Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Immune response of patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis challenged with a symbiotic

BACKGROUND There are indications that Th1 polarization of immune response plays an important role in the pathogenesis of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), and that the use of probiotics can stimulate immune regulatory activity, influencing the course of the disease. The aim of this study was to characterize the initial immune profile of RAS patients and evaluate clinical and serological response following a challenge with symbiotic treatment containing fructooligosaccharide, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium. METHODS The immune responses of the 45 patients with RAS, submitted to symbiotic or placebo for 120 days, in relation to 30 RAS-free controls, were evaluated over a period of 6 months. Peripheral blood was collected from all patients at 0 (T0), 120 (T4), and 180 days (T6) after the start of treatment and Th1 (IL12-p70, IFN-γ), Th2 (IL-4), Treg (IL-10), Th17 (IL-17A), inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-6)-associated cytokines, and clinical parameters were quantified. RESULTS At T0, significant differences were found in the serological levels of the IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-6 cytokines of the RAS patients in comparison with the controls. It was observed that the cytokine profile of the RAS group was comprised of 2 distinct clusters: a pure Th2 and a Mixed (Th1/Th2) subtype and that symbiotic treatment induced an improvement in pain and an increase in IFN-γ levels, producing a reduction in Th2 response. CONCLUSIONS In RAS, symbiotic treatment based on a fructooligosaccharide, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium composition produced an alteration in the Th2 serological immune profile in the direction of Th1 and improved pain symptomatology.
Privatisation and the emergence of new business elites in Russia

Zitierhinweis Das vorliegende Dokument ist die pdf-Version zu einem Discussion Paper des WZB. Obwohl es inhaltlich identisch zur Druckversion ist, können unter Umständen Verschiebungen/Abweichungen im Bereich des Layouts auftreten (z.B. bei Zeilenumbrüchen, Schriftformaten und – größen u.ä.). Diese Effekte sind softwarebedingt und entstehen bei der Erzeugung der pdf-Datei. Sie sollten daher, um allen Missverständnissen vorzubeugen, aus diesem Dokument in der folgenden Weise zitieren: Steiner, Helmut: Privatisation and the emergence of new business elites in Russia.
They drink how much and where? Normative perceptions by drinking contexts and their association to college students' alcohol consumption.

OBJECTIVE Prior research has shown that normative perceptions of others' drinking behavior strongly relates to one's own drinking behavior. Most research examining the perceived drinking of others has generally focused on specificity of the normative referent (i.e., gender, ethnicity). The present study expands the research literature on social norms by examining normative perceptions by various drinking contexts. Specifically, this research aimed to determine if college students overestimate peer drinking by several drinking contexts (i.e., bar, fraternity/sorority party, non-fraternity/sorority party, sporting event) and to examine whether normative perceptions for drinking by contexts relate to one's own drinking behavior specific to these contexts. METHOD Students (N = 1,468; 56.4% female) participated in a web-based survey by completing measures assessing drinking behavior and perceived descriptive drinking norms for various contexts. RESULTS Findings demonstrated that students consistently overestimated the drinking behavior for the typical same-sex student in various drinking contexts, with the most prominent being fraternity/sorority parties. In addition, results indicated that same-sex normative perceptions for drinking by contexts were associated with personal drinking behavior within these contexts. CONCLUSIONS Results stress the importance of specificity of social norms beyond those related to the normative referent. Clinical implications are discussed in terms of preventions and intervention efforts as well as risks associated with drinking in a novel context.
Rapid detection and differentiation of Erysipelothrix spp. by a novel multiplex real‐time PCR assay

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a multiplex real‐time PCR assay for the identification and discrimination of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, tonsillarum and Erysipelothrix sp. strain 2 for direct detection of Erysipelothrix spp. from animal specimens.
The policies and green practices of Malaysian SMEs

The interest on environmental management has been increasing significantly in the last few years and now is considered to be a mainstream challenge for organizations. Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) can be of particular significant on green concept as their total impact towards environmental degradation is huge. With increasing awareness of environmental issues, there has been rising demand for environmental friendly business practices. The key focus of this study is to explore and link SME owner/managers perception and attitude through the examination of the inter-relationship between awareness of environment impact, attitude towards environmental issues and environmental practice adoption. Result based on survey data from 148 manufacturing SMEs indicate that there is a positive correlation between owner/managers perception, concern, effort and impact on SME green practices. The finding is consistent with the environmental management literature mostly published in the developed countries. This study is important as the empirical evidence result provide an indicator to encourage other SMEs which has no green practices in place to consider joining the green bandwagon. Since the green agenda in Malaysia is at the infancy stage, this study able to furnish empirical evidence on SMEs performance appears to be critical at this juncture noting the fact that SMEs contributes to the largest business establishment in Malaysia.
Nitrogen trafficking and recycling through the human bowel.

Normal adults maintain nitrogen balance over long periods, and during growth in childhood there is modest positive nitrogen balance. Nitrogen is consumed mainly as protein in the diet, and is made available to metabolism as amino acids, following digestion and absorption. Normally amino acids contribute about 20% to the energy requirements of the body, as well as being used for synthetic processes [1]. A consequence of the oxidation of amino acids is that the amino group is lost to the system, mainly through the formation and excretion of urea. Of the urea produced, the proportion which is excreted in urine varies depending on the overall metabolic state, the energy and protein consumption of the individual, and the metabolic activity of the colonic microflora. From 25 to 90% of the urea nitrogen produced may be retained in the system following hydrolysis by the colonic microflora, thereby playing a fundamental role in achieving nitrogen balance and making a significant contribution to the nitrogen economy of the body [2–4]. Thus the gastrointestinal tract plays a central role in protein, amino acid and nitrogen metabolism, firstly by making dietary protein available as amino acids to metabolism, and also by participating in the processes whereby nitrogen balance is achieved under a range of dietary and physiological circumstances. In this chapter I consider the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the movement of protein amino acids and nitrogen through the bowel, and conclude that the small intestine and large intestine operate as functionally distinct entities. The detailed nature of the movement of nitrogen in and around the bowel is complex, and beyond our present ability to describe in a satisfactory way. In order to be in a position to start investigating the nature of the exchanges which take place we have to start with certain assumptions. It is axiomatic that in considering the relative importance and role of nitrogen and nitrogen exchange,
Corporate Governance Quality in Organization and Its Impact on Key Stakeholders (A Case Study of Attock Cement Public Limited Company, Pakistan)

This article’s main objective is to mark the influence of corporate governance over mind as well as heart of shareholders belonging to a firm. This firm is none but the Attock Cement Pakistan Limited. Efforts have been made to identify the quality level of the governance in the firm. A 16-item insight of corporate governance is utilized. It is based on CEO duality, effective audit committee, board independence and ownership concentration. A survey is conducted in which 100 employees of the organization’s key stakeholders take part. Descriptive and inferential analysis is used to get results. According to the findings, corporate governance holds significance and constructive influence can be had on the work of the firm. There is a strong belief that firm’s display of work can go up through improved structure of the corporate governance.
Service Profitability: An Augmented Customer Lifetime Value Approach

Purpose the value of service sales and the added value of service provision as distinctive parts of augmented customer lifetime value (ACLV). An additional purpose is to examine the effect of value facilitation on change in the financial value of customers within a customer portfolio as a result of service provision. Design/methodology/approach – The empirical study was performed by examining a large sample of high-volume customers belonging to the same customer segment of a retail bank. Findings – The added value of the service provision process is considerable. Value facilitation has a significant impact on change in the financial value of customers. Research limitations/implications – Possible avenues for further research would be to study multiple customer segments in a retail bank or in different industries. Practical implications – Customer profits resulting from the service sales process should be considered as only an initial indication of the financial value of customers. Managers should pay attention to the added value generated by the service provision process and the facilitation of customers’ value-creation activities. Originality/value literature by conceptualising service from the service provider’s perspective in terms of the service sales process and the service provision process. Thus, the focus is placed on the added value of service provision rather than on the consumption of a service.
An analysis of the factors that lead to SMME failure.

The purpose of this research was to investigate and analyse the factors that lead to the failure of SMMEs, especially the businesses owned by previously disadvantaged individuals in Durban. The study was motivated by the fact that SMMEs are not growing but instead there seems to be an increase in the failure rate of SMMEs. A range of literature was reviewed that included past research papers and journals on the subject of SMMEs, government papers and acts, information from NGOs, financial institutions and government agencies to help understand the role players in the SMME sector. Primary data was collected in the form of a questionnaire which was given to SMME owners to complete in order to get their views on the sector. The findings show that SMMEs owned by previously disadvantaged individuals are dealing with issues such as lack of finance, insufficient government support and lack of information on services available to them from government and NGOs, which if left unattended, can cause their businesses to fail. Among other things, it was recommended that business owners be mentored and trained in both financial and business management in order to be able to take advantage of the services available to them. It was also recommended that government assess its position on SMME policies in order to be readily available to the SMME sector.
High-pressure, high-temperature bioreactor for comparing effects of hyperbaric and hydrostatic pressure on bacterial growth

We describe a high-pressure reactor system suitable for simultaneous hyperbaric and hydrostatic pressurization of bacterial cultures at elevated temperatures. For the deep-sea thermophile ES4, the growth rate at 500 atm (1 atm = 101.29 kPa) and 95 degrees C under hydrostatic pressure was ca. three times the growth rate under hyperbaric pressure and ca. 40% higher than the growth rate at 35 atm.
Vasopressin Associated With an Increase in Return of Spontaneous Circulation in Acidotic Cardiopulmonary Arrest Patients

Background: During respiratory and metabolic acidosis, the vasoconstrictive effects of epinephrine may be blunted, whereas the response to vasopressin remains unchanged. The impact of this effect during advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) remains unclear. Objective: Determine if vasopressin therapy in combination with epinephrine was associated with improved outcomes in patients with cardiac arrest compared to epinephrine alone. The primary outcome was difference in rate of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Secondary outcomes included evaluation of rates of ROSC for patients with an initial pH <7.2 and by initial pulseless rhythm. Methods: Single-center, retrospective review conducted from July 2010 to July 2012. Patients ≥18 years of age with documented cardiac arrest requiring ACLS and vasopressor therapy were included. Results: A total of 101 patients met inclusion criteria. There was no difference in rate of ROSC (56% vs 60%, P = 0.68) or survival to hospital discharge (9% vs 5%, P = 0.46) between patients who received vasopressin in combination with epinephrine (n = 43) compared to epinephrine alone (n = 58). Subgroup analysis of ROSC in patients with an arterial pH of <7.2 (n = 35) showed an increased rate of ROSC (63% vs 37%, P = 0.01) in the vasopressin plus epinephrine group versus the epinephrine alone group, respectively. Subgroup analysis by initial cardiac rhythm showed no difference in rate of ROSC. Conclusions: Vasopressin in combination with epinephrine demonstrated improved ROSC in cardiac arrest patients with initial arterial pH <7.2 compared with epinephrine alone, without improving survival to hospital discharge.
High performance concentrating photovoltaic module designs for utility scale power generation

The Boeing Company Phantom Works has developed three different prototype photovoltaic concentrator arrays since March 2007. Identified as Prototype A, B and C, the experimentally proven technical characteristics of each design are presented. The concentrator designs utilize a 1 cm2 multi-junction solar cell assembly in conjunction with SMS non-imaging optical designs manufactured with low-cost mass-producible technologies. Prototype A is an on-axis XR optical concentrator with a 733x geometrical concentration demonstrating a ± 1.73° acceptance angle and 23.7% conversion efficiency. Prototype B is an off-axis free-form XR optical concentrator with a 810x geometrical concentration demonstrating a ± 1.32° acceptance angle and 25.3% conversion efficiency. Prototype C is the most recent off-axis free-form XR optical concentrator with a 801x geometrical concentration and a theoretical ±1.80° acceptance angle demonstrating a conversion efficiency greater than 27.0%. Prototype C is also the basis for the Boeing Proof of Design (POD) module, demonstrating an acceptance angle of ±1.48° and a conversion efficiency of 29.4% (as of May 8, 2009). Manufacturability has been paramount during the design process, resulting in high performance concentrating photovoltaic modules using production quality components.
The Role of Genetic Counseling in the Elective Termination of Pregnancies Involving Fetuses with Disabilities

In this study, 69 women were surveyed who, as a result of prenatal screening, knew they were at risk for carrying a fetus with a disability. Results indicated that most women were referred by their physicians for genetic counseling either because of their age or because of an abnormal blood test. The majority of women indicated they would choose to terminate a pregnancy that tested positive for a disability, but the type of disability of the fetus, either Down syndrome or spina bifida, made no difference in the decision that women believed they would make. The women's intention to terminate a pregnancy appeared to be unrelated to their overall knowledge about disabilities but was negatively related to their knowledge of disability-related services. Although women reported that genetic counseling was helpful, they revealed that they were not given information about future-quality-of-life issues for individuals with disabilities nor provided with the positive as well as the negative aspects of giving birth to a child with disabilities.
A modified surgical approach to the Al‐Ghorab shunt – an anatomical basis

Priapism, although rare, is a well identifi ed entity seen in the Emergency Department. Its presentation, types and management are well discussed in the literature [ 1 ] . Acute management is stepwise; with surgical intervention required once more conservative approaches fail to correct the underlying cause. Surgical shunts, e.g. the Winter and the Ebbehoj, have variable success rates of 30 – 100% [ 2 ] . The success of these procedures is dependent on the cause, duration, previous episodes, and number of previous surgical interventions. In stuttering priapism, both the Winter and Ebbehoj shunts can occlude secondary to frequent clotting and fi brosis. A surgically established shunt, e.g. the Al-Ghorab, has a proven success rate shown by persistent detumescence [ 2,3 ] . The traditional surgical approach for the Al-Ghorab shunt is a dorsal sub-coronal incision, which can surgically incise the dorsal nerve of the penis (DNP) and thereby denervate the glans penis. Herein, we describe a modifi ed surgical approach to the Al-Ghorab shunt with the intention of avoiding surgical incision to the dorsal nerve bundle innervating the dorsal aspect of glans penis.
Characteristic bacteria associated with surfaces of coralline algae: a hypothesis for bacterial induction of marine invertebrate larvae

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) induce high rates of settlement and metamorphosis in a diversity of marine invertebrate larvae. It is often assumed that inducers associated with CCA are algal in origin, but an alternative hypothesis is that they originate from bacteria on the algal surface. Because many species manifest specificity in settling on CCA, a necessary condition of the hypothesis of bacterial origin is that bacterial assemblages on CCA are distinctive. Bacteria isolated from surfaces of 2 South African species of CCA (Sporolithon sp. and Clathromorphum sp.), 2 seawater samples collected adjacent to the CCA, and ground-glass slides incubated next to the corallines were examined for 34 morphological and physiological characters. Bacteria from the 2 CCA were distinct from those from other microhabitats and from each other, whereas isolates from the 2 seawater samples were similar, and those from glass slides were more similar to seawater populations than to coralline-associated bacteria. Bacteria from corallines were distinguished by narrower temperature ranges for growth, and in general, inability to (1) utilize glucose, (2) hydrolyse complex carbohydrates and urea, (3) utilize simple amino acids, and (4) reduce nitrate. These characteristics and the distributions of bacteria on crust surfaces suggest that epiphytic bacteria may utilise compounds from the algae for growth. Bacteria on Sporolithon sp. grew mostly from within recently damaged cells, whereas on Clathromorphum sp. they proliferated on a mucus-like matrix on its surface For some strains the association of bacteria with host alga may be specialised. These results are consistent with the hypothesis of bacterial origin of inducers associated with CCA, but they do not provide a critical test and thus do not resolve the question of algal or bacterial origin of inducers. In examining both hypotheses, we suggest methods to critically discern among these 2 alternatives. There was no trace of free GABA (y-aminobutyric acid) or L-DOPA (L-beta-3,4- dihydroxyphenylalanine) in cell-free extracts of either species of South African coralline algae or in bacteria isolated from the corallines and the other microhabitats. This finding supports other work suggesting that these compounds have no ecological relevance as inducers.
Affect of Working Capital Management on Firms Profitability in Sugar Industry of Pakistan

Management of working capital performs a very vital part in the performance of firms in sugar industry. This thesis tests the impact of working capital management on firm’s profitability in sugar industry of Pakistan for years 1999 to 2009. To analyze this, data of 19 sugar mills which are listed at Karachi Stock Exchange is used. The result shows that the Sales Growth, Current Ratio, No of Days Inventory and No of Days Accounts Payables are significantly affecting the profitability of the firms while Sales, Gearing Ratio and No of Days Account Receivables are insignificant in the research. Pearson Correlation and Multiple Linear Regression are used in this research to study the relationship between variables.
Some characteristics of thin shear layers in homogeneous turbulent flow

Tomographic particle image velocimetry measurements of homogeneous isotropic turbulence that have been made in a large mixing tank facility at Cambridge are analysed in order to characterize thin highly sheared regions that have been observed. The results indicate that such regions coincide with regions of high enstrophy, dissipation and stretching. Large velocity jumps are observed across the width of these regions. The thickness of the shear layers seems to scale with the Taylor microscale, as has been suggested previously. The results discussed here concentrate on examining individual realizations rather than statistics of these regions.
Living with uncertainty: Equivocal Pap test results and the evolution of ASC terminology

Communication of equivocal findings and their significance has been a significant challenge related to Pap testing throughout its history. Terminology to report these findings has changed considerably to accommodate the changes in understanding of cervical neoplasia, and to accommodate new management strategies, tests, and technologies. This article reviews the evolution of terminology for equivocal Pap test findings from the original Papanicolaou classification to the current the Bethesda System 2001 atypical squamous cells terminology, the implication and use of these terms, and the changing landscape of cervical neoplasia screening, which prompted these terminology changes. Emerging issues related to improving risk stratification through the introduction of additional terms and the impact of human papillomavirus testing may alter terminology of equivocal findings in the future. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Impact of Bank Size on Market Power

Over the past few decades, the worldwide banking industry has undergone strong consolidation. As a result, the number of banks has fallen sharply. At the same time, the size of the largest banks has increased substantially, both in absolute figures and relative to the size of smaller banks. This paper analyzes the impact of this development on competition by assessing the relation between bank size and market power. We use an extended version of the Panzar-Rosse (P-R) model that allows bank size to affect market power. Based on a large sample of more than 18,000 banks in 101 countries comprising more than 112,000 bank-year observations, we show that market power varies with bank size. Large banks have substantially more market power than small banks in many of the countries under consideration, including the world's major economies and covering more than 85% of all banks in our sample. Our results contradict the common finding in the empirical P-R literature that competition increases with bank size. We show that misspecification of the P-R model in the existing literature leads to wrong assessment of the relation between market power and bank size.