Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant vitamins status in children and young adults undergoing dialysis: A single center study

Vitamin E and C are well-known antioxidant vitamins. Oxidative stress is common in chronic kidney diseases. We evaluated 43 dialysis subjects prospectively in a cross-sectional survey. Serum vitamin E concentration was checked in all subjects; 37 cases underwent blood sampling for measurement of serum vitamin C. The enrolled subjects consisted of 12 (27.9%) peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 25 (58.1%) hemodialysis (HD) patients. Six (13.9%) patients were switched from PD to HD or vice versa. Serum concentration of vitamin E was normal, low and high in 9 (20.9%), 31 (72%) and 3 (7.1%) patients, respectively. There were no significant differences regarding age, gender, modality and duration of dialysis, and characteristics of dialysis sessions, mean serum blood urea nitrogen, and albumin levels between vitamin E deficient cases with those with normal serum vitamin E concentration (P > 0.05 for all). The serum vitamin C levels were low in 5 (13.5%) and normal in 32 (86.5%) patients. vitamin C deficiency was more prevalent in HD versus continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients (P = 0.128). Mean serum vitamin C concentration was higher in patients who were supplemented by vitamin C compared with those who didn’t receive the vitamin supplement (P = 0.043). Vitamin E deficiency was a prevalent finding and supplementary vitamin C 30–60 mg/day was sufficient to prevent deficiency. Regular assessments of serum vitamin E level may be needed in dialysis centers.
Genetic algorithm for control design of biped locomotion

Dynamic biped walking is a difficult control problem. The problem involves the design of the controller as well as the gait. In this paper, the design of the controller and the gait is formulated as a parameter search problem and a genetic algorithm is applied to help the design. Designs to achieve different goals, such as being able to walk on an inclined surface, walk at a high speed or with a specified step size have been evolved with the use of the genetic algorithm. Simulation results show that the genetic algorithm is capable of finding good solutions.
How Suppliers Affect Trust with Their Customers: The Role of Salesperson Job Satisfaction and Perceived Customer Importance

Developing strong trust-based relationships with customers is increasingly important in the business-to-business marketplace, but little is known about the process by which sales managers can influence the relationship-building behaviors of salespeople. We collected data from 93 salesperson-customer dyads to test a model linking salesperson job satisfaction, perceived customer importance, customer-focused helping behaviors, and customer trust in the supplier. Results indicate support for the model: job satisfaction is related to customer-focused helping behavior, perceived customer importance interacts with salesperson job satisfaction to positively affect customer-focused helping behavior, and ultimately customer-focused helping behavior is related to customer trust in supplier.
Dual Layer and Multilayer Enhancements from Silver Film over Nanostructured Surface-Enhanced Raman Substrates

Novel dual layer and multilayer silver film over nanostructure (SFON) substrates have been developed that provide surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal enhancements of greater than 1000% compared to conventional single layer SFON substrates. These substrates provide signal enhancement factors of 3.8 × 105 and greater for a variety of SERS active analytes. Substrate preparation is accomplished by vapor depositing a thick (∼100 nm) layer of silver on top of an underlying layer of alumina nanoparticles, followed by deposition of additional layers of silver with silver oxide layers between them. Unlike previous dual layer silver island based substrates that have been developed, these substrates do not rely on achieving an optimal morphology via deposition of silver. Instead, these substrates rely on the roughness being provided by the original under-layer, providing enhanced substrate homogeneity and more reproducible signals than either silver island substrates or colloidal substrates. In addition, the signal enhancement gives these substrates extended lifetimes compared to conventional single layer SFON substrates. Finally, this study also shows that geometric surface structure and surface roughness factors play little or no role in this enhancement process, allowing for this multilayer fabrication process to be applied to many different types of substrates achieving similar or even greater results.
Costs in today's radiology : aBC analysis of typical situations in the transitional period

The purpose of this study was to analyze the costs incurred during the transitional period when a radiology department is gradually digitalized and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is gaining ground as guidance for interventions. The specific aims were: to compare the costs of computed (CR) radiography with the costs of conventional radiography, to analyze the cost structures of procedures and the effects of procedure volumes in a multipurpose interventional MRI (IMRI) unit, to compare the costs of MRI and computed tomography (CT)-guided bone biopsies, and to compare the costs of MRI-guided laser ablation and surgery in the treatment of osteoid osteoma. 34 140 plain-film examinations were analyzed; 3/4 of them were CR and 1/4 conventional radiography. The costs of CR were 9% higher compared to conventional radiography, due to the higher capital cost. In the IMRI unit, 563 diagnostic MRI examinations, 89 MRI-guided interventions, and 39 MRIguided neurosurgical operations were performed. The cost analyses of the alternative simulation models of IMRI usage showed that the volume of diagnostic imaging had an effect on the unit costs of these procedures. Volume was not such a deterministic factor in interventions due to the high material costs. The volume of the neurosurgical use of IMRI had a major effect on the costs of radiological procedures. The costs of 18 MRI-guided and 12 CT-guided bone biopsies were compared. The cost of MRIguided biopsy was 2.55-fold compared to CT-guided biopsy, due to the longer procedure time and the expensive MRI-compatible instrumentation. The costs of 7 MRI-guided laser ablations and 6 surgical treatments of osteoid osteoma were compared. The cost of laser ablation was higher than the cost of excision of a superficial osteoid osteoma. The cost of excision of a deep osteoma with metallic fixation was considerably higher, due to the higher material, personnel, and ward costs. Laser ablation diminishes the need for sick days and the duration of restricted weight bearing. In conclusion, a higher cost of a new method should be anticipated. The use of a new method should be justified by other factors, such as better efficiency, accuracy, lack of radiation, or miniinvasiveness.
Effect of IT Capabilities and Business-IT Strategic Alignment on Business Agility

Due to the recent crisis market situation in many regions around the worlds, the firms must improve themselves to increase their business agilities to respond to unprecedented changes under the volatile business environment. The management teams in the firm need to find out the efficient way on how to utilize IT to improve the business agility. Their questions are to increase the IT capabilities or encourage the participations of IT and business managements to improve business-IT strategic alignment so as to increase the business agility of the firm. So, the purpose of this study is to identify the effect of IT capabilities and business-IT strategic alignment on business agility. This study referred to the knowledge based theory of the firm. It would give more understanding on how knowledge managements are related to the participation level between IT and business management is. Structural Equation Model (SEM) statistics technique was used to find out the answer of the objectives in this study. 432 employees answered the questionnaires and responded back. The goodness of fit statistics revealed the fit of the model. The chi-square value was 9.27 with the degree of freedom of 8 (p=0.31982). Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) was equal to 0.99 and Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) was equal to 0.98 which support the model was fit. While the error indexes, Root Mean Square Residual (RMR) and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) were 0.0028 and 0.019 accordingly which were low and approached to zero. The result of SEM analysis exposed that IT’s participation on the business planning had the positive effect on business-IT strategic alignment (β = 0.52; t-value = 15.95; p = 0.001) and business’s participation on the IT planning had the positive effect on business-IT strategic alignment (β = 0.72; t-value = 15.95; p = 0.001). It also revealed that business-IT strategic alignment had the positive effect on the business agility (β = 0.60; t-value = 2.29; p = 0.05). Also, IT capabilities had the positive effect on the business agility (β = 0.25; t-value = 5.35; p = 0.001). However, the magnitude on the effect of business-IT strategic alignment on business agility (β = 0.60) was much more than the magnitude on the effect of IT capabilities on business agility (β = 0.25). The implication of the study revealed that how the management teams are able to utilize IT resources in order to increase the business agility. The management team can consider on IT capabilities to increase the business agility. However, they should take the consideration on how to increase the participation level of IT and business managements as the priority. This would improve IT-business strategic alignment which would positively effect to the business agility.
Gendered retailing: a study of customer perceptions of front line staff in the DIY sector

This paper reports findings from a small scale study exploring the role gender plays in the interactions between customers and front‐line staff in DIY retailing. Drawing on materials gathered through observations, informal discussions with staff and focus groups, this study suggests that “maleness” pervades many aspects of DIY retailing. For the respondents the image of the case retailer, B&Q, and the products sold had male connotations. Furthermore, male customers perceived male customer‐facing staff to have better knowledge of technical DIY than female employees, even though this was not always the case. Given the rising interest from women in home improvements, it would appear that measures need to be put in place to create a more “inclusive” DIY store environment for female customers, and one that challenges the stereotypical assumptions held by many male home improvement customers.
Investor Reaction to Auditors’ Going Concern Emphasis of Matter: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

This paper provides evidence on the incremental market reaction to a going concern emphasis of matter paragraph (GC-EOM) in the audit report over financial statements disclosure of a going concern uncertainty (GC-FS). We make use of a “natural experiment” provided by a change in Canadian audit report standards requiring a GC-EOM. Conditioning on the severity level of GC-FS disclosures (weak and severe), we find incremental negative abnormal returns and lower abnormal trading volume when weak GC-FS disclosures are accompanied by a GC-EOM. Regarding severe GC-FS accompanied by a GC-EOM, we find incremental negative abnormal returns for first-time disclosures of firms outside the natural resources industries as well as for repeat disclosures. These findings suggest that the emphasis of matter paragraph can have incremental value to market participants even when it provides no new information over that in the audited financial statements.
Epidemiology of HIV and AIDS Among Adolescents: Current Status, Inequities, and Data Gaps

Objectives:To examine levels and patterns of HIV prevalence, knowledge, sexual behavior, and coverage of selected HIV services among adolescents aged 10–19 years and highlight data gaps and challenges. Methods:Data were reviewed from Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS HIV estimates, nationally representative household surveys, behavioral surveillance surveys, and published literature. Results:A number of gaps exist for adolescent-specific HIV-related data; however, important implications for programming can be drawn. Eighty-two percent of the estimated 2.1 million adolescents aged 10–19 years living with HIV in 2012 were in sub-Saharan Africa, and the majority of these (58%) were females. Comprehensive accurate knowledge about HIV, condom use, HIV testing, and antiretroviral treatment coverage remain low in most countries. Early sexual debut (sex before 15 years of age) is more common among adolescent girls than boys in low- and middle-income countries, consistent with early marriage and early childbirth in these countries. In low and concentrated epidemic countries, HIV prevalence is highest among key populations. Conclusions:Although the available HIV-related data on adolescents are limited, increased HIV vulnerability in the second decade of life is evident in the data. Improving data gathering, analysis, and reporting systems specific to adolescents is essential to monitoring progress and improving health outcomes for adolescents. More systematic and better quality disaggregated data are needed to understand differences by sex, age, geography, and socioeconomic factors and to address equity and human rights obligations, especially for key populations.
Incremental value modeling

INTRODUCTION In many one-to-one marketing situations the marketer is interested in identifying prospects/customers (hereinafter referred to simply as customers) she can profitably influence through a direct marketing contact. Since direct marketing often is just one of several ongoing marketing/advertising programs, many customers make purchases from the company whether they receive direct communications or not. The problem at hand then is which individuals should the company contact, so that the return on the direct marketing investment exceeds the company’s hurdle rate for such investments. Rather than have a separate hurdle rate for justifying marketing investments, many companies use the hurdle rate used to make all capital investment decisions. This typically is the firm’s cost of capital. The situation described above is endemic to many CRM (Customer Relationship Management) modeling applications:
SMEs and environmental responsibility: do actions reflect attitudes?

Globally there is mounting pressure for firms to assess their impact on the environment, and to modify their behaviour accordingly. The small and medium enterprise (SME) sector is often described as ‘hard to reach’ and lagging behind in terms of ‘green business’ due to management and resourcing issues characteristic of SMEs (e.g. resource poverty and a lack of management capability). This absence of resource slack then translates into an unwillingness and/or inability to commit to environmental improvements in any systematic and ongoing fashion, if at all. However, a lack of action in the context of the firm does not always reflect the personal attitudes of the individual SME owner-managers. The link between attitude and action is explored in the paper through the examination of the inter-relationship between awareness of environmental impact, attitude towards environmental issues, and environmental practice adoption. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Measuring and Testing Industry Effects in Strategic Management Research

The authors examine how strategy scholars have measured and tested industry effects. They report findings from three studies. First, they replicate the Dess, Ireland, and Hitt (1990) article on industry controls in strategic management research using a new sample of studies published during 2000 to 2009, finding that there has been a decrease in the proportion of articles that do not control for industry effects at all and at the same time noting a significant increase in the number of single-industry studies. Second, they employ a fine-grained content analysis of articles published in the Strategic Management Journal at three different points during the study period to identify the different ways that industry effects have been considered. Findings depict a myriad of highly diverse industry-level measures that researchers have applied. Third, they test the empirical implications of applying different measures of one particular industry characteristic, industry performance. They demonstrate that empirical findings and the interpretation of theoretical models can differ based on how industry effects are incorporated. Recommendations are offered for guiding future research about how to examine industry effects.
The Effect of a Market Orientation on Business Profitability

Marketing academicians and practitioners have been observing for more than three decades that business performance is affected by market orientation, yet to date there has been no valid measure of a market orientation and hence no systematic analysis of its effect on a business's performance. The authors report the development of a valid measure of market orientation and analyze its effect on a business's profitability. Using a sample of 140 business units consisting of commodity products businesses and noncommodity businesses, they find a substantial positive effect of a market orientation on the profitability of both types of businesses.
The evolution of endosymbiont density in doubly infected host species

Multiple infection of individual hosts with several species or strains of maternally inherited endosymbionts is commonly observed in animals, especially insects. Here, we address theoretically the effect of co‐infection on the optimal density of the endosymbionts in doubly infected hosts. Our analysis is based on the observation that a maternally inherited double infection is only stable if doubly infected females produce more doubly infected daughters than singly infected or uninfected females produce daughters. We consider both a general model and a model involving two endosymbionts inducing bidirectional cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). We demonstrate that the optimal replication rate of endosymbionts in doubly infected hosts can be expected to be similar to or below the optimal replication rate in singly infected hosts. This is in contrast to some theoretical predictions for horizontally transmitted parasites and stems from the two strains of endosymbionts having coupled fitness. We discuss our results with respect to recent empirical results on endosymbiont densities, the evolution of CI‐inducing bacteria and, more generally, the evolution of cooperation through direct fitness benefits.
Multinational Companies Corporate Social Responsibility Performance in Lagos State, Nigeria: A Quantitative Analysis

Hardly a month goes by without of a major corporati on suffers a reduced market position as a result of erratic and disruptive corporate behaviour, with many others subsequently find themselves to be part of the collateral damage. Therefore, this stud y assessed the external stakeholders (customers and Community members) of thirteen (13) Multination al Companies operating in Nigeria for over 15 years. A quantitative approach was adopted, using aquestionnaire with a five-point Likert scale format to obtain the primary data. A Cronbach Alpha test was conducted to validate the data collection instrument (questionnaire). 109 and 384 questionnaires were distributed to respondents; customers and community members respectively. Out owhich 76.1% and 66.9% were duly completed, returned and analyzed. Descriptive stati stics, factor and item analysis, and t-test were employed to analyzed data. Two null hypotheses were developed and tested, and both rejected. The findings of the study revealed weak customers’ trea tment and poor social obligations performance by MNCs. Recommendations were proffered to advance Cor porate Social obligations and integrate the Companies with their external stakeholders: increas e customers’ patronage and societal integration for peaceful coexistence.
How Did the Extension of the U.S. Dividend Tax Cuts in 2010 Affect Stock Prices

The efficacy of the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts was a major topic of discussion in the 2010 midterm elections. I investigate the effect of the possible expiration and eventual extension of the dividend tax cut on US stock market performance in 2010 based on the methodology used by Amronin, Harrison and Sharpe (2008). I compare aggregate performance of US common stocks relative to foreign stocks using equity indices, and examine cross-sectional performance amongst US stocks by creating different stock portfolios based on their dividend yield. This comparison is done over two event windows, (1) 20-24 September 2010 and (2) 3-8 December 2010. Consistent with previous studies, I find that the US stock market did respond to negative and positive news on the extension of the Bush-era dividend tax cuts, with stock prices falling and rising, respectively. My findings also suggest that this aggregate effect was probably muted by the redistribution of funds by investors from lower-yield to higher-yield stocks. Unlike in 2003, however, in the post-financial crisis context of 2010, the redistribution seemed to particularly favor stocks with medium-dividend yield, rather than smaller, higher-risk stocks with the highest dividend yield.
Dynamics of Iron Uptake and Fe3O4 Biomineralization during Aerobic and Microaerobic Growth of Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense

ABSTRACT Iron uptake and magnetite (Fe3O4) crystal formation could be studied in the microaerophilic magnetic bacteriumMagnetospirillum gryphiswaldense by using a radioactive tracer method for iron transport and a differential light-scattering technique for magnetism. Magnetite formation occurred only in a narrow range of low oxygen concentration, i.e., 2 to 7 μM O2 at 30°C. Magnetic cells stored up to 2% iron as magnetite crystals in intracytoplasmic vesicles. This extraordinary uptake of iron was coupled tightly to the biomineralization of up to 60 magnetite crystals with diameters of 42 to 45 nm.
Where can capabilities come from? network ties and capability acquisition in business groups

While strategy researchers have devoted considerable attention to the role of firm-specific capabilities in the pursuit of competitive advantage, less attention has been directed at how firms obtain these capabilities from outside their boundaries. In this study, we examine how firms' multiplex network ties in business groups represent one important source of capability acquisition. Our focus allows us to go beyond the traditional focus on network structure and offer a novel contingency model that specifies how different types of network ties (e.g., buyer-supplier, equity, and director), individually and in complementary combination, will differentially affect the process of R&D capability acquisition. We also offer an original analysis of how other aspects of network structure (i.e., network density) in business groups affect the efficacy of network ties on R&D capability. Empirically, we provide an original contribution to the capabilities literature by utilizing a stochastic frontier estimation to rigorously measure firm capabilities, and we demonstrate the value of this approach using longitudinal data on business groups in emerging economies. We close by discussing the implications of our supportive results for future research on firm capabilities, organizational networks, and business groups. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.