Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Two SNPs Associated with Type 2 Diabetes and Obesity at Melanocortin-4 Receptor Gene Loci Exhibited High Fst Values and Natural Selection

Background: Human adaptation to environmental changes in food supply, lifestyle, and geography may have initiated the selection of genes associated with the metabolism of glucose, lipids, carbohydrates, and energy. Obesity is significantly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. The worldwide prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes is increasing steadily. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are highly heritable diseases that cause serious health problems. The melanocortin-4 receptor gene is one of the major obesity genes, and common genetic variations near the melanocortin-4 receptor gene were found to be associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance. We aimed to uncover evidence of selection at melanocortin-4 receptor gene loci using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity. Methods: We analyzed melanocortin-4 receptor gene loci in HapMap populations to detect selection using a 3-step test: Wright’s F-statistics (Fst) as a measure of population differentiation, the long-range haplotype (LRH) test to obtain evidence of positive selection by testing haplotypes, and integrated haplotype score (iHS). Results: We observed one body mass index (BMI)-associated SNP (rs7227255) and one type 2 diabetesassociated SNP (rs11873305) that exhibited high Fst values, and showed high population differentiation and natural selection at the melanocortin-4 receptor gene loci. Conclusion: This is the first report that SNPs associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity exhibited high Fst values in one-gene loci. Most of the SNPs associated with type 2 diabetes and obesity that were reported did not demonstrate high Fst values. Our findings are important for clinical medicine. We suggest that melanocortin-4 receptor agonists may be useful drugs for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes, and that further studies should examine the adaptive evolution of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and insulin resistance genes.
On the Location of Lightning Discharges Using Time Reversal of Electromagnetic Fields

In this paper, we discuss the use of the electromagnetic time reversal (EMTR) method to locate lightning strikes. After a brief description of the EMTR and its application to lightning location, we mathematically demonstrate that the time-of-arrival method can be seen as a subset of EMTR. We propose three different models of backpropagation to address the issue of EMTR not being invariant for lossy media. Two sets of simulations are carried out to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed methods. The first set of simulations is performed using numerically generated fields and the proposed algorithm is shown to give very good results even if the soil is not perfectly conducting. In particular, we show that considering a model in which losses are inverted in the back propagation yields theoretically exact results for the source location. We show also that a lack of access to the complete recorded waveforms may lead to higher location errors, even though the computed errors are found to be within the range of performance of current lightning location systems (LLS). A second set of simulations is performed using the sensor data reported by the Austrian LLS. The locations obtained by way of the proposed EMTR method using only the available sensor data (amplitude, arrival time, and time-to-peak), are observed to be within a few kilometers of the locations supplied by the LLS.
An Exploratory Study on Management Support Services and Its effects on the Quality Service Delivery of Internal Auditors in the Northern Ghana

The Internal Audit Department is a cornerstone for effective corporate governance. However, its effectiveness largely depends on the support of management. Therefore, this paper examines Management Support Services and its effects on the performance of Internal Audit Department in the Public Sector of Ghana. An exploratory research approach was deployed for this study. The respondents include Management, External Auditors and Heads of Internal Audit Departments in the three regions of the Northern Ghana. A total sample size of 170 was used. It was discovered that the Internal Auditors were not satisfied with the support services that management provide. There was strong positive correlation between Management Support Services and the Internal Audit performance. The key support services that influence Internal Audit performance were management commitment to working with Internal Auditors to develop Internal Auditor Charter and providing adequate logistics. On the basis of these findings, the paper recommends that Management should see internal audit unit as a strategic business unit in creating value and give it the necessary support. The Internal Audit Agency should be restructured with constitutional powers to recruit, train, determine condition of service and post internal auditors to all public institutions.
Impact of Reward and Recognition on Job Satisfaction and Motivation: An Empirical Study from Pakistan

Human resources are the most important among all the resources an organization owns. To retain efficient and experienced workforce in an organization is very crucial in overall performance of an organization. Motivated employees can help make an organization competitively more value added and profitable. The present study is an attempt to find out the major factors that motivate employees and it tells what is the relationship among reward, recognition and motivation while working within an organization. The data were collected from employees of diverse type of organizations to gain wide representation of sectoral composition. In all, 250 self administered questionnaires were distributed among the employees of different sectors and they returned 220 completed useable questionnaires for response rate of 88%. The participation in survey was voluntary and confidentiality of responses was ensured. The statistical analysis showed that different dimensions of work motivation and satisfaction are significantly correlated and reward and recognition have great impact on motivation of the employees. Implications of the study for managers and policy makers in the context of human resource practices have been discussed. Limitations and guidelines for future research are also provided.
What is a fair profit for social enterprise? Insights from microfinance

Although microfinance organizations have typically been considered as inherently ethical, recent events have challenged the legitimacy of the sector. High interest rates and the exorbitant profitability of some market leaders have raised the question of what can be considered a fair, or ethical, level of profit for social enterprise. In this article, we construct a fair profit framework for social enterprise based on four dimensions: the level of profitability, the extent to which the organization adheres to its social mission, the pricing and the surplus distribution. We then apply this framework using an empirical sample of 496 microfinance institutions. Results indicate that satisfying all four dimensions is a difficult, although not impossible, task. Based on our framework, 13 MFIs emerge as true double-bottom-line organizations and tend to be relatively young, large MFIs from South Asia. Using our framework, we argue that excessive profits can be better understood relative to pricing, the outreach of the MFI and the organizational commitment to clients in the form of reduced interest rates.
The relation between food intake and abomasal emptying and small intestinal transit time in sheep

1. The relation between the level of food intake and gastrointestinal motility and digesta flow in the abomasum and small intestine was studied in sheep fitted with nichrome-wire electrodes in the gut wall, an abomasal and a duodenal catheter and a terminal ileal cannula. 2. Abomasal volume and outflow were calculated from CrEDTA dilution in six sheep and small intestinal transit time by the passage of Phenol Red in ten sheep. 3. The frequency of the migrating myoelectric complex of the small intestine was not altered by the level of food intake but the duration of the periods of irregular spiking activity, the amplitude of abomasal activity and the frequency of duodenal rushes were decreased as the level of food intake was decreased. 4. There was a linear relation between the level of food intake (FI) and abomasal outflow (mean with SEM: 327 (69) ml/h for each kg FI/d; P < 0.01), and abomasal volume (mean with SEM: 344 (50) ml/kg FI per d; P < 0.001), without any significant change in the half-time of marker dilution in the abomasum. Small intestinal transit time decreased with an increase in food intake (mean with SEM: - 54.9 (5.6) min/kg FI per d; P < 0.001). 5.It is concluded that abomasal volume and the rate of digesta flow from the abomasum and along the small intestine are linearly related to the level of food intake.
Doppler Spectra of Microwave Scattering Fields From Nonlinear Oceanic Surface at Moderate- and Low-Grazing Angles

Results of microwave radar Doppler spectra from 1-D nonlinear ocean surface at moderate- and low-grazing angles are calculated by the composite surface scattering model. For the large-scale undulating surface description, the narrow-band Lagrange model is used, which takes into account the vertical and horizontal skewnesses. Moreover, the shadow and the curvature effects of large-scale waves on the Doppler spectra are also considered in our calculations. Comparisons of computed curves with experimentally measured Doppler spectra at different incidence angles and at various wind speeds show that the simulated results can fit the measured data well at moderate incident angles. From the simulations, we also find that the hydrodynamic modulation and the horizontal skewness of the large-scale waves can induce remarkable influence on Doppler shift. In addition, when the shadow and the curvature effects of large-scale waves are considered in the calculations, the Doppler shifts grow more quickly and the spectral widths become narrower at low-grazing angles, and this is consistent with the numerical results given by Toporkov in the nonlinear surface case. The conclusions obtained in this work seem promising for better understanding the properties of time-dependent radar echoes from oceanic surfaces.
Carbohydrate‐based interactions of oviductal sperm reservoir formation—studies in the pig

Competitive inhibition of sperm to explants of the oviductal epithelium was used to study the complementary receptor system that may be involved in the establishment of the oviductal sperm reservoir in the pig. Sperm binding to the oviductal explants is expressed as Binding Index (BI = sperm cells/0.01 mm2). From a set of glycoproteins with known oligosaccharide structures, only asialofetuin and ovalbumin showed inhibitory activity, indicating that ovalbumin may block high affinity binding sites (IC50 ≅ 1.3 μM) and asialofetuin low affinity sites (IC50 ≅ 18 μM) of the complementary receptor systems, whereas fetuin carrying terminal sialic acid has no effect. Ovalbumin glycopeptides were isolated by Con A affinity chromatography and reverse‐phase HPLC following tryptic digestion. Glycopeptides and enzymatically released glycans were analyzed by MS, and were shown to represent preferentially the two high mannose type glycans (Man)5(GlcNAc)2 and (Man)6(GlcNAc)2, and as a minor component the hybrid type glycan (Hex)4(GlcNAc)5. Glycopeptides (84% inhibition) and glycans (81% inhibition) significantly reduced sperm‐oviduct binding at a concentration of 3 μM, whereas the deglycosylated peptides showed no inhibitory activity. Mannopentaose (IC50 ≅ 0.8 μM) representing the oligomannose residue of the high mannose glycans of ovalbumin was as effective as ovalbumin. These data indicate that the carboyhdrate‐based mechanisms underlying the formation of the oviductal sperm reservoir in the pig is the result of the concerted action of at least the high‐affinity binding sites for oligomannose or nonreducing terminal mannose residues and low‐affinity binding of galactose. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 61: 249–257, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Status and trends of silicon LDMOS base station PA technologies to go beyond 2.5 GHz applications

LDMOS technology is the main power amplifier technology used for cellular base stations for frequencies up to 2.14 GHz. With the latest LDMOS technology generations it is however possible, and demonstrated, to use LDMOS for frequencies up to 3.8 GHz. This paper describes the status and trends of LDMOS technology for wireless applications beyond 2.5 GHz.go beyond 2.5 GHz applications.
The Effect of Rest Interval Length on Multi and Single-Joint Exercise Performance and Perceived Exertion

Senna, G, Willardson, JM, de Salles, BF, Scudese, E, Carneiro, F, Palma, A, and Simão, R. The effect of rest interval length on multi and single-joint exercise performance and perceived exertion. J Strength Cond Res 25(11): 3157–3162, 2011—The purpose of this study was to compare repetition performance and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) with 1-, 3-, or 5-minute rest intervals between sets of multi and single-joint resistance exercises. Fifteen resistance trained men (23.6 ± 2.64 years, 76.46 ± 7.53 kg, 177 ± 6.98 cm, bench press [BP] relative strength: 1.53 ± 0.25 kg·kg−1 body mass) completed 12 sessions (4 exercises × 3 rest intervals), with each session involving 5 sets with 10 repetition maximum loads for the free weight BP, machine leg press (LP), machine chest fly (MCF), and machine leg extension (LE) exercises with 1-, 3-, 5-minute rest intervals between sets. The results indicated significantly greater BP repetitions with 3 or 5 minutes vs. 1 minute between sets (p ≤ 0.05); no significant difference was evident between the 3- and 5-minute rest conditions. For the other exercises (i.e., LP, MCF, and LE), significant differences were evident between all rest conditions (1 < 3 < 5; p ≤ 0.05). For all exercises, consistent declines in repetition performance (relative to the first set) were observed for all rest conditions, starting with the second set for the 1-minute condition and the third set for the 3- and 5-minute conditions. Furthermore, significant increases in RPE were evident over successive sets for both the multi and single-joint exercises, with significantly greater values for the 1-minute condition. In conclusion, both multi and single-joint exercises exhibited similar repetition performance patterns and RPE, independent of the rest interval length between sets.
Determinants of Capital Structure: Family Businesses versus Non-Family Firms

The study applies a GMM technique to a panel data sample of 2,093 private Spanish companies, 1,434 of which are family firms to investigate whether or not the capital structure of family business differs from that of non-family firms. The results show that family firms are more indebted than non-family firms. Moreover, the factors that have an influence on capital structure have different impacts on family firms and non-family firms. Furthermore, our findings also reveal that the financial structure (leverage ratio) of family firms changes with the size of the business and the firm’s life cycle, and that the variables that explain the financial behaviour of the family firms have different levels of importance, depending on the size of the business and the firm’s life cycle.
Role of Epg5 in selective neurodegeneration and Vici syndrome

Autophagy activity is essential for the survival of neural cells. Impairment of autophagy has been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Unlike the massive neuron loss in mice deficient for autophagy genes essential for autophagosome formation, we demonstrated that mice deficient for the metazoan-specific autophagy gene Epg5 develop selective neuronal damage and exhibit key characteristics of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Epg5 deficiency blocks the maturation of autophagosomes into degradative autolysosomes, slows endocytic degradation and also impairs endocytic recycling. Recessive mutations in human EPG5 have recently been causally associated with the multisystem disorder Vici syndrome. Here we show that while Epg5 knockout mice display some features of Vici syndrome, many phenotypes are absent.
Multi-Partner Interactions in Corals in the Face of Climate Change

Recent research has explored the possibility that increased sea-surface temperatures and decreasing pH (ocean acidification) contribute to the ongoing decline of coral reef ecosystems. Within corals, a diverse microbiome exerts significant influence on biogeochemical and ecological processes, including food webs, organismal life cycles, and chemical and nutrient cycling. Microbes on coral reefs play a critical role in regulating larval recruitment, bacterial colonization, and pathogen abundance under ambient conditions, ultimately governing the overall resilience of coral reef systems. As a result, microbial processes may be involved in reef ecosystem-level responses to climate change. Developments of new molecular technologies, in addition to multidisciplinary collaborative research on coral reefs, have led to the rapid advancement in our understanding of bacterially mediated reef responses to environmental change. Here we review new discoveries regarding (1) the onset of coral-bacterial associations; (2) the functional roles that bacteria play in healthy corals; and (3) how bacteria influence coral reef response to environmental change, leading to a model describing how reef microbiota direct ecosystem-level response to a changing global climate.
Body Consciousness Moderates the Effect of Message Framing on Intentions to Use Sunscreen

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of messages differing in focus (health vs appearance) and frame (gain vs loss) on intentions for sunscreen use and sunbed use, and the potential moderating role of body consciousness. Questionnaire data from 390 young adults were analysed using factorial ANOVA. Results showed a significant interaction between message frame and body consciousness, such that gain-framed health or appearance messages had the strongest effect on sunscreen use intentions for those high in body consciousness, compared to those low in body consciousness. We conclude that message framing effects on precautionary sun behaviour intentions are moderated by body consciousness.
INDUSTRY LOGISTIC MODEL IMPLEMENTATION BY MULTIPLE OBSERVATION FROM THE SAME SHIPPER

A company has to optimize its production in order to maximize its profit especially in a short time. This means its penetration in a production weaving factory which involves very efficient companies whose products and services highly meet all the customers‟needs. Logistics‟ costs and transport is the most important element because it is a factor of the process since it contributes to optimize it. Choosing the typology of transport to use depending by the shipper-carrier interaction. The parameters which influence the choice of the transport by the shipper are: availability, rapidity, efficiency and security. The attempts to reduce dead times and increase the rapidity of all the processes of the company, are very considerable. Nowadays the margins, to reduce them further, are part of the logistic stream. Among the various signs testifying the will of the companies to pursue such objectives, there is the Justin-Time philosophy, with its most important member Lever Fabergè of Pozzilli whose strategies will be analyzed according to the choices made using directly specific carriers . As a matter of fact Lever Fabergè, with the drastic reduction of mid-span supplies, made the transport efficiency one of the key elements, in order to set about its products at a national and international level. As a consequence there are more frequent deliveries but in reduced quantity and also the programs complying requested. The importance of a prompt and welltimed delivery gives to the supplier the responsibility of choosing the most reliable transport. But the factor which leads to a reappraisal of the transport role, is the concept of the integrated logistics according to which transport represents one of the main activities of the company logistic system, for the impact it has on the level of service and for the cost it requests. This report shows broken up a logistic models of modal choice which are the most recent and so far they were not taken into account even though very interesting from a theoretical point of view and very useful to evaluate the variety of innovative supply hypotheses. With this model some transport choices regarding the logistic decisions of Lever Fabergeè of Pozzilli, will be simulated. All the information useful for this survey have been possible thanks to Pozzilli factory. Industry logistic model implementation by multiple observation from the same shipper CATALANI, Mauro; ZAMPARELLI Simonetta 12 th WCTR, July 11-15, 2010 – Lisbon, Portugal 2
Independent component analysis of 2‐D electrophoresis gels

We present a novel application of independent component analysis (ICA), an exploratory data analysis technique, to two‐dimensional electrophoresis (2‐DE) gels, which have been used to analyze differentially expressed proteins across groups. Unlike currently used pixel‐wise statistical tests, ICA is a data‐driven approach that utilizes the information contained in the entire gel data. We also apply ICA on wavelet‐transformed 2‐DE gels to address the high dimensionality and noise problems typically found in 2‐DE gels. Also, we use an analysis‐of‐variance (ANOVA) approach as a benchmark for comparison. Using simulated data, we show that ICA detects the group differences accurately in both the spatial and wavelet domains. We also apply these techniques to real 2‐DE gels. ICA proves to be much faster than ANOVA, and unlike ANOVA it does not depend on the selection of a threshold. Application of principal component analysis reduces the dimensionality and tends to improve the performance by reducing the noise.
Molecular imaging in oncology: (18)F-sodium fluoride PET imaging of osseous metastatic disease.

OBJECTIVE This literature review details the history, pharmacokinetics, and utility of (18)F-sodium fluoride (Na(18)F) PET/CT in detecting osseous metastases compared with the current standard of care, technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate ((99m)Tc-MDP) bone scintigraphy. Additional discussion highlights solutions to impediments for broader implementation of this modality and insight into the complementary roles of (18)F-FDG PET/CT and Na(18)F PET/CT in oncology imaging, including preliminary data for combined Na(18)F and FDG PET/CT. CONCLUSION Na(18)F PET/CT is the most comprehensive imaging modality for the evaluation of osseous metastatic disease. Although further data acquisition is necessary to expand cost-benefit analyses of this imaging agent, emerging data reinforce its diagnostic advantage, suggest methods to mitigate impediments to broader utilization of Na(18)F PET/CT, and introduce a potentially viable technique for single-session combined Na(18)F and FDG PET/CT staging of soft-tissue and osseous disease.