Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Helicobacter pylori Adhesins: Review and Perspectives

It is highly unlikely that chronic infection with H. pylori could occur in the absence of adhesin–host cell interactions. Also, there is no evidence that any of the serious outcomes of H. pylori infection such as gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastric cancer or mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma could occur without prior colonization of the gastric epithelium mediated by H. pylori adhesins. H. pylori is highly adaptable, as evidenced by the fact that it can occupy a single host for decades. An important facet of this adaptability is its ability to physically interact with various types of host cells and also with host mucins and extracellular matrix proteins using a number of different adhesins displaying a variety of unique receptor specificities. Thus it is highly unlikely that any one particular H. pylori adhesin will ever be proven responsible for a particular outcome such as duodenal ulcer, MALT lymphoma, or adenocarcinoma. Also, while the search for additional H. pylori adhesins should and certainly will continue, we suggest that the scope of this effort should be expanded to include investigations into the patterns of expression and interaction between individual outer membrane proteins. Which of the numerous H. pylori outer membrane proteins (OMPs) actually function as adhesins (i.e., have receptor‐binding sites) and which OMPs are simply necessary for optimal display of the adhesive OMPs? There are many other important questions about H. pylori adhesins waiting to be answered. For example, which adhesins are responsible for loose adherence to host cells and which adhesins are responsible for intimate, or membrane‐to‐membrane, adherence, and do these adhesins normally work in concert or in a sequential fashion? Also, is a specific type of adhesin necessary for type IV protein translocation into host cells and, if so, is adhesin expression coregulated with the effector protein export?
Available Potential Energy and the Maintenance of the General Circulation

The available potential energy of the atmosphere may be defined as the difference between the total potential energy and the minimum total potential energy which could result from any adiabatic redistribution of mass. It vanishes if the density stratification is horizontal and statically stable everywhere, and is positive otherwise. It is measured approximately by a weighted vertical average of the horizontal variance of temperature. In magnitude it is generally about ten times the total kinetic energy, but less than one per cent of the total potential energy. Under adiabatic flow the sum of the available potential energy and the kinetic energy is conserved, but large increases in available potential energy are usually accompanied by increases in kinetic energy, and therefore involve nonadiabatic effects. Available potential energy may be partitioned into zonal and eddy energy by an analysis of variance of the temperature field. The zonal form may be converted into the eddy form by an eddy-transport of sensible heat toward colder latitudes, while each form may be converted into the corresponding form of kinetic energy. The general circulation is characterized by a conversion of zonal available potential energy, which is generated by low-latitude heating and high-latitude cooling, to eddy available potential energy, to eddy kinetic energy, to zonal kinetic energy. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1955. tb01148.x
The Organization of Long-Distance Trade: Reputation and Coalitions in the Geniza Documents and Genoa During the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries

The subject of my dissertation is medieval trade organization. The basic question addressed concerns the emergence, operation, and evolution of nonmarket economic institutions that enabled merchants to increase trade efficiency by operating through overseas agents. 1 Evidence about eleventh- and twelfth-century Mediterranean trade indicates that institutions based upon reputation evolved to govern agency relations. These institutions were a response to contractual problems that arose in complex trade characterized by asymmetric information, slow communication technology, an inability to specify comprehensive contracts, and limited legal contract enforceability. understanding My dissertation is a detailed study of the economy, social structure, and demographic system of Schwabisch Hall, a small southwest German town (roughly 5,000 inhabitants), from 1650 to 1750. ' This local study also explores on a regional scale why many small urban communities experienced sluggish economic and demographic growth after the Thirty Years' War. In the late Middle Ages and the early sixteenth century, southwest Germany was one of central Europe's most highly urbanized regions. Its numerous small urban communities were prosperous, pulsating centers of manufacture and commerce, but by 1600 the regional economy had faltered, and the dense network of small towns began to atrophy. This was not an isolated development, for during the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, most small- and medium-sized European cities had stopped growing. Accordingly, it seems appropriate to consider southwest Germany's urban and economic development within the larger context of the forces that allegedly determined the pace and incidence of early modern European urbanization. It is this larger context that informs my study of Schwabisch Hall. Thus, the dissertation explores the changes in the town's social and economic structures and relates them to concurrent developments in the surrounding rural economy. The dissertation in effect treats three principal, interrelated topics. The first is the economy of the town. A variety of sources were used, the most valuable of which are Beet lists: annual records of the proportional wealth tax (Beet) paid by households in the town. With the Beet lists from 1625,1682, and 1754,1 identify the principal occupational groups and chart the changes in their size and wealth. The leather and textile trades, once flourishing sectors of urban craft industry producing for the regional market, suffered dramatic declines. Meanwhile, butchering had become one of the most prosperous trades, reflecting the increasing importance of cattle raising in the region's rural economy. Salt production—an industry that made Schwabisch Hall rather unique among southwest German towns—expanded more vigorously than any other sector of the urban economy and remained
Being a female entrepreneur in Botswana: Cultures, values, strategies for success

This article elucidates a study of businesswomen as they move from owning and managing informal businesses into the formal economy. The study indicates that business success for rural women in Botswana is specific to the socio-cultural context. By examining prevalent concepts of patriarchy and community in our study, we start to see that cultural values frame successful business strategies. For Botswana women engaged in small business, non-competitive networks, collective management strategies, and informal cross-border trade are the pillars of sustainable business success.
A controlled evaluation of continuous passive motion in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of continuous passive motion (CPM) in the postoperative management of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. DESIGN A randomized controlled single-blind trial of CPM plus standardized rehabilitation vs standard rehabilitation alone. SETTING A referral hospital for arthritis and musculoskeletal care. PATIENTS Consecutive patients with end-stage osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty who had at least 90 degrees of passive knee flexion. One hundred fifty-four patients were eligible and 102 patients agreed to participate and were randomized. Ninety-three patients completed the study protocol. INTERVENTION Continuous passive motion machines programmed for rate and specified arc of motion within 24 hours of surgery with range increased daily as tolerated with standardized rehabilitation program compared with standardized rehabilitation program alone. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes were pain, active and passive knee range of motion, swelling (or circumference), quadriceps strength at postoperative day 7, as well as complications, length of stay, and active and passive range of motion and function at 6 weeks. RESULTS Use of CPM increased active flexion and decreased swelling and the need for manipulations but did not significantly affect pain, active and passive extension, quadriceps strength, or length of hospital stay. At 6 weeks there were no differences between the two groups in either range of motion or function. In this series, use of CPM resulted in a net savings of $6764 over conventional rehabilitation in achieving these results. CONCLUSION For the average patient undergoing total knee arthroplasty, CPM is more effective in improving range of motion, decreasing swelling, and reducing the need for manipulation than is conventional therapy and lowers cost.
Strategic Alliances between Large and Small Research Intensive Organizations: Experiences in the Biotechnology Industry

Studies strategic alliances between small and large North American biotechnology firms. A strategic alliance (SA) is defined as a short- or long-term collaboration between firms, involving partial or contractual ownership. The most common SA is between small and large firms: large firms have the resources to give small, innovative firms the competitive advantage they need, and small firms have specialized knowledge to provide to large firms a "window on new technology. " SAs are often established to combat increasing international competition, though alliances are also being made between Japanese, European, and American companies. To examine SAs among research-intensive firms, questionnaires were mailed to senior executives of selected North American companies: 42 out of 144 dedicated biotechnology companies (DBCs) and 21 out of 70 large biotechnology firms responded. Additionally, in-depth interviews with some 30 large and small companies investigated SA networks, success rate, establishment process and negotiation. According to this research, SAs were most often initialized in the early stages of the innovation process as a means of gaining resources. The most important SAs for large firms were technology based, while small firms initiated SAs to gain financial advantages. For example, a case study on T-Cell Sciences shows that its alliance with Pfizer, a large pharmaceutical company, funds product development and market access, so that the company is able to expand its proprietary technology base. The study concludes that SAs vary with the life cycle of the company, but typically continue to be beneficial among small and large firms willing to spend the time and effort to establish and sustain them. (CJC)
Cultural and Socioeconomic Influences on Divorce During Modernization: Southeast Asia, 1940s to 1960s

The conventional model of a rising divorce rate during the process of modernization is a staple element of the sociological theory of the family. This generalization is challenged, however, by traditional high-divorce societies, primarily in Islamic Southeast Asia, which have experienced a "decline" in divorce with modernization. In this study, based on micro-level survey data, the authors explore the social roots of marital disruption in Indonesia and Malaysia and in another Southeast Asian society, Thailand, which has not been identified as a high-divorce society. Comparable survey data from the 1970s (from the World Fertility Survey) allow for an in-depth analysis of traditional patterns of divorce before the rapid modernization of recent decades. Two major findings emerge from the multivariate analysis. First, there is a common pattern across all three societies of higher levels of divorce among "traditional" women-those who live in rural areas, marry at young ages, and have lower levels of education. Second, the authors find significant sociocultural (ethnic, regional, religious) differentials in divorce within each country that cannot be explained by demographic and socioeconomic composition. They present an interpretation of how moderately high levels of divorce were accommodated in traditional Southeast Asian societies. Copyright 2003 by The Population Council, Inc.
Re-examining the role of attitude in information system acceptance: a model from the satisfaction–dissatisfaction perspective

This study attempts to re-examine the role of attitude in voluntary information system (IS) acceptance and usage, which has often been discounted in the previous technology acceptance research. We extend the unidimensional view of attitude into a bidimensional one, because of the simultaneous existence of both positive and negative evaluation towards IS in technology acceptance behaviour. In doing so, attitude construct is divided into two components: satisfaction as the positive attitudinal component and dissatisfaction as the negative attitudinal component. We argue that satisfaction and dissatisfaction will interactively affect technology usage intention. Besides, we explore the predictors of satisfaction and dissatisfaction based on the disconfirmation theory. Empirical results from a longitudinal study on bulletin board system (BBS) usage confirm the interaction effect of satisfaction and dissatisfaction on usage intention. Moreover, perceived task-related value has a significant effect on satisfaction, while perceived personal value has a significant effect on dissatisfaction. We also discuss the theoretical and managerial implications of our findings.
Two-Year Outcomes of Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Purpose. To evaluate the outcomes, fusion rates, complications, and adjacent segment degeneration associated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF). Methods. 32 men and 80 women aged 15 to 85 (mean, 57) years underwent 141 fusions (84 one-level, 27 2-level, and one 3-level) and were followed up for 24 to 76 (mean, 33) months. 92% of the patients had degenerative lumbar disease, 15 of whom had had previous lumbar surgery. Radiographic and clinical outcomes were assessed at 2 years. The short-form 36 (SF-36) health survey, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, and the modified North American Spine Society (NASS) Low Back Pain Outcome Instrument were used. Results. Of the 141 levels fused, 110 (78%) were fused with remodelling and trabeculae (grade I), and 31 (22%) had intact grafts but were not fully incorporated (grade II). No patient had pseudoarthroses (grade III or IV). For one-level fusions, poorer radiological fusion grades correlated with higher VAS scores for pain (p<0.01). All components of the SF-36, the VAS scores for pain, and the NASS scores improved significantly after TLIF (p<0.01), except for general health in the SF-36 (p=0.59). Improvement from postoperative 6 months to 2 years was not significant, except for physical function (p<0.01) and role function (physical) [p=0.01] in the SF-36. Two years after TLIF, 50% of the patients reported returning to full function, whereas 72% were satisfied. 26 (23%) of the patients had adjacent segment degeneration, but only 4 of them were symptomatic. Conclusion. TLIF is a safe and effective treatment for degenerative lumbar diseases.
The exchange rate crisis of September 1992 and the pricing of Italian financial futures

The futures contracts on long term bonds issued by the Italian Treasury and the futures contracts on Eurolira deposits traded in the LIFFE have reacted in a specular way to the exchange rate crisis of September 1992. The pricing of the Italian Government Bonds (BTP) futures becomes more volatile and seems to be affected by a time‐varying risk premium. The pricing of Eurolira futures becomes more efficient after the crisis and its volatility declines. These results indicate that the credibility crisis of the Italian Government bonds does not spill over to the off‐shore Eurolira assets. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 18:827–849, 1998
Effects of Abutment Removal and Reconnection on Inflammatory Cytokine Production Around Dental Implants

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to examine effects of abutment change on inflammatory cytokine production around implants. Materials and Methods:Ten partially edentulous patients with a mean age of 60 years were recruited and divided into 2 groups. External Brånemark implants with anodic oxidized surface were installed and submerged in all patients. In the control group, the healing abutments were delivered at the second surgery, and they were removed more than 3 times till the final prosthesis delivery. In the test group, the final abutments were delivered at the second surgery. At different time points during the treatment, periimplant crevicular fluid was collected, and proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1&bgr; [IL-1&bgr;] and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-&agr;) were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The bone level was measured on the radiograms and clinical indices were also taken. Results:All implants were osseointegrated. In the test group, IL-1&bgr; level and probing depths were less in test group patients compared with the control group patients, whereas TNF-&agr; level and bone level were not different between the groups. Conclusion:Although TNF-&agr; and bone levels were not significantly different, delivering final abutment at the second surgery would induce less inflammation in the tissues around the implant.
Contingencies influencing the management accounting practices of Estonian manufacturing companies

Abstract Having regained independence in 1991, Estonia has undergone fundamental political and structural changes over the last decade, which have also affected the operation of its companies. This paper examines the management accounting practices of Estonian manufacturing companies, exploring the main impacts on them within a contingency theory framework. The methodology comprises an analysis of 62 responses to a postal questionnaire survey carried out among the largest Estonian manufacturing companies. It is comparatively infrequently that Estonian manufacturing companies have made improvements in their cost accounting methods, although the majority of respondents appear to acknowledge the importance of these practices in finding and lowering real product costs and modernizing the cost accounting systems. The effectiveness of an accounting systems’ design depends on its ability to adapt to changes both in external circumstances and internal factors. We have found some evidence that changes in cost and management accounting practices are associated with shifts in the business and accounting environment as external contingencies, and with those in technology and organizational aspects as internal contingencies. This research aims on the one hand to confirm earlier findings related to the ‘contingent factors’ that influence management accounting and on the other, to identify possible new factors, such as, for example, the legal accounting environment and shortage of properly qualified accountants.
Quality of care for gout in the US needs improvement.

OBJECTIVE To examine evidence-based quality indicators (QIs) in US veterans with gout diagnosis, and to examine the effect of demographics, heath care utilization/access, comorbid conditions, or physican characteristics as predictors of quality of gout care. METHODS Using the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs electronic medical record system, we identified a cohort of veterans receiving medication to treat gout between January 1, 1999 and December 31, 2003, and evaluated 3 recently published evidence-based QIs for gout management: QI 1 = allopurinol dose <300 mg in gout patients with renal insufficiency, QI 2 = uric acid check within 6 months of starting a new allopurinol prescription, and QI 3 = complete blood count and creatine kinase check every 6 months for gout patients receiving prolonged colchicine therapy. We calculated the proportion of patients whose therapy adhered to each QI and to all applicable indicators (overall physician adherence). Logistic regression analysis examined association of overall physician adherence with sociodemographics, health care utilization, comorbidity, and provider characteristics. RESULTS Of 3,658 patients with a diagnosis of gout, 663 patients qualified for examination of >/=1 QI. Of these 663 patients, therapy in only 144 (22%) adhered to all applicable QIs; 59 (78%) of 76 adhered to QI 1, 155 (24%) of 643 adhered to QI 2, and 18 (35%) of 52 adhered to QI 3. Overall physician adherence to QIs was significantly lower in older veterans and in those with more inpatient visits per year, but was higher in those with more primary care visits or more health care providers. CONCLUSION Suboptimal physician adherence to QIs was seen for all 3 QIs tested in this cohort of veterans with gout. These findings can guide quality improvement efforts.
Finance and Macroeconomic Volatility

Countries with more developed financial sectors experience smaller fluctuations in real per capita output, consumption, and investment growth. However, the manner in which the financial sector develops matters. The relative importance of banks in the financial system is important in explaining GDP, consumption, and investment volatility, and the proportion of credit provided to the private sector explains the volatility of consumption and output. The main results are generated using fixed-effects estimation with panel data from 70 countries covering the years 1956 through 1998.
Career anchors revisited: Implications for career development in the 21st century

Organizations are undergoing a metamorphosis today. Whether one speaks of "downsizing," "rightsizing," "flattening," becoming a "learning organization," or simply of a "transformation" into something as yet unknown, no one would deny that profound changes are occurring worldwide. These changes in the occupational environment have implications for career development in the future. Will there even be such a concept as an "organizational career," or careers become a more fragmented set of jobs held together far more by what I have labeled the "internal career? " The internal career involves a subjective sense of where one is going in one's work life, as contrasted with the "external career," the formal stages and roles defined by organizational policies and societal concepts of what an individual can expect in the occupational structure.1 In studying careers longitudinally, it became evident that most people form a strong self-concept, a "career anchor," that holds their internal career together even as they .
Teacher Technology Change

Abstract Despite increases in computer access and technology training, technology is not being used to support the kinds of instruction believed to be most powerful. In this paper, we examine technology integration through the lens of the teacher as an agent of change: What are the necessary characteristics, or qualities, that enable teachers to leverage technology resources as meaningful pedagogical tools? To answer this question, we discuss the literature related to four variables of teacher change: knowledge, self-efficacy, pedagogical beliefs, and subject and school culture. Specifically, we propose that teachers’ mindsets must change to include the idea that “teaching is not effective without the appropriate use of information and communication technologies (ICT) resources to facilitate student learning. ” Implications are discussed in terms of both teacher education and professional development programs.