Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lipofuscin and melanin of human retinal pigment epithelium. Fluorescence, enzyme cytochemical, and ultrastructural studies.

The life history of melanin and lipofuscin granules of human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) was studied in 30 human eyes spanning nine decades of life. Autofluorescent granules in the cytoplasm of eye over 30 years of age were shown, ultrastructurally and through lipid solvent extraction, to be lipofuscin granules. Sparse small fluorescent granules in infant eyes were secondary lysosomes containing small droplets of lipid. Flourescent substances in RPE granules of eyes less than 50 years old were more readily extracted with lipid solvents than those in very old eyes (greater than 70). Lipfuscin granules were positive for acid phosphatase and aryl sulfatase activity. Fusions between primary lysosomes and lipofuscin granules were common in older eyes, suggesting that the over-all degradative process involves repeated injection of lysosomal enzymes, i.e., the initial fusion of lysosomes with phagosomes (phagocytized outer segment disks) is only one of several attempts to hydrolyze the membranous material. Some melanin granules showed hydrolytic enzyme reactions. By use of enzyme cytochemistry, fluorescence microscopy, and lipid extraction two types of melanin-containing complex granules were identified: melanin with a cortex of lipofuscin (melanolipofuscin) and melanin with a cortex of nonlipid, enzyme reactive material (melanolysosomes). These findings indicate that melanin commonly becomes incorporated into the lysosomal system of the RPE cell and suggests that it undergoes modification or degradation there. These studies indicate that a dynamic, complex interrelationship exists between the various components of the phagolysosomal system and the melanin granules in the RPE cytoplasm. Also, the observed variation from one human eye to another in the content and lipid extractability of RPE lipofuscin granules suggests that there may be differences in lipid composition of phagocytized photoreceptor disks and/or differences in the degradation of these lipids in the phagolysosomal system of the RPE cell.
Vitamin D 3 Treatment for Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer : A Case Report

There are many intricacies in the surgical treatment of locally advanced thyroid cancer, including the medical management of the remaining functional organ and any cosmetic impairments, which are sometimes very difficult to manage and eventually carry a relatively high morbidity and mortality. Here, we report on a case of a 65-year-old female with an extremely locally-advanced thyroid cancer involving both lobes of the thyroid, blood vessels, trachea and esophagus. Despite the severity of her condition, oral administration of vitamin D3 (alphacalcido) has stalled both the tumor growth and further increases of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) level, and has led to a good preservation of quality of life for the last two years. Several reports have previously demonstrated the efficacy of vitamin D3 to inhibit the proliferation of thyroid cancer cell lines in vitro, but clinical evidence has been limited so far. Therefore, this case report provides important evidence for the effectiveness of vitamin D3 therapy against advanced thyroid cancers.
Laboratory monitoring of haemostasis

Peri‐operative coagulation monitoring should begin with the assessment of individual bleeding risk using a standardised bleeding history before the surgical procedure. Laboratory testing should be performed if this history is abnormal or peri‐operative bleeding is anticipated. This process sensitively identifies those at risk of peri‐operative bleeding and therefore minimises their peri‐operative risk, without costly and time‐consuming population testing. There are multiple potential causes of haemostatic derangement within the peri‐operative period, and an understanding of both normal haemostasis and the coagulation tests available to detect coagulopathy is required to optimise patient management. In bleeding patients, routine coagulation tests should be requested, but one should be aware of the major limitations that exist. Delay whilst waiting for these laboratory results, which, in turn, aggravates coagulopathy, bleeding, blood product requirements, length of surgery and overall morbidity and mortality.
Approximate MVDR and MMSE beamformers exploiting scale-invariant reconstruction of signals on microphones

Minimum Variance Distortionless Response (MVDR) and Minimum Mean-Squared Error (MMSE) beamformers are popular array processors for enhancing multichannel recordings of a directional source. We propose their approximate variants having the generalized sidelobe canceler structure whose performances depend purely on the blocking matrix part. No auxiliary methods such as adaptive interference canceler or voice activity detector to estimate the source/noise covariance are needed. Instead, scale-invariant least square estimators are used, which enable to estimate the noise also during speech activity and to recover original spectra of the target source on the microphones. In experiments, we compare signal-to-noise ratio improvements of several variants of the beamformers achieved on six-channel recordings of speech in nonstationary noisy conditions.
Glucosylceramide Synthesis Is Required for Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Laminin to Stimulate Axonal Growth

Abstract: To test the hypothesis that neuronal growth requires the synthesis and supply of new membrane components to the growing neurite, we have examined the relationship between the synthesis of sphingolipids and the ability of two growth factors, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and laminin, to stimulate axonal growth in cultured hippocampal neurons. Both bFGF and laminin stimulate axonal growth by approximately fourfold, but the stimulatory effects of both factors can be abolished completely by two inhibitors of sphingolipid synthesis, fumonisin B1 and d‐threo‐1‐phenyl‐2‐decanoylamino‐3‐morpholino‐1‐propanol. By using these inhibitors, together with two stereoisomers of short acyl chain derivatives of ceramide, only one of which is metabolized to glucosylceramide, we demonstrate that ongoing synthesis of glucosylceramide, the simplest glycosphingolipid, is a prerequisite for both bFGF and laminin to stimulate axon growth. These data imply that the ability of a growth factor to stimulate neuronal growth is dependent on the synthesis of an essential membrane lipid.
Perspectives on adolescent substance use. A defined population study.

We asked 1447 tenth graders to complete a survey on physical activity, nutrition, stress, and substance use and to undergo basic physical assessments. In a multiple regression analysis, increased level of substance use by both boys and girls was most strongly predicted by friends' marijuana use. For boys, this was followed by perceived safety of cigarette smoking; poor school performance; parents' education; and use of diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics for weight control, accounting for 44% of the overall variation in substance use. For girls, friends' marijuana use was followed by poor school performance; self-induced vomiting for weight control; perceived safety of cigarette smoking; use of diet pills, laxatives, or diuretics for weight control; parents' education; perceived adult attitudes about cigarettes; and nonuse of seat belts, accounting for 53% of the overall variance. Separate multiple regression analyses for each substance produced similar results. The homogeneity of the study population precluded ethnic comparisons. These findings suggest that for many purposes substance use may be considered a single behavior regardless of the specific substance(s) used and that substance use may exist as part of a syndrome of adolescent problem behaviors. In addition, the potent influence of perceived social environment suggests that a social influence resistance model may represent the most successful preventive strategy. (JAMA1987;258:2072-2076)
Expectation-Driven Separation in Preferential Choice Processes

EXTENDED ABSTRACT In binary choice, expected separation is the non-directional expected difference in the holistic value of two alternatives. This article explores three consequences of expected separation. First and most basic, expected separation influences consumers' perceived separation between the two alternatives. Second, to adjust their perceived separation toward what was expected, consumers bias their attribute attractiveness evaluations. Third, consumers adjust their attribute weights to confirm their expectations. Two consumer choice studies support these claims. Relative to those expecting low separation, participants expecting higher separation perceive greater separation, exhibit more distortion of attribute attractiveness evaluations to favor one of the alternatives, and give relatively more weight to attributes that favor one of the two options (on average). Implications of this work and potential extensions are discussed.
Crisis and Recovery in Malaysia

The prime focus of the book is on Malaysia’s radical policy decision to pursue an independent recovery path, cut off from world markets by a system of capital control, as a viable alternative to the conventional market centred approach. The analysis suggests that, against the initial dire predictions of many economists, the capital controls have actually played a crucial supportive role in crisis management. Whether the controls have played a special role in delivering a superior recovery outcome in Malaysia compared to IMF-program countries remains a point of contention. However, there is strong evidence to suggest that this pragmatic policy choice was instrumental in achieving recovery, while minimising potential economic disruption and related social costs.
Human Capital and Earnings Distribution in a Developing Country: The Case of Prerevolutionary Nicaragua

This article examines how different patterns of human capital investments affect household earning and its major components in rural and urban areas of developing countries. 1865 women aged 15-45 in the following 3 areas of prerevolutionary Nicaragua supply data: the central metropolis; other urban areas; and rural areas. Other urban area households have the highest average total income central metropolis households have the next highest and rural areas have the lowest. Urbanization is positively associated with both mean level of total earnings and with total income. The authors examine 5 human capital variables: womens schooling mens schooling womens health mens health and average household nutrition. Another variable cumulative work experience became apparent during modeling. For women schooling increases labor force participation probability in urban (but not rural) areas nutrition has a positive impact in all 3 regions and past work experience has a significant impact; health status has no effect. Standard human capital variables do not differ significantly between the central metropolis and other areas but sharply contrast between urban and rural areas. For men there is less potential for increasing labor force participation through human capital investment although past work experience schooling and nutrition show significant effects. The authors test 10 simulations of hypothetical changes in human capital distributions which involve increasing education improving nutritional status and improving health. 4 conclusions are drawn: 1) since changes from human capital variables on regional earnings distributions cannot be discerned from individual relations simulation is a useful tool for investigation; 2) estimates of the gains toward distributional goals are needed compared to other investments; 3) directing policies toward the target group is more cost effective than general measures; and 4) policies should be targeted for households low in the overall distribution not just the poorest households.
Internal Corporate Governance and Classification Shifting Practices

The corporate governance literature shows that strong internal corporate governance improves the monitoring of managerial discretion over accounting choices. However, most of these studies investigated the role of internal governance in a setting highly regulated through accounting standards, such as the treatment of accruals. Thus, there is little evidence available on whether internal governance collaborates or substitutes for strict accounting regulations. This study therefore investigates whether boards and audit committees also protect shareholders’ interests in areas that are less regulated through generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). Non-recurring items are relatively lightly regulated under International Accounting Standard 1 (IAS 1) and there is increasing concern over the use of non-recurring items to mislead investors (i.e., classifying some recurring expenses as non-recurring). This study therefore investigates whether internal corporate governance constrains classification shifting. Using a sample of 713 U.K. firm-year observations, we find that high-quality internal governance, in terms of the overall quality of board and audit committees, mitigates classification shifting, suggesting therefore that strong internal governance tends to act as a substitute for strict accounting standards. In particular, it appears that long tenure and independence help to mitigate classification shifting, and more CEO directors and share ownership instead may lead to lower quality monitoring.
Barriers to Mobile Banking Adoption - A Cross-national Study

The present invention relates to a wax-based composition comprising at least about 0.5-30% water in a water-in-oil emulsion, wherein water is encapsulated in a lamellar lipid vesicle capable of withstanding wax melting point temperatures. The composition is useful in delivering water soluble actives in an anhydrous base, and is particularly well-adapted for uses in lipsticks and lip-care products.
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES THE DETERMINANTS AND LONG-TERM PROJECTIONS OF SAVING RATES IN DEVELOPING ASIA

In this paper, we present data on trends over time in domestic saving rates in twelve economies in developing Asia during the 1966-2007 period and analyze the determinants of these trends. We find that domestic saving rates in developing Asia have, in general, been high and rising but that there have been substantial differences from economy to economy and that the main determinants of these trends appear to have been the age structure of the population (especially the aged dependency ratio), income levels, and the level of financial sector development. We then project future trends in domestic saving rates in developing Asia for the 2011-2030 period based on our estimation results and find that the domestic saving rate in developing Asia as a whole will remain roughly constant during the next two decades despite rapid population aging in some economies in developing Asia because population aging will occur much later in other economies and because the negative impact of population aging on the domestic saving rate will be largely offset by the positive impact of higher income levels. Charles Yuji Horioka Institute of Social and Economic Research Osaka University 6-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki-shi Osaka-fu 567-0047 JAPAN and NBER horioka@iser.osaka-u.ac. jp Akiko Terada-Hagiwara Asian Development Bank Manila, Philippines ahagiwara@adb.org
The role of dual-degree programs in colleges and schools of pharmacy: the report of the 2008-09 Research and Graduate Affairs Committee.

According to the Bylaws of AACP, the Research and Graduate Affairs Committee shall provide assistance to the Association in developing its research, graduate education, and scholarship agenda. This assistance may include facilitating colleges and schools in formulating and advancing legislative and regulatory initiatives and nurturing collaborative activities with organizations sharing an interest in issues related to the pharmaceutical sciences. AACP President Victor Yanchick charged the committee with defining the role of dual degree programs within colleges/schools of pharmacy and asked the committee to consider what roles, if any, the Association should play in promoting, recruiting, and describing these programs to prospective students. Additionally, what role should the Association play in documenting the enrollments and graduations from these programs?
The evolution of the Sino-American Co-dependency: modelling a regime switch in a growth setting

This work presents a two-country two-stage growth model capturing the special relationship that has emerged in recent years between the US and China (the so-called BWII regime described by Dooley et al., 2003). The Chinese authorities maintain a competitive (i.e., undervalued) exchange rate in order to sustain the high-productive exporting sectors, foster growth and absorb the large amount of rural workers into the industrial sector. Thus, China runs current account surpluses against the US and accumulates US assets in the form of foreign reserves. The US policy-makers are supposedly more concerned with keeping high the consumption possibilities of the population and exploit the Chinese willingness to finance the US external deficits. We consider three scenarios for the future state of the Sino-American co-dependency. All the scenarios share phase 1, resembling what has actually occurred in recent years, but differ in accordance with what fiscal policy the Chinese authorities adopt, and whether and when China fully liberalizes its capital account and floats the currency (thus starting phase 2). Scenario A is quite optimistic because the Chinese fiscal policy is effective in partially substituting the mercantilist policy undertaken in phase 1 as a fundamental source of demand for tradables and as an engine of growth. Scenario B emphasizes the risks for China of abandoning too early the peg of the exchange rate. Finally, Scenario C shows that a Chinese continuation of the current export-led growth strategy can be economically feasible and lead to the mobilization of the Chinese manpower into the advanced sectors of the economy.
A Comprehensive Look at the Empirical Performance of Equity Premium Prediction II

Economists have suggested a whole range of variables that predict the equity premium: dividend price ratios, dividend yields, earnings-price ratios, dividend payout ratios, corporate or net issuing ratios, book-market ratios, beta premia, interest rates (in various guises), and consumption-based macroeconomic ratios (cay). Our paper comprehensively reexamines the performance of these variables, both in-sample and out-of-sample, as of 2005. We find that [a] over the last 30 years, the prediction models have failed both in-sample and out-of-sample; [b] the models are unstable, in that their out-of-sample predictions have performed unexpectedly poorly; [c] the models would not have helped an investor with access only to information available at the time to time the market.
Reduction in risk behavior among adults with severe mental illness who learned to advocate for HIV prevention.

OBJECTIVES The study evaluated the relative impact of HIV risk reduction interventions for adults with severe mental illness living in the inner city. METHODS A total of 104 chronically mentally ill men and women were interviewed to determine sexual risk behavior over the past month and to assess HIV risk-related psychological characteristics, including their knowledge about risk behavior, their belief in their ability to change their behavior, their perceptions of peer and social norms about safer sex, their expectancies about the outcomes of these changes, and their perceived barriers to condom use. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a single AIDS education session, a seven-session cognitive-behavioral HIV risk reduction group intervention, or a seven-session group intervention that combined the cognitive-behavioral intervention with training to act as a risk reduction advocate to friends (advocacy training). Individuals were reinterviewed three months after completion of the intervention. RESULTS Although all participants exhibited change at follow-up in some risk-related psychological characteristics and sexual risk behaviors, participants who received the cognitive-behavioral intervention that included the advocacy training reported greater reductions in rates of unprotected sex and had fewer sexual partners at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS HIV prevention interventions that teach risk reduction skills and then encourage participants to advocate behavior change to others appear to strengthen participants' capacity to change their behavior to reduce HIV risk, even those from a disenfranchised group such as severely mentally ill adults.
Looking for the value of mission statements: a meta‐analysis of 20 years of research

– After two decades of research, the effect of a mission statement on an organization's performance is still unclear. In order to address these shortcomings, a research project via the setting‐up of this paper seeks to identify all empirical studies addressing the mission statement‐financial performance relation, analyze how the mission statement‐financial performance relation is operationalized, and aggregate the findings of the identified studies by means of a meta‐analysis. , – A systematic literature review procedure was developed to identify all relevant articles and meta‐analytic procedures were used to calculate the effect size of the selected studies. , – The study results indicate a small positive relation between mission statements and measures of financial organizational performance. However, additional analyses indicated that interstudy differences in measures significantly influenced the estimates (population effect sizes of the created subsamples ranged from 0.0808 to 0.4100). , – These contradictive findings stress the importance and impact of operationalization decisions in mission statement‐performance research, and provide paths for future practice‐oriented research. , – This study is the first to assess the performance impact of one of the most popular management instruments, namely mission statements, by means of meta‐analytical techniques and, to evaluate the moderation effect of operationalization decisions on the cited relationship. Furthermore, by aggregating research on the mission statement‐performance relationship, a knowledge base was devised which provides normative advice on the characteristics of a “good” mission statement.
Open government: connecting vision and voice

The term open government is often used to describe initiatives of putting government information on the Internet. This conceptualization is too restricted since open government is not only about openness in informational terms (vision) but also about openness in interactive terms (voice). On the basis of an analysis of 103 articles, this article provides insight into the concepts of openness, transparency and participation, their interactions, and the manner in which they have been discussed in the literature. This analysis shows the differences and similarities between economic, political science and legal perspectives on open government and argues that a multidisciplinary approach needs to be taken. The authors conclude that open government is much too important to leave it to the ‘techies’: scientists and practitioners with backgrounds in law, economics, political science and public administration should also get involved to build sound connections between vision and voice that facilitate active citizenship. Points for practitioners This article provides guidelines for the realization of open government: (1) design open government for synergistic or complementary relationships between transparency and participation, (2) design open government for a diverse population, (3) design open government for direct and indirect effects, (4) design open government acknowledging a variety in desirables and (5) design for continuous learning about effects and side-effects. The authors emphasize that a diversified approach to the design of open government will be more fruitful in the long run than merely understanding it in terms of making information publicly available.