Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Activated protein C resistance due to a common factor V gene mutation is a major risk factor for venous thrombosis.

Inherited resistance to activated protein C (APC) was recently discovered to be a cause of familial thrombophilia and is now known to be the most common genetic risk factor for venous thrombosis. It is caused by a single point mutation in the gene for factor V, which predicts substitution or arginine (R) at position 506 with a glutamine (Q). Accordingly, the activated form of mutated factor V (FVa:Q506) is more slowly degraded by activated protein C than normal FVa (FVa:R506) is, resulting in hypercoagulability and a lifelong 5- to 10-fold increased risk of venous thrombosis. Previously known inherited hypercoagulable states, i.e. deficiencies of the anticoagulant proteins antithrombin III, protein S, and protein C, are found fewer than 10-15% of thrombosis patients in western countries, whereas inherited APC resistance is present in 20-60% of such patients. The FV mutation is common in populations of Caucasian origin, with prevalences ranging from 1-15%, whereas it is not found in certain other ethnic groups such as Japanese and Chinese. The high prevalence of APC resistance, in combination with the availability of simple laboratory tests, will have a profound influence on the development of therapeutic and prophylactic regimens for thrombosis and will, it is hoped, result in a decreased incidence of thromboembolic events.
Improving port performance: From serving ships to adding value in supply chains

Traditional measures of measuring port performance have focused on servicing ships, cargo handling and equipment and asset utilisation. While these measures remain valid, and in many cases important, they now explain only part of the raison d’etre of ports. Of all supply chain participants, ports face some of the most diverse challenges as they adapt to new commercial environments. These include the introduction of supply chain management, global sourcing, logistics outsourcing and new flexible business practices. To cope with these challenges, ports have adopted a variety of new strategies. One of the main strategies which is of particular interest is the integration of ports into the supply chain through activities such as value-added service provision, cooperation with other supply chain members and intermodal service intensification. However, integration does 10 not take place equally in every port and the degree of integration varies by cargo type, trade flow and the wider range of overall commercial requirements. This paper focuses firstly on the degree to which ports are integrated into supply chains and secondly on the impact of port performance on overall logistics effectiveness. A conceptual model is presented which explores the relationship between port supply chain integration and performance. Traditional measures of port performance are reviewed in order to provide a context for the conceptual model. Primary investigation in the form of semi-structured interviews forms the core of this research. The subjects of the interview programme were academics and representatives of port operating companies and port authorities. The findings suggest that ports are positively integrating into supply chains in order to acquire competitive advantage and perhaps to diversify their portfolio. It is also shown that integration of ports into supply chains takes place to different degrees and in different ways, driven by a variety of motives.
What Drives Private and Public Merger Waves in Europe

Our paper conducts the first analysis of the drivers of the European Merger Wave of the 90s and the drivers of merger waves involving private firms. We argue theoretically that the differences between private and public firms make private firm merger waves less likely to be driven by the inefficiencies which are the foundation of market driven theory and the agency costs of overvaluation. Our empirical investigation finds that industry merger waves involving private firms represent efficient responses to economic shocks in which overvaluation theories do not play a major part, while public firm merger waves seem to be driven by agency issues related to the stock market overvaluation of the EU in the late 90s. Firstly, we show that private firm industry merger waves occur at different times than public firm industry merger waves. Secondly, we find that these differences are attributable to the significant influence of economic industry shocks on the timing private firm merger waves and a significant influence of stock market overvaluation on the timing of public firm merger waves. Thirdly, our study of post-merger (accounting) performance confirms that private firm merger waves are more efficient than public firm merger waves, which are close to although the statistical significance is weak. The evidence for merger waves involving public acquirers and private targets, and private acquirers and public targets is less clear. However, our study of post-merger operating performance offers weak evidence that these merger waves are not efficient.
A specific enzyme defect in gout associated with overproduction of uric acid.

Gout is classed among the inborn errors of metabolism,1 but unlike the majority of such disorders no single specific metabolic defect has yet been found to account for the hyperuricemia characteristic of this disease.2 Although impaired renal excretion of uric acid is responsible for the hyperuricemia of some patients, an increased rate of purine biosynthesis de novo contributes to the hyperuricemia in the majority of gouty patients. ' In affected members of certain families excessive production of purines is the sole cause of their hyperuricemia.4 Accelerated purine synthesis also occurs in other distinctive metabolic disorders.5' 6 The increased rate of purine synthesis in patients with glycogen-storage disease (Type I) is attributed to the deficiency of glucose-6-phosphatase, which is the basis for this disorder. ' We have recently demonstrated the complete absence (<0.05 % of normal) of an enzyme of purine metabolism, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT),' in four unrelated patients who have an Xlinked familial neurological and behavioral disorder associated with excessive production of uric acid.6' 8, 9 Although no specific biochemical defect had been demonstrated to account for excessive uric acid production in typical gouty arthritis, a derangement in some aspect of the regulation of purine synthesis had been proposed.10"1 In this study we show that a partial loss of HGPRT activity is associated with excessive purine synthesis in some of these gouty patients. Materials and Methods. -The rate of purine synthesis was evaluated in three ways. One method was to measure the uric acid excreted in a 24-hour urine after a patient had been maintained for at least five days on a diet essentially free of purines, containing 2600 calories, 70 grams of protein, 350 grams of carbohydrate, and 100 grams of fat. No drugs known to affect uric acid excretion or synthesis were administered. The average uric acid excretion over a three-day period for normal male subjects is 426 mg/24 hr (SD i 81),3 and excretion of quantities greater than 600 mg/24 hr was taken as evidence of excessive purine biosynthesis. Uric acid was determined in serum and urine by a specific method using uricase. '2 Urinary creatinine was determined"3 to assess the completeness of urine collections. Purine synthesis was also evaluated in some patients by determining the pool size and turnover of uric acid by the use of isotopically labeled uric acid administered intravenously'4' 15 and by determining the extent of incorporation of isotopically labeled glycine into urinary uric acid. '6 3 Hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) (EC 2.4.2.8) and adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) (EC 2.4.2.7) activities were assayed by a radiochemical method. The reactions catalyzed by HGPRT and APRT are as follows:
Effect of Yogurt on the Inhibition of an Intestinal Carcinoma by Increasing Cellular Apoptosis

Yogurt consumption has been associated with decreased risk of colon cancer. The apoptosis induced by yogurt as a mechanism involved in the inhibition of an experimental intestinal tumor induced by 1,2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH) in BALB/c mice, has been studied. An imbalance between apoptosis and mitosis or cell proliferation is believed to underlie colon cancer development and progression. We determined the effect of yogurt feeding in the induction of apoptosis and the relationship between mitosis and apoptosis in mice injected with the carcinogen DMH and in mice injected with DMH and fed with a diet supplemented with yogurt. The percentage of mitotic and apoptotic cells was analyzed every 2 weeks from week 8 to 16. They were analyzed on histological slices from the large intestine by colchicine, or Tunel test for mitosis and apoptosis determination, respectively. An increase in the mitosis during the first 4 weeks of tumor development with apoptosis negative and severe dysphasia, was observed in animals treated with the carcinogen. In those animals that received DMH and were given yogurt, a moderate cell proliferation with a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells was determined. The increase in the apoptotic activity was also observed in the group of animals that received only a diet supplemented with yogurt. The results suggest that yogurt would influence the balance between mitosis and apoptosis, which was modified during the carcinogenesis process, by increasing cellular apoptosis. Dietary supplementation of yogurt may play a role in modulating cell proliferation or apoptosis during the development of colorectal carcinoma.
Isotopic Insights into Dietary Life History, Social Status, and Food Sharing in American Samoa

We test the antiquity of a dietary life history model on Tutuila, American Samoa. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in serial, age-adjusted samples of first and third molars reveal isotopic biographies of 16 individuals from five late Holocene (200–1100 RCYBP) sites. Combining this with bone collagen from a larger sample of individuals, we document a patterned dietary life history on the island. Between ages zero and two years, infants show elevated δ15N values, consistent with a diet rich in breast milk. In early childhood (two–10 years), individuals shift to a diet with higher δ13C values, suggesting greater marine protein intake. Around age 10 years, males shift to a more terrestrially focused diet, while females retain a higher marine signature. After ~20 years of age, males and females are more similar in diet, with a greater contribution from terrestrial resources. We argue that these shifts reflect diet-marked social transitions in life histories, especially social status and eating order within households, as predicted from the ethnographic model. When contextualized with other archaeological data, such as mortuary patterns and social organization, the isotopic biographic approach facilitates examination of diet-linked social transitions of individuals as they aged within ancient societies. En este artículo ponemos a prueba la antigüedad de un modelo etnográfico sobre la historia de vida dietética y la organización de las unidades domésticas en la Isla de Tutuila, localizada en la Samoa Americana. Analizamos los isótopos estables de carbono y nitrógeno en muestras seriadas ajustadas a la edad del primer y tercer molar. Estas representan las biografías isotópicas de 16 individuos procedentes de 5 sitios arqueológicos del Holoceno tardío (200–1100 aP). Combinando esta información con muestras adicionales de colágeno óseo, extraídas de un mayor número de individuos, pudimos documentar el patrón dietético de individuos en la isla. La mayoría de los infantes entre 0 y 2 años de edad muestra niveles elevados de δ15N, en consonancia con una dieta rica en leche materna. En la niñez temprana (2–10 años) hay un cambio hacia niveles más elevados de δ13C, lo que sugiere un consumo mayor de proteínas marinas. Alrededor de los 10 años de edad, los individuos de sexo masculino cambian a una dieta basada en recursos terrestres, mientras que aquellos de sexo femenino retienen valores elevados de δ13C asociados con el consumo de proteínas marinas. Después de aproximadamente 20 años de edad, ambos sexos muestran más similitud en el patrón dietético. Argumentamos que los cambios reflejan las transiciones sociales en las historias de vida de los individuos. Cuando se contextualiza con otros datos arqueológicos, como patrones funerarios y organización social, el enfoque biográfico isotópico facilita el examen de las transiciones sociales ligadas a la dieta a lo largo de la vida de los individuos en sociedades antiguas.
Value‐creation in new product development within converging value chains: An analysis in the functional foods and nutraceutical industry

Purpose – This paper seeks to shed some light on value‐creation in new product development (NPD) projects within the context of industry convergence and to explore alternative types of projects characterised by different buyer‐seller relationships.Design/methodology/approach – There has been much research on value‐creation in general, but limited emphasis on value‐creation in NPD projects addressing new industry segments emerging from industry convergence (for example, the segment of nuctraceuticals and functional foods (NFF) products that is positioned between the food and the pharmaceutical industries). Based on a multi‐case study approach, this paper pursues an exploratory research strategy and investigates 54 NPD projects drawn from a Quebec (Canada) NFF foods cluster.Findings – In the context of convergence a new value chain is emerging between two formerly separated sectors. Value‐creation networks spread across industries and reinforce trends of convergence. Firms face competence gaps in NPD and se.
Overload, Privacy Settings, and Discontinuation: A Preliminary Study of FaceBook Users

Just like any other information technology products, online social networks (OSNs) also add to users technostress. In this paper, we use the stress-strainoutcome framework to explore how OSN technostress influences OSN users. Our findings suggest that technostress induces OSN burnout which in turn increases users intentions to adopt stricter privacy settings and to discontinue using the OSN altogether
Comparison of Galactomannan Detection, PCR-Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, and Real-Time PCR for Diagnosis of Invasive Aspergillosis in a Neutropenic Rat Model and Effect of Caspofungin Acetate

ABSTRACT The performance of different in vitro diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA) was investigated in a transiently neutropenic rat model. Rats were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide and then inoculated intravenously with 1.5 × 104 CFU Aspergillus fumigatus spores. Animals were then either treated with caspofungin acetate, 1 mg/kg/day for 7 days, or not treated. PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), real-time PCR, and galactomannan (GM) detection were performed on postmortem blood samples, along with culture of liver, lung, and kidney homogenate. Caspofungin-treated animals showed a decrease in residual tissue burden of A. fumigatus from organ homogenate compared to untreated animals (P < 0.002). PCR-ELISA returned positive results for 11/17 animals treated with antifungal agents and for 10/17 untreated animals. Galactomannan was positive in 8/17 caspofungin-treated animals and 4/17 untreated animals. Real-time PCR was positive in 2/17 treated and 3/17 untreated animals. This study demonstrates that PCR-ELISA is a more sensitive test than either GM detection (P = 0.052) or real-time PCR (P < 0.01) for diagnosis of IA but that any of the three tests may return false-negative results in cases of histologically proven disease. Galactomannan indices from animals treated with antifungal agents showed a trend (P = 0.1) towards higher levels than those of untreated animals, but no effect was observed with PCR-ELISA indices (P = 0.29). GM detection, as previously described, may be enhanced by the administration of caspofungin, but PCR-ELISA appears not to be affected in the same way. We conclude that PCR-ELISA is a more sensitive and reliable method for laboratory diagnosis of IA.
Essays in empirical corporate finance: CEO compensation, social interactions, and M&A

This thesis consists of three essays and studies CEO compensation and mergers and acquisitions in empirical corporate finance. The first essay is sole-authored and is titled ‘The Effect of Social Interactions on Executive Compensation. ’ The second essay ‘The Role of Investment Banker Directors in M&A: Can Experts Help? ’ is a joint work with Qianqian Huang, Erik Lie, and Ke Yang. The third essay is titled ‘The Strategic Use of CEO Compensation in Labor Contract Negotiations’ and is coauthored with Erik Lie and Tingting Que. In the first essay, I examine how executives’ social interactions affect their compensation. Using the social networks among 2,936 chief executive officers (CEOs) during 1999–2008, I report that the compensation of a pair of socially connected CEOs is significantly more similar than that of a pair of non-connected CEOs. I further find that CEO compensation responds to a peer‘s change in pay caused by industry performance, especially if that change in pay is positive rather than negative and when the firm is suffering from weak corporate governance. I interpret these results as consistent with the notion that relative earnings concerns within social networks affect negotiations about compensation. Finally, I find that the past practice of backdating stock option grants spread across social networks, suggesting that social networks serve as a conduit for interpersonal information flow about compensation practices. Taken together, I show that CEOs’ peer interactions have a substantial impact on executive pay. In the second essay, we examine how directors with investment banking experience affect firms’ acquisition behavior. We find that firms have a higher probability of acquisition when an investment banker is a director. Furthermore, acquirers
Peripherally inserted central catheters in general medicine.

OBJECTIVE To report the success rate and complications associated with peripherally inserted central venous catheters (PICCs) and to compare costs between PICCs and centrally inserted central catheters. MATERIAL AND METHODS We undertook a cohort study of the first 1,000 patients referred to the PICC service of a large tertiary-care, university-affiliated, community hospital. The data were analyzed for insertion success rate, insertion mode, complication rate, successful completion, insertion costs, and applicability of PICCs in "high-risk" groups (transplant, human immunodeficiency virus-infected, intensive-care unit, and pediatric populations). RESULTS Of 1,000 consecutive PICC attempts, 963 (96.3%) were successful. Cutdown procedures were necessary in 141 insertions (14.6%). Complications of PICC placement occurred in 170 cases (17.7%). Among the major complications were a need for multiple attempts at insertion in 92 cases, malpositioning in 56, mechanical phlebitis in 37, clotting in 37, and bleeding in 5. The rate for completion of therapy was 68.9%. Frequent reasons for early termination were dislodgment (in 85 cases) and infection (in 72-37 confirmed and 35 potential cases). The rate of confirmed infection was 11 per 10,000 catheter days. The costs of PICC insertion were less than those associated with centrally inserted central catheters. CONCLUSIONS PICCs can satisfy long-term vascular needs and are safe in many patient populations. The infection rate did not depend on insertion mode, lumen number, or patient's immune status. Use of total parenteral nutrition was the most important risk factor in all patient subsets. Cost and safety considerations strongly favor PICCs as alternatives to other vascular access devices.
Influence of Plastic Deformation on Stray Magnetic Field Distribution of Soft Magnetic Steel Sample

The effect of various combinations of conditions, i.e., presence of the Earth's magnetic field during and after deformation on the distribution of stray magnetic field of S355 steel sample, which is locally deformed, was investigated. Some of the stages of the experiment were carried out in zero magnetic field. Compensation of the Earth's magnetic field was obtained by the application of a pair of Helmholtz coils. These coils are able to produce homogeneous field compensating Earth's magnetic field over the full length of the sample. Stray magnetic field measurements were carried out along the longest dimension of the sample using the probe consisting of mutually perpendicular sensors allowing the simultaneous measurement of two magnetic field components, i.e., tangential and normal to a surface of the sample. Research has shown that there is a correlation between the level of plastic deformation of the investigated sample and the distribution of stray magnetic field. It was found that the nature of stray magnetic field of the sample depends on presence of external magnetic field during unloading. An attempt was also made, with the finite-element analysis, to verify experimentally obtained stray magnetic field distribution of undeformed sample.
Object-Oriented System Development in a Banking Project: Methodology, Experience, and Conclusions

A methodology for object-oriented (00) system development is introduced. Its relevance is illustrated by an ongoing project in the banking sector. This project failed initally while following a traditional life-cycle-oriented approach. We identify three main features that made the second 00 phase successful-employing 00 techniques; combining these techniques with a guideline, the tools-and-materials metaphor; and employing the concepts of evolutionary system development. Ute Burkle is a graduate of managerial economics with an interest in the production of systems in the banking domain using object-oriented (00) approaches; she heads the Department of Software Architecture at RWG, Stuttgart. Guido Gryuan is a computer scientist with an interest in 00 and evolutionary system development; he is a Research Assistant in the Research Group on Software Engineering at the University of Hamburg. Heinz Zullighoven is a computer scientist with an interest in software engineering and methodologies for software development, especially 00 approaches; he is a Professor in the Research Group on Software Engineering at the University of Hamburg. D ow nl oa de d by [ U ni ve rs ity o f Su nd er la nd ] at 1 3: 30 1 1 Ja nu ar y 20 15 294 BURKLE, GRYCZAN, ZULLIGHOVEN