Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International Hotel Revenue management; Web-performance Effectiveness Model-Research Comparative

Purpose – In the hotel industry today, web site marketing and third party distribution metrics are of critical importance in understanding the effectiveness of hotel revenue management objectives. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new model which tests hotel web‐effectiveness using the following variables: reach, content, consistency and price parity (RCO2P). Design/methodology/approach – For the current RCO2P study, the hotel sample was broken down into two segment groupings of five hotels: luxury; and upper‐upscale. The ten full‐service hotels were monitored over a 90‐day period using room rate quotations and ordinal values across 14 dimensions based on three pre‐selected arrival dates.Findings – Results of the RCO2P study indicated preferential display sequencing emerged as a significant factor in the reach category among all hotel properties reviewed. Only six of ten properties were measured as having achieved optimal web‐effectiveness, while poor price‐parity competency reflected the most situ.
Club foot, an adverse outcome of early amniocentesis: disruption or deformation?

An association between the occurrence of club foot and early amniocentesis has been reported. The largest of these randomised studies was the Canadian Early and Mid-Trimester Amniocentesis Trial. Data describing the neonatal outcome, focusing on this association, are presented. Possible mechanisms for the association and the implications for the development of club foot are discussed.
A selective review of maternal sleep characteristics in the postpartum period.

OBJECTIVE To determine the current knowledge of postpartum women's sleep patterns, sleep disturbances, consequences of sleep disturbances, and known strategies for prevention in order to provide best practice recommendations for health care providers. DATA SOURCES A literature search from 1969 through February 2008 was conducted using the CINHL, Index of Allied Health Literature, Ovid, PsycINFO, and PubMed electronic databases in addition to reference lists from selected articles and other key references. Search terms included sleep, postpartum, sleep deprivation, and sleep disturbance. STUDY SELECTION A critical review of all relevant articles from the data sources was conducted with attention to the needs of postpartum women's sleep and implications for health care providers. DATA EXTRACTION Literature was reviewed and organized into groups with similar characteristics. DATA SYNTHESIS An integrative review of the literature summarized the current state of research related to sleep alterations in postpartum women. CONCLUSIONS Postpartum women experience altered sleep patterns that may lead to sleep disturbances. The most common reasons for sleep disturbances are related to newborn sleep and feeding patterns. Although present, the relationships among sleep disturbance, fatigue, and depression in postpartum women lack clarity due to their ambiguous definitions and the variety of the studies conducted. Providers should encourage prenatal education that assists the couple in developing strategies for decreasing postpartum sleep deprivation. Alterations of in-hospital care and home care should be incorporated to improve the new family's sleep patterns.
Spontaneous pneumothorax in 35 cats (2001–2010)

Thirty-five cases of spontaneous pneumothorax were reviewed. In contrast to dogs, cats with an established etiology all had spontaneous pneumothorax associated with lung disease. Underlying diseases identified in affected cats included inflammatory airway disease, neoplasia, heartworm infection, pulmonary abscess and lungworm infection. Many cats were managed successfully with observation alone or needle thoracocentesis and specific therapy for their primary lung disease. Cats who present with spontaneous pneumothorax may be treated successfully with non-surgical therapies and appear to have a better prognosis than previously extrapolated from canine studies.
Property Market Overvaluation, Toeholds, and the Winners' Curse: Evidence from Hong Kong Land Auctions

In this paper, we empirically identify rational overbidding using evidence from Hong Kong land auctions. In particular, we test for rational overbidding through a toehold effect in bidding behavior (Burkart (1995), Bulow, Huang and Klemperer, (1999)). In Hong Kong, auctions are widely used by the government to sell land to property developers. These auctions are associated with a significant toehold effect which arises because a developer may already have an on-going project in the same geographical area in which the auction is being held. If the winning bid in the auction is high, then it might help the developer sell the new units from the on-going project at a higher value. Auction theory predicts that higher toeholds will be associated with more aggressive bidding and higher probability of winning by the toeholder. However, in a common value environment, asymmetry in toeholds will give rise to winners' curse and low expected sale price. Moreover, a unique implication of the toehold effect is that losing may be good news for bidders with high toeholds. We find strong support for these effects for Hong Kong land auctions. The effects mostly come from auctions associated with greater dispersion in analysts' forecasts regarding the value of the property being auctioned, which in turn coincides with periods of high property valuation in Hong Kong. Our results are consistent with the idea that developers have a stronger incentive to bid aggressively when the property market is overvalued in order to protect the value of their toeholds.
Serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis in sheep following vaccination and challenge

THREE serological tests for the detection of ovine antibody to an incomplete vaccinal strain and a complete isolate of Toxoplasma gondii were compared for sensitivity and specificity. Nine Scottish blackface cross Swaledale ewes, four to six years old, seronegative for antibodies to T gondii by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Buxton and others 1988) were used. All nine animals were selected at random from a larger group of sheep involved in a study on the long-term efficacy of vaccination with tachyzoites of the S48 incomplete strain of T gondii (Toxovax; Intervet UK) (Buxton and others 1993). Ewes were vaccinated subcutaneously with 1-2 x 105 tachyzoites and 16 months later all were mated. At 90 days gestation, they were each dosed orally with 2000 sporulated M3 T gondii occysts, as already described (Buxton and others 1991). Blood samples were collected at regular intervals after vaccination and challenge, and the serum removed and stored at -20°C before analysis for the presence of anti-toxoplasma antibodies with an ELISA, an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and a latex agglutination test (LAT). The ELISA was modified from the method of Voller and others (1976) for use with sheep sera, with antibody detected expressed as per cent optical density (%OD) and values of 25 per cent, or less, considered to be seronegative (Buxton and others 1988, 1991). The IFAT was based on the method of Munday and Corbould (1971) and slightly modified (D. Buxton, S. W. Maley, P. -P. Pastoret, B. Brochier, E. A. Innes, unpublished data). Bound antibody was visualised by applying donkey IgG anti-sheep IgG fluorescein isothiocyanate (Sigma Chemicals) used at a dilution of 1:256 in 0-2 per cent Evan's blue in phosphate buffered saline. Slides were mounted under coverslips using Citifluor (Citifluor) and examined using an Olympus BX50 fluorescence microscope, fitted with appropriate filters. Titres of 1:64, or less, were regarded as negative (Buxton and others 1991). The LAT was carried out as described using the Toxotest kit (Eiken Chemical Co). Titres of 1:32, or less, were regarded as negative (Trees and others 1989). Data were analysed using Student's t test for paired comparisons. ELISA mean %OD values were negative for T gondii antibody before vaccination and one week after vaccination (Fig 1). Between weeks 1 and 6 after vaccination, values rose significantly to reach a peak of almost 80 per cent by week 6 (P<0.001) and then decreased to a mean value of 33 per cent by week 31. Values remained low until week 78 when the sheep were challenged with oocysts. Antibody levels then rose significantly one week after challenge (P<0.001) to 100 per cent and values remained above 1/4096
PENGARUH INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL TERHADAP RETURN ON ASSET (ROA) PERBANKAN

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui danmemperoleh bukti empiris tentang pengaruh intellectualcapital terhadap Return on Asset (ROA)perbankan.Penelitian ini termasuk penelitian ex-post facto.Populasi dalam penelitian ini yaitu perusahaan perbankanyang terdaftar di Bank Indonesia periode2006-2009 dengan sampel sebanyak 68 perusahaan.Teknik pengambilan sample dengan teknikporposive sampling. Variabel dalam penelitian initerdiri dari satu variabel independen yaitu IntelectualCapital (IC) dan satu variabel dependen yaituReturn on Asset (ROA). Sebelum dilakukan analisisdata terlebih dahulu diadakan pengujianprasyarat analisis yang meliputi uji normalitas, autokorelasidan heteroskedastisitas. Analisis yangdigunakan yaitu dengan analisis regresi linear sederhana.Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapatpengaruh positif antara intellectual capital terhadapReturn On Asset (ROA). Hal ini dibuktikan dengannilai koefesien regresi sebesar 0,009 dan hitunglebih besar dari t tabel (9,650>1,960) dengannilai signifikan signifikansi (p) lebih kecil dari tarafsignifikansi 0,05 (0,000<0,05). Besar pengaruhyang diberikan intellectual capital terhadap ReturnOn Asset (ROA) sebesar 25,6%. Kata kunci: Intellectual Capital (IC), Return on Asset(ROA).
FDG μPET Fails to Detect a Disease-Specific Phenotype in Rats Transgenic for Huntington's Disease – A 15 Months Follow-up Study.

BACKGROUND FDG-PET detects hypometabolism in premanifest and symptomatic Huntington's disease (HD). A cross-sectional study suggested that whole-brain FDG-PET is capable to detect a phenotype in transgenic (tg) HD rats. Recently, a longitudinal follow-up study showed no FDG-PET changes in tgHD rats. Both studies applied small sample sizes and analysis was limited to whole-brain or striatum. OBJECTIVE We therefore performed a follow-up study in a larger cohort of tgHD and wild-type (wt) rats encompassing several pre-defined regions of interest (ROIs) and hypothesis free voxel-by-voxel SPM analysis to clarify whether FDG-PET can detect a phenotype in tgHD rats and to determine onset …and effect sizes of changes over time. METHODS N = 19 tgHD- and n = 20 wt-rats, mixed gender, were included. Repeated small animal FDG-μPET and MRI were performed at 5,10,15, and 20 months of age. ROIs encompassing entire brain, cortex, striatum, thalamus, subventricular-zone, and cerebellum were placed manually on the MRI and transferred to the co-registered μPET. Mean and maximal FDG-PET activities within ROIs were calculated and normalized to cerebellar FDG uptake. Activity and spatially normalized FDG-μPET were compared between groups on a hypothesis-free voxel-by-voxel basis using SPM. RESULTS FDG uptake showed changes over time in both tgHD- and wt-rats, however, there was no consistent difference between tgHD- and wt-rats in both the manual ROI and SPM analysis. CONCLUSIONS In this transgenic rat model of HD FDG-μPET imaging does not detect significant alterations at the ages investigated. Further investigations are warranted employing other age groups and alternative imaging biomarkers for neuronal degeneration, respectively.
Diffusion and chemical reaction in pulmonary gas exchange.

P. D. Wagner, “Diffusion and Chemical Reaction in Pulmonary Gas Exchange,” vol. 57, no. 2, April 1977, p. 262: in Equation 1 the negative sign preceding Dx should be ignored and the last sentence of the second paragraph (“The negative sign …”) should be deleted; in the last paragraph the units for agrx are ml gas/100 ml tissue per mmHg rather than ml gas/100 ml blood per mmHg.
Rosiglitazone may reduce thyroid cancer risk in patients with type 2 diabetes

Abstract Background. Whether rosiglitazone use in patients with type 2 diabetes may affect thyroid cancer risk has not been investigated. Methods. The reimbursement databases of all diabetic patients under oral anti-diabetic agents or insulin from 1996 to 2009 were retrieved from the National Health Insurance of Taiwan. An entry date was set at 1 January 2006, and 887,665 patients with type 2 diabetes were followed for thyroid cancer incidence until the end of 2009 for ever-users, never-users, and subgroups of rosiglitazone exposure using tertile cut-offs for time since starting rosiglitazone, duration of therapy, and cumulative dose. Hazard ratios were estimated by Cox regression. Results. There were 103,224 ever-users and 784,441 never-users, with respective numbers of incident thyroid cancer of 84 (0.08%) and 764 (0.10%), and respective incidence of 23.12 and 28.09 per 100,000 person-years. The overall multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio was not significant. However, in dose-response analyses, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) were significant for the third tertile of duration of therapy (≥ 14 months) and cumulative dose (≥ 1,800 mg) for age ≥ 50 years: 0.53 (0.31–0.89) and 0.50 (0.29–0.87), respectively. Conclusions. This study suggests that rosiglitazone use in patients with type 2 diabetes may reduce the risk of thyroid cancer.
Matrix Padé-Type Method for Computing the Matrix Exponential

Matrix Pade approximation is a widely used method for computing matrix functions. In this paper, we apply matrix Pade-type approximation instead of typical Pade approximation to computing the matrix exponential. In our approach the scaling and squaring method is also used to make the approximant more accurate. We present two algorithms for computing and for computing with many espectively. Numerical experiments comparing the proposed method with other existing methods which are MATLAB’s functions expm and funm show that our approach is also very effective and reliable for computing the matrix exponential . Moreover, there are two main advantages of our approach. One is that there is no inverse of a matrix required in this method. The other is that this method is more convenient when computing for a fixed matrix A with many t ≥ 0.
Initial Response to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-1C-Infected Adults in a Public Sector Treatment Program in Botswana

Objective:To describe the response to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) in a public sector pilot antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program in Botswana. Methods:The response to HAART is described in adult HIV-infected ARV-naive patients initiating treatment from April 2001 to January 2002 at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. Patients had medical and laboratory evaluations before initiating ARV treatment and were followed longitudinally. For analysis, data were collected from charts and patient management records. Results:One hundred fifty-three ARV-naive patients initiated HAART. Most received didanosine plus stavudine (ddI + d4T) with efavirenz or nevirapine. The mean CD4+ cell count increase was 149 cells/mm3 at 24 weeks and 204 cells/mm3 at 48 weeks. The percentage of patients with an HIV-1 RNA level ≤400 copies/mL was 87.0% at 24 weeks and 78.8% at 48 weeks. The Kaplan-Meier 1-year survival estimate was 84.7% (79.0%, 90.8%), with a 3.2-fold increased risk (P = 0.004) of mortality among patients with a CD4+ cell count <50 cells/mm3. The 1-year Kaplan-Meier estimate of toxicity-related drug switches was 32.2% (20.3%, 40.4%). The most common toxicity was peripheral neuropathy, occurring more frequently in patients with a preexisting diagnosis of peripheral neuropathy and among those placed on ddI + d4T-containing regimens. Conclusions:An excellent response to HAART was observed among HIV-1C-infected patients, paralleling those seen elsewhere. Despite excellent responses, high rates of toxicity were observed for ddI + d4T-containing regimens.
An Invisible Frontier? Intrinsic-Extrinsic Motivations and Knowledge Sharing in Firms

This paper examines the motivational foundations, based on intrinsic and/or extrinsic factors, of knowledge creation, sharing and transferring process within manufacturing firms in an innovation perspective. First, using French data set, we study the interrelationships between knowledge management and motivation management practices, and their impact on knowledge sharing (defined as conducting a shared pool of knowledge). We find differences between firms' characteristics regarding size, technological sectors, group membership and innovation performance. Second, organizational diversity of the firms is showed. We identify three motivation management systems characterized respectively: (i) traditional firms i.e. traditional in their work organization; (ii) firms using motivation personel practices and (iii) learning firms using, added to motivation, knowledge management practices. Firms using motivation practices are linked to agency and incentives theories based on extrinsic factors. Learning firms use both interrelated intrinsic and extrinsic motivations as suggested by self-determination theory (SDT) and also by cognitive evaluation theory (CET) in which feelings of competence and autonomy are important for intrinsic motivation. Third, empirical evidence allows to conclude that motivation management systems have significant and positive impact on knowledge sharing, while marginal changes in individual practices have little effect. This logic of interrelationships accounts for synergies existing between these practices. The result supports the notion that motivation practices must be systematically associated with both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation practices and specific organization in order to reach the maximum performance.
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 cellular host range, replication, and cytopathicity are linked to the envelope region of the viral genome

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates vary in their in vitro biologic characteristics such as cellular host range, replication kinetics, and cytopathicity. In this study, we molecularly exchanged equivalent regions between two cloned HIV-1 isolates with differing replicative and cytopathic properties. To facilitate generation of recombinant viruses, we used a method involving cotransfection of human monolayer cells with plasmid constructs containing half of the biologically active viral genome. The two halves of the genome were subsequently ligated by intracellular processes to form the complete proviral genome. This method simplifies plasmid construction, since new infectious virus particles can be produced easily from the individual constructs that are correctly ligated in vivo. Results obtained by using recombinant viruses generated in this manner indicate that the ability of HIV to replicate in specific cell types and cytopathicity segregate with the env region of the viral genome.
Capital Flows, Foreign Direct Investment, and Debt-Equity Swaps in Developing Countries

One of the nest serious consequences of the debt crisis of 1982 has been the reduction in the accessibility to the world capital market for most developing countries. This situation has proved to be particularly serious for Latin American nations. At this juncture, a key question is how to improve the LLCs attractiveness for foreign capital flows. In this paper I explore the role of two potential sour of additional private capital inflows: increased direct foreign investment, and the debt-conversion mechanisms. The paper presents the results from an economic analysis of the determinants of the cross-country distribution of the OECD direct foreign investment (DFI) into the LDCs. Particular emphasis is given to assessing the relative importance of political variables of the recipient countries. The role of the debt-equity swaps as investments for reducing the extreme debt burden is also investigated, using the recent Chilean experience with these mechanisms as a case-study.
Empowering young patients with long-term conditions to take control of their medicines

Despite an increasing focus on empowering people with long-term conditions to take greater responsibility for their health and disease management, it is recognized that the voices and perspectives of young patients in these initiatives are often missing. However, in recent years a number of researchers and practitioners have found that children and adolescents often take an informed and active role in the management of their condition including the use of medicines, and many advocate that they should be encouraged to do so. This article provides an overview of the evidence on the roles and perspectives of young patients with long-term conditions in their use of medicines and associated decision making. This includes the implications for adherence, their participation in healthcare consultations, sources of information and interventions designed to enhance self-efficacy in the use of medicines.
Refinement of the karyological aspects of Psidium guineense (Swartz, 1788): a comparison with Psidium guajava (Linnaeus, 1753)

Abstract Euploidy plays an important role in the evolution and diversification of Psidium Linnaeus, 1753. However, few data about the nuclear DNA content, chromosome characterization (morphometry and class) and molecular markers have been reported for this genus. In this context, the present study aims to shed light on the genome of Psidium guineense Swartz, 1788, comparing it with Psidium guajava Linnaeus, 1753. Using flow cytometry, the nuclear 2C value of Psidium guineense was 2C = 1.85 picograms (pg), and the karyotype showed 2n = 4x = 44 chromosomes. Thus, Psidium guineense has four chromosome sets, in accordance with the basic chromosome number of Psidium (x = 11). In addition, karyomorphometric analysis revealed morphologically identical chromosome groups in the karyotype of Psidium guineense. The high transferability of microsatellites (98.6%) further corroborates with phylogenetic relationship between Psidium guajava and Psidium guineense. Based on the data regarding nuclear genome size, karyotype morphometry and molecular markers of Psidium guineense and Psidium guajava (2C = 0.95 pg, 2n = 2x = 22 chromosomes), Psidium guineense is a tetraploid species. These data reveal the role of euploidy in the diversification of the genus Psidium.
Inhibition of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Ameliorates Rat Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis1

Chemokines, including RANTES/CCL5 and MCP-1/CCL2, are highly expressed in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and they promote leukocyte migration into the synovial tissue. This study was conducted to determine whether the inhibition of RANTES and MCP-1 therapeutically was capable of ameliorating rat of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Postonset treatment of AIA using a novel inhibitor for endogenous MCP-1 (P8A-MCP-1) improved clinical signs of arthritis and histological scores measuring joint destruction, synovial lining, macrophage infiltration, and bone erosion. Using immunohistochemistry, ELISA, real-time RT-PCR, and Western blot analysis, we defined joint inflammation, bony erosion, monocyte migration, proinflammatory cytokines, and bone markers, and p-p38 levels were reduced in rat AIA treated with P8A-MCP-1. In contrast, neither the dominant-negative inhibitor for endogenous RANTES (44AANA47-RANTES) nor the CCR1/CCR5 receptor antagonist, methionylated-RANTES, had an effect on clinical signs of arthritis when administered after disease onset. Additionally, therapy with the combination of 44AANA47-RANTES plus P8A-MCP-1 did not ameliorate AIA beyond the effect observed using P8A-MCP-1 alone. Treatment with P8A-MCP-1 reduced joint TNF-α, IL-1β, and vascular endothelial growth factor levels. P8A-MCP-1 also decreased p38 MAPK activation in the joint. Our results indicate that inhibition of MCP-1 with P8A-MCP-1 after the onset of clinically detectable disease ameliorates AIA and decreases macrophage accumulation, cytokine expression, and p38 MAPK activation within the joint.