Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Gadolinium Uptake in Thermally Treated Canine Brain Tissue and Experimental Cerebral Tumors

Kangasniemi M, Stafford RJ, Price RE, et al. Dynamic gadolinium uptake in thermally treated canine brain tissue and experimental cerebral tumors. Invest Radiol 2003;38:102–107. Rationale and Objectives.Thermal coagulation of cerebral tumors induces reactive changes within adjacent brain tissue, which appear as Gd-DTPA enhancement in MR images. This makes assessment of therapeutic success difficult to establish radiographically because the reactive changes can mimic residual tumor. Dynamic Gd-DTPA uptake curves in reactive tissue and tumor were investigated to assess the utility of contrast enhanced (CE)-dynamic MRI to distinguish reactive changes from residual tumor in a canine model. Materials and Methods.Cerebral thermal necrosis was induced using a 980 nm laser in 11 dogs with intracerebral transmissible venereal tumors (TVTs). A fast spin-echo T1-weighted imaging sequence was used for CE-dynamic MRI. Gd-DTPA uptake data were acquired with 10-second temporal resolution and for untreated TVTs for reactive tissue using a sigmoidal-exponential model. Results.Characteristic gadolinium uptake curves were measured and characterized for reactive brain tissue, and untreated and treated TVTs. Both early and delayed dynamic responses were significantly different in reactive brain tissue compared with TVT. Conclusion.Reactive thermal changes in otherwise normal brain tissue can be distinguished from residual tumor after cerebral thermal therapy using CE-dynamic MRI.
Determinants of Emerging Market Sovereign Bond Spreads: Fundamentals vs Financial Stress

This paper analyses the determimants of emerging market sovereign bond spreads by examining the short and long-run effects of fundamental (macroeconomic) and temporary (financial market) factors on these spreads. During the current global financial and economic crisis, sovereign bond spreads widened dramatically for both developed and emerging market economies. This deterioration has widely been attributed to rapidly growing public debts and balance sheet risks. Our results indicate that in the long run, fundamentals are significant determinants of emerging market sovereign bond spreads, while in the short run, financial volatility is a more important determinant of sperads than fundamentals indicators.
Stakeholder engagement and corporate social responsibility reporting: the ownership structure effect

Social disclosure, according to Ullmann's conceptual framework (1985), could be explained by stakeholder power, strategic posture and economic performance, where the power of stakeholders is a function of the resources they control that are essential to the company. The aim of this work is to test the effect that shareholder power and dispersed ownership structure have on the decision to disclose corporate social responsibility (CSR) information in the Spanish context, controlling for the rest of the dimensions. Our results allow us to affirm that this paper tests a stakeholder theory approach to analyzing corporate social disclosures and is consistent with the framework proposed, although the power of shareholders is quite limited. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
The Role of the university in eco-entrepreneurship: evidence from the eurobarometer survey on attitudes of European entrepreneurs towards eco-innovation

There is an increasing social and political awareness of the importance of sustainable innovations. Strategic partnerships between policy makers, businesses, researchers and citizens are keys to developing, implementing and applying eco-innovation, essential for the transition to a competitive green economy. Within this innovation ecosystem, universities can play a central role in creating viable alternative models that are driven by environmental sustainability. Based on evidence from the first survey on Eco-innovation in Europe- ‘The Eurobarometer 315 Survey on Attitudes of European Entrepreneurs towards Eco-Innovation’, the present paper examines the impact of university collaboration on eco-innovating small firms. It also considers how technology push, demand side factors and the regulatory framework, drive eco-innovation in European SMEs. This paper has several implications for managers, as well as for policy makers. For managers, it should be stressed that collaboration with universities is essential to drive all types of eco-innovations. Our findings also suggest that national government should foster cooperation with universities following EU example (eg. European Innovation Partnership in EcoAP), as national policies based on subsidies and fiscal incentives appear to be ineffective.
The impact of price and extra product promotions on store preference

Focuses on consumer evaluations of store preference when presented with promotional deals that are equivalent on a unit‐cost basis and/or are equivalent on a total cost basis but are worded differently. An experimental design setting is used to examine the effect of three deal frames: one, stated in terms of a straight price promotion (“50 percent off”), the second, as an extra‐product or volume promotion (“buy one, get one free”), and a third as a “mixed” promotion (“buy two, get 50 percent off”). Four typical supermarket product categories are considered in a shopping scenario to investigate the effect of two category‐based moderating factors: product stock‐up characteristic and price level. Results show that the nature of framing significantly affects consumer deal preference and store preference even though the deals are equivalent on a unit cost basis and two of the deals are also equivalent on a total cost basis.
Typhoid fever in the United States, 1999-2006.

CONTEXT Typhoid fever in the United States has increasingly been due to infection with antimicrobial-resistant Salmonella ser Typhi. National surveillance for typhoid fever can inform prevention and treatment recommendations. OBJECTIVE To assess trends in infections with antimicrobial-resistant S. Typhi. DESIGN Cross-sectional, laboratory-based surveillance study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS We reviewed data from 1999-2006 for 1902 persons with typhoid fever who had epidemiologic information submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and 2016 S. Typhi isolates sent by participating public health laboratories to the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System Laboratory at the CDC for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Proportion of S. Typhi isolates demonstrating resistance to 14 antimicrobial agents and patient risk factors for antimicrobial-resistant infections. RESULTS Patient median age was 22 years (range, <1-90 years); 1295 (73%) were hospitalized and 3 (0.2%) died. Foreign travel within 30 days of illness was reported by 1439 (79%). Only 58 travelers (5%) had received typhoid vaccine. Two hundred seventy-two (13%) of 2016 isolates tested were resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (multidrug-resistant S. Typhi [MDRST]); 758 (38%) were resistant to nalidixic acid (nalidixic acid-resistant S. Typhi [NARST]) and 734 NARST isolates (97%) had decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin. The proportion of NARST increased from 19% in 1999 to 54% in 2006. Five ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates were identified. Patients with resistant infections were more likely to report travel to the Indian subcontinent: 85% of patients infected with MDRST and 94% with NARST traveled to the Indian subcontinent, while 44% of those with susceptible infections did (MDRST odds ratio, 7.5; 95% confidence interval, 4.1-13.8; NARST odds ratio, 20.4; 95% confidence interval, 12.4-33.9). CONCLUSION Infection with antimicrobial-resistant S. Typhi strains among US patients with typhoid fever is associated with travel to the Indian subcontinent, and an increasing proportion of these infections are due to S. Typhi strains with decreased susceptibility to fluoroquinolones.
Consumer perceived risk: conceptualisations and models

Reviews the literature on consumer‐perceived risk over the past 30 years. The review begins by establishing perceived risk’s relationship with related marketing constructs such as involvement and trust. It then tackles some debates within the literature, concerning subjective and objective risk and differences between the concepts of risk and uncertainty. It describes how different models have been devised and operationalised to measure risk and how these have developed over the years. Aims to identify and report the theoretical and model developments over the past 30 years and to propose criteria which researchers can use in deciding the most useful model for their own research. The criteria are: understanding, prediction, suitability for reliability and validity assessment, practicality and usability. It is suggested that the basic two‐component model is still the most generally useful for researchers and practitioners alike.
Factors that affect the trust of business clients in their banks

Purpose – The paper seeks to extend Coulter and Coulter (2002) findings regarding the impact of “person‐related” service characteristics (empathy, politeness, and similarity) and “offer‐related” service characteristics (customization, competence, and promptness) by examining business client trust in their current bank service representatives based on the length of the relationships with their banks.Design/methodology/approach – The paper tested the effects of the above variables by collecting data from small business owners in the transportation industry in British Columbia, Canada. Clients were surveyed as to their beliefs about and feelings toward their bank service representatives.Findings – The findings in this paper demonstrate that all six factors are related to trust building in general, but the factors are more salient at different periods of the relationship with their banks. Customization was found to be of particular importance at “crucial” periods of time in the business life cycle.Practical i.
The sxa2‐dependent inactivation of the P‐factor mating pheromone in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

Haploid cells of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe exist in one of two mating types, referred to as M and P. Conjugation occurs between cells of opposite mating type and is controlled by the reciprocal action of diffusible pheromones. Loss of function of the sxa2 gene in M cells causes hypersensitivity to the P‐factor mating pheromone and a reduction in mating efficiency. Here we demonstrate the secretion of an sxa2‐dependent carboxypeptidase that inactivates P‐factor by removal of the C‐terminal leucine residue.
Clinical outcomes of implants following lateral bone augmentation: systematic assessment of available options (barrier membranes, bone grafts, split osteotomy).

OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical outcomes related to implants following lateral augmentation procedures (GBR, bone grafts, split osteotomy) with implants placed in pristine sites. MATERIAL AND METHODS A systematic review of all prospective studies of implants placed simultaneously or as a second surgery following lateral augmentation compared with implants placed in pristine bone with 6 months of loading was performed. RESULTS From 435 potentially relevant publications, 125 full-text publications were screened and four were identified as fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Three studies compared implants placed with simultaneous GBR or with a bone substitute and one with autogenous bone graft as a staged procedure. The implant survival at the augmented sites irrespective of the procedure used varied from 91.7% to 100% and from 93.2% to 100% at the control sites for a period between 12 and 59.1 months. CONCLUSIONS Within the limits of the systematic review there was evidence that the evaluated augmentation techniques result in similar implant survival between augmented and pristine sites. The small number of retrieved studies fulfilling the inclusion criteria limited the conclusions regarding the success of the augmentation and its effect on the survival of the implants. Properly designed randomized controlled clinical trials on this topic are needed.
Burkholderia pseudomallei, B. thailandensis, and B. ambifaria Produce 4-Hydroxy-2-Alkylquinoline Analogues with a Methyl Group at the 3 Position That Is Required for Quorum-Sensing Regulation

ABSTRACT 4-Hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs), especially 3,4-dihydroxy-2-heptylquinoline (Pseudomonas quinolone signal) and its precursor, 4-hydroxy-2-heptylquinoline, are attracting much attention, mainly because of their role as signaling molecules in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The pqsABCDE operon is centrally involved in their biosynthesis. The presence of a homologous operon in Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. thailandensis was recently reported. Thus, we have investigated the abilities of 11 Burkholderia species to produce HAQ-like molecules by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. We have identified 29 different HAQ derivatives produced by the only three Burkholderia species where a pqsABCDE homologue was found among available sequenced Burkholderia species genomes, including B. ambifaria, a member of the Burkholderia cepacia complex. In contrast with those of P. aeruginosa, Burkholderia HAQs typically bear a methyl group, hence their designation as 4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-alkylquinolines (HMAQs). We identified three families of HMAQs with a saturated or unsaturated alkyl chain at the 2′ position, in contrast with the 1′ position of P. aeruginosa, including one with an N-oxide group. Furthermore, the operon in these species contains two more genes downstream of the pqsE homologue, resulting in the hmqABCDEFG operon. While the inactivation of hmqA inhibits the production of HMAQs, the methylation of the quinoline ring requires a putative methyltransferase encoded by hmqG. Interestingly, hmqA or hmqG mutations increase the production of acyl homoserine lactones and, consequently, phenotypes under the control of quorum sensing in B. ambifaria: antifungal activity, siderophore production, and proteolytic activity. These results indicate that only HAQs bearing a methyl group (HMAQs) are involved in quorum-sensing regulation.
The role of satisfaction and website usability in developing customer loyalty and positive word‐of‐mouth in the e‐banking services

Purpose – Customer loyalty and positive word‐of‐mouth (WOM) have been traditionally two main goals aimed at by managers. Focusing on the online banking, the importance of these concepts is even greater due to the increasing competence in electronic commerce. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to characterize both concepts in the e‐banking context.Design/methodology/approach – The influence of satisfaction and website usability in developing customer loyalty and positive WOM in the e‐banking business were measured. After the validation of measurement scales, hypotheses are contrasted through structural modelling.Findings – This research showed that satisfaction with previous interactions with the bank website had a positive effect on both customer loyalty and positive WOM. In addition, website usability was found to have a positive effect on customer satisfaction and, as expected, loyalty was also significantly related to positive WOM.Practical implications – In order to develop customer loyalty and positi.
The influence of relational competencies on supply chain resilience: a relational view

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to explore the resilience domain, which is important in the field of supply chain management; it investigates the effects relational competencies have for resilience and the effect resilience, in turn, has on a supply chain ' s customer value. Design/methodology/approach – The research is empirical in nature and employs a confirmatory approach that builds on the relational view as a primary theoretical foundation. It utilizes survey data collected from manufacturing firms from three countries, which is analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings – It is found that communicative and cooperative relationships have a positive effect on resilience, while integration does not have a significant effect. It is also found that improved resilience, obtained by investing in agility and robustness, enhances a supply chain ' s customer value. Practical implications – Some findings contrast the expectations derived from theory. Particularly, practitioners can learn t.
The influence of an online collaboration tool on relationships in inter-organisational networks

This thesis extends the research into the influence of information and communications technology on relationship management by specifically exploring the use and influence of an online collaboration tool (OCT). An OCT is the web-based information infrastructure used for coordinating project activities, and the major market segment for OCTs is the construction sector. Following a literature review, a conceptual framework was developed to analyse the influence of an OCT on dispute resolution in the inter-organisational network of a construction supply chain, to answer the over-arching research question:  How do online collaboration tools influence relationships in inter-organisational networks? The research questions were explored using a case study approach by interviewing members of two construction supply-chains that used an OCT. Nine case studies were conducted, where a case’s unit of analysis is a project manager from the builder or consultants; four and five project managers, respectively, were interviewed from each project. The major contribution is the simplified trust-reputation model that relates attributional trust and issue resolution to corporate reputation. In effect, individuals on the project are very forgiving of supply chain members with regard to issues because of concern for their company’s reputation. Hence, while trust may vary, there was no breakdown in trust because this would affect their company’s reputation as a good partner. Furthermore, although there was a reported variance in trust by the project managers, it did not affect the project’s outcome, but it did affect the ease of doing business. With regard to managerial implications, there is a possibility that the introduction of an OCT may induce a behavioural change in the builders to issue a greater number of requests for information (RFIs) to get issues on the record. Hence, this change needs to be managed upfront at a kick-off meeting at which it should be agreed what constitutes a RFI that needs to be issued using the OCT. This thesis adds value by noting how the dependent relationship between attributional trust and corporate reputation prevents a relationship breakdown.
Effects of Quality and Quantity of Information on Decision Effectiveness

Providing attribute information about alternatives can both help and hinder consumers evaluate products. We separate attribute information into two components: information quality and information quantity. We hypothesize, all else being equal, that the former component improves decision effectiveness while the latter component decreases decision effectiveness. The results of an experimental investigation designed to estimate the marginal effects of these factors were compatible with these premises. In addition, evaluations were also found to suffer in situations where high levels of information quality were made available. Insights into these and other observed effects are suggested after exploring the process by which subjects used the available information.
Stability of karyotype in serial isolates of Candida albicans from neutropenic patients

Serial isolates of Candida albicans were obtained from 20 patients with leukemia over periods of up to 8 months. The fingerprinting of these isolates by interrepeat PCR and random amplified polymorphic DNA PCR has been described previously (A. van Belkum, W. Melchers, B. E. de Pauw, S. Scherer, W. Quint, and J. F. Meis, J. Infect. Dis. 169:1062-1070, 1994). Contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis was used to examine the chromosomes of these isolates. When changes in the karyotype were seen in a series of isolates, additional interrepeat PCR and Southern blotting with a repeat DNA sequence from the 27A family were performed. These two genotyping tools were used to determine if karyotypic changes seen in a series of isolates were due to chromosome rearrangements in a single strain or due to colonization with more than one strain. It was determined that changes in karyotype in a series of strains indicated infection by a new strain.
Discordant β‐Blocker Effects on Clinic, Ambulatory, Resting, and Exercise Hemodynamics in Patients with Hypertension

Study Objectives. To determine the correlation between ambulatory and clinic blood pressure in assessing antihypertensive response to β‐blockade, to test whether blood pressure response to metoprolol is associated with the heart rate response, and to determine whether exercise and resting heart rate responses to metoprolol are correlated.
An Exploratory Study of Undergraduate Nursing Students' Perceptions of Digital Badges.

BACKGROUND Digital badges are virtual and visual representations of achievement by an individual learner. Student motivation to attain competencies in quality and safety may be increased through earning badges; however, empirical research in the literature is scarce. METHOD Approximately 100 nursing students' perceptions of digital badges were assessed after completing online safety and quality of care modules. The attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivation was used as a theoretical framework. RESULTS Quantitative findings revealed a range of neutral to positive perceptions of digital badges. Content analysis described polarized opinions of the badges' effect on motivation toward learning; however, the majority of students found digital badges to be meaningful and motivating. CONCLUSION Although most nursing students reported that digital badges motivated them in the learning activity, perceptions are contingent on factors that require further exploration: internal versus external motivation, previous exposure to badges, and future uses of digital badges in their professional lives. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(11):640-644. ].
gp120-independent fusion mediated by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp41 envelope glycoprotein: a reassessment

In a natural context, membrane fusion mediated by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoproteins involves both the exterior envelope glycoprotein (gp120) and the transmembrane glycoprotein (gp41). Perez et al. (J. Virol. 66:4134-4143, 1992) reported that a mutant HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein containing only the signal peptide and carboxyl terminus of the gp120 exterior glycoprotein fused to the complete gp41 glycoprotein was properly cleaved and that the resultant gp41 glycoprotein was able to induce the fusion of even CD4-negative cells. In the studies reported herein, mutant proteins identical or similar to those studied by Perez et al. lacked detectable cell fusion activity. The proteolytic processing of these proteins was very inefficient, and one processed product identified by Perez et al. as the authentic gp41 glycoprotein was shown to contain carboxyl-terminal gp120 sequences. Furthermore, no fusion activity was observed for gp41 glycoproteins exposed after shedding of the gp120 glycoprotein by soluble CD4. Thus, evidence supporting a gp120-independent cell fusion activity for the HIV-1 gp41 glycoprotein is currently lacking.
A Review of Concealed Weapon Detection and Research in Perspective

This paper reviews recent developments in the area of concealed weapon detection using largely electromagnetic methods including metal detection, magnetic field distortion, electromagnetic resonance, acoustic and ultrasonic inspection, millimetre waves, Terahertz imaging, Infrared, X-ray etc. The advantages and disadvantages of these approaches are discussed. Research challenges are presented. Future research perspectives are presented and our joint research project has also been introduced.