Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing Social and Physical Servicescape as Drivers of Hotels’ Image Formation: Customers Perspective

Place should not be viewed as a physical space that customers patronize because their service experiences in place are shaped by its occupants. This study investigates the effects of social and physical servicescape cues on customers’ perception of hotel image formation. Based on data derived from 138 customers at five star hotels in Cairo, social servicescape cues (service employees, other customers and rapport) have been differentiated with physical servicescape cues (facility Aesthetics, spatial Layout, ambient conditions, signs and symbols) in perceiving hotel image. Consequently, a significant positive relationship was found between the social 0.63 (**) and physical servicescape 0.53 (**) drivers and hotel image formation. Moreover, social servicescape was more influential than the physical one where a significant predictive relationship (p < 0.05) was found between Social and Physical servicescape and hotel image formation with variability of 39.8% and 30.2% respectively.
Biomechanics of changes in ACL and PCL material properties or prestrains in flexion under muscle force-implications in ligament reconstruction

The effects of changes in cruciate ligament material and prestrain on knee joint biomechanics following ligament reconstruction surgery by a tendon are not adequately known. A 3D nonlinear finite element model of the entire knee joint was used to investigate the joint response at different flexion angles under a quadriceps force while varying ACL and PCL initial strains or material properties. The ACL and PCL forces as well as tibiofemoral contact forces/areas substantially increased with greater ACL or PCL initial strains or stiffness. The patellofemoral contact force slightly increased whereas the tibial extensor moment slightly decreased with tenser or stiffer ACL. Reverse trends were predicted with slacker ACL. Results confirm the hypotheses that changes in the prestrain of one cruciate ligament substantially influence the force in the other cruciate ligament and the entire joint and that the use of the patellar tendon (PT) as a replacement for cruciate ligaments markedly alters the joint biomechanics with trends similar to those predicted when increasing prestrains. Forces in both ACL and PCL ligaments increased as one of them became tenser or stiffer and diminished as it became slacker. These results have important consequences in joint biomechanics following ligament injuries or replacement and tend to recommend the use of grafts with smaller prestrains (i.e. slacker than intact) when using the PT as the replacement material with stiffness greater than that of replaced ligament itself.
Upregulation of bcl-2 by the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein LMP1: a B-cell-specific response that is delayed relative to NF-kappa B activation and to induction of cell surface markers

An ability of the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein LMP1 to enhance the survival of infected B cells through upregulation of the bcl-2 oncogene was first suggested by experiments involving gene transfection and the selection of stable LMP1+ clones (S. Henderson, M. Rowe, C. Gregory, F. Wang, E. Kieff, and A. Rickinson, Cell 65:1107-1115, 1991). However, it was not possible to ascertain whether Bcl-2 upregulation was a specific consequence of LMP1 expression or an artifact of the selection procedure whereby rare Bcl-2+ cells already present in the starting population might best be able to tolerate the potentially toxic effects of LMP1. We therefore reexamined this issue by using two different experimental approaches that allowed LMP1-induced effects to be monitored immediately following expression of the viral protein and in the absence of selective pressures; activation of the NF-kappa B transcription factor and upregulation of the cell adhesion molecule ICAM-1 were used as early indices of LMP1 function. In the first approach, stable clones of two B-cell lines carrying an LMP1 gene under the control of an inducible metallothionein promoter were induced to express LMP1 in all cells. Activation of NK-kappa B and upregulation of ICAM-1 occurred within 24 h and were followed at 48 to 72 h by upregulation of Bcl-2. In the second approach, we tested the generality of this phenomenon by transiently expressing LMP1 from a strong constitutively active promoter in a range of different cell types. All six B-cell lines tested showed NF-kappa B activation in response to LMP1 expression, and this was followed in five of six lines by expression of ICAM-1 and Bcl-2. In the same experiments, all three non-B-cell lines showed NF-kappa B activation and ICAM-1 upregulation but never any effect upon Bcl-2. We therefore conclude that Bcl-2 upregulation is part of the panoply of cellular changes induced by LMP1 but that the effect is cell type specific. Our data also suggest that whilst NF-kappa B may be an essential component of LMP1 signal transduction, other cell-specific factors may be required to effect some functions of the viral protein.
A Low-Cost High-Quality Adaptive Scalar for Real-Time Multimedia Applications

A novel scaling algorithm is proposed for the implementation of 2-D image scalar. The algorithm consists of a bilinear interpolation, a clamp filter, and a sharpening spatial filter. The bilinear interpolation algorithm is selected due to its having low complexity and high quality. The clamp and sharpening spatial filters are added as pre-filters to solve the blurring and aliasing effects produced by bilinear interpolation. Furthermore, an adaptive technology is used to enhance the effects of clamp and sharpening spatial filters. To reduce memory buffers and computing resources for the very large scale integration (VLSI) implementation, the clamp filter and sharpening spatial filters both convoluted by a 3 × 3 matrix coefficient kernel are combined into a 5 × 5 combined convolution filter. The bilinear interpolation is simplified by the co-operation and hardware sharing technique to reduce computing resource and hardware costs. The VLSI architecture in this paper can achieve 280 MHz with 9.28-K gate counts, and its chip area is 46 418 μm2 synthesized by a 0.13 μm CMOS process. Compared with previous techniques, this paper not only reduces gate counts by more than 46.6% and power consumptions by 24.2%, but also improves average quality by over 0.42 dB.
Adenosine and Seizure Termination: Endogenous Mechanisms

Commentary The purine ribonucleoside adenosine is a well-recognized endogenous anticonvulsant of the brain and therapeutic adenosine augmentation is a rational approach for seizure control. Levels of endogenous adenosine are known to rise during seizures and are thought to contribute to seizure arrest and postictal refractoriness (1, 2). Two important questions remain to be answered: First, where does endogenous adenosine come from and, second, how does seizure-induced adenosinerelease influence those seizures? To attenuate neuronal activity, adenosine needs to bind to G-protein coupled preand postsynaptic adenosine A1 receptors (A1Rs), which promote presynaptic inhibition through blockade of calcium channels and postsynaptic hyperpolarization through activation of potassium channels (3). Concordantly, genetic deficiency of the A1R or enhanced metabolic clearance of adenosine increase neuronal excitability and Neuronal Adenosine Release, and not Astrocytic ATP Release, Mediates Feedback Inhibition of Excitatory Activity.
Ownership Concentration and Degree of Compliance with Corporate Governance Best Practices of Public Listed Companies in Sri Lanka

This study examines the relationship between ownership concentration and the degree of compliance with corporate governance best practices of public listed companies in Sri Lanka. Firstly, the study examines ownership concentration in terms of ownership types of fifty two companies listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) for a five-year period from 2009 to 2013 by focusing on their ultimate ownership. Accordingly, two ownership types-‘closely held’ and ‘widely held’-were identified. Secondly, to measure the degree of compliance with corporate governance best practices, a Corporate Governance Index was developed incorporating selected governance characteristics pertaining to the board of directors. The study was conducted as a quantitative study based on secondary data collected from annual reports. The study finds that the ownership is concentrated in most of the selected companies with the presence of a controlling shareholder and widely held entities are rare in Sri Lanka as in the case of other Asian countries. Further, the analysis finds that a higher degree of ownership concentration has a significant negative relationship with compliance with corporate governance practices. This indicates that the degree of compliance with corporate governance best practices is significantly lower in closely held companies than in widely held companies. Hence, the study concludes that the degree of ownership concentration in Sri Lankan public listed companies has a significant influence on compliance with the corporate governance practices pertaining to board characteristics.
The Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Protein Activates a Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-dependent Survival Signaling Cascade*

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) establishes a persistent infection, with up to 80% of infected individuals proceeding to chronic hepatitis, which in many cases may result in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); indeed HCV infection is increasingly associated with the development of HCC. The long time period (up to 30 years) between primary infection and the onset of HCC implies that HCV is not directly oncogenic but in some way predisposes patients to develop tumors, though the mechanism for this is unclear as yet. We report here that NS5A binds directly to the Src homology 3 domain of the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and this interaction is mediated by a novel (non-proline-rich) motif within NS5A. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis revealed that NS5A bound native heterodimeric PI3K and enhanced the phosphotransferase activity of the catalytic (p110) subunit both in vitro and in human cell lines harboring a subgenomic HCV replicon or expressing NS5A alone. NS5A-mediated activation of PI3K resulted in increased phosphorylation and activity of Akt/protein kinase B and concomitantly provided protection against the induction of apoptosis in both replicon-harboring cells and cells stably expressing NS5A alone. These data suggest that stimulation of PI3K by NS5A may represent an indirect mechanism for development of HCC in HCV-infected patients and further suggests potential therapeutic strategies to counteract the occurrence of HCV-related HCC.
Significant Male Preponderance in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in India and Regional Variation: Tertiary Care Center Experience, Systematic Review, and Evaluation of Population-Based Data

Although, a slight male preponderance has been reported in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) from several developed nations, several Indian studies suggest a skewed gender ratio in ALL. To assess the gender ratio at presentation in ALL in India, we used a three-prong approach: (i) center audit, (ii) systematic review of published studies on ALL in India, and (iii) assessment of population based registry data. Data on gender at presentation in ALL were extracted from these multiple sources. In our center audit, we observed a significantly higher of male:female (M:F) ratio of 3.16:1 (P = .046) in ALL as compared to world literature. In the systematic review of all ALL studies from India, 367 articles were identified and reviewed. A total of 4230 and 1843 boys and girls in these studies were assessed and the M:F ratio was 2.503:1; much higher than the world ratio but not significantly different (P = .10). Population-based data obtained from the National Cancer Registry Program also depicted a male preponderance, especially from large cities in India in a consistent manner since 1984. There is also significant (P = .025) interregional variation in the gender ratio in India. Our study clearly demonstrates a consistent male preponderance in childhood ALL in India along with significant interregional variations over the last three decades. There is a clear need of prospective nationwide multicenter assessment of high-resolution data to confirm this important observation and assess its implications, especially on the health care system.
Thanatophoric dysplasia type 2 with encephalocele during the second trimester

Thanatophoric dysplasia (TD) has been reviewed extensively elsewhere, and more than 200 cases have been recorded [Cohen, 2000]. It is the most common lethal skeletal dysplasia. Langer et al. [1987] distinguished two types. In type 1 (TD1), the long tubular bones, particularly the femurs, are curved and the vertebral bodies are very flat. In type 2 (TD2), the femurs are straight, the vertebral bodies are not as flat as in type 1, and craniosynostosis is extremely common, particularly cloverleaf skull. In contrast, TD1 occurs without craniosynostosis in most instances; it may be present occasionally and cloverleaf skull is rare. TD2 is less common than TD1. Know mutations are listed in Table I. Although many mutations are known for TD1, only one mutation is known for TD2. Neuropathologic characteristics of TD include diverticles protruding into the subcortical regions and abnormalities of the temporal lobes such as plump gyri with deep sulci, thick periventricular heterotopias, dysgenesis of the parahippocampal gyrus, agenesis of Ammon’s horn, and polymicrogyria in the deep sulci adjacent to the hippocampal region. Megalencephaly, hydrocephalus, and hypoplastic posterior fossa are also found. TD1 and TD2 show no discernable differences in CNS abnormalities [reviewed in Cohen, 2000]. Here, we report a case of TD2 with encephalocele, which is rare. A 34-year-old Chinese multigravida was referred to our unit at 21 weeks of gestation. A level II ultrasonographic examination disclosed short straight long bones (<5th centile) (femur length1⁄4 24 mm; humerus length1⁄4 20 mm), narrow thorax (thoracic circumference1⁄4 145 mm), and prominent abdomen (>95th centile) (abdomen circumference1⁄4 200 mm). Biparietal diameter of 54 mm was compatible with 22 gestational weeks. Careful examination of brain structures demonstrated a large occipital encephalocele. The skull was malformed with a big posterior defect. The most likely diagnosis was thantophoric dysplasia with encephalocele, but other skeletal dysplasias could not be excluded. Cord blood showed an FGFR3 mutation: 1948A! G, resulting in Lys650Glu, the only mutation known for TD2. A female with a weight of 610 g and a length of 28 cm was delivered (Fig. 1). External examination showed markedly short stature, abnormally shaped head, ocular proptosis, midface hypoplasia, and horizontally positioned ears. A large skin covered sac, about 16 cm in diameter, was present at the back of the head. There was a short neck, narrow TABLE I. Known Mutations in TD1 and TD2
Inappropriate Transfer of Patients With Orthopaedic Injuries to a Level I Trauma Center: A Prospective Study

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the appropriateness of transfer of patients with orthopaedic injuries to a Level I trauma center from surrounding Level II to IV centers. Design: A prospective study was conducted over a 5-month period by collecting data on all orthopaedic patients being transferred to our facility. All transfer diagnoses were designated as appropriate or inappropriate. Patient demographics were calculated. Setting: The transfer of patients occurred from 23 Level II to IV hospitals to a Level I trauma center. These hospitals service 1 to 1.5 million people a year. Patients/Participants Main Outcome Measurements: All patients transferred with orthopaedic injuries were recorded. Patient variables such as transfer diagnosis, age, gender, insurance status, time of arrival, day of transfer, transferring and accepting physicians, previous imaging studies, and patient disposition were recorded. Outcome measurements included χ2 tests to determine variation in demographics based on insurance and appropriateness of transfer. Multivariate regression analysis was also performed to determine influence of individual patient variables on the main outcome variable: appropriateness of transfer. Results: Two hundred sixteen patients were transferred of which we considered 52% inappropriate. Sixty-eight percent of transfers occurred between 6:00 pm and 5:59 am and 60% of all transfers were over the weekend. Also, 69% of inappropriate transfers were discharged directly from the emergency department. Insurance was an independent factor affecting appropriateness of transfer. A larger percentage of inappropriate patients transferred were uninsured. The inappropriate patient who was transferred had more likelihood of being uninsured than insured. Moreover, there was a significantly higher percentage of inappropriate uninsured patients transferred after hours and over the weekend as compared with insured patients. More than 97% of inappropriate transfers were accepted by the emergency department physician without communication with the on-call orthopaedist at our facility. Conclusions: There is a trend among community hospitals to transfer uninsured patients with benign orthopaedic injuries inappropriately to a Level I trauma center. This effect is magnified on weekends and at night. Strict regulation of the Emergency Labor Act and better communication between Level II to IV hospitals and Level I orthopaedic surgeons can decrease the inappropriate transfer of patients and reduce the burden on our healthcare system.
Hot Press as a Sustainable Direct Recycling Technique of Aluminium: Mechanical Properties and Surface Integrity

Meltless recycling technique has been utilized to overcome the lack of primary resources, focusing on reducing the usage of energy and materials. Hot press was proposed as a novel direct recycling technique which results in astoundingly low energy usage in contrast with conventional recycling. The aim of this study is to prove the technical feasibility of this approach by characterizing the recycled samples. For this purpose, AA6061 aluminium chips were recycled by utilizing hot press process under various operating temperature (Ts = 430, 480, and 530 °C) and holding times (ts = 60, 90, and 120 min). The maximum mechanical properties of recycled chip are Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) = 266.78 MPa, Elongation to failure (ETF) = 16.129%, while, for surface integrity of the chips, the calculated microhardness is 81.744 HV, exhibited at Ts = 530 °C and ts = 120 min. It is comparable to theoretical AA6061 T4-temper where maximum UTS and microhardness is increased up to 9.27% and 20.48%, respectively. As the desired mechanical properties of forgings can only be obtained by means of a final heat treatment, T5-temper, aging after forging process was employed. Heat treated recycled billet AA6061 (T5-temper) are considered comparable with as-received AA6061 T6, where the value of microhardness (98.649 HV) at 175 °C and 120 min of aging condition was revealed to be greater than 3.18%. Although it is quite early to put a base mainly on the observations in experimental settings, the potential for significant improvement offered by the direct recycling methods for production aluminium scrap can be clearly demonstrated. This overtures perspectives for industrial development of solid state recycling processes as environmentally benign alternatives of current melting based practices.
Entrepreneurship after displacement: The transition and performance of entrepreneurial ventures created after displacement

According to Hoetker and Agarwal (2007), research on knowledge transfers related to business closures is scarce. This paper intends to fill the knowledge gap on the transition to entrepreneurship after a business closure. This paper studies which employees are most likely to start an entrepreneurial venture after being affected by a displacement. Furthermore, following e.g., Hyttinen and Maliranta (2008) and Sorensen (2007), this study investigates the link between former workplace characteristics, such as the size and age of the former workplace, and the transition into entrepreneurship. In the second part of the analysis, the performance of the entrepreneurial ventures started by employees after displacement are explored as it relates to survival, employment and profitability. The empirical setting employs an employer–employee matched dataset coving all displaced employees in Sweden during 2001-2010. The empirical findings suggest that employees displaced from smaller firms are more likely to transition to entrepreneurship, Employing a Cox proportional hazard model to study the survival of these companies shows that new firms generated by displaced employees from small establishments are more viable. Furthermore, individuals who took part in labor market polices have a higher probability of becoming entrepreneurs, although these firms tend to show lower survival rates, which indicates that these transitions are necessity based. As for the performance of the business, the empirical findings suggest modest growth in terms of employment, turnover and operating profit for the vast majority of entrepreneurial ventures started after displacement.
Mode coupling and output beam quality of 100-400 μm core silica fibers.

Propagation and mode coupling within relatively short (∼1-10 m) large core, nominally multimode, fibers are of interest in a number of applications. In this research, we have studied the output beam quality and mode coupling in various fibers with core diameters of 100-400 μm and lengths of 2 m. Output beam quality (M2) and mode-coupling coefficients (D) have been studied for different clad dimensions, numerical apertures, and wavelengths. The mode-coupling coefficients have been determined based on modal power diffusion considerations. The results show that D scales approximately as the inverse square of the clad dimension and inverse square root of the wavelength. Output from a 2 m length fiber of 100 μm core and 660 μm clad fiber is close to single mode (M2=1.6), while output from a 200 μm core and 745 μm clad fiber also has high beam quality.
Adaptation to a humanoid robot in a collaborative joint task

Mutual synchronization plays a decisive role in effective collaborations in human joint tasks. Interaction between humans and robots need to show similar emergent coordination. To this aim models of human synchronization have recently been ported on collaborative robots with success [1]. However, it is also important to consider under which conditions the human partner is willing to adapt to the robot while performing a joint task. The main research goal of this study is to understand whether the temporal adaptation usually observed during human-human interaction occurs also during human-robot cooperation. We present a collaborative joint task engaging both human subjects and the humanoid robot iCub in pursuing an identical common goal: putting blocks into a box. We examine human action timing, evinced from motion capture data, in order to investigate whether humans adapt their behavior to the robot. We compare a quantitative measure of such adaptation with the subjective evaluation extracted from questionnaires. We observe that on average participants tend to adapt to their robotic partner. Nevertheless, by looking at individual behaviors, only few showed a clear adaptation to its timing, despite the vast majority of the subjects reported to have been influenced by the robot. We conclude discussing the potential factors influencing human adaptability, with the suggestion that the speed of execution of the robot is determinant in the coordination.