Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Geographic distribution of rare variants associated with age-related macular degeneration

Purpose A recent genome-wide association study by the International Age-related Macular Degeneration Genomics Consortium (IAMDGC) identified seven rare variants that are individually associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of vision loss in the elderly. In literature, several of these rare variants have been reported with different frequencies and odds ratios across populations of Europe and North America. Here, we aim to describe the representation of these seven AMD-associated rare variants in different geographic regions based on 24 AMD studies. Methods We explored the occurrence of seven rare variants independently associated with AMD (CFH rs121913059 (p.Arg1210Cys), CFI rs141853578 (p.Gly119Arg), C3 rs147859257 (p.Lys155Gln), and C9 rs34882957 (p.Pro167Ser)) and three non-coding variants in or near the CFH gene (rs148553336, rs35292876, and rs191281603) in 24 AMD case-control studies. We studied the difference in distribution, interaction, and effect size for each of the rare variants based on the minor allele frequency within the different geographic regions. Results We demonstrate that two rare AMD-associated variants in the CFH gene (rs121913059 [p.Arg1210Cys] and rs35292876) deviate in frequency among different geographic regions (p=0.004 and p=0.001, respectively). The risk estimates of each of the seven rare variants were comparable across the geographic regions. Conclusions The results emphasize the importance of identifying population-specific rare variants, for example, by performing sequencing studies in case-control studies of various populations, because their identification may have implications for diagnostic screening and personalized treatment.
Maximizing impact of investments into purchasing and supply management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically evaluate the effect of resources and capabilities in purchasing and supply management (PSM) on operational performance. Specifically, to examine whether managers who neglect investments into key knowledge‐driven PSM resources will be foregoing the opportunity for a higher performance return from their core supplier‐related capabilities.Design/methodology/approach – Based on an international cross‐industry survey of 273 major companies, two conceptual models grounded in the resource‐based view (RBV) theory are analyzed for moderation and mediation effects, and provide both researchers and practitioners with means of determining targets for investment prioritization. The models are tested using multiple regression techniques and structural equation modeling.Findings – The authors' findings suggest that the impact of supply base practices on operational performance is stronger in firms where more advanced PSM resources are deployed; and that these improve.
Risk and Return in Hedge Funds and Funds of Hedge Funds: A Cross-Sectional Approach

The objective of this paper is to examine whether the available data on hedge funds (HFs) and funds-of-hedge funds (FOHFs) can reveal the risk-return trade-off and, if so, to find the best risk measure that captures the cross-sectional variation in HF and FOHF returns. Using the “live funds” and the “dead funds” datasets provided by Hedge Fund Research Inc. (HFR), I concentrate on alternative risk measures such as semi-deviation, VaR, expected shortfall and tail risk and compare them with standard deviation in terms of their ability to describe the cross-sectional variation in expected returns of HFs and FOHFs.
Mission critical publish-subscribe performance modeling using linear algebraic and classical methods

Modeling Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Publish-Subscribe (Pub/Sub) message patterns using queueing models is challenging for several reasons. Most queueing models assume a work conserving approach where a pass-thru server does not create jobs. However in the Pub-Sub message pattern, a message can be duplicated at any message node along the route to be delivered to a different destinations, forming a tree type distribution. Also, most analytic performance models of large networks make simplifying assumptions for the arrival and service processes to keep the models tractable. These assumptions may affect the accuracy of the model significantly. In this work, we construct analytic and simulation performance models for Pub/Sub messaging systems. The analytic performance model which uses Linear Algebraic Queueing Theory (LAQT) is both scalable, reasonably accurate with low to medium utilization, and enables interesting and important new research directions like the study of correlation in traffic flows across a network. Matrix-Exponential distributions are used to model general arrival and service processes (Gi/G/1). A second analytic model constructed is a variation of the classic model Queueing Network Analyzer (QNA) with customer creation for Pub/Sub. Finally, we use a simulation model both to validate the QNA and LAQT models. We test these models on a network of 9 nodes with up to 12 products.
Effects of Temperature and Supply Voltage on SEU- and SET-Induced Errors in Bulk 40-nm Sequential Circuits

The single-event sensitivity of bulk 40-nm sequential circuits is investigated as a function of temperature and supply voltage. An overall increase in SEU cross section versus temperature is observed at relatively high supply voltages. However, at low supply voltages, there is a threshold temperature beyond which the SEU cross section decreases with further increases in temperature. Single-event transient induced errors in flip-flops also increase versus temperature at relatively high supply voltages and are more sensitive to temperature variation than those caused by single-event upsets.
The economic boom, population and structural change and the market for tradespersons

The economic boom concentrated attention on skill shortages in Australia and their role in preventing the economy from reaching its full potential level of output and putting pressure on inflation. This paper concentrates on the extent to which the supply of tradespersons has adjusted to changed economic conditions and the regional dimension of these supply changes. While there is much anecdotal evidence on the regional dimension of skill shortages this has mainly focused on flows of labour into the resource-rich states of Western Australia and Queensland but there is no comprehensive analysis of the extent of the regional distribution of skilled labour, such as tradespersons, or the extent of changes in the population of tradespersons between regions as the economy as a whole and particular regions have experienced significant economic growth. This study uses mainly data from the Censuses of Population and Housing. The main finding of this paper is while socio economic factors affect the decision of tradespersons as to where to live and work, these effects appear limited. And while ever the issue of labour shortages for tradespersons exists, targeted immigration will have a role to play in reducing these deficiencies.
Identity, identification, and relationship through social alliances

The authors studied social alliances, a type of corporate societal marketing initiative. Their research finds that social alliances are an important means whereby employees identify more closely with their organizations while gaining a greater sense of being whole, integrated persons. Furthermore, this integration allows both organizations and their members to align their commercial identities with their moral and social identities. As organizational members struggled to resolve conflicts within their own identities, they were aided by social alliances, which in turn led them to identify more with their organizations. Unlike previous research, the findings suggest that the kind of connections referred to by the informants went well beyond the cold, rational associations described in previous research to emotional attachments that appear to be critical to organizational identification. The results also suggest that participation in social alliances may result in multiple forms of identification: intra- and interorganiza-tion identification.
Cellular Internalization of Exosomes Occurs Through Phagocytosis

Exosomes play important roles in many physiological and pathological processes. However, the exosome–cell interaction mode and the intracellular trafficking pathway of exosomes in their recipient cells remain unclear. Here, we report that exosomes derived from K562 or MT4 cells are internalized more efficiently by phagocytes than by non‐phagocytic cells. Most exosomes were observed attached to the plasma membrane of non‐phagocytic cells, while in phagocytic cells these exosomes were found to enter via phagocytosis. Specifically, they moved to phagosomes together with phagocytic polystyrene carboxylate‐modified latex beads (biospheres) and were further sorted into phagolysosomes. Moreover, exosome internalization was dependent on the actin cytoskeleton and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase, and could be inhibited by the knockdown of dynamin2 or overexpression of a dominant‐negative form of dynamin2. Further, antibody pretreatment assays demonstrated that tim4 but not tim1 was involved in exosomes uptake. We also found that exosomes did not enter the internalization pathway involving caveolae, macropinocytosis and clathrin‐coated vesicles. Our observation that the cellular uptake of exosomes occurs through phagocytosis has important implications for exosome–cell interactions and the exosome intracellular trafficking pathway.
Factors Influencing Smartphone Repurchase

This study is an early attempt to deal with the issue of the long-term performance of smartphones in the Thai market by focusing on the construct of the repeat purchase of these products. The adult users of smartphones are interviewed. The results from the multiple regression analysis reveal that brand reputation, aesthetic value or the beauty of the design, and economic value or fair price, are positively correlated with the repurchase of smartphones, whereas learning about new technologies such as smartphones is negatively correlated with smartphone repurchase.
Early experience with novel immunomodulators for cancer treatment

Immunotherapy involves the treatment of cancer by modification of the host–tumour relationship. It is now known that this relationship is quite complex and only some of the interactions have been elucidated. Early attempts at immunotherapy, such as Coley's toxins, were undertaken without an understanding of the processes mediating the effects. With a better understanding of the immunology of this anticancer response, recent trials have focussed on certain aspects of the process to stimulate an antitumour response. In this review, the authors discuss a number of novel biological response modifiers that work as general stimulants of the immune system, through varied mechanisms including induction of stimulatory cytokines (such as IFN-α, TNF-α and IL-12) and activation of T cells and the antigen-presenting dendritic cells. These compounds include Toll-like receptor agonists, several of which are in clinical trials at present. In addition to immunomodulatory activity, some compounds such as 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA) and thalidomide and its analogues also target existing or developing tumour vasculature. Some of these compounds have single-agent activity in clinical trials, while others such as DMXAA have shown promise in combination with chemotherapy without increasing toxicity. Lactoferrin is another compound that has shown clinical activity with low toxicity. At present, accepted indications for immunotherapy are limited to a few cancers such as renal cell carcinoma and melanoma. This paper looks at some of the reasons for the limited impact of immunotherapy so far and suggest possible avenues for further research with a greater likelihood of success.
Two-stage high gain low power OpAmp with current buffer compensation

This paper presents the classic two stage CMOS opamp design by employing the current buffer compensation strategy. The designed low power opamp produces an open loop gain above 78 dB, an improved gain-bandwidth product (GBW) 5.82 MHz with an adequate pahse margin of 63.9° in 0.35 μm CMOS technology. The circuit is operated at the single supply voltage of 3.3V with power dissipation of 144.3 μW and an enhanced offset voltage of only 61.5 μV compare to 318 μV offset in [7].
Management’s perception of total quality service in the banking sector of a developing economy – a critical analysis

There is considerable lack of literature with respect to service industry management, especially in the banking industry of developing economies. Attempts to bridge this gap. Critically examines the banking industry in a developing nation – India. Investigates the discrepancies among the various groups of banks in India with respect to the total quality service (TQS) dimensions (from the perspective of the management). The results indicate that the three groups of banks in India seem to vary significantly. Identifies the dimensions that contribute most to discriminating between the groups. Also computes and analyses the total quality service indices with respect to the 12 dimensions for the three groups of banks and for the banking industry as a whole and in order to ascertain the level of TQS implementation in the Indian banking scene. Offers key insights on the criticality of the different TQS dimensions with respect to the banking sector in developing economies.
Vitamins A, E and fatty acid composition of the eggs of caged hens and pastured hens

Abstract In the US farmers often market pastured poultry eggs for a premium price, claiming animal and human health benefits. We examined how moving pastured hens to forage legumes or mixed grasses influenced hen (Gallus gallus L.) egg omega-3 fatty acids and concentrations of vitamins A and E. We also compared the eggs of the pastured hens to those of hens fed a commercial diet in cages. We used a cross-over design to compare pasture species: 75 sister hens were assigned to one of three pasture treatment groups: (1) alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), (2) red and white clover (Trifolium pretense L. and Trifolium repens L.) or (3) mixed cool season grasses. Groups were rotated to all three pasture treatments, each for 2 weeks and supplemented with 70 g commercial hen mash bird−1 day−1. Pasture botanical composition, forage mass, leaf to total ratio and plant fatty acid composition were compared among pasture treatments. Eggs of the pastured hens were compared to eggs of 50 sister hens that were fed only commercial hen mash in cages for the entire 6 weeks. Forage parameters varied somewhat, but did not explain plant linolenic acid variation. Seventeen of the 18 quantified egg fatty acids, and vitamin A concentrations did not (P<0.05) differ among the three pasture treatment groups. Eggs of the hens that foraged grasses had 23% more (P<0.0001) vitamin E than eggs of hens that foraged clover. Compared to eggs of the caged hens, pastured hens' eggs had twice as much vitamin E and long-chain omega-3 fats, 2.5-fold more total omega-3 fatty acids, and less than half the ratio of omega-6:omega-3 fatty acids (P<0.0001). Vitamin A concentration was 38% higher (P<0.05) in the pastured hens' eggs than in the caged hens' eggs, but total vitamin A per egg did not differ. At the end of the experiment, pastured hens weighed 14% less and averaged 15% lower hen-day egg production than caged birds (P<0.0001). Results suggest that grass pastures may enhance vitamin E in eggs of pastured hens more than clover, and pastured hens supplemented with commercial mash will produce eggs with significantly more vitamin E and total omega-3 fatty acids compared to eggs from caged hens fed only commercial hen mash. Pastured hens may have lower body weight and egg production than caged hens, unless they are supplemented adequately to meet their dietary energy and crude protein needs.
Effects of exposure to polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) from conception on growth, and development of endocrine, neurochemical, and cognitive measures in 60 day old rats.

Industrially employed PCB has caused wide-spread environmental contamination through improper disposal and has been associated with detrimental physiological states in exposed organisms, including depressed body weight, food consumption, and circulating levels of T4 and T3. Previously, the activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the basal forebrain and hippocampus was shown to be depressed in young rats exposed to the PCB diet from the time of conception. The present study measured the neurochemical effects of similar PCB exposure in older (i.e., 60 day old) rats, and examined possible restoration of PCB-induced deficits by removing PCB at weaning (28 days). Possible PCB-induced impairment of memory was also evaluated with a radial arm maze. Findings included a significant depression of circulating levels of T4 in all treatment groups with the most profound depression seen in rats continuously fed PCB. Also, T3 levels and relative thyroid weights were not found to be severely depressed. The ChAT activity in both the basal forebrain and hippocampus was not different from control in all treatment groups. It appears that the effect of PCB on thyroxine is persistent, but its influence on ChAT activity is not. However, modest memory deficits were observed despite normal ChAT activity. Average number of working memory errors per test session in the maze increased in a dose-dependent manner across treatment groups.
Retail Gasoline Markets as Networks

The structure of a gasoline market can be an important element in the pricing choices of its participants. However, structure is often measured only indirectly by, for example, the number of independent sellers, or by seller density. Here we present a more direct and literal way of exploring market structure by representing it as a network. We use the structure of the network to delineate submarkets and present some measures from mathematical sociology which can be used to summarise aspects of network structure for use in further analysis. Although our case study here is in retail gasoline markets, the approach has broader application wherever spatial competition is important.
Emotional Intelligence in Marketing Exchanges

This research examines how sales professionals use emotions in marketing exchanges to facilitate positive outcomes for their firms, themselves, and their customers. The authors conduct three field studies to examine the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) in marketing exchanges on sales performance and customer relationships. They find that EI is positively related to performance of real estate and insurance agents, even when controlling for the effects of domain-general EI, self-report EI, cognitive ability, and several control variables. Sales professionals with higher EI are not only superior revenue generators but also better at retaining customers. In addition, the authors demonstrate that EI interacts with key marketing exchange variables—customer orientation and manifest influence—to heighten performance such that high-EI salespeople more effectively employ customer-oriented selling and influence customer decisions. Finally, the results indicate a complementary relationship between EI and cognitive ability in that EI positively influences performance at higher levels of cognitive ability. These findings have implications for improving interactions between buyers and sellers and for employee selection and training.
An analysis of director interlocks on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange

Director interlocks, which occur when companies have directors in common, have concerned shareholders, the public and legislators since the early 1900s. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the interlocking directorships of the Top 40 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange using small world theory and compare the results to research on interlocks in Italian, French, German, United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US) companies. South Africa was found to be closest to Italy, between the low-density models of the UK and the US, and the significantly higher-density models of Germany and France. This suggests that rather than just the two models (low density and high density), there is a continuum currently reflected with the UK and the US at one end, then South Africa and Italy, and then France and Germany at the other end. The presence of directors with multiple directorships indicates that the threats and benefits associated with multiple directorships may exist in South Africa.
Robust speech recognition using cepstral domain missing data techniques and noisy masks

Missing data techniques (MDT) have been shown to be an effective method for curing the performance degradation of HMM-based speech recognition systems operating on noisy signals. However, a major drawback of the approach is that MDT requires that the acoustic model be expressed as a mixture of diagonal Gaussians in the log-spectral domain, whereas a higher accuracy can be obtained with Gaussian mixtures in the cepstral domain. The paper describes a recognizer based on the recently described cepstral-domain MDT approach using missing data masks computed from the noisy signal. It exploits a novel decision criterion that integrates harmonicity with signal-to-noise ratio and which makes minimal assumptions on the noise. The system is shown to exhibit a recognition accuracy that is comparable to the ETSI advanced front-end reference.
Green Value: A New Dimension of Customer Perceived Values

Dimensions of customer perceived values from green products has been explored.We suggest that customer perceive five values from green cosmetics.Those values are functional value,emotional value,social value,perceived sacrifices and green value.A scale has been developed to measure the factors of customer perceived values from green cosmetics.The directions have been suggested for future study and managerial implications also have been discussed.
Environmental Risk Factors for Heart Disease

In this review, we discuss current evidence linking environmental pollutants to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Extensive evidence indicates that environmental factors contribute to CVD risk, incidence, and severity. Migrant studies show that changes in the environment could substantially alter CVD risk in a genetically stable population. Additionally, CVD risk is affected by changes in nutritional and lifestyle choices. Recent studies in the field of environmental cardiology suggest that environmental toxins also influence CVD. Exposure to tobacco smoke is paradigmatic of such environmental risk and is strongly and positively associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In animal models of exposure, tobacco smoke induces endothelial dysfunction and prothrombotic responses and exacerbates atherogenesis and myocardial ischemic injury. Similar mechanism may be engaged by other pollutants or food constituents. Several large population-based studies indicate that exposure to fine or ultrafine particulate air pollution increases CVD morbidity and mortality, and the plausibility of this association is supported by data from animal studies. Exposure to other chemicals such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, aldehydes, and metals has also been reported to elevate CVD risk by affecting atherogenesis, thrombosis, or blood pressure regulation. Maternal exposure to drugs, toxins, and infection has been linked with cardiac birth defects and premature CVD in later life. Collectively, the data support the notion that chronic environmental stress is an important determinant of CVD risk. Further work is required to assess the magnitude of this risk fully and to delineate specific mechanisms by which environmental toxins affect CVD.