-0001"> There are several factors that affect a firm's ability to successfully integrate internally and externally for organizational improvement. This study seeks to understand the relationship between a firm's strategy, its supply chain integration efforts, and firm performance. Leveraging the theoretical lens of structure–conduct–performance from the industrial organization economics literature, and utilizing both archival and survey data, we describe how firms may align their internal and external supply chain integration strategies with customers and suppliers. In doing so, these internal and external integration strategies affect the firm's ability to respond to customer demand, which then impacts operational and financial performance. Our work provides theoretical and empirical evidence of these relationships and thus extends prior strategic supply chain integration literature.