Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant Production by Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Using Low‐Cost Raw Materials

This study was aimed at the development of economical methods for higher yields of biosurfactant by suggesting the use of low‐cost raw materials. Two oil‐degrading strains, Pseudomonas aeruginosa GS9–119 and DS10–129, were used to optimize a substrate for maximum rhamnolipid production. Among the two strains, the latter produced maxima of 4.31, 2.98, and 1.77 g/L rhamnolipid biosurfactant using soybean oil, safflower oil, and glycerol, respectively. The yield of biosurfactant steadily increased even after the bacterial cultures reached the stationary phase of growth. Characterization of rhamnolipids using mass spectrometry revealed the presence of dirhamnolipids (Rha‐Rha‐C10–C10). Emulsification activity of the rhamnolipid biosurfactant produced by P. aeruginosa DS10–129 was greater than 70% using all the hydrocarbons tested, including xylene, benzene, hexane, crude oil, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel. P. aeruginosa GS9–119 emulsified only hexane and kerosene to that level.
APPLICATION OF GRAY RELATIONAL ANALYSIS FOR SURFACE ROUGHNESS AND ROUNDNESS ERROR IN DRILLING OF AL 6061 ALLOY

A R T I C L E I N F O Drilling Surface Roughness Roundness Error Taguchi method, Gray relational analysis, Al6061 Alloy Received 07 June 2012 Accepted 15 June 2012 Available online 01 October 2012 In this study, the effects of drilling parameters on surface roughness and roundness error were investigated in drilling of AI6061 alloy with HSS twist drills. In addition, optimal control factors for the hole quality were determined by using Taguchi Gray relational analysis. Cutting speed, feed rate, drill diameter, point angle and cutting fluid mixture ratio were considered as control factors, and L18 (3*5) orthogonal array was determined for experimental trials. Gray relational analysis was employed to minimize the surface roughness and roundness error achieved via experimental design. Minimum surface roughness and roundness error were obtained with treated drills at 25.13 m/min cutting speed and 0.3 mm/rev feed rate,10mm drill diameter, 110 degrees point angle and 12% cutting fluid mixture ratio. Confirmation experiments showed that Gray relational analysis precisely optimized the drilling parameters in drilling of Al6061 alloy. ________________________________ * Corresponding Author
Risk Management and Corporate Governance

We take up the question of potential conflicts between the objectives of risk management policies and those connected with maximization of the firm’s value. This question is a timely one, since many firms have a special committee devoted to risk management—banks and insurance companies in particular. In the wake of the Enron affair, various proposals have been formulated regarding the composition of the different committees set up by boards of directors. In the financial literature, it is now a widely accepted fact that risk management issues can give rise to conflicts of interest between heads of firms and shareholders, notably when executives are remunerated in stock options. In our opinion, the board’s risk management committee must be composed of competent and independent directors who hold no options to purchase the firm’s shares.
Dividend policy and the stock market reaction to dividend announcements in Pakistan

Dividends are payments made to the shareholders (owners) out of firms‟ earnings. Numerous academics, adopting either a behavioural or empirical approach, have provided rationales to address the issue of why companies pay dividends and whether the market response to the announcements can be predicted. However, these endeavours have failed to achieve unanimity on either issue. Moreover, most of these studies have been conducted in countries with developed markets; relatively little research has been conducted in the emerging stock markets of (Southern) Asia, such as Pakistan. This thesis tries to fill the gap in the literature by investigating both the impact of dividend announcements on the share prices of Pakistani firms and the behavioural determinants of dividend policy. The Pakistani market was characterised by a unique tax system, with capital gains totally exempted from taxation before June 2010. This unique feature provides an additional motivation for the researcher to explore the reasons why Pakistani firms pay dividends despite the tax penalty associated with such disbursements. For the purposes of the research, a mixed-methods approach was employed involving, firstly, an event study to calculate any unexpected share returns around dividend announcements for a sample of 639 dividend events across 202 firms listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) over the period 2005-09. Secondly, interviews were conducted with 23 company executives to ascertain their views about the determinants of dividend policy and its perceived impact on share prices. To gain an alternative – investor – perspective on the signalling impact of dividends, 16 financial analysts were also interviewed. The results of the event study indicate that dividend announcements do not convey information about Pakistani firms to the stock market; insignificant unexpected returns are documented for the announcement date. Nonetheless, the disaggregated results of the event study showed significant unexpected returns for the dividend increase and no-change subgroups – usually before the actual dividend announcement date. However, consistent with results for developed countries with diverse shareholdings, this research suggests that earnings are the dominant signal in Pakistan, in the context of an interaction effect where earnings and dividends signals re-enforce each other. The results of the interviews indicated that Pakistani executives primarily base their dividend decisions on earnings, followed by liquidity. However, Pakistani firms do not appear have target payout ratios or employ a constant speed-of-adjustment to decide on payout levels. Indeed, most of the firms indicated that they decided the current payout ratio on an ad hoc basis. More importantly, both sets of interviewees (company officials and financial analysts) believed in the signalling effect, where dividends were sometimes used by investors as a signal of future earnings.
Occurrence of hypoxia in the wards of a teaching hospital

Objective: Appearance of hypoxia in a patient may be an indicator of a serious medical condition that can have grave consequences. Clinical evaluation fails to detect majority of the patients of hypoxia, and therefore, it may remain unnoticed in the wards. We planned to assess the magnitude of hypoxia in different wards of our tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: We studied all the patients admitted in various medical and surgical wards during 1 week of study. Oxygen saturation (SpO2) was measured with the help of a pulse oximeter in all the patients who remained admitted for at least 24 h. Hypoxia was diagnosed in a patient when he had SpO2 less than 90%. Results: During the study period, 1167 patients were admitted in various wards of the hospital. Hypoxia was detected in 121 patients (10.36%). Among them, 7 (0.59%) patients were already having a diagnosis of respiratory failure, but were not on oxygen therapy while 5 (0.42%) patients were having SpO2 less than 90% despite of oxygen therapy. In 109 (9.34%) patients, hypoxia was detected incidentally. Conclusion: Unnoticed hypoxia was detected in a significant number of the patients admitted in the wards of the hospital. Therefore, it is concluded that oxygen saturation measurements should be included with other vital parameters like pulse, temperature, and blood pressure, in the monitoring chart of all the admitted patients.
Deciding who’s in charge

This research derives testable hypotheses from property rights theory regarding the allocation of decision authority in contracts. Government-based professional service contracts provide the context for study. Using content analysis we code 361 contracts to identify the main contributors of knowledge assets to the work product along with the relevant decision authority, which is reflected in provisions that stipulate who must accomplish the work and how it must be done. Results of various regression models show that the distribution of knowledge assets does influence the assignment of decision authority, specifically: (1) a higher fraction of decision rights is allocated to government when government is also identified as a source of expertise; (2) authority is less centralized when both parties contribute knowledge inputs; (3) bargaining power (lobbying) leads to a lower fraction of decision rights allocated to government.
Sapwood area drives growth in mountain conifer forests

1. It is expected that climate warming will enhance tree growth of mountain conifer forests in cold regions. However, trees have shown unstable, age‐related and site‐dependent growth responses to climate throughout the past century, but information on the drivers controlling such responsiveness at the site and tree scales is lacking. We evaluated whether such changing growth responses are more influenced by site features, such as altitude, or by tree features, such as size and sapwood area.
Success Factors of Hybrid Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Universitas Ciputra Academician

Indonesian people show indication not having enough courage to be Entrepreneurs. Business owners account for less than 2 percents of the Indonesian population. Neighboring countries, such as Singapore and Malaysia, have much higher rates. One of the problems is a mentality problem. Fear of starting something new, lack of skills, and knowledge make most of Indonesian population choose to be employees. Yet as an employee, we have risk of being laid off. So there is an alternative transition phase labeled as Hybrid Entrepreneur to reduce risk as a business owner and as an employee. Thus, this study will try to see the supporting success factors both internal and external that enable someone to have a wage work while working on own business, and why they stay in this role. This study learn how hybrid entrepreneur able to perform their two roles, if the working environment suitable enough. This will be an exploratory research using qualitative data and case study. This research is interesting because of the informants and working environment characteristics. All of the informants are academicians who are running their own businesses with minimum 24 working hours per week as employees (lecturers in this case study). DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015. v6n5s5p84
Exploring consumers' flow experiences in virtual shopping: an exploratory study

The purpose of this study was to use flow theory to characterise consumers' experiences of visiting stores in the virtual world for the first time and to examine their intentions to use a virtual world for shopping. 119 Midwest US apparel merchandising university students responded to a survey after completing a course assignment introducing them to Second Life and shopping in a virtual world. A hypothesised model consisting of exogenous constructs of web skills and perceived challenges and endogenous constructs of perceived control, concentration, enjoyment, telepresence and shopping intention, guided the analysis. Results revealed that perceived control and enjoyment are significantly stronger than the other model constructs and that web skills and perceived challenge are critical elements influencing the intention to shop in Second Life. Perceived concentration and telepresence did not have significant effects on shopping intentions nor did web skills positively influence perceived telepresence in Second Life.
Market Making Under the Proposed Volcker Rule

This submission discusses implications for the quality and safety of financial markets of proposed rules implementing the market-making provisions of section 13 of the Bank Holding Company Act, commonly known as the “Volcker Rule. ” The proposed rules1 have been described by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Agencies’ proposed implementation of the Volcker Rule would reduce the quality and capacity of market making services that banks provide to U.S. investors. Investors and issuers of securities would find it more costly to borrow, raise capital, invest, hedge risks, and obtain liquidity for their existing positions. Eventually, non-bank providers of market-making services would fill some or all of the lost market making capacity, but with an unpredictable and potentially adverse impact on the safety and soundness of the financial system. These near-term and longer-run impacts should be considered carefully in the Agencies’ cost-benefit analysis of their final proposed rule. Regulatory capital and liquidity requirements for market making are a more cost effective method of treating the associated systemic risks.
Evidence that GABAA but not GABAB receptor activation in the dorsal raphe nucleus modulates ethanor intake in Wistar rats

Injection of the GABAA agonist muscimol into the dorsal raphe nucleus produces a marked and selective increase in voluntary ethanol intake. The purpose of the present study was threefold: first, to demonstrate that the effect of muscimol on ethanol consumption is mediated by GABAA receptors; secondly, to test the generalizability of this effect by examining the effects of another GABAA agonist, THIP, on ethanol drinking; and finally, to examine whether GABAB receptors within the dorsal raphe also play a role in modifying voluntary ethanol consumption under the same experimental conditions. Rats were trained to drink a 12% ethanol solution in a limited access paradigm with water concurently available. Muscmol (50 ng) injected into the dorsal raphe enhanced ethanol intake by at least 100%. Peripheral administration of the GABAA antagonist bicuculline (4 mg/kg) but not the 5-HT1A antagonist (+)-WAY100135 (1 and 3 mg/kg), antagonized the stimulatory effect of muscimol at a dose which, when administered alone, did not alter ethanol intake. This supports the suggestion that the effect of muscimol is mediated via GABAA receptors. This conclusion was further supported by the finding that another GABAA agonist, THIP (500 ng), also selectively increased ethanol intake in this paradigm, injection of biculline (60 ng) into the dorsal raphe reduced ethanol intake, but also appeared to reduce water intake. Finally, intra-dorsal raphe injection of the GABAB agonist baclofen (62.5 and 125 ng) did not produce any change in ethanol or water consumption. Together, these findings suggest that enhancement of GABAergic activity in the dorsal raphe increased voluntary ethanol intake via activation of GABAA but not GABAB receptors.
An Exploratory Study of the Influence of Sales Training Content and Salesperson Evaluation on Salesperson Adaptive Selling, Customer Orientation, Listening, and Consulting Behaviors

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the possible impact of the content of consulting oriented sales training and evaluation on salesperson behaviors, based upon the perceptions of salespeople. The behaviors studied were adaptive selling, customer orientation, listening, and consulting. Four hundred and twenty non‐retail salespeople were surveyed. Results indicated that listening behaviors positively influence customer orientation behaviors, which, in turn, influence adaptive selling behaviors, which influence listening behaviors, resulting in a feedback loop of reinforcing behaviors. Consulting oriented salesperson evaluation is a stronger influence on salesperson behaviors, compared to sales training. Contrary to expectations, consulting oriented sales training did not have a significant impact on salesperson behaviors. Comparing the salesperson's responses to the responses of sales managers in another study indicated differing correlations of the variables of interest. The authors discuss possible explanations for these differences and offer suggestions to managers based on the results.
Effect of immobilization on vitamin D status and bone mass in chronically hospitalized disabled stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE To assess the influence of immobilization upon vitamin D status and bone mass in chronically hospitalized, disabled, elderly patients following stroke. DESIGN cross-sectional study. SETTING Department of geriatric neurology in a Japanese hospital. SUBJECTS 129 chronically hospitalized, disabled, elderly stroke patients and 28 age-matched controls. RESULTS We observed a deficiency of both 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25-[OH]2D; 24.3 pg/ml) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (25-OHD; 11.7 ng/ml) in stroke patients compared with controls. A high serum ionized calcium (mean; 2.648 mEq/l) was an independent determinant of the Barthel index (66) and 1,25-[OH]2D. When the patients were categorized into three groups by 25-OHD level (deficient, insufficient and sufficient), there was no difference in the mean 1,25-[OH]2D levels. Parathyroid hormone levels were normal or low and did not correlate with 25-OHD. Serum bone turnover variables and bone mineral density (BMD) of the second metacarpal in patients were significantly decreased compared to control subjects. Independent determinants of BMD included Barthel index, 25-OHD and 1,25-[OH]2D. CONCLUSIONS 1,25-[OH]2D deficiency in immobilized stroke patients is not caused by substrate (25-OHD) deficiency but by hypercalcaemia. Immobilization-induced hypercalcaemia may inhibit parathyroid hormone secretion and thus 1,25-[OH]2D production, resulting in decreased BMD. Immobilization itself also may be responsible for decreased BMD. Exogenous 1,25-[OH]2D (calcitriol) rather than dietary vitamin D supplementation may be required in disabled elderly stroke patients who have a deficiency of 1,25-[OH]2D in order to prevent hip fractures, which frequently occur in this population.
Demographic Correlates to Loyalty in Frequently Purchased Consumer Services

This research examines eight commonly purchased services to determine whether demographics arc associated with consumer loyalty to those services, both individually and collcc- tively. The nature of service loyalty is briefl discussed and some important distinctions between it and brand I' oyalty are identified. Findings indicate that, like brand loyalty, service loyalty has some demographic correlates, but they are few and weak. I.Iowever, when strong loyalty is examined, some consistent patterns result. Implica- tions for services marketers are reviewed.
[Tumor necrosis factor in uterine leiomyomas at various stages of tumor growth].

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of tumor necrosis factors -alpha and beta (TNF), their receptor and content in human uterine leiomyomas at various stages of tumor growth. MATERIAL AND METHODS Studies were performed on human myometrium and uterine leiomyomas of various weights (small: less than 10 g and large: more than 100 g). Presence of both growth factors and their receptor was detected by Western Immunoblotting technique. The content of TNF-alpha was evaluated by immunoenzymatic method (ELISA). RESULTS Changes in the expression of tumor necrosis factors and their receptor and difference in content of TNF-alpha during the tumor growth were found. CONCLUSIONS Myometrium conversion into leiomyoma and an increase in its mass is accompanied by changes in the expression and contents TNF and TNF RI.
Gamma heavy chain disease: cytological diagnosis of a rare lymphoid malignancy facilitated by correlation with key laboratory findings

The 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues defines gamma heavy chain disease (gHCD) as a B-cell neoplasm that produces monoclonal gamma immunoglobulin (IgG) heavy chain without corresponding light chains. Since its original description in the 1960s, fewer than 200 cases have been reported. Patients may present with a myriad of constitutional symptoms and some have concomitant autoimmune disease, most notably rheumatoid arthritis. Because of the protean clinical presentation, the diagnosis of gHCD is often delayed and requires close collaboration between clinicians and pathologists, including both anatomical and clinical pathologists. We report a case of gHCD in which the definitive diagnosis was made by integrating the findings of fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology, flow cytometry and serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) and immunofixation results. To our knowledge, this is the first description of the cytological findings in gHCD. This case highlights the need for close collaboration between diverse subspecialty pathologists, including cytopathologists, haematopathologists and laboratory medicine practitioners, in establishing a specific diagnosis of a rare lymphoproliferative disorder on cytology. Case report
Market orientation and marketing practice in a developing economy

Purpose – The central question of this study is whether the implementation of the marketing concept boosts organizational performance in developing economies. A subsidiary aim is to identify those antecedents that influence the formation of market orientation (MO) and marketing practice (MP). Design/methodology/approach – Interview data were collected from a sample of 57 exporter manufacturers located in central China.Findings – Although there is a link between MP and overall business performance, no such link exists for Narver and Slater's concept of MO. In general, MP was found to be a superior predictor of business performance. This study also found that the most significant antecedents to MO for developing country firms were customers and markets located outside the home market.Research limitations/implications – Marketing‐minded managers in developing economies encounter a number of institutional and environmental obstacles to collecting useful market intelligence. In such cases, the development of a .
Radical reduction in the rate of extensive corrective surgery for clubfoot using the Ponseti method.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Ponseti method in reducing extensive corrective surgery rates for congenital idiopathic clubfoot. METHODS Consecutive case series were conducted from January 1991 through December 2001. A total of 157 patients (256 clubfeet) were evaluated. All patients were treated by serial manipulation and casting as described by Ponseti. Main outcome measures included initial correction of the deformity, extensive corrective surgery rate, and relapses. RESULTS Clubfoot correction was obtained in all but 3 patients (98%). Ninety percent of patients required </=5 casts for correction. Average time for full correction of the deformity was 20 days (range: 14-24 days). Only 4 (2.5%) patients required extensive corrective surgery. There were 17 (11%) relapses. Relapses were unrelated to age at presentation, previous unsuccessful treatment, or severity of the deformity (as measured by the number of Ponseti casts needed for correction). Relapses were related to noncompliance with the foot-abduction brace. Four patients (2.5%) underwent an anterior tibial tendon transfer to prevent further relapses. CONCLUSIONS The Ponseti method is a safe and effective treatment for congenital idiopathic clubfoot and radically decreases the need for extensive corrective surgery. This technique can be used in children up to 2 years of age even after previous unsuccessful nonsurgical treatment.