Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The quest for competitive, business and marketing intelligence

Purpose – Seeks to examine three empirical studies carried out in Canada, the UK and Europe with comparisons drawn on their approach and findings.Design/methodology/approach – The studies were compared using a framework, developed by the authors, along four central elements and two influencing drivers.Findings – Little measurement consistency or output value was evident. The current focus on isolated studies, carried out at a macro level, is discouraged.Practical implications – Future studies need greater rigour, and consequently might be of more value to academics and practitioners.Originality/value – The lack of research consistency is highlighted. Recommendations are made for stronger adhesion with other disciplines to develop a robust research agenda.
Unemployment and Migration: Does Moving Help?

The migration behaviour of the unemployed in Finland is analysed in terms of the causal effect of moving on individual employment status. In 1994, 17 percent of the labour force was unemployed and the unemployment rate exhibited a very slow decline in 1994-1996. Over half of those who were unemployed at the end of 1994 were still unemployed two years later. The propensity to find a job is somewhat greater among migrants. However, the positive effect of moving diminishes once other personal characteristics are accounted for. Moreover, when controlling for endogenous migrant selectivity, an insignificant or even negative effect on employment status emerges. This indicates that the relatively better "quality" of the migrants (e.g. age, education, human capital and unobserved ability), rather than the act of moving itself, causes an improvement in re-employability. Hence, migration alone may not be a very effective mechanism for alleviating individual unemployment.
Quality comparison of elephant apple juices after high-pressure processing and thermal treatment.

BACKGROUND In the present work, the effect of high pressure processing (HPP) on the quality parameters (pH, °Brix, total acidity, viscosity, colour, antioxidant activity, total phenols, total flavonoids, microbial flora, and sensory analysis) of elephant apple (Dillenia indica) juice was investigated. The juice samples were analysed periodically (0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days) during 60 days of storage period and results were compared with thermally processed as well as with untreated (fresh juice) samples. RESULTS Slight variations had been observed in the quality parameters like pH, °Brix and total acidity. Other parameters like colour values, antioxidant activity, total phenols and total flavonoids were varied significantly (P < 0.05) in between the treated (HPP and thermal) and untreated juice samples. The microbial counts of the HPP treated samples were lower than the other samples. Sensory results also showed similar results to those of the other analyses that the treated samples were better for consumption rather than the untreated samples. The shelf-life of the HPP processed elephant apple juice was established as 60 days at 4 °C. CONCLUSION This study showed that application of HPP effectively maintained quality attributes and extended shelf life of the elephant apple juice. It may be suggested that application of HPP could be considered for commercial application during storage and marketing. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.
vRel is an inactive member of the Rel family of transcriptional activating proteins

The vRel oncoprotein is member of a family of related proteins that also includes cRel, NF-kappa B, and Dorsal. We investigated the transcriptional regulatory properties of several Rel proteins in cotransfection assays with chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). Retroviral vectors expressing hybrid proteins that contain the DNA-binding domain of LexA fused to portions of the viral oncoprotein vRel or chicken, mouse, human, or Drosophila melanogaster (Dorsal) cRel proteins were cotransfected with a reporter plasmid that contains the DNA sequence recognized by LexA, a promoter, and the assayable gene for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase. In transient assays, a LexA-vRel protein did not activate transcription in CEF. Full-length chicken cRel, mouse cRel, and Dorsal fusion proteins all activated transcription weakly; however, deletion of N-terminal Rel sequences from each of these proto-oncogene encoded proteins resulted in strong activation by LexA fusion proteins containing only C-terminal sequences. Inhibition of the C-terminal chicken cRel gene activation domain by N-terminal sequences was seen in CEF and mouse and monkey fibroblasts. These results show that cRel proteins from different species have the same general organization: an N-terminal inhibitory domain and a C-terminal activation domain. Sequence comparison suggests that the inhibitory domain is conserved but the activation domain is species specific. In contrast, vRel lacks a strong C-terminal gene activation function, since a LexA fusion protein containing C-terminal vRel sequences alone only weakly activated transcription. In addition, the wild-type vRel protein (lacking LexA sequences) repressed transcription from reporter plasmids containing NF-kappa B target sequences; nontransforming vRel mutants did not repress transcription from these plasmids. Our results suggest that vRel transforms cells by interfering with transcriptional activation by cellular Rel proteins.
Retinal neuropathy precedes vasculopathy in diabetes: a function‐based opportunity for early treatment intervention?

Diabetes, now at epidemic levels, can have devastating effects on the eye and vision. Treatments of the ocular complications are currently focused on relatively advanced stages and are limited to the slowing down of the progressive sight‐threatening retinal vasculopathy (diabetic retinopathy). Tiny signals from the neural retina have been shown to reveal early diabetic neuropathy prior to vascular retinopathy. These signals, in a clinical test format, are predictive, by precise retinal location, of impending vasculopathy in the retina within a year, including sight‐threatening oedema. The discovery opens possibilities for the future development of treatments to prevent the onset of retinopathy and the more sight‐threatening retinal oedema and changes patient management strategies.
Projection Bias and Financial Risk Tolerance

Behavioral finance theories explain "why" individuals exhibit behaviors that do not maximize expected utility. This study explores how projection bias, as explained by regret theory, may shape financial risk tolerance attitudes. The results suggest that gender, income, and stock market price changes, as measured by the NASDAQ, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the Standard & Poor's 500 indexes, help explain risk attitudes. Risk tolerance appears to be an elastic and changeable attitude. This research expands on the work of Shefrin [2000], who reported that recent stock market price changes exert a strong influence on risk tolerance attitudes and behaviors.
Nonrandom Price Changes in Association with Trading in Large Blocks

This paper investigates price movements in the immediate transaction and temporal neighborhood of the sale of a large block of stock on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). ' Our working hypothesis is that this conspicuous happening can establish a distinct regime of price behavior that differs significantly from that of the ordinary round-lot market and that for a time at least, prices have a memory. Our analysis is based on the view that the "price-memory" hypothesis does not require that all prices have a memory or that all prices get remembered. What is required is a means of identifying the prices that do get remembered and, of course, a theory of market reactions. The trade of a block is an easily identified event, and as we will see, it is associated with strains on the market mechanism and the exposure of information of great potential value.2 It is not unreasonable to expect that significant market effects will accompany this occurrence. Our procedure will be to start with the immediate transaction neighborhood of the event, the single trades which take place just before and just after the block, and then progressively extend the scope
Per Capita Income and the Extensive Margin of Bilateral Trade

This paper argues that the per-capita income of importers is an important determinant of the extensive margin of trade. I formalize this by incorporating preferences that allow for binding nonnegativity constraints into an otherwise standard Ricardian model. This implies that agents adjust the set of goods from which they consume with income, which in turn affects the extensive margin of bilateral trade. I quantify the model using data on US consumer behavior and aggregate values of bilateral trade flows. I find that the behavior of the model’s extensive margin of bilateral trade is consistent with elasticities measured in the data. Two counterfactual experiments demonstrate the quantitative importance of the mechanism outlined in this paper.
Validity of the numeric rating scale as a measure of dyspnea.

BACKGROUND Dyspnea, a devastating sign, is rarely monitored by clinicians. One reason may be the lack of a valid measurement scale that is easy to use in a clinical setting. OBJECTIVES To establish the validity of the numeric rating scale as a measure of present dyspnea (dyspnea at rest). METHODS A total of 188 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rated their present dyspnea by using the Visual Analog Dyspnea Scale and the numeric rating scale. They also rated their usual dyspnea (dyspnea during the past week). Demographic information was collected from each patient's chart, and pulmonary status was assessed with portable spirometry, pulse oximetry, or both. RESULTS Concurrent validity of the numeric rating scale was supported by the high correlation of its scores with scores from the Visual Analog Dyspnea Scale. Conversion of the numeric rating scale to a 0-to-100 scale and comparison with the visual analog scale (by using a paired t test to determine if the correlated scores were similar for clinical decision making) showed that scores were not significantly different. A paired t test showed a difference in scores on the numeric rating scale obtained before and after ambulation, supporting the construct validity of the numeric rating scale. Scores on the numeric rating scale for present dyspnea were poorly correlated with ratings of usual dyspnea, indicating that present dyspnea and usual dyspnea are different constructs. CONCLUSION Present and usual dyspnea are different constructs. The numeric rating scale is a valid measure of present dyspnea.
Congress of Neurological Surgeons Systematic Review and Evidence-Based Guideline on Primary Management of Patients With Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas.

BACKGROUND Nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are among the most common pituitary lesions and may present clinically with vision loss and hypopituitarism. OBJECTIVE To characterize the existing literature as it pertains to the initial management of NFPAs. METHODS A systematic literature review was conducted to identify and screen articles assessing primary treatment options (surgical, medical, radiation based, or observation) for NFPAs. Outcomes assessed included vision-, endocrine-, and headache-related symptoms, as well as tumor response to therapy. Twenty-five studies met inclusion criteria for analysis. RESULTS A considerable amount of class II evidence (14 studies) was identified supporting primary surgical intervention in patients with symptomatic NFPA macroadenomas, resulting in immediate tumor volume reduction in nearly all patients and a residual tumor rate of 10% to 36%. One prospective, observational cohort study and multiple retrospective studies showed improved visual function in 75% to 91% of surgically treated patients and improved hypopituitarism in 35% to 50% of patients. Limited class II evidence showed inconsistent benefits for observation alone (1 study), primary radiation-based treatment (3 studies), or primary medical treatment (8 studies) for improving vision, headaches, hypopituitarism, or tumor volume. One retrospective study implementing observation alone showed tumor progression in 50% of patients and a requirement for surgery in 21% of patients. Eight studies assessing primary medical therapy for NFPAs showed inconsistent tumor response rates using somatostatin analogs (12%-40% response rate), dopamine agonist therapy (0%-61% response rate), or combination therapy (60% response rate). Three studies reporting primary radiosurgery for NFPAs showed decreased tumor size in 38% to 60% of patients. CONCLUSION Multiple retrospective and some prospective studies have demonstrated consistent effectiveness of primary surgical resection of symptomatic NFPAs with acceptable morbidity rates. Limited and inconsistent reports are available for alternative treatment strategies, including radiation, medical treatment, and observation alone; these modalities may, however, play a valid role in patients who are not surgical candidates. Based on the available evidence, the authors recommend surgical resection as the preferred primary intervention for symptomatic NFPAs. The full guidelines document for this chapter can be located at https://www.cns. org/guidelines/guidelines-management-patients-non-functioning-pituitary-adenomas/Chapter_5. ABBREVIATION NFPA, nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma.
ICT adoption in hotels and electronic word-of-mouth

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how information and communication technology (ICT) adoption in hotels contributes to satisfaction and loyalty from the consumer perspective, considering the online dimension of recommendations. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research based on a structured questionnaire and using a personal survey method was developed. Surveys were conducted on 386 guests from Spanish hotels. Causal methodology by testing structural equation model was applied. Findings Significant relationships are obtained in the sequence “ICT use perception – satisfaction with ICT – overall satisfaction with the hotel – dimensions of loyalty” and the mediating effect of positive electronic word-of-mouth intention between ICT satisfaction and general intention to recommend the hotel is confirmed. Research limitations/implications Future research can replicate these relationships in other tourist services and employ multidimensional scales to measure word-of-mouth behaviour. O.
Near-Infrared Laser Spectroscopy as a Screening Tool for Detecting Hematoma in Patients with Head Trauma

Abstract Introduction: Among imaging techniques, computed tomography (CT) is a reliable method for detecting intracranial hematomas in patients with head trauma, but it is not generally available in special circumstances like prehospital situations and harsh conditions such as those following an earthquake. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine if near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is useful for performing CT scans on patients with closed head trauma that present to medical centers that do not have the ability to perform a CT scan or in prehospital or harsh situations. Near-infrared spectroscopy and CT scan were compared according to sensitivity and specificity. Methods: This was an observational, prospective study. One hundred forty-eight patients admitted to Rasool Akram General Hospital in Tehran, Iran with head injuries during a one-month period were studied using NIRS and CT. The observational, prospective study was conducted and sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of NIRS were calculated. Chi-square and Kappa analysis was performed, and a p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: According to the CT scan findings, 54 (36.5%) of the patients developed intracranial hematoma. The NIRS examination showed that 69 patients (46.6%) might have intracranial hematoma. The number of true negatives was 73 and the number of false negatives was six patients. The sensitivity and specificity of NIRS examination was 88.9% and 77.7%, respectively. Conclusions: This study speculates that NIRS may be a useful screening tool to detect intracranial hematoma. This capability could be useful in special situations like in a deprived area, medical centers without CT scan capabilities, prehospital situations, and in harsh conditions like those after an earthquake or other disasters that causes increased numbers of victims with closed head trauma.
Jump Risks and the Intertemporal Capital Asset Pricing Model

The specification of the stochastic process for stock prices is an important assumption underlying most equilibrium and option-pricing models in modern finance. This is particularly true of the continuous-time capital asset pricing models where it is assumed that asset prices follow diffusion processes with continuous sample paths (see Merton 1973a; Breeden 1979; Grossman and Shiller 1982). The extent to which the implications of these models generalize to discontinuous sample paths is an unanswered question in theoretical finance. However, the answer to this question is of more than just theoretical interest since accumulated empirical evidence appears to be inconsistent with the continuous sample path assumption (see Rosenberg 1972; Oldfield, Rogalski, and Jarrow 1977; Rosenfeld 1982). One purpose of this paper is to provide some answers to this question. We do this by extending Merton's (1973a) intertemporal asset pricing model, in the special case of a constant investment opportunity set, to include discontinuous sample paths for asset prices. The constant investment opportunity set assumption is imposed because we are interested in obtaining sufficient conditions under which an instantaneous capital asset pricing model (CAPM) results. The extension of our model to a stochastic opportunity set is discussed briefly in the text. This paper investigates an economy where stock prices follow a jump-diffusion process. The first part of the analysis derives a sufficient condition under which an instantaneous CAPM will characterize equilibrium expected returns. The sufficient condition is that the jump component of a stock's return must be "unsystematic" and diversifiable in the market portfolio. The second part of the paper is an empirical investigation of the satisfaction of this condition. The evidence is seen to be inconsistent with the satisfaction of this hypothesis, that is, the market portfolio appears to contain a jump component.
Genetic Influences on Preterm Birth

This article summarizes the scientific evidence supporting a genetic predisposition to preterm birth (PTB) and current molecular methods used to study the genetic links. Selected candidate genes currently under consideration for study are also discussed.Understanding the etiology and pathophysiology of PTB remains at the forefront of research efforts to solve this critical problem. Awareness of the contributing factors is imperative to the development of prevention and early intervention strategies that can reduce the incidence of PTB and the consequence of long-term neonatal complications. The possibility of a genetic predisposition to preterm delivery is a relatively new area of study to emerge over the past few years, although for a long time it has been suspected that PTB results from gene-environment interactions. More advanced genetic research methods are now being applied to study this hypothesis. A sample of candidate genes under study and their speculated role in PTB are presented in this article. There will be more research that links genetic influences and environmental factors to PTB in future, and researchers are hopeful that genetic knowledge can be applied to better understand the entire spectrum of prematurity.
Toward a 3-D camera based on single photon avalanche diodes

A three-dimensional (3-D) imager is presented, capable of computing the depth map as well as the intensity scale of a given scene. The heart of the system is a two-dimensional array of single photon avalanche diodes fabricated in standard CMOS technology. The diodes exhibit low-noise equivalent-power high-dynamic range, and superior linearity. The 3-D imager achieves submillimetric precision at a depth-of-field of a few meters. This precision was achieved by averaging over 10 000 measurements. The imager operates using a standard laser source pulsed at 50 MHz with 40-mW peak power and requires no mechanical scanning mechanisms or expensive optical equipment.
Identity of a conserved motif in phospholipid scramblase that is required for Ca2+-accelerated transbilayer movement of membrane phospholipids.

Accelerated transbilayer movement of plasma membrane phospholipids (PL) upon elevation of Ca2+ in the cytosol plays a central role in the initiation of plasma clotting and in phagocytic clearance of injured or apoptotic cells. We recently identified a human erythrocyte membrane protein that induces rapid transbilayer movement of PL at elevated Ca2+. We also presented evidence that this PL scramblase is expressed in a variety of other cells and tissues where transbilayer movement of plasma membrane PL is promoted by intracellular Ca2+ [Zhou, Q. , et al. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 18240-18244]. We have now cloned murine PL scramblase for comparison with the human polypeptide. Both human and murine PL scramblase are acidic proteins (pI = 4.9) with a predicted inside-outside (type 2) transmembrane segment at the carboxyl-terminus. Whereas human PL scramblase (318 AA) terminates in a short exoplasmic tail, murine PL scramblase (307 AA) terminates in the predicted membrane-inserted segment. The aligned polypeptide sequences reveal 65% overall identity, including near identity through 12 residues of an apparent Ca2+ binding motif (D[A/S]DNFGIQFPLD) spanning codons 273-284 (human) and 271-282 (murine), respectively. This conserved sequence in the cytoplasmic domain of PL scramblase shows similarity to Ca2+-binding loop motifs previously identified in known EF hand structures. Recombinant murine and human PL scramblase were each expressed in Escherichia coli and incorporated into proteoliposomes. Measurement of transbilayer movement of NBD-labeled PL confirmed that both proteins catalyzed Ca2+-dependent PL flip-flop similar to that observed for the action of Ca2+ at the cytoplasmic face of plasma membranes. Mutation of residues within the putative EF hand loop of human PL scramblase resulted in loss of its PL mobilizing function, suggesting that these residues directly participate in the Ca2+-induced active conformation of the polypeptide.
TP53 mutations and MDM2 gene amplification in squamous‐cell carcinomas of the esophagus in South Thailand

Squamous‐cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE) shows geographic variations in incidence that are thought to reflect the etiological involvement of environmental or dietary risk factors. Mutations of TP53 are frequent in SCCE, and there is evidence that both the frequency and type of these mutations may differ from one geographic area to the other. Although SCCE is relatively rare in most parts of Thailand, the province of Songkhla (south Thailand) has been described as a high‐risk area for SCCE. We have analyzed 56 SCCE cases from this area for TP53 mutations by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE, exons 5–8) and direct DNA sequencing. The same tumors were also analyzed for MDM2 gene amplification by differential PCR. TP53 mutations were detected in 23 cases (41%). In contrast, clear amplification of MDM2 was detected in only 2 cases (4%), both of which contained wild‐type TP53. Comparison with published results from other geographic areas of high SCCE incidence revealed that the spectrum of TP53 mutations in south Thailand is similar to that observed in central China (Henan Province) but clearly differs from that of SCCE from western Europe (Normandy, France; northern Italy), with more G:T transversions and fewer mutations affecting A and T base pairs. These results suggest that SCCE from south Thailand and from central China may involve similar risk factors. Int. J. Cancer 88:223–227, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.