Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Career Development and Staff Motivation in the South African Petroleum Sector : A Case Study of a Durban Refinery

Lack of career advancement after training in the organization is an area of great interest and concern to both employees and management. The lack of career advancement affects motivation and performance. However, how training influences motivation is not well researched. The objectives of this study were to assess career advancement after training, identify constraints to career advancement, assess the level of motivation among trained personnel, establish strategies to minimize constraints to career advancement and assess the effect of career advancement on motivation. The study employed a case study research design where information was solicited mainly through the use of self-administered questionnaires.
The Influence of Background Clinical Data on Infant Pain Assessments

The purpose of this study was to determine the importance of knowledge of clinical background data on nursing assessments of infant pain. In a quasiexperimental design, the infant pain assessments of two groups of pediatric nurses were compared. Both groups assessed the levels of pain of the same videotaped infants. One group also read clinical background data about each infant; the other group did not. The group who read clinical background data evidenced higher mean levels of assessed pain per videotaped infant than did the group who only viewed the videotapes. Findings underscore the importance of clinical data and clinical context in the process of assessing infant pain and the risk of underestimating pain when all factors are not considered.
Activist Short-Selling and Corporate Opacity

This is the first large-sample study on the determinants and consequences of activist short-selling – a unique form of short-selling in which short-sellers publicly “talk down” stocks to benefit their short positions. Combining information from SeekingAlpha.com and ActivistShorts.com, I collect more than 6,000 activist short-selling cases against listed companies from 2006 to 2015. I find that (1) activist short-selling leads to much larger market reactions than comparable passive short-selling, (2) activist short-sellers are more likely to target firms with severe overvaluation and uncertainty features, (3) targets’ overvaluation (uncertainty) features are increasingly (decreasingly) important in predicting returns from the short-term to the long-term, (4) their overvaluation features predict short-selling allegations that focus on valuation issues such as “bubble,” while their uncertainty features predict allegations that sound severe such as “fraud,” and (5) uncertainty features also predict targets’ likelihood to respond to allegations.
[Morbidity of Chagas disease among autochthonous patients from the Rio Negro microregion, State of Amazonas].

INTRODUCTION A seroepidemiological and clinical study was conducted on 152 autochthonous individuals living in the district of Barcelos, State of Amazonas, to evaluate the seroprevalence of Chagas infection and morbidity of Chagas disease. METHODS The serological tests used were indirect immunofluorescence, conventional and recombinant ELISA and immunoblot (Tesa-blot). Thirty-eight patients were considered seropositive; 31 were considered serodoubtful; and 83 were considered seronegative. The 38 seropositive cases were paired with 38 seronegative controls of the same age and sex, and underwent epidemiological and clinical evaluations, electrocardiograms and echocardiograms. Twenty-nine pairs underwent radiological examinations of the esophagus. RESULTS Seropositivity was 19.9 times more frequent among workers gathering plant materials from the forests and 10.4 times more frequent among piassaba gatherers. Eighty six point seven percent of the seropositive individuals recognized the genus Rhodnius as the local vector, while only 34.2% of the seronegative individuals recognized this. The EKG was abnormal in 36.8% of the seropositive individuals and in 21.5% of the seronegative individuals, while the echocardiogram showed abnormalities in 31.6% of the seropositive and 18.4% of the seronegative individuals. Precordialgia and palpitation were more frequent among the seropositive individuals. Clinical evaluation on the digestive system and X-ray on the esophagus did not show significant abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS Chagas disease in the study region can be considered to be an occupational disease.
Of Crusades and Culture Wars: “Messianic” Militarism and Political Conflict in the United States

In this paper, we explore the manner and extent to which differences in militaristic orientations occupy an important front in the much ballyhooed American “culture war. ” In particular, we posit that belief in biblical inerrancy engenders a “messianic” militarism. We further suggest that this relationship occurs not only directly but also indirectly, through a heightened sense of nationalism. We compare the predictive capacity of such traditionalistic Christian “believing” to other elements associated with it: (1) cognitive dogmatism, (2) hierarchical visions of authority, (3) devotionalism, and (3) immersion within the traditionalistic Christian culture. Finally, we demonstrate the relevance of these dynamics to understanding “red/blue” cleavage structures in the United States, by showing that as belief in the authority of the Bible increases, so does the perceived electoral salience of foreign policy issues, relative to domestic issues.
Multi‐station infrasonic observations of two large bolides: signal interpretation and implications for monitoring of atmospheric explosions

Observations of two large bolides occurring over the Western Pacific on August 25, 2000 and April 23, 2001 are presented. These large bolides produced infrasonic signals at numerous stations in the Americas and Europe as well as being observed by US Department of Defence satellite sensors. The energy, location and physical characteristics of these bolides is inferred from available infrasound records and compared to satellite data. The infrasonic energy of the events from the observed signal frequencies is estimated to be 3 kT and 1 kT respectively, while the satellite energies are approximately 3 kT and 11 kT. The disagreement in energies for the April 23, 2001 (the third largest satellite observed bolide on record) event is significant and indicates acoustic/optical processes not typical of most bolides. The integrated infrasonic acoustic energy of the signals indicates that the percentage of acoustic energy deposited into the atmosphere is a minimum of ∼0.1–1% of the total source energy for each event.
The Present Status of Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

Summary The present status of monoamine oxidase inhibitors in the treatment of depression is reviewed. With adequate doses they are effective antidepressants, but dosages have in the past been too low. Provided proper dietary precautions are taken, the incidence of fatality from dietary interactions is very small and should not deter doctors from using these drugs, especially in those depressed patients who do not respond to tricyclic-type antidepressants. The present status of combining monoamine oxidase inhibitors with tricyclics is discussed, as are the newer specific inhibitors particularly clorgyline and deprenyl.
Brain Glutamate Levels Are Decreased in Alzheimer’s Disease

Glutamate (Glu) is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (CNS) and is involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in which there is an increased excitotoxicity. Biochemical composition of living tissues including the levels of Glu was analyzed by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Previous reports point to decreased levels of Glu in AD. As Glu plays an important role in memory, we hypothesize that Glu levels are decreased in patients with AD when compared with controls. A consecutive sample of 30 patients with mild-to-moderate AD underwent H-MRS with the voxel placed in the bilateral posterior cingulate gyrus. For comparison purposes, we carried out the same technique in 68 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and in 26 controls. The healthy controls had higher metabolite levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) than patients with MCI and AD. In turn, patients with MCI and the controls had higher levels of Glu than in patients with AD. The differences were significant in the analysis of variance (ANOVA) test model corrected for age. In the post hoc analysis, the most remarkable differences were seen between patients with AD and the rest (patients with MCI and the controls). In AD, the levels of Glu and NAA are decreased in comparison with MCI and normality, which reflects loss of neurons.
Ser/Thr‐rich repetitive motifs as targets for phosphoglycan modifications in Leishmania mexicana secreted acid phosphatase.

The insect stage of the protozoan parasite Leishmania mexicana secretes a phosphomonoesterase in the form of a filamentous complex. The polypeptide subunits of this polymer are modified by phosphoglycans and/or oligomannosyl residues linked to phosphoserine. Based on peptide sequence data of a predominant 100 kDa protein of the filamentous complex, two tandemly arranged, single copy genes, lmsap1 and lmsap2, were cloned and sequenced. lmsap1 predicts a protein with features characteristic of acid phosphatases and a remarkable serine‐ and threonine‐rich region of 32 amino acids close to the C‐terminus. In the otherwise identical lmsap2 product, this region is extended to 383 amino acids and is composed of short Ser/Thr‐rich repeats. Deletion analysis demonstrates that lmsap1 encodes the major 100 kDa protein of the complex while a minor 200 kDa component is derived from the lmsap2 gene. Null mutants of either gene retain the ability to secrete acid phosphatase filaments, while a deletion of both genes results in Leishmania defective in enzyme formation. The Ser/Thr‐rich domains are the targets for phosphoglycan modifications as shown by the expression of secreted fusion proteins composed of these C‐terminal regions and the N‐terminal domain of a lysosomal acid phosphatase.
Clinical studies to determine the effectiveness of a whitening toothpaste at reducing stain (using a forced stain model).

AIMS Two single centre, randomized single-blind, crossover studies were performed, to compare the effect of a test toothpaste with a conventional fluoride paste in the inhibition and removal of extrinsic dental stain promoted by repeated chlorhexidine/tea rinses. METHODS These studies used 24 subjects in each of two separate clinical trials. On the Friday before each trial period, the subjects received a prophylaxis to remove all staining, plaque and calculus deposits. On the following Monday, subjects were checked whether they were stain free and then under direct supervision they rinsed with a 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinse, immediately followed by a rinse with a warm black tea solution. This cycle was repeated hourly eight times throughout the day and on the following days until the Friday. In addition subjects also received daily a single toothpaste slurry rinse or control water rinse in the morning and lunchtime. No other form of oral hygiene was permitted during this period. On the Friday, both stain area and intensity was assessed using the Lobene Stain Index. For the stain removal study, stain was promoted again using chlorhexidine and tea rinses. After 4 days, stain was measured both prior to and immediately after brushing with the allocated toothpaste for 2 min. Subjects were then instructed to use the toothbrush at home according to their normal oral hygiene practices. On the following Wednesday, the amount of stain present was re-assessed. Each subject subsequently received a thorough prophylaxis to remove all plaque calculus and staining before starting the following periods of the study. RESULTS The study showed no difference in the ability of the test whitening toothpaste, control toothpaste and water control at inhibiting stain. There was also only a small difference (3.5% for product of area and intensity) between the ability of the two toothpastes to help remove stain after a single brushing. The difference was however in favour of the test product which approached a conventional level of significance (P = 0.089). There was no evidence of superiority for either of the pastes after normal home usage. CONCLUSIONS This study has suggested that the test product may have some advantage over the conventional paste at removing stain but the magnitude of difference would appear to be small and of little clinical relevance.
Memory development in Libyan and Dutch school children

Cross-cultural similarities and differences in memory were examined in two studies with Libyan and Dutch school children of two different grades. The first study analysed effects of word length and pronunciation speed on recall. Baddeley's phonological loop hypothesis could fully account for the somewhat larger digit span of the Dutch children. The second study investigated effects of rehearsal training on recall. Experimental groups showed a higher performance increase after training than did control groups; Libyan children with the same pretest scores as Dutch children showed higher posttest scores, which could be a consequence of sample differences in age or test-wiseness. The studies demonstrated that current theories provide more precise explanations of cross-cultural differences in structural memory features than in control processes. Implications for instructional practice are discussed.
Foreign Acquisition and Credit Risk: Evidence from the U.S. CDS Market

Abstract This article empirically analyzes the effect of foreign block acquisitions on U.S. target firms’ credit risk as measured by their credit default swap (CDS) spreads. Foreign block purchases lead to a greater increase in the target firms’ CDS premia post-acquisition compared to domestic block purchases. This effect is stronger when foreign owners are geographically and culturally more distant, and when they obtain majority control. The findings are consistent with an asymmetric information hypothesis, in which foreign owners are less effective monitors due to information barriers.
DETERMINANTS OF HERDING IN THE NAIROBI SECURITIES EXCHANGE

This study looked into herding at the Nairobi securities exchange. The study focused on the way deviations on the returns on individual stocks is influenced by the market performance (returns), market capitalization of the firms, the book-to-market value of the firms and the external market performance. The study used daily time series data for the period between 2008 and June 2015. The empirical analysis was an Ordinal Least Square (OLS) regression analysis. The main findings of the research were as follows: The stock returns are fat tailed (leptokurtic) and not normally distributed. The results showed evidence herding in the NSE around market performance, market capitalization and book-to-market value. The result showed that the magnitude of the
Top Management Team Diversity and Company Performance: The moderating effect of Organization Life Cycle

The research paper examines the moderating impact of Organizational Life Cycle on the relationship between Top Management Team Diversity and Company Performance. The study first elaborates and establishes the theoretical link between organization lifecycle and composition of management elites. Second, a quantitative empirical study is conducted to test the OLC stages moderating impact on the upper echelons diversity and firm performance of the top companies in the Czech Republic. A detailed procedure is developed to accurately classify organizations at different lifecycle stages, drawing extensively on existing literature and scales. Paper findings state that more mature the company becomes, more diversified the senior management is regardless the firm performance. Also, the industry dynamism impact has its own role in the relationship between the organization life cycle and senior management diversity which is expressed by the paper findings as well.
Proteins and other biocolloids of urine in health and in calculous disease. I. Electrophoretic studies at pH 4.5 and 8.6 of those components soluble in molar sodium chloride.

In approximately 92 per cent of all primary urinary calculi, more than 95 per cent of the total cation content is composed of calcium (1-3). Concepts concerning the mechanism of biologic calcification have undergone a marked revision in recent years (4). Rubin and Howard (5) have presented histochemical evidence that an acid mucopolysaccharide of cartilage and bone matrix may act as a "target substance" for the deposition of calcium and the eventual formation of bone salts. The structure of urinary concretions suggests that the initial matrix may be composed of ion-binding mucopolysaccharides or other "substrates," which not only provide the architectonic framework but may actually -"extract" specific inorganic components of urine from solution. The separation and identification of the organic components of urine are essential prerequisites to an exploration of this possibility. A series of experiments, in which some subjects have been repeatedly examined over a period of two years, has demonstrated that the biocolloids of urine may be separated into three groups of substances, on the basis of their solubilities in different buffer systems. It is the purpose of this report to present the results of studies on one of these groups-those components which are soluble in molar sodium chloride and in two buffers which have been used in the electrophoretic study of serum proteins (6-8).
Racial differences in self-reported exposure to information about hospice care.

BACKGROUND Previous research suggests that lack of knowledge of hospice is a barrier to the use of hospice care by African Americans. However, there is little data examining racial differences in exposure to hospice information. OBJECTIVES Examine racial differences in self-reported exposure to hospice information and determine how this exposure impacts beliefs about hospice care. METHODS We surveyed 200 community-dwelling older adults (65 or older). We used Spearman's correlations to examine the relationship between responses to individual items on the Hospice Beliefs and Attitudes Scale (HBAS) and self-reported exposure to hospice information (never heard of hospice, heard a little, or heard a lot). We used multivariate analyses to examine predictors of exposure to hospice information and beliefs about hospice care (total score on HBAS). RESULTS Compared to whites (n = 95), African Americans (n = 105) reported significantly less exposure to hospice information (p = 0.0004). Nineteen percent of African Americans and 4% of whites had never heard of hospice; 47.6% of African Americans and 71.6% of whites had heard a lot about hospice. In multivariate analysis controlling for demographics and health status, African Americans had a two times higher odds of reporting that they had never heard of hospice or heard only a little about hospice versus heard a lot about hospice (odds ratio [OR] = 2.24 [1.17, 4.27]. Greater exposure to hospice information was associated with more favorable beliefs about hospice care (outcome: total score on HBAS; parameter estimate 1.34, standard error 0.44, p = 002). CONCLUSIONS African Americans reported less exposure to information about hospice than whites. Greater exposure to hospice information was associated with more favorable beliefs about some aspects of hospice care. Because knowledge is power, educational programs targeting older African Americans are needed to dispel myths about hospice and to provide minorities with the tools to make informed choices about end-of-life care.
Gelsolin: Calcium‐ and polyphosphoinositide‐regulated actin‐ modulating protein

Receptor‐mediated stimulation induces massive actin polymerization and cyto‐skeletal reorganization. The activity of a potent actin‐modulating protein, gelsolin, is regulated both by Ca2+ and polyphos‐phoinositides, and it may have a pivotal role in restructuring the actin cytoskeleton in response to agonist stimulation. Structure‐function analysis of gelsolin has (1) indicated that its NH2‐terminal half is primarily responsible for modulating actin filament length and polymerization; and (2) elucidated mechanisms by which Ca2+ and phospholipids may regulate such functions. Gelsolin is functionally and structurally similar to villin, another Ca2+‐activated actin‐severing protein found in microvilli, suggesting that gelsolin may be a prototype of this family of actin‐modulating proteins. A molecular variant of gelsolin is secreted and may be involved in the clearance of actin filaments released during tissue damage. The two forms of gelsolin are encoded by a single gene, and distinct messages are derived by alternative message splicing.
Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Recurrence in Children: A Review of 56 Patients

Background: Aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are benign lesions that are usually treated with intralesional procedures. The clinical behavior of ABCs is reported to be more aggressive in younger patients, with high recurrence rates after surgical treatment by several authors. The purpose of this study was to review longitudinally the demographic data and outcome of current surgical techniques in children with ABC treated at a single institution and to determine the possible risk factors for recurrence, which may be detected at initial examination, including age, presenting complaint, and radiological characteristics. Methods: The authors performed a retrospective, pediatric population-based (≤16 years) analysis of 56 cases of ABCs with more than 2 years' follow-up. The subjects were studied and classified on the basis of their age group (≤5, 5-10, and >10 years of age). The possible risk factors for recurrence were analyzed initially with Student t test and Pearson χ2 test, then a logistic regression analysis model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: Nine patients were younger than 5 years, 17 were between 5 and 10 years old, and 30 were older than 10 years. The most frequent location of the lesion was the humerus (11 cases) followed by proximal femur and fibula. Curettage was the most common treatment modality followed by resection. Recurrence of the lesion occurred in 5 children in the younger age group and in 4 children in the older age group. The difference in persistence or recurrence rates based on age (≤5 years) and previous surgery was statistically significant. In addition, we have found no significant implication of physeal contact and size of the lesion on recurrence. Conclusions: The recurrence rates of primary ABC seemed to be higher in younger children. Considering the high cure rates with intralesional procedures even after recurrence, we suggest less aggressive intralesional procedures even in patients with mentioned risk factors; however, the patients' family should be informed about the high probability of recurrence. Level of Evidence: Level III (case-control study).