Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Sodium Nitrite and Catechol or 3‐Methoxycatechol in Combination on Rat Stomach Epithelium

The effects of sodium nitrite (NaNO2) and catechol or 3‐methoxycatechol in combination were examined in male F344 rats. Animals were treated with 0.3% NaNO2 in the drinking water and 0.8% catechol or 2% 3‐methoxycatechol in powdered diet for 24 weeks. While catechol or 3‐methoxycatechol alone induced low incidences of mild or moderate hyperplasia, simultaneous administration of NaNO2 markedly enhanced the degree of hyperplasia and papilloma formation. In contrast, induction of submucosal hyperplasia and adenomas in the glandular epithelium was reduced. Thus, the results indicate that NaNO2 can modulate the metabolism of antioxidants, so that, possibly via production of new active moieties, targeting of forestomach epithelium is enhanced.
Cross-Cultural Understanding

This case-study is about the cross-cultural management and how it affects the employee relations and ultimately impacts their performance, if not handled properly. The case delves into different situations where understanding of the other cultural values, norms, work practices and human behavior is critical for foreign managers to succeed. The case entails how a foreign FMCG company faced with the difficult and challenging situation in China. In order to fix the problems, the corporate headquarter sent three of their bright personnel; Janet, Peter and William to China. They were tasked to improve the HR, marketing & sales and distributions channels. Nonetheless, when they landed in the host country, they grappled with a number of challenges arising out of cultural, communication and situational differences. This case talks about these challenges and how to handle them.
Role and Quality of Monastic Community Life Challenged by Societal Transitions. An Ethnographic Case-Study of the Trappist Community of the Abbey of Sint-Sixtus

The religious landscape of present-day Western-European society is characterized on the one hand by a high level of secularization and on the other by an increased religious plurality (Berger 2000). The values intrinsic to a religiously oriented life in community are often diametrically opposed to the dominant Western-European thinking pa;erns such as individualism, utilitarianism and scientism. It is in this context not selfevident to consciously choose monastic life and it is moreover difficult to remain commi;ed as a monk or a nun to a life characterized by a quasilinear continuity and by exceptional obligations and limitations (Merkle 1992). This article starts out by focusing briefly on an ethnographic study describing the physical and social environment of a specific contemplative Trappist community, the Abbey of Sint-Sixtus in Westvleteren (Belgium), thus contributing to the creation of a more objective image of contemplative orders in today’s society. It concludes with an analysis of the societal transition that challenges the role and the quality of present-day monastic community life.
Servant Leadership and Follower

Building upon Patterson-Winston’s servant leadership theory, this paper presents a research proposal to empirically test the influence servant leadership has on follower commitment, because empirical research indicates that follower commitment to the leader is positively related to follower performance. The proposed research utilizes three established instruments, LEAD-Other, the Servant Leader Assessment, and Supervisor-Related Commitment, to test the relationship between five servant leadership constructs (identified as agapao love, humility, vision, trust, and empowerment) and follower commitment to the leader across four distinct styles of leadership described in the Hersey and Blanchard Situational Leadership Model from the perspective of the follower. This proposed research aims to fill a gap in empirical research regarding servant leadership and its influence on followers
Cultural Contents in Fundamental English Coursebooks

The purpose of this study was to examine the cultural contents in six commercial coursebooks for the Fundamental English courses at a university in Thailand. The cultural content was analyzed in terms of cultural sources and themes employing the framework adapted from Lee (2009), Cortazzi and Jin (1999), and Crystal (2003). Findings showed that there was a strong preference for the Big “C” themes of culture while those of Small “c” cultures were demonstrated with much lower frequency. In addition, Target Culture, International Culture, and Source Culture were presented in similar frequency in the coursebooks. This study sheds light on cultural content in the materials used for the teaching and learning of English as well as draws out the implications for the teaching of cultural content in the English language classroom, especially in the context of English as an international language.
Brain oscillations and synchrony in neurocognitive systems

Brain activity is strongly oscillatory: the collective firing of populations of neurons waxes and wanes in a rhythmic manner. The spatiotemporal and frequency-band characteristics of these oscillations may reflect how the brain organizes its activity, in a local as well as large scale manner. But how do brain oscillations relate to behavior and cognition? Can we understand psychological processes better by studying brain oscillations? This question was investigated in this thesis by means of several overarching topics. For example, I studied how humans combine auditory and visual sensory information when judging the passage of time. During these judgments, I observed strong inter-regional alpha-band (8-12 Hz) synchronization between visual and auditory processing regions. This is evidence that cross-modal integration may be happening at the level of the primary sensory regions, and not necessarily by some higher ("amodal") binding region. In addition, I investigated in multiple studies how theta-band (4-8 Hz) oscillations relate to various instances of cognitive control. For example, fast, impulsive performance errors were characterized by strong midfrontal theta dynamics, while slower errors due to attention lapses rather showed parieto-occipital alpha suppression. In addition, causally boosting theta oscillations in the brain through electrical stimulation, improved cognitively controlled behavior. Collectively, the studies that I present in this thesis elucidate the functional significance of different frequency bands in the instantiation of various neurocognitive mechanisms in the brain.
Picosecond solvation dynamics of alkali cations in superfluid 4 He nanodroplets

The dynamics following the photoionization of neutral Rb and Cs atoms residing in a dimple at the surface of a superfluid 4He1000 nanodroplet has been investigated within time-dependent density functional theory, complementing a previous study on Ba. The calculations reveal that structured high density helium solvation layers form around both the Rb+ and Cs+ cation on a picosecond time scale, forming so-called snowballs. In contrast to the Rb+ ion, Cs+ is not solvated by the 4He1000 droplet but rather desorbs from it as a Cs+Hen snowball. This outcome is partially related to the large size of Cs+ cation in relation to the helium droplet as is revealed by calculations performed using a planar helium surface. The large droplet deformations induced by the solvation of the Rb+ cation is found to lead to efficient nucleation of quantized vortex loops or rings.
Nestling energy expenditure of Eurasian kestrels Falco tinnunculus in relation to food intake and hatching order

The longevity and future reproductive prospects of avian parents are considered to be affected by their current reproductive effort. One measure of reproductive effort is the daily energy expenditure (DEE) of the adults, which depends mostly on their food provision rates (Drent & Daan 1980, Masman et al. 1989, Nestling energy expenditure of Eurasian kestrels Falco tinnunculus in relation to food intake and hatching order
The Democratic Utility of Trust: A Cross-National Analysis

Studies of political culture have long emphasized the importance of generalized trust for effective democratic governance. Individual-level models continue to treat generalized trust as a crucial predictor of more democratic political cultures, leading some scholars to suggest that building generalized trust is an important means of developing democratic prerequisites, like the appreciation of democratic values, in the nondemocratic world. In this paper we refute this conventional wisdom, arguing that the democratic utility of trust varies cross-nationally depending on existing levels of democracy within a country. Seldom have existing studies looked at the ways in which levels of generalized trust relate to microlevel indicators of support for democracy while controlling for overall institutional contexts. We argue existing government institutions play an important role in promoting levels of generalized trust because, in democracies and nondemocracies alike, political confidence in existing political institutions is linked to higher levels of generalized trust. The democratic utility of trust therefore is not consistent across the globe. The degree of democracy determines the extent to which generalized trust becomes meaningfully linked to support for democracy. We offer evidence from a multilevel model using World Values Survey data to support these claims.
Comparison of the effects of kilohertz- and low-frequency electric stimulations: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Objective This study aimed to determine whether kilohertz-frequency alternating current (KFAC) is superior to low-frequency pulsed current (PC) in increasing muscle-evoked torque and lessening discomfort. Data sources The electronic databases PubMed, PEDro, CINAHL, and CENTRAL were searched for related articles, published before August 2017. Furthermore, citation search was performed on the original record using Web of Science. Review methods Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and within-subject repeated studies evaluating and comparing KFAC and PC treatments were included. The pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) of KFAC and PC treatments, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated using the random effects model. Results In total, 1148 potentially relevant articles were selected, of which 14 articles with within-subject repeated designs (271 participants, mean age: 26.4 years) met the inclusion criteria. KFAC did not significantly increase muscle-evoked torque, compared to PC (pooled SMD: -0.25; 95% CI: -0.53, 0.06; P = 0.120). KFAC had comparable discomfort compared to that experienced using PC (pooled SMD: -0.06; 95% CI: -0.50, 0.38; P = 0.800). These estimates of the effects had a high risk of bias, as assessed using the Downs and Black scale, and were highly heterogeneous studies. Conclusions This meta-analysis does not establish that KFAC is superior to PC in increasing muscle-evoked torque and lessening discomfort level. However, no strong conclusion could be drawn because of a high risk of bias and a large amount of heterogeneity. High quality studies comparing the efficacy between PC and KFAC treatments with consideration of potential confounders is warranted to facilitate the development of effective treatment.
Oral ondansetron for gastroenteritis in a pediatric emergency department.

BACKGROUND Vomiting limits the success of oral rehydration in children with gastroenteritis. We conducted a double-blind trial to determine whether a single oral dose of ondansetron, an antiemetic, would improve outcomes in children with gastroenteritis. METHODS We enrolled 215 children 6 months through 10 years of age who were treated in a pediatric emergency department for gastroenteritis and dehydration. After being randomly assigned to treatment with orally disintegrating ondansetron tablets or placebo, the children received oral-rehydration therapy according to a standardized protocol. The primary outcome was the proportion who vomited while receiving oral rehydration. The secondary outcomes were the number of episodes of vomiting and the proportions who were treated with intravenous rehydration or hospitalized. RESULTS As compared with children who received placebo, children who received ondansetron were less likely to vomit (14 percent vs. 35 percent; relative risk, 0.40; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.61), vomited less often (mean number of episodes per child, 0.18 vs. 0.65; P<0.001), had greater oral intake (239 ml vs. 196 ml, P=0.001), and were less likely to be treated by intravenous rehydration (14 percent vs. 31 percent; relative risk, 0.46; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.26 to 0.79). Although the mean length of stay in the emergency department was reduced by 12 percent in the ondansetron group, as compared with the placebo group (P=0.02), the rates of hospitalization (4 percent and 5 percent, respectively; P=1.00) and of return visits to the emergency department (19 percent and 22 percent, P=0.73) did not differ significantly between groups. CONCLUSIONS In children with gastroenteritis and dehydration, a single dose of oral ondansetron reduces vomiting and facilitates oral rehydration and may thus be well suited for use in the emergency department.
Prevalence, incidence and correlates of low risk HPV infection and anogenital warts in a cohort of women living with HIV in Burkina Faso and South Africa

Objective To report the prevalence and incidence of low-risk human papillomavirus infection (LR-HPV) and anogenital warts (AGW) among women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Burkina Faso (BF) and South Africa (SA), and to explore HIV-related factors associated with these outcomes. Methods We enrolled 1238 WLHIV (BF = 615; SA = 623) aged 25–50 years and followed them at three time points (6, 12 and 16 months) after enrolment. Presence of AGW was assessed during gynaecological examination. Cervico-vaginal swabs for enrolment and month 16 follow-up visits were tested for HPV infection by Inno-LiPA® genotyping. Logistic regression was used to assess risk factors for prevalent infection or AGW. Cox regression was used to assess risk factors for incident AGW. Results Women in SA were more likely than those in BF to have prevalent LR-HPV infection (BF: 27.1% vs. SA: 40.9%; p<0.001) and incident LR-HPV infection (BF: 25.8% vs. SA: 31.6%, p = 0.05). Prevalence of persistent LR-HPV was similar in the two countries (BF: 33.3% vs. SA: 30.4%; p = 0.54), as were prevalence and incidence of AGW (Prevalence: BF: 7.5% vs. SA: 5.7%; p = 0.21; Incidence: BF: 2.47 vs. SA: 2.33 per 100 person-years; p = 0.41). HPV6 was associated with incident AGW (BF: adjusted Hazard Ratio (aHR) = 4.88; 95%CI: 1.36–17.45; SA: aHR = 5.02; 95%CI: 1.40–17.99). Prevalent LR-HPV (BF: adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR = 1.86]; 95%CI: 1.01–3.41; SA: aOR = 1.75; 95%CI: 0.88–3.48); persistent LR-HPV (BF: aOR = 1.92; 95%CI: 0.44–8.44; SA: aOR = 2.81; 95%CI: 1.07–7.41) and prevalent AGW (BF: aOR = 1.53; 95%CI: 0.61–3.87; SA: aOR = 4.11; 95%CI: 1.20–14.10) were each associated with low CD4+ counts (i.e. <200 vs. >500 cells/μL). Duration of ART and HIV plasma viral load were not associated with any LR-HPV infection or AGW outcomes. Conclusion LR-HPV infection and AGW are common in WLHIV in sub-Saharan Africa. Type-specific HPV vaccines and effective ART with immunological reconstitution could reduce the burden of AGW in this population.
Clinical Decision Support System to Enhance Quality Control of Spirometry Using Information and Communication Technologies

Background We recently demonstrated that quality of spirometry in primary care could markedly improve with remote offline support from specialized professionals. It is hypothesized that implementation of automatic online assessment of quality of spirometry using information and communication technologies may significantly enhance the potential for extensive deployment of a high quality spirometry program in integrated care settings. Objective The objective of the study was to elaborate and validate a Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) for automatic online quality assessment of spirometry. Methods The CDSS was done through a three step process including: (1) identification of optimal sampling frequency; (2) iterations to build-up an initial version using the 24 standard spirometry curves recommended by the American Thoracic Society; and (3) iterations to refine the CDSS using 270 curves from 90 patients. In each of these steps the results were checked against one expert. Finally, 778 spirometry curves from 291 patients were analyzed for validation purposes. Results The CDSS generated appropriate online classification and certification in 685/778 (88.1%) of spirometry testing, with 96% sensitivity and 95% specificity. Conclusions Consequently, only 93/778 (11.9%) of spirometry testing required offline remote classification by an expert, indicating a potential positive role of the CDSS in the deployment of a high quality spirometry program in an integrated care setting.
HADROSAURID DINOSAUR SKIN IMPRESSIONS FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS KAIPAROWITS FORMATION OF SOUTHERN UTAH, USA

Skin impressions from hadrosaurid dinosaurs are relatively common finds throughout the Cretaceous Western Interior of North America. A recently discovered specimen from the late Campanian-aged Kaiparowits Formation of southern Utah is typical for hadrosaurs, with randomly arranged polygonal tubercles averaging around 4 mm in length and 3 mm in width. Based on the associated bones, these impressions likely originated on the thorax of the animal. In contrast with most previously published finds, the skin is not preserved in perfect articulation with the skeleton. This suggests a taphonomic mode in which the skeleton and soft tissues were partially disarticulated prior to burial.
Are the neurophysiological techniques useful for the diagnosis of diaphragmatic impairment in multiple sclerosis ( MS ) ?

Objective: To characterize cortico-diaphragmatic pathway involvement in multiple sclerosis (MS) by means of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and verify its clinical impact. Methods: TMS from diaphragm (Dia), and abductor digiti minimi (AbdV8) was performed in 26 MS patients. Phrenic nerve (PN) conduction study was also performed. Expanded disability status scale (EDSS) and fatigue descriptive scale (FDS) were measured. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume at the first second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF) were tested: the predicted percentage value (% pred) was considered. Results: Cortical motor evoked potential (Cx-MEP) latency and central motor conduction time (CMCT) were prolonged, respectively, in 31 and 23% of patients from Dia, in 76 and 79% from AbdV8. PN-compound motor action potential (CMAP) was normal. EDSS correlated to Cx-MEP from AbdV8 (P , 0:01), and PN-CMAP amplitude (P , 0:05), FEV1 % pred (P , 0:01), PEF % pred (P , 0:01). PN-CMAP amplitude correlated to FVC % pred P 1⁄4 0:05, FEV1 % pred P , 0:01, PEF % pred P , 0:01. Fatigue was related to AbdV8 Cx-MEP and CMCT (P , 0:05 and P , 0:01). Conclusions: Cortico-diaphragmatic pathway is impaired only in a minority of MS patients. Lack of correlation between TMS findings from Dia and respiratory tests argues against its routinary use to detect subclinical respiratory alterations. Fatigue seems to be related to the motor impairment rather than to respiratory distress. q 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Elevated Levels of Plasma Transforming Growth Factor‐β in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

We measured the plasma transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) concentration in 14 patients with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and 9 age‐matched normal subjects using growth inhibition assay of mink lung epithelial cells. The calculated plasma TGF‐β concentration in the patients with HCC was 28.6 ± 27.9 ng/ml (mean± SE), showing significant elevation compared with that in 9 normal subjects (5.3 ± 3.3 ng/ml, P<0.01). In three cases, we could measure plasma TGF‐β levels before and after their treatment for HCC. The plasma TGF‐β levels decreased from 59.0 to 18.2 ng/ml after hepatic resection in one case, and from 24.0 to 10.7 ng/ml and from 12.4 to 3.4 ng/ml after transhepatic arterial embolization in the other two cases. These data indicate that plasma TGF‐β level is elevated in patients with HCC, probably due to release from HCC tissues.
Randomised study of effect of different doses of vitamin A on childhood morbidity and mortality

Abstract Objectives To determine whether the dose of vitamin A currently recommended by the World Health Organization or half this dose gives better protection against childhood morbidity and mortality. Design Randomised study. Setting A combined oral polio vaccine and vitamin A supplementation campaign in Guinea-Bissau, Africa. Participants 4983 children aged 6 months to 5 years. Interventions One of two doses of vitamin A (recommended and half); oral polio vaccine. Main outcome measures Mortality and morbidity at six and nine months. Results Mortality was lower in the children who took half the recommended dose of vitamin A compared with the full dose at both six months (mortality rate ratio 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.36 to 1.35) and nine months (0.62, 0.36 to 1.06) of follow-up. There was a significant interaction between sex and dose, the lower dose being associated with significantly reduced mortality in girls (0.19, 0.06 to 0.66) but not in boys (1.98, 0.74 to 5.29). The lower dose of vitamin A was consistently associated with lower hospital case fatality in girls (0.19, 0.02 to 1.45). Paradoxically, in children aged 6-18 months, the low dose was associated with slightly higher morbidity. Conclusions Half the dose of vitamin A currently recommended by WHO may provide equally good or better protection against mortality but not against morbidity.
External cavity modes in Lang-Kobayashi and traveling wave models

We investigate a semiconductor laser with delayed optical feedback due to an external cavity formed by a regular mirror. We discuss similarities and differences of the well-known Lang-Kobayashi delay differential equation model and the traveling wave partial differential equation model. For comparison we locate the continuous wave states in both models and analyze their stability.
Predictive Ensemble Modelling: Experimental Comparison of Boosting Implementation Methods

This paper presents the empirical comparison of boosting implementation by reweighting and resampling methods. The goal of this paper is to determine which of the two methods performs better. In the study, we used four algorithms namely: Decision Stump, Neural Network, Random Forest and Support Vector Machine as base classifiers and AdaBoost as a technique to develop various ensemble models. We applied 10-fold cross validation method in measuring and evaluating the performance metrics of the models. The results show that in both methods the average of the correctly classified and incorrectly classified are relatively the same. However, average values of the RMSE in both methods are insignificantly different. The results further show that the two methods are independent of the datasets and the base classier used. Additionally, we found that the complexity of the chosen ensemble technique and boosting method does not necessarily lead to better performance.