Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of leukotrienes in vascular changes in the rat mesentery and skin in anaphylaxis.

The role of leukotrienes and other mediators of vascular changes in anaphylaxis were studied in rats sensitized with monoclonal anti-DNP IgE and challenged with DNP-BSA. Microvascular changes in the mesentery were followed by intravital fluorescent microscopy and in the skin by exudation of Evans blue dye. Administration of Ag i.v. caused a marked increase in the peristaltic movement of the intestine, plasma exudation, and arteriolar constriction in the mesentery. The microvascular changes were accompanied by a profound fall in blood pressure, which was biphasic. The first phase lasted for approximately 2 min. The second phase was very prolonged and the hypotension was still maintained 40 min after Ag challenge. The changes observed were dose dependent with regard to Ag. Intradermal application of Ag resulted in dose-dependent extravasation of Evans blue dye in the skin. Plasma exudation was partially inhibited by pyrilamine and methysergide. However, their effect seemed to be more pronounced in the skin than in the mesentery. The leukotriene D4-R antagonist L-649,923 and the 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor ONO-LP-049, alone or in combination with other inhibitors, did not alter the plasma leakage in the skin. In the mesentery, the leukotriene antagonists alone had a moderate effect on vascular permeability. However, the combination of these agents with pyrilamine completely inhibited macromolecular extravasation. The hypotension was modulated by the antihistamines as well as the leukotriene and serotonin antagonists. Pyrilamine inhibited the first phase and the second phase. The major effect of methysergide was a decrease in the duration of the hypotension. This was especially evident when it was administered in combination with other inhibitors. The leukotriene antagonists when given alone had moderate effects on the blood pressure changes. However, in combination with pyrilamine, the hypotension was substantially reduced. Leukotrienes appeared to be important mediators of the vascular changes in the mesentery but not in the skin (passive cutaneous anaphylaxis). They markedly potentiated the action of histamines.
Requirement for TLR9 in the Immunomodulatory Activity of Propionibacterium acnes1

Propionibacterium acnes (formerly Corynebacterium parvum) is part of the human flora and, as such, is associated with several human pathologies. It possesses strong immunomodulatory activities, which makes this bacterium interesting for prophylactic and therapeutic vaccination. The bacterial component(s) and the host receptor(s) involved in the induction of these activities are poorly understood. We show in this study that TLR9 is crucial in generating the characteristic effects of killed P. acnes priming in the spleen, such as extramedullary hemopoiesis and organ enlargement, and granuloma formation in the liver. Furthermore, the ability to overproduce TNF-α and IFN-γ in response to LPS, lipid A, synthetic lipopeptide Pam3CysK4, or whole killed bacteria was present in P. acnes-primed wild-type, but not TLR9−/−, mice. Finally, P. acnes priming failed to induce enhanced resistance to murine typhoid fever in TLR9−/− mice. Thus, TLR9 plays an essential role in the induction of immunomodulatory effects by P. acnes. Because IFN-γ is a key mediator of these effects, and enhanced IFN-γ mRNA expression was absent in spleen and liver of P. acnes-primed TLR9−/− mice, we conclude that TLR9 is required for the induction of IFN-γ by P. acnes.
Beyond the "Mirroring" Hypothesis: Product Modularity and Interorganizational Relations in the Air Conditioning Industry

This study explores whether, to what extent, and under which conditions modular products are associated with modular organizations (the “mirroring” hypothesis). We analyze the product and organizational architectures of three firms in the air conditioning industry through an original data set of 100 components and supply relationships. Applying a variety of regression methods, we show that, under the condition of product architecture stability at the component level, supplier relations for loosely coupled components are characterized by less information sharing, which implies that the degree of coupling of product components varies directly with the degree of coupling of organizations (the “mirroring” hypothesis). Also, the performance of supply relationships depends on the amount of buyer–supplier information sharing but not on the degree of component modularity, which supports the relational view and confirms that product modularity does not have unambiguous effects on organizational performance. Moreover, the degree of component modularity negatively moderates the impact of buyer–supplier information sharing on supplier-relationship performance, which confirms that component modularity works as an ex ante, embedded substitute for high-powered interorganizational integration mechanisms. Finally, contingent on firms' strategies, organizational structures, and capabilities, we argue that at the firm level, higher product modularity may be associated either with less information sharing with suppliers, which implies that the mirroring effect might hold also at the firm level, or with more information sharing with suppliers, which implies that there may be increasing returns to modularity in design efforts because of interorganizational integration (the “complementarity” hypothesis).
The Influence of Excessive Product Packaging on Green Brand Attachment: The Mediation Roles of Green Brand Attitude and Green Brand Image

This study develops an original framework to explore the influence of excessive product packaging on green brand attachment and to discuss the mediation roles of green brand attitude and green brand image. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is applied to verify the research framework. The results from a dataset of 238 valid questionnaires show that excessive product packaging has no direct effect on green brand attachment. However, green brand attitude and green brand image fully mediate the negative relationship between excessive product packaging and green brand attachment. Managerially, this study helps firms understand that excessive product packaging may bring damage to green brand attitude and green brand image, which positively relate to green brand attachment. Thus, committing to promoting the functional benefit of green products, firms must not neglect the negative effects of excessive product packaging.
From Property Companies to Real Estate Investment Trusts: The Impact of Economic and Property Factors in the UK Commercial Property Returns

This study investigates cross-sectionally the impact of economic and property factors on the returns of UK property companies and real estate investment trusts. By applying structural time-series modelling and the Kalman Filter to obtain unexpected changes or innovations in selected economic and property variables it was found for the sample period analysed that economic and property variables influence commercial property returns in the UK. It was also found that by converting into REITS property companies quickly acquired hybrid features of securitised and property backed assets.
Predicting consumer intention to use mobile commerce in Taiwan

Advances in wireless technology have increased the number of people using mobile devices and accelerated the rapid development of mobile commerce conducted with these devices. However, while many companies are vying for market share of the new business opportunities offered by wireless technology, research on m-commerce suggests potential consumers may not adopt these mobile systems, in spite of their availability. Based on an assessment of the existing literature regarding the theory of planned behavior and technology acceptance model, the current research presents an integrated model for predicting consumer intention to use m-commerce systems. It does this by adding (1) a trust-related construct ("perceived credibility") and (2) resource-related constructs ("perceived self-efficacy" and "perceived financial resources") to the TAM, with careful attention to placing these constructs in TAM's existing nomological structure. Data from 258 users in Taiwan tests against the integrated model using the structural equation modeling approach. The results support the integrated model in predicting consumer intention to use m-commerce.
Services for People with Learning Disabilities

Part 1 The service context: classification of people with learning disabilities causes of learning disabilities epidemiology of learning disabilities historical development of service provision residential and day services services to families education and assessment services leisure and recreation services empowerment and advocacy financial services. Part 2 Implementing the Community Care Act: professional and planning issues in assessment assessment methods and professional directions community care plans care management quality assurance and inspection the survival of collaboration and co-operation is a co-ordinated service attainable?
Suggestions for reformation in sheep farms based on production cost

Abstract Sheep farming is considered to be one of the most dynamic sectors of the rural economy. Nevertheless, the operation of sheep fa rms presents several weaknesses, which are probably due to the relatively short period during which the sector has become systematised and has devel oped on a business basis. One of the most important problems facing this sector is the high production costs, which affect its competitive profile . This paper studies the potential of restructuring and promoting the business growth of sheep farms, by reducing their production costs. As an applicat ion of the proposed methodology, we used economic data from 110 Greek sheep farms. More specifically, through the application of principal componen t analysis, the present study examines the “internal cohesion” of the factors that shape the overall production costs, while analysing the stru ctural relations between their primary parameters. Through the application of hierarchical cluster analysis, the farms in question are grouped into two clusters, based on the scores per cost component and the discriminating capacity of these components is highlighted. It is concluded that all efforts to reduce production costs should aim at: a) a productive use and rational utilisation of the fixed capital, b) a reduction of production costs for animal food, c) a productive valorisation of family labour. The latter (as a cost component) presents a discriminating capacity for all sheep farms. It is therefore obvious that a reduction in wages is a necessity for all such farms. A full valorisation of family labour, and an increased level of mechanisa tion per employee, is expected to lead to a reduction in the former’s cost of use.
Respiratory compensation point during incremental test in overweight and normoweight boys: is it useful in assessing aerobic performance? A longitudinal study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the respiratory compensation point (RCP) in overweight and normoweight boys and to clarify changes in the RCP over 4 years. This study was conducted with 11 overweight boys and 14 boys with normal weight. The boys performed the graded test every 2 years (three series) beginning at the age of 9–10 years and finishing at the age of 13–14 years. During the test, the RCP was detected. In every series, the RCP occurred earlier in the overweight boys than in the normoweight boys and at a significantly (P<0·05) lower rate relative to body mass power output (P kg−1). Relative oxygen uptake (VO2 kg−1) at the RCP in all studies was also significantly (P<0·05) lower in the group of overweight boys. The maximum level of analysed indicators (VO2max; Pmax) differentiated both groups in similar ways as their level noted at RCP. This study showed significant (P<0·05) correlation between the values VO2max kg−1 and VO2 kg−1 at RCP in each series of the test and between Pmax kg−1 and P kg−1 at RCP. The respiratory compensation point seems to be a good method for evaluating aerobic performance in children (also overweight). During puberty, a decreasing tendency in aerobic performance was observed in both groups.
Global Currency Misalignments, Crash Sensitivity, and Moment Risk Premia

In this paper we investigate 3 important properties of global currencies: misalignments measured by the deviations from equilibrium (real effective) exchange rates, crash sensitivity captured by the copula tail dependence to the global market, and moment risk premia using a model-free method -- volatility risk premia as the proxy for (relative) position insurance costs, and skew risk premia as the gauge for (carry trade) speculative inclinations. The overvalued (undervalued) currencies with respect to REER tend to be crash sensitive (insensitive) and relatively cheap (expensive) to hedge, and exhibit high (low) speculative risk premia. We further show that they have rich asset pricing and allocation implications. The profitability of currency carry trades can be understood as the compensation for misalignment and speculative risks, which explain over 96% of the cross-sectional excess returns and dominate other candidate factors, including sovereign credit and liquidity risks, and cover the information of volatility risk. Currency trading strategies exploiting these 3 properties provide striking crash-neutral and diversification benefits for portfolio optimization and risk management purposes. After examining the risk attributes and factor structure of 7 studied currency investment strategies and of over 30 individual currencies using generalized dynamic factor model, we identify an additional important factor which is related to hedging demand imbalances, also priced in the cross section of currency value portfolios (over 90% of the variations) and of global currencies (14% extra variations), but it is omitted in literature using standard portfolio approach.
Epidemiological investigations of a Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) outbreak in Afghan sheep in Pakistan.

Epidemiological and virological investigations were carried out during an outbreak of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) in Afghan (Bulkhi) sheep in Pakistan. The overall morbidity, mortality and case fatality rates were 41.0, 1.2 and 3.0%, respectively. The epidemic curve was plotted and the values for basic reproductive number (R0) and herd immunity threshold (HIT) for the affected flock were estimated to be 6.85 and 85.4%, respectively. The morbid material analysis by immuno-capture ELISA (Ic-ELISA) and haemagglutination assay (HA) revealed the presence of PPR virus. The PPR virus was isolated and identified through cytopathic effects, Ic-ELISA and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
How consumers search for information online: A focus group investigation

Research on Internet usage focuses on enjoyment, fun and service encounters provided most focus group participants with pleasurable experiences. However, in this exploratory research four focus groups were conducted to determine other factors. Recruits came from a mixture of undergraduate marketing students, as well as a broader cross section of the older population. It was expected that all participants had used the Internet to surf, but not necessarily used the Internet to purchase. The findings of these focus groups were that price important. Participants felt that prices should be lower on the Internet, and that E-tailers should be more price competitive. E-traders were more trustworthy if they carried a name and brands that consumers knew, and inconsistencies were found between the literature and focus group findings regarding branding. Branding allows benefits for both consumer and brand and is strong amongst online communities.
Thailand's perceived medical tourism service quality: a content analysis of international patients' online testimonials

This research analyses medical tourists' perceptions of Thailand's medical tourism service quality. A content analysis of international patients' online testimonials from the Tourism Authority of Thailand's official medical tourism website shows that medical tourists have distinct perceptions of Thailand's medical tourism service quality, with the SERVQUAL dimensions assurance and reliability being mentioned most frequently. Service quality perceptions varied depending on patients' home country region, type of medical treatment received, if healthcare provider personnel were referred to in the testimonials, and whether Thailand was recommended as a medical tourism destination. Marketing communication implications of the results are discussed, including using assurance and reliability as risk-reducing cues, and future research ideas are submitted.
A Framework to Determine New System Requirements Under Design Parameter and Demand Uncertainties

Abstract : Identifying optimal design requirements of new systems that operate along with existing systems to provide a set of overarching capabilities is a challenging endeavor for acquisition practitioners. Difficulties arise due to the tightly coupled effects that setting requirements on a system's design (here, military transportation aircraft) can have on how the system is being used (here, how the aircraft is allocated to carry cargo on specified routes). The task of identification becomes even more difficult when considering uncertainties in the way the system is used, and in the demand for its services. Our research extends a previously developed quantitative approach that generates optimum design requirements of new, yet-tobe- designed systems that, when serving alongside other systems, will optimize fleet-level objectives. We extend the approach to now include the effect of various forms of operational uncertainties. Our approach relegates quantitative complexities of decision-making to the method and designates trade-space exploration to the practitioner. We demonstrate the approach by exploring tradeoffs between fleet-level cost and fleet-wide performance for the USAF Air Mobility Command fleet.
Everyday Prosociality in the Workplace: The Reinforcing Benefits of Giving, Getting, and Glimpsing

A functional analysis of prosociality considers how predispositions for prosocial behavior prompt, reinforce, and propagate kind behaviors in the real world. To examine the effects of practicing, receiving, and observing everyday prosociality—as well as the mechanisms underlying these effects—we randomly assigned employees in a Spanish corporate workplace (N = 111) to be Givers, Receivers, and Controls. Givers practiced 5 acts of kindness for a personalized list of Receivers over 4 weeks. We found that Givers and Receivers mutually benefited in well-being in both the short-term (e.g., on weekly measures of competence and autonomy) and the long-term (e.g., Receivers became happier after 2 months, and Givers became less depressed and more satisfied with their lives and jobs). In addition, Givers’ prosocial acts inspired others to act: Receivers paid their acts of kindness forward with 278% more prosocial behaviors than Controls. Our results reveal that practicing everyday prosociality is both emotionally reinforcing and contagious (inspiring kindness and generating hedonic rewards in others) and that receiving everyday prosociality is an unequivocally positive experience (which may further reinforce Givers’ actions). Prosociality’s benefits shed light on its surprising ubiquity in humanity compared with our closest evolutionary cousins.
An overview of sustainable public procurement research

In order to effectively address social and environmental impacts, organizations must look across their entire supply chains. Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) is therefore on the agenda for many organizations across the globe, from international institutions such as the United Nations, to governments and commercial organizations, among others. To improve understanding of SSCM, a number of international academics and leading practitioners were surveyed, with the key objective of identifying gaps between research and practice.
Pharmacokinetics of DA‐7218, a new oxazolidinone, and its active metabolite, DA‐7157, after intravenous and oral administration of DA‐7218 and DA‐7157 to rats

DA‐7218 (a prodrug of DA‐7157), a new oxazolidinone, was hydrolysed via phosphatase to form its active metabolite, DA‐7157, in rats. The pharmacokinetic parameters of DA‐7218 and DA‐7157 were evaluated after intravenous (5, 10 and 20 mg kg−1) and oral (20, 50 and 100 mg kg−1) administration of DA‐7218 to rats. DA‐7218 and DA‐7157 exhibited dose‐proportional pharmacokinetics after both intravenous and oral administration of DA‐7218 to rats. The stability of DA‐7218 and DA‐7157, blood partition of DA‐7157, and the plasma protein binding of DA‐7157 were also evaluated. DA‐7218 was unstable in rat blood, plasma, bile and liver homogenates, but DA‐7157 was stable, suggesting that DA‐7218 is hydrolysed via phosphatase. DA‐7157 rapidly reached equilibrium between plasma and blood cells, and the mean equilibrium plasma‐to‐blood cells ratio was 3.18, indicating that binding of DA‐7157 to blood cells was not considerable. The protein binding of DA‐7157 in fresh rat plasma was 93.4%.
Photodynamic Therapy in Subfoveal and Juxtafoveal Myopic Choroidal Neovascularization: A 10-year Retrospective Analysis

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in eyes with subfoveal and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia. The study was a single-center, 10-year analysis on 19 eyes. Patients underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement, slit-lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography. Eyes with subfoveal CNV (7 eyes, 37%) progressively worsened during the 10-year follow-up from 0.68 ± 0.26 to 0.80 ± 0.47 logMAR, while in the eyes with juxtafoveal CNV (12 eyes, 63%) BCVA improved from 0.59 ± 0.42 to 0.33 ± 0.27 logMAR. Prevalence and extension of chorioretinal atrophy (CRA) were greater in eyes with subfoveal compared with juxtafoveal CNV (84 vs. 66%, respectively) and enlargement (10.05 ± 6.7 vs. 3.53 ± 4.7 mm2, respectively). Our results confirm the limited long-term effectiveness of PDT in myopic subfoveal CNV. Satisfactory results can be achieved in juxtafoveal CNV with a better visual outcome and a minor CRA extension.
Optimal blood donation screening

Blood products from human blood donations can cause a number of side-effects that pose a considerable risk to recipients. One of the most serious transfusion-associated risks is the transmission of viruses. Comprehensive prevention and screening procedures have been developed in order to minimize the transmission of these transfusion-associated diseases. The establishment of a long-term, volunteer and unpaid donor population has proved very effective in combating blood-borne diseases. Other effective safety measures include the elimination of specific risk groups through a questionnaire that screens for risk-producing behaviour, as well as the thorough medical examination of prospective blood donors. However, blood donation screening for the most important transfusion-associated infectious agents, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 and -2, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), still reflects the main pillar of said security measures. In many developed countries, these tests are accompanied by an additional screening for Treponema pallidum-specific antibodies and the determination of increased liver enyzmes, i.e. ALT (alanine aminotransferase); antibodies to the hepatitis B virus core antigen (anti-HBc) are only analysed for in some countries. In contrast, testing for cytomegalovirus (CMV) is only recommended for defined patients at risk, such as bone marrow transplant patients with compromised immune systems.