Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preservation of the bioactive saponins of Holothuria scabra through the processing of trepang

Holothuroids produce highly diverse natural organic compounds which present interesting nutritional and pharmacological properties. This is why processed sea cucumbers, also called trepang, have a high commercial value and are consumed for food and traditional medicine in Asian communities. Among bioactive substances, saponins are secondary metabolites structurally known as triterpene glycosides. Holothuroid saponins possess a wide spectrum of pharmacological effects including hemolytic, cytostatic, antitumoral, antifungal and antibacterial activities. This study intends to analyse and to compare the saponins contained in the body wall of Holothuria scabra, in the water used to prepare those organisms into trepang, and finally in the trepang itself. Saponins were extracted and purified by chromatography and liquid-liquid extraction methods and were then analysed by mass spectrometry (MS and MS/MS). Results show that the body wall of H. scabra contains six major saponins, with a mean concentration of 1 g.kg-1 of tissue (wet weight). The same saponins were also found in trepang with roughly the same concentration but a different proportion. In cooking water, only some saponin fragments are detected indicating that the small amount of saponin which is extracted is presumably thermally hydrolysed. Résumé : Prései'vation des saponines bioactives d ’Holothuria scabra au cours de la transformation en trepang. Les holothuries produisent une grande diversité de composés organiques naturels présentant d’intéressantes propriétés nutritionnelles et pharmacologiques. C’est pourquoi, les concombres de mer sont transformés en produits finis, appelés trépangs, qui ont une grande valeur commerciale et sont consommés pour leurs propriétés alimentaires et médicinales par les communautés asiatiques. Parmi les substances bioactives, les saponines sont des métabolites secondaires appartenant à la classe structurelle des glycosides triterpéniques. Les saponines d’holothurie possèdent un large spectre d’effets pharma­ cologiques tels que des activités hémolytiques, cytostatiques, antitumorales, antifongiques et antibactériennes. Cette étude a pour but d ’analyser et de comparer les saponines présentes dans le tégument d ’Holothuria scabra, dans l’eau de cuisson du trépang, et finalement dans le trépang d’//, scabra. Les saponines ont été extraites et purifiées par Chromatographie et extractions liquide-liquide, puis analysées par spectrométrie de masse (MS et MSMS). Les résultats montrent que le tégument de H. scabra contient six saponines principales avec une concentration moyenne d’ 1 gramme de saponine par kilogramme de tégument (poids frais). Les mêmes saponines ont été également détectées dans le trépang avec une concentration similaire mais dans des proportions différentes. Dans l ’eau de cuisson, seuls certains fragments de saponines ont été détectés, ce qui indique que le peu de saponines ayant été extraites sont vraisemblablement hydrolysées thermiquement.
Measuring Community Development Outcomes: In Search of an Analytical Framework

A consensus has evolved that the outcomes of local community development organizations are not amenable to traditional evaluation methods and that local self-learning versus knowledge production is a necessary concession. A documentary review and interviews with the principals at national grant and policy-making organizations are undertaken to deconstruct this outcome measurement impasse. Basic criteria for an analytical framework to measure community development outcomes are suggested both to clarify the current institutional mindset and suggest an alternative approach. Available empirical data from practitioner interviews and existing social theory provide the basis for a conceptual understanding and an analytical framework to guide the systematic evaluation of community development initiatives.
Collaboration and restructuring

He was previously Chief Executive of the Higher Education Quality Council and Chief Executive of the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics, and before that a DTI civil servant. He has lectured and written widely on higher education issues. He is Visiting Professor of Education at the University of Surrey Roehampton, the University of East London, and City University. Address for correspondence: Southampton Institute, East Park Terrace, Southampton SO14 0YN. Tel: +44 (0)23 8031 9216; Fax: +44 (0)23 8023 7627; E-mail: roger.brown@solent.ac. uk perspective
Application of Real Options Theory to the Assessment of Public Incentives for Onshore Wind Energy Development in Spain

This paper discusses the important development of electricity production from renewable energy in Spain. The regulatory framework has played a key role in this process, particularly the 661/2007 Royal Decree of May 25. The legislation grants certain rights to promoters. These rights can be characterized as options, allowing us to utilize a signifi cant number of theoretical and empirical studies in the fi eld of fi nancial option pricing in our analysis. Insofar as these derivative assets have underlying real and non-fi nancial assets (i.e., a wind farm), the rights provided for in Royal Decree 661/2007 can be considered real options. In this paper, a method is proposed to evaluate investment projects in Spanish wind power based on the Royal Decree. The value of these projects is certainly affected by the real options contained in the Royal Decree. Finally, public aid granted by the administration for the development of renewable energies is evaluated.
AN EXPLANATION OF THE PARTIAL ADJUSTMENT ADAPTIVE EXPECTATIONS (PAAE) MODEL

This paper explains the history of the PAAE model and the theory underlying the selection of firm-specific variables used to explain the variations across firms in the ratio adjustment process. The partial adjustment and adaptive expectations models are special cases of more general models. Nerlove (1958) was the first to provide a rationalization for the partial adjustment model, using it to examine the lags in farmers’ response to price changes. Other economists have subsequently employed the model in a wide variety of empirical research efforts, especially inventory and investment behavior studies. The adaptive expectations model was first used by Cagan (1956) to examine price inflation and consumer behavior, respectively.
Windfarms and residential property values

This study examines the effect that windfarm visibility has on residential property values using a hedonic regression model. The study area is Ashhurst, New Zealand, a township of approximately 900 dwellings. Ashhurst is located within eight kilometres of two separate windfarms that were developed between 1998 and 2007 comprising 103x660kW turbines, 31x3MW turbines, and 55x1.65MW turbines. The analysis uses the 945 open market house sales that occurred in Ashhurst between 1995 and 2008. Visual impact of turbines is studied to capture the impact of windfarms and it is assessed using GIS viewshed analysis and by field inspection. The hedonic models had satisfactory explanatory performance and in each case indicated that the turbines located between 2.5 and 6 kilometres from the township of Ashhurst had no significant impact on property value.
The Rise of Global Mean Sea Level as an Indication of Climate Change

Rising mean sea level, it is proposed, is a significant indicator of global climate change. The principal factors that can have contributed to the observed increases of global mean sea level in recent decades are thermal expansion of the oceans and the discharge of polar ice sheets. Calculations indicate that thermal expansion cannot be the sole factor responsible for the observed rise in sea level over the last 40 years; significant discharges of polar ice must also be occurring. Global warming, due in some degree presumably to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, has been opposed by the extraction of heat necessary to melt the discharged ice. During the past 40 years more than 50,000 cubic kilometers of ice has been discharged and has melted, reducing the surface warming that might otherwise have occurred by as much as a factor of 2. The transfer of mass from the polar regions to a thin spherical shell covering all the oceans should have increased the earth's moment of inertia and correspondingly reduced the speed of rotation by about 1.5 parts in 108. This accounts for about three quarters of the observed fractional reduction in the earth's angular velocity since 1940. Monitoring of global mean sea level, ocean surface temperatures, and the earth's speed of rotation should be complemented by monitoring of the polar ice sheets, as is now possible by satellite altimetry. All parts of the puzzle need to be examined in order that a consistent picture emerge.
NEW EVIDENCE ON THE LINK BETWEEN INCOME INEQUALITY AND MISERY INDEX: A NONLINEAR TIME SERIES ANALYSIS

This paper investigates the relationship between the misery index and income inequality by estimating a nonlinear time series model in Iran from 1972 to 2011. Misery index, defined as the sum of the unemployment rate plus the annual rate of inflation. We showed that the dynamics of the mentioned relationship can be well approximated by a class of smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) models using the level of misery index as a transition variable. The findings indicated that by increasing misery index upper its threshold value, as counted 49.52, a strongly positive link is existed between two variables. However, any significant relationship was not confirmed for misery index in lower than 49.52.
Unemployment Persistence and the NAIRU: A Bayesian Approach

This paper estimates the United States and euro area NAIRU in a Bayesian framework. We set out a simple structural model explaining unemployment by demand and supply factors, which are treated as unobserved variables that have observable effects on measured unemployment, output and inflation. The model allows for unemployment persistence and a time-varying core inflation rate. The results show that although cyclical shocks are very persistent, most of the increase in European unemployment is driven by structural factors. The degree of persistence is lower in the United States but demand shocks seem to be more important in explaining variation in unemployment.
Technological and Organizational Influences on the Adoption of Activity-Based Costing in Australia

The present paper examines one set of potential reasons for the paradox as to why so few firms have adopted activity-based costing (ABC) despite the demonstrated benefits of this costing system. A cross-sectional survey of Australian firms is used to examine the influence of seven technological and organizational factors on firms' initial interest in ABC and their decision to adopt it or not. The organizational factors of top management support, the support of an internal champion, and organizational size were shown to be associated with initial interest in ABC. The decision to adopt or reject ABC had one organizational factor associated with it, the support of an internal champion. Copyright (c) 2004 Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand.
Congenital limb anomalies: frequency and aetiological factors: Data from the Edinburgh Register of the Newborn (1964-68)

This paper reports a detailed follow up of 156 patients with structural upper and lower limb anomalies, obtained from the Edinburgh Register of the Newborn (a registration of 52,029 consecutive births between 1964 and 1968). At the time of this survey the patients were between 4 and 9 years of age. The Register had noted probably 96% of all children born with limb defects in Edinburgh between 1964 and 1968. It was found that the diagnosis was completely accurate in only 26% of cases, and partially so in a further 42%. The frequency of each anomaly has been noted, subdivided into isolated anomalies; those that occurred with other limb anomalies, and those that formed part of a syndrome. Syndactyly of toes, post-axial polydactyly of the fingers, polysyndactyly, and brachydactyly were found to have a genetic basis. All `absence' defects, pre-axial polydactyly, and multiple limb deformities appeared to be sporadic. Amongst the sporadic group, the main aetiological factors noted were an excess of maternal toxaemia of pregnancy and of illegitimate children, when compared with the Register Control Data.
Positive externality of analyst coverage upon audit services: evidence from China

Using China’s data, we find that analyst coverage helps reduce audit fees, and such effect is more pronounced for small firms, less-educated auditors, and small auditors. Our findings reveal positive externality of analyst coverage upon audit services in China, especially for those auditors weak in professional expertise, or hard to resist the pressure from their clients. Such evidence implies that the reputation protection hypothesis seems less applicable in an emerging market where the market share of big auditors is low. Our findings also provide alternative evidence justifying exchange-sponsored analyst coverage in practice intended to improve information environment of small firms.
A generalized ROC approach for the validation of credit rating systems and scorecards

Purpose - The purpose of this article is to introduce Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) surfaces and hyper-surfaces within a banking context as natural generalizations of the ROC curve. Design/methodology/approach - Nonparametric ROC analysis using Findings - Application of the proposed methodology on data from a small size Greek bank illustrates the usefulness of ROC analysis for scoring systems assessment. The area under the ROC curve and the volume under the ROC surface and hyper-surface are useful diagnostic indices for the assessment of credit rating systems and scorecards. The notion of statistical significance is not adequate for the evaluation of the loan granting strategy of a financial institution. Originality/value - This article will be of value to financial institutions during the process of evaluation/validation of rating models.
Photon Absorptiometry for Non-invasive Measurement of Bone Mineral Content

Bone mineral content of the distal radius was determined in 106 patients by single photon absorptiometry using iodine-125 monochromatic source. The technique provided a reliable means to assess the degree of mineral loss in conditions such as osteoporosis, renal osteodystrophy in patients on chronic maintenance dialysis, subjects on long-term steroid therapy, and those with diabetes mellitus. It is more sensitive than conventional radiography and completely noninvasive compared to bone biopsy. It is suggested that photon absorptiometry is a simple, sensitive, and reliable technique for assessment and follow-up of the bone mineral content in a host of disorders associated with bone demineralization.
Mutational analysis of the role of glycoprotein I in varicella-zoster virus replication and its effects on glycoprotein E conformation and trafficking

The contributions of the glycoproteins gI (ORF67) and gE (ORF68) to varicella-zoster virus (VZV) replication were investigated in deletion mutants made by using cosmids with VZV DNA derived from the Oka strain. Deletion of both gI and gE prevented virus replication. Complete deletion of gI or deletions of 60% of the N terminus or 40% of the C terminus of gI resulted in a small plaque phenotype as well as reduced yields of infectious virus. Melanoma cells infected with gI deletion mutants formed abnormal polykaryocytes with a disrupted organization of nuclei. In the absence of intact gI, gE became localized in patches on the cell membrane, as demonstrated by confocal microscopy. A truncated N-terminal form of gI was transported to the cell surface, but its expression did not restore plaque morphology or infectivity. The fusogenic function of gH did not compensate for gI deletion or the associated disruption of the gE-gI complex. These experiments demonstrated that gI was dispensable for VZV replication in vitro, whereas gE appeared to be required. Although VZV gI was dispensable, its deletion or mutation resulted in a significant decrease in infectious virus yields, disrupted syncytium formation, and altered the conformation and distribution of gE in infected cells. Normal cell-to-cell spread and replication kinetics were restored when gI was expressed from a nonnative locus in the VZV genome. The expression of intact gI, the ORF67 gene product, is required for efficient membrane fusion during VZV replication.
The Role of Countercyclical Monetary Policy

When firms set nominal prices in advance, optimal monetary policy insulates aggregate output against shocks to demand. It can do so, however, by following the constant money growth rule advocated by Milton Friedman; it need not respond to the shocks in an actively countercyclical way. In addition, to the extent that output fluctuations are driven by shocks to supply, money growth should be procyclical.
Maximizing throughput in label-free microspectroscopy with hybrid Raman imaging

Abstract. Raman spectroscopy is an optical method providing sample molecular composition, which can be analyzed (by point measurements) or spatially mapped by Raman imaging. These provide different information, signal-to-noise ratios, and require different acquisition times. Here, we quantitatively assess Raman spectral features and compare the two measurement methods by multivariate analysis. We also propose a hybrid method: scanning the beam through the sample but optically binning the signal at one location on the detector. This approach generates significantly more useful spectral signals in terms of peak visibility and statistical information. Additionally, by combination with a complementary imaging mode such as quantitative phase microscopy, hybrid imaging allows high throughput and robust spectral analysis while retaining sample spatial information. We demonstrate the improved ability to discriminate between cell lines when using hybrid scanning compared to typical point mode measurements, by quantitatively evaluating spectra taken from two macrophage-like cell lines. Hybrid scanning also provides better classification capability than the full Raman imaging mode, while providing higher signal-to-noise signals with shorter acquisition times. This hybrid imaging approach is suited for various applications including cytometry, cancer versus noncancer detection, and label-free discrimination of cell types or tissues.
Patient-Reported Recovery After Abdominal and Pelvic Surgery Using the Convalescence and Recovery Evaluation (CARE): Implications for Measuring the Impact of Surgical Processes of Care and Innovation

Background. Recovery is an integral part of the surgical process and measuring it provides insight into the impact of surgical innovation. This study used a recently validated instrument, the Convalescence and Recovery Evaluation (CARE), to measure return to baseline health after surgery and explore clinical factors associated with recovery. Study design. Patient health was measured among 96 patients before and after abdominal and pelvic surgery. Patients were grouped by time to recovery of 90% of baseline status. χ2 Tests and logistic models were used to measure relationships between recovery time and patient characteristics, processes of care, and outcomes. Results. Return to baseline health was reached by 44% of patients within 2 weeks, 28% between 2 and 4 weeks, and 28% after 4 weeks. Patients who recovered faster were younger, female, single, and undergoing ambulatory surgery for benign diseases. Patients who were married, underwent surgery for cancer, or had bowel surgery were more likely to require longer recovery time. Conclusions. Several patient and clinical characteristics were found to be associated with recovery after surgery. CARE appears to be sensitive to these factors and may be useful for informed decision making, assessing changes in processes of care, and evaluating the impact of surgical innovations on recovery.
A Comparative Analysis of Strategic Planning Practices in Michigan Agribusiness Firms: 1992 vs. 2012

Over the past 20 years, U.S. agribusinesses have been subject to a number of significant structural changes. Given that the strategic management literature emphasizes an organization’s fit with its environment as an important determinant of performance, this study examines how strategic planning practices have changed over time. Data for this study was collected from Michigan agribusinesses at two time periods, 1992 and 2012. A comparative analysis indicates that Michigan agribusinesses have become larger, more diverse, and have increased their adoption of strategic planning activities. Furthermore, these practices were found to be positively correlated with performance.
Social recommendations at work

Online communities have become popular for publishing and searching content, and also for connecting to other users. User-generated content includes, for example, personal blogs, bookmarks, and digital photos. Items can be annotated and rated by different users, and users can connect to others that are usually friends and/or share common interests. We demonstrate a social recommendation system that takes advantages of users connections and tagging behavior to compute recommendations of items in such communities. The advantages can be verified via comparison to a standard IR technique.
Estimating Parameters of the 1918-19 Influenza Epidemic on U.S. Military Bases

Occasional shifts in the influenza virus generates a new variant, posing potential threat of a deadly epidemic. This type of shift occurred with the 1918-19 flu with devastating consequences in the U.S. and worldwide. Using newly developed data from 18 U.S. military establishments during the 1918-19 flu epidemic, we estimate parameters of the Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Asymptomatic-Removed epidemic model. Our estimates show considerable variation in the value of the infectivity parameter across bases. This variation is uncorrelated with base size or beginning date of the epidemic. Results indicate that the epidemic on U.S. military bases was more infectious than those of in England and Wales.
Reconstruction of a fingertip with a thenar perforator island flap

Abstract We raised thenar island flaps that were supplied by perforators that originated in the superficial palmar arch or the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery for the reconstruction of fingertip defects in eight patients. The flap was so well-vascularised that a large flap with increased mobility could be raised. The donor site was covered with well-vascularised thick tissue, and skin grafting of the donor site was avoided in all cases. No patient developed a complication, and all flaps survived. Functional and cosmetic results of both fingertips and donor sites were excellent. A perforator island flap from the thenar eminence can be raised easily without injuring any digital and palmar arteries. They have a good colour and texture that matches the fingertips and donor site defects on the palm.
Accelerating the SVM Learning for Very Large Data Sets

We propose an original sequential learning algorithm, SBA that enables the SVM to efficiently learn from only a small subset of the input data set. The principle is based on sequentially adding convex hull points of the binary classes to a small subset. The SVM is trained on the current training pool and its result is used to find the data which is wrongly classified and furthest away from the current optimal hyperplane. This point is added to the training pool and the SVM is retrained on it. The iteration stops when no more such points are found. A formal proof of strict convergence is provided and we derive a geometric bound on the training time. It will be explained how SBA can be extended to handle non-linearly and non-separable class distributions. Experimental trials on some well known data sets verify the speed advantage of our method coupled to any SVM over that of that SVM used and the core vector machine