Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SU-E-T-172: Evaluation of the Exradin A26 Ion Chamber in Megavoltage Photon Beams as a Reference Class Instrument.

PURPOSE The Exradin A26 is a new design of micro-ionization ion chamber that externally resembles the Exradin A16 model but has significant internal changes to address measurement issues reported in the literature for the A16. This project involved the characterization of two versions of the A26 chamber in high energy x-rays with particular reference to the performance specification laid out in the imminent Addendum to TG-51. METHODS The Exradin A26 was investigated in a range of megavoltage photon beams (6-25 MV). Investigations looked at chamber settling, ion recombination and polarity. Since it has been previously shown that non-ideal performance is most easily identified through ion recombination measurements, the focus was on the determination of Pion. RESULTS i) Chamber settling - the chamber response stabilizes very quickly (within 3 minutes), even after a large change in the polarizing voltage.ii) The polarity correction was found to be small (within 0.2% of unity)iii) The chamber showed linear behavior for a Jaffe plot (1/reading vs 1/polarizing voltage) for applied voltages ≤ 200 V.iv) The recombination correction showed a linear variation with the doseper- pulse, was not significantly dependent on the polarity of the collecting voltage and was consistent with the chamber dimensions (i.e. agreed with Boag theory). CONCLUSION An initial investigation of the Exradin A26 micro chamber suggests that although its performance exceeds the AAPM specification for a reference-class ion chamber for use in megavoltage photon beams it is a significant improvement over the previous A16 design. Further work is required to evaluate long-term stability and determine kQ factors.
Background of Purchase Intention of Brazilian Soccer Club Fans

Studies about purchase intention have grown in the marketing area. This is so especially for those seeking to associate loyalty and brand image. Within this context, this paper has sought to analyze the background of purchase intention of soccer club sport products. Then, to apply a descriptive research with 1056 respondents who are fans. The data collected were analyzed using a set of techniques from Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of this research show that the intension of buying is more directly associated to loyalty to the brand rather than the actual image of the soccer club. It was evident the psychological commitment, the emotional attachment and the recognition or association to the brand antecede the purchase intention of sports articles made available by the soccer clubs. In conclusion, the final consideration and academic and managerial recommendations were expounded upon.
Design and Synthesis of Selenazole‐Containing Peptides for Cocrystallization with P‐Glycoprotein

Over-expression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in some cancer cells is a primary cause of multidrug resistance (MDR) that results in chemotherapy failure. As a consequence, Pgp has been a long-sought target for drug development in the hope of circumventing MDR in clinical oncology. [1,2] More than three decades of biochemical studies have indicated that Pgp might possess several distinct substrate-binding sites within a large, flexible region located between the two transmembrane domains; these sites recognize hundreds of chemically unrelated compounds, including a majority of traditional anti-cancer drugs. [3–6] These compounds can be exported from cells by Pgp using energy released by self-catalyzed ATP hydrolysis in conjunction with substantial conformational changes. Our groups recently determined a structure of mouse Pgp at 3.8 A resolution by X-ray diffraction. [7] We also solved the cocrystal structures of Pgp with a pair of enantiomeric cyclic peptides, QZ59Se-RRR and QZ59Se-SSS (Scheme 1), in which the two enantiomers bind to Pgp with different stoichiometries and at distinct sites within a transmembrane portal open to the cytoplasmic side. These structures provided the first glimpse of the polyspecific drug-binding site of Pgp in atomic detail.
Influence of dietary factors on the pH and ammonia emission of slurry from growing-finishing pigs.

We investigated the effects of dietary factors on the pH and the ammonia emission from slurry of growing-finishing pigs. Sixteen male hybrid pigs (80 to 90 kg BW) were allotted to one of four diets based on barley-wheat, tapioca, barley-tapioca, and sugar beet pulp. Diets were formulated to have similar NE and CP contents and a similar lysine:NE ratio. Diets differed in nonstarch polysaccharide content (NSP) and dietary electrolyte balance (dEB). Urine and feces were daily collected quantitatively in metabolism cages and mixed as a slurry at the end of the collection period. After mixing, the pH and the ammonia emission from the slurry were measured daily in a laboratory setup for 7 d at 20 degrees C. The type of diet affected the pH of the slurry and the ammonia emission (P < .001). The pH of the slurry from pigs fed the sugar beet pulp-based diet was . 8 unit lower and ammonia emission was 52 to 53% lower than that of the other three diets. The low dEB and high NPS sugar beet pulp-based diet increased the VFA concentration and reduced the pH and ammonia emission from the slurry. We conclude that dietary NSP and dEB influence the pH and ammonia emission from slurry of growing-finishing pigs.
Presynaptic inhibition of glutamate transmission by α2 receptors in the VTA

The ventral tegmental area (VTA) forms part of the mesocorticolimbic system and plays a pivotal role in reward and reinforcing actions of drugs of abuse. Glutamate transmission within the VTA controls important aspects of goal‐directed behavior and motivation. Noradrenergic receptors also present in the VTA have important functions in the modulation of neuronal activity. Here we studied the effects of α2 noradrenergic receptor activation in the alteration of glutamate neurotransmission in VTA dopaminergic neurons from male Sprague–Dawley rats. We used whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from putative VTA dopaminergic neurons and measured excitatory postsynaptic currents. Clonidine (40 μm) and UK 14,304 (40 μm), both α2 receptor agonists, reduced (approximately 40%) the amplitude of glutamate‐induced excitatory postsynaptic currents. After clonidine administration, there was a dose‐dependent reduction over the concentration range of 15–40 μm. Using yohimbine (20 μm) and two other α2 adrenergic receptor antagonists, idaxozan (40 μm) and atipemazole (20 μm), we demonstrated that the inhibitory action is specifically mediated by α2 receptors. Moreover, by inhibiting protein kinases with H‐7 (75 μm), Rp‐adenosine 3′,5′‐cyclic (11 μm) and chelerythrine (1 μm) it was shown that the clonidine‐induced inhibition seems to involve a selective activation of the protein kinase C intracellular pathway. Increased paired‐pulse ratios and changes in spontaneous and miniature excitatory postsynaptic current frequencies but not amplitudes indicated that the effect of the α2 agonist was presynaptically mediated. It is suggested that the suppression of glutamate excitatory inputs onto VTA dopaminergic neurons might be relevant in the regulation of reward and drug‐seeking behaviors.
Therapeutic Uses of Triphala in Ayurvedic Medicine

Abstract Aim: The aim of this article is to review the current literature on the therapeutic uses and efficacy of Triphala. Herbal remedies are among the most ancient medicines used in traditional systems of healthcare such as Ayurveda. Triphala, a well-recognized and highly efficacious polyherbal Ayurvedic medicine consisting of fruits of the plant species Emblica officinalis (Amalaki), Terminalia bellerica (Bibhitaki), and Terminalia chebula (Haritaki), is a cornerstone of gastrointestinal and rejuvenative treatment. Methods: A search of the PubMed database was conducted. Results: In addition, numerous additional therapeutic uses described both in the Ayurvedic medical literature and anecdotally are being validated scientifically. In addition to laxative action, Triphala research has found the formula to be potentially effective for several clinical uses such as appetite stimulation, reduction of hyperacidity, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating, antibacterial, antimutagenic, adaptogenic, hypoglycemic, antineoplastic, chemoprotective, and radioprotective effects, and prevention of dental caries. Polyphenols in Triphala modulate the human gut microbiome and thereby promote the growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus while inhibiting the growth of undesirable gut microbes. The bioactivity of Triphala is elicited by gut microbiota to generate a variety of anti-inflammatory compounds. Conclusions: This review summarizes recent data on pharmacological properties and clinical effects of Triphala while highlighting areas in need of additional investigation and clinical development.
Management of Fluid Overload in Congestive Heart Failure: Learning from a Case Report

A case of refractory fluid overload due to congestive heart failure and consequent renal insufficiency is reported. The case was approached multidisciplinarily, at the beginning with conservative and pharmacological therapy, subsequently with extracorporeal fluid removal in which a specific attention was payed to the maintenance of circulating blood volume and achievement of dry weight, and finally with chronic peritoneal dialysis as a maintenance therapy. The case seems to summarize the pathway of many patients seen initially in intensive care and cardiology departments and subsequently in nephrological wards.
Efficient techniques for bridging from atomic to mesoscopic scale in phase-field simulations

We show simulation techniques that enable to computationally bridge from the atomistic up to the mesoscopic scale. To evaluate the efficiency, we use a phase-field method to simulate symmetric thermal dendrites and start the computation at an early stage of solidification related to nucleation. The early structures are taken from the molecular dynamics method. The proposed techniques allow to simulate three dimensional dendrites from the state of nuclei ≈ 50 A up to a size proportional to μ m where ternary side-arms start to grow.
Serum concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and resistin, and their relationship with cardiovascular disease in patients with end‐stage renal disease

Background and Objective High levels of some adipocytokines have been reported in patients with chronic renal failure, but little information is available on adipocytokine concentrations in uraemic patients under different modalities of therapy. Our aims were (1) to quantify the serum concentrations of leptin, adiponectin and resistin in uraemic patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and haemodialysis (HD), in comparison with patients on conservative management, and (2) to study the relationships between adipocytokine levels and previous atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Operative Agreement on Lateral Compression-1 Pelvis Fractures. A Survey of 111 OTA Members

Objectives: To better characterize operative agreement and disagreement among orthopaedic surgeons treating lateral compression type 1 (LC-1) pelvic fractures in an effort to improve communication between care providers and improve patient care. Design: Decision analysis. Setting: Level 1 trauma center. Methods: Twenty-seven LC-1 cases were selected to represent a wide array of LC-1 injuries. Each case was presented with 3 plain pelvic radiographs (anteroposterior, inlet, and outlet) and a scrollable computed tomography at the OTA national meeting. Attendees were queried whether they would perform operative stabilization “yes/no.” Years of surgical practice (0–5, 6–10, and >10), annual pelvic fracture case volume (0–20, 21–50, and >50), and completion of a trauma fellowship (yes/no) were also collected. Fleiss' kappa (K) was used to measure operative agreement among survey respondents, where K = 0.21–0.40 was fair and K = 0.41–0.60 was moderate agreement. Results: One hundred eleven surgeons completed the survey where the average tendency to operate across surveys was 40%. Of the 27 cases presented, only 9 cases (33%) showed substantial agreement. There were 4 cases where nearly everyone chose operative stabilization (93.1%–94.4%) and 5 cases where nearly no one chose operative stabilization (0%–8.7%). The overall agreement was fair with K = 0.39 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34–0.44]. Although there was a trend for surgeons with more years of surgical practice to have a lower tendency to operate, it did not achieve statistical significance (odds ratio for >10 years vs. 0–5 years = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.48–1.11). Annual case volume and completion of a trauma fellowship were not statistically significant predictors of operative tendency. Conclusions: Our results show only fair operative agreement (K = 0.39; 95% CI, 0.34–0.44) in a radiographic survey representing a broad range of LC-1 fracture morphologies among OTA surgeons. Only 9 of the 27 cases (33%) had substantial agreement. There was no difference in the decision to operate based on surgical volume, completion of a trauma fellowship, or time in practice. These results highlight the differing practice decisions among surgeons currently treating LC-1 injuries, and there is need for further studies to more fully understand stability after this injury pattern.
Physical chick parameters and effects on growth performance in broiler

Abstract. This study was made to compare physical chick quality indicators such as chick length and feather colour and their effects on the uniformity and subsequent growth performance in broiler. For this reason; 600 day old male chicks were used. Chicks were classified into two groups on the basis of their feather colour: deep and light yellow. Then, chicks in each group were further divided into three groups as small, middle and large according to their body length. The length of the middle group animals was varied between 18.0–18.3 cm, while that of the largest group was greater than 18.3 cm and the small group was lesser than 18.0 cm. A positive correlation between chick length and chick weight was observed in all groups at the 0 day of age. Body length uniformity in day old chick was more important than body weight uniformity. Longer chicks exhibited better growth potential throughout the experiment. The feeding efficiency and survival rate of longer chicks were numerically greater compared to smaller chicks. There were no significant differences for subsequent growth parameters in feather colour groups. Consequently; length of day old chick can be used as important criteria for selection of higher quality chicks having better growth performance.
Oestrous cycle and pregnancy effects on the distribution of oestrogen and progesterone receptors in bovine endometrium.

Reproductive cyclicity and pregnancy require cell and tissue specific expression of oestrogen (OR) and progesterone receptors (PR). To determine the effects of cycle day and early pregnancy (days 16-30) on the distribution of OR and PR, uteri were collected from cycling (n=39), pregnant (n=14), and steroid-treated ovariectomized cattle (n=10). Immunohistochemistry was used to localize OR and PR, and staining intensity was scored. Moderate staining for the PR was detected in the stroma at proestrus (days 17-20). Expression increased through oestrous, reaching maximal levels by metestrus (days 1-6) (P< 0.05). During diestrus (days 7-16), PR expression was downregulated (P< 0.05). Progesterone receptor expression was detected in the luminal epithelium in one of three animals each at days 3 and 6 of the oestrous cycle. In pregnant animals only, caruncular stroma showed reduced PR staining compared to intercaruncular stroma (P< 0.05). Reactivity to the OR antibody in cycling animals was detected in the stroma and glandular epithelium. Levels increased through proestrus and oestrous, were maximal during metestrus (P< 0.05), and decreased during diestrus (P< 0.05). Interestingly, there was transient upregulation in the luminal epithelium on day 16 or day 14 (P< 0.05). This was not evident at day 16 of pregnancy, although some OR reactivity was present in stroma and glands. By day 18 of pregnancy OR were undetectable (P< 0.05). Oestrogen-treated ovariectomized animals had increased OR and PR expression in comparison to progesterone treated cows (P< 0.05). Untreated ovariectomized cows showed constitutive steroid receptor expression. These results support the widely accepted role for sex steroids in the regulation of their receptors and indicate that there is paracrine regulation of steroid receptor expression in the bovine uterus.
Leverage and the Value Premium

Does cross-sectional variation in nancial leverage help explain the well-known size and bookto-market (BTM) anomalies? Identifying the impact of leverage on cross-sectional variation in stock returns is challenging because the relation between leverage and stock returns in the data is highly nonlinear. To resolve this identi cation problem, we use structural credit risk models such as Merton (1974) to adjust stock returns for leverage and compute returns on unlevered equity. If cross-sectional di¤erences in leverage are the underlying cause of the asset pricing anomalies, these anomalies should disappear for unlevered equity returns. While the size e¤ect still holds in the cross-section of unlevered equity returns, the value premium disappears, and this nding is very robust to variations in the empirical design. Regressions and simple sorts also con rm our results, but it is critical to take into account that leverage a¤ects positive and negative unlevered equity returns di¤erently, as suggested by structural credit risk models. Firm characteristics provide an economic explanation of our results: The highest BTM rms are high leverage but low asset risk rms with low returns on unlevered equity. Keywords: leverage; value premium; unlevered equity returns. JEL classi cation codes: G12
Counteracting the success trap in publicly owned corporations

Top management teams frequently overemphasize efforts to exploit the current product portfolio, even in the face of the strong need to step up exploration activities. This mismanagement of the balance between explorative R&D activities and exploitation of the current product portfolio can result in the so-called ‘success trap’, the situation where explorative activities are fully suppressed. The success trap constitutes a serious threat to the long-term viability of a firm. Recent studies of publicly owned corporations suggest the suppression of exploration arises from the interplay between the executive team’s myopic forces, the board of directors as gatekeeper of the capital market, and the exploitation-exploration investments and their outcomes. In this paper, system dynamics modeling serves to identify and test ways in which top management teams can counteract this suppression process. For instance, we find that when the executive board is getting stuck in the success trap, the board of directors can intervene by constraining exploration (in case of a rather stable environment) or by encouraging exploration (in case of a turbulent environment).
THE EFFECT OF INCREASED AUDIT DISCLOSURE ON INVESTORS' PERCEPTIONS OF MANAGEMENT, AUDITORS, AND FINANCIAL REPORTING: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

OF DISSERTATION THE EFFECT OF INCREASED AUDIT DISCLOSURE ON INVESTORS' PERCEPTIONS OF MANAGEMENT, AUDITORS, AND FINANCIAL REPORTING: AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION Standard setters recently proposed increasing audit disclosures and reporting. Two experiments examine the effects of auditor-provided disclosures on financial statement users’ perceptions of auditor independence, management credibility, reporting quality, materiality, and investment decisions. In the first experiment, I manipulate auditor agreement with management’s estimates and whether the estimates are incentive-consistent for management. I find that users view auditors as more (less) independent when they agree (disagree) with management, given an unqualified opinion. I also find that users are able to identify management bias using audit disclosures, and that the disclosures are value-relevant. In the second experiment, I provide users with either an explicit or implicit materiality disclosure and elicit users’ materiality judgments either before or after the disclosure. I find that users’ materiality judgments are closer to the auditor’s when elicited after an explicit materiality disclosure. Path analysis demonstrates that users’ materiality judgments affect subsequent investment and audit-related judgments but do not affect important decisions related to auditor liability and investment. The findings provide empirical support for the argument that additional audit disclosures would increase the transparency and valuerelevance of the audit report.
Risk perception influences athletic pacing strategy.

PURPOSE The objective of this study is to examine risk taking and risk perception associations with perceived exertion, pacing, and performance in athletes. METHODS Two experiments were conducted in which risk perception was assessed using the domain-specific risk taking (DOSPERT) scale in 20 novice cyclists (experiment 1) and 32 experienced ultramarathon runners (experiment 2). In experiment 1, participants predicted their pace and then performed a 5-km maximum effort cycling time trial on a calibrated Kingcycle mounted bicycle. Split times and perceived exertion were recorded every kilometer. In experiment 2, each participant predicted their split times before running a 100-km ultramarathon. Split times and perceived exertion were recorded at seven checkpoints. In both experiments, higher and lower risk perception groups were created using median split of DOSPERT scores. RESULTS In experiment 1, pace during the first kilometer was faster among lower risk perceivers compared with higher risk perceivers (t(18) = 2.0, P = 0.03) and faster among higher risk takers compared with lower risk takers (t(18) = 2.2, P = 0.02). Actual pace was slower than predicted pace during the first kilometer in both the higher risk perceivers (t(9) = -4.2, P = 0.001) and lower risk perceivers (t(9) = -1.8, P = 0.049). In experiment 2, pace during the first 36 km was faster among lower risk perceivers compared with higher risk perceivers (t(16) = 2.0, P = 0.03). Irrespective of risk perception group, actual pace was slower than predicted pace during the first 18 km (t(16) = 8.9, P < 0.001) and from 18 to 36 km (t(16) = 4.0, P < 0.001). In both experiments, there was no difference in performance between higher and lower risk perception groups. CONCLUSIONS Initial pace is associated with an individual's perception of risk, with low perceptions of risk being associated with a faster starting pace. Large differences between predicted and actual pace suggest that the performance template lacks accuracy, perhaps indicating greater reliance on momentary pacing decisions rather than preplanned strategy.
The CS-Preexposure Effect in Conditioned Taste-Aversion Learning in Golden Hamsters

Abstract In Experiment 1, golden hamsters were injected with either 0.9% saline or the nausea-inducing agent, lithium chloride (LiCL), immediately after consuming a flavored diet that was either novel or familiar. The LiCl-induced aversion was strong in hamsters for which the flavored diet was novel, but no significant aversion was observed in hamsters that were familiar with the flavored diet. In Experiment 2, the strength of the LiCl-induced aversion was related inversely to the amount of conditioned-stimulus (CS) preexposure and directly to the duration of the preexposure-conditioning interval. Thus, although some previous researchers have suggested that hamsters may not demonstrate the CS-preexposure effect in a conditioned taste-aversion paradigm, they clearly did so under the conditions of the present experiments, and moreover, the characteristics of the CS-preexposure effect in hamsters were generally similar to those observed in rats.