Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Technology Readiness in the E-Insurance Industry: An Exploratory Investigation and Development of an Agent Technology E-Consumption Model

We set out in this study to assist e-Insurance marketers in developing a research-based foundation on which to make strategic decisions related to technology/ Internet implementation. In this study we focused on the agents of a single, medium sized insurance/financial services concern operating primarily in the Midwest of the United States. Our first inquiry demonstrates that Parasuraman’s (2000) Technology Readiness Index (TRI) appears largely generalizable to the insurance industry within the constraints identified in this study. The TRI explains almost two-thirds of the explained variance in agents’ self-reported perceptions of technology readiness in our study, and it appears that the positive dimensions of optimism and innovativeness are most influential in facilitating technology readiness. Our second research inquiry concerned developing an e-Consumption model to help better understand how agents form their intentions to adopt and use technology and the Internet. The results suggest that general e-Consumption models from the services marketing literature appear to generalize to this internal marketing research setting. The managerial and research implications of this study are presented and discussed.
Welcome or Not: Comparing #Refugee Posts on Instagram and Pinterest

The Syrian refugee crisis, started in 2011, has resulted in millions of Syrians fleeing their homes: 6.6 million have been internally displaced and more than 4.6 million have fled the country. This flow of refugees has led to both humanitarian efforts to assist refugees and growing views of refugees as a threat to receiving countries’ security and autonomy. Sentiments about the still-growing crisis are increasingly expressed on social media platforms, including visual ones like Instagram and Pinterest. However, little is known about what and how information about refugees is presented on these platforms. The current study addresses this gap by conducting a quantitative content analysis of a random sample of 750 Instagram posts and 750 Pinterest posts to evaluate and compare visual and textual messaging surrounding this crisis. Results show that Pinterest messages more frequently depict security-concern sentiment and include more unique visual components than Instagram. Across platforms, security-concern posts were more likely to be framed thematically; whereas most humanitarian-concern posts were framed episodically. The study concludes with a discussion of implications for communication scholars and practitioners that may inform the development of visual-based social-mediated messaging.
Electrical Characterization of Microelectromechanical Silicon Carbide Resonators

This manuscript describes the findings of a study to investigate the performance of SiC MEMS resonators with respect to resonant frequency and quality factor under a variety of testing conditions, including various ambient pressures, AC drive voltages, bias potentials and temperatures. The sample set included both single-crystal and polycrystalline 3C-SiC lateral resonators. The experimental results show that operation at reduced pressures increases the resonant frequency as damping due to the gas-rarefaction effect becomes significant. Both DC bias and AC drive voltages result in nonlinearities, but the AC drive voltage is more sensitive to noise. The AC voltage has a voltage coefficient of 1∼4ppm/V at a DC bias of 40V. The coefficient of DC bias is about -11ppm/V to - 21ppm/V for poly-SiC, which is more than a factor of two better than a similarly designed polysilicon resonator (-54 ppm/V). The effective stiffness of the resonator decreases (softens) as the bias potential is increased, but increases (hardens) as drive voltage increase when scan is from low to high frequency. The resonant frequency decreases slightly with increasing temperature, exhibiting a temperature coefficient of -22 ppm/°C, between 22°C and 60°C. The thermal expansion mismatch between the SiC device and the Si substrate could be a reason that thermal coefficient for these SiC resonators is about twofold higher than similar polysilicon resonators. However, the Qs appear to exhibit no temperature dependence in this range.
Unpacking the Black Box of Family Business Advising: Insights From Psychology

Academic research on family business advising is gaining momentum; however, the internal structure and mechanisms of advice giving and taking remain a black box. We conducted a systematic review that integrates findings from family business advising with those from psychology. Advising research in psychology has focused on understanding the subjective constructs and theoretical concepts composing the internal structures of advising. We develop an input–process–output framework to categorize and integrate both streams of literature on advising, introduce new concepts and variables from psychology that inform family firm advising, and identify important gaps to delineate avenues for future family firm research.
Role of calcium channel subtypes in calcium transients in hippocampal CA3 neurons

Multiple subtypes of voltage-gated calcium channels are differentially localized in brain neurons suggesting that they serve distinct roles in neuronal excitation and signaling. In organotypic hippocampal slice cultures, class D (L-type) calcium channels are predominantly located in the cell bodies of CA3 neurons while class B (N-type) and class A (P or Q-type) are localized in dendrites and associated presynaptic terminals with relatively low somal expression. Using specific antagonists to inhibit calcium transients recorded in CA3 neuronal cell bodies, we found that L-type calcium channels have a predominant role in somal calcium transients elicited by trains of strong stimuli applied to either the soma or the distal apical dendrite while class A calcium channels make a smaller contribution. Presynaptic class B (N- type) and class A (P- and/or Q-type) calcium channels are critical for glutamate-mediated synaptic transmission onto the dendrites of CA3 neurons. Postsynaptic class A and B calcium channels detected on the dendritic shaft by immunocytochemistry were not found to contribute substantially to somal calcium transients during repetitive stimulation of distal dendrites, but sodium channels were required for calcium transients elicited by somatic or dendritic stimulation. Our results show that the different calcium channel subtypes serve distinct roles in cellular activation and transmission of signals in CA3 neurons, consistent with their differential subcellular localization.
Symptomatology and health attitudes of chronic hepatitis B patients in the USA

Summary. This study was conducted to understand the symptomatology, attitudes, and behaviours of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients in the USA. CHB patients enrolled in this study were recruited through multiple methods, including newspaper advertisements. Interviews were conducted in multiple languages, and all participants had a history of CHB infection for at least 6 months. Patients with documented human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis C virus coinfection were excluded from data analyses, resulting in a total study population of 258 respondents who completed interviews between April and June 2004. The majority of monoinfected patients were male (57%) and non‐Asian (92%, including 52% Caucasian, 32% African American and others). Length of diagnosis was 5.8 years for all participants (9.1‐year Asian and 5.1‐year non‐Asian). Ninety‐five per cent of CHB patients reported symptoms of differing severity in the 12 months prior to the survey. The most common symptoms included fatigue/loss of energy (90%) and loss of appetite (79%). Non‐Asian patients described greater symptomatology, and were more likely than Asians to consider CHB an overriding concern in their daily activities. Patients were treated either currently or previously with interferon (IFN) described greater symptomatology than those treated without IFN. Survey results indicate that CHB patients may have greater symptomatology than recognized. Disease perceptions and treatment attitudes differ between Asian and non‐Asian ethnic groups, with the former appearing to be more accepting and less concerned about the disease. Additional research about CHB symptomatology and health attitudes by ethnicity is needed to ensure that individuals with CHB are educated on the potential health risks and the availability of current treatment options.
Objectivism and subjectivism: cross-national variation in values and domain-life satisfaction relationships

There have been many attempts to ascertain the predictors of wellbeing. The goal of this thesis is not to evaluate individual theories but to challenge the assumptions that underlie them. Specifically, this thesis endeavours to determine whether there is evidence of universality in the predictors of wellbeing through an investigation of subjectivism and objectivism. In the former, pro-attitudes and values are thought to determine the predictors of wellbeing; in the latter, �goods� with inherent value are proposed to do so universally. Global life satisfaction and life domain satisfaction were selected to operationalize subjectivism and objectivism, respectively. Cross-national comparisons were selected under the presumption that cultural values are internalized at the individual level. This assumption was validated through analysis of the World Values Survey, which revealed significant cross-cluster and cross-national variation in self-reported domain importance scores (family, friends, leisure time, politics, work and religion). Empirical analysis of both independently collected data and the Eurobarometer revealed similar cross-cluster and cross-national differences in domain-life satisfaction relationships (health, family, social life, personal safety, financial situation, home life and job). It was concluded these findings supported subjectivism: the predictors of wellbeing are not universal, but vary as a function of values.
Viral Linkage in HIV-1 Seroconverters and Their Partners in an HIV-1 Prevention Clinical Trial

Background Characterization of viruses in HIV-1 transmission pairs will help identify biological determinants of infectiousness and evaluate candidate interventions to reduce transmission. Although HIV-1 sequencing is frequently used to substantiate linkage between newly HIV-1 infected individuals and their sexual partners in epidemiologic and forensic studies, viral sequencing is seldom applied in HIV-1 prevention trials. The Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV Transmission Study (ClinicalTrials.gov #NCT00194519) was a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial that enrolled serodiscordant heterosexual couples to determine the efficacy of genital herpes suppression in reducing HIV-1 transmission; as part of the study analysis, HIV-1 sequences were examined for genetic linkage between seroconverters and their enrolled partners. Methodology/Principal Findings We obtained partial consensus HIV-1 env and gag sequences from blood plasma for 151 transmission pairs and performed deep sequencing of env in some cases. We analyzed sequences with phylogenetic techniques and developed a Bayesian algorithm to evaluate the probability of linkage. For linkage, we required monophyletic clustering between enrolled partners' sequences and a Bayesian posterior probability of ≥50%. Adjudicators classified each seroconversion, finding 108 (71.5%) linked, 40 (26.5%) unlinked, and 3 (2.0%) indeterminate transmissions, with linkage determined by consensus env sequencing in 91 (84%). Male seroconverters had a higher frequency of unlinked transmissions than female seroconverters. The likelihood of transmission from the enrolled partner was related to time on study, with increasing numbers of unlinked transmissions occurring after longer observation periods. Finally, baseline viral load was found to be significantly higher among linked transmitters. Conclusions/Significance In this first use of HIV-1 sequencing to establish endpoints in a large clinical trial, more than one-fourth of transmissions were unlinked to the enrolled partner, illustrating the relevance of these methods in the design of future HIV-1 prevention trials in serodiscordant couples. A hierarchy of sequencing techniques, analysis methods, and expert adjudication contributed to the linkage determination process.
Recruitment and habitat selection of newly settled Sparisoma viride to reefs with low coral cover

Live scleractinian corals are a prime microhabitat for many recruiting coral reef fishes, yet live coral cover has exhibited widespread declines, and the impact of this loss on recruiting fishes is not well understood. Although reduced recruitment rates of parrotfishes (Scaridae) have been observed after loss of coral cover, increased juvenile parrotfish abundance observed in connection with increased macroalgal abundance on reefs suggests that some parrotfish may be capable of utilizing macroalgae as recruitment microhabitat. To test this hypothesis, recruitment rates of newly settled stoplight parrotfish Sparisoma viride were measured on reefs in the upper Florida Keys that have lost much of their coral cover. Although S. viride has previously been shown to strongly associ- ate with the branching coral Porites porites on Caribbean reefs, we found that on reefs with low coral cover, S. viride occurred most frequently in areas of high cover of the macroalgae Dictyota spp. Fur- ther, this microhabitat association scaled up such that reefs with increasing macroalgal cover (up to ~16%) supported greater densities of juvenile S. viride. At higher levels of Dictyota spp. (>16% cover), site-specific S. viride recruitment leveled off, suggesting the influence of other processes such as differential larval supply. These results indicate that newly settled stoplight parrotfish are able to utilize the increased macroalgal cover associated with loss of coral cover and that this microhabitat may provide an alternative recruitment refuge.
From Defiance to Reliance: Spiritual Virtue as a Pathway Towards Desistence, Humility, and Recovery Among Juvenile Offenders

This study examined the impact of two “spiritual virtues”—service to others and the spiritual experience of love—on sobriety, character development (humility), and recidivism. We control for conduct disorder and other comorbid conditions, including defiant behaviors. One hundred ninety-five adolescents with substance dependency court-referred to residential treatment were assessed at intake, discharge, and 12 months posttreatment. Higher service to others predicted reduced relapse and greater humility, with or without the experience of spiritual love. Defiance was associated with higher incarceration, but the combination of service and love predicted lower incarceration and mediated the impact of defiance. Survival analysis demonstrated that youths with low service, with or without high love, were more likely to relapse than high helpers with high love. Spiritual virtue appears to be a promising pathway for recovery and desistence, even for youthful offenders deemed the most difficult to rehabilitate.
Centre-of-Gravity Fixations in Visual Search: When Looking at Nothing Helps to Find Something

In visual search, some fixations are made between stimuli on empty regions, commonly referred to as “centre-of-gravity” fixations (henceforth: COG fixations). Previous studies have shown that observers with task expertise show more COG fixations than novices. This led to the view that COG fixations reflect simultaneous encoding of multiple stimuli, allowing more efficient processing of task-related items. The present study tested whether COG fixations also aid performance in visual search tasks with unfamiliar and abstract stimuli. Moreover, to provide evidence for the multiple-item processing view, we analysed the effects of COG fixations on the number and dwell times of stimulus fixations. The results showed that (1) search efficiency increased with increasing COG fixations even in search for unfamiliar stimuli and in the absence of special higher-order skills, (2) COG fixations reliably reduced the number of stimulus fixations and their dwell times, indicating processing of multiple distractors, and (3) the proportion of COG fixations was dynamically adapted to potential information gain of COG locations. A second experiment showed that COG fixations are diminished when stimulus positions unpredictably vary across trials. Together, the results support the multiple-item processing view, which has important implications for current theories of visual search.
From hybrid media system to hybrid-media politicians: Danish politicians and their cross-media presence in the 2015 national election campaign

ABSTRACT An increasingly complex hybrid system of social and traditional news media surrounds Nordic election campaigns as politically experienced incumbents favor traditional news media and younger, lesser known candidates’ social media. Despite little evidence for hybrid-media politicians, politicians’ media use is changing rapidly; 15%–16% of Danish candidates used Twitter in 2011 but 68% in 2015. In this large-sample content analysis, party leaders have high traditional news media and low Twitter presence, and younger candidates vice versa, but some politicians have high presence in both. Hybrid-media politicians are younger than the average Danish Parliament member, represent various parties, and likely come from the greater Copenhagen area.
Null Mutation in PGAP1 Impairing Gpi-Anchor Maturation in Patients with Intellectual Disability and Encephalopathy

Many eukaryotic cell-surface proteins are anchored to the membrane via glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI). There are at least 26 genes involved in biosynthesis and remodeling of GPI anchors. Hypomorphic coding mutations in seven of these genes have been reported to cause decreased expression of GPI anchored proteins (GPI-APs) on the cell surface and to cause autosomal-recessive forms of intellectual disability (ARID). We performed homozygosity mapping and exome sequencing in a family with encephalopathy and non-specific ARID and identified a homozygous 3 bp deletion (p.Leu197del) in the GPI remodeling gene PGAP1. PGAP1 was not described in association with a human phenotype before. PGAP1 is a deacylase that removes an acyl-chain from the inositol of GPI anchors in the endoplasmic reticulum immediately after attachment of GPI to proteins. In silico prediction and molecular modeling strongly suggested a pathogenic effect of the identified deletion. The expression levels of GPI-APs on B lymphoblastoid cells derived from an affected person were normal. However, when those cells were incubated with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC), GPI-APs were cleaved and released from B lymphoblastoid cells from healthy individuals whereas GPI-APs on the cells from the affected person were totally resistant. Transfection with wild type PGAP1 cDNA restored the PI-PLC sensitivity. These results indicate that GPI-APs were expressed with abnormal GPI structure due to a null mutation in the remodeling gene PGAP1. Our results add PGAP1 to the growing list of GPI abnormalities and indicate that not only the cell surface expression levels of GPI-APs but also the fine structure of GPI-anchors is important for the normal neurological development.
Lipid Emulsion Attenuates Acetylcholine-Induced Relaxation in Isolated Rat Aorta

We investigated the effect of Lipofundin MCT/LCT and Intralipid on acetylcholine-induced nitric oxide- (NO-) mediated relaxation in rat aorta to determine which lipid emulsion (LE) is more potent in terms of inhibition of NO-induced relaxation. Dose-response curves of responses induced by acetylcholine, the calcium ionophore A23187, and sodium nitroprusside were generated using isolated rat aorta with or without LE. The effect of Lipofundin MCT/LCT on acetylcholine-induced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was investigated using western blotting. Lipofundin MCT/LCT (0.1 and 0.2%) attenuated acetylcholine-induced relaxation in endothelium-intact aorta with or without tiron, whereas 0.2% Intralipid only inhibited relaxation. Lipofundin MCT/LCT inhibited relaxation induced by the calcium ionophore A23187 and sodium nitroprusside in endothelium-intact aorta, but Lipofundin MCT/LCT had no effect on sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation in the endothelium-denuded aorta. Combined pretreatment with l-arginine plus Lipofundin MCT/LCT increased acetylcholine-induced maximal relaxation in endothelium-intact aorta compared with Lipofundin MCT/LCT alone. l-Arginine attenuated Lipofundin MCT/LCT-mediated inhibition of acetylcholine-induced eNOS phosphorylation in HUVECs. Taken together, Lipofundin MCT/LCT attenuated acetylcholine-induced NO-mediated relaxation via an inhibitory effect on the endothelium including eNOS, which is proximal to activation of guanylyl cyclase.
Citizens’ adaptive or avoiding behavioral response to an emergency message on their mobile phone

Abstract Since November 2012, Dutch civil defense organizations employ NL-Alert, a cellular broadcast-based warning system to inform the public. Individuals receive a message on their mobile phone about the actual threat, as well as some advice how to deal with the situation at hand. This study reports on the behavioral effects of NL-Alert (n = 643). The current risk communication literature suggested underlying mechanisms as perceived threat, efficacy beliefs, social norms, information sufficiency, and perceived message quality. Results indicate that adaptive behavior and behavioral avoidance can be predicted by subsets of these determinants. Affective and social predictors appear to be more important in this context that socio-cognitive predictors. Implications for the use of cellular broadcast systems like NL-Alert as a warning tool in emergency situations are discussed.
University After VET: The Challenges Faced by the Enrolled Nurse

In Australia, many Enrolled Nurses (EN) complete vocational education training (VET), undertake clinical work, and then progress into a tertiary, Registered Nurse (RN), program. Transition into university for ENs is typically into the second year of degree programs, with credit awarded for first year courses including basic bioscience subjects,predicated on recognition of prior learning. However, in educational literature ENs report that their prior study left them feeling unprepared for university and that VET,even coupled with work experience,may not adequately reinforce foundational science knowledge sufficient to support direct entry to second year biosciences. Moreover, bioscience subjects are internationally acknowledged as central to nursing students’ ‘science anxiety,’ and are ‘gate-keeper’ subjects in pre-registration programs, providing critical underpinning of theoretical knowledge for many other subjects. Indeed, a recent (2015) Australian government report on pathways into higher education highlighted concerns around modes of transition into university, citing significantly lower success rates for students from a low socio-economic status (LSES) background who frequently enter the tertiary sector via vocational pathways. This paper will explore, using a case study approach, the issues of transition from vocational training to the university programs across multiple Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programs (tertiary institutions) in both rural and metropolitan contexts from several Australian states. It will highlight challenges reported by these EN students that limit their capacity to engage in traditional tertiary programs including concomitant shift work requirements. ENs are typically female,mature age students with carer responsibilities, who study in isolation, online and via distance learning, further compounding issues of tertiary transition. The paper will describe a multi-institutional project designed by a multidisciplinary academic team, to enhance transition skills and build academic resilience for these ENs, to assist with their engagement and success in their BN studies.