Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Temperature effects of an asymmetry quantum dot qubit under an applied electric field

We study the eigenenergies and eigenfunctions of the ground and first excited states (GFES) of an electron strongly coupled to the LO-phonon in an asymmetry quantum dot (AQD) under an applied electric field by using a variational method of the Pekar type (VMPT). This AQD two-level system may be viewed as a single qubit. When the electron is in the superposition state (SS) of the GFES, the effects of the electric field and temperature on the oscillating period (OP), the time evolution of the electron’s probability density (PD) and the coherence time (CT) are obtained. Our numerical results show that the electron’s PD and its OP will increase (decrease) with increasing temperature in low (high) temperature regime. The electron’s PD will decrease (increase) with increasing electron-phonon (EP) coupling strength in low (high) temperature regime. The OP is an increasing function of the electric field and will decrease obviously (increase tardily) with increasing EP coupling strength when the temperature is in lower (higher) rgime. The CT is an increasing function of the electric field, but a decreasing function of the coupling strength.
Analysing the advantages of early contractor involvement

Early contractor involvement (ECI), introduced by the Highways Agency in 2001 has commenced in Northern Ireland. The first five UK ECI schemes were investigated (Nichols Report, 2007) but there was an admission of limited piloting and research. Through an online survey and case study data this paper defines for the first time the success factors of the ECI procurement route against other UK Government approved procurement routes. It further shows cost savings of £59.3 m were achieved with an average saving per scheme of £5.4 m. ECI produces less time savings. The case studies confirm in larger schemes ECI supports risk management mitigating the costs accrued. However, there is often little benefit on smaller or low risk schemes. This research shows the negative issues relating to ECI costs and timescale stated by Owen (2009) are not shared by practitioners with initial opinions and statistics on the use of ECI being very positive.
Valgus deformity after reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament in a skeletally immature patient. A case report.

Whether acute or chronic, rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament is uncommon in children, most likely because the strength of the ligament is greater than that of bone or physes in children3,5. However, intrasubstance ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament can occur in young patients1,2,4,6-8,11-17,19. A heightened awareness of injuries to the ligament and the fear of irreparable damage to the cartilage and menisci have created a trend toward operative treatment1,2,4,6-8,11-17,19. Intra-articular reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament has been successful in adults; however, drilling across an open growth plate is a cause of concern because it may lead to the formation of an osseous bridge, resulting in premature physeal closure, limb-length discrepancy, and angulation of the involved extremity10. We report on a fourteen-year-old boy who was managed with a transphyseal intra-articular reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee. He subsequently had premature closure of the distal femoral physis that resulted in a valgus deformity of the lower extremity. A boy, fourteen years and four months old, sustained an injury of the right knee while playing football. The knee gave way and immediately swelled. The patient was evaluated in an emergency room, and he was referred to an orthopaedic surgeon. Physical examination revealed a large effusion in the right knee, positive Lachman and drawer signs, and a positive pivot-shift test. Knee flexion was limited to 90 degrees. Radiographic examination of the knee revealed no fractures. A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament was diagnosed at that time. The patient began a rehabilitation program in an attempt to regain a …
GABAergic inhibition gates excitatory LTP in perirhinal cortex

The perirhinal cortex (PRh) is a key region downstream of auditory cortex (ACx) that processes familiarity linked mnemonic signaling. In gerbils, ACx‐driven EPSPs recorded in PRh neurons are largely shunted by GABAergic inhibition (Kotak et al., 2015, Frontiers in Neural Circuits, 9). To determine whether inhibitory shunting prevents the induction of excitatory long‐term potentiation (e‐LTP), we stimulated ACx‐recipient PRh in a brain slice preparation using theta burst stimulation (TBS). Under control conditions, without GABA blockers, the majority of PRh neurons exhibited long‐term depression. A very low concentration of bicuculline increased EPSP amplitude, but under this condition TBS did not significantly increase e‐LTP induction. Since PRh synaptic inhibition included a GABAB receptor‐mediated component, we added a GABAB receptor antagonist. When both GABAA and GABAB receptors were blocked, TBS reliably induced e‐LTP in a majority of PRh neurons. We conclude that GABAergic transmission is a vital mechanism regulating e‐LTP induction in the PRh, and may be associated with auditory learning.
Assessing and Managing Risks Using the Supply Chain Risk Management Process (SCRMP)

Purpose: This paper proposes a comprehensive and coherent approach for managing risks in supply chains. Methodology/Approach: Building on Tummala et al.’s (1994) Risk Management Process (RMP) this paper develops a structured and ready-to-use approach for managers to assess and manage risks in supply chains. Findings: Supply chain risks can be managed more effectively when applying the Supply Chain Risk Management Process (SCRMP). The structured approach can be divided in the phases of risk identification, risk measurement and risk assessment; risk evaluation, and risk mitigation and contingency plans; and risk control and monitoring via data management systems. Specific techniques for conducting this process are suggested.Originality/value of paper: While supply chain risk management is an emerging and important topic in our dynamic and interconnected world, conceptual frameworks providing a clear meaning and normative guidance are scarce (Manuj and Mentzer, 2008). This paper presents such a framework, offering structure and decision support for managers.
Green Service Practices: Performance Implications and the Role of Environmental Management Systems

Research on the effects of environmental management has largely neglected the importance of green service practices and their impact on environmental protection and cost reduction. There is also little knowledge on how service-oriented firms may leverage their efforts in providing green services to achieve performance improvement through their existing environmental management system EMS. Grounded in the natural resource-based view in conjunction with the contingency theory, we develop a model linking two key green service practices, green service delivery and green service support, to cost and environmental performance. The model considers the moderating role of the existing EMS that may affect the performance results of green service practices. This differs from previous studies that focus on the direct performance impact of EMS. Using survey data from 206 service firms, results indicate that green service delivery and support contributed to cost reduction and environmental performance. However, performance impact was strengthened by the adoption of uncertified EMS instead of certified EMS. This study contributes to the conceptual development of green service practices, the understanding of their impact on cost and environmental performance, and the role of EMS in supporting service-oriented firms to achieve such performance.
Plk1-dependent Phosphorylation Regulates Functions of DNA Topoisomerase IIα in Cell Cycle Progression*

Plk1 (Polo-like kinase 1) has been documented as a critical regulator of many mitotic events. However, increasing evidence supports the notion that Plk1 might also have functions outside of mitosis. Using biochemical fractionation and RNA interference approaches, we found that Plk1 was required for both G1/S and G2/M phases and that DNA topoisomerase IIα (topoIIα) was a potential target for Plk1 in both interphase and mitosis. Plk1 phosphorylates Ser1337 and Ser1524 of topoIIα. Overexpression of an unphosphorylatable topoIIα mutant led to S phase arrest, suggesting that Plk1-associated phosphorylation first occurs in S phase. Moreover, overexpression of the unphosphorylatable topoIIα mutant activated the ATM/R-dependent DNA damage checkpoint, probably due to reduced catalytic activity of topoIIα, and resulted in accumulation of catenated DNA. Finally, we showed that wild type topoIIα, but not the unphosphorylatable mutant, was able to rescue topoIIα depletion-induced defects in sister chromatid segregation, indicating that Plk1-associated phosphorylation is essential for the functions of topoIIα in mitosis.
Short- and Long-Latency Contributions to Reciprocal Inhibition During Various Levels of Muscle Contraction of Individuals With Cerebral Palsy

Deficits in reciprocal inhibition likely contribute to excessive antagonist muscle cocontraction during voluntary movements of individuals with cerebral palsy. This study examined neural contributions to reciprocal inhibition of the soleus motoneurons of individuals with spastic, diplegic cerebral palsy and nondisabled individuals during various levels of voluntary tibialis anterior contraction. A condition-test H-reflex paradigm examined short- and long-latency contributions to reciprocal inhibition of soleus neural pools during changing levels of voluntary tibialis anterior contraction. Electrically induced short- and long-latency inhibition was similar between healthy, neurologically intact control subjects and subjects with cerebral palsy during rest. With increasing levels of tibialis anterior contraction, control subjects experienced increasing levels of soleus motoneuron inhibition, especially of long-latency inhibitory responses. In contrast, there was no evidence of modulation of short- or long-latency inhibition with increasing levels of tibialis anterior contraction among subjects with cerebral palsy. Deficits in long-latency (presynaptic) inhibition appear to contribute prominently to voluntary movement impairment of individuals with cerebral palsy. (J Child Neurol 2006;21:240—246).
Impact of Corporate Cash Flow on Dividend Payouts: Evidence from South Asia

Present study investigated the impact of free cash flow on corporate dividend policy in four emerging economies of South Asia i.e. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The data of 250 listed companies collected form published annual reports from 2006-10. Based on the estimated results it was evident that liquidity plays major role in distribution of cash dividend and in order to pay regular dividends firm needs to maintain strong cash reserves. The results showed that cash flow from operations is an important factor affecting the firm’s ability to pay dividends especially in India and Pakistan. However, the dividend payout of firms from Sri Lanka and Bangladesh was not affected much from the cash flow from operations.
An unusual cause of bowel obstruction

A 73-year-old woman presented with a 24-hour history of colicky abdominal pain, abdominal distension and vomiting. Medical history revealed that her bowels were opening normally and there was no history of recent change in bowel habit or weight loss. She was hypertensive and had not undergone previous abdominal surgery. The patient had previously been investigated for rectal haemorrhage when a barium enema was performed (figure 1). Examination of her abdomen revealed distension with no scars or external herniae. On auscultation tinkling bowel sounds were heard. No peritonism was present and digital rectal examination was normal. Plain abdominal radiograph was obtained (figure 2). The patient underwent an exploratory laparotomy, following which …
Modelling choice in logistics: a managerial guide and application

Purpose – Much of the research conducted in logistics/SCM has focused on satisfaction/retention of customers. This has left a critical gap for managers: before customers can be satisfied and ultimately retained, a purchase choice of logistics services has to occur. To date, very little research has addressed how logistics customers make purchase choice decisions about logistics services. The purpose of this paper, using logistics research methods, is to introduce adaptive choice modelling (ACM) to address this gap and put forth a research method that is useful for academic researchers and logistics/SCM managers.Design/methodology/approach – This paper provides an overview of ACM, along with a discussion of its important research advantages, limitations, and practical applications. Additionally, an empirical demonstration of this research technique is provided to illustrate how academic researchers and logistics managers can use ACM to better understand the decision‐making process of customers when selecti.
Assistive Technology Use and Abandonment among College Students with Disabilities, 3(23)

The use of assistive technology by college students with disabilities is a necessary tool to enhance their academic success. Many individuals with disabilities, however, discontinue use of their technology. Discontinuance represents a waste of functional abilities and a disadvantage to college students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to report the rate of use and abandonment of assistive technology among college students with disabilities. Fifty-three college students with various disabilities participated in a survey on assistive technology device use and abandonment across the domains of home, school, recreation, leisure, hearing, vision, and mobility. Results showed that a total of 51 devices were abandoned across all domains. School was the domain with the highest rate of use and the second highest rate of abandonment. The mobility domain represented the second largest number of devices used and the largest number of devices abandoned. These findings demonstrate that college students are using assistive technology devices for school and mobility. However, they are also abandoning them at a high rate.
Immunogenic activity of the fish tapeworm Pterobothrium heteracanthum (Trypanorhyncha: Pterobothriidae) in BALB/c mice

Abstract The aim of this study was to verify the immunogenicity of Pterobothrium heteracanthum (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) crude protein extract (PH-CPE) in BALB/c mice. The parasites were obtained from Micropogonias furnieri (Osteichthyes: Sciaenidae). Groups of six mice were each immunized with 10, 50 or 100 μg of PH-CPE, on days 0 and 35. Both specific IgG and IgE responses were developed after immunization. The immunoblot assay revealed that specific IgG recognizes PH-CPE proteins with two molecular weight ranges, 60–75 and 30–40 kDa, and that IgE recognizes larger proteins over 120 kDa. This appears to be the first report on the immunogenicity of metacestodes within the Pterobothriidae and that PH-CPE is a potential inducer of a specific IgE response.
Consensus nomenclature for CD 8 T cell phenotypes in cancer

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Understanding the ways organizational learning drives information technology (IT) infrastructure

Many businesses today are struggling to find a better and substantive IT capability to achieve its competitive advantage. Therefore, this study aims to explore how organizational learning orientation may be the driver that may strengthen organizational IT capability. In the context of this study, organizational learning orientation involves commitment to learning, shared vision, open-mindedness, and intraorganizational knowledge sharing. This study will further explore how these four organization learning orientation may positively or negatively drives organizations' IT capability. Drawing upon dynamic capability theory and Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, four hypotheses are developed to better understand how organizations strategized its IT capability with the right learning orientation. Questionnaires and interviews will be adopted as data collection method and further analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). As a result, a validated research model will be empirically validated and presented in the future stages of this research.
Burns: the importance of prevention

Working in a regional trauma center, the two types of injuries that make me cringe when I hear a patient is coming into the hospital are head injuries and burns. These injuries share many similarities in that they are both relatively common, are important causes of death, and many of the victims have lifelong morbidity. There are approximately 4000 deaths each year in the US from fire and burns.1 A similar figure, proportional to population, is probably found in most developed countries. The problem of burns is even relatively greater in less industrialized countries where the absence of specialized burn care results in much greater morbidity, disability, and mortality for burn victims.2 The majority of fire deaths are due to smoke inhalation in residential fires, rather than from the burn itself. Smoke inhalation can increase the mortality rate 10-fold for the same size burn,3 and most of these deaths occur at the scene of the fire. Burn deaths include burns from residential fires, as well as scalds, clothing burns, industrial injuries, electrical injuries, and other sources of thermal energy. Medical care for burns has markedly improved survival. In 1940, 50% of patients with burns involving 30% or more of their total body surface area (TBSA) died. In contrast, a recent study reported no deaths for children with burns to 40% to 59% TBSA treated between 1991 and 1997. In fact, the death rate was only 14.3% for very large burns involving 60% or more TBSA.4 Another study from the same burn center reported a 3% mortality for individuals under 60 years of age admitted without smoke inhalation.3 This increased survival has come at a price, however, and that …
Taking a critical perspective to the European Business Excellence Model using a balanced scorecard approach: a case study in the service sector

In this paper the business excellence model is examined from a critical perspective by analysing the results from a three year university/organisation partnership. The organisation, a major service based electrical utility, wanted to adopt a total quality culture that was based on broad based learning principles, rather than a narrow mechanised approach. Instead of using short term initiatives the organisation entered into a learning partnership with the university. One of the approaches used was that of the Business Excellence Model. However, rather than apply the model as the ultimate panacea, it was carefully deployed and any advantages and disadvantages were noted and analysed by the TQM team and the researchers. A balanced scorecard approach was used to cover deficiencies in the Business Excellence Model.
Reversal of bronchiectasis caused by chronic aspiration in cri du chat syndrome

Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung disease whose pathophysiology is poorly understood. It has traditionally been considered “permanent and irreversible”. 1 In addition to chronic airway inflammation and infection, chronic aspiration has been implicated as another aetiological possibility.2-4 We recently cared for a Samoan child with cri du chat syndrome, admitted four times with wheezing before 15 months of age. He had persistent central and peripheral type wheezing and digital clubbing. A modified barium swallow revealed mild dysfunction of the oral phase of swallowing. A nuclear scintiscan revealed eight episodes of gastro-oesophageal …
Effects of epidermal growth factor and its signal transduction inhibitors on apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells.

AIM The study investigated if EGF signaling inhibitors, EGF antibody and tyrphostin 51 (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), mediated the action of EGF on apoptosis and the expression of EGF receptors and p21 (a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor) of human colorectal cancer cells. METHODS Human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (SW480) were incubated with 0.6 mL/L dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, the control group), 225 ng/mL (37.5 nmol/L) EGF in 0.6 mL/L DMSO, 225 ng/mL EGF+2.5 microg/mL (17 nmol/L) EGF antibody in 0.6 mL/L DMSO, or 225 ng/mL EGF+215 ng/mL (0.8 micromol/L) tyrphostin 51 in 0.6 mL/L DMSO. RESULTS After 48 h incubation, the levels of EGF in medium significantly increased (P<0.05) in the EGF-treated groups. The numbers of apoptotic cells were significantly fewer (P<0.05) in the EGF + EGF antibody and EGF + tyrphostin 51 groups than those in the control and EGF groups after 12 h treatments. The expression of phosphorylated EGF receptors in the EGF, EGF + EGF antibody, and EGF + tyrphostin 51 groups was 176.8%, 62.4%, and 138.1% of the control group, respectively. The expression of p21 protein in the EGF, EGF + EGF antibody, and EGF + tyrphostin 51 groups was 115.7%, 4.8%, and 61.5% of the control group, respectively. CONCLUSION The data suggest that EGF antibody and tyrphostin 51 can inhibit the action of EGF on apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells through down-regulation of EGF receptor and p21 expression.
2.5 b.y. of punctuated Earth history as recorded in a single rock

Deciphering the absolute chronology of ancient crustal rocks is often problematical because of isotopic reequilibration and/or mixing during multiple geologic events. Ion probe U-Pb age data from texturally distinct zircon crystal domains in a single sample of high-grade gneiss from the Nimrod Group in Antarctica reflect successive resorption and crystallization under disequilibrium conditions. Our data indicate that Archean crust of the East Antarctic shield, initially formed from juvenile magmas ca. 3000 Ma, extends to the central Transantarctic Mountains. Successive zircon growth ca. 2955, 1720, and 530 Ma records a sequence of distinct, widely spaced high-temperature metamorphic and/or anatectic events related to Archean, Paleoproterozoic, and Eocambrian orogenesis.
Brand dilution effect of extension failure – a Taiwan study

Examines the negative impacts of brand extension failure upon the original brand by calibrating the difference of brand equity. Using data collected from college students in Taiwan, establishes four hypotheses to identify various effects of a failed brand extension in diluting the original brand’s equity. Analyzes the different effects among four types of equity‐source brands for both close and distant extensions. Equity‐source and equity level of the original brand is identified first. All components of brand equity‐source are then used to evaluate the performance of a brand extension. Finds that an unsuccessful brand extension dilutes the original brand for all three high equity‐source brands. Effects of brand dilution differ according to the type of equity source possessed by the original brand, but there is no difference in brand dilution effects from close and distant extension failures.
Laparotomy versus laparoscopy for the treatment of adnexal masses during pregnancy

Background: Laparoscopy has been highlighted as an effective surgical modality for diverse pelvic organ diseases. However, its surgical and obstetric efficacy has not been fully confirmed in pregnant women because of the absence of a large comparative study. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes between laparotomy and laparoscopic surgery for adnexal masses during pregnancy.