Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Dynamic Failure Rate Forecasting Model for Service Parts Inventory

This study investigates one of the reverse logistics issues, after-sale repair service for in-warranty products. After-sale repair service is critical to customer service and customer satisfaction. Nonetheless, the uncertainty in the number of defective products returned makes forecasting and inventory planning of service parts difficult, which leads to a backlog of returned defectives or an increase in inventory costs. Based on Bathtub Curve (BTC) theory and Markov Decision Process (MDP), this study develops a dynamic product failure rate forecasting (PFRF) model to enable third-party repair service providers to effectively predict the demand for service parts and, thus, mitigate risk impacts of over- or under-stocking of service parts. A simulation experiment, based on the data collected from a 3C (computer, communication, and consumer electronics) firm, and a sensitivity analysis are conducted to validate the proposed model. The proposed model outperforms other approaches from previous studies. Considering the number of new products launched every year, the model could yield significant inventory cost savings. Managerial and research implications of our findings are presented, with suggestions for future research.
The Emerging Core Characteristics of Vietnam's Political Economy

This paper offers an understanding of the core drivers of the political economy of the ruling Communist Party in Vietnam. In the absence of political reform, the regime does not possess the powers required by the new conditions of a market economy and an increasingly open society. Designed for Soviet totalitarianism, and without popular support or authority, the formal political institutions are anachronistic and thus limit the range of powers available to the Party. As the regime is thus unable to reliably deploy policy unless it feels threatened, politics becomes a competition over spoils. Thus, if macroeconomic instability actually or potentially threatens the regime, the Politburo gains authority to act, and policy is deployed. Yet, as popular discontent mounts over corruption, favourable treatment of politically connected businesses, public education and health, and other areas not seen as regime-threatening, the disequilibrium leads to use of the security forces and increasing violence against popular opposition.
Developmental gene regulation in Giardia lamblia: first evidence for an encystation‐specific promoter and differential 5′ mRNA processing

Giardia lamblia must encyst to survive in the environment and subsequently infect new hosts. We investigated the expression of glucosamine‐6‐phosphate isomerase (Gln6PI), the first enzyme required for biosynthesis of N‐acetylgalactosamine, for the major cyst wall polysaccharide. We isolated two Gln6PI genes that encode proteins with large areas of identity, but distinctive central and terminal regions. Both recombinant enzymes have comparable kinetics. Interestingly, these genes have distinct patterns of expression. Gln6PI‐A has a conventional, short 5′ untranslated region (UTR), and is expressed at a low level during vegetative growth and encystation. The Gln6PI‐B gene has two transcripts — one is expressed constitutively and the second species is highly upregulated during encystation. The non‐regulated Gln6PI‐B transcript has the longest 5′‐UTR known for Giardia and is 5′ capped or blocked. In contrast, the Gln6PI‐B upregulated transcript has a short, non‐capped 5′‐UTR. A small promoter region (< 56 bp upstream from the start codon) is sufficient for the regulated expression of Gln6PI‐B. Gln6PI‐B also has an antisense overlapping transcript that is expressed constitutively. A shorter antisense transcript is detected during encystation. This is the first report of a developmentally regulated promoter in Giardia, as well as evidence for a potential role of 5′ RNA processing and antisense RNA in differential gene regulation.
The Impact of Liquidity on Debt Maturity After a Financial Crisis: Evidence from the Gulf Cooperation Council Region

ABSTRACT This article contributes to the existent literature on corporate debt maturity by studying a new channel through which firms may mitigate the effects of a major economic downturn such as the 2008 global financial crisis. More specifically, using a sample of 208 listed firms in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, we find that an increase in firms’ current ratios after the crisis is associated with an increase in long-term financing. We also find that a financially constrained firm can still access long-term financing if its current ratio after the crisis is beyond a specific threshold. Additionally, we highlight the differences in the typical drivers of debt structure between GCC countries and industries.
Prognosis in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension: 10-year single-centre experience.

BACKGROUND Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare progressive disease of the pulmonary arterioles with an unfavourable prognosis. AIM To evaluate survival and prognostic factors in patients with PAH diagnosed and treated at a single centre in the years 2004–2013. METHODS The study included 55 children (33 girls; 66%, 22 boys; 33%), with an average age 6.2 ± 6.0 years, with idiopathic PAH — n = 23 (42%), PAH associated with systemic-to-pulmonary shunts — n = 17 (31%), and PAH after corrective cardiac surgery — n = 15 (27%). Forty-seven of them (87%) were treated with advanced therapy. RESULTS During the follow-up with an average time of 5.6 ± 4.7 years 15 (27.3%) children died. The one-, three-, five-, and ten-year survival was, respectively, 83.1%, 77.1%, 70.7%, and 65.2%. The analysis of the survival curves revealed a better prognosis in patients with baseline N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level < 605 pg/mL (p = 0.024) and a higher probability of survival of three and five years in children at baseline I/II World Health Organisation functional class (WHO-FC). The higher risk of death was associated with a higher pressure in the right atrium (HR 1.23, p < 0.01) and higher pulmonary resistance (HR 1.1, p < 0.01), whereas no history of syncope had a better prognosis (HR 0.31, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Survival in the study group was comparable to the currently published register data. Mortality risk factors were connected with the severity of the disease at diagnosis.
Identifying footprints of selection in stocked brown trout populations: a spatio‐temporal approach

Studies of interactions between farmed and wild salmonid fishes have suggested reduced fitness of farmed strains in the wild, but evidence for selection at the genic level is lacking. We studied three brown trout populations in Denmark which have been significantly admixed with stocked hatchery trout (19–64%), along with two hatchery strains used for stocking. The wild populations were represented by contemporary samples (2000–2006) and two of them by historical samples (1943–1956). We analysed 61 microsatellite loci, nine of which showed putative functional relationships [expressed sequence tag (EST)‐linked or quantitative trait loci]. FST‐based outlier tests provided support for diversifying selection at chromosome regions marked by three loci, two anonymous and one EST‐linked. Patterns of differentiation suggested that the loci were candidates for being under diversifying hitch‐hiking selection in hatchery vs. wild environments. Analysis of hatchery strain admixture proportions showed that in one wild population, two of the loci showed significantly lower admixture proportions than the putatively neutral loci, implying contemporary selection against alleles introduced by hatchery strain trout. In the most strongly admixed population, however, there was no evidence for selection, possibly because of immigration by stocked trout overcoming selection against hatchery‐derived alleles or supportive breeding practices allowing hatchery strain trout to escape natural selection. To our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating footprints of selection in wild salmonid populations subject to spawning intrusion by farmed fish.
The Role of Startups for Local Labor Markets

We investigate the dynamic response of local U.S. labor markets to increased job creation by new firms and compare the effects to overall labor demand shocks. To account for both dynamic and spatial dependence we develop a spatial panel VAR that builds on recent advances in the VAR literature to identify structural shocks using external instruments. We find that startup shocks have a small but persistent effect on local employment through population growth. Population growth, in turn, is largely driven by immigration. We also investigate how the responses differ by local characteristics such as population density. Finally, we show that startups are not closely linked to innovation.
Cell cycle effects of the phenothiazines: trifluoperazine and chlorpromazine in Candida albicans.

The study demonstrates the in vitro effectiveness of phenothiazine compounds, i.e. chlorpromazine and trifluoperazine against Candida albicans. Anticandidal effect of these drugs is suggested to be because of their interaction with Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent protein phosphorylation. 3H-thymidine uptake studies revealed that both these compounds affect the DNA synthesis along with decrease in activities of nuclear calmodulin (CaM) and Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent protein kinase (CaMPK). Failure in cell growth was due to defect in CaM mediated cell cycle arrest. Flow cytometric analysis showed that progression through G(1) and mitotic phase was affected when cells after alpha-factor arrest were grown in the presence of chlorpromazine or trifluoperazine. These drugs also produced significant decline in the cellular lipids and phospholipids. 14C-acetate incorporation studies further substantiated these results. We suggest that chlorpromazine or trifluoperazine affect the cell cycle through DNA synthesis (S phase) and cell division phases which are governed by calmodulin and Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent protein phosphorylation and lipids and phospholipids appear to be additional targets of phenothiazine compounds in C. albicans. These results will have important significance in the development of new anticandidal compounds.
The Potential of Modelling Co-Teaching in Pre-Service Education

Two studies aimed to document the process of preparing for and teaching collaborative education courses and to determine students’ perception of collaboration and inclusion as a result of taking the course. Two sessions of collaborative teaching run by different professor dyads were studied over two 10-week quarters at a large public university. Multiple sources of data were collected. Ultimately, modelling collaboration and a positive attitude toward disability, collaboration, and inclusion provided professors an opportunity to help guide and shape pre-service teachers’ attitudes.
How does mentoring a disadvantaged young person impact on the mentor

The resources used to run mentoring schemes are justified on the basis of the progress that is made by the mentee and while this must be the correct focus, it is important that the motivation and needs of the mentor are considered if programmes are to be successful. This study examines the impact on the mentor when working with a diverse, complex group labelled disadvantaged youth, generally within state guidelines through a voluntary organisation and where the mentor is a volunteer, drawn from society at large and equipped with basic everyday skills that have been enhanced through a short training programme. Using survey methodology, it examines the reasons people undertake this type of work, what they actually get out of volunteering and whether it changes attitudes and allows them to achieve goals in their social, personal and working lives that they would not have been able to achieve without that experience.
A nationwide study of chronic pain prevalence in the general spanish population: identifying clinical subgroups through cluster analysis.

OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the prevalence of chronic pain, its characteristics, and its impact on the general Spanish population. Also, to establish chronic pain patient subgroups according to the characteristics of pain and to identify variables specifically associated with each subgroup. DESIGN Telephone-based, cross-sectional nationwide study. SUBJECTS A sample of 1,957 individuals representative of the Spanish population. METHODS Data were collected through telephone interviews. A subject was considered to have chronic pain if they had suffered pain (at least 4 days a week) during the last 3 months. The subjects were divided into two subgroups through a cluster analysis, and a regression model was established to determine the variables most specifically associated with these subgroups. RESULTS The prevalence of chronic pain was 16.6% (95% confidence interval: 14.9-18.3) and among these subjects, more than 50% referred to limitations in their daily activities, 30% felt sad and/or anxious, and 47.2% indicated that their pain was affecting their family life. Two subgroups of subjects with pain were identified: 1) characterized by generalized pain in more than one location and of a long evolution (150 months); and 2) characterized by pain localized to only one site with a shorter duration (100 months). Individuals who felt anxious because of their pain and those who considered that their pain was affecting their family were more likely to belong to group 1. CONCLUSIONS Pain affects an important proportion of the Spanish adult population and that it has a strong personal impact. Two pain groups were clearly distinguished by their clinical characteristics.
Multivariate density forecast evaluation and nonparametric Granger causality testing

Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: http://uba.uva. nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible.
Dopamine D1 Receptor Blockage Potentiates AMPA‐Stimulated Luteinising Hormone Release in the Goldfish

Previous microarray analyses of the goldfish hypothalamus led us to hypothesise that dopamine could potentially inhibit the excitatory effects of glutamate on luteinising hormone (LH). Post‐spawning female goldfish were pre‐treated (−4.5 h) with either saline (C; control), SCH 23390 (S; D1‐receptor antagonist) or sulpiride (L; D2‐receptor antagonist), followed by an i.p. injection, at −0.5 h, of saline or the glutamate agonist AMPA (A, SA or LA). Blood, hypothalamus and telencephalon tissues were collected. Serum LH was not affected in the S, L, A, or LA groups relative to control as determined by radioimmunoassay. The SA group, however, showed a 289% (P < 0.0005) increase in serum LH compared to either treatment alone or control. Real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction identified the mRNAs for ionotropic (Gria2a, Gria4) glutamate receptor subunits, activin βa, isotocin, and cGnRH‐II as being significantly affected by some of the treatments. The same experiment conducted with sexually‐regressed female fish showed a very different LH profile, indicating that this mechanism is seasonally‐dependent. We also show that i.p. injection of 1 μg/g isotocin was able to increase LH levels by 167% in sexually regressed female fish relative to controls. Taken together, these results demonstrate that blockage of the D1 receptor primes post‐spawning goldfish for AMPA‐stimulated LH release, and provides further insights into the central regulation of reproduction.
Nonisotopic in situ hybridization as a method for nondisjunction studies in human spermatozoa

Human spermatozoa were studied with a nonradioactive in situ hybridization method. Using a chemically modified DNA probe and immunocytochemical reactions for visualization, it was possible to obtain hybridization signals in 31 of 32 semen samples. Positive hybridization reactions, depending on cell accessibility, varied from 40% to over 90% for the different samples. Using a chromosome 1‐specific DNA probe, disomy for this chromosome was found in 0.67% of all accessible sperm cells.
ESTIMATING THE EFFECTS OF FOREIGN CAPITAL INFLOW ON GDP GROWTH IN BANGLADESH: AN ARDL COINTEGRATION APPROACH

This paper estimates the effects of foreign capital inflow on GDP growth in Bangladesh over the 1973-2009 period. A long-run equilibrium and a short-run dynamic model are estimated using the ARDL Bounds Testing cointegration methodology. The estimated results suggest that foreign capital inflow has contributed positively to GDP growth both in the long and short run. The other significant determinants of GDP growth include domestic savings, economic openness and natural disasters/political crises. When foreign capital is disaggregated into foreign aid and foreign direct investment (FDI), it is found that the effects of foreign aid on GDP growth are significantly positive, but the effects of FDI on growth are weak. However, if the current trend of huge growth in FDI continues, it is likely that in the future FDI can also play a productive role in the growth dynamics of Bangladesh.
Failure mechanism analysis of a discrete 650V enhancement mode GaN-on-Si power device with reverse conduction accelerated power cycling test

A commercial discrete enhancement mode gallium nitride power component employing advanced package technology without conventional bond wire possesses the ability for bidirectional conduction. The gallium nitride power components can provide not only higher forward conductivity but also superior reverse conductivity. For the most part recent critical debates about the reverse conductivity of a GaN device have tended to center around their performance. However, the reliability of the device under reverse operation should be assessed in order for the advantages to be fully utilized in real applications. We present the results of reverse conduction power cycling test of a discrete 650-volt gallium nitride power device with novel package technology at temperature swings of 100 K. The result shows degradation of thermal conductivity and raising leakage current drain to source as reaching the number of cycles to failure. In physical failure analysis, delamination of a solder joint between a chip and a copper layer of an aluminum print circuit board is observed with a scanning acoustic microscope.
Psychology of Computer Use: XX. Sexual Abuse Recalled: Evaluation of a Computerized Questionnaire in a Population of Young Adult Males

Development of a computerized questionnaire for investigating prevalence of child sexual abuse as “unwanted sexual contact” prior to Age 17 and associated long-term mental health sequelae is described. The computerized technique has technical advantages, and in a study of 200 university men elicited significantly more recall of prior abuse (in 14% of subjects) than a paper questionnaire
Effect of yoga on serum homocysteine and nitric oxide levels in adolescent women with and without dysmenorrhea.

BACKGROUND The purpose of the present study is to explore the effect of yoga on the serum levels of homocysteine and nitric oxide (NO) in a cohort of women with primary dysmenorrhea and normal healthy controls. METHODS A prospective controlled trial was conducted in 35 women with primary dysmenorrhea and 35 healthy controls in a community-based study. Short-form Menstrual Distress Questionnaires (MDQs) were administered to assess the menstrual symptoms. All participants were provided yoga intervention, twice a week at 30 minutes/session, consecutively for 8 weeks. Blood samples were drawn from each woman on the third day of the menstrual cycle. Assessments of MDQs and blood samples for the determination of homocysteine and NO concentrations were performed at baseline and within the first 3 days of their next menses after completion of yoga intervention. RESULTS A total of 30 women from the dysmenorrheal group and 30 from the control group completed the study. Homocysteine levels were higher in those with dysmenorrhea when compared with healthy controls before yoga intervention (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05); however, no statistically significant differences were found between the two groups after 8 weeks of yoga training (p<0.05). The concentrations of homocysteine in both the dysmenorrheal and control groups after 8 weeks decreased by 51.37% and 46.46%, respectively (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in NO levels between the two groups at baseline and after intervention. The total scores on the MDQs decreased significantly after yoga intervention in the dysmenorrheal group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Yoga intervention was found to be associated with reductions in severity of dysmenorrhea and may be effective in lowering serum homocysteine levels after an intervention period of 8 weeks. These observations suggest that yoga may have therapeutic effects in women by restoring endothelial function.
Effect of low-dose oral contraceptives on metabolic risk factors in African-American women.

CONTEXT The effect of oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use on cardiovascular risk in African-American women is unknown. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to examine in African-American women the effect of OCP use on insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and triglycerides (TGs). DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING The study was conducted at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Research Center. PARTICIPANTS A total of 104 healthy nondiabetic African-American women [21 OCP users, 83 controls, age mean +/- sd, 34.7 +/- 7.6 yr, body mass index (BMI) 31 +/- 8.4 kg/m(2)] was included in the study. INTERVENTIONS Subjects had oral glucose tolerance tests, insulin-modified frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance tests, and fasting lipid profiles. Insulin resistance was determined by the insulin sensitivity index (S(I)). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Insulin resistance, glucose tolerance status, and TG levels were determined. RESULTS Fasting glucose did not differ between OCP users and controls (P = 0.27). In contrast, compared with controls, 2-h glucose (135 +/- 23 vs.120 +/- 25 mg/dl; P = 0.01) and fasting TGs (73 +/- 31 vs.57 +/- 27 mg/dl; P = 0.02) were higher in OCP users. OCP users tended to be more insulin resistant than controls (S(I): 2.51 +/- 2.01 vs. 3.46 +/- 2.09; P = 0.09). Multiple regression analysis revealed that BMI, age, and OCP use were significant determinants of 2-h glucose (adjusted R(2) = 0.37; P < 0.001) and TG levels (adjusted R(2) = 0.21; P < 0.001). As BMI was a determinant of both 2-h glucose and TGs, participants were divided into nonobese and obese groups, and the analyses repeated. Among the nonobese women, the OCP users were more insulin resistant (S(I): 2.91 +/- 1.58 vs. 4.35 +/- 1.88; P = 0.03) and had a higher prevalence of glucose intolerance than controls (odds ratio 5.7; 95% confidence interval 1.4-24; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION In African-American women, OCP use is associated with an increase in markers of cardiovascular risk manifested by increased insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, and elevated TGs.