Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consumer profile of Portuguese local food restaurants

Abstract This study focusing on local food restaurants aims to evaluate the variables that influence consumers’ restaurant selection, and the most important variables that need to be addressed by those establishment managers. With this assessment it will be possible to structure different strategies which enterprises can resort to in order to obtain management advantages. A management model based on selection variables and how restaurants can influence the choice process is proposed in this article. Therefore, it is possible to maximise profit and the number of customers, to increase service quality, to create new services and dishes, to define strategic promotion plans, and to produce effective corrective measures.
Utilization of fecal occult blood test in the acute hospital setting and its impact on clinical management and outcomes

Background: Despite lack of evidence supporting the use of fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the acute hospital setting, FOBT is commonly used in the inpatient setting for reasons other than colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Aims: To evaluate practice trends in utilizing FOBT on inpatients and its impact on affecting clinical management and outcomes. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study of consecutive adult patients undergoing FOBT from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011 during an acute medical admission at a large urban safety net hospital was performed. Indications for FOBT, and the impact of FOBT results on endoscopic procedures performed and clinical outcomes were assessed. The number of inpatient endoscopic procedures before and after discontinuing inpatient FOBT was also assessed. Results: A total of 207 inpatient FOBTs were performed in 2011. The most common reason cited for FOBT was anemia (36%, n = 74) followed by gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding (27%, n = 55). Interestingly, 23% (n = 47) of the patients undergoing inpatient FOBT had overt GI bleeding. As expected, patients with positive FOBT were significantly more likely to undergo endoscopic examinations (P < 0.01). After discontinuing the availability of inpatient FOBT, patients were less likely to undergo endoscopic examinations [odds ratio (OR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75-0.85]. Conclusion: Inappropriate utilization of FOBT in the inpatient setting is common, even when the indication does not support its use. Setting limitations on inpatient FOBT may reduce the inappropriate utilization of inpatient FOBT. Quality improvement initiatives are needed to educate clinicians on the appropriate use of FOBT, which is primarily for average risk CRC screening.
Arbitrage risk, investor sentiment and maximum daily returns

We test the cross-sectional relation between daily maximum return (MAX) and return in the following month for stocks with high and low idiosyncratic volatility. We use portfolio level analysis and firm-level cross-sectional regression to find that the negative and significant relation between MAX and expected stock return (known as the “MAX effect”) is a non-January phenomenon observed predominantly on a sample of stocks with high idiosyncratic volatility. We find that the effect of investor sentiment on the MAX effect depends on arbitrage risk. Our findings suggest that arbitrageurs find it difficult to correct the mispricing o f stocks with extreme positive return due to high idiosyncratic volatility, a support for the limits to arbitrage theory. APPROVAL FOR SCHOLARLY DISSEMINATION The author grants to the Prescott Memorial Library of Louisiana Tech University the right to reproduce, by appropriate methods, upon request, any or all portions o f this Dissertation. It is understood that “proper request” consists o f the agreement, on the part of the requesting party, that said reproduction is for his personal use and that subsequent reproduction will not occur without written approval o f the author o f this Dissertation. Further, any portions o f the Dissertation used in books, papers, and other works must be appropriately referenced to this Dissertation. Finally, the author o f this Dissertation reserves the right to publish freely, in the literature, at any time, any or all portions o f this Dissertation.
Genetic risk of lung cancer associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism from EXO1: a meta analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIM Several reports have investigated the role of exonuclease 1 (EXO1) rs1047840 in lung cancer risk in different ethnic populations. Nevertheless, the results have been controversial. We aimed to assess the possible association between EXO1 rs1047840 and risk of lung cancer in a meta-analysis. METHODS Human hospital- or population-based studies released before December 16, 2013 were identified by systematic search of the PubMed and Embase databases. Data were extracted in duplicate from each study. An OR and 95% CI (odds ratio and 95% confidence interval) was calculated to evaluate the effects of EXO1 rs1047840 on lung carcinogenesis. RESULTS A total of 1,114 lung cancer patients and 1,166 well-matched controls were analyzed in this study. The fixed-effects meta-analysis revealed that carriage of a single A allele, compared to the carriage of single G allele, was associated with 1.18 times increased risk of lung cancer (A vs. G: OR =1.18; 95% CI: 1.03-1.35; PHeterogeneity, 0.121). CONCLUSION This first meta-analysis demonstrates that the A allele of EXO1 rs1047840 may confer modulating effects on the risk of lung cancer and could be used as a marker for early detection and primary prevention.
Reconstruction after Robotic Head and Neck Surgery: When and Why

Abstract The advancement of robotically assisted surgery during the last decade has seen a revolution in the approach to surgical oncologic resection, moving toward reducing patient morbidity without compromising oncologic outcomes. In no field has this been more dramatic than in the application of transoral robotic surgery (TORS), using the da Vinci surgical system for resecting tumors of the head and neck. This organ-preserving technique allows the surgeon to remove tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract without external incisions and potentially spare the patient adjuvant treatment. The introduction of TORS improves upon current transoral techniques to the oropharynx and supraglottis. The traditional conception of TORS is that it would be used for smaller tumors and defects would be permitted to heal by secondary intention; however, as head and neck surgeons pursue larger tumors robotically, robotic-assisted reconstruction has entered the paradigm. Given the relative infancy of these procedures, clear guidelines for when reconstruction is warranted do not exist. The current literature, thus far, has focused on feasibility, safety, and implement of the robot in reconstruction. We reviewed the current literature pertinent to TORS reconstruction focusing on patient selection, tumor size, and location. Furthermore, we briefly review our own experience of 20 TORS procedures involving robotic-assisted reconstructions. Finally, we provide an algorithmic approach to determining the need for reconstruction in a given patient. This focuses on four key criteria: tumor location, tumor extent, prior treatment, and patient-specific factors.
Dynamic environmental indicators for smart homes:assessing the role of home energy management systems in achieving decarbonisation goals in the residential sector

Achieving the objective of a decarbonised economy by 2050 will require massive efforts in the energy sector. Emissions from residential houses will have to be almost completely cut, by around 90% by 2050. Home automation is a potential tool for achieving this goal. However, the environmental and economic benefits of automation technologies first need to be assessed. This thesis evaluates the impact of home automation for electricity management in the residential sector using environmental and economic indicators. To this end, a life cycle assessment was performed to evaluate the impacts of the manufacturing, use and disposal phases. The influences of end-user behaviour, household size and multiple levels of technological deployment were also investigated. A Markov chain simulation tool, built on the MatLab platform, was developed to assess all possible combinations of impacting factors. Dynamic environmental indicators were developed based on the ReCiPe method for aggregating the impacts of processes. All these indicators were then combined to form a single index based on multi-criteria acceptability analysis. The results suggest that home automation can decrease peak load, but that overall electricity consumption may increase due to electricity use by the actual automation system. The effect of home automation was more noticeable in larger households than in one-person households. In addition, use of dynamic environmental indicators proved more relevant than fixed indicators to represent the environmental impact of home automation. Within the life cycle of automation technology, the manufacturing phase had the highest impact, but most of the CO2 emissions originated from the use phase. In conclusion, the most important environmental benefit of home automation is reducing CO2 emissions during peak time by load shifting.
SUMO Pathway Modulation of Regulatory Protein Binding at the Ribosomal DNA Locus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

In this report, we identify cellular targets of Ulp2, one of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) proteases, and investigate the function of SUMO modification of these proteins. PolySUMO conjugates from ulp2Δ and ulp2Δ slx5Δ cells were isolated using an engineered affinity reagent containing the four SUMO-interacting motifs (SIMs) of Slx5, a component of the Slx5/Slx8 SUMO-targeted ubiquitin ligase (STUbL). Two proteins identified, Net1 and Tof2, regulate ribosomal DNA (rDNA) silencing and were found to be hypersumoylated in ulp2Δ, slx5Δ, and ulp2Δ slx5Δ cells. The increase in sumoylation of Net1 and Tof2 in ulp2Δ, but not ulp1ts cells, indicates that these nucleolar proteins are specific substrates of Ulp2. Based on quantitative chromatin-immunoprecipitation assays, both Net1 and Tof2 lose binding to their rDNA sites in ulp2Δ cells and both factors largely regain this association in ulp2Δ slx5Δ. A parsimonious interpretation of these results is that hypersumoylation of these proteins causes them to be ubiquitylated by Slx5/Slx8, impairing their association with rDNA. Fob1, a protein that anchors both Net1 and Tof2 to the replication-fork barrier (RFB) in the rDNA repeats, is sumoylated in wild-type cells, and its modification levels increase specifically in ulp2Δ cells. Fob1 experiences a 50% reduction in rDNA binding in ulp2Δ cells, which is also rescued by elimination of Slx5. Additionally, overexpression of Sir2, another RFB-associated factor, suppresses the growth defect of ulp2Δ cells. Our data suggest that regulation of rDNA regulatory proteins by Ulp2 and the Slx5/Slx8 STUbL may be the cause of multiple ulp2Δ cellular defects.
Supercritical Antisolvent Versus Coevaporation— Preparation and Characterization of Solid Dispersions

The objective of this work was to improve the dissolution rate and aqueous solubility of oxeglitazar. Solid dispersions of oxeglitazar in PVP K17 (polyvinilpyrrolidone) and poloxamer 407 (polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene block copolymer) were prepared by supercritical antisolvent (SAS) and coevaporation (CoE) methods. Drug-carrier formulations were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, gas chromatography, UV/VIS spectroscopy and in vitro dissolution tests. The highest dissolution rate (nearly 3-fold higher than raw drug) was achieved by preparation of drug/PVP K17 coevaporate. Oxeglitazar/PVP K17 solid dispersions were stabilized by hydrogen bonding but contained higher amount of residual dichloromethane (DCM) than poloxamer 407 formulations regardless of the method of preparation. SAS prepared oxeglitazar/poloxamer 407 dissolved more than two times faster than raw drug. However, unlike PVP K17, poloxamer 407 did not form a single phase amorphous solid solution with oxeglitazar which has been manifested in higher degrees of crystallinity, too. Among the two techniques, evaluated in this work, conventional coevaporation resulted in higher amorphous content but SAS reduced residual solvent content more efficiently.
On-line Banking Systems: Are they sustainable?

Although the trend for on-line banking has increased in recent years, the customers have not shown enthusiastic participation in the past and in present. Since the sustainability of a bank supporting on-line-banking service depends on what capacity it can attract new customers, retain already existing customers and how well can it extend its services to the current and future customer base. This investigation is focused on examining if there is any significant difference among the factors namely the transactional security, information design, navigational design, visual design, web site trust, web site satisfaction and e-loyalty over sustainability of on-line banking for different banks in USA and in India. An already available questionnaire with 23 questions classified under seven different factors mentioned above was circulated among 91 and 93 participants from USA and India who had a good experience on on-line banking. The results of the survey were analyzed using MANOVA and ANOVA. Results from the survey indicated that transaction security in online banking system was a concern among on-line bankers in India. But none of the factors were significant for on-line bankers in USA.
Post Crisis Performance and Confidence of the Indian Economy

The recent global financial crisis is viewed as a glaring example of limitless pursuit of deregulation of financial markets and failure of global corporate governance. Though the global economic slowdown had its epicenter in the US but its impact is being witnessed in all major economies of the world. The present chapter seeks to analyze the post crisis experience of the Indian economy as compared to the global economic performances, using various macroeconomic indicators as output, employment, inflation, current account balance, movement in real effective exchange rate and inflow of FDI. It is based on a statistical analysis using secondary time-series data and is based on the Exogenous Structural Break Model developed by Perron (1989). Finally it tries to highlight the confidence of the economic agents based on some well recognized confidence indices (for e.g. Business Confidence Index, Consumer Confidence Index, FDI Confidence Index etc.) during the post-crisis period.
Labeling Images by Interpretation from Natural Viewing

In this paper, we would like to discuss the connection between visual processing and the understanding of an image. While the information of image viewing can be obtained from subjects’ eye fixation, the understanding of an image can be obtained from the subjects’ description of the given image. Furthermore, we proposed a new image labeling method based on the connection between eye fixation and image description by humans. By generating this new kind of labeling method, we can construct an image dataset with labels that are closer to how humans understand the incoming image. In addition, we would like to discuss the proof that the proposed labels better describe the image compared to other types of labeling systems. Research about the relationship between images and human descriptions can be applied to several different applications. For instance, by analyzing the pairwise similarity of user descriptions, we could have a measurement of the complexity of image content. Another possible application is to use this dataset as a criterion to find the difference in visual processing of individuals with or without certain psychological characteristic.
A two year prospective study to compare culture and polymerase chain reaction amplification for the detection and diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis.

AIM: To compare polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of borrelial DNA and culture isolation of spirochaetes for the diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis by direct detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in patients with erythema migrans and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions. METHODS: Skin biopsy specimens from erythema migrans and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions were subdivided and tested by PCR amplification assay and culture using two artificial growth media, Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly II (BSK II) and modified Kelly-Pettenkofer (MKP). Five classes of lesions were studied: typical erythema migrans, spontaneously resolved erythema migrans, atypical/partially treated erythema migrans, typical acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans, and atypical/partially treated acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. RESULTS: For both erythema migrans and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions, the most sensitive detection method was MKP culture. PCR was less sensitive than MKP culture, but more sensitive than BSK II culture. Results for 758 typical erythema migrans specimens showed positivity rates of 36% for MKP, 25% for PCR, and 24% for BSK II. Differences were statistically significant. The overall positivity rate for all three methods combined was 54%, but few specimens (6%) were positive by all three methods. Examination of multiple erythema migrans lesions from the same patient increased the diagnostic yield. These findings, and similar results for acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans lesions, suggest that the distribution of spirochaetes in skin biopsies is not homogeneous. CONCLUSIONS: Although possessing the potential to provide a rapid diagnosis, PCR is not more sensitive than culture for the direct detection of borrelia. Spirochaetes appear to be unevenly distributed throughout biopsy specimens, suggesting that diagnosis of Lyme borreliosis by direct detection of the causative agent in skin lesions in vulnerable to sample bias.
Automatic Hyperlinking of Engineering Drawing Documents

In construction or manufacturing industry, engineering drawings are used as blueprint or plan documents to facilitate the construction or manufacturing process. A fairly large construction project involves very large number of these documents, divided into different sub-sections. An engineer or architect often needs to refer different documents while preparing a new one or marking some irregularity in some document. Therefore they need to navigate through different files. It becomes an extremely difficult and time consuming task to move from one file to another in an interactive way. This paper describes an automated technique to access information from the existing drawing documents and create hyperlinks in order to enable the engineers to quickly navigate between files. The overall accuracy of our system for a class of documents is a decent 94.46%.
Intracellular calcium ions modulate acetylcholine‐induced inward current in guinea‐pig ileum.

1. The modulatory effect of internal Ca2+ on the current through the ACh‐activated non‐selective cation channels (Ins, ACh) was investigated by the whole‐cell patch clamp technique in single isolated cells of guinea‐pig ileum. 2. Ins, ACh was isolated with caesium aspartate internal solution of low Ca2(+)‐buffering capacity (10 microM‐EGTA). With preceding depolarizations which evoked voltage‐operated Ca2+ currents (ICa), Ins, ACh increased in amplitude and decayed more rapidly. The extent of this ‘facilitating’ effect depended on the number and duration of the depolarizations. 3. When depolarizing pulses were applied during the sustained phase of Ins, ACh, they were followed by large inward tail currents. These tail currents (tail Ins, ACh) resembled the non‐facilitated Ins, ACh recorded without the depolarizing pulse, in regard to voltage‐dependent gating and dependence on the extracellular Na+ concentration, thus suggesting that the currents are flowing through the same class of channels. 4. The tail Ins, ACh was apparently composed of two components distinguished by the insensitivity to organic Ca2+ antagonists. The minor component (about 20% of tail Ins, ACh) showed a rapid decay (about 150 ms at ‐60 mV) which could be attributed to voltage‐dependent kinetics. The major component decayed slowly within 5 s and appeared to be related to changes in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The latter component was not recorded when Ba2+ or Sr2+ were used as a charge carrier for ICa and was blocked by 10 microM‐D600 or nitrendipine, or Cd2+ 0.2‐0.5 mM). 5. The tail Ins, ACh increased in proportion to Ca2+ influx when the duration of depolarizing pulses were prolonged from 15 to 200 ms, but this ‘facilitating’ effect was greatly suppressed when the cell was perfused with 40 mM‐EGTA. 6. When the pCa in the pipette was varied using 40 mM‐Ca‐EGTA, the conductance through Ins, ACh increased in a manner dependent on intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Half‐maximal and submaximal activation occurred at about 200 nM and 1 microM, respectively. 7. These results show that the activity of Ins, ACh is very sensitive to the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the physiological range.
Mutation and association analysis of the Fyn kinase gene with alcoholism and schizophrenia.

Lack of Fyn tyrosine kinase increases alcohol sensitivity. Fyn phosphorylates a component of the NMDA receptor, which may be involved in schizophrenia. The Fyn gene is located on human chromosome 6q21, to which linkage of schizophrenia has been suggested. We hypothesized that the Fyn gene is a candidate for predisposition to alcoholism and schizophrenia, and we performed a mutation study of the 5'-flanking region, all coding exons, and exon-intron junctions of the Fyn gene. The SSCP mutation analysis was performed in 48 unrelated alcoholics and 16 unrelated schizophrenics. Three polymorphisms, -93A/G in the 5'-flanking region, IVS10+37T/C in intron 10, and Ex12+894T/G in the 3'-untranslated region, were identified. A rare variant of Ex12+1162TG in the 3'-untranslated region was also detected. Neither missense nor nonsense mutations were found. Case-control studies using a larger sample of unrelated patients and controls did not reveal significant associations between these polymorphisms and alcoholism or schizophrenia. In addition, genotyping a microsatellite marker, D6S302, located in intron 10 of the Fyn gene, did not show a significant association between the marker and alcoholism or schizophrenia. Results of the present study did not provide evidence for the involvement of the genomic Fyn gene mutations in alcoholism or schizophrenia. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 96:716-720, 2000.