Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Load‐sensitive adhesion factor expression in the elderly with skiing: relation to fiber type and muscle strength

We hypothesized that 12 weeks of downhill skiing mitigates the functional deficits of knee extensor muscles in elderly subjects due to the specific recruitment of fast motor units during forceful turns on the slope. Downhill skiing led to a 1.4‐fold increase in the mean cross‐sectional area of slow (P=0.04)‐ and fast (P=0.08)‐type muscle fibers. Fold changes in the expression of the structural component of focal adhesions, gamma‐vinculin, were correlated with alterations in concentric force (r=0.64). Hypertrophy of fast fibers was more pronounced in women than in men (1.7 vs 1.1). Gender‐specific structural–functional adjustments of knee extensor muscles and attached patellar tendon were reflected by altered expression of pro‐ vs de‐adhesive proteins and a number of correlations. The de‐adhesive protein tenascin‐C was selectively increased in women compared with men (1.7 vs 1.1) while the content of the adhesive collagen XII was specifically reduced in women. The pro‐adhesive focal adhesion kinase showed a specific increase in men compared with women (1.9 vs 1.1). Our findings indicate that quantitatively matched adaptations in slow and fast motor units of extensor muscle underlie the preventive effect of skiing against sarcopenia and support that hypertrophy and reinforcement of fiber adhesion operate in the improvement of muscle strength.
Lack of association of the dopamine D4 receptor gene polymorphism with alcoholism in a Brazilian population

The dopaminergic system has been implicated in alcoholism, but most of the past investigations concentrated on the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2), with conflicting results. The dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4) is in the same class as DRD2, but presents different pharmacological properties. This gene has an expressed highly variable 48 base pair (bp) tandem repeat polymorphism (VNTR), which could be of functional relevance.We screened 100 Caucasians and 100 Afro‐Brazilians to determine the allele distribution of this polymorphism in a southern Brazilian population. The allele frequencies observed are significantly different from those described in the literature except when Afro‐Brazilians and African Bantus are compared. A group of 136 male alcoholics, classified according to DSM‐III‐R criteria for alcohol dependence, was also ascertained. The results of the association study were negative for comparisons between white and black alcoholics and controls, and no association was disclosed when either subtypes of alcoholics and different aspects of this condition were considered. These results, together with those available in the literature for other ethnic groups, suggest a minor role, if any, of the DRD4 gene in the susceptibility to alcoholism.
Do Physicians Referred for Competency Evaluations Have Underlying Cognitive Problems?

Purpose Research suggests that there are concerns about the neuropsychological functioning of physicians who undergo physician competency evaluation. Academic health center faculty often participate in the evaluation and remediation of these physicians. The purpose of this study was to compare the cognitive abilities between a group of physicians referred for competency evaluations and a control group. Method Using the MicroCog, a computerized neuropsychological screen originally designed for physicians, the authors compared the cognitive performance of 267 physicians referred for competency evaluations with a control group of 68 recruited physicians. Physicians referred for competency evaluations took the MicroCog as a part of their evaluation at CPEP, the national Center for Personalized Education for Physicians, from January 1997 to January 2004. The control group comprised practicing physicians whose competency was not in question. Results Compared with the control group, the competency evaluation group had a greater proportion of physicians with scores suggesting possible cognitive impairment and performed significantly lower on scores of processing speed, processing accuracy, and cognitive proficiency. The control group of physicians performed significantly better than the age- and education-corrected normative sample. Conclusions Because there were significant neuropsychological differences between physicians referred for competency evaluations and physicians whose competency was not in question, it is important that neuropsychological screening be included as part of physicians' competency evaluations.
Asymptotic Bias for Quasi-Maximum-Likelihood Estimators in Conditional Heteroskedasticity Models

For conditional heteroskedasticity models, the authors study the identification condition that is required for consistency of a non-Gaussian quasi-maximum-likelihood estimator. They show that, if the conditional mean is zero or if a symmetry condition is satisfied, then the identification condition is satisfied. Without symmetry, an additional parameter, for the location of the innovation density, must be added for identification. For the conditional variance parameters of a GARCH process, there is no efficiency loss from adding the parameter under symmetry, when the parameter is not needed.
Clinical factors in the prediction of further haemorrhage or mortality in acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage

Data collected prospectively from 326 admissions for acute upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage were examined to identify factors predicting further haemorrhage or mortality. Seven predictive factors were identified by univariate analysis for both further haemorrhage and/or mortality, but only age over 60 years, an admission haemoglobin <8 g/dl and the presence of endoscopic stigmata of recent haemorrhage were shown by stepwise logistic regression to have independent significance for further haemorrhage. An age over 60 years, the presence of clinical shock on admission and an episode of further haemorrhage following admission emerged as independently significant in the prediction of mortality.
Moral Objectivism in Cross-Cultural Perspective

Moral psychologists have recently turned their attention to the study of folk metaethical beliefs. We report the results of a cross-cultural study using Chinese, Polish, and Ecuadorian participants that seeks to advance this line of investigation. Individuals in all three demographic groups were observed to attribute objectivity to ethical statements in very similar patterns. Differences in participants’ strength of opinion about an issue, the level of societal agreement or disagreement about an issue, and participants’ age were found to significantly affect their inclination to view the truth of an ethical statement as a matter of objective fact. Implications for theorizing about folk morality are discussed.
Profile of child and adolescent psychiatry in Oman.

OBJECTIVE To find the common behavioral problems in youth, their co-morbidity, treatment, and other variables in Oman. METHODS All patients who attended the child psychiatric clinic in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Muscat, (the only child psychiatry clinic in Sultanate of Oman) for a 3-month period were investigated for behavioral problems, particularly hyperactivity (by Conners' Questionnaire). The diagnosis was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition. RESULTS Of the total 212 cases, Omani nationals constituted 89% and the rest were expatriates. Sixty five percent were boys, 57% were of school age, 26% were adolescents, 9% were preschoolers and 5% were toddlers. Consanguinity among their parents was high at 52%. The majority (60%) of the patients exhibited hyperactivity. Aggression was found in 49%, while stealing and lying were found in 25% and 22%. Approximately one-third suffered from headache and abdominal pain. The majority (62%) were of below-normal intelligence. Anxiety affected 14%, depression 4%, and conduct disorders 8%. One-third of the patients were taking psychostimulants and another one-third were taking tricyclics. The results were compared with those from other developing countries. CONCLUSION Behavioral problems among children and adolescents are high in Oman, same as other developing countries, though the type of disorders is different here. This calls for the attention of the health policy makers for diagnosing and treating such disorders in Oman as well as in the other developing countries.
A survey of urban and rural participants in the Otago-Southland pilot breast cancer screening programme.

AIMS By surveying participants in a pilot breast cancer screening programme, to measure satisfaction with the screening service, to provide feedback for programme staff, to obtain an indication of future participation, and to collect information about costs to women. METHODS A self administered questionnaire was posted to representative samples of urban and rural women (total 474) who had participated in the Otago-Southland pilot breast cancer screening programme in its first year of operation. RESULTS There was a 93% response rate to the survey, after one reminder letter. Although some demographic characteristics of urban and rural women differed, their opinions about the screening programme were similar. Satisfaction with the service is extremely high, with 94% of respondents planning to participate again in two years. CONCLUSIONS The Otago-Southland pilot programme provides a service which is regarded as satisfactory by the great majority of participants.
Factors influencing caspofungin plasma concentrations in patients of a surgical intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND Co-morbidity, medical and surgical interventions often cause alterations to drug plasma concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters in critically ill patients. In the present study, we investigated parameters influencing plasma caspofungin concentrations in patients of a surgical intensive care unit (SICU). METHODS In a monocentre open study, caspofungin trough concentrations (C(24)) were determined for a group of SICU patients. A linear-mixed model was then used to assess factors influencing caspofungin plasma concentrations. RESULTS A total of 40 SICU patients were enrolled. Age and body weight ranged from 22 to 76 years and 47 to 108 kg, respectively. All participants received a caspofungin loading dose of 70 mg and a maintenance dose of 50 mg/day. The median duration of therapy was 10 days. Caspofungin C(24) in SICU patients varied more than those determined for healthy subjects reported in previous studies (0.52-4.08 microg/mL versus 1.12-1.78 microg/mL). According to our model, caspofungin C(24) were predicted to be significantly higher in patients with body weight <75 kg (P=0.019) and patients with albumin concentration >23.6 g/L (P=0.030). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that body weight and albumin concentration influence caspofungin C(24) in SICU patients and should therefore be considered prognostic factors.
Treatments for smokers.

Research in treatments for smokers benefits from the feasibility of relatively large samples and well developed evaluative methodology. The field is currently dominated by nicotine replacement methods, for which some degree of efficacy has been clearly demonstrated. A number of psychological methods are widely used as well, although there is little consistent evidence that one specific method is better than any other. Two approaches to treating smokers can be distinguished, i.e. intensive clinic-based treatments and brief community-orientated interventions, e.g. in primary health care. The latter are applicable on a large scale, and aim to affect overall smoking prevalence. Among intensive treatments, the current state of the art would include nicotine replacement and group support of several weeks' duration. In primary health care, simple routine interventions are the preferred option.
Microbial viability in preparations packaged for single use.

We evaluated microbial viability in preparations packaged for single use only which mandate that residual solution be discarded such as albumin and globulin preparations as blood products, preparations containing albumin (such as urokinase and interferon), fat emulsions, and a preparation containing fat emulsions (propofol). In most preparations, Serratia marcescens and Burkholderia cepacia proliferated rapidly at 30 degrees C. However, in globulin preparations containing 1-2.25% glycine to prevent protein degradation (Gamma-Venin P, Venilon-I, Globulin Injection, and Ahlbulin), no growth of S. marcescens and B. cepacia was detected over 24 h at 30 degrees C. For globulin preparations containing 1-2.25% glycine, the injunction to "Discard residual solution after the package has been used" in the package inserts can be revised to "It is possible to use residual solution within 24 h after the package has been used with storage in a cool place. "
Payment and Provision Consequentiality in Voluntary Contribution Mechanism: Single or Double “Knife-Edge” Evidence?

We conducted a field stated preferences survey to understand the joint and separate effects of payment and provision consequences on hypothetical bias associated with voluntary contribution. Based on four treatment groups and a contingent-ranking willingness to pay (WTP) question, this paper provides some support for “single” knife-edge evidence, which suggests that a respondent facing positive provision consequences will report a significantly higher preference only if the payment consequence is co-presented. For the payment consequence, its negative impact on WTP was independent on the presence of provision consequence; we therefore reject the “double” knife-edge evidence.
ALTERNATIVE OF MONETARY POLICY INDICATOR: PANEL DATA ANALYSIS FROM ISLAMIC BANKS IN MALAYSIA

The monetary policy indicators such as monetary aggregates, interest rates andMonetary Condition Index (MCI) are the traditional monetary policy indicatorsused in order to obtain early indication of the impact of monetary policy. Theseindicators could function as appropriate monetary policy indicators that will provideinformation to the monetary policy makers. The development in Islamic financialsystem however creates a challenge to find a monetary policy indicator, which is inconformity with Islamic teaching. Therefore, this paper is aimed to examine the futuregrowth of nominal GDP as an alternative variable for monetary policy indicator inIslamic monetary system. The investigation will benefit from data of 17 Islamic banksin Malaysia which implement full fledge or Islamic windows scheme spanning from2005 to 2010. GMM system method is used to analyze the data in hope to validatethe appropriateness of the alternative monetary policy indicator. The result suggeststhat the future growth of nominal GDP is significant as monetary policy indicator andcould be applied by the central bank in implementing the monetary policy especiallyin the dual banking system.Keywords: Monetary Policy; Monetary Policy Indicators; Bank Financing.JEL Classification: E52; E58; C33; G21.
Identification of Customer Loyalty Determinants in Service Industry

In the context of an increasingly competitive industry, customer loyalty is seen as a key factor in winning company. Forming a loyal customer is an important thing for company management. This article is a literature review of the factors that are the determinants of customer loyalty in the service industry. Through this article, the authors attempt to identify the various factors that are determinants of customer market share and to develop a sustainable competitive advantage. Customer’s loyalty is one key to the success in the service industry.
Effect of methodology, dilution, and exposure time on the tuberculocidal activity of glutaraldehyde-based disinfectants

The Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) test for assessing the tuberculocidal activity of disinfectants has been shown to be variable. A modified AOAC test, which substituted Middlebrook 7H9 broth as the primary subculture medium and used neutralization by dilution, was compared with the standard AOAC method to assess the mycobactericidal activity of three glutaraldehyde-based disinfectants at 20 degrees C and various exposure times. These changes had a marked effect on results, with the modified AOAC test providing more positive penicylinders per 10 replicates in 12 of the 13 comparisons that provided positive results. These differences were observed with both Mycobacterium bovis (ATCC 35743) and a clinical isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The effects of various exposure times to and dilutions of the glutaraldehyde-based disinfectants were also examined. The minimum exposure time needed to inactivate reliably M. bovis or M. tuberculosis with 2% glutaraldehyde was 20 min at 20 degrees C. Diluting 2% glutaraldehyde caused a significant decline in mycobactericidal activity. Modification of the standard AOAC test to improve its sensitivity in detecting the failure of disinfectants to inactivate mycobacteria is indicated.
The effect of mango and neem extract on four organisms causing dental caries: Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus salivavius, Streptococcus mitis, and Streptococcus sanguis: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Chewing twigs of the mango or neem tree is a common way of cleaning the teeth in the rural and semi-urban population. These twigs are also believed to possess medicinal properties. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antimicrobial effects of these chewing sticks on the microorganisms Streptococcus mutans , Streptococcus salivarius , Streptococcus mitis , and Streptococcus sanguis which are involved in the development of dental caries. An additional objective was to identify an inexpensive, simple, and effective method of preventing and controlling dental caries. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sticks were sun dried, ground into a coarse powder, and weighed into 5 gm, 10 gm, and 50 gm amounts. These were added to 100 ml of deionized distilled water. After soaking for 48 h at 4 degrees C, the water was filtered. The filtrate was inoculated onto blood agar plates containing individual species of microorganisms and incubated at 37 degrees C for 48 h. RESULTS Mango extract, at 50% concentration, showed maximum zone of inhibition on Streptococcus mitis . Neem extract produced the maximum zone of inhibition on Streptococcus mutans at 50% concentration. Even at 5% concentration neem extract showed some inhibition of growth for all the four species of organisms. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION A combination of neem and mango chewing sticks may provide the maximum benefit. We recommend the use of both the chewing sticks.
HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis in the University Referral Centre in North Thailand: clinical presentation and visual prognosis

Background: Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is the most frequent type of uveitis encountered in the west. Although human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B27-associated ankylosing spondylitis was reported in South East Asia, it is not known whether HLA-B27-associated ocular disease is prevalent in Thailand. Methods: A prospective study of 100 unrelated blood donors and 121 consecutive patients with AAU was carried out. All people underwent HLA-B27 typing and full ocular examination. Radiological examination of the sacroiliac joints was conducted in patients with low back pain or arthralgias. Results: The prevalence of HLA-B27 was 10% among the blood donors in contrast with 44% in the AAU group (p<0.001). The clinical characteristics of HLA-B27-associated AAU were similar to those published throughout the world (unilaterality in 74%, hypopyon in 31%, recurrent AAU in 64%). However, the increased intraocular pressure (IOP) was more common in the HLA-B-27-negative group (p = 0.03) than in their HLA-B27-positive counterparts. At least 15% of the HLA B27-positive group had radiological signs of ankylosing spondylitis. Conclusion: The prevalence of HLA-B27 in the population without uveitis in Thailand is about 10% and clinical characteristics of HLA-B27-positive AAU are similar to those reported in the west. In contrast with earlier reports, HLA-B27-negative AAU in Thailand was associated with increased IOP and should be further studied.
Aligning High Performance Work Systems with Internal Organizational Context: Case Studies from Sri Lankan IT Companies

High performance work systems (HPWS) gained much interest in recent years as a human resource (HR) system contributing towardsorganizational performance. However, studies on HPWS and organizational performance have reported mixed results. While some found that HPWS result in improved organizational performance, later research revealed that HPWS do not always result in positive outcomes. This necessitates understanding on effective implementation of HPWS to achieve the desired outcomes. However, there is lack of research on how HPWS strength shapes the implementation of HPWS. Hence, we aim to bridge this gap by examining the implications of HPWS strength on the performance of Sri LankanInformation Technology (IT)companies. For this purpose, we deployed a case study approach selecting two companies. Interviews were carried out among 13 key informants representing senior management, HR personnel and non-managerial employees. Document review and direct observations were used to further collaborate the evidence from interviews. The findings supported the research proposition that to yield positive outcomes on organizational performance, there should be a strong HPWS,resulting in a positive attitudinal climate among employees. Key Words: High Performance Work Systems, Organizational Performance, Information Technology Industry, Sri Lanka
A model of adoption determinants of ERP within T-O-E framework

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to attempts to provide further insight into IS adoption by investigating how 12 factors within the technology-organization-environment framework explain small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) adoption of enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Design/methodology/approach The approach for data collection was questionnaire survey involving executives of SMEs drawn from six fast service enterprises with strong operations in Port Harcourt. The mode of sampling was purposive and snow ball and analysis involves logistic regression test; the likelihood ratios, Hosmer and Lemeshow’s goodness of fit, and Nagelkerke’s R2 provided the necessary lenses. Findings The 12 hypothesized relationships were supported with each factor differing in its statistical coefficient and some bearing negative values. ICT infrastructures, technical know-how, perceived compatibility, perceived values, security, and firm’s size were found statistically significant adoption determinants. Although, scope of business operations, trading partners’ readiness, demographic composition, subjective norms, external supports, and competitive pressures were equally critical but their negative coefficients suggest they pose less of an obstacle to adopters than to non-adopters. Thus, adoption of ERP by SMEs is more driven by technological factors than by organizational and environmental factors. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its scope of data collection and phases, therefore extended data are needed to apply the findings to other sectors/industries and to factor in the implementation and post-adoption phases in order to forge a more integrated and holistic adoption framework. Practical implications The model may be used by IS vendors to make investment decisions, to meet customers’ needs, and to craft informed marketing programs that would appeal to actual and potential adopters and cause them to progress in the customer loyalty ladder. Originality/value The paper contributes to the growing research on IS innovations’ adoption by using factors within the T-O-E framework to explains SMEs’ adoption of ERP.