Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extracellular Polysaccharides of Algae: Effects on Life-Support Systems

The amount of extracellular polysaccharide produced by eight species of green and blue-green algae ranges from 174 milligrams per liter to 557 milligrams per liter. Most of the polymers are composed of four monosaccharides: a hexose, a pentose, a methyl pentose, and uronic acid. The production of excessive amounts of these photosynthetic end products will undoubtedly influence the effective recycling time of growth media in life-support systems.
Analysis on the real estate prices : A perspective of spatial correlation with shopping district

Abstract The purpose of this study is to evaluate the difference of the prices of real estate in the three groups. There are 256 data chose form Taichung city and 121 data chose form Kaohsiung city. The classification depends on (1) the distance from shopping district is 500m. (2) the distance from shopping district is 500m to 1000m. (3) the distance from shopping district is 1000m to 1500m. The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance by rank, Wilcoxon rank sum test and Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Our results show that (1) the prices of real estate in Taichung city is significantly different among the three classification and the rank sum test in statistic also significantly in two groups of three classification. (2) the prices of real estate in Kaohsiung city is not significantly among three classification. (3) the spatial correlation exists in Kaohsiung city and Taichung city.
Export-led Growth in India and the Role of Liberalisation

The literature on export-led growth in India is voluminous but inconclusive. This study re-examines the export–output relationship over the 1960–2009 period, and finds strong evidence of export-led growth for India. While there is no long-run cointegration relationship between India’s exports and output, tests of causality and impulse responses show a significant positive impact of export growth on output growth in the short run. Autoregressive models of India’s output growth also reveal the significant role of export growth over the same period. This result remains robust regardless of testing exports with different measures of output. The short-run impact of export on output, however, becomes insignificant in all types of estimation once the sample is reduced to the pre-liberalisation era from 1960 to 1991. Hence, liberalisation appears to have significantly contributed to export-led growth in India. We work with quarterly data as well over the liberalisation regime from 1996Q2 to 2010Q4 and find consistent results on export-led growth for India. Thus, export-led growth appears to be a liberalisation phenomenon for India. These findings have implications for other developing economies that aspire to grow fast but confront dilemmas with trade liberalisation policy. JEL Classification: F41, F43, C32, O53
The nucleosome binding protein HMGN3 is expressed in pancreatic α‐cells and affects plasma glucagon levels in mice

Glucose homeostasis requires the coordinated actions of various organs and is critically dependent on the proper functioning of the various cell types present in the pancreatic Langerhans islets. Here we report that chromatin architectural protein HMGN3 is highly expressed in all pancreatic endocrine islet cells, and that Hmgn3−/− mice which have a mild diabetic phenotype, have reduced glucagon levels in their blood. To elucidate the mechanism leading to altered glucagon secretion of Hmgn3−/− mice, we tested whether HMGN3 affect glucagon synthesis and secretion in αTC1‐9 cells, a glucagon secreting cell line that is used to study pancreatic α‐cell function. We find that in these cells deletion of either HMGN3 or other HMGN variants, does not significantly affect glucagon gene expression or glucagon secretion. Our studies demonstrate a link between HMGN3 and glucagon blood levels that is not directly dependent of the function of pancreatic α‐cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 109: 49–57, 2010. Published 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Factors Affecting the Adoption of Ict on Project Planning in the Nigerian Food and Beverage Industry

This study identified the nature of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adopted on project planning activities and examined the factors affecting the adoption of these ICT on project planning in the Food and Beverage Industry in Nigeria. The study was carried out through the use of questionnaire and interview schedule to a total of forty five (45) respondents across ICT, Production and Project departments of food and beverage firms in southwestern Nigeria. This was used to elicit information on the factors affecting the adoption of ICT in the industry. Data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that the major ICT adopted by food and beverage firms in Nigeria were Enterprise resource planning (4.48), Product lifecycle management (4.29), Customer Relationship Management (4.19), Supply Chain Management (4.34), Management Information Systems (4.38), Portable Data Collection Hand Held (4.65), Virtual Private Networks (4.53), Internet and e-mail (4.77). All of these ICTs had a mean rank of 4.00 and above on a 5 point-likert scales.Three factors were identified to influence ICT adoption. These include Human Resource capacity (52.8%), level of ICT investment (47.2%) and ICT competency (69.4%). Furthermore, regression analysis showed that level of ICT on Investment (r = -. 425**: p
Rhythm Structure Influences Auditory-Motor Interaction During Anticipatory Listening to Simple Singing

Purpose: Our objective was to investigate if auditory-motor interactions during anticipatory listening to simple singing also vary depending on rhythm structure as we recently demonstrated for singing production. Methods: In an event-related fMRI procedure 28 healthy subjects listened to vowel changes with regular groupings (1), regular groupings with rests (2), and irregular groupings (3) in anticipation of repeating the heard stimuli during the latter portion of the experiment. Results: While subtraction (2) minus (1) yielded activation in the left precentral gyrus, both subtractions from condition (3), resulted in activation of bilateral putamen and caudate. Only subtraction (3) minus (1) yielded activation of bilateral pre-SMA, and precentral gyrus more distinct in the left hemisphere. Middle, superior, and transverse temporal gyri as well as ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and the insula were activated most pronouncedly in the left hemisphere. Conclusions: The higher the requirement of temporal grouping, the more necessary auditory-motor fine tuning might be resulting in a more distinct and left lateralized temporal, premotor, and prefrontal activation. If it were possible to support programming and planning of articulatory gestures by anticipatory listening to specifically targeted vocal exercises, this could be beneficial for patients suffering from motor speech disorders as well as aphasia as our current research with patients substantiates.
The Impact of Corporate Governance on the Relationship Between Fundamental Information Analysis and Stock Returns

This study investigates whether corporate governance affects the impact of the relationship between fundamental signals and stock returns using Taiwanese data. The study employs the endogenous switching model (ESM) of Hu and Schiantarelli (1998), which combines the response equation and governance index equation simultaneously. We divide the sample into strong and weak governance regimes. Our results suggest that stock returns respond differently in different governance regimes. The beneficial response is greater in the strong governance regime than in the weak one, suggesting that it is worth improving governance for firms.
Application of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to the epidemiological characterization of Staphylococcus intermedius implicated in a food-related outbreak

SUMMARY An outbreak of food intoxication involving over 265 cases in western United States occurred in October 1991. Staphylococcus intermedius was implicated as the aetiologic agent. Representative outbreak isolates (five clinical and ten from foods) produced type A enterotoxin. DNA fragments generated by four restriction endonucleases and analysed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) provided definitive evidence that all isolates from nine different counties in California and Nevada were derived from a single strain. The PFGE pattern of these outbreak isolates was distinct from those of a heterogeneous collection of seven S. intermedius strains of veterinary origin and five unrelated S. aureus laboratory strains. The data show a significant PFGE pattern heterogeneity not only among members of different Staphylococcus species but also within members of the same species and even the same enterotoxin type. The results indicate that PFGE is a valuable strain-specific discriminator for the epidemiological characterization of S. intermedius. To our knowledge, this represents the first documented foodborne outbreak caused by S. intermedius. These findings suggest that the presence of S. intermedius and other species such as S. hyicus in food should be reason for concern.
Glycosylated hemoglobin and the risk of retinopathy in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

To the Editor: Since we found evidence of a threshold for the effect of hyperglycemia on the risk of microalbuminuria in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM),1 we used published data to examine whether there was a similar pattern for diabetic retinopathy. In the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT),2 the incidence of the development or progression of retinopathy in the group assigned to intensive treatment fluctuated around 2.0 per 100 person-years in the nine deciles of the hemoglobin A1c distribution below 8.5 percent and rose to 7.0 per 100 person-years in the highest decile, consistent with a threshold .
The Role of Bacteria in Gallbladder and Common Duct Stone Formation

Debate continues as to the role that bacteria play in gallstone pathogenesis in Western countries. We therefore, examined gallbladder and common duct stones from 67 consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy and/or common bile duct exploration. Bile was cultured and stone cholesterol content was measured. Stones were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for bacteria. Individual calcium salts were classified by windowless energy-dispersive x-ray microanalysis. Gallbladder stones in 65 patients were identified as cholesterol in 46 (71%), black pigment in 17 (26%), and brown pigment in 2 patients (3%). Common bile duct stones from ten patients were cholesterol in 4, black pigment in 2, and brown pigment in 4 patients. The five patients with brown pigment stones were significantly (p less than 0.05) older, more likely to be men and to present with bile duct obstruction. Bile cultures were positive in 13% of patients with cholesterol stones, in 14% of those with black pigment stones, and in all of the patients with brown pigment stones (p less than 0.001). By SEM, bacteria were observed only within the calcium bilirubinate-protein matrix of brown pigment stones (p less than 0.001). In comparison to black pigment stones, brown stones were more likely to contain calcium palmitate (p less than 0.005) and cholesterol (p less than 0.001). We conclude that black and brown pigment stones have different pathogenic mechanisms and that bacterial infection is important only in the formation of brown pigment stones.
Regime Switches in GDP Growth and Volatility: Some International Evidence and Implications for Modeling Business Cycles

This paper presents additional evidence on the international nature of the Great Moderation:" the apparent structural decline in the variance of GDP growth first documented in the United States. We find evidence of a similar reduction in volatility in the other G-7 countries and Australia. However, the timing and nature of the moderation varies considerably across countries.We also assess whether and how business cycles have changed in the period since the Great Moderation. Our results suggest that in most of these countries, the major change in business cycles has been a noticeably slower rate of GDP growth in expansions. We find little evidence of milder recessions in the post-Moderation period. Although a lower variance of growth will result in longer expansions and rarer recessions, the evidence presented here suggests that recessions have been just as severe, on average, when they do occur.
On the Accuracy of Different Measures of Q

Tobin’s q is widely accepted as proxy for an underlying “true” q, which is assumed to characterize a firm’s incentive to invest. Researchers have developed numerous methods for computing q. This article assesses the measurement quality of different proxies for q. We adapt the measurement-error consistent estimators in Erickson and Whited (2002) to estimate the extent to which variation in true unobservable q explains variation in different proxies for q. We find most proxies for q are poor: careful algorithms for calculating q do little to improve measurement quality. Using elaborate algorithms, however, depletes the number of usable observations and possibly introduces sample selection bias.
A compact current-voltage model for carbon nanotube field effect transistors

We report deriving a compact model for CNTFETs, using modified current- voltage relations, commonly used in modeling of CNTFETs. A carbon nanotube with 1.7 nm diameter and 5 nm length has been simulated with a layer of ZrO2 as oxide layer. The thickness of the oxide layer has been considered to be 2 nm. Density of states as a function of Fermi level is considered quadratic for both subthreshold and saturation regime. In this paper, the CNTFET drain current and energy level is derived analytically. Finally, the variation of CNTFET drain current versus gate-source and drain-source voltages will be presented though simulation.
Housing transactions and the changing decisions of young households in Britain: the microeconomic evidence

In this second of two related papers in this issue, the causes of declining levels of housing transactions in Britain during the 1990s are explored. The lower transaction levels resulted partly from the changing behavior of young individuals. Both household formation and owner-occupation rates of these groups also fell sharply. Using panel data, we investigate the causes of reduced new household formation and owner-occupation, finding that changes in the income distribution away from young cohorts have been an important factor. Copyright 2003 American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association
Thyroid dysfunction in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A retrospective study

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing problem in our country and we have observed that many patients are associated with thyroid dysfunction later in their life. However, the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in these patients has not been investigated. Aims and Objectives: To find the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in type 2 DM in Manipur, India. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, data of 202 Type 2 DM patients who attended the diabetic clinic of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal from January 2011 to July 2012, and whose thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level was investigated were included. The inclusion criteria are known cases of type 2 DM. Exclusion criteria are patients with previous history of hypothyroidism and those on drugs affecting the thyroid profile. Results: Out the 202 type 2 DM patients for the study of which 61 are males and 141 are females, 139 (68.8%) are euthyroid, 33 (16.3%) have subclinical hypothyroidism (10 males and 23 females), 23 (11.4%) have hypothyroidism (6 males and 17 females), 4 (2%) have subclinical hyperthyroidism and 3 (1.5%) are hyperthyroidism cases. Maximum cases were of hypothyroidism (subclinical and clinical) seen in the age group of 45-64 years. Patients with BMI > 25 were at increased risk of having hypothyroidism (P < 0.016). Conclusion: Prevalence of hypothyroidism is quite high in type 2 DM patients above 45 years and more so if their BMI is over 25.
A multivariate latent factor decomposition of international bond yield spreads

A factor analysis of long-term bond spreads is performed by decomposing international interest rate spreads into national and global factors. The factors are latent, and are assumed to have GARCH-type specifications as well as exhibiting serial dependence. An indirect estimator is used to compute estimates of the unknown parameters. The sampling performance of this estimator is investigated and compared with an alternative direct estimator based on the Kalman predictor. The factor model is applied to weekly data on long-bond spreads between five countries - Australia, Japan, Germany, Canada and the UK - and the USA over the period 1991 to 1999. The resulting factor decomposition is used to examine the international investor's optimal portfolio decision in a mean-variance framework. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Governance through Trading: Institutional Swing Trades and Subsequent Firm Performance

Abstract Using unique daily fund-manager trade data, we examine the role of institutional trading in influencing firm performance. We show that short-horizon informed trading by multiple institutional investors effectively disciplines corporate management. Our focus is on short-term “swing” trades, sequences with three phases (e.g., buy-sell-buy). We find swing trades increase stock price informativeness, are profitable after costs, and improve market efficiency. This increase in stock price informativeness is associated with subsequent firm outperformance. Trades are most beneficial with optimal stock holdings that reflect the information acquisition incentives of investors as well as liquidity costs.
Relocation or dislocation? Key issues in the specialist management of group moves

Indicates the number of employees relocated in the UK each year and the amount of company money spent on making these moves as smooth as possible. Reports a five‐year research project which suggests that these moves remain very stressful for employees. Argues that this dislocation was caused by managers failing to understand the group move process. Explains the scope of the research, the types of UK company studied and the methods used. Underlines the finding that those organizations that approach group moves as holistic processes, requiring complex management responses, are likely to be more successful than those that approach it in a fragmented and poorly‐integrated way. Also stresses the need to see the group relocation as an opportunity for managed change. Analyses the perspectives of all those involved in managing and making the move (policymakers, those managing the personnel side and the move, those managing the physical side of the move (selection of new premises, etc.), line manager and the individual employees who are making the move) to show the issues that need to be considered.
The Value of Talent. Promoting Talent Management Across the Organization

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Racism and discrimination in the South African penal system

We are most grateful to the Department of Correctional Services for granting permission to conduct this study and for its assistance in the process. A special thank you to research guide, Erns Kriek, who facilitated prison access as well provided us with relevant information from the department. Thanks also to Johannes Maja for the statistical data. We also owe a big thank you to the research guides at each prison: Mr Silver from Pollsmoor, Mr Kruger at Krugersdorp, and Mr Khumalo at Boksburg prison.
Palliative Care 2000 — Home Care

In summary, although I have reservations about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of regional palliative care centres as described in the report, my recommendations strongly concur with those of the Expert Panel on Palliative Care. With reference to home care, I would like to reiterate the following major points: There must be a major shift of resources into home care and the establishment of "in-the-home projects" within palliative care units. The control of suffering--palliative care--must be a full and equal partner in cancer care. The specialized aspect of home care will benefit from the direct network of a regional medical advisory committee, a quick-response and consultant team, and the integrated coordination system that a regional model offers.
Comparison of PC Operating Systems for Storage Support

In the past 10 years, the cost/megabyte of magnetic disks has been decreasing by almost a factor of two. This decrease makes large scale disk-based storage systems attractive. However, such systems usually come in the form of RAID arrays that have a much higher cost/megabyte than the underlying disks. To maintain the low cost ideal, COTS (commercial, off the shelf) components must be used. A large storage system, built from off the shelf hardware, could have disks hosted by PCs connected through a high performance LAN. The high bandwidth PCI bus and large number of expansion slots make PCs a good building block for such a system. However, most PCs (and PC operating systems) are used in desktop environments, typically with only 1 or 2 disks. In this report, we test how well PC operating system support large amounts of storage. We compare three operating systems, Windows NT, FreeBSD and Solaris x86. A set of experiments are conducted on each OS to test support for (i) large numbers of disks and disk controllers, (ii) PCI expansion boxes, and (iii) Shared SCSI buses. The results show that all of the operating systems compared had some subset of the required features. We were also able to add the missing features to FreeBSD, and show that it is feasible to use PCs to host large amounts of storage. In addition, we present some measurements of multiple disk I/O on each operating system. This research is funded by the DARPA Roboline Grant # N00600-93-K-2481, donations of machines from Intel, and the California State Micro Program.
The Determinants of the Success of Transitions to Democracy

Abstract The article provides an analysis of the determinants of the success of transitions to democracy based on a combination of qualitative comparative analysis of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia; and hierarchical clustering. The key finding is that one can reveal configurations of several factors which jointly determine either continuous or disrupted transitions to democracy.