Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cancer risk associated with use of metformin and sulfonylurea in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE Oral antidiabetic drugs (including metformin and sulfonylurea) may play a role in the relationship between type 2 diabetes and cancer. To quantify the association between metformin and sulfonylurea and the risk of cancer, we performed a meta-analysis of available studies on the issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a MEDLINE search for observational studies that investigated the risk of all cancers and specific cancer sites in relation to use of metformin and/or sulfonylurea among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fixed- and random-effect models were fitted to estimate the summary relative risk (RR). Between-study heterogeneity was tested using χ(2) statistics and measured with the I(2) statistic. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plot and Egger's regression asymmetry test. RESULTS Seventeen studies satisfying inclusion criteria and including 37,632 cancers were evaluated after reviewing 401 citations. Use of metformin was associated with significantly decreased RR of all cancers (summary RR 0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54-0.70), colorectal cancer (0.64, 95% CI 0.54-0.76), and pancreatic cancer (0.38, 95% CI 0.14-0.91). With the exception of colorectal cancer, significant between-study heterogeneity was observed. Evidence of publication bias for metformin-cancer association was also observed. There was no evidence that metformin affects the risk of breast and prostate cancers, nor that sulfonylurea affects the risk of cancer at any site. CONCLUSIONS Metformin, but not sulfonylurea, appears to reduce subsequent cancer risk. This has relevant implications in light of the exploding global epidemic of diabetes.
Growth with brands

For the food manufacturer, the '70s were a decade of self‐defence. But, says Stephen King, the cause of reduced profits and product deterioration may not just rest with the tough buying policy of the retailer but also with the weak management sometimes displayed by the manufacturer. Over the years the brand name has been eroded by that of the retailer — witness the well‐known products herded together to advertise the price benefits of certain multiples — and the author sets out here a number of ways in which these problems should be tackled. These views were first heard at the Conference for the Food Manufacturers Federation, ‘Food for growth’, 1980.
Behavioral Determinants that Drive Luxury Goods Consumption: A Study within the Tourist Context

Chinese tourists have become the greatest driving force behind global tourism. An increasing number of luxury fashion brands regard these tourists as a potentially significant segment of status-conscious consumers. Yet a limited number of marketing studies have addressed the significance of the intrinsic motivation that drives these tourist consumers to consume luxury goods. This study investigates the significant intrinsic factors that affect the luxury goods buying behavior of tourist consumers. Data are collected from 284 tourist consumers and analyzed by using the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and cluster analysis. The EFA purified the measurement instruments to four factor attributes, namely, self-satisfaction, possession obsessiveness, status consciousness and personal differentness. The cluster analysis identified three groups of tourist consumers with distinctive behavioral segmentation criteria: ‘shopping hedonists’, ‘ego-defended achievers’ and ‘conspicuous fashionistas’. These findings provide managerial implications for building sustainable luxury businesses and competitive strategies tailored for tourist consumers.
Production of Antibacterial Compounds and Biofilm Formation by Roseobacter Species Are Influenced by Culture Conditions

ABSTRACT Bacterial communities associated with marine algae are often dominated by members of the Roseobacter clade, and in the present study, we describe Roseobacter phenotypes that may provide this group of bacteria with selective advantages when colonizing this niche. Nine of 14 members of the Roseobacter clade, of which half were isolated from cultures of the dinoflagellate Pfiesteria piscicida, produced antibacterial compounds. Many non-Roseobacter marine bacteria were inhibited by sterile filtered supernatants of Silicibacter sp. TM1040 and Phaeobacter (formerly Roseobacter) strain 27-4, which had the highest production of antibacterial compound. In contrast, Roseobacter strains were susceptible only when exposed to concentrated compound. The production of antibacterial compound was influenced by the growth conditions, as production was most pronounced when bacteria were grown in liquid medium under static conditions. Under these conditions, Silicibacter sp. TM1040 cells attached to one another, forming rosettes, as has previously been reported for Phaeobacter 27-4. A spontaneous Phaeobacter 27-4 mutant unable to form rosettes was also defective in biofilm formation and the production of antibacterial compound, indicating a possible link between these phenotypes. Rosette formation was observed in 8 of 14 Roseobacter clade strains examined and was very pronounced under static growth in 5 of these strains. Attachment to surfaces and biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface by these five strains was greatly facilitated by growth conditions that favored rosette formation, and rosette-forming strains were 13 to 30 times more efficient in attaching to glass compared to strains under conditions where rosette formation was not pronounced. We hypothesize that the ability to produce antibacterial compounds that principally inhibit non-Roseobacter species, combined with an enhancement in biofilm formation, may give members of the Roseobacter clade a selective advantage and help to explain the dominance of members of this clade in association with marine algal microbiota.
Improving navigation page detection by using DOM-based block text identification

Internet changes very fast, it is necessary to classify the web pages for different usages. According to user purpose, web pages can be classified into navigation pages and content pages. To detect navigation pages is useful for web crawling, topical detection, etc. In this paper, we use DOM-Based block text identification method to improve navigation pages detection. Experimental results suggest that, compared to prior methods, our method is more effective.
Exploring the experiences of collaborative planning initiatives

Supply chain integration (or synchronisation) is to a large extent still only a promise, despite many considerable efforts by organisations and their customers and suppliers. Lack of visibility of true consumer demand and collaborative relationships based upon joint decision making remain significant barriers to the goal of supply chain integration. Collaborative planning, forecasting and replenishment (CPFR) is a strategy which promises to overcome these barriers, and seeks through joint planning, joint decision making and the development of a clearer understanding of the dynamics of the supply chain replenishment process to deliver some of the promised benefits of actual supply chain integration. Despite the existence of a detailed and comprehensive process model, and promising initial results there has not been widespread adoption of CPFR, justifying the need to revisit the process model and to further explore the inhibitors and enablers. Based upon a review of the existing literature and a comprehensive survey of participants in existing CPFR implementations, this paper identifies the critical inhibitors and makes some proposals as to how these inhibitors may be overcome.
Wine tourism development and marketing strategies in Southwest Michigan

Purpose – This research investigated wine tourism development and marketing in southwest Michigan, a longtime viticultural, but emerging wine tourism region. The aims involved discovering the motivations, expectations, and successes of Southwest Michigan Wine Trail member wineries in developing horizontal and vertical alliances.Design/methodology/approach – Semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews were conducted with individuals in charge of the wineries’ marketing activities (i.e. marketing directors and members of the marketing departments, winery owners). These interviews were recorded and transcribed. Activities fostered through the horizontal and vertical alliances were identified.Findings – Alliances along the Southwest Michigan Wine Trail have furthered the development and marketing of wine tourism. The trail's member wineries have formed strong horizontal relationships, which include joint advertising, promotion, and production. They have also built vertical relationships with tour operators, lodging .
On the risk analysis for e-commerce based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation

As the pillar industry of the national economics, e-commerce nowadays has played a great role in the GDP growth and it owns the characters of both high risk and high earning rate. Taking the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation into risks analysis and with the help of the analytical hierarchy process, all the risks arising from e-commerce process were assigned by the proper weights, which aimed at the quantitative and overall evaluation for e-commerce risks. Based on the theory of risks management, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model was brought forward in this paper and it offered the detail risks managements for e-commerce. Further more, all the conclusions of risks management proposed in this model have passed the empirical discrimination.
The perceptions of employees towards tipping and motivation in the hotel industry

Restaurant tipping has been taken as a bone of contention which discriminates front and back employees involved with the service delivery in a hotel set- up. Monetary benefits affect worker motivation to some extent. Hence the study sought to analyze employee views on tipping and motivation. A lot of confusion and abhorrence has been created as to whom exactly should benefit from the tips servers get from guests. Qualitative research design was used to assess the extent to which tips are perceived as a reward for good service and how this influences worker motivation. Results showed that tipping is a two barreled tool where it can be a motivational tool to those who are tipped and a demotivator to those who are not tipped. The implication of the study is a service charge system to share tips is required to motivate all employees since the guest experience is a product of collective effort from almost all the employees in a hotel establishment.
Relation between neurological status, refractive error, and visual acuity in children: a clinical study

The aims of the present study were: (1) to determine the refractive status and visual acuity of a group of 75 neurologically impaired children (5 to 192 months of age); and (2) to investigate the relation between the visual and neurological status of these children. Refractive error was determined using non‐cycloplegic near retinoscopy and visual acuity was estimated using acuity cards (Keeler or Cardiff) and pattern‐onset visual evoked potentials (VEP). Subjects demonstrated a markedly different distribution of refractive error from that of a neurologically normal age‐matched population. Refractive error anomalies were more prevalent in children older than 5 years, suggesting abnormal refractive development. A wide range of visual acuity was found with both tests (acuity cards, 0.07 to 2.08 logMAR; VEP, 0.78 to 2.68 logMAR). Visual acuity and refractive status varied with level and type of physical impairment. Level of intellectual impairment exhibited a weak relation with visual status.
Environmental Purchasing: Benchmarking Our German Counterparts

Environmental purchasing consists of purchasing's involvement in activities that include reduction, reuse, and recycling of materials. Despite the valuable role that the purchasing function can play in an organization's environmental activities, research is only now beginning to emerge in this area. The authors present a reliable and valid scale used to measure environmental purchasing, examine the company-specific factors that impact these activities, and compare the actions of U.S. purchasing managers to those of their German counterparts. Directions for much needed future research are then proposed.
Conditions for absolute instability in the cyclotron resonance maser

In this paper exact analytic conditions for absolute instability in the cyclotron resonance maser are presented for the case of a cold‐beam, lossless circular waveguide and infinite interaction length in the axial direction. The conditions are expressed in terms of the parallel beam velocity, the applied magnetic field strength, and the strength of the coupling between the beam and waveguide modes. The results are applicable to both the gyrotron and cyclotron autoresonance maser operating regimes.
Asynchronous clock generator for a 14-bit two-stage pipelined SAR ADC in 0.18 μm CMOS

This paper describes the design and implementation of an asynchronous clock generator which has been used in a 14-bit two-stage pipelined SAR ADCs for low-power sensor applications. A self-synchronization loop based on an edge detector was utilized to generate an internal clock with variable phase and frequency. A tunable delay element enables to allocate the available time for the switch capacitor DACs and the gain-stage. Thereafter, three separate asynchronous clock generators were implemented to create the control signals for two sub-ADCs and the gain-stage between. Finally, a 14-bit asynchronous two-stage pipelined SAR ADC was designed and simulated in 0.18 μm CMOS. Detailed pre-layout circuit simulations show that the ADC achieves a SNDR of 83.5 dB while consuming 2.13 μW with a sampling rate of 10 kS/s. The corresponding FoM is 177.2 dB.
Regulation of tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate-induced responses in NIH 3T3 cells by GAP, the GTPase-activating protein associated with p21c-ras

Proteins of the ras family of oncogenes have been implicated in signal transduction pathways initiated by protein kinase C (PKC) and by tyrosine kinase oncogenes and receptors, but the role that ras plays in these diverse signalling systems is poorly defined. The activity of ras proteins has been shown to be controlled in part by a cellular protein, GAP (GTPase-activating protein), that negatively regulates p21c-ras by enhancing its intrinsic GTPase activity. Thus, overexpression of GAP provides a tool for determining the step(s) in signal transduction dependent on p21c-ras activity. In this paper, we report that overexpression of GAP blocks the phorbol ester (tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate [TPA])-induced activation of p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p42mapk), c-fos expression, and DNA synthesis. GAP overexpression did not block responses to serum or fluoroaluminate. Moreover, not all biochemical events elicited by TPA were affected by GAP overexpression, as increased glucose uptake and phosphorylation of MARCKS, a major PKC substrate, occurred normally. Reduction of GAP expression to near normal levels restored the ability of the cells to activate p42mapk in response to TPA. These findings suggest that ras and GAP together play a key role in a PKC-dependent signal transduction pathway which leads to p42mapk activation and cell proliferation.
WEED SCIENCE Glufosinate-Resistant Cotton Tolerance to Combinations of Glufosinate with Insecticides and Mepiquat Chloride

Field trials were conducted during 2008 and 2009 to evaluate glufosinate-resistant (GLFR) cotton response to glufosinate alone or mixed with the plant growth regulator mepiquat chloride with or without 10 insecticides applied to cotton at pinhead square or first bloom. Less than 2% visual injury was observed with any treatment. At both 14 and 28 d after treatment (DAT), mepiquat chloride mixed with glufosinate reduced cotton height 7 to 8 cm and 2 cm when applied at pinhead square and first flower growth stages, respectively, compared to glufosinate applied alone. Insecticides added to glufosinate alone, or glufosinate plus mepiquat chloride had no impact on plant height. Differences in seed cotton yield were not observed, indicating that minimal cotton injury and early season height differences did not influence cotton yield. Glufosinate combined with insecticides and mepiquat chloride, in accordance with herbicide labeling for glufosinate-resistant cotton, offers producers the ability to integrate pest and crop management strategies with crop safety while reducing production costs.
Potency testing of veterinary vaccines for animals: the way from in vivo to in vitro. Workshop summary.

Veterinary.vaccines. contribute.to. improved.animal. and.human. health.and. welfare. by.preventing. infectious.diseases . However,. testing.necessary. to.ensure. vaccine.effectiveness. and.safety. can.involve. large.numbers. of.animals. and.significant. pain.and. distress . NICEATM. and.ICCVAM. recently.convened. an.international. workshop.to. review.the. state.of. the.science. of. human.and. veterinary.vaccine. potency.and.safety.testing,. and.to. identify.priority. activities.to. advance.new. and.improved. methods.that. can.further. reduce,. refine.and. replace.animal. use . Rabies,. Clostridium sp. ,. and.Leptospira sp.vaccines. were.identified. as.the. highest.priorities,. while.tests. requiring.live. viruses.and. bacteria.hazardous. to.laboratory. workers,. livestock,. pets,. and.wildlife. were.also. considered.high. priorities . Priority.research,. development.and. validation. activities.to. address.critical. knowledge.and. data.gaps. were.identified,. including.opportunities. to.apply. new.science. and.technology . Enhanced.international. harmonization.and. cooperation. and.closer. collaborations.between. human.and. veterinary.researchers. were.recommended. to. expedite.progress . Implementation.of. the.workshop. recommendations.is. expected.to. advance. new.methods. for.vaccine. testing.that. will.benefit. animal.welfare. and.ensure. continued.and. improved.protection. of.human.and.animal. health . Jungbäck C (ed): Potency Testing of Veterinary Vaccines for Animals: The Way From in Vivo to in Vitro. Dev Biol (Basel). Basel, Karger, 2011, vol 134, pp 9-21.
A pilot study of genetic polymorphisms and hemodialysis vascular access thrombosis

Vascular access thrombosis (VAT) remains a significant problem worldwide. This study determined the association between VAT and 7 candidate gene polymorphisms (factor V Leiden 1691G>A, factor II 20210G>A, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C>T, angiotensin converting enzyme 287 base pair (bp) insertion/deletion, transforming growth factor‐β1 869T>C and 915G>C, NOS3 −786T>C and intron 4 27 bp tandem repeat, and endotoxin receptor CD14 −159C>T). This was a retrospective case‐control pilot study conducted in 101 hemodialysis patients at a large tertiary‐care, University health‐science center. Sixty cases that experienced frequent VAT and 41 controls that had not experienced VAT in at least 3 years were evaluated for demographics and genotyping. These data were summarized, and univariable and multivariable regression models were constructed. Univariate VAT predictors included the NOS3 420 bp allele (P=0.03) and the presence of a central venous dialysis catheter (P<0.01). Aspirin use was protective against VAT (P=0.02). In the multivariate analysis, the dialysis access type remained a significant predictor of thrombosis (P<0.01), while aspirin use retained its protective status (P=0.01). Statin use was associated with the cases (P=0.02); however, the NOS3 420 bp allele failed to improve the model. These data confirm that central venous dialysis catheter access is associated with thrombosis, while aspirin use appears protective. The NOS3 420 bp allele may have an association with thrombosis; however, further epidemiologic data evaluating large dialysis registries are needed to confirm our observation.
Characterization of a Novel Composite Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec (SCCmec-SCCcad/ars/cop) in the Neonatal Sepsis-Associated Staphylococcus capitis Pulsotype NRCS-A

ABSTRACT Multiresistant Staphylococcus capitis pulsotype NRCS-A has been reported to be a major pathogen causing nosocomial bacteremia in preterm infants. We report that the NRCS-A strain CR01 harbors a novel 60.9-kb composite staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) element, composed of an SCCmec with strong homologies to Staphylococcus aureus ST398 SCCmec and of an SCCcad/ars/cop harboring resistance genes for cadmium, arsenic, and copper. Whole-genome-based comparisons of published S. capitis strains suggest that strain CR01 acquired the two elements independently.
Techniques of Financial Analysis

This edition of "executive briefing" on financial analysis presents the key methods and concepts of financial analyasis from the point of view of the parties involved - managers, owners and lenders. From an overview of the basic business system, to coverage of valuation issues, this book is a practical action guide. Managers receive guidelines for: managing operating funds and projecting financial performance; and evaluating capital investment managing for shareholder value.
Feasibility and Benefit of Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Elderly Patients with Uterine Cervical Cancer

Background Elderly patients with uterine cervical cancer reportedly have a poorer prognosis than younger patients. Until now, the benefit of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for elderly patients has been considered limited. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 49 women with cervical cancer aged >70 years primarily treated with radiotherapy (RT) or CCRT in our institute between 2003 and 2014. Treatment compliance, toxicity, and survival benefit were analyzed. Results A total of 49 patients were identified in this retrospective analysis. Twenty patients with a median age of 75.4 years (range 70–77) were treated with CCRT and 29 patients with a median age of 77.9 years (range 70–89) underwent RT. In the CCRT group, 14 patients (70%) completed CCRT consisting of radiotherapy and 5 courses of cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil including patients requiring a dose reduction of chemotherapy. The median overall survival (OS) in the CCRT and RT groups was 66.9 and 60.1 months, respectively (p = 0.156). The most common grade 3/4 acute toxicity was hyponatremia (35.0%), followed by neutropenia (15.0%) and diarrhea (10.0%) in the CCRT group, while this was anemia (17.2%) followed by radiation enteritis (10.3%) in the RT group. Conclusions CCRT was well tolerated in elderly patients with cervical cancer. Careful attention should be paid to the different characteristics of treatment-related toxicities in this group compared with younger patients.