Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nocturnal Glucose Metabolism in Type 1 Diabetes: A Study Comparing Single Versus Dual Tracer Approaches.

BACKGROUND Understanding the effect size, variability, and underlying physiology of the dawn phenomenon is important for next-generation closed-loop control algorithms for type 1 diabetes (T1D). SUBJECTS AND METHODS We used an iterative protocol design to study 16 subjects with T1D on individualized insulin pump therapy for two successive nights. Endogenous glucose production (EGP) rates at 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. were measured with [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose as a single tracer, infused from midnight to 7 a.m. in all subjects. To explore possibility of tracer recycling due to prolonged [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose infusion, which was highly probable after preplanned interim data analyses, we infused a second tracer, [6-(3)H]glucose, from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. in the last seven subjects to measure EGP at 7 a.m. RESULTS Cortisol concentrations increased during both nights, but changes in glucagon and insulin concentration were inconsistent. Although the plasma glucose concentrations rose from midnight to 7 a.m. during both nights, EGP measured with [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose between 3 a.m. and 7 a.m. did not differ during Night 1 but fell in Night 2. However, EGP measured with [6-(3)H]glucose at 7 a.m. was higher than that measured with [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose during both nights, thereby suggesting tracer recycling probably underestimating EGP calculated at 7 a.m. with [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose. Likewise, EGP was higher at 7 a.m. with [6-(3)H]glucose than at 3 a.m. with [6,6-(2)H(2)]glucose during both nights. CONCLUSIONS The data demonstrate a consistent overnight rise in glucose concentrations through increased EGP, mediated likely by rising cortisol concentrations. The observations with the dual tracer approach imply significant tracer recycling leading to underestimation of EGP measured by longer-duration tracer infusion.
Business Marketing: A Global Perspective (Бизнес-маркетинг: глобальная перспектива)

Business to Business Marketing was developed for junior-level and senior-level undergraduates and MBA candidates. The authors approach the topic from a strategic perspective and integrate global concerns throughout the text. Each of the 11 chapters contains text material and two to four readings. The cases, which are grouped at the end of the text, are described in the chapter where they are appropriate. A comprehensive Instructor's Manual also contains complete discussions of the cases. Рекомендуется для использования во вводных и базовых курсах «Промышленный маркетинг» и «В-2-В маркетинг»; в руководстве для преподавателей содержатся материалы для подготовки обсуждения кейсов. В отличие от большинства других учебников по бизнес-маркетингу, содержащих отдельный раздел, касающийся глобальных особенностей бизнес-маркетинга, в представленной книге «глобальность» проходит красной нитью через все разделы.
Application of capital flow analysis to identify mechanisms for human capacity building in IS projects in a developing economy

Success in human capacity building in IS 1 projects in developing economies is crucial in the face of myriads of challenges. Specifically lack of skills, failures of retaining, lack of producing quality and competent personnel, brain drain, low level of IT literacy, etc. remain significant obstacles. In this study, a model is proposed, as alternative tool, that draws on ecosystem theory, the application of capital flow analysis and critical realist data analysis framework, to identify mechanisms to develop an understanding of human capacity building in IS projects. Cases were taken from university-wide network and software development initiatives in Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia, and from continued efforts that realized the Ethiopian Educational and Research Network (EthERNet). Data collection was via interviews, observation and archival data. The analysis of the cases demonstrates the value of capital flow analysis to inform IS project managers for stimulating initial and continued human capacity building in a developing economy.
Effect of stunning current on carcase quality in chickens

The effect of the stunning current at slaughter on carcase quality was examined in 1845 broiler chickens. As the current was increased there was an increase and then a decrease in the incidence of red wingtips and in haemorrhages of the wing veins and the shoulder joint. The incidence of deep breast muscle haemorrhages increased above about 130 mA, and the incidence of broken bones increased between 75 and 170 mA. The incidence of carcase defects was lowest when either less than 130 or greater than 190 mA was used to stun the birds.
Modelling of dynamical systems

A dynamical system such as the mass-spring system we saw before, can be characterized by the relationship between state variables s and their (time) derivatives s ̇. How do we arrive at the correct characterization of this relationship? The short answer is, we figure it out using our knowledge of physics, or we are simply given the equations by someone else. Let's look at a simple mass-spring system again.
Financing the embedded value of life insurance portfolios

In May 2004 the CFO Forum harmonized the various efforts of reporting the embedded valueof life insurance companies by issuing the European Embedded Value (EEV) Principles.In this working paper a methodology is proposed to derive a maximum lending amountfrom EEV figures without much additional data requirements from the originating insurer. The approach chosen is similar to that of other financing areas, e.g. real estate finance, where first a prudent best estimate valuation is done and later risk deductions are performed in the form of applying loan to value ratios, e.g. 60-80 % of the prudent amount. Here, this prudent value is called bankable embedded value and the loan to value analysis presented leads to the maximum lending amount. The deductions proposed to arrive at a maximum lending amount are based on parameter adjustments and risk allowances for unexpected risks. There is an analogy with insurers for determining their own capital needs. The methodology proposed is based on the stress test approach which increasingly gains popularity with insurance supervisors in Europe.
KLT-based adaptive entropy-constrained quantization with universal arithmetic coding

For flexible speech coding, a Karhunen-Loève Transform (KLT) based adaptive entropy-constrained quantization (KLT-AECQ) method is proposed. It is composed of backward-adaptive linear predictive coding (LPC) estimation, KLT estimation based on the time-varying LPC coefficients, scalar quantization of the speech signal in a KLT domain, and superframe-based universal arithmetic coding based on the estimated KLT statistics. To minimize the outliers both in rate and distortion, a new distortion criterion includes the penalty in the rate increase. Gain adaptive step size selection and bounded Gaussian source model also cooperate to increase the perceptual quality. KLT-AECQ does not require either any explicit codebook or a training step, thus KLT-AECQ can have an infinite number of rate-distortion operating points regardless of time-varying source statistics. For the speech signal, the conventional KLT-based classified vector quantization (KLT-CVQ) and the proposed KLT-AECQ yield signal-to-noise ratios of 17.86 and 26.22, respectively, at around 16 kbits/s. The perceptual evaluation of speech quality (PESQ) scores for each method are 3.87 and 4.04, respectively.
Foreign Direct Investment in Central and Eastern Europe: Employment Effects in the EU

We use firm-level data on Swedish multinationals to analyze how the recent expansion of affiliate employment in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has affected affiliate employment elsewhere. According to our results, employment in affiliates located in other low-wage countries in Europe decreased substantially as a consequence of the expansion in CEE. Furthermore, affiliate activities in these countries have become more sensitive to changes in labor costs as firms have set up production in CEE. We find that employment in Sweden and other high-wage European countries has also been affected, but these effects seem to be much smaller.
[Application of multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis of common aneuploidies].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the application value of the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) technique in diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis of chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y aneuploidy. METHODS Forty-four cases including 30 peripheral blood samples, 10 fetal cord blood samples, and 4 amniotic fluid samples were collected in this study. DNA was isolated from the samples and detected by MLPA, followed by analyzing in ABI310 Genetic Analyzer. Analysis of copy number changes for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y was carried out with RH-MLPA-analysis software. The routine karyotype analyses were also done for all the samples. RESULTS Of 44 samples, the results of 42 by MLPA method was consistent with that by chromosome karyotyping. Only one case with trisomy 21 chimerism was failed to reach conclusion. In addition, one case of mark chromosome segment was identified as Y-chromosome segment by MLPA, while karyotyping failed to make judgment. The accurate rate of MLPA was 97.7% (43/44). CONCLUSION The MLPA technique can simultaneously detect dozens of different target sequences and their copy number changes in a single reaction. It showed high specificity, good reproducibility, was fast and high-throughput. The MLPA technique can be applied to diagnosis and prenatal diagnosis of the common chromosomal aneuploidy.
Aplicación de Minería de Datos para la Detección de Anomalías: Un Caso de Estudio

La Mineria de Datos es una de las soluciones de la Inteligencia de Negocios, que ayuda a extraer conocimiento a partir de datos que las empresas han generado producto de su negocio. Este conocimiento puede generar aplicaciones de alto valor agregado si el proceso de Mineria de Datos es entendido apropiadamente desde una perspectiva del negocio. Aplicaciones tales como deteccion de anomalias para la prevencion de fraudes y abusos, analisis de fidelizacion, crossselling, optimizacion de la cadena de suministro; o conceptos tales como clasificadores y regresiones basados en redes neuronales han emergido profusamente durante los ultimos anos en el vocabulario de muchas empresas como una forma de reflejar el potencial que ellas podrian alcanzar con esta tecnologia aplicada a sus datos. En este contexto, se implemento una aplicacion de Mineria de Datos que detecta anomalias con el fin de detectar posibles abusos en el uso de los principales servicios que otorga la empresa Aguas Araucania S.A. Los datos analizados corresponden a las facturaciones de servicios de agua potable y alcantarillado de clientes en la ciudad de Lautaro, que fueron almacenados previamente en un Almacen de Datos. Para el analisis se utilizaron algoritmos de Mineria de Datos basados en tecnicas de clustering, y la metodologia CRISP-DM. Como principal resultado, el sistema permitio a la empresa reducir, en forma considerable, el tiempo de busqueda de los posibles fraudes.
Effects of a psychosocial family-based preventive intervention on cortisol response to a social challenge in preschoolers at high risk for antisocial behavior.

CONTEXT Salivary cortisol levels during social challenge relate to adaptive functioning in children and adults. Low cortisol levels have been related to conduct problems and antisocial behavior. Although studies in rodents implicate early-life social experience in cortisol regulation, no studies with humans have examined the effects of an experimentally manipulated early-life social experience on cortisol regulation. OBJECTIVE To examine the effects of experimental manipulations of social experience on cortisol response to a social challenge in preschoolers at risk for antisocial behavior. DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine. PARTICIPANTS Ninety-two preschool-age siblings of youths adjudicated for delinquent acts. Intervention Family-based intervention included 22 weekly group sessions for parents and preschoolers and 10 biweekly home visits conducted during a 6- to 8-month period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Salivary cortisol levels before and after a social challenge (entry into an unfamiliar peer group). RESULTS Relative to controls, children in the intervention condition had increased cortisol levels in anticipation of the peer social challenge. Increases were relative to both preintervention cortisol levels during the challenge and cortisol levels in the home, which were not altered by the intervention. CONCLUSIONS A family-based preventive intervention for children at high risk for antisocial behavior alters stress response in anticipation of a peer social challenge. The experimentally induced change in cortisol levels parallels patterns found in normally developing, low-risk children.
Optimal Taxation With Heterogeneous Firms

We study steady state optimal taxation in a context where firms differ in productivity and they decide whether to produce or not after comparing after-tax profits vis-a-vis an outside alternative option. The government taxes capital income, firms’ profits and labor income, but does not tax the alternative outside option. In this context, taxation might distort the firms’ decisions to participate in production (extensive margin) as well as their factor allocations once they decide to produce (intensive margin). We find that the government has incentives to subsidize costs to induce firms into production. The optimal capital income tax is negative while the corporate tax rate is positive and the sign of labor income tax is ambiguous.
An in vitro study on the induction of micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies in peripheral blood lymphocyte culture by metal oxide nanoparticles

Increase in the production and release of engineered nanoparticles are known to induce genetic alterations that directly and indirectly affect the human health. The present study was aimed to evaluate the genotoxic potential of two metal oxide nanoparticles, silicon dioxide (SiO2-NPs) and titanium dioxide (TiO2-NPs), in human peripheral lymphocyte in vitro. Human peripheral blood cells were cultured with two different concentrations (0.5 μg/mL and 1μg/mL) of SiO2 and TiO2 and the genotoxicity was measured using CBMN (Cytokinesis Block Micronucleus) assay. Binucleated cells with micronuclei (Mni), nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) and nuclear buds (Nbuds) were scored along with multiand mono-nucleated cells. The results showed moderate to highly significant frequency of genotoxicity when compared with untreated negative control. The total nuclear anomalies by using cytokinesis block proliferation index were found to be increased at 10-15 folds in the treated samples than that of the control. The present study shows that the metal oxide nanoparticles induce the formation of micronuclei and other nuclear anomalies in peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro.
Strategic Managerial Accounting: Hospitality, Tourism & Events Applications

Key features of this text are: A complete revision and expansion of the well known and successful Harris and Hazzard text; Includes several brand new chapters such as: Event and Function Management Accounting techniques, Sustainability & Environmental Management Accounting (EMA), Not-for-profit Organisations, Current Issues in Strategic Management Accounting; Uses international real life case studies to illustrate from across the hospitality, tourism and events sectors including charity (not-for-profit) sector and music events; Links to applied and generic research on each topic; Includes International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) terminology suitable for an international audience.
The asset health review for managing reliability risks associated with ongoing use of ageing system power transformers

One of the most important roles for a utility operating in a de-regulated environment is to focus on effective risk management. Part of this is associated with the ongoing use of aged assets, and specifically managing the business consequences on system availability and energy not supplied that arise from unavailability of such equipment. The key role for the asset manager is, therefore, to be able to define equipment risks for future operation which will then permit criticality based decisions for managing operating and capital expenditure. Some of the processes used in UK to achieve this task are described in this paper, with a particular focus on network transformers.
Establishment and characterization of a stable cell line to evaluate cellular Runx2 activity

Runx2 is an essential transcription factor for osteoblast differentiation from early commitment step to final differentiation. Based on its crucial role in osteoblast differentiation, the transcriptional activity of Runx2 protein implies more valuable information for osteoblast differentiation than any other parameters, such as Runx2 mRNA or protein level. Thus, a sensitive, specific, and consistent method to determine the Runx2 transcriptional activity has long been expected. Here we suggest a stable cell line that carries 6xOSE2‐Luciferase reporter vector would be a good evaluation system to determine biological Runx2 transcriptional activity. The proliferation rate, cell shape, and the myogenic differentiation potential of the cloned cell line were similar to those of parental premyoblastic C2C12 cells. The cells specifically responded to Runx2 modulating agent such as FGF2. The stable cell line responded 5–6 folds more sensitively than the transiently transfected cells with Runx2. Though overexpression of any Runx gene stimulated the luciferase activity, Runx2 enhanced the reporter activity the highest. Collectively, the 6xOSE2‐luc stable cells would be a good biological evaluation system to assess the activity of extracellular Runx2 modulating stimulations as well as the signal transduction pathways involved in the stimulations. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Service Innovation Strategies in Financial Service Industry: The Perspective of Reverse Product Cycle and Innovation Type

The importance of service innovation has been widely recognized for enterprises in responding to transformational economic structure. Previous studies have focused on manufacturing industry (e.g. product and process innovation); little theoretical and empirical works have linked with financial service industry. Little research investigated the appropriate service innovation strategies that influence firm performance. This study developed a 2×2 matrix and classified innovation strategies into four cells including: Steady Value-Added, Emerging Goals, Prosperous Business, and Satisfactory Efficiency according to the theories of Reverse Product Cycle and innovation type. This study used 189 public listed financial banking firms in Taiwan as samples. Ultimately, 48 general managers as the respondents returned valid questionnaires (a response rate of 24%). Through the cluster analysis, the strategies Steady Value-Added, Emerging Goals and Prosperous Business were clarified. Specifically, the firm performance of Steady Value-Added Strategy was higher than those of Emerging Goals Strategy and Prosperous Business Strategy. The result shows that the disruptive innovations are the majority in Taiwan's financial market; however, the sustaining innovations have the higher impacts on firm performance than the disruptive innovations. The innovation strategies combined with customized services help financial service firms to accurately respond to customers' demands and build sustainable competitive advantages. Managerial and policy implications from the research findings were provided in the conclusions.
EVALUASI DOKUMEN ASPEK TEKNIS PADA PROSES PELELANGAN KONTRAKTOR DENGAN APILKASI METODE AHP (ANALYTICAL HIERARCHY PROCESS)

The procurement process could be defined as all the activities required in getting a product or a service from thesupplier to the customer. It consists of the purchasing function, storing, transportation and managers therelations between suppliers and internal customers. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is acomprehensive, logical structured frame work. It allows to improve understanding of complex decission systemby decomposing the problems. The AHP is based three principles which are decomposition of the problems,comparative judgement of the elements and synthesis of the priorities.The objectives of this study are to identify criteria involved in the contractor bidding process, to elaboratetechnical aspect involeved in the bidding process based on committee’ experince and to discuss and to comparethe outputs obtained based on the committee’ experience and the application of the AHP.The results of the study said that construction method has the highest ranking compare other apecst which is27%. The next ranking are time scheduling (16%), technical specification and material (13%), organizationalproject and person incharged (10%), construction labour scheduling (10%), list of equipment (8%), cash flowestimation (6%), list of sub-contractor and project site facilities (5%). These rangking could be used todetermine the score of contractors to do bidding process.
Petiveria alliacea L (Guinea Hen Weed) and Its Major Metabolite Dibenzyl Trisulfide Demonstrate HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitory Activity

Aim: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health concern despite the discovery and development of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapies (HAART). There is as such a need to continue to search for new and effective therapies for this global pandemic. In an effort to discover new anti HIV agents, the aim of this study was to determine the anti HIV-1 activity of Petiveria alliacea and its metabolites . Methodology: The extracts of P. alliacea and dibenzyl trisulfide were screened for anti HIV-1 properties in primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) infected with the HIV-1JR-CSF strain.
Consequences of the loss of O‐linked glycosylation of meningococcal type IV pilin on piliation and pilus‐mediated adhesion

Pili, which are assembled from protein subunits called pilin, are indispensable for the adhesion of capsulated Neisseria meningitidis (MC) to eukaryotic cells. Both MC and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) pilins are glycosylated, but the effect of this modification is unknown. In GC, a galactose α‐1,3‐N‐acetyl glucosamine is O‐linked to Ser‐63, whereas in MC, an O‐linked trisaccharide is present between residues 45 and 73 of pilin. As Ser‐63 was found to be conserved in pilin variants from different strains, it was replaced by Ala in two MC variants to test the possible role of this residue in pilin glycosylation and modulation of pili function. The mutated alleles were stably expressed in MC, and the proteins they encoded migrated more quickly than the normal protein during SDS–PAGE. As controls, neighbouring Asn‐61 and Ser‐62 were replaced by an Ala with no effect on electrophoretic mobility. Silver staining of purified pilin obtained from MC after oxidation with periodic acid confirmed the loss of glycosylation in the Ser‐63→Ala pilin variants. Mass spectrometry of HPLC‐purified trypsin‐digested peptides of pilin and Ser‐63→Ala pilin confirmed that peptide 45–73 has the molecular size of a glycopeptide in the wild type. In strains producing non‐glycosylated pilin variants, we observed that (i) no truncated S pilin monomer was produced; (ii) piliation was slightly increased; and (iii) presumably as a consequence, adhesiveness for epithelial cells was increased 1.6‐ to twofold in these derivatives. In addition, pilin monomers and/or individual pilus fibres, obtained after solubilization of a crude pili preparation in a high pH buffer, were reassociated into insoluble aggregates of pili more completely with non‐glycosylated variants than with the normal pilin. Taken together, these data eliminate a major role for pilin glycosylation in piliation and subsequent pilus‐mediated adhesion, but they demonstrate that glycosylation facilitates solubilization of pilin monomers and/or individual pilus fibres.