Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consumer-Level Food Loss Estimates and Their Use in the ERS Loss-Adjusted Food Availability Data

The Food Availability (per capita) Data System developed by USDA’s Economic Research Service tracks annual food and nutrient availability for many commodities. The Food Availability data series in this system overstates actual consumption, so ERS has included an additional series, the Loss-Adjusted Food Availability data, to adjust the Food Availability data for nonedible food parts and food losses, including losses from farm to retail, at retail, and at the consumer level. In this report, we propose new consumer-level loss estimates for “cooking loss and uneaten food” of the edible share to replace those currently used in the Loss-Adjusted Food Availability data and propose their adoption for the entire data span (1970 to the most recent year in the series). The proposed loss percentages are calculated by subtracting food consumption estimates from food purchase or availability estimates for each food. These calculations are adjusted with information from an expert panel experienced in analyzing food consumption data. In general, the proposed food loss estimates for individual foods indicate substantial differences from the currently used estimates. Although some estimates indicate smaller loss percentages than the currently used estimates, many are larger. Overall, if the proposed loss estimates are used in the ERS loss-adjusted series, the average American would consume 17.3 pounds less each year, or 41.9 fewer calories per day, than suggested by the currently used loss estimates.
Growth, nutrient utilization, and body composition of dairy calves fed milk replacers containing different amounts of protein1

Abstract Male Holstein calves <1 wk of age were allowed a 2-wk adaptation period after purchase, and then were blocked by BW and assigned randomly within block to either a baseline slaughter group or one of four experimental groups (n = 8 to 9 per group). Treatments were isocaloric milk replacers (12.5% solids) fed at 12% of BW that contained 16.1, 18.5, 22.9, or 25.8% CP (DM basis) from whey protein sources. After a 6-wk feeding period, all calves were slaughtered and the weights and chemical composition of the viscera-free carcasses (VFC; including head, hide, feet, and tail) were determined. Gain of BW (0.38, 0.45, 0.56, and 0.62 kg/d) and gain:feed ratio (0.51, 0.59, 0.71, and 0.78) increased linearly (P < 0.001) as dietary CP increased; rate of change in body length, wither height, and heart girth also increased linearly (P ≤ 0.05). Balance measurements conducted during wk 3 and 4 of the experimental period showed that both absorbed N (16.9, 20.0, 25.8, and 30.6 g/d) and retained N (7.6, 9.0, 13.2, and 15.6 g/d) increased linearly (P < 0.001) as dietary CP increased. Retained N as a percentage of absorbed N increased linearly (P < 0.01) as dietary CP increased (44.3, 44.7, 50.7, and 50.9%), whereas biological value was unaffected (71.1, 68.7, 69.5, and 67.3%; P = 0.26). Digestible energy and ME represented 94.5 and 89.7% of intake energy, respectively, and were not affected by dietary CP content. Plasma urea N concentration increased linearly (2.9, 3.3, 4.6, and 6.0 mg/dL) as dietary CP increased. Contents of water (68.2, 69.1, 70.2, and 70.5%; P < 0.001) and protein (19.6, 20.0, 20.0, and 20.2%; P < 0.10) in VFC increased linearly, whereas contents of fat (7.2, 6.2, 5.5, and 5.2%; P < 0.001) and ash (5.1, 5.2, 4.8, and 4.7%; P < 0.02) decreased linearly as dietary CP increased. Trends in visceral tissue composition were similar to those for VFC. The content of water in VFC tissue gain increased, whereas contents of fat and energy decreased, as dietary CP increased. Final VFC energy and gain of energy in VFC were not affected by dietary CP. At similar initial ME intakes, increasing dietary CP (i.e., increasing protein:energy) linearly increased ADG, gain:feed, N retention, and deposition of lean tissue in VFC, demonstrating that diet composition can markedly affect components of body growth in preruminant dairy calves.
Goodwill Impairment - An Assessment of Disclosure Quality and Compliance Levels By Large Listed Australian Firms

The adoption of A-IFRS has resulted in the introduction of fundamental changes to the Australian accounting and reporting regime for goodwill. The impairment testing led approach to goodwill reporting required under A-IFRS results in a materially different approach to goodwill valuation for balance sheet purposes and to the nature and timing of the influence of goodwill as an asset class on the determination of periodic profit. Arguably, the transition to A-IFRS goodwill accounting and reporting also results in substantially increased complexity - both in terms of the techniques required of reporting entities in accounting for goodwill, and in the nature of disclosures required in relation to goodwill and its impairment. This suggests the possibility of inconsistent compliance and varying levels of disclosure quality by firms making their first reports under the new regime. Consequently, this paper examines the level of compliance with a variety of the provisions of AASB 136 - Impairment of Assets and the quality of disclosure provided in accordance with that standard, by reviewing the 2006 accounts of a sample of 50 large Australian listed corporations. Material levels of non compliance were found and a material degree of variation in the quality and precision of disclosures pertaining to impairment testing procedures was also evident. Policy recommendations and potential directions for future research are identified and discussed.
Letter to the editor: giant angiomyxoid tumor in a renal allograft

Tumors occurring de novo in renal allografts are rare [1]. We report a case of a giant tumor in a failed transplanted kidney presenting as an abdominal mass 12 years after transplantation. A 44-year-old man with primary renal disease of glomerulonephritis as a child underwent renal transplant from a 32-year-old deceased brain-dead donor in 1996. The mismatch was 1:1:0; primary immunosuppresssion used were Neoral and prednisolone. The patient experienced two steroid-responsive rejection episodes with complete recovery of serum creatinine. The renal transplant failed in 2004. Histology report prior to graft failure showed chronic allograft nephropathy. Neoral was ceased 3 months after the transplanted kidney failure, and hemodialysis was recommenced in November 2005. The patient was asymptomatic until he was first noted to have a protruding abdomen at a consultation in August 2007; as he denied any symptoms, he declined intervention after this consultation. Increased abdominal girth was noted at another clinic visit in February 2008 with an obvious distended tender mass arising in the left iliac fossa, which extended across the midline and to the right. The mass was arising from the pelvis and reached the supra-umbilical region, at the site of the transplanted kidney. The patient, at this time, agreed to undergo a CT scan. CT of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast from June 2008 showed the mass measuring 14 · 18 · 21 cm (Fig. 1a). It appeared to be arising from the transplant kidney, encasing the iliac vessels. Given the size and its welldefined margins, it was thought to be benign. The patient consented for surgical excision of the mass in August 2008 because of increasing pressure symptoms. A preoperative angiogram illustrated vascular supply of the pelvic mass originating from the transplant renal artery. Preoperative embolization of this artery was carried out to minimize blood loss during surgery. A midline incision revealed a large tumor arising from the left transplanted kidney (Fig. 1b). The mass was adherent to the transverse colon, bladder and left body wall, surrounding iliac vessels and the urinary bladder. The mass was excised completely in two stages and the patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery. Subsequent histology examination showed a large nodular mass measuring 26 · 24 · 13 cm and weighing approximately 2 kg. Segments showed nodular myxoid and fatty tissue, completely replacing and extending beyond the failed transplant kidney, with no areas of frank necrosis. Microscopic examination reported a fibrous, myxoid and vascular lesion with spindle cells, and scattered infiltrate of inflammatory cells. The lesion partly involved the kidney with surrounding renal tubules in some areas. Most of the specimen was replaced by spindle cell formation; scanty nuclear pleomorphism was seen, but no necrosis was observed (Fig. 1c). As a result of the unusual histological appearance, it was reviewed by histolopathologists from three different
Acute aortic dissection in children and adolescents: Diagnostic and after‐event follow‐up obligation to the patient and family

Acute aortic dissection in childhood and adolescence is a rare but life‐threatening condition with many known risk factors, most of which are heritable. The importance of determining the presence of any predisposing disorders is stressed, since all close relatives can then be screened for any such inherited trait that would make them at risk for a similar catastrophic event. Even with no obvious predisposing disorder, it may still be prudent to evaluate close kin for the presence of aortic root dilatation, since some genetic disorders have no manifestation other than acute aortic dissection secondary to aortic medial pathology. Close monitoring for at‐risk family members, including the index patient, may need to be a life‐long process.
Effects of dopaminergic agents on visceral pain measured by the mouse writhing test.

The present study explored the role of the dopaminergic transmission in the mouse writhing test analgesia by examining the relative analgesic activity of indirect dopaminergic agonists (amphetamine and cocaine), a mixed D1/D2 direct agonist (apomorphine), and a direct D1 (SKF38393) and D2 (bromocriptine) dopaminergic agonist. Amphetamine (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg, s.c.), cocaine (3 and 10 mg/kg, s.c.), apomorphine (0.3, 1 and 3 mg/kg, s.c.) and bromocriptine (30 mg/kg, s.c.) induced a significant decrease of the number of writhes. SKF38393 (1, 3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, s.c.) had no effect on writhing. The antinociceptive effect of amphetamine and cocaine was not reversed by naltrexone, haloperidol or SCH23390. The apomorphine- and bromocriptine-induced analgesia was not reduced by naltrexone or SCH23390 but was attenuated by haloperidol; the apomorphine-induced analgesia was not modified by domperidone. The present results suggest an involvement of the dopaminergic transmission in visceral nociception. This dopaminergic component appears to involve exclusively the central D2 receptor system, and does not seem to be influenced by opioid mechanisms.
Determinants of salesforce effectiveness: perceptions of field managers versus senior sales executives

A mail survey administered to sales managers investigates the factors that influence the effectiveness of their sales organizations. The most important factors found are building long‐term relations, inter‐departmental co‐ordination, training for both salespeople and field managers and information capabilities. Differences among the respondents are based on seniority as well as firm‐level performance. High performance firms and field managers consider team selling to be the most important determinant of salesforce effectiveness.
Thermodynamic and kinetic analysis of the Escherichia coli thioredoxin-C' fragment complementation system.

Escherichia coli thioredoxin was cleaved with CNBr at its single Met residue at position 37, which lies in the middle of a long alpha-helix. The two fragments, 1-37 and 38-108, were purified and characterized by using CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. Both fragments lack structure at neutral pH and room temperature. The secondary and tertiary structural contents of the non-covalent complex formed on the mixing of the two peptide fragments are 47% and 35% of the intact protein respectively. The thermodynamics and kinetics of fragment association were characterized by titration calorimetry and stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy. Single phases were observed for both association and dissociation, with rate constants at 298 K of kon=4971+/-160 M-1.s -1 and koff=0. 063+/-0.009 s-1 respectively. The ratio kon/koff was very similar to the binding constant determined by titration calorimetry, suggesting that binding is a two-state process. The values for DeltaCp, DeltaH0 and DeltaG0 at 298 K for dissociation of the complex were 5.7 kJ. mol-1.K-1, 45.3 kJ.mol-1 and 29.8 kJ.mol-1 respectively. The value for DeltaH0 was linearly dependent on temperature from 8-40 degrees C, suggesting that DeltaCp is independent of temperature. The values for DeltaCp and DeltaG0 are very similar to the corresponding values for the unfolding of intact thioredoxin at 25 degrees C. However, both DeltaH0 and DeltaS are significantly more positive for dissociation of the complex, suggesting a decreased hydrophobic stabilization of the complex relative to the situation for intact thioredoxin.
Body Image and Quality of Life in Female Patients with Breast Cancer and Healthy Women

Background & aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the relationship between body image and quality of life in female patients with breast cancer and healthy women. Methods: In the current descriptive, causal, comparative, cross-sectional study, 50 women with breast cancer, referring to the radiotherapy and oncology clinic of Imam Reza Hospital (Mashhad, Iran) and 50 healthy women, referring to the same clinic, were selected via available sampling. Informed consent forms were obtained from the subjects. A demographic questionnaire, Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (consisting of 46 items), and short-form health survey (SF-36) were used as the study tools. For data analysis, Pearson’s correlation test and t-test were performed to determine the differences between the two groups. Data were analyzed, using SPSS version 16. Results: The results showed a statistically significant difference between female patients with cancer and healthy women in terms of quality of life (t=-4.1, P<0.001). Moreover, a significant direct relation was found between body image (and its components) and quality of life (and its components). Conclusion: The current findings suggest a significant difference between healthy and cancer-stricken women in terms of quality of life and body image. Also, higher scores of body image in cancer patients were associated with higher quality of life.
Stabilisation of calstabin2 – a new approach in sudden cardiac death

Calstablin2 stabilises the ryanodine receptor (RyR2), preventing aberrant activation of the channels during the resting phase of the cardiac muscle. Loss of this stabilisation may be associated with cardiac arrhythmias, the sudden death occasionally observed in people with structurally normal hearts, as well as the atrial fibrillation in heart failure. Calstabin2-deficient mice have structurally normal hearts but exhibit exercise-induced cardiac ventricular arrhythmias that cause sudden death. In arrhythmias, the calstabin2 stabiliser JTV519 did not prevent arrhythmias in calstabin2-/- mice, but reduced the arrhythmias in calstabin2+/- mice, illustrating the antiarrhythmic potential of stabilising calstablin2. Familial polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in humans has been linked to missense mutants in the hRyR2 gene. In HEK293 cells, these RyR2 mutants showed less binding of 35S-calstabin2 than the wild type, indicating a reduced binding affinity. In human atrial fibrillation and heart failure, where there is excessive disassociation of calstabin2 from the RyR2 receptor in vitro, JTV519 is able to reverse this. In conclusion, calstabin2 is an important new target in sudden cardiac death associated with structurally normal hearts, and in the treatment of atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
The location of food stores in urban areas: a case study in Glasgow

During the late 1990s there has been an increasing interest in the concept of “food deserts” (populated areas with little or no food retail provision). It has been suggested that they are more likely to be found in deprived areas; however there has been little systematic research on their prevalence and distribution. This paper describes a preliminary analysis of the location of food outlets in the Greater Glasgow Health Board Area. Data were collected as part of a project on spatial variations in the price and availability of food. Based on all 79 multiple stores, and a 1 in 9 sample (n = 246) of all non‐multiple stores in the area, we did not find any evidence for the existence of food deserts, and found that food stores were more numerous in the more deprived localities and postcode districts in the study site.
Effect of Amniotomy on Uteroplacental and Fetoplacental Flow Velocity Waveforms

Artificial rupture of fetal amnionic membranes is frequently performed in normally progressing spontaneous labor, although the maternal and fetal effects of the procedure have not been clearly defined. The effect of elective amniotomy on placental impedance to blood flow in the umbilical artery and arcuate branches of the uterine artery was determined by analysis of blood flow velocity waveforms (FVWs) recorded with continuous wave Doppler ultrasound in 15 pregnant women at term. All patients were in spontaneous, normally progressing labor after an uneventful pregnancy. Electronic fetal heart rate monitoring and real-time ultrasound examination of the fetuses were unremarkable. FVWs were obtained immediately before and after amniotomy. Fourteen patients progressed to spontaneous vaginal delivery, and one patient underwent repeat cesarean section for arrest of dilation in the active phase of labor. No maternal, fetal, or neonatal complications were recorded. Calculated mean systolic/diastolic ratios of FVWs obtained before and after amniotomy were compared by means of Wilcoxon's signed rank test, and no significant differences were found. We conclude that early elective amniotomy exerts no demonstrable deleterious effect on impedance to uteroplacental or fetoplacental blood flow in healthy women at term.
Tangled Up in Tape: The Continuing Tax Compliance Plight of the Small and Medium Enterprise Business Sector

Firms in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector have to contend not just with the burden of tax. They also have to comply with obligations imposed by the tax system. Studies invariably show such tax compliance costs to be high and regressive. This article reports on a recent large-scale Australian study which confirm previous research and also suggests that tax compliance costs for SMEs are not diminishing over time, despite tax administrative reform and technological advances designed to reduce such costs. The outcomes of the study have significant implications for businesses in the SME sector, their advisers, administrators working with revenue authorities and policy-makers at the governmental level.
Loop stability compensation technique for continuous-time common-mode feedback circuits

A loop stability compensation technique for continuous-time common-mode feedback (CMFB) circuits is presented. A Miller capacitor and nulling resistor in the compensation network provide a reliable and stable operation of the fully-differential operational amplifier without any performance degradation. The amplifier is designed in a 130 nm CMOS technology, achieves simulated performance of 57 dB open loop DC gain, 1.3-GHz unity-gain frequency and 65° phase margin. Also, the loop gain, bandwidth and phase margin of the CMFB are 51 dB, 27 MHz, and 76°, respectively.
Commercial Banks Performance 2008–2012

A country’s image, economic development process and GDP growth is significantly influenced by its banking sector performance. Banking’s success largely depends on public confidence. Only a small part of the banking services customers understand the indicators and ratios which are used to assess bank’s activities. Therefore, there is a need to analyze banks performance results in Lithuania. The paper presents a principal component analysis model applied on banks performance ratios in Lithuania. The main purpose of this article is to analyze basic indicators used in banks performance evaluation by principal component method. The obtained results represent the main components with the highest influence on Lithuanian commercial banks performance results in 2008–2012 year period. The main findings of the study indicate that commercial banks in Lithuania have been affected by different factors during 2008–2012 periods. It has been noted that Scandinavian capital commercial banks‘ performance results have been influenced by similar factors, have had similar structure of the factors, which has been more stable in comparison with small and/or Lithuanian capital banks. Conclusions and recommendations help banks’ board to improve their competitiveness and financial results, thus it also helps them to make appropriate decisions. It is also useful for an academic community to understand the structure of main components in banking sector.
A Three-Module Strategy for Edge Detection

The first module is a parallel process computing local edge strength and direction, while the last module is sequential process following edges. The originality of the overall method resides in the intermediate module, which is seen as a generalization of the nonmaximum-deletion algorithm. The role of this module is twofold: It enables one to postpone some deletion to the last module where contextual information is available, and it transmits the local edge direction in order to guide the contour following. A postprocessing method called learning edges is proposed as a refinement of the method. The binary edge images extracted from various gray-level images illustrate the power of the strategy. >
Allocating production cost at CHP plant to heat and power based on cooperative game theory

This paper is dedicated to the task of cost determination for heat and power energy production for small size cogeneration plants. Cogeneration of heat and power is only possible if there is a demand for both types of energy. The consumers of both heat and power are considered as members of the coalition having a goal to gain additional revenues due to reduced investments and increased efficiency of power production. The suggested approach uses the cooperative game theory for distribution of the additional revenues between the members of the coalition. The examples from energy tariffs determination in the market environment show the rationality and efficiency of using the considered approach.
The Internet for the rest of us: Marketing on the World Wide Web.

Examines the World Wide Web (WWW) ‐ a relatively new Internet service based on hypermedia, as a marketing tool, illustrating the issues raised with case examples. Explains how information can be accessed and disseminated via the WWW using a typology developed by the authors. An analysis of current usage patterns indicates that several underutilized elements of the typology may provide a competitive advantage to companies which adopt them.
A computational model of S-selection

We develop a probabilistic model of S(emantic)-selection that encodes both the notion of systematic mappings from semantic type signature to syntactic distribution — i.e., projection rules — and the notion of selectional noise — e.g., C(ategory)-selection, L(exical)-selection, and/or other independent syntactic processes. We train this model on data from a large-scale judgment study assessing the acceptability of 1,000 English clause-taking verbs in 50 distinct syntactic frames, finding that this model infers coherent semantic type signatures. We focus in on type signatures relevant to interrogative and declarative selection, arguing that our results suggest a principled split between cognitive verbs, which select distinct proposition and question types, and communicative verbs, which select a single hybrid type.