Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analyses of Serum Copper and Zinc Levels and Copper/Zinc Ratios in Skin Diseases

With the objective of comprehending abnormal metabolisms of the essential metals of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in three groups of skin diseases, skin cancer, inflammatory diseases, and non‐inflammatory disease, we measured serum levels of Zn and Cu in 151 cases of various cutaneous manifestations and estimated the significance of the ratios between the two metals (Cu/Zn). The serum level of Zn was significantly decreased in cases of bullous pemphigoid, decubitus ulcer, and alopecia areata. The serum level of Cu was elevated in cases of psoriasis, decubitus ulcer, and skin cancer. We observed no elevation of serum Zn level or abnormally depressed serum Cu level. The Cu/Zn ratio showed significantly different values among these three groups of the diseases, suggesting the utility of measuring Cu/Zn ratios for differential diagnosis over that of determining the serum level of Zn or Cu alone. It was also demonstrated that, in each skin disease, the Cu/Zn ratio clearly reflects the severity of the progress.
What’s Behind the Food Truck Phenomenon? Information Frictions and Taste-for-Variety∗

We study the economic causes and consequences of the recent explosion in gourmet food trucks. We argue that 1) new mobile communication technology enabled food truck growth by relaxing an information friction complicating their business model and 2) that an important advantage of food trucks over brick-and-mortar restaurants is that trucks can use mobility to capitalize on consumers’ taste-for-variety. We use novel data from the internet, including food trucks’ real-time Twitter feeds, to support our theory. We also provide evidence suggesting that the growth in food trucks has increased social surplus for urban consumers by increasing access to food variety. ∗We would like to thank Matthew Kahn, Stuart Gabriel, Connan Snider, Walker Hanlon, Steven Laufer, Leah Brooks, and other seminar participants at UCLA, the FRB, USC, Duke, George Washington and Cal Poly for helpful comments and suggestions. Jessica Hayes, Gage Love, Brett McCully, and Waldo Ojeda provided excellent research assistance. All errors are our own. The analysis and conclusions set forth are those of the authors and do not indicate concurrence by other members of the research staff or the Board of Governors. †elliot.anenberg@frb.gov. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Washington DC. ‡ekung@econ.ucla. edu. UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
The Determinants of Commercial Bank Interest Margin and Profitability: Evidence from Tunisia

This paper investigates the impact of banks' characteristics, financial structure and macroeconomic indicators on banks' net interest margins and profitability in the Tunisian banking industry for the 1980-2000 period. First, individual bank characteristics explain a substantial part of the within-country variation in bank interest margins and net profitability. High net interest margin and profitability tend to be associated with banks that hold a relatively high amount of capital, and with large overheads. Second, the paper finds that the inflation has a positive impact on banks' net interest margin while economic growth has no incidence Third, turning to financial structure and its impact on banks' interest margin and profitability, we find that concentration is less beneficial to the Tunisian commercial banks than competition. Stock market development has a positive effect on bank profitability. This reflects the complementarities between bank and stock market growth. We have found that the disintermediation of the Tunisian financial system is favourable to the banking sector profitability.
Supply chain analytic capability: environment and performance

The research studies antecedents and consequences of enhanced decision-making capability fostered by advanced analytic software such as warehouse management systems and advanced planning and scheduling. The results show that analytic capability leads to better logistical performance (e.g. inventory turnover rates, length of the order cycle) and better operational stability (e.g. more consistent order cycles and warehouse throughput rates). The environment in the form of process turbulence and demand unpredictability affects analytic capability, logistical performance and operational stability. Process turbulence generally has a positive impact: it associates with greater levels of analytic capability, improved logistical performance, and more consistent operations. On the other hand, demand unpredictability has negative implications: it associates with a lower level of analytic capability, poorer logistical performance and inconsistent operations.
Characterization of Soymar1, a mariner element in soybean.

Mariner elements, a family of DNA-mediated transposable elements with short, inverted terminal repeats, have been reported in a wide variety of arthropods, as well as planarians, nematodes, and humans. No such element has been reported in a plant. Here we report a mariner element in the plant soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr. ). Although this sequence belongs to the mariner family, it is clearly distinct from previously reported mariner-like elements, as well as from the Tc1 transposon family. Novel aspects of its sequence could be useful as a starting point to identify mariner-like elements in new organisms, and it may prove useful in creating a transformation vector for plants.
World development report 2008 : agriculture for development

Agriculture is a vital development tool for achieving the Millennium Development Goal that calls for halving by 2015 the share of people suffering from extreme poverty and hunger. That is the overall message of this year's World Development Report (WDR), the 30th in the series. Three out of every four poor people in developing countries live in rural areas, and most of them depend directly or indirectly on agriculture for their livelihoods. This report provides guidance to governments and the international community on designing and implementing agriculture for development agendas that can make a difference in the lives of hundreds of millions of rural poor. The report highlights two major regional challenges. In much of Sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture is a strong option for spurring growth, overcoming poverty, and enhancing food security. Agricultural productivity growth is vital for stimulating growth in other parts of the economy. But accelerated growth requires a sharp productivity increase in smallholder farming combined with more effective support to the millions coping as subsistence farmers, many of them in remote areas. Recent improved performance holds promise, and this report identifies many emerging successes that can be scaled up. In Asia, overcoming widespread poverty requires confronting widening rural-urban income disparities. Asia's fast-growing economies remain home to over 600 million rural people living in extreme poverty, and despite massive rural-urban migration, rural poverty will remain dominant for several more decades. For this reason, the WDR focuses on ways to generate rural jobs by diversifying into labor intensive, high value agriculture linked to a dynamic rural, non-farm sector. In all regions, with rising land and water scarcity and the added pressures of a globalizing world, the future of agriculture is intrinsically tied to better stewardship of natural resources. With the right incentives and investments, agriculture's environmental footprint can be lightened and environmental services harnessed to protect watersheds and biodiversity.
Effects of antipsychotic drugs on memory functions of schizophrenic patients

In this research we investigated the effects of 4 antipsychotic drugs with different anticholinergic components on different memory functions of schizophrenic patients. Drugs were administrated in cumulative doses and memory was tested 90 min after each drug was administered. The results show that chlorpromazine and thioridazine impaired short‐term verbal memory after 6 h of sequential administration. Trifluoperazine and haloperidol improved short‐term verbal memory from the third to the fifth administration. Immediate memory, long‐term memory and visual short‐term memory were not impaired by any drug.
Influence of MNC strategy on commitment to employee development- the Malaysian context

In an increasingly global world, multinational corporations (MNCs) seek to leverage their resources and capabilities to achieve global competitive advantage. Human resources are a significant capability and hence employee development initiatives play a major role in securing competitive advantage. Using the Barlett and Ghoshal (1989) model of MNC organizational strategy, this study aimed to examine the influence of organizational strategy on commitment to employee development in subsidiaries. The study also examined the influence of commitment to employee development on employee turnover in subsidiaries. The manufacturing industry in Malaysia was chosen as the context of the investigation. Applying a multi-stage research method, a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results from cluster analysis revealed two prevalent strategies: multidomestic and global strategies. Further analyses revealed that organizational strategy does influence commitment to employee development. In particular, MNCs that adopt the multidomestic strategy have higher commitment to employee development in their subsidiaries than global MNCs. The research revealed that multidomestic subsidiaries have fewer linkages with their parents and other subsidiaries. Thus, they need to develop their own employee development policies and practices. On the other hand, global subsidiaries have strong linkages to their parent company, promoting the transfer of practices from the parent to the subsidiary. Hence, global subsidiaries commit less to employee development. In terms of the relationship between commitment to employee development and employee turnover, the relationship was found to be statistically non-significant. That is, it was found that commitment to employee development does not lead to employees reciprocating with loyalty and staying with the organisation, which is contrary to social exchange theory. One possible reason could be due to employees viewing development programs as additional work which requires more effort, resulting in job dissatisfaction and turnover. Also, organisations may simply be reacting to legal obligations and other government initiatives when initiating employee development. In such cases, employee development is less likely to have an impact on employee turnover. It is hoped that, through this study, researchers and managers will be better equipped to address this important area of management. Although this study has its limitations, it makes an important contribution to understanding the relationship between MNC organisational strategies, commitment to employee development and employee turnover in subsidiaries.
The Board of Directors and the Management of Information Technology

While IS researchers studied the role of the CIO extensively, little work is reported on how CEOs and Boards of Director influence IT investments and the adoption of IT enabled strategies. This paper examines the association of board characteristics with IT investment decisions and the role of the CIO. Our research confirms that CEOs and boards of companies to date have limited IT experience. We find that younger boards, and those with more ITexperienced external board members are associated with larger IT investments and the presence and role of a CIO.
The Distribution Strategy Of A Representative Fair Trade Organization In Korea: The Case Of Beautiful Coffee

This case study analyzes the distribution strategy of Beautiful Coffee, a leading fair trade organization in Korea. Because of their focus on matters of public interest, fair trade organizations often face financial difficulties, and such difficulties can limit their growth and force them to pursue differentiated distribution strategies. The results indicate that Beautiful Coffee can serve as a good role model for fair trade organizations and have important practical implications for firms pursuing sustainable growth as a social enterprise.
The contribution of a Portuguese Angolan wiki for development promotion

At the present time, it is understood by almost everybody that either the technology or the entrepreneurial decisions are conditioned by the quantity and quality of information available. Angola is a very large country with great amount of natural resources of very good quality, and in the present state of Angola development, the value of the marginal productivity of information is very high in almost all sectors of activity and in that sense crucial to promote development. There is plenty of specific information about Angola from research made in Angola, from the time when it was a Portuguese colony. Although, some of this information is written or recorded in magnetic support, most of them are possessed by private persons. The great part of the information is still in the minds of thousands of persons that used to teach, to research or to live there. In this context, the potential of the so called Web 2.0 or the Social Web and one of its most interesting collaborative platforms, the wiki is particularly relevant, to promote the development of a knowledge management strategy. In fact wikis are receiving growing attention since they are being used at a growing rate to build the most diverse information spaces, gathering people who are interested in a specific subject, building themselves as truly communities. In this way, building a virtual community, in this case, a Portuguese-Angolan wiki, where all the available information could be gathered and stored, through the spontaneous contribution of the community, could have a great impact on Angola development. The aims of this paper are: (1) to emphasize the economic value of information; (2) to show that it is possible to build a platform of information (a wiki), over the internet and stress its potential in the developmental process of Angola. Key words: Angola development, virtual community, information and knowledge management, wiki.
Inventory holding costs measurement : a multi-case study

Purpose – Logisticians in the worldwide industry are frequently faced with the problem of measuring the total cost of holding inventories with simple and easy-to-use methodologies. The purpose of this paper is to look at the problem, and in particular illustrate the inventory holding cost rate computation, when different kind of warehousing systems are applied. Design/methodology/approach – A multiple case study analysis is here developed and supported by a methodological framework directly derived from the working group discussions and brainstorming activities. Two different field of application are considered: one related to five companies with manual warehousing systems operating with traditional fork lift trucks; the other is among five companies operating with automated storage/retrieval systems (AS/RS) to store inventories. Findings – The multi-case study helps to understand how the holding cost parameter is currently computed by industrial managers and how much the difference between manual and aut.
Accuracy analysis and optimization of the method of auxiliary sources (MAS) for scattering by a circular cylinder

This paper presents a rigorous accuracy analysis of the method of auxiliary sources (MAS), when applied to scattering problems. A benchmark, canonical geometry, consisting of a perfectly conducting, infinite, circular cylinder, is chosen for clarity and simplicity. For this particular structure it is shown that the MAS square matrix can be inverted analytically, yielding exact mathematical expressions for the discretization error and the condition number of the pertinent linear system. It is also demonstrated that the error increases very abruptly for source locations associated with the characteristic eigenvalues of the scattering geometry, precisely as predicted in theory. Various plots depict comparisons between analytical and computational data for the boundary condition error, and all occurring discrepancies are fully explained. Among several important results of the analysis, the fundamental MAS question concerning the optimal location of the auxiliary sources is thoroughly investigated and resolved on the grounds of error minimization.
A Measurement Issue Regarding the Link between a Region's Creative Infrastructure and Its Income

The creative capital possessed by the members of the creative class in region j is either acquired through education or present innately in these members. Therefore, the creative infrastructure (CI_j) in the jth region is the sum of a part (CI_j^E) representing creative capital obtained through education and a second part (CI_j^I) denoting creative capital present innately in the creative class members. A researcher wishes to estimate the true relationship between the jth region’s log income per creative class member (y_j ) and its creative infrastructure (CI_j ). He has data on CI_j^E but not on CI_j^I. We study whether an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression of y_j on a constant and CI_j^E will produce an unbiased estimate of the impact of CI_j on y_j in two cases. In the first case, CI_j^E and CI_j^I are uncorrelated. In the second case, CI_j^E and CI_j^I are positively correlated.
How Important is Vertical Transmission of Dengue Viruses by Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae)?

Abstract Vertical transmission of dengue viruses by mosquitoes was discovered at the end of the late 1970s and has been suggested to be a means by which these viruses persist. However, it is unclear how widespread it is in nature, and its importance in the epidemiology of this disease is still debated. Here, we review the literature on vertical transmission and discuss its role in dengue's epidemiology and control. We conclude that given the number of studies that failed to find evidence of vertical transmission, as well as mathematical models and its mechanistic basis, it is unlikely that vertical transmission is important for the epidemiological persistence of dengue viruses. A combination of asymptomatic infection in humans and movement of people are likely to be more important determinants of dengue's persistence. We argue, however, that there may be some need for further research into the prevalence of dengue viruses in desiccated, as well as diapausing, eggs and the role of horizontal transmission through larval cannibalism.
12 weeks of combined exercise is better than aerobic exercise for increasing growth hormone in middle-aged women.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of combined exercise training on growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and metabolic-syndrome factors and determine whether the changes in GH and/or IGF-1 induced by exercise correlate to the metabolic-syndrome factors in healthy middle-aged women (50-65 years of age). METHODS The participants were randomly assigned into an aerobic-exercise training (walking + aerobics) group (AEG; n = 7), a combined-exercise training (walking + resistance training) group (CEG; n = 8), or a control group (CG; n = 7). Exercise sessions were performed 3 times per wk for 12 wk. The aerobic-exercise training consisted of walking and aerobics at 60-80% of heart-rate reserve, and the combined-exercise training consisted of walking and resistance exercise at 50-70% of 1-repetition maximum. RESULTS GH, percentage body fat, fasting glucose, systolic blood pressure, and waist circumference were significantly improved in CEG (p < .05). However, GH induced by exercise training showed no correlation with metabolic-syndrome factors. IGF-1 was not significantly increased in either AEG or CEG compared with CG. CONCLUSION These results indicate that the combined-exercise training produced more enhancement of GH, body composition, and metabolic-syndrome factors than did aerobic-exercise training.
"OMG! How did it know that?": Reactions to Highly-Personalized Ads

In this paper, we explore the question "would people be willing to share their personal data in exchange for highly-personalized online ads? " through a Wizard-of-Oz deception study. Our volunteers were exposed via a web browser to three different highly- personalized ads, designed by people who knew them well. They were made believe that the ads had been generated automatically by an Artificial Intelligence engine on the basis of their browsing & location history and/or personal traits. The participants' reactions were surprisingly favorable: in more than 50% of the cases, the ads triggered spontaneous positive emotional reactions; almost 90% of participants would share at least two of the three data sources with advertisers; and about 50% would share all data sources. Our results provide evidence that highly-personalized ads may offset the concerns that people have about sharing their personal data. Thus further efforts in building increasingly personalized online ads would represent a worthwhile endeavour.
Executive stock options: a panel data analysis of determinants in Portugal

This study investigates the determinants of stock options grants to CEOs by Portuguese firms from 2003 to 2006. Using a sample of 155 observations, we find that the CEO's equity ownership, liquidity constraints, board composition and firm size significantly increase the probability that firms grant stock options, whereas board size, firm risk and investment opportunities significantly decrease the likelihood of such stock options attribution. Our results contribute to the existing debate on the appropriate compensation contract. In addition, this study provides evidence that agency theory also explains the decisions about stock options grants in countries like Portugal, which presents a corporate governance structure characterised by concentrated firm ownership and a strong bank presence.
Pufferfish and new paradigm for comparative genome analysis.

Because of their special genetic and biological features, species such as bacteria, yeast, mouse ear cress (Arabidopsis), rice, nematodes, fruit flies, and the laboratory mouse have provided an important comparative perspective to the Human Genome Project. Some of these species are models for human genetic diseases, and all greatly facilitate fundamental biological and genetic studies. This combination of species is not ideal for many comparative studies, however. For example, most of the model species are too divergent evolutionarily for human gene probes to recognize their homologs directly in DNA-DNA hybridization experiments. Mice are appropriately close for reliable cross-hybridization, but many genome mapping and sequencing problems are as hard in mice as they are in humans because their genomes have comparable complexity. It now appears that a new member of the genome club of model species, pufferfish (Fugu rubripes), will solve some of these problems. Pufferfish is an excellent vertebrate for comparative genome analysis because its genome is small but complex. Its genome is about 7.5-fold smaller than the human genome ( 400 Mb vs. 3000 Mb; ref. 1). Reassociation kinetics and sequence analysis of randomly selected genomic clones suggest that only -7.6% of the genome is repetitive DNA or ribosomal genes and that the remaining -92.4% is unique (2). By comparison, '40% of the human genome is unique. Because repetitive DNA tends to be clustered, the reduced genome size results from less "junk" DNA. In addition, intron sizes are smaller. For the pufferfish homolog of the Huntington disease gene, intron sizes range from 47 bp to 1476 bp as compared to 131 bp to 12,286 bp for their human homologs (3). Although its genome size is reduced, gene structures have been preserved. For example, boundaries for all 67 exons of the Huntington disease gene are identical in pufferfish, mice, and humans (3). Despite its small size, the pufferfish genome retains considerable complexity. As vertebrates, they share with mammals