Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altered Natural Killer Cell Subsets in Seropositive Arthralgia and Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Are Associated with Autoantibody Status

Objective. The role of natural killer (NK) cells in the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unclear. Therefore, numerical and functional alterations of CD56dim and CD56bright NK cells in the early stages of RA development were studied. Methods. Whole blood samples from newly diagnosed, treatment-naive, seropositive (SP) and seronegative (SN) patients with RA (SP RA, n = 45 and SN RA, n = 12), patients with SP arthralgia (n = 30), and healthy controls (HC, n = 41) were assessed for numbers and frequencies of T cells, B cells, and NK cells. SP status was defined as positive for anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) and/or rheumatoid factor (RF). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used for further analysis of NK cell phenotype and function. Results. Total NK cell numbers were decreased in SP RA and SP arthralgia but not in SN RA. Also, NK cells from SP RA showed a decreased potency for interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. A selective decrease of CD56dim, but not CD56bright, NK cells in SP RA and SP arthralgia was observed. This prompted investigation of CD16 (FcγRIIIa) triggering in NK cell apoptosis and cytokine expression. In vitro, CD16 triggering induced apoptosis of CD56dim but not CD56bright NK cells from HC. This apoptosis was augmented by adding interleukin 2 (IL-2). Also, CD16 triggering in the presence of IL-2 stimulated IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α expression by CD56dim NK cells. Conclusion. The decline of CD56dim NK cells in SP arthralgia and SP RA and the in vitro apoptosis of CD56dim NK cells upon CD16 triggering suggest a functional role of immunoglobulin G-containing autoantibody (anti-CCP and/or RF)-immune complexes in this process. Moreover, CD16-triggered cytokine production by CD56dim NK cells may contribute to systemic inflammation as seen in SP arthralgia and SP RA.
Presence of Infectious Bronchitis Virus Strain CK/CH/LDL/97I in the Middle East

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a very dynamic and evolving virus, causing major economic losses to the global poultry industry. In early 2011, respiratory disease outbreaks were investigated in Iraq, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Five IBV isolates (JOA2, JOA4, Saudi-1, Saudi-2, and Iraqi IBV) were detected by diagnostic-nested nucleocapsid RT-PCR. Strain identification was characterised by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the amplified hypervariable region of the spike 1 (S1) gene. These five IBV isolates were found to be of the IBV strain CK/CH/LDL/97I. Nucleotide identity between these five IBV isolates ranged from 96.9% to 99.7%, and between these isolates and the CK/CH/LDL/97I strain in the range of 96.6–99.1%. The sequenced fragment of the S1 gene of the CK/CH/LDL/97I strain had less than 80% nucleotide identity to the IBV vaccine strains commonly used in the Middle East (M41 and H120). The presence of these CK/CH/LDL/97I-like strains may account for vaccination failure against IBV, since all IBV isolates were from vaccinated chickens. In this paper, we documented for the first time the presence of IBV strain CK/CH/LDL/97I in the Middle East. This strain is known to have originated in China and Taiwan.
Sex-specific Content Preferences for Visual Sexual Stimuli

Although experimental studies support that men generally respond more to visual sexual stimuli than do women , there is substantial variability in this effect. One potential source of variability is the type of stimuli used that may not be of equal interest to both men and women whose preferences may be dependent upon the activities and situations depicted. The current study investigated whether men and women had preferences for certain types of stimuli. We measured the subjective evaluations and viewing times of 15 men and 30 women (15 using hormonal contraception) to sexually explicit photos. Heterosexual participants viewed 216 pictures that were controlled for the sexual activity depicted, gaze of the female actor, and the proportion of the image that the genital region occupied. Men and women did not differ in their overall interest in the stimuli, indicated by equal subjective ratings and viewing times, although there were preferences for specific types of pictures. Pictures of the opposite sex receiving oral sex were rated as least sexually attractive by all participants and they looked longer at pictures showing the female actor's body. Women rated pictures in which the female actor was looking indirectly at the camera as more attractive, while men did not discriminate by female gaze. Participants did not look as long at close-ups of genitals, and men and women on oral contraceptives rated genital images as less sexually attractive. Together, these data demonstrate sex-specific preferences for specific types of stimuli even when, across stimuli, overall interest was comparable.
Classifying a Person as a Sexual Partner: The Impact of Contextual Factors

This study assessed the influence of five factors on respondents' judgments of whether two hypothetical actors, Tom and Lucy, would consider each other to be "sexual partners. " The factors were: respondent's gender, actor's gender, type of act (vaginal, anal, or oral intercourse), frequency of act (once, several times), and actors' dating status (not dating, dated once, dated for three months). 223 undergraduates (mean age 22.2 - 2.2 years; 65% female) read 16 hypothetical heterosexual behavior scenarios featuring Tom and Lucy and judged whether Tom (Lucy) would consider Lucy (Tom) to be a "sexual partner. " Respondents thought the actors would be more likely to consider each other sexual partners if they had engaged in vaginal or anal intercourse as opposed to oral sex; if they had more frequent sex; or if they were in a steady dating relationship. Researchers and health care professionals should take contextual/situational factors into account when they ask respondents about their sexual partners.
General Pedagogical Knowledge of Future Middle School Teachers: On the Complex Ecology of Teacher Education in the United States, Germany, and Taiwan

For more than two decades, three components of teacher knowledge have been discussed, namely, content knowledge (CK), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), and general pedagogical knowledge (GPK). Although there is a growing body of analytic clarification and empirical testing with regard to CK and PCK, especially with a focus on mathematics teachers, hardly any attempt has been made to learn more about teachers’ GPK. In the context of the Teacher Education and Development Study in Mathematics (TEDS-M), Germany, Taiwan, and the United States worked on closing this research gap by conceptualizing a theoretical framework and developing a standardized test of GPK, which was taken by representative samples of future middle school teachers in these countries. Four task-based subdimensions of GPK and three cognitive subdimensions of GPK were distinguished in this test. TEDS-M data are used (a) to test the hypothesis that GPK is not homogenous but multidimensional and (b) to compare the achievement of U.S. future middle school teachers with future middle school teachers from Germany and Taiwan. The data revealed that U.S. future teachers were outperformed by both the other groups. They showed a relative strength in one of the cognitive subdimensions, generating strategies to perform in the classroom, indicating that in particular they had acquired procedural GPK during teacher education.
Formal and informal modalities for policing cybercrime across the Taiwan Strait

Cybercrime across the Taiwan Strait has become a global issue. Due to the large number of Internet users and the special political situation across the Taiwan Strait, the Republic of China (Taiwan hereafter) and the People's Republic of China (China hereafter) are two countries where malicious computer activity is rampant. Malicious computer activity across the Taiwan Strait has an impact not only on Taiwan and China but also on many other countries. For example, it has been reported that there have been computer attacks against the USA originating from computers in Taiwan but controlled by command and control servers in China. It is important to understand the current policing measures taken by Taiwan and China against cybercrime; however, there is limited empirical research on this issue. To fill this gap, this paper will, based on interviews conducted in Taiwan and China in 2008–2009, discuss current problems and issues that the Taiwanese and Chinese governments face when policing cybercrime. It will also examine whether current existing semi-governmental and informal cooperative measures against cross-Strait crime are adequate in addressing the problem of cross-Strait cybercrime.
Facebook Politics: Strategic Network Campaigning in the 2012 Taiwan Presidential Election

The networked nature of social media allows users to link their pre-existing connections and develop new types of online relationships. This study aimed to examine the relationships between candidates' camps and ‘netizens' during the 2012 Taiwan presidential election. To benefit from the rapid growth of social networking, political candidates have used social media as an election campaign tool. However, the strategic approach of these candidates seems to contradict the networked nature of social media, especially in terms of friendship. Through in-depth interviews with campaign staff, journalists and scholars, this research found that a new concept – strategic network campaigning (SNC) – can be proposed. Combining ‘two-step flow’ communication, para-social relationships and network society theory, SNC explains how election camps mimic Facebook's networked nature by placing staff in the network to influence netizens. Through SNC, campaign staff develop hubs that they can control, establish friend-like relationships with netizens, and influence perceptions of candidates.
Revisiting individualism and collectivism: a multinational examination of pre-service teachers’ perceptions on student academic performances

This study explores how pre-service teachers in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the United States perceive educational diversity in relation to students’ academic achievement by means of qualitative content analysis. It takes cultural psychological perspectives to revisit the attribute reasoning embedded in individualist and collectivist orientations. Pre-service teachers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore are found to attribute academic failure of low social economic status (SES) students to personal factors, such as individual effort, intelligence, and motivation. Pre-service teachers from the United States tend to attribute academic failure of low SES students to situational factors, such as family, school, and community.
Prevalence and characteristics of eye involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background and objective: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory disease. Ocular manifestations involved with rheumatoid arthritis are keratoconjunctivitis sicca, episcleritis, scleritis, anterior and posterior uveitis, dry eyes and ulcerative keratitis. This study aimed to detect the prevalence of ocular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients, find out the relation between the effects of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, biological agents and ocular complications in rheumatoid arthritis patients and explore role of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies. Methods: This is a cross-sectional clinical study of 60 rheumatoid arthritis patients who have attended Rizgary Teaching Hospital in Erbil. A data information about symptoms of ocular manifestations and history of ocular complications before starting disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and/or biological agents were taken. Musculoskeletal examination, serum Anti-CCP antibodies test were done. Ocular examination by ophthalmologist was done. Results: This study was conducted from April to November 2015 and involved 60 patients; 55 females and five males with a mean± SD age of 46 ± 11.46 years. Thirty nine (65%) patients had ocular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis. The most frequent manifestation was dry eyes 30 (50.0%). There was no relation between severity of the rheumatoid arthritis disease and ocular manifestation (P = 0.529). There was a relationship between the Anti-CCP antibodies titer and presence of ocular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients (P = 0.006). There were no curable effects of the disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, biological agents on ocular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients (P = 0.787). Conclusion: Dry eye was the most common ocular manifestation, anti-CCP antibodies are a sensitive marker for ocular manifestations. Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biological therapies provide no significant efficacy in treatment or prevent the occurrence of ocular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
A Comparison of College Students’ Physical Activity Levels between Taiwan and the United States

The purpose of this study is to examine and compare the physical activity level of a cohort of college students in the United States and Taiwan. A total of 611 students participated in the study with a response rate of 94% (650 surveyed). The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S) was used to examine the dimensionality of students across different cultures. The results from the study indicated U.S. students have higher physical activity level than Taiwanese students (p .05). U.S. females performed at the highest MET level over a 7-day period than all the subgroups in the study. This study may provide useful information when comparing levels of physical activity across cultures and establishing a baseline level of physical activity patterns among college-aged students from the United States and Taiwan.
Economic Integration and Corruption : The Case of China ∗

It is believed that economic integration, in terms of increasing flows of trade and foreign direct investment, contributes to lower the level of corruption in host countries because integration increases market competition and efficiency, reduces rents, and promotes the diffusion of good governance. However, such kind of argument ignores the interactions between economic integration and local political and economic environments. By focusing on China, I argue that economic integration that helps create higher rents which could possibly be shared between investors and government officials coupled with weak institutions to detect bribe payments, increases the level of corruption in China. To test this hypothesis, I adopt a within country research design and collect an original data to measure provincial level of corruption in China. Furthermore, I construct an instrument to deal with the reverse causality between economic integration and corruption. Finally, simulation and sensitivity analysis are used to evaluate the problems of measurement error, omitted variable bias and potential violation of exclusion restriction assumption in the IV estimation. Preliminary empirical results support my argument. ∗Paper prepared for the annual conference of International Political Economy Society in College Station, TX, Nov. 13-14, 2009. I’m grateful to the financial support from the Fund for Global Environment and Conflict Resolution. †Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science, Columbia University, bz2123@columbia.edu. Economic Integration and Corruption: The Case of China
Comparison in Mandibular Movements Between Subjects with Deep Bite and Normal Occlusion

Introduction: Orthodontic treatment in-deep bite subjects has generally been focused on the correction of excessive vertical coverage (overbite); however, the impact on functional problems following treatment has not been well evaluated. This study aimed to investigate the differences in mandibular movements between deep bite and normal occlusion, and to compare the functional changes of mandible in the subjects with deep bite before and after treatment. Methods: This study included students from School of Dentistry, China Medical University (CMU), and employees from CMU Hospital. The participants were categorized into normal bite (n=11) and deep bite (n=16) groups. Considering the clinical practicability, convenience and affordability, Digi Gnatho software (Japan), was used to analyze mandibular movements recorded by digital video camera. Results: No significant difference was observed in the left side masticatory movements between two groups. Significant difference was only detected in the horizontal direction of right side mastication. All of the velocities and masticatory cycle duration of both sides showed no difference. In the mandibular border movements, protrusive movements in deep-bite group were distinct from normal occlusion group. Normal occlusion group had a larger range of mandibular movements compared to deep bite group. Conclusions: Different degrees of vertical coverage of the incisors not only presented differences in the ranges of masticatory movements and border movements, but also had an impact on the final occlusal phase of mastication. *Corresponding author: Jian-Hong, Yu. Dean of Orthodontics, Department of Dentistry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China. Tel: +886-4-22053366 # 2315; Fax: +886-4-2230-4333; E-mail: kenkoyu@mail.cmu. edu.tw Citation: Jian-Hong, Yu. et al. Comparison in Mandibular Movements between Subjects with Deep Bite and Normal Occlusion. (2015) J Dent & Oral Care 1(1): 1-9. J Dent & Oral Care | Volume 1: Issue 1 www.ommegaonline. com
Differences in Marketing Managers' Decision Making Styles Within the Asia-Pacific Region

Abstract Marketing managers around the world are being asked to work with foreign counterparts as never before, but with limited success. This requires integration of decision making styles. The purpose of this study is to apply a management style of decision making measurement technique to selected countries of the Asia-Pacific region to determine the extent of differences in decision-making style among marketing managers. This study surveys marketing managers within Australia, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Vietnam, New Zealand, and China. Within each country different sampling processes and modes of data collection were used by locally-based associates of the researchers, as appropriate for the country. The study results indicate that substantive differences do exist between marketing managers from different cultural/national backgrounds within the Asia-Pacific region and these managers differ in their decision-making styles from managers in other parts of the world. doi:10.1300/J042v21n01_06
Competitive industry policy for economic development in Sri Lanka: lessons from East Asia

This study evaluates the current position of Sri Lanka in terms of Newly Industrialized Country (NIC) status, and explores the lessons which it can learn from the successful East Asian economies. Accordingly, it develops a policy strategy to enable Sri Lanka to converge into a more dynamic growth path leading towards the NIC status in the foreseeable future. This exercise was deemed useful because Sri Lanka had a superior position over many less developed countries (LDCs) including the East Asian NICs four decades ago, but having attempted various economic policy regimes over this period, it still remains a LDC. The study undertook a lengthy literature review of various economic policy regimes which can be used to achieve economic development. East Asian NICs are distinguished by their use of competitive industry policy (CIP)- a mixture of trade policy and industry policy. To examine the relation between CIP and economic development, two case studies were carried out on Taiwan and South Korea. While different processes and policy timing occurred in these countries, both emphasized the importance of outward orientation in their economic activities. Their experience is distinguished by the flexibility, coherence, and consistence of policy making with the state undertaking a role of a ‘developmental state. ’ The study considered the importance of identifying the key elements of their policy approach and the institutional context in which those elements have interacted when learning from their experience. Based on the literature review and the two country studies, the study developed an analytical framework highlighting a growth path to the NIC status. Under the framework, two types of economic policies were identified as useful for rapid growth: trade policy, and industry policy. It also emphasized two necessary conditions for its success: macroeconomic stability; and a developmental state. A statistical test was used to examine how the two types of policies have worked in Sri Lanka after the 1977 reforms. It was found that Sri Lanka has not used appropriate competitive industry policy measures as did by the East Asian NICs in the past. This was followed by a detailed analysis of Sri Lanka’s policy during the period after 1977.
A Transactional Analysis of Chinese Partners' Performance in International Joint Ventures

This article proposes a transactional analysis of the performance of international joint ventures formed in mainland China and Taiwan. This analysis is carried out for a sample of 104 Chinese partners who, between January 2000 and December 2003, announced the formation of an international joint venture. An event study methodology is used to measure Chinese partners' stock market reactions to the formation of these joint ventures. The different empirical results found concur to envisage an analysis of Chinese partners' performance that is distinct from that of foreign partners. These results raise doubts concerning the appropriateness of transaction cost theory as a framework for analyzing Chinese partners' performance.
Human resource strategy and firm performance in Pacific Rim countries

This paper examines the impact of high-performance work system (HPWS) techniques on organizational performance in four East and Southeast Asian economies that have been at the forefront of Asia's rapid development. All now face considerable competitive pressures from newer emerging markets (e.g. China, India, Vietnam, Eastern Europe) and thus experience many of the same sources of uncertainty from globalization as more economically developed countries, especially in the period following the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Many companies in Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Thailand are experimenting with features of American-style high-performance work systems. We collected data from nearly 700 companies in the region, both subsidiaries of MNCs (American, Japanese and European) and locally owned firms. Statistical techniques were used to measure the effects of HPWS techniques on perceived financial performance. In general, the results indicated HPWSs worked effectively, even under tremendously variable conditions. Most interesting is the finding that use of HPWS techniques in locally owned firms apparently has at least a marginally greater impact on firm performance than when used in MNC subsidiaries.