Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficiency of neural drive during exercise in patients with COPD and healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND It is unknown whether efficiency of neural drive as expressed by a ratio of ventilation to the diaphragm electromyogram (EMGdi) in patients with COPD differs from that of healthy subjects during exercise and whether maximal neural drive is exhibited at the point of exercise termination. METHODS We studied 12 male patients with COPD (mean ± SD age, 62.8 ± 10.3 years; FEV(1), 28.1 ± 10.2% predicted) and 12 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (age, 61.1 ± 7.2 years, FEV(1), 101.5 ± 11.9% predicted). EMGdi was recorded from a multipair esophageal electrode during a constant work (80% of maximal oxygen consumption derived from a previous incremental exercise test) treadmill exercise. Minute ventilation and oxygen consumption were also measured. RESULTS Root mean square (RMS) of the EMGdi increased initially and reached a plateau at submaximal drive during constant load exercise in both patients with COPD and healthy subjects. The ratio of ventilation to EMGdi remained stable during exercise in healthy subjects from beginning to the end (100% ± 70% at the beginning and 100% ± 39% at the end, P > .05), whereas the ratio decreased gradually during exercise in patients with COPD (from 85% ± 66% to 42% ± 13%, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS Efficiency of neural drive decreases in patients with COPD during treadmill exercise. Neural respiratory drive reached a submaximal plateau during constant load exercise in both healthy subjects and patients with COPD, indicating that it may not be the only factor determining exercise capacity.
Evaluation of service quality at events: the 1998 Coca‐Cola Masters Surfing event at Margaret River, Western Australia

In stressing the importance of service quality to the events industry this paper seeks to investigate the conceptualisation and measurement of service quality and the relationships between service quality, customer satisfaction and repeat visitation at events. It reports the findings from a recently conducted study into service quality at an international event in Western Australia. A visitor survey and unobtrusive observation method were both applied to a surfing event in order to ascertain visitor perceptions of service quality at the event and assist management in a more comprehensive evaluation. In so doing it highlights those features deemed essential.
CD8 Marks a Subpopulation of Lung-Derived Dendritic Cells with Differential Responsiveness to Viral Infection and Toll-Like Receptor Stimulation

ABSTRACT An increasing number of studies suggest that individual subsets of dendritic cells (DC) exhibit distinct capabilities with regard to the generation of the adaptive immune response. In this study, we evaluated the properties of a relatively unexplored DC subset present in the lung-draining mediastinal lymph node. This subset expresses the airway dendritic cell marker CD103 together with CD8. These DC were of interest given that our previous studies using a model of respiratory infection with vaccinia virus revealed a distinct difference in the ability of CD103+ DC to prime T cells that correlated inversely with the expression of CD8, suggesting a differential role of these DC in the context of respiratory virus infection. To expand our understanding of the role of this DC population, we performed analyses to elucidate the phenotype, migratory capacity, responsiveness to innate stimuli, and priming capacity of CD8+ CD103+ DC. We found that expression of surface markers on these DC was similar to that of CD8− CD103+ DC, supporting their close relationship. Further, the two DC types were similar with regard to antigen uptake. However, although both CD103+ subsets originated from the lung, CD8-bearing CD103+ DC appeared in the lymph node with delayed kinetics following virus infection. While this subset exhibited increased responsiveness to a number of Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, their response to infection was virus specific, demonstrating poor responsiveness to vaccinia virus infection but robust maturation following infection with parainfluenza virus 5 or influenza virus. These findings show that CD8 marks a population of lung airway-derived DC with distinct migratory and maturation responses that likely contribute differentially to the immune response depending on the infecting pathogen.
Book Review: Marketing Management

The objective of this book is to provide the reader with a comprehensive view of the key factors which have controlled the growth and development of middlemen institutions. Designed for both students and practitioners, the book fills a void in the distribution systems literature. Through the use of both quantitative and verbal models, the author examines the market variables critical to retailers and wholesalers. The most notable feature of the book is the inclusion of two crosssectional studies, employing regression and factor analysis. Another commendable feature is the complete reporting of the data in the appendices. The first chapter presents an overview of the development of the "status and function" of retailers and wholesalers. An interesting feature is the author's use of mathematical models to illustrate the different results of direct vs. middleman distribution systems. The book is then structured into two parallel sections: Chapters 2, 3, and 4 deal with retailing, while Chapters 5, 6, and 7 examine wholesaling. Chapter 2 provides a rapid treatment of the development of retailing from ancient times up to 1929, including the ascendence of chain, department, and catalogue retailers. Chapter 5 covers wholesaling from the same evolutionary perspective, ending with the development of functional specialization. Chapter 3 describes the structural changes in retailing since 1929 and includes a series of regression equations that identify the most relevant variables affecting retail sales performance. The structural changes in wholesaling are covered in Chapter 6, which also includes a series of regression equations concerning wholesale sales performance and market share. Chapter 4 considers the nature of the competitive process in retailing. A review of the basic economic model of monopolistic and oligopolistic competition is included as well as the elements of retail concentration, barriers to entry, fair trade, pricing, profits, and margins. Wholesaling is viewed from this same perspective in Chapter 7. The final chapter provides a rationale for the considerable cost of distribution systems and presents some simple mathematical models for analyzing distribution cost. The overall quality of the book is excellent; the author achieves his objectives and provides statistical substantiation for his choice of relevant variables crucial to the distributive trades. It should be noted that the quantitative methods employed by the author are basic; thus the book can be used in an undergraduate setting and can be understood by the practitioner. Because of the format of most business school programs, the book should find its widest use at the graduate level in courses concerned with distribution. There has long been a shortage of good materials for these classes, and because of its quality, this work will be welcomed by those teaching these courses.
Appication of ahp and topsis method for supplier selection problem

Supplier selection, the process of determining the suitable suppliers who are able to provide the buyer with the right quality products and/or services at the right price, at the right time and in the right quantities, is one of the most critical activities for establishing an effective supply chain. In other words, supplier selection is a multi-criteria decision making problem which includes both qualitative and quantitative factors. In order to choose the best suppliers, it is essential to make a trade-off between these tangible and intangible factors, some of which may conflict. The aim of this study is to develop a methodology to evaluate suppliers in supply chain cycle based on Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution method (TOPSIS). In this paper, I have taken into consideration some important criteria which affect the process of supplier selection, that is, product quality, service quality, delivery time and price. I have calculated the weights for each criterion based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and then inputted these weights to the TOPSIS method to rank suppliers. The entire methodology is illustrated with the help of a numerical example and finally the rank of each supplier is determined according to its results.
Functional properties of natural human PAX6 and PAX6(5a) mutants.

PURPOSE Pax6 is essential for development of the eye, brain, and pancreas. Two major products of PAX6 are specific DNA-binding proteins, PAX6 and PAX6(5a). PAX6(5a) contains a short insertion influencing its DNA-binding activity. Heterozygous mutations in PAX6 result in abnormal eye development implicating haploinsufficiency. Deletions of one PAX6 allele result in aniridia characterized by severe ocular phenotypes. Approximately 10% of PAX6 mutations encode missense mutations. These mutations usually cause less severe abnormalities than does aniridia. The moderate phenotypes raise the possibility that different ocular tissues are differently sensitive to specific mutations. To test this hypothesis, we probed functional properties of individual mutated Pax6 proteins in a variety of conditions. METHODS Mutations in PAX6 and PAX6(5a) were introduced by site-directed mutagenesis and tested by transfections in four cell lines using reporters containing three different Pax6 binding sites. Pax6 binding to DNA was studied by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. RESULTS Functional studies of PAX6 and PAX6(5a) and their eight natural missense (G18W, R26G, A33P, S43P, G64V, I87R, V126D and R128C) and two nonsense (R317X and S353X) disease-causing mutants revealed unexpected pleiotropic effects in gene regulation, not predicted by the PAX6-DNA crystal structure. Transactivation by PAX6 and PAX6(5a) was dependent on the location of mutation, type of DNA-binding site, and cellular environment. CONCLUSIONS This work provides evidence that activation by PAX6 and PAX6(5a) is modulated by specific cellular environments. It is likely that moderate phenotypes associated with PAX6 missense mutations originate from abnormal protein function in a restricted number of ocular cell types.
Developing marketing strategies to increase vegetable consumption

Purpose – This study aims to examine factors that influence consumption of vegetables in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – Discrete choice methodology is used to measure the relative importance of health benefits and other attributes when choosing food to be eaten at home, cluster analysis to identify segments, and analysis of variance to analyze differences between clusters.Findings – The results show that, for food in general, nutrition and impact on weight are more important than value for money, ease of preparation and taste. However, for vegetables, while the nutrition and weight benefits are very positive factors, taste, cost and ease of preparation inhibit consumption. Results of the cluster analysis suggest that marketing strategies should be adapted for different consumer segments.Research limitations/implications – The sample size is fairly small – 250.Practical implications – The results can be used to help food marketers increase consumption of vegetables.Social implications – More effecti.
The investment-fit-performance triangle: the relationships between investment, strategic fit and performance in service organisations

This paper presents empirical research within eight strategic business units (SBUs) from six service organisations investigating the relationship between investment, strategic fit and business performance. The research found six significant relationships within the investment-fit-performance triangle. ‘Process investment’ seems to have the most significant impact on strategic fit and business performance of all the variables studied. ‘Environmental initiatives investment’ has a less significant impact on fit and performance, both investment in ‘people’ and ‘service/product development’ only have a limited impact on fit and no impact on performance.
The Role of the Board of Directors in Hiring the Audit Firm: Empirical Evidence from Brazil

The purpose of this article is to investigate if there is a relationship between the characteristics of the board of directors and the type of independent audit firm engaged by companies listed on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange (BM&FBovespa). We considered three board characteristics: independence, CEO/ chair separation and size. In turn, for the audit firms we considered two characteristics: size and level of specialization in the client company’s segment, based on two measures (market strategy and market share). The data were obtained from the websites of the companies, the Brazilian Securities Commission (CVM) and Economatica, covering the period from 1998 to 2006. The results indicate that CEO/chair separation is associated with larger audit firms (Big N) and specialist firms. These results contribute to the discussion on how the corporate governance structure influences the engagement of the auditor, improving the understanding of the role of the board of directors in monitoring listed Brazilian companies.
SOME ASPECTS OF RECENT ADVANCES IN THE USE OF BLOOD CELL COMPONENTS

Intensive research and major technical advances in the last decade have resulted in a remarkable improvement in transfusion supportive care which has significantly contributed to the increased survival now achievable in patients with leukaemia and aplastic anaemia. Platelet transfusions are now available in almost all hospitals, while granulocyte transfusions, previously used only in cancer centres, are now being dispensed by many regional blood transfusion centres in the United States. A number of reviews dealing with donor selection and safety, collection methodology and clinical guidelines for cell component use have been published in the last few years
Clustering of Variables Based on Watson Distribution on Hypersphere: A Comparison of Algorithms

We consider n individuals described by p variables, represented by points of the surface of unit hypersphere. We suppose that the individuals are fixed and the set of variables comes from a mixture of bipolar Watson distributions. For the mixture identification, we use EM and dynamic clusters algorithms, which enable us to obtain a partition of the set of variables into clusters of variables. Our aim is to evaluate the clusters obtained in these algorithms, using measures of within-groups variability and between-groups variability and compare these clusters with those obtained in other clustering approaches, by analyzing simulated and real data.
Do men slow down faster than women?

Summary This paper tests on differences between age-related reductions in the performance of men and women. The assumption that men age faster is obvious, because men′s life expectancy is generally lower. In addition to other studies on age-related reduction in human performance, this paper examines the data taken from competitions on rowing machines, which have been standardized worldwide. Furthermore, this study looks for any potential ageing processes specific to physique. Finally, fractional polynomials have been added to the testing methodology. Contrary to intuition, we find evidence that women are affected by faster age-related reductions in performance.
Surprising Structural Lability of a Cysteine‐S‐Conjugate Precursor of 4‐Methyl‐4‐sulfanylpentan‐2‐one, a Varietal Aroma in Wine of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sauvignon Blanc

4‐Methyl‐4‐sulfanylpentan‐2‐one (1; 4MSP) provides a characteristic aroma compound of wines made from Vitis vinifera L. cv. Sauvignon blanc. 4MSP has a strong box‐tree odor with a very low perception threshold and is derived from the cysteinylated precursor S‐(1,1‐dimethyl‐3‐oxobutyl)cysteine (4; P‐4MSP). P‐4MSP is transformed into 4MSP during alcoholic fermentation and is an excellent marker of varietal aroma potential. An improved synthesis of P‐4MSP as well as of its deuterium‐labeled analogue [D6]‐P‐4MSP is described. Several analytical methods (NMR, IR, LSI‐MS, GC/MS, ESI‐MSn) were combined to elucidate spontaneous reversible structural changes of P‐4MSP at different pH values. At low pH, P‐4MSP has a linear keto form. The keto–enol tautomerism was observed at neutral pH. At pH 8, the formation of N‐substituted intramolecular hemiaminal was characterized by ESI‐MS and ESI‐MSn experiments. The hemiaminal loses H2O at high pH to produce a cycloimine, which is easily opened by acid hydrolysis. The keto–enol tautomerism explained the incorporation of only six D‐atoms during the preparation of the P‐4MSP deuterated standard even if [D10]mesityl oxide was used. Derivatization conditions for GC/MS analysis strongly affected the ratio of the monosilylated intramolecular cyclic form and the disilylated linear form of P‐4MSP. The structural changes of P‐4MSP may have a considerable impact on the development of methods of measuring varietal aroma potential.
Emergence of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells involves a Chd1-dependent increase in total nascent transcription

Significance Adult hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) develop from a small number of specialized endothelial cells in the embryo. Very little is known about how this process, known as the endothelial-to-hematopoietic transition, is regulated. In this paper, we used mouse genetic knockout models to establish Chd1 as the first chromatin remodeler, to our knowledge, shown to regulate this transition. Chd1 is not required in the endothelium prior to the transition, nor in the blood system after the transition. We found that the emergence of HSPCs involves an increase in total nascent transcription that is dependent on Chd1. These results reveal a new paradigm of regulation of a developmental transition by modulation of transcriptional output that may be relevant in other stem/progenitor cell contexts. Lineage specification during development involves reprogramming of transcriptional states, but little is known about how this is regulated in vivo. The chromatin remodeler chomodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 1 (Chd1) promotes an elevated transcriptional output in mouse embryonic stem cells. Here we report that endothelial-specific deletion of Chd1 leads to loss of definitive hematopoietic progenitors, anemia, and lethality by embryonic day (E)15.5. Mutant embryos contain normal numbers of E10.5 intraaortic hematopoietic clusters that express Runx1 and Kit, but these clusters undergo apoptosis and fail to mature into blood lineages in vivo and in vitro. Hematopoietic progenitors emerging from the aorta have an elevated transcriptional output relative to structural endothelium, and this elevation is Chd1-dependent. In contrast, hematopoietic-specific deletion of Chd1 using Vav-Cre has no apparent phenotype. Our results reveal a new paradigm of regulation of a developmental transition by elevation of global transcriptional output that is critical for hemogenesis and may play roles in other contexts.
An efficient method to screen resistive opens under presence of process variation

In this paper, a cost efficient test methodology to screen chips that have resistive open defects under the presence of process variation is proposed. The proposed test methodology is based on small delay defect testing. The entire test session is divided into several subsessions. In each subsession, test patterns are applied with a different frequency of test clock, all of which are faster than the rated clock. Unlike others, different test patterns are generated and applied in each subsession to reduce test application time. A simple three step screening method is also proposed. The first step identifies scan outputs that can fail only if there are defects under the possible worst case process variation. In the second step, we assume that a chip failed due to a defect if the number of faulty scan outputs in a test pattern is much larger than that of faulty scan outputs of a typical defect free chip. Finally, the third step screens defective chips by comparing the number of fail patterns. Among 10 benchmark circuits used for the experiments, the proposed method was able to screen successfully more than 90 % of defective chips for 8 circuits.
The Histone Chaperone Asf1p Mediates Global Chromatin Disassembly in Vivo*

The packaging of the eukaryotic genome into chromatin is likely to be mediated by chromatin assembly factors, including histone chaperones. We investigated the function of the histone H3/H4 chaperones anti-silencing function 1 (Asf1p) and chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF-1) in vivo. Analysis of chromatin structure by accessibility to micrococcal nuclease and DNase I digestion demonstrated that the chromatin from CAF-1 mutant yeast has increased accessibility to these enzymes. In agreement, the supercoiling of the endogenous 2μ plasmid is reduced in yeast lacking CAF-1. These results indicate that CAF-1 mutant yeast globally under-assemble their genome into chromatin, consistent with a role for CAF-1 in chromatin assembly in vivo. By contrast, asf1 mutants globally over-assemble their genome into chromatin, as suggested by decreased accessibility of their chromatin to micrococcal nuclease and DNase I digestion and increased supercoiling of the endogenous 2μ plasmid. Deletion of ASF1 causes a striking loss of acetylation on histone H3 lysine 9, but this is not responsible for the altered chromatin structure in asf1 mutants. These data indicate that Asf1p may have a global role in chromatin disassembly and an unexpected role in histone acetylation in vivo.
Risk of venous thromboembolism in splenectomized patients compared with the general population and appendectomized patients: a 10‐year nationwide cohort study

*Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark; Amgen Ltd, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK; and Amgen Inc.,Thousand Oaks, CA, USATo cite this article: Thomsen RW, Schoonen WM, Farkas DK, Riis A, Fryzek JP, Sorensen HT. Risk of venous thromboembolism in splenectomizedpatients compared with the general population and appendectomized patients: a 10-year nationwide cohort study. J Thromb Haemost 2010; 8:1413–6.
Memory and executive impairment in schizophrenia: comparison with frontal and temporal brain damage

Background Although poor neuropsychological test performance is well documented in schizophrenia, how closely it resembles that seen in patients with brain damage in terms of cognitive failures in daily life and stability over time has been little studied. Method Thirty patients with chronic schizophrenia, 24 patients with frontal or temporal brain damage and 30 healthy controls were given a battery of memory and executive tests. Carers of the two patient groups also completed questionnaires rating memory and executive failures in daily life. Testing was repeated 6 weeks later. Results The schizophrenia and the brain-damaged patients were significantly impaired on most, but not all tests. The degree of carer-rated memory or executive failure was similar in the two groups, but the schizophrenia patients were rated as having significantly more executive failures than memory failures, whereas the brain-damaged patients showed the reverse pattern. Both groups of patients showed similar consistency of performance across sessions. Conclusions Neuropsychological impairment in schizophrenia resembles that seen in patients with brain damage, not only in terms of overall severity, but also in terms of stability and the degree to which poor test performance translates into cognitive failures in daily life.