Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Splitting of the 520-Kilometer Seismic Discontinuity and Chemical Heterogeneity in the Mantle

Seismic studies indicate that beneath some regions the 520-kilometer seismic discontinuity in Earth's mantle splits into two separate discontinuities (at ∼500 kilometers and ∼560 kilometers). The discontinuity near 500 kilometers is most likely caused by the (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 β-to-γ phase transformation. We show that the formation of CaSiO3 perovskite from garnet can cause the deeper discontinuity, and by determining the temperature dependence for this reaction we demonstrate that regional variations in splitting of the discontinuity arise from variability in the calcium concentration of the mantle rather than from temperature changes. This discontinuity therefore is sensitive to large-scale chemical heterogeneity. Its occurrence and variability yield regional information on the fertility of the mantle or the proportion of recycled oceanic crust.
Culture of intestinal biopsy specimens and stool culture for detection of bacterial enteropathogens in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. The Berlin Diarrhea/Wasting Syndrome Study Group

The diagnostic yields of stool cultures and biopsy specimens for the detection of enteric bacterial pathogens in 213 human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients were compared. Forty-five percent (19 of 42) of the pathogens were detected exclusively by stool culture, 2% (1 of 42) of the isolates were detected exclusively by culture of biopsy specimens, and 53% (22 of 42) were detected by both methods. Repeated stool cultures remain the most important means of diagnosing enteric bacterial pathogens, which were encountered in 20% (40 of 213) of all patients. The additional culture of biopsy specimens should be reserved for patients with suspected mycobacteriosis.
The Effect of Banking Crises on Non-Life Insurance Consumption

We study the association between banking crises and non-life insurance consumption using cross-country panel of data from 139 countries from 1988 to 2010. We find a persistent and excess decline in non-life insurance consumption after a banking crisis in the higher income countries. We explore several possible explanations for the decrease with additional controls, but none fully explain the observed association.
Sildenafil citrate attenuates the deleterious effects of elevated ammonia

Abstract Ammonia is a bi-product of protein metabolism in the body. It is able to cross the blood-brain barrier and elevated ammonia levels are toxic to the brain. Rats with hyperammonemia showed impaired learning ability and impaired function of the glutamate-nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (glutamate-NO-cGMP) pathway in the brain. Chronic treatment with sildenafil restored learning ability. We therefore tested the hypothesis that sildenafil has a protective effect on the brains of hyperammonemic rats. Hyperammonemia was induced in male rats by daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of ammonium chloride (100 mg/kg body weight) for 8 weeks. Sildenafil citrate was administered intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg body weight/3 days) for 8 weeks. Treatment with sildenafil resulted in a significant reduction in plasma liver enzymes, lipid profile as well as brain lipid peroxidation and caspase-3 mRNA. Meanwhile, plasma NO as well as cGMP, antioxidants and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene expression were significantly elevated in the brains of hyperammonemic rats. Our results showed that sildenafil exerts a protective effect on the brain by reversing oxidative stress during hyperammonemia and this could be due to (i) cytoprotective, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects (ii) increasing cGMP and enhancing the proper metabolism of fats which could suppress oxygen radical generation and thus preventing oxidative damage in the brain. The exact protective mechanism of sildenafil has to be still investigated and further studies are warranted. Consequently, therapeutic modulation of the NO/cGMP pathway might have important clinical applications to improve brain functions in patients with hyperammonemia or clinical hepatic encephalopathy.
The impact of relationship quality on attitude toward a sponsor

Purpose – The purpose of the current study is to advance understanding of sponsorship effectiveness by investigating the impact of the quality of the relationship between a consumer and a sport property on sponsorship effectiveness.Design/methodology/approach – A model was developed to examine linkages among relationship quality, sincerity, attitude toward sponsor and intention to purchase a sponsor's product. The measurement model was tested using confirmatory factory analysis. The relationships in the hypothesized model were tested using simultaneous equations.Findings – The results indicate that positive attitude toward a sponsor and intention to purchase said sponsor's product(s) are more likely to occur among the customers who perceive a higher degree of relationship quality with the sport property and believe the sponsor motives are sincere.Research limitations/implications – A conceptual model of sponsorship effectiveness was developed and empirically tested. The tested model provides an expanded v.
When is trust produced and when does it matter? Taking a closer look at trust and alliance performance

In response to intense competition in the environment and rapid technological shifts, firms have increasingly turned to alternative organizational forms such as strategic alliances. Though strategic alliances are considered to be an effective strategy that firms could use to leverage their existing skills and to cope with turbulent environments, only some alliances succeed. Alliances constitute a distinct organizational form in which previously independent firms allow themselves to become dependent on each other? s actions to obtain mutual benefits. Owing to the complexities inherent in strategic alliances, extant research emphasizes that managing and consciously investing in relational aspects, such as trust, becomes equally germane to success as choosing the right partner and structuring these strategic alliances. However, several vexing issues remain; (1) precise generalizations are yet to be established on the determinants of alliance performance, (2) it is not clear when investing in interorganizational trust matters to alliance performance or (3) when it is cultivated in strategic alliances, (3) the severe consequences of trust violation notwithstanding, the efficient ways of restoring trust is yet to gain theoretical attention. This dissertation is a collection of studies that address these vexing issues using firm theoretical reasoning and sound methodological tools.
Prevalence of peripheral neuropathy in the Parsi community of Bombay

We carried out a door-to-door survey to screen for neurologic diseases, including peripheral neuropathy, in a community of 14,010 Parsis living in housing colonies in Bombay, India. The most common neurologic disorder was peripheral neuropathy with 334 cases (2,384 cases/100,000 population). The most common neuropathy was compressive, with diabetes the most common non-compressive etiology. There was no leprosy, and nutritional neuropathies were rare.
Discrepant serological assays for Pneumococcus in renal transplant recipients – a prospective study

Vaccine immunoprotection for Streptococcus pneumoniae is mediated by opsonizing antibodies targeting serotype‐specific capsular polysaccharides. Quantitative antibody levels enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and antibody‐mediated opsonophagocytic assays (OPA) measure vaccine‐induced protection; correlation of these assays in transplantation requires investigation. This study examines the laboratory assessment of antibody titers in vaccinated renal recipients. Streptococcus pneumoniae 19A is common in immunocompromised hosts and is represented in protein‐conjugate vaccines (PCV) and polysaccharide vaccines (PSV). Antibodies to 19A in serial sera from 30 vaccinated renal transplant recipients were compared using ELISA and OPA assays. Subject titers were classified as protected or not by ELISA (>0.35 μg/ml) and OPA titer (>1:8).
The Comparative Study of the Treatment by Oxytetracycline and Homeopathy on Induced Mycoplasma Haemofelis in Less than One-Year-Old Cats

Mycoplasma haemofelis which is also called Haemobartonella felis is an infectious anemia factor (F.I.A) in cats. The clinical signs of the disease are different and it can be seen as acute, over acute and chronic. In some situations, the Mycoplasma haemofelis isn't treated completely by tetracycline and the similar medications and the cat remains the bearer. Due to the fact that Mycoplasma haemofelis creates symptoms, the Homeopathic medication (China) will be selected according to the symptoms. The only difference was that the China not only cleaned the clinical symptoms, but also cleared the blood contamination and left no symptoms from neither contamination nor from the disease.
The Effect of Profit Margin on Capital Structure: A Study of Listed Manufacturing Companies of Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), Sri Lanka

Profit margin is a way of measuring how well a company is doing, regardless of size of the organizations. The capital structure is how a firm finances its overall operations and growth by using different sources of funds. The successful selection and use of the debt-to-equity ratio is one of the key elements of firms’ financial strategy. The profit margin is a key element to determine the capital structure. The firms may have their retained earnings to increase their capital structure. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of profit margin on Capital Structure of listed manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka. The present study tries to investigate the relationship between net profit margin on sales and debt-to-equity ratio by taking into consideration in the level of firms’ investment. The research question is arisen “What extent the profit margin affects the capital structure? ” For this purpose 13 listed manufacturing companies in Colombo stock exchange in Sri Lanka have been selected for the period of 2005-2009. The data have been analyzed by using correlation and regression analysis to find out the association between the variables. In our study we may say that the firms finance their investment activities by retained profits are more profitable than those that finance their activities through borrowed capital and it depends on their level of investments.
Impacts of senior citizens’ lifestyle on their choices of elderly housing

This study examines how the lifestyle of senior citizens affects their choices of retirement communities. A survey was conducted among 256 potential customers of elderly housing, targeting citizens over 45 years old who were residents of Seoul, the capital city of Korea, at the time of the survey. Findings reveal that most respondents preferred a location based in proximity to Seoul, convenience to the suburbs, a pleasant surrounding environment, and physical equipment and facilities. Medical services and community services were also found to have an impact on preference for residency. Canonical correlation analysis between the factors of elderly lifestyle and selection attribute factors of senior housing facilities demonstrates various significant relationships with implications for developers.
Contribution of angiotensin II to renal hemodynamic and excretory responses to nitric oxide synthesis inhibition in the rat.

This study was performed to evaluate the contribution of angiotensin II to the effects of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis inhibition on renal hemodynamics and excretory function in rats. Intravenous infusion of N omega-nitro-L-arginine (NLA; 20 micrograms/100 g.min) increased renal arterial pressure (RAP) from 128 +/- 2 to 143 +/- 3 mm Hg (P < 0.05; N = 6) and decreased RBF by 64 +/- 3% (P < 0.01) and GFR by 41 +/- 5% (P < 0.05). In response to reduction of RAP to control levels (127 +/- 2 mm Hg) by means of an adjustable clamp (CL) placed on the suprarenal aorta, RBF and GFR exhibited efficient autoregulation and were not altered. In rats (N = 6) pretreated with the AT1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan (10 mg/kg iv), the infusion of NLA increased RAP (from 114 +/- 1 to 135 +/- 2 mm Hg; P < 0.05) and decreased RBF by 42 +/- 3% (P < 0.05). However, NLA did not decrease GFR in the losartan-treated rats. As in the control rats, the reduction of RAP to 113 +/- 1 mm Hg elicited autoregulatory responses that maintained RBF and GFR. In the untreated rats, at similar RAP (128 +/- 2 (control) versus 127 +/- 2 mm Hg (NLA+CL)). NO synthesis inhibition decreased urine flow and sodium excretion (P < 0.05, in both cases). However, during blockade of AT1 receptors, NLA infusion failed to decrease urine flow and sodium excretion, even when RAP was controlled (114 +/- 1 (control) versus 113 +/- 1 mm Hg (NLA+CL)). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Offspring birth weight and risk of mortality from diabetes in mothers

Background Mothers with lower birth weight (LBW) offspring have been found to be associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity, which shares many risk factors with diabetes. Aims To investigate the relation between offspring birth weight and maternal risk of mortality from diabetes. Methods A total of 1 400 383 singletons of primigravida registered in Taiwan between 1978 and 1987 were followed to the end of 2006. The offspring birth weight was assessed with and without standardisation for the gestational age of offspring. Cox model was used to estimate the HR of maternal diabetes mortality in relation to offspring birth weights. Results Altogether, 812 (5.8%) mothers died of diabetes. Mothers with LBW (<2500 g) and macrosomia (>4000 g) offspring were both at increased risks of mortality from diabetes with HR 1.76 (95% CI 1.46 to 2.19) and 2.86 (95% CI 2.32 to 3.53), respectively. Similar results were seen while birth weight was standardised for gestational age. Conclusions This cohort study found that mothers with LBW and macrosomia offspring had an increased mortality risk of diabetes. This relationship could be attributable to the possible pathway of intergenerational effects or maternal insulin resistance due to maladaptation to pregnancy.
On determination of goal candidates in frontier-based multi-robot exploration

Frontier-based approach can be considered as a de facto standard method for a mobile robot exploration task. Many variants have been proposed; however, relatively little attention has been made to study the influence of goal candidates generation to the performance of the exploration. In regular approaches, frontiers are considered as eventual goals for the next-best-view selection using a utility function combining a distance cost and expected information gain. The aim of this paper is to show that using goal candidates that are independent of the distance cost can improve the performance of exploration strategies. The found insights are supported by a statistical evaluation of thousands of trials performed for various environments.
Prevalence of retinopathy in hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of retinopathy in hypertensive patients referred to a teaching hospital in Yazd, Iran. METHODS This cross-sectional study included 213 hypertensive patients referring to a teaching hospital in Yazd, Iran between November 2004 and June 2005. Data were collected using a questionnaire after an interview and ocular examination. Demographic variables, hypertensive retinopathy, familial history of hypertension, duration of diagnosis, and other hypertension side effects such as cardiac, renal, cerebro-vascular complications were analyzed. The Scheie's staging system was used for retinopathy grading. RESULTS A total of 213 patients (95 men, 118 women) with high blood pressure aged between 25 and 85 years (mean age of 64.47 +/- 10.66 years) were enrolled in this study, wherein 39.9% of patients suffered from retinopathy. This rate was higher in women (45.6%) than in men (33%). The positive familial history of hypertension was reported in 47.8% of patients. The prevalence rate of retinopathy in patients suffering from mild hypertension was 25.3%, moderate hypertension was 34.5% and severe hypertension 84.6%. Of the patients with retinopathy, 42.36% had grade I, 20% had grade II and 2.35% had grade III retinopathy. The most common ophthalmoscopic findings were arteriolar narrowing (35.13%), arterio-venous nicking (17.12%) and cotton wool patches (9%). CONCLUSION Positive family history of hypertension and target organs involvement are important risk factors for retinopathy. Early diagnosis and treatment of hypertension to prevent complications is essential.
Verbalism and the Blind: A Critical Review of the Concept and the Literature

The present paper presents current theorizing in psycholinguistics which points up the inadequacy of the notion that verbalisms (nonsensory based words) are meaningless and detrimental to conceptual thinking in the blind. The failure to acknowledge the word-word nature of meaning is cited as the significant flaw in the development of the verbalism construct. A review of the literature indicates some of the methodological problems in research on verbalism. Suggestions for future research on the phenomenon are presented.
Quantitative observations on thyroxine and allied substances

IT was thought desirable to amplify by other methods the results obtained with tadpoles(1) in the study of the effects of natural and synthetic thyroxine and of various intermediate and related compounds prepared by Dr C. R. Harington. For this purpose it was decided to measure their action in increasing the gaseous metabolism of mammals. In the early investigations of the effects of thyroid preparations, an account of which will be found in Grafe's monograph(2), no attempt was made to obtain quantitative results. Thyroxine was first isolated by Kendall(3) in 1914, and was found to produce on injection all the known effects of thyroid preparations. This discovery was followed by various attempts to devise a reliable method of measuring thyroid activity. Plummer and Boothby(4) studied the effect of thyroxine on the basal metabolism of 69 cases of myxcedema and came to the conclusion that each milligramme of thyroxine would produce a maximal increase of 2X8 p.c. of the normal rate and that this maximuim occurred about 8 days after the injection. The "average variation" from this figure was only 25 p.c. , and the relation appears to hold for all doses between 5 and 15 mg. Various German writers, using smaller doses, observed comparatively larger effects, after the injection of thyroxine, which developed and passed away in a couple of days (5). For many purposes, and in particular for the study of substances with unknown properties, it is desirable to make experiments with animals other than man. Unfortunately, the work that has been done in this direction has not hitherto given such clear results as those obtained by Plummer and Boothby. Meta Kunde (6) has published an account of a careful investigation of the effect of thyroid preparations on dogs. She comes to the conclusion
Creating competitive advantage in industrial services

This article contributes to the marketing literature by identifying key success factors in industrial service markets. In industrial markets, services are becoming critical for the creation of competitive advantage. However, the marketing of these services has received relatively limited attention in the industrial marketing and services marketing literature. In order to close this gap, the authors undertook a qualitative research study to build a specific model of competitive advantage for industrial services. The model identifies three core elements in the creation of superior customer value. Further, three sets of “value drivers” are discussed. Ideas for further research and recommendations for business practitioners are formulated.
The sequence of revascularization in liver transplantation: It does make a difference

No consensus exists regarding the most optimal sequence of revascularization of the liver graft during liver transplantation. The current methods of revascularization of the liver graft can be divided into 2 main groups (Table 1). The first group is sequential revascularization, in which the graft is first reperfused via either the portal vein or the hepatic artery (anterograde reperfusion), or via the inferior vena cava (IVC) (retrograde reperfusion), with subsequent reconstruction of the remaining vessels. The second group is simultaneous revascularization, in which the graft is reperfused simultaneously via the portal vein and hepatic artery. Experimental as well as clinical studies comparing different methods of revascularization are still scarce, results are not always unequivocal, and endpoints differ largely between different studies. Nevertheless, some important messages can be extracted from the current literature.
CRM to social CRM: the integration of new technologies into customer relationship management

Customer relationship management (CRM) is a continually evolving domain and now social media technologies have revolutionized the way businesses and consumers interact. Hence, the new dimension of social CRM focuses on customer engagement domain, and now social media technologies have revolutionised the way businesses and consumers interact. This paper focuses on social CRM and builds on a previous CRM model proposed by Jayachandran et al. (2005), adopting the resource-based view theory and the equity theory. This paper presents a new model for social CRM, including a new construct of customer engagement initiatives and adaptations of other constructs, to take cognisance of the impact of social media technologies on CRM. Data were collected from a population of marketing practitioners using an online survey technique and the model was tested using PLS-SEM. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to an understanding of the change in communications between the customer and the marketer, and focuses on interactive relationships with customers. From a managerial perspective, businesses should utilise the rich customer information generated through every customer engagement using social media, to drive future marketing decisions.