Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Developing Integrated Tools to Optimise Railway systems: An overview

This paper provides an overview of the DITTO (Developing Integrated Tools to Optimise) project and presents some of its initial findings. The aim of DITTO is to increase the practical capacity of railway systems by developing computerised tools that can determine the theoretical capacity of a given infrastructure, optimise timetables in the face of delays and optimise real-time traffic management in situation of both fixed block and moving block signalling. Some prototype tools are developed and applied to the East Coast Main Line (ECML) railway in the UK. In particular, a stochastic version of job shop scheduling is applied to the station of Peterborough. It is found that additional services can be provided on the local network but at the expense of service performance. However, when a wider network area is considered, the number of feasible additional services appears to be much reduced
Valuation of European and American Option Prices Under the Levy Processes with a Markov Chain Approximation

This paper suggests a numerical method for valuation of European and American options under the two Levy Processes, Normal Inverse Gaussian Model and the Variance Gamma model. The method is based on approximation of underlying asset price using a finite-state, time-homogeneous Markov chain. We examine the effectiveness of the proposed method with simulation results, which are compared with those from the existing numerical method, the lattice-based method.
Haplotype-Based Analysis of Common Variation in the Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase α Gene and Breast Cancer Risk: A Case-Control Study Nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

A key fatty acid synthesis enzyme, acetyl-CoA carboxylase α (ACC-α), has been shown to be highly expressed in human breast cancer and other tumor types and also to specifically interact with the protein coded by one of two major breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1. We used a comprehensive haplotype analysis to examine the contribution of the ACC-α common genetic variation (allele frequency >5%) to breast cancer in a case-control study (1,588 cases/2,600 controls) nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. We identified 21 haplotype-tagging polymorphisms efficiently capturing common variation within 325 kb of ACC-α and surrounding sequences using genotype data from the HapMap project and our resequencing data. We found an effect on overall risk of breast cancer in homozygous carriers of one common haplotype [odds ratio (OR), 1.74; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.03-2.94]. When the data were subdivided by menopausal status, we found statistical evidence of heterogeneity for two other common haplotypes (P value for heterogeneity = 0.016 and 0.045). In premenopausal women, the carriers of these haplotypes, compared with noncarriers, had an altered risk of breast cancer (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.53-0.92 and OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.04-1.76). These findings were not significant after adjustment for multiple testing and therefore should be considered as preliminary and evaluated in larger independent studies. However, they suggest a possible role of the ACC-α common sequence variants in susceptibility to breast cancer and encourage studies of other genes involved in fatty acid synthesis. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(3):409–15)
Comparison of DNA‐ and RNA‐Based Methods for Detection of Truncating BRCA1 Mutations

A number of methods are used for mutational analysis of BRCA1, a large multi‐exon gene. A comparison was made of five methods to detect mutations generating premature stop codons that are predicted to result in synthesis of a truncated protein in BRCA1. These included four DNA‐based methods: two‐dimensional gene scanning (TDGS), denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC), enzymatic mutation detection (EMD), and single strand conformation polymorphism analysis (SSCP) and an RNA/DNA‐based protein truncation test (PTT) with and without complementary 5′ sequencing. DNA and RNA samples isolated from 21 coded lymphoblastoid cell line samples were tested. These specimens had previously been analyzed by direct automated DNA sequencing, considered to be the optimum method for mutation detection. The set of 21 cell lines included 14 samples with 13 unique frameshift or nonsense mutations, three samples with two unique splice site mutations, and four samples without deleterious mutations. The present study focused on the detection of protein‐truncating mutations, those that have been reported most often to be disease‐causing alterations that segregate with cancer in families. PTT with complementary 5′ sequencing correctly identified all 15 deleterious mutations. Not surprisingly, the DNA‐based techniques did not detect a deletion of exon 22. EMD and DHPLC identified all of the mutations with the exception of the exon 22 deletion. Two mutations were initially missed by TDGS, but could be detected after slight changes in the test design, and five truncating mutations were missed by SSCP. It will continue to be important to use complementary methods for mutational analysis. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Overweight among Refugee Children after Arrival in the United States

We determined the impact of 69 African refugee children’s arrival age and weight on subsequent weight gain by following BMI of refugee children. During 6–24 months after arrival in the U.S., 57% of underweight children became normal weight, whereas only 2% of normal weight children moved to the next higher weight category (p<.001). Children with overweight or those at-risk for overweight on arrival were more likely to be overweight on follow-up than were children who were not at risk or overweight on arrival (OR 18.9, 95% CI 3.2–112) Despite the tendency of catch-up weight gain of children underweight at arrival, BMI at arrival did not predict the slope of BMI change over time. Children who are overweight at arrival are more likely to remain at risk of overweight. The younger cohort experienced an increase in BMI at a slower rate than the older cohorts.
Stress Hormones in Mammals and Birds: Comparative Aspects Regarding Metabolism, Excretion, and Noninvasive Measurement in Fecal Samples

Abstract: A multitude of endocrine mechanisms are involved in coping with challenges. Front‐line hormones to overcome stressful situations are glucocorticoids (GCs) and catecholamines (CAs). These hormones are usually determined in plasma samples as parameters of adrenal activity and thus of disturbance. GCs (and CAs) are extensively metabolized and excreted afterwards. Therefore, the concentration of GCs (or their metabolites) can be measured in various body fluids or excreta. Above all, fecal samples offer the advantages of easy collection and a feedback‐free sampling procedure. However, large differences exist among species regarding the route and time course of excretion, as well as the types of metabolites formed. Based on information gained from radiometabolism studies (reviewed in this paper), we recently developed and successfully validated different enzyme immunoassays that enable the noninvasive measurement of groups of cortisol or corticosterone metabolites in animal feces. The determination of these metabolites in fecal samples can be used as a powerful tool to monitor GC production in various species of domestic, wildlife, and laboratory animals.
A survey of transfer learning methods for reinforcement learning

Transfer Learning (TL) is the branch of Machine Learning concerned with improving performance on a target task by leveraging knowledge from a related (and usually already learned) source task. TL is potentially applicable to any learning task, but in this survey we consider TL in a Reinforcement Learning (RL) context. TL is inspired by psychology; humans constantly apply previous knowledge to new tasks, but such transfer has traditionally been very difficult for—or ignored by—machine learning applications. The goals of TL are to facilitate faster and better learning of new tasks by applying past experience where appropriate, and to enable autonomous continual learning agents. TL is a young field (within the RL context), and has only recently seen much interest from the RL community. However, it is rapidly growing, and in the last few years dozens of new methods have been proposed. In all cases surveyed, the proposed methods have been remarkably successful towards the goals of TL. This survey presents a novel classification of current TL methods, a comparative analysis of their strengths and weaknesses, and reasoned ideas for future research.
Expatriate‐local relationship and organisational effectiveness: a study of multinational companies in China

Considers the relationship between the expatriates and locals which affect their working together and therefore the effectiveness of their companies. Suggests that the area of institutional arrangements that sets the pattern of the relationship, the tone of communications and the categorization of co‐workers in conflicting groups is virtually untouched. Attempts to examine the variables that constitute the formation, evolution and impact on corporate effectiveness. Offers solutions such as localization of personnel, equality, integration and sharing of cultures.
Estimating Ideal Points in the British House of Commons Using Early Day Motions

This article develops a new method for estimating the ideological preferences of members of the British House of Commons. Existing methods produce implausible results due to high levels of party cohesion and strategic voting on the part of opposition parties. To circumvent these problems, this article estimates MP preferences using Early Day Motions (EDMs) as an alternative to roll‐call votes. The Bayesian ideal point model for the decision to sign an EDM takes into account both policy preferences and signing costs. The estimates obtained have greater face validity than previous attempts to measure preferences in the House of Commons, recovering the expected order of parties and of members within parties. The estimates successfully predict voting behavior in the House of Commons. As with other Bayesian ideal point methods, this approach produces natural uncertainty estimates and allows for easy calculation of quantities of interest such as member ranks.
Acquisition Entry Strategy of Nordic Multinational Enterprises in China: An Analysis of Key Determinants

ABSTRACT This article addresses the key determinants of acquisition entry strategy (i.e., the choice between full versus partial acquisition) of Nordic multinational enterprises (MNEs) in China. Although general establishment and entry mode strategies have been a highly researched area in international business studies, acquisitions as a specific entry strategy and its different aspects have been scarcely researched. Therefore, the current study aims to fill the gap in literature by analyzing determinants of acquisition entry strategy based on three important theoretical bases: transaction cost economics, resource-based view, and institutional theory. Our study is one of the first to analyze acquisition entry strategy of MNEs from all four Nordic economies (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden) in China during 1987 through 2012, and this unique empirical context adds further value to the study findings. The empirical results show that high target country experience, high cultural distance, high level of product diversification, and subsidiary location in institutionally developed and open cities of China were positively associated with choice of full acquisitions by Nordic MNEs. On the other hand, high industry research and development intensity and timing of acquisition led to the choice of partial acquisitions by the investing Nordic MNEs.
A double-blind placebo-controlled study of emtricitabine in chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND Emtricitabine is a nucleoside analogue approved for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus 1 with clinical activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV). METHODS To compare the safety and efficacy of emtricitabine with placebo in patients with HBV, we conducted a randomized (2:1), double-blind study at 34 sites in North America, Asia, and Europe that enrolled adults between November 2000 and July 2002 who had chronic HBV infection but had never been exposed to nucleoside or nucleotide treatment. Each patient received either 200 mg of emtricitabine (n=167) or placebo (n=81) once daily for 48 weeks and underwent a pretreatment and end-of-treatment liver biopsy. Histologic improvement was defined as a 2-point reduction in Knodell necroinflammatory score with no worsening in fibrosis. RESULTS At the end of treatment, 103 (62%) of 167 patients receiving active treatment had improved liver histologic findings vs 20 (25%) of 81 receiving placebo (P<.001), with significance demonstrated in subgroups positive (P<.001) and negative (P=.002) for hepatitis Be (HBe) antigen. Serum HBV DNA readings showed less than 400 copies/mL in 91 (54%) of 167 patients in the emtricitabine group vs 2 (2%) of 81 in the placebo group (P<.001); alanine aminotransferase levels were normal in 65% (109/167) vs 25% (20/81), respectively (P<.001). At week 48, 20 (13%) of 159 patients in the emtricitabine group with HBV DNA measured at the end of treatment had detectable virus with resistance mutations (95% confidence interval, 8%-18%). The rate of seroconversion to anti-HBe (12%) and HBe antigen loss were not different between arms. The safety profile of emtricitabine during treatment was similar to that of placebo. Posttreatment exacerbation of HBV infection developed in 23% of emtricitabine-treated patients. CONCLUSION In patients with chronic HBV, both positive and negative for HBe antigen, 48 weeks of emtricitabine treatment resulted in significant histologic, virologic, and biochemical improvement.
Traveller-Generated Contents for Destination Image Formation: Mainland China Travellers to Taiwan as a Case Study

ABSTRACT This study examines destination image (DI) formation through user-generated web contents. Recently, web contents developed by peers have become one of the most popular information sources for travel planning purposes. After conducting a content analysis and text mining of a sample of 1033 blog articles (2009–2013), this study found that attraction to images of activities and positive/negative impressions with five categories (attraction, shopping, food and beverage, accommodation and transportation) form travellers’ DI. The study results suggest that traveller-generated web contents can be especially useful for DI analyses in marketing and management. This study also highlights the importance of understanding DI formation from traveller-generated contents and the challenges for those in tourism marketing to narrow the gap.
Biomarkers of endothelial dysfunction: can they help us deciphering systemic inflammation and sepsis?

The endothelial integrity, as mechanical barrier against microorganisms and as natural “anticoagulant”, is crucial for physiologic organ function. Systemic activation of the endothelium upon inflammation, sepsis, and septic shock is always ending in blood–tissue barrier disruption. With increasing dysfunction, uncontrolled clotting activation, capillary microthrombi formation, tissue edema, local hypoxia, and ischemia are initiated. This in turn enhances a vicious circle leading to multiple organ failure and death. Therefore, biomarkers reflecting this special compartment may help in the early detection of systemic inflammation and its complications. This review provides an overview of the most important endothelial biomarkers and their possible use in sepsis.
The Bank of Canada's Monetary Policy Framework: Have Recent Changes Enhanced Central Bank Credibility?

In recent years the Bank of Canada has made important changes in the way it conducts monetary policy. In particular, the bank has adopted explicit inflation targets and introduced significant changes to its operational framework designed to increase transparency and reduce market uncertainty. This paper examines the key issues associated with the recent changes in the Bank of Canada's monetary policy framework and analyzes various indicators of central bank credibility.
The small GTPase Rho3 and the diaphanous/formin For3 function in polarized cell growth in fission yeast

We identified a novel Rho gene rho3+ and studied its interaction with diaphanous/formin for3+ in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Both rho3 null cells and for3 null cells showed defects in organization of not only actin cytoskeleton but also cytoplasmic microtubules (MTs). rho3 for3 double null cells had defects that were more severe than each single null cell: polarized growth was deficient in the double null cells. Function of For3 needed the highly conserved FH1 and FH2 domains, an N-terminal region containing a Rho-binding domain, and the C-terminal region. For3 bound to active forms of both Rho3 and Cdc42 but not to that of Rho1. For3 was localized as dots to the ends of interphase cells and to the mid-region in dividing cells. This localization was probably dependent on its interaction with Rho proteins. Overexpression of For3 produced huge swollen cells containing depolarized F-actin patches and thick cytoplasmic MT bundles. In addition, overexpression of a constitutively active Rho3Q71L induced a strong defect in cytokinesis. In conclusion, we propose that the Rho3-For3 signaling system functions in the polarized cell growth of fission yeast by controlling both actin cytoskeleton and MTs.
The impact of transaction specific investments on partnership performance

Collaborating with partners in supply-chains is generally accepted as a critical success factor. In governance value analysis (GVA), it is assumed that undertaking transaction specific investments is a key enabler of innovation and improved competitive standing in the market. However, critics contend that GVA is not a theory that deals with innovation because the unit of analysis is the transaction between firms. By means of an empirical study in the seafood industry we provide some empirical support for the critics’ view. While undertaking transaction specific investments has efficiency benefits, no effectiveness gains were found in partnerships in the food supply-chain. These results suggest that while GVA is appropriate for explaining innovation in operational collaboration with the aim of achieving cost-efficient transactions between supply-chain partners, it is less able to explain innovation in strategic, problem-solving like, collaboration.
Combining serum and urine biomarkers in the early diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment that evolves into Alzheimer’s disease in patients with the apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype

Abstract Possession of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype is a major predictor of progression to Alzheimer’s disease (AD), particularly in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, the use of APOE genotyping in the diagnosis of MCI is limited due to its low sensitivity and specificity, which often results in a high false-positive rate. In this study, we found that there was a significant decrease in serum BDNF and notable increase in urine AD7c-NTP in MCI patients who harbored the APOE ε4 allele. Both serum BDNF and urine AD7c-NTP had higher positive predictive values and were more sensitive biomarkers of MCI. Additionally, a testing strategy employing serum BDNF and urine AD7c-NTP revealed increases in sensitivity, positive and negative predictive values, and predictive ability compared with the use of either biomarker alone, suggested that combinatorial detection might have great potential for translation to the clinic.
Undiagnosed Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Korea: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2009

ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of patients with previously undiagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in Korea. Methods: This study examined data from 391 subjects obtained from the 2008–2009 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The KNHANES is a population-based, cross-sectional epidemiological survey. Participants aged 19 years or older completed standardized interviews and dilated ocular examinations, including measurement of intraocular pressure, visual fields with frequency doubling perimetry, and fundus photography. Data from the 361 patients with previously undiagnosed POAG were analyzed and compared with data from the 30 patients with previously diagnosed glaucoma. Results: A total of 92.3% of POAG cases were undiagnosed before this study. Adjusted for age and sex, the strongest risk factor for undiagnosed glaucoma was longer elapsed time since last eye doctor visit. Glaucoma patients who had not visited an eye specialist in the last 3 years were 22 times (95% confidence interval, CI, 4.49–105.64, p < 0.001) more likely to have undiagnosed disease compared with patients who had visited an eye specialist in the last month. Another significant factor for previously undiagnosed glaucoma was smaller cup-to-disc ratio (odds ratio, OR, 0.60/0.1 units, 95% CI 0.43–0.85/0.1 units, p = 0.004). The higher vertical cup-to-disc ratio of a subject’s two eyes was significantly different between those with previously undiagnosed (0.69) and diagnosed (0.78) POAG (p = 0.001). Conclusions: The undiagnosed POAG group had a longer interval from last eye doctor visit and smaller vertical cup-to-disc ratio compared to the diagnosed group.
Developmental Pluripotency of the Nuclei of Neurons in the Cerebral Cortex of Juvenile Mice

Nuclei isolated from green fluorescent protein-marked neurons in the cerebral cortex of juvenile mice (14–21 d after birth) were injected into enucleated oocytes that were allowed to develop into blastocysts. Embryonic stem (ES) cell lines were established from the inner cell mass of 76 cloned blastocysts after injecting 2026 neuronal nuclei. Some ES cells were injected individually into enucleated oocytes (nuclear transfer). Other ES cells were transferred into the blastocoeles of tetraploid blastocysts (tetraploid complementation). Two-cell embryos after nuclear transfer were transferred to the oviducts of surrogate mothers. Four (1.5%) of 272 nuclear-transferred two-cell embryos developed to term, and two (0.7%) developed into fertile adults. Nineteen (1.9%) of 992 tetraploid blastocysts receiving ES cells reached term, and 10 (1.0%) developed into adults. These findings demonstrate that some of the nuclei of differentiated neurons in the cerebral cortex of juvenile mice maintain developmental pluripotency.
Combining isotopic and ecomorphological data to refine bovid paleodietary reconstruction: a case study from the Makapansgat Limeworks hominin locality.

The relationship between environmental change and hominin evolution remains obscure. For the most part, this stems from the difficulty of reconstructing ancient hominin habitats. Bovids are among the most frequently utilized paleoenvironmental indicators, but little is known about the habitat preferences of extinct taxa. It is generally assumed that fossil bovids both ate the same things and occupied the same habitats as their closest extant relatives. We test the first part of this assumption by reconstructing the diets of seven bovids from Makapansgat Limeworks, South Africa. Since diet and habitat are linked, these reconstructions have implications for our understanding of fossil bovid habitat tolerances. Ecomorphological and stable carbon isotope analyses are employed, allowing us to take advantage of the strengths and overcome the weaknesses of both. In most cases, fossil bovids did have similar diets to their extant relatives, and probably occupied similar habitats. Gazella vanhoepeni and Aepyceros sp. , however, were almost exclusive browsers, and not mixed feeders like their living counterparts.