Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Analysis Identified a Number of Dysregulated Long Noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in Human Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

Background: Long noncoding RNAs have been shown to play crucial roles in cancer biology, while the long noncoding RNA landscapes of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma have not been completely characterized. We aimed to determine whether long noncoding RNA could serve as early diagnostic biomarkers for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Method: We conducted a genome-wide microarray analysis on pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and their adjacent noncancerous tissues from 8 Chinese patients. Results: A total of 3352 significantly differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs were detected. Of total, 1249 long noncoding RNAs were upregulated and 2103 were downregulated (fold change ≥2, P < 0.05, FDR <0.05). These differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs were not evenly distributed among chromosomes in human genome. Hierarchical clustering of these differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs revealed large variabilities in long noncoding RNA expression among individual patient, indicating that certain long noncoding RNAs could play a unique role or be used as a biomarker for specific subtype of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Gene Ontology enrichment and pathway analysis identified several remarkably dysregulated pathways in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue, such as interferon-γ-mediated signaling pathway, mitotic cell cycle and proliferation, extracellular matrix receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and regulation of actin cytoskeleton. The co-expression network analysis detected 393 potential interactions between 80 differentially expressed long noncoding RNAs and 105 messenger RNAs. We experimentally verified 7 most markedly dysregulated long noncoding RNAs from the network. Conclusion: Our study provided a genome-wide survey of dysregulated long noncoding RNAs and long noncoding RNA/messenger RNA co-regulation networks in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissue. These dysregulated long noncoding RNA/messenger RNA networks could be used as biomarkers to provide early diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma or its subtype, predict prognosis, and evaluate treatment efficacy.
Uneasy Partnership: Competition and Conflict in U. S. - Japanese Trade Relations

timekeeping, and rites conducted by the Yin-Yang Bureau. In this way, Bock adds depth to our picture of the Heian court. Previously, we had known of it largely through works by court litterateurs whose concerns were principally aesthetic or through studies by historians whose interests were mainly in political and economic institutions. Now, we are shown new dimensions of court culture: its Confucian educational system and its Yin-Yang "science. " Bock's introductory essays are very helpful. Without the background information they provide, most modern readers, ignorant of the Na festival or the Sekiten sacrifice, could make little sense of the translations. Unfortunately, the introduction is occasionally misleading. For example, whether or not the l-ching is in fact a Taoist text, as Bock asserts, Heian courtiers followed the established Chinese view and treated it as part of the Confucian canon: it was part of the Daigakuryo's Confucian curriculum. We are also told that the Tao-te-ching and Chuang Tzu were known but not taught at the university. That is true as far as it goes, but some readers may conclude incorrectly that the Japanese had little interest in philosophical Taoism. In fact, Japan's kanbun literature frequently alludes to those two texts. Their absence from the curriculum does not mean they were ignored. Bock is to be commended for calling our attention to the importance of Taoism in early Japan, but she has not offered us the last word on the subject. Her discussion of the Daigakuryo is also incomplete. After presenting its early history, she concludes by noting that "we can imagine" the institution had changed in the two centuries between the time it was described in the ritsuryo codes and the date of the Engi-shiki. This is something that should not have been left to our imagination.
Federal Reserve Private Information and the Behavior of Interest Rates

Many authors argue that asymmetric information between the Federal Reserve and the public is important to the conduct and the effects of monetary policy. This paper tests for the existence of such asymmetric information by examining Federal Reserve and commercial inflation forecasts. We demonstrate that the Federal Reserve has considerable information about inflation beyond what is known to commercial forecasters. We also provide evidence that monetary policy actions provide signals of the Federal Reserve's private information and that commercial forecasters modify their forecasts in response to those signals. These findings may explain why long-term interest rates typically rise in response to shifts to tighter monetary policy.
Causes of the financial crisis and the need of monetary cooperation in East Asia

The Main causes of the East Asian financial crisis in 1997–98 can be divided into domestic and foreign ones. The domestic cause stems from structural and liquidity problems, with growing share of non‐performing loans in the financial sector, posing as the most visible manifestation of such problems. On the other side, there is the foreign cause, the sudden fall of the yen against the dollar under the region's unstable foreign exchange system and also its over‐dependency on the dollar. Unfortunately, these causes have not yet disappeared. In order to prevent another financial economic crisis from recurring and to secure the regional currency stability in the long run, an external safety device is indispensable. The purpose of the East Asian monetary cooperation device is not only to absorb the external shocks caused by abrupt changes in the dollar/yen rate and sudden flow of capital, but also to settle international liquidity problems among the regional countries. If a device for the East Asian monetary cooperation is established, transparency in both financial and physical markets will be augmented and in the process, so will be the stability of financial and physical transactions.
The Family Enterprise and Business Strategies

The focus of this article is the character of the entrepreneurial, managerial and preservation strategies characterising successful family businesses. It includes majority white and minority ethnic business in a variety of enterprises across the different sectors and argues that the notion of a shared business culture embedded in a shared class background best describes their approach to enterprise. This particular business culture which embodies a set of values, beliefs and strategies is derived from the practice of creating, managing and sustaining the institution of family capitalism, but is essentially an expression of the middle class social attributes of the business families as opposed to a reflection of specific ethnicities.
Identifying and Understanding the Energy Conservation Consumer: A Macromarketing Systems Approach

This article examines the issue of consumer participation in energy conservation programs. A macromarketing systems framework is used to examine the complex problem of consumer response to these programs. Research propositions are derived based on the framework suggested by Costanzo and others (1986). The results indicate that energy conservation is related to several social structure elements. The findings can be used to develop more effective marketplace interventions of this type in the future.
‘It Was The Night Of The Long Knives’

Abstract This article explores through ethnography how public servant identities are affected by organizational change. Using an organizational becoming perspective, it studies the introduction of Lean in a recently merged public logistics department. Lean divides the department into two groups and conflict arises. Later, another institutional change is introduced. Here, the employee attitudes towards Lean change, now unifying rather than dividing the department. Rather than a professional-managerial split, the article concludes that the interplay between public sector change and employee identity is shaped by the apprehension of uncertainty and related group conflicts.
Linking business ownership and perceived administrative complexity

Purpose – Administrative burdens are known to be a major business constraint for incumbent small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in modern economies. Far less is known about the influence of these burdens on the start‐up of new firms. The current paper aims to examine to what extent perceived administrative complexity related to starting a new business influences the number of business owners across 18 OECD countries.Design/methodology/approach – The article combines data on business ownership from EIM's COMPENDIA database and data on perceived administrative complexity from the Eurobarometer public opinion surveys coordinated by the European Commission. This regression model enables one to explicitly control for the influence of unemployment on the level of business ownership (“refugee effect”). There is also control for risk tolerance and access to finance.Findings – The results suggest that administrative complexity is negatively related to business ownership. When administrative procedures related .
Structural change in tail behaviour and the recent financial crises

This paper is a contribution in exploring the empirical evidence of the instability in the tail behaviour returns of stock market indices, based on some developments in the analysis of structural change models. The proposed approach can jointly determine the number of structural breaks in a series of tail-indexes and estimate the mean tail-index levels in different regimes. Here we advocate a modified Hill estimator for the tail index. We provide simulations that indicate good finite sample properties of our procedure. The proposed method is then applied to the tail behaviour returns of two international stock market indices, SP500 (USA) and CAC40 (France). The results indicate that procedures perform reasonably well and lead to an appropriate number of breaks with locations coinciding with major financial crisis and events such as the LTCM crisis, September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, sub-prime crisis in 2008 and European Union (EU) debt crisis triggered on 2010.
Dual sourcing: Responsive hedging against correlated supply and demand uncertainty

This article analyzes dual sourcing decisions under stochastically dependent supply and demand uncertainty. A manufacturer faces the trade‐off between investing in unreliable but high‐margin offshore supply and in reliable but low‐margin local supply, where the latter allows for production that is responsively contingent on the actual demand and offshore supply conditions. Cost thresholds for both types of supply determine the optimal resource allocation: single offshore sourcing, single responsive sourcing, or dual sourcing. Relying on the concept of concordance orders, we study the effects of correlation between supply and demand uncertainty. Adding offshore supply to the sourcing portfolio becomes more favorable under positive correlation, since offshore supply is likely to satisfy demand when needed. Selecting responsive capacity under correlated supply and demand uncertainty is not as straightforward, yet we establish the managerially relevant conditions under which responsive capacity either gains or loses in importance. Our key results are extended to the broad class of endogenous supply uncertainty developed by Dada et al. [Manufact Serv Operat Mange 9 (2007), 9–32]. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2012
Prognostic significance of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, TWIST1 and Snail expression in resectable non-small cell lung cancer

Background: Metastasis is the most common cause of disease failure and mortality for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after surgical resection. Snail and TWIST1 are epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulators which induce metastasis. Intratumoral hypoxia followed by stabilisation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) promotes metastasis through regulation of certain EMT regulators. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of HIF-1α, TWIST1 and Snail expression in patients with resectable NSCLC. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 87 patients with resectable NSCLC from Taipei Veterans General Hospital between 2003 and 2004 was performed using immunohistochemistry to analyse HIF-1α, TWIST1 and Snail expression. The association between HIF-1α, TWIST1 and Snail expression and patients’ overall and recurrence-free survivals was investigated. Results: Overexpression of HIF-1α, TWIST1 or Snail was shown in 32.2%, 36.8% and 55.2% of primary tumours, respectively. Overexpression of HIF-1α, TWIST1 or Snail in primary NSCLCs was associated with a shorter overall survival (p = 0.005, p = 0.026, p = 0.009, respectively), and overexpression of HIF-1α was associated with a shorter recurrence-free survival (p = 0.016). We categorised the patients into four groups according to the positivity of HIF-1α/TWIST1/Snail to investigate the accumulated effects of these markers on survival. Co-expression of more than two markers was an independent prognostic indicator for both recurrence-free survival and overall survival (p = 0.004 and p<0.001, respectively, by multivariate Cox proportional hazards model). Conclusions: Co-expression of more than two markers from HIF-1α, TWIST1 and Snail is a significant prognostic predictor in patients with NSCLC.
Recognition and Weak Ties: Is There a Positive Effect of Postdoctoral Position on Academic Performance and Career Development?

This article analyses the effect of researchers' postdoctoral mobility on academic performance. Postdoctoral positions are considered and conceptualised as a special type of researcher mobility. We use the curriculum vitae of UK academic scientists as a source of information, in addition to the ISI Web of Knowledge and the European Patent Office. We find major differences in the patterns of mobility between the pure and the transfer sciences. Pure scientists tend to move via a postdoctoral appointment, whereas transfer scientists tend to change job positions. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.
Robust tracking algorithm with designed marker for limited-power computer

Object tracking is an important part of many visual systems. The robot navigation task, for example, does not only require a robust and accurate tracking, but also need the tracking module to perform in real-time. This may not be a problem with hi-end robotic system with powerful computing unit. However, in the case of mobile robot where the computing and the battery power are limited, there are only a few tracking methods available. Thus, we propose an algorithm, coupled with a designed marker, for fast and stable tracking. The proposed algorithm utilizes robustness of Hough Circle Transform to detect candidate locations for the marker. Then, all the detected locations are filtered by known properties of the designed marker until we have the correct location. An experiment done on Raspberry PI shows that the marker can be detected robustly with sufficient speed.
Endothelial dysfunction is associated with cholesterol levels in the high normal range in humans.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that cholesterol levels in the high normal range are associated with impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied leg blood flow (LBF) responses to graded intrafemoral artery infusions of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator methacholine chloride (MCh) or the endothelium-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in normal volunteers exhibiting a wide range of total cholesterol levels within the normal range (<75th percentile). LBF increased in a dose-dependent fashion in response to the femoral artery infusions of MCh and SNP (P<.001). LBF responses to MCh were significantly blunted (P<.001) in subjects with high normal cholesterol (195+/-6 mg/dL, n=13) compared with subjects with low normal cholesterol (146+/-5 mg/dL, n=20). Maximal endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the high normal group was decreased by nearly 50% compared with the low normal group (146+/-13% versus 268+/-34%, P<.01). There was a negative correlation between total cholesterol levels and maximal endothelium-dependent vasodilation (total cholesterol, r=-.41, P<.02; LDL cholesterol, r=-.42, P<.02). On the other hand, LBF responses to the endothelium-independent vasodilator SNP did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that an inverse and continuous relationship exists between the prevailing cholesterol level and endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Moreover, cholesterol levels even in the normal range may be associated with endothelial dysfunction, thus potentially contributing to the increased risk of macrovascular disease conferred by cholesterol elevations.
An empirical study of outbound tourism demand in the UK

A general to specific methodology is used to construct UK demand for outbound tourism models to twelve destinations. A tourism destination preference index is introduced to take into account social, cultural and psychological influences on tourists' decisions concerning their overseas holiday destinations. The tests support the existence of a cointegration relationship for each of 11 UK overseas holiday destinations. The corresponding error correction models are estimated. The empirical results show that the long-run income elasticities for all destinations range from 1.70 to 3.90 with an average of 2.367. The lowest and highest short-run income elasticities are 1.05 and 3.78 respectively, with an average of 2.216. The estimates of the income elasticities imply that overseas holidays are highly income elastic while the own-price elasticities suggest that the demand for UK outbound tourism is relatively own-price inelastic. In terms of the significance of substitution prices in the regression equations, Ireland is the favourite substitute destination for UK outbound tourists. Ex post forecasts over a period of six years are generated from the ECM models and the results compared with those of a naive model, an AR(1) model, an ARMA(p,q) model, and a VAR model. The forecasting performance criteria show that the ECM model has the best overall forecasting performance for UK outbound tourism.
SEROLOGICAL STUDIES OF O ANTIGENS OF ESCHERICHIA COLI BY MEANS OF THE HEMAGGLUTINATION TEST

Kunin, Calvin M. (University of Virginia, Charlottesville) and Mary V. Beard. Serological studies of O antigens of Escherichia coli by means of the hemagglutination test. J. Bacteriol. 85:541–548. 1963. —The serological interrelationships among most of the known O antigens of Escherichia coli were studied by the hemagglutination test. Good agreement with the bacterial agglutination test was found with the major antigens, but cross reactions among groups were much more limited with the hemagglutination test. Heterogenetic cross reactions with many Enterobacteriaceae species were observed with rabbit antisera to E. coli O14, O56, O124, and O144. This effect tended to elevate antibody titers observed in human serum against almost all O antigen groups, but could not by itself account for the wide diversity of antibodies to them. E. coli antibodies were localized in human γ-globulin, but were present in the β-globulin fractions of a number of domestic animals. Rabbits differed from other animals studied in that antibodies to E. coli were rarely found in their sera; this was attributed in part to the low density of E. coli populations in this animal. The hemagglutination test may be used in identification of unknown O antigens, but does not have special merit over the bacterial agglutination test; it does not further characterize rough or untypable strains other than by demonstrating that they also possess heterogenetic antigens.
Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors of the Stomach: A Clinicopathologic, Immunohistochemical, and Molecular Genetic Study of 1765 Cases With Long-term Follow-up

Gastrointestinal (GI) stromal tumors (GISTs), the specific KIT- or PDFGRA-signaling driven mesenchymal tumors, are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the GI tract. In this study, we analyzed 1869 cases originally classified as smooth muscle tumors of the stomach and found that 1765 (94%) of these were GISTs. The GISTs had a slight male predominance (55%) with a median age of 63 years. Only 2.7% of tumors occurred before the age of 21 years and 9.1% before the age of 40 years. The tumors varied from 0.5 to 44 cm (median, 6.0 cm) and most commonly presented with GI bleeding; 12% were incidentally detected. Several histologic variants were recognized among the spindle cell tumors (sclerosing, palisaded-vacuolated, hypercellular, and sarcomatous) and of epithelioid tumors (sclerosing, dyscohesive, hypercellular, and sarcomatous). Outcome was strongly dependent on tumor size and mitotic activity. Only 2% to 3% of tumors <10 cm and <5 mitoses/50 HPFs metastasized, whereas 86% of tumors >10 cm and >5 mitoses/50 HPFs metastasized. However, tumors >10 cm with mitotic activity <5/50 HPFs and those <5 cm with mitoses >5/50 HPFs had a relatively low metastatic rate (11% and 15%). A small number of patients survived intra-abdominal metastasis up to over 20 years. Tumor location in fundus or gastroesophageal junction, coagulative necrosis, ulceration, and mucosal invasion were unfavorable factors (P < 0.001), whereas tumor location in antrum was favorable (P < 0.001). KIT expression was detected in 91% of the cases, CD34 in 82%, smooth muscle actin in 18%, and desmin in 5%; the latter two were favorable (P < 0.001). KIT exon 11 mutations were detected in 119 cases; patients with point mutations fared better than those with deletions (P < 0.01). PDGFRA exon 18 mutations (total 86 cases) were common in epithelioid GISTs and most commonly represented a D842V point mutation; none of these was prognostically significant. The above results may be helpful for setting the criteria for adjuvant treatment such as Gleevec.
Fast tracking and accurate pose estimation of space flying target based on monocular vision

Autonomous rendezvous and robotic capturing of flying targets is widely used in many space shuttle missions and it is very crucial for on-orbit service. To perform this task, tracking and pose estimation of the flying targets is usually considered as one of the most important issues, needing to be addressed among the whole process. Taking account of the specificity of space environment such as lighting and the continuity of the rendezvous process, in this paper, we design a fast tracking and accurate pose estimation algorithm for cooperative luminaries (or retro-reflectors), to guide a safe and reliable capturing operation. Different from available target tracking or searching method, this paper defines a new comparability measure function for target appearance and utilizes the continuity of target moving to limit the target search in a predicted range of the image, which accelerates the search process. Meanwhile, the projective shape changes of each luminary due to rotation are also considered to help improve the accuracy of the target extraction. With the positions of multiple target spots obtained from the image, least square method is applied to adjust the spatial pose results iteratively, and finally accurate pose estimation is achieved. Experiments on the simulated space target, which consists of six LEDs, validate the proposed method.