Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate Social Responsibility in Recent Bilateral and Regional Free Trade Agreements: An Early Assessment

When looking at international trade and investment, there is a quite remarkable gap between the commercial power companies gain through international bilateral and regional trade agreements (Free Trade Agreements or FTAs) and investment treaties that facilitate their access to foreign markets and the norms of these agreements which address corporate behaviours in order to align them with sustainable development objectives. For instance, there is a strong perception by the public opinion that the recent Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, harshly criticized for lack of transparency, would favour multinational corporations and other business operators at the expenses of the protection of public interests. Recently negotiated FTAs contain dedicated chapters to social, labour and environmental protection issues, including corporate social responsibility (CSR) norms. The opening of FTAs and their investment chapters to sustainable development concerns is – or should be – a way to rebalance the level playing field in these interstate agreements by envisaging public interest standards applicable to business operators. Disagreements between the Parties regarding these provisions may be solved through implementation mechanisms where non-state actors can actively participate. Notwithstanding this shift towards the inclusion of non-trade and non-state actors consideration, the provisions of bilateral and regional FTAs remain of an intergovernmental nature and do not provide for direct obligations for corporations. Despite the lack of vertical effects and the consequent limited implications on enterprises, the presence of CSR clauses testifies the recognition of the crucial role that these actors play as potential promoters, on the one hand, but also of potential infringers, on the other hand, of human and labour rights and of environmental protection. This contribution first examines the approach and the provisions of selected bilateral and regional FTAs that are relevant for the protection of human and social rights and the environment. It then analyses one of the latest developments in this decade-long normative evolution, which are the CSR clauses included in the more recent FTAs concluded by the European Union. While these clauses, for the time being, are rather programmatic and are coupled with soft implementation mechanisms, some reflections are proposed de lege ferenda on how they could ‘harden’ and become more stringent.
Risk factors for merchant seafarer repatriation due to injury or illness at sea.

BACKGROUND Repatriation represents a serious outcome of illness or injury among seafarers at sea. The aim of this study was to describe repatriation patterns due to injury and illness in a seafarer cohort, and determine risk factors for repatriation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study analysed a telemedicine database of 3,921 seafarer injury and illness cases over a 4 year period using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. RESULTS There were 61 repatriations over the study period (1.6% of cases). Most repatriations were due to illness (38; 62.3%) as opposed to injury (23; 37.7%). Back injuries and gastrointestinal illness were the most frequent causes of repatriations. Using logistic regression, nationality was identified as a significant risk factor for repatriation. CONCLUSIONS This study emphasizes illness as a major cause of seafarer repatriation, and suggests opportunities for future studies to identify potentially modifiable risk factors.
Viral protein expression in producer and nonproducer clones of friend erythroleukemia cell lines

Erythroleukemia cell lines HFL/d and HFL/b, derived from tumors induced in vivo in BALB/c (H-2d) and congenic BALB.B (H-2b) mice, respectively, by a polycythemia-inducing strain of Friend virus, produced both spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV) and its native NB-tropic helper virus (Friend murine leukemia virus [FMuLV]) during early-passage generations in culture. Eventually each line ceased production of both infectious viruses but retained its tumorigenic potential in syngeneic hosts. Virus-producer and -nonproducer clones of these cell lines were examined for expression of proteins encoded by the SFFV or FMuLV genomes. Lysates of labeled cells were treated with various antiviral sera, and the precipitates were examined by gel electrophoresis. Expression of the FMuLV env gene-encoded precursor protein, gPr84env, was observed in all producer and most nonproducer clones, but the FMuLV gag and pol gene products, Pr65gag and Pr200gag-pol, were uniformly undetectable in nonproducer clones. All HFL/d and HFL/b clones expressed appreciable amounts of the SFFV-encoded envelope protein, gp52, including one exceptional clone which had ceased to express any FMuLV-encoded proteins. The molecular weight of this SFFV-encoded envelope protein was consistently smaller in all HFL/b clones than in HFL/d clones, regardless of their producer or nonproducer status. The virus-nonproducer phenotype thus appears to be due to shutdown of expression of the 5' portion of the FMuLV genome in two independent cell lines.
Autophagy in the Invading Pathogen

Autophagic degradation is of central importance to eukaryotic biology and has been implicated in a diverse array of developmental, differentiation, and disease related events in higher eukaryotes. We recently investigated the significance of autophagy in the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Surprisingly our results demonstrate that autophagy is not required for C. albicans yeast-hypha or chlamydospore differentiation. Furthermore, a Candida mutant blocked in autophagy had no detectable virulence defect during interaction with a macrophage like cell line, or in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. Herein we consider these results in the context of the pathogenic eukaryote, and raise important questions which remain to be addressed.
A Content Analysis of CSI Chapter Efforts to Promote Counselor Leadership Development

ABSTRACT Counselor leadership is vital to advancing the counseling profession. The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs has required leadership development as part of counselor training; however, little is known about how leadership skills are acquired in counselor preparation. Based on a content analysis of data from 136 Chi Sigma Iota chapters, leadership skill building efforts were identified. Implications for training and research are provided.
Towards a Genetic Algorithm Approach to Automating Workflow Composition for Web Services with Transactional and QoS-Awareness

Service-oriented architecture implemented by Web Services is one of the most popular and promising software development paradigm that has brought some challenging research issues today. One of the most important issues is how to automate web service composition at design phase. Currently, there are many researchers concentrating on service composition problem that can be partitioned into three parts, dynamic workflow composition, QoS-aware, and transaction-aware service selection. This paper addresses the issue of automatic composing Web Services into an executable workflow not only according to user¡¦s functional requirements but also to their transactional properties and QoS characteristics. We propose an automatic composition approach through genetic algorithm to satisfy user¡¦s functional requirements, QoS criteria, and transactional requirements automatically at the same time. Experimental results are presented.
Influence of long-term organic nutrient management on soil quality and crop productivity in rice (Oryza sativa)potato (Solanum tuberosum)okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) cropping system under irrigated condition

A long-term field experiment was conducted during 200607 to 201415 on organic nutrient management in rice (Oryza sativa L.)potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) cropping system under irrigated conditions in the coastal alluvial sandy loam soil having pH 5.8 and organic carbon 0.62% at Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Eight treatments comprising of five organic, two integrated and one inorganic of nutrient management were tested with three replications in randomized block design. Organic sources of nutrient supply reduced the system yield by 7.6 to 9.7% over the inorganic source in the first year. However, the mean system yield of conversion period (first three cropping system cycles) with organic nutrient management comprising of supply of one-third N each through farm yard manure (FYM), green manuring of dhaincha (Sesbania cannabina) or vermicompost and neem (Azadirachta indica) oilcake + Azospirillum or Azotobacter + phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) was on par with inorganic approach. The mean system yield from fourth to ninth cropping system cycles (after conversion period) with organic sources of nutrient supply, i.e. FYM + green manuring or vermicompost + neem oilcake + Azospirillum or Azotobacter + PSB was significantly higher (11.1%) than that of with inorganic source of nutrient supply i.e., 100% NPK + ZnSO @ 25 kg/ha to rice and 100% NPK + gypsum @ 4 110 kg/ha + borax @ 10 kg/ha + ammonium molybdate @ 0.8 kg/ha to both potato and okra. The organic nutrient management package increased the soil organic carbon and available N, P and K at the end of ninth cropping system cycle over the initial and the build-up was maximum in the soil applied with one third N each through FYM, dhaincha/vermicompost and neem oilcake + Azospirillum/Azotobacter + PSB. The microbial population in terms of colony forming units increased in a higher rate in soils with organic nutrient supply system (bacteria 36.5 to 39.4%, fungi 33.0 to 38.2% and actinomycetes 36.0 to 37.3%) compared to the inorganic source of nutrient supply system (bacteria 5.6%, fungi 10.3% and actinomycetes 12.7%) after ninth cropping system cycle over initial status. The microbial biomass carbon of the soils with organic sources of nutrient supply was enhanced considerably (57.7% to 66.8%) over the initial level (98.7 to 107.4 ? g C/g). Application of one-third N each through FYM, green manur- ing of dhaincha and neem oilcake + Azospirillum + PSB to rice followed by similar combination of FYM, vermicompost, neem oilcake + Azotobacter + PSB to both potato and okra was the best organic nutrient manage- ment practice for ricepotatookra cropping system for improving soil health and productivity. However, this sys- tem can be profitable under organic farming only when on-farm generated organic manures are used.
Limitations of Tracer Oxygen Uptake in the Canine Coronary Circulation

Theoretical models of oxygen transport in the myocardium have failed to account for low average tissue pO2 relative to to coronary sinus pO2, measured with pO2 electrodes and myoglobin saturation, and for hypoxic contractile failure at relatively high coronary sinus pO2 levels. These findings could be explained by either arteriovenous diffusional shunting or a limiting rate of transfer of oxygen from blood to tissue, or both. To gain new insights, we performed multiple indicator dilution tracer experiments across the coronary circulation in the dog, with 18O2 as the oxygen tracer and 51Cr-labeled red cells as the reference tracer for oxygen. 125I-Albumin and 22Na+ were included to provide the relative plasma flow rate. The tracer oxygen outflow curve consisted of a large early peak related to its reference red cell curve. No tracer emerged before the labeled red cells. The downslope, which contains the returning component of the tracer curve, decreased less steeply when oxygen consumption was reduced by propranolol. Fitting the tracer oxygen outflow curve with a distributed model including irreversible sequestration behind a resistance gave a transfer rate constant which was relatively small, and a relatively large rate constant for sequestration. Relative oxygen consumption (estimated from the arteriovenous difference) correlated closely with the rate constant for sequestration. Estimated average tissue oxygen concentrations were of the order of one-third blood concentration. Dimensional analysis indicates that the low transfer rate constant derives from hemoglobin-oxygen binding; this decreases fractional tracer oxygen transfer in proportion to the ratio of plasma:red cell oxygen pools
Effects of low-dose oligofructose treatment administered via nasogastric intubation on induction of laminitis and associated alterations in glucose and insulin dynamics in horses.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain whether laminitis can be induced via administration of oligofructose (OF) at doses of 5.0 and 7.5 g/kg in horses and to assess glucose and insulin dynamics before and after treatment. ANIMALS 19 adult horses. PROCEDURES Horses were fed OF (1.0 g/kg) mixed with oats for 6 days. Oligofructose at doses of 5.0 and 7.5 g/kg was then mixed with 4 L of water and administered (0 hours) to 8 (group A) and 4 (group B) horses, respectively, via nasogastric intubation; 8 horses received water alone. One horse in group A that did not develop laminitis was subsequently treated again and included in group B. Before and at intervals after treatment, resting plasma glucose and serum insulin concentrations were measured and frequently sampled IV glucose tolerance tests were performed. Area under the glucose curve (AUCg) and area under the insulin curve (AUCi) were calculated, and minimal model analyses were performed. RESULTS 3 of 8 horses in group A and all 4 horses in group B developed laminitis. Significant treatment-time effects were detected for resting plasma glucose concentrations and AUCg. Among horses in group A, mean AUCg values at 24 and 48 hours were 34% and 32% higher, respectively, than the mean value at 24 hours. Treatment groups did not differ significantly with respect to resting serum insulin concentration, AUCi, or minimal model analysis results. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In horses, laminitis can be induced and glucose dynamics altered via nasogastric administration of 5.0 g of OF/kg. An alteration in insulin dynamics was not detected following treatment with OF.
Coherent gigahertz phonons in Ge2Sb2Te5 phase-change materials

Using ≈ ? >40 fs ultrashort laser pulses, we investigate the picosecond acoustic response from a prototypical phase change material, thin Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) films with various thicknesses. After excitation with a 1.53 eV-energy pulse with a fluence of ≈ ? >5 mJ cm−2, the time-resolved reflectivity change exhibits transient electronic response, followed by a combination of exponential-like strain and coherent acoustic phonons in the gigahertz (GHz) frequency range. The time-domain shape of the coherent acoustic pulse is well reproduced by the use of the strain model by Thomsen et al 1986 (Phys. Rev. B 34 4129). We found that the decay rate (the inverse of the relaxation time) of the acoustic phonon both in the amorphous and in the crystalline phases decreases as the film thickness increases. The thickness dependence of the acoustic phonon decay is well modeled based on both phonon-defect scattering and acoustic phonon attenuation at the GST/Si interface, and it is revealed that those scattering and attenuation are larger in crystalline GST films than those in amorphous GST films.
NG‐NITRO‐l‐ARGININE METHYL ESTER POTENTIATES ANAPHYLACTIC VENOCONSTRICTION IN RAT PERFUSED LIVERS

1 The effects of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (l‐NAME) on anaphylaxis‐induced venoconstriction were examined in rat isolated livers perfused with blood‐free solutions in order to clarify the role of NO in anaphylactic venoconstriction. 2 Rats were sensitized with ovalbumin (1 mg) and, 2 weeks later, livers were excised and perfused portally in a recirculating manner at a constant flow with Krebs’–Henseleit solution. The antigen (ovalbumin; 0.1 mg) was injected into the reservoir 10 min after pretreatment with l‐NAME (100 mmol/L) or d‐NAME (100 mmol/L) and changes in portal vein pressure (Ppv), hepatic vein pressure (Phv) and perfusate flow were monitored. In addition, concentrations of the stable metabolites of NO ( and ) were determined in the perfusate using an HPLC–Griess system. 3 The antigen caused hepatic venoconstriction, as evidenced by an increase in Ppv from a mean (SEM) baseline value of 7.7 ± 0.1 cmH2O to a peak of 21.4 ± 1.1 cmH2O at 3 min in d‐NAME‐pretreated livers. Pretreatment with l‐NAME augmented anaphylactic venoconstriction, as reflected by a higher Ppv (27.4 ± 0.8 cmH2O) after antigen than observed following d‐NAME pretreatment. The addition of l‐arginine, a precursor for the synthesis of NO, reversed the augmentation of anaphylactic venoconstricion by l‐NAME. This suggests that hepatic anaphylaxis increased the production of NO, which consequently attenuated anaphylactic venoconstriction. However, perfusate NOx levels did not increase significantly after antigen in livers pretreated with either l‐NAME or d‐NAME. 4 In conclusion, l‐NAME potentiates rat anaphylactic hepatic venoconstriction, suggesting that NO contributes to the attenuation of the venoconstriction. However, this functional evidence was not accompanied by corresponding changes in perfusate NOx concentrations.
The Incidence and Outcome of Ventricular Arrhythmias After Noncardiac Thoracic Surgery

Atrial arrhythmias are common after thoracic surgery, but the incidence and significance of ventricular arrhythmias early after such surgery are not well established. Our goal was to determine the incidence and outcome of this complication from a continuing prospective database in 412 patients who had lobectomy (n = 243) or pneumonectomy (n = 169) and were continuously monitored with Holter recorders for 72–96 h postoperatively. The primary end point of the study was the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia (VT) defined as three or more consecutive wide complexes. Sixty-one of 412 patients (15%) developed 1 or more episode of VT. There were no episodes of sustained (>30 s) VT and no patient required treatment for hemodynamic compromise associated with any VT episode. Patients with VT had a more frequent incidence of a preoperative left bundle branch block (P = 0.01) but did not differ in other clinical characteristics, operative data, or core temperature on arrival to the postanesthesia care unit, when compared with those without VT. Patients who developed VT had significantly more atrial premature contractions (P < 0.001), ventricular premature contractions (P < 0.001), ventricular couplets (P < 0.001), and postoperative atrial fibrillation, 21 of 61 (34%) versus 58 of 351 (17%), P = 0.001, than those without VT, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only postoperative atrial fibrillation occurrence was independently associated with VT (relative risk 2.6, 95% confidence intervals 1.4 to 4.8, P = 0.002). We conclude that nonsustained VT after noncardiac thoracic surgery occurs frequently but is not associated with poor outcome. The strong association of atrial and ventricular arrhythmogenesis with VT suggests that vagal withdrawal and/or adrenergic hyperactivity may have a role in precipitating these events in the early postoperative period.
Management of the Implant Periapical Lesion: A Case Report

The implant periapical lesion (IPL), a possible cause for implant failure, may occur from the presence of pre-existing microbial pathology such as endodontic/periodontal lesions. This case report presents a case history related to IPL, which was caused by a pre-existing endodontic lesion. In addition, other possible causes such as surgical trauma and the management strategies of IPL are suggested. For the treatment of the infected form of IPL, a sequential surgical therapy can be utilized. This includes surgical removal of the implant or implant apical region, thorough debridement of the infected lesion, systemic antibiotics, and/or guided bone regeneration. The implant therapy should be directed to minimize the occurrence or consequences of IPL by careful diagnosis, systematic treatment planning, and appropriate treatment procedures.
Effects of structural, relational and cognitive social capital on resource acquisition: a study of entrepreneurs residing in multiply deprived areas

ABSTRACT Emerging research demonstrates that structural social capital facilitates the resource acquisition of entrepreneurs residing in multiply deprived areas. However, their usage of relational and cognitive social capital that translates to accessible resources is not well understood. We contribute to knowledge and comprehensively examine effects of structural, relational and cognitive social capital taken together on the resource acquisition of entrepreneurs residing in multiply deprived areas. Results from a national survey of entrepreneurs residing in multiply deprived areas across England show that large networks, bonding ties, trust, reciprocity, obligations and expectations, and shared language and codes facilitate their resource acquisition. Also, we demonstrate that they are reluctant or unable to bridge social distance and adopt narrative storytelling. Furthermore, the results indicate that entrepreneurs residing in multiply deprived areas in the most deprived regions suffer from less resource acquisition.
Minimization of the Preanalytical Error in Pharmacokinetic Analyses and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring: Focus on IV Drug Administration

Background: The conduct of multicenter pharmacokinetic (PK) analyses for long-established drugs entails specific problems, because samples have to be obtained within daily clinical practice. Practices for intravenous (IV) drug administration vary between hospitals, including the use of different infusion devices, the use of infusion line systems with different line volumes, and different priming and rinsing procedures. Methods: Variables of IV drug administration that could influence concentration data obtained in PK analyses were evaluated. Kinetics of drug delivery during initiation and cessation of IV infusions were simulated in vitro for a drop-counter and a syringe-driven infusion system at different flow rates. Furthermore, the percentages of the target drug dosage remaining in the infusion line after different rinsing periods were investigated in vitro and in clinical practice. Results: Varying times required for the drug to migrate from the bag/syringe to the cannula and to reach a steady-state drug administration rate were observed. Time to steady state ranged from almost immediate to 48 minutes depending on the infusion system and flow rate. The longest times were seen for the drop-counter system at low flow rates and were associated with large drug concentration gradients in the infusion line, which makes it difficult to accurately determine start and end of the infusion. For most systems, when rinsing at the end of infusion was performed with once the volume of the infusion line, <5% of the total drug dosage was discarded. Larger variability was seen for slow infusion rates and small infusion volumes. Conclusions: The choice of the infusion apparatus, standardized infusion systems, and standardized operating procedures for drug administration are important when performing postmarketing PK analyses in multicentric studies.
Psoriasis in Swedish conscripts: time trend and association with T‐helper 2‐mediated disorders

Background According to the T‐helper (Th)1/Th2 paradigm, it has been argued that Th1‐dominated diseases such as psoriasis and Th2‐dominated diseases such as asthma and hay fever should be mutually exclusive, as the immune regulatory cells, Th1 and Th2, cross‐regulate each other. An increase in asthma and hay fever has occurred in Sweden over the past four to five decades, but the time trend for psoriasis is not clear.