Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The prevalence of aspirin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome.

OBJECTIVES Aspirin is recommended for primary prevention in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this study, we evaluated aspirin resistance in MetS patients. STUDY DESIGN The study included 32 patients (23 males, 9 females; mean age 60.7+/-11.4 years) with the diagnosis of MetS, according to the criteria of the International Diabetes Federation. Aspirin resistance was determined by the PFA-100 analysis (Platelet Function Analyzer). The results were compared with a control group of 30 patients (16 males, 14 females; mean age 61.6+/-7.3 years) without MetS. All the patients were taking aspirin at the time of the PFA-100 analysis. RESULTS Overall, 21 patients (33.9%) were aspirin nonresponders. The prevalence of aspirin resistance was 46.9% in the MetS group, and 20% in the control group. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.033). Compared to aspirin responders, fasting blood glucose level was higher (102.0+/-14.6 mg/dl vs. 95.3+/-9.9 mg/dl; p=0.036) and waist circumference tended to be greater in nonresponders (97.4+/-14.1 cm vs. 89.7+/-15.0 cm; p=0.053). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that MetS (OR 0.28, 95% CI 0.09-0.88; p=0.029), fasting blood glucose (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91-0.99; p=0.045), uric acid (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.28-0.76; p=0.002), gamma-glutamyl transferase (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.08; p=0.043), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01-1.12; p=0.015) levels and platelet count (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-0.99; p=0.034) significantly affected aspirin resistance. CONCLUSION Our results show that a significant proportion of MetS patients will not benefit from aspirin use due to high aspirin resistance.
How New Entry in Options Markets Affected Market Making and Trading Costs

A significant competition for order flow in options markets occurred in August 1999. Before the competition, the majority of option volume arose from exclusive listings. By the end of September 1999, entry by existing option exchanges had shifted the majority of option volume to multiple-listing status. Both effective and quoted bid-ask spreads decrease significantly after entry with spreads remaining at lower levels 1 year later. A pooled regression analysis shows that new inter-exchange competition reduces option trading costs. This analysis also rejects the view that economies of scale in market making or lower hedging costs contribute significantly to the decrease in spreads.
Research in assessment: Consensus statement and recommendations from the Ottawa 2010 Conference

Medical education research in general is a young scientific discipline which is still finding its own position in the scientific range. It is rooted in both the biomedical sciences and the social sciences, each with their own scientific language. A more unique feature of medical education (and assessment) research is that it has to be both locally and internationally relevant. This is not always easy and sometimes leads to purely ideographic descriptions of an assessment procedure with insufficient general lessons or generalised scientific knowledge being generated or vice versa. For medical educational research, a plethora of methodologies is available to cater to many different research questions. This article contains consensus positions and suggestions on various elements of medical education (assessment) research. Overarching is the position that without a good theoretical underpinning and good knowledge of the existing literature, good research and sound conclusions are impossible to produce, and that there is no inherently superior methodology, but that the best methodology is the one most suited to answer the research question unambiguously. Although the positions should not be perceived as dogmas, they should be taken as very serious recommendations. Topics covered are: types of research, theoretical frameworks, designs and methodologies, instrument properties or psychometrics, costs/acceptability, ethics, infrastructure and support.
A study of auditors' responsibility for fraud detection in Malaysia

The auditors' duties for the prevention, detection and reporting of fraud, other illegal acts and errors is one of the most controversial issues in auditing. This paper reports the findings of a survey that explores the financial report users’ perceptions on the extent of fraud in Malaysia and their perceptions of auditors’ responsibilities in detecting fraud and the related audit procedures. The study reveals fraud is a concern in Malaysia. This study also finds that there is a widely held misperception of the objective of an audit. This is because, among respondents, a much higher expectation has been placed on the auditors' duties in detecting and reporting fraud than statute or audit standards require. The results of the study show unquestionably the existence, with respect to detection of fraud, of a gap between the perception of the respondents and the present statutory requirements of auditors.
A cultural paradox in authority‐based advertising

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine an important exception to the “value congruity hypothesis,” which holds that advertising should be more effective when it is congruent with cultural values. It documents a paradoxical “reverse authority effect” among young adult consumers in traditionally high power distance (PD) countries.Design/methodology/approach – Two experiments were conducted using data from traditionally high (South Korea in Study 1, Thailand in Study 2) and low (USA in Study 1) PD countries. Data are analyzed by variance analyses (multivariate analysis of covariance, analyses of variance) and regression.Findings – Results show a reverse authority effect in Korea and attenuation of this effect in the USA (Study 1). Results also show a reverse authority effect in Thailand (Study 2), suggesting the generality of the effect across young consumers in traditionally high PD countries. It appears that a shift away from traditional cultural values has occurred in the course of modernizatio.
Capturing consumer engagement: duality, dimensionality and measurement

ABSTRACT This study advances the conceptualisation and operationalisation of consumer engagement in the context of online brand communities (OBCs). Past scholarship has only partially addressed the dimensionality of engagement and the different engagement foci, and these oversights have important theoretical and empirical consequences. This study contributes to the nascent stream of research that aims to theoretically refine and operationalise engagement by espousing the duality of engagement with two engagement foci (brand and community) and seven sub-dimensions of consumer engagement. Using qualitative data from consumers and experts, three survey data sets based on English and French samples, and two pools of mirrored items (one for each engagement focus), the study develops and validates a dual-focus 22-item scale of consumer engagement that can be used to operationalise engagement with various consumer engagement objects.
Factors Supporting and Hindering New Entry in Media Markets: A Study of Media Entrepreneurs

Despite ongoing concern about so-called “big media” erecting barriers to entry, thousands of new media enterprises are formed annually. It raises the question, “What factors support or hinder new entry in media markets? ” A study of 30 U.S.-based media entrepreneurs was undertaken to answer the question. For these entrepreneurs, factors that support entry were abundant; and few, if any, barriers exist to entry and to sustained operations. Two sources of support stand out: the effects of technological innovation and so-called “big media,” which, far from erecting barriers, can be a major source of opportunity.
Feed formulation problem in Nigerian poultry farms: a mathematical programming approach

The poultry industry has a significant effect on national economy; it is a popular industry for the small holders with tremendous contribution to GDP and employment creation. Poultry feed cost represents over 70% of the total cost of egg and broiler production, consequently efficient feed formulation practice is required for a sustainable poultry industry. Many Nigerian poultry farmers, however, employ inefficient methods like rule of thumb, experiences, and intuition to handle feed formulation problem. The aim of this study was to develop an optimization feed formulation model, using locally available feed ingredients, for the Nigerian poultry industry. Relevant literature was consulted to gather information on the practices prevalent in the industry, nutrient contents and availability of feed ingredients and their prevalent market prices. The decision variables, objective function and problem constraints were defined and a mathematical model of the feed formulation problem was developed and parameterized using data from a typical commercial farm. Model solution and post-optimality analysis results were obtained and compared with existing practice of the case study farm. Thirteen (13) decision variables and fourteen (14) constraints were identified. The optimal solution of the linear programming model gives 9% reduction in feed formulation costs compared to the existing method on the farm. Post optimality analysis also gave useful insight into the impact of changes in costs of feed inputs. The model will be very useful in poultry farm management in Nigeria.
FIRM SIZE, LEVERAGE AND PROFITABILITY: OVERRIDING IMPACT OF ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM

Information systems are mainly used by many organizations to improve efficiency of business activities by automating existing operations. Past researches in show that by adopting information systems we can increase firm performance. Results discovered that by adopting accounting information system there is significant improvement in performance. Accounting information system (AIS) is a superior system that focuses on user-orientation. Core objective of AIS is to collect and record data and information that is concerned to events that can economically impact upon firms. It processes information and communicate this useful information to internal and external stakeholders. This study intends to find the effects of Accounting Information system (AIS) on profitability of Pakistani firms. It investigates whether there is any difference between adopters and non adopters of accounting system. The sample data have been taken from sixty six of public listed companies on Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) by purposive sampling dated from 2005 to 2009 period. Study used the four variables. Independent variable is ROA which measures profitability. Two independent variables are Leverage and Firm Size. Leverage is quantified using debt ratio and firm size is measured by taking natural logarithm of total assets. These independent variables are taken on the basis of high availability as determinants of profitability. Study intends to check the overriding role of accounting system on this relation, so AS acts as intervening variable in the study.
Messenger RNA-Electroporated Dendritic Cells Presenting MAGE-A3 Simultaneously in HLA Class I and Class II Molecules1

An optimal anticancer vaccine probably requires the cooperation of both CD4+ Th cells and CD8+ CTLs. A promising tool in cancer immunotherapy is, therefore, the genetic modification of dendritic cells (DCs) by introducing the coding region of a tumor Ag, of which the antigenic peptides will be presented in both HLA class I and class II molecules. This can be achieved by linking the tumor Ag to the HLA class II-targeting sequence of an endosomal or lysosomal protein. In this study we compared the efficiency of the targeting signals of invariant chain, lysosome-associated membrane protein-1 (LAMP1) and DC-LAMP. Human DCs were electroporated before or after maturation with mRNA encoding unmodified enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) or eGFP linked to various targeting signals. The lysosomal degradation inhibitor chloroquine was added, and eGFP expression was evaluated at different time points after electroporation. DCs were also electroporated with unmodified MAGE-A3 or MAGE-A3 linked to the targeting signals, and the presentation of MAGE-A3-derived epitopes in the context of HLA class I and class II molecules was investigated. Our data suggest that proteins linked to the different targeting signals are targeted to the lysosomes and are indeed presented in the context of HLA class I and class II molecules, but with different efficiencies. Proteins linked to the LAMP1 or DC-LAMP signal are more efficiently presented than proteins linked to the invariant chain-targeting signal. Furthermore, DCs electroporated after maturation are more efficient in Ag presentation than DCs electroporated before maturation.
Estimating and Analysing the Cost Efficiency of Greek Cooperative Banks: An Application of Two-Stage Data Envelopment Analysis

We follow a two-stage procedure to examine for the first time the cost efficiency of Greek cooperative banks. Our sample consists of 16 banks over the period 2000-2004. We first use data envelopment analysis (DEA) to estimate the technical, allocative and cost efficiency for each bank in sample. Then, we use Tobit regression to determine the impact of internal and external factors on banks' efficiency. The results of DEA indicate that Greek cooperative banks could improve their cost efficiency by 17.7% on average as well as that the dominant source of cost inefficiency is allocative rather than technical. The results of Tobit regression indicate that size has a positive impact on all measures of efficiency. However, the impact of capitalization, branches and ATMs depends on the efficiency measure and whether we control for market conditions or not. GDP per capita has a negative and significant impact on all measures of efficiency, while unemployment rate has also a negative and significant impact on technical and cost efficiency although not on allocative efficiency. Finally, banks operating in regions with higher disposal income of households in relation to the total disposal income of households in Greece are more efficient in terms of allocative and cost efficiency.
WHAT CAN MULTIPLE PHYLOGENIES SAY ABOUT THE LATITUDINAL DIVERSITY GRADIENT? A NEW LOOK AT THE TROPICAL CONSERVATISM, OUT OF THE TROPICS, AND DIVERSIFICATION RATE HYPOTHESES

We reviewed published phylogenies and selected 111 phylogenetic studies representing mammals, birds, insects, and flowering plants. We then mapped the latitudinal range of all taxa to test the relative importance of the tropical conservatism, out of the tropics, and diversification rate hypotheses in generating latitudinal diversity gradients. Most clades originated in the tropics, with diversity peaking in the zone of origin. Transitions of lineages between latitudinal zones occurred at 16–22% of the tree nodes. The most common type of transition was range expansions of tropical lineages to encompass also temperate latitudes. Thus, adaptation to new climatic conditions may not represent a major obstacle for many clades. These results contradict predictions of the tropical conservatism hypothesis (i.e., few clades colonizing extratropical latitudes), but support the out‐of‐the‐tropics model (i.e., tropical originations and subsequent latitudinal range expansions). Our results suggest no difference in diversification between tropical and temperate sister lineages; thus, diversity of tropical clades was not explained by higher diversification rates in this zone. Moreover, lineages with latitudinal stasis diversified more compared to sister lineages entering a new latitudinal zone. This preserved preexisting diversity differences between latitudinal zones and can be considered a new mechanism for why diversity tends to peak in the zone of origin.
Exercise hemodynamics and risk assessment in asymptomatic aortic stenosis.

More than half a century ago, in the American Journal of Cardiology , Dr Paul Wood aptly described aortic stenosis (AS) as “a simple mechanical fault which, if severe enough, imposes a heavy burden on the left ventricle and sooner or later overcomes it. ”1 Our subsequent understanding of the pathophysiology of AS, using more sophisticated tools than those at Dr Wood's disposal, has confirmed his concept. Severe chronic pressure overload and outflow obstruction beget left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and its attendant myocardial fibrosis and impaired coronary vasodilator reserve, leading to LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and progressing ultimately to the anticipated symptoms of dyspnea, angina, and presyncope or syncope, which are harbingers of death within a few years. Once symptoms develop, the treatment strategy is clear, because aortic valve replacement (AVR) improves symptoms, improves LV function, and improves survival. The indications for AVR in asymptomatic patients, however, remain less clear and the subject of ongoing debate.2–4 Although the current evidence-based guidelines recommend a watchful waiting approach for most patients, with no class I indications for surgery in asymptomatic patients with normal LV systolic function,5,6 numerous studies have shown that patients with severe AS have a high likelihood of developing symptoms and requiring surgery within 3 to 5 years,7–10 and some series have reported that asymptomatic patients with severe AS are also at risk of death when managed without surgery.11,12 Because the operative risk of AVR is low in experienced centers,11,13 there is intense interest in identifying the subsets of asymptomatic patients that have the highest likelihood of dying or developing symptoms over the short term and that might benefit from early, preemptive AVR rather than a watchful waiting approach. Article see p 851 Determining …
Segment differences in the asymmetric effects of service quality on business customer relationships

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore the possible negative asymmetric effects in the impact of service quality on the satisfaction and retention of different customer segments in a professional business services context. Negative asymmetry means that a lower than average service quality evaluation has a stronger effect on customer satisfaction and retention than a higher than average evaluation.Design/methodology/approach – The article provides a survey of 124 business customers of a Midwestern radio advertising services provider, preceded by nine in‐depth interviews with account reps of the advertising firm and two focus groups with business customers.Findings – Along the service quality dimensions – customer satisfaction – retention chain, there are significant negative asymmetric effects and the mediating role of satisfaction varies widely. There are important differences across customer groups: service outcomes are most important determinants of customer satisfaction for large and relat.
A preliminary study of product nature and electronic commerce

It may be logical to think that a firm offering products that can be delivered online will benefit more from Internet commerce. However, there is limited evidence to prove if this is entirely true. This paper reports a preliminary study that examines whether product characteristics have significant effect on Internet commerce benefit. The results indicate that product characteristics in isolation do not have a significant effect on Internet commerce benefit. No significant difference in experience of Internet commerce benefit is observed between those who offer physical goods and those who offer digital ones. Although the one‐sided result may have been sampling bias, it requires management to rethink their marketing strategy based not solely on product nature.
Neuroretinal rim area and ocular haemodynamic parameters in patients with normal-tension glaucoma with differing intracranial pressures

Purpose To assess the differences in the neuroretinal rim area (NRA) and ocular haemodynamic parameters in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) with differing intracranial pressure (ICP) values. Methods 40 patients (11 males) with NTG (age 61.1 (11.5)) were included in the prospective study. Intraocular pressure (IOP), non-invasive ICP, retrobulbar blood flow (RBF) and confocal laser scanning tomography for optic nerve disc (OND) structural parameters were assessed. Non-invasive ICP was measured using a novel two-depth Transcranial Doppler device. RBF was measured using colour Doppler imaging in the ophthalmic artery (OA). The patients were divided into two groups, ICP ≥ and <8.3 mm Hg, based on the statistical median of ICP. p Values <0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Patients with NTG had mean ICP 8.8 (2.5) mm Hg, IOP 13.6 (2.1) mm Hg, OND size 2.3 (0.6) mm2, NRA 1.2 (0.4) mm2. Lower ICP was correlated with decreased NRA (r=0.51, p=0.001). Patients with NTG having lower ICP (N=20) had significantly lower NRA 1.0 (0.3) mm2, than patients with NTG having higher ICP (N=20) 1.3 (0.3) mm2, p=0.002, although there were no significant differences in OND size (accordingly, 2.2 (0.5) and 2.3 (0.6) mm2, p=0.55) and IOP (accordingly, 13.5 (2.4) and 13.7 (1.8) mm Hg, p=0.58). Patients with NTG having lower ICP had significantly lower OA blood flow velocities (peak systolic volume (PSV) 28.7 (8.0), end-diastolic volume (EDV) 6.9 (3.0) cm/s), compared with patients with NTG having higher ICP (PSV 35.5 (10.2), EDV 9.4 (4.1) cm/s), p<0.04. Conclusions Patients with NTG having lower ICP have decreased neuroretinal rim area and OA blood flow parameters compared with patients having higher ICP. Further longitudinal studies are needed to analyse the involvement of ICP in NTG management.
Myeloid cell transformation by ras-containing murine sarcoma viruses

BALB and Harvey murine sarcoma viruses contain ras transforming genes capable of altering the proliferation and differentiation of cells within the erythroid and lymphoid lineages (W. D. Hankins and E. M. Scolnick, Cell 26:91-97, 1981; J. H. Pierce and S. A. Aaronson, J. Exp. Med. 156:873-887, 1982; E. M. Scolnick et al., Mol. Cell. Biol. 1:68-74). The present studies demonstrate hematopoietic targets of ras-containing viruses within the myeloid lineage. Diffuse colonies were induced by BALB or Harvey marine sarcoma virus infection of murine bone marrow cells. Generally, these colonies were made up of relatively mature macrophages which exhibited increased self-renewal capacity but eventually underwent terminal differentiation in culture. Cells from one BALB murine sarcoma virus-induced colony displayed phenotypic markers of more immature myelomonocytic cells. This colony, designated BAMC1, readily established as a continuous cell line and was highly malignant in vivo. Exposure of these cells to 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate led to the induction of a more mature myeloid phenotype, which was associated with decreased growth potential in vitro and in vivo. The effects of the inducing agent were not mediated by an alteration in the level of expression of the ras-coded p21 transforming protein. Our present findings extend the spectrum of targets whose growth is altered by ras-containing retroviruses to cells at several stages of differentiation within each of the major hematopoietic lineages.
Output flexibility—A competitive advantage for small firms

We explore three theoretical perspectives that look at output flexibility as a competitive advantage for small firms as was initially described by Stigler (1939). First, small firms are more willing to fluctuate their output. As a result: second, small firms can trade cost inefficiency with volume flexibility to increase their profits; third, output flexibility is a more viable source of competitive advantage in volatile and capital-intensive industries, and less viable in profitable industries. Indeed, the empirical analysis of over 3000 companies representing 83 industries during the 1979-87 time period supports our theoretical perspectives. Future research directions that combine firm flexibility and other strategic dimensions are discussed in the context of providing a general strategic framework for small firms competing against large ones.